Batman Tumbler go kart - Click above for high-res image gallery
So, you jumped at the chance to pick up a full-size replica of the Batsuit as worn by the Caped Crusader during his cleanup of Gotham City in The Dark Knight. What's next? Might we suggest a fully functional replica of Batman's Tumbler... albeit somewhat downsized and powered by a 6.5-horsepower engine?
That's right, you can now purchase plans to build your very own Tumbler go kart on eBay or on T-Man's official site. Pictures of the finished product can be seen below, so there's no worry that it can't be built - assuming you've got the welding chops to make it happen. Full 31-page thread of the build available here, and a video of the (mostly) finished product in operation can be viewed after the jump. We can only hope a removable Batpod is up next.
Talk About Bad Brakes - click above image for high-res gallery
There's surprisingly little to say here. "D'oh!" comes to mind, as does "Epic Fail." A picture of a spazzed out cat captioned with, "I can haz brakes?" would also work. As would a photo of Jill Wagner getting a tetanus shot. Other than that, um, you would think someone would have noticed something before it got this bad, right?
We've heard about wearing 'em down to the rotors, but this is just silly. And for all you heroic defenders of the mighty Panther platform about to come out of the woodwork, we agree - it's probably an aberration. But still... yeesh. Thanks to VW Vortex forum member barry2952 and the Gluckster for the tip!
Review: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Track The 2.0T is the low man on Hyundai's Genesis Coupe totem pole, disappointing the power addled and whooping it up too much for pinkie-waving tea drinkers. However, raw power isn't what this turbo model is all about.
GM dropping corporate emblems for 2010 Beginning with future 2010 model year vehicles, the barely noticeable silver GM badge will not be added to new products. Vehicles like the 2010 Camaro and 2010 Equinox already don the GM logo, but the assumption is that the logos will stop appearing once the remaining inventory is used up.
Dealer poll calls Cash for Clunkers a nightmare Before Clunkers, most showroom floors were bereft of customers, and scores of dealerships were closing their doors. As good as C4C has been for customers, many dealers are all too happy it's over.
Want an interesting voice on your satellite navigation system but tired of the Yoda, Stewie, Arnold and Homer themes you've already downloaded? Good news, then. Bob Dylan has just announced on his "Theme Time Radio Hour" show in the U.K. that he may be providing his distinctive vocals to a GPS unit near you soon. Says Dylan:
I am talking to a couple of car companies about being the voice of their GPS system. I think it would be good if you are looking for directions and hear my voice saying something like: left at the next street, no a right - you know what? Just go straight... I probably shouldn't do it because which ever way I go I always end up at one place: Lonely Avenue.
We can picture it now... the first time you're lost, Bob Dylan's elastic voice comes on loud through the speakers, "How does it feel? To be on your own... with no direction home. Like a complete unknown." Comforting, no?
Last week, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn reportedly mooted three new Porsches to fill out the line: something beneath the Boxster, a "baby Cayenne," and a Panamera variant. When it comes to that last model, the consensus among Autoblog commenters seems to be "Give us a new 928 or 944!"
But what if instead of a coupe, we were to get a Panamera wagon? A forum member over at Teamspeed has Photoshopped what such at thing would look like, and the results are... well, have a look and decide for yourself. It would be roomy and it would most likely sell (overseas, at least), yet even though it's not the worst looker, we'd still prefer a new 928 GTS.
We know a lot of you out there have a project car in your garage right now. It's either finished, still on the drawing board or waiting for parts (or the money to buy parts). We might be able to help you out with that last part if you have what it takes to be eBay Motors' 2009 Motors Master. All you have to do is record a short video that shows off your project car, truck or motorcycle and submit it to this cleverly designed website (love the model parts tree motif) at eBay Motors.
Prizes include a free trip to this year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas, a $2,500 eBay Motors shopping spree and the title of 2009 Motors Master. If it makes a difference, Autoblog's own Editor-in-Chief, John Neff (that's me) is a judge, so you've got an in (not really, sorry). If you know your project car's a clunker, who cares, enter it anyway as eBay Motors will be randomly awarding $1,000 shopping sprees each week. Entries will be accepted until September 10th, so you've still go plenty of time to give your project car its closeup and submit a video.
Gemballa Mistrale - Click above for high-res image gallery
Hot on the heels of the 9ff-tuned Porsche Panamera comes more news from arch-rival tuning house Gemballa on its own four-door custom creation. Called the Mistrale, Gemballa dropped some hints and photos just a week ago, but has now confirmed some of the juicy details that will set its version of Ferdinand's family sedan apart.
While Gemballa hasn't revealed the specifics of how it gets power up (aside from mentioning a new exhaust), it has announced that output is up to 750 horsepower, thereby trumping the top-spec 9ff by a good hundred equines.
The extra power is kept in check by 420mm discs up front, gripped by six-pot calipers, and 380mm with four-pot pistons in the back, poking out from behind Gemballa's own 22-inch forged alloys, and riding on a custom air suspension lowered by 40mm. And as we already know, the Mistrale comes with a bespoke aero kit with bits of carbon fiber all over and extra cooling for the engine and brakes. Details in the press release after the jump.
Fiat 500 Abarth by Karl Schnorr - Click above for high-res image gallery
With the Fiat 500 set to come Stateside under the Italian automaker's partnership with Chrysler, our interest already is piqued by any opportunity to further enhance the retro mini's performance. Echoing founder Karl Abarth's Germanic roots, German tuning house Karl Schnorr has answered the call with a two-stage performance upgrade catalog to give the scorpion some added sting.
Fiat itself already offers the 500 in several states of tune. Above the standard engines, the company's Abarth in-house tuning arm offers the 133 horsepower 500 Abarth and the 158-hp 500 Abarth EsseEsse. Schnorr takes things two steps further with the 185-hp, 950-euro (around $1,350) Stage 1 kit and the 197-hp, 5,050-euro (nearly $7,250) Stage 2, complete with upgraded turbocharger and custom sports exhaust. Fresh coilover shocks drop the ride height by a few millimeters, mounted to 17-inch OZ alloys and complemented by even more stripes than the scorpion brand offers from the factory. Check it out in the gallery below and in the press release after the jump.
Seatbelts have been spun as fashion items before, but not like this. In an effort to counteract the low take-rate of seatbelts in the United Arab Emirates, the Salama Road Safety Public Awareness Initiative will be launching soon. The initiative will adorn the potential life savers with haute couture logos like Gucci, as well as the logos of sports teams, flags, and so on as a way to make buckling up suddenly hip to young motorists.
Abu Dhabi's Health Authority (HAAD) cites figures that it can entice more than the current 11% of Emiratis to click the buckle if it appeals to the citizens senses of pride or style. Peer pressure to avoid belts was also cited by respondents to the HAAD's as a reason for not belting. The idea may not work, but it's worth a shot to flip the script on the fashion conscious and turn seatbelts from lame to haute couture.
[Source:Arabian Business via Luxist; Source Image: Zumiez]
Europe's Mercedes-Benz S 320 CDI BlueEfficiency began this year as the most frugal S-Class available. With 235 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque, 31 mpg, and S-Class luxury, it's a fine runner if you want to have it all without grenading your treehugging credentials. But hang on - new reports are now popping up suggesting that Mercedes will soon up the frugal luxury stakes with a new S 250 CDI BlueEfficiency - the first S-Class with a four-cylinder engine.
According to the rumors, it will use the 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged diesel four-pot fitted to the E- and C-Class, putting out 224 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque. The obvious sacrifice in sheer grunt and top end ought to be made up for by the mileage, which is predicted to be 35 mpg. To keep the four- and six-cylinder engines from being too close to one another, the six is said to grow in output to 285 hp and 516 lb-ft, and that should spell the end of the eight-cylinder S 450 CDI engine.
Conventional wisdom says that Cash for Clunkers provided a big-time boost to dealers. After all, before Clunkers, most showroom floors were bereft of customers, and scores of dealerships were closing their doors. As good as C4C has been for customers, many dealers are all too happy it's over.
A recent (admittedly unscientific) survey conducted by Automotive News shows that 44% of the 800 dealers polled wouldn't want C4C to be extended again, even if the program was modified. Only 3% felt that the program should have been extended without being modified. The biggest issue dealers have with C4C is, unsurprisingly, its lack of timely payment. Some multi-store dealers have millions invested in the program, while little or no money has come in yet. An alarming 23% of dealers say they have had to borrow money to cover the cash crunch left in the wake of the Clunkers program, while an additional 10% say the program has actually sucked enough cash from the coffers that it has put the dealership at risk.
The Transportation Department and the Obama Administration have stated that every eligible C4C transaction will result in payment, but the federal guarantee isn't boosting many dealers' confidence. AN says that 43% of dealers surveyed aren't very confident that they'll receive all of their C4C dollars, while an additional 18% are not at all confident that they'll be paid in full.
Some dealers say that C4C has also hurt their repair, finance, used car and parts businesses, but that's okay if they collect from the feds. Even with the considerable downside of C4C, 74% of dealers say that if they're paid in full by the federal government, the program will positively affect their bottom line, while 5% say they somehow managed to lose money.
Radical SR8LM sets the Nürburgring lap record - Click above to watch the video after the jump
Some of the best sportscars on the road are those derived from racing machinery. But by the time you take them back to the racetrack...well, that's just backwards thinking. At least, that's how it seems when you look at the Radical SR8LM. Instead of making life imitate art that's imitating life, Radical cut the shortest distance from A to B. The SR8LM is that product, and as you may have heard, it holds the new record for the fastest lap time at the Nurburgring.
Okay, so it's not so practical. But then, neither are most of the extreme performance machines out there. So instead of splitting hairs, how about climbing on board the Suzuki Hayabusa-engined street-legal Le Mans prototype-style racer-for-the-road and watch it raise the bar yet again. Sound good? Then follow the jump to watch the video. But you might want to watch it before eating, not after, because while the Radical may look ready to win races, it may also make you lose your lunch.
Samoan traffic switches sides -- Click above to view the video after the jump
Samoa's prime minister has decided to do something for his constituents who want to buy cheap cars: swap driving from the right-hand side to the left-hand side. The reasoning behind the move is that Australia and New Zealand are Samoa's biggest trading partners, and driving in the same manner they do -- like the English -- will let Samoans buy cheaper cars from the antipodes. Intriguingly, the prime minister also said the switch will help Samoans avoid tsunamis.
It's not exactly a shock to find that more than a few Samoans aren't happy about it. A local attorney has formed a group called People Against Switching Sides, and he was able to get 30,000 petition signatures in a country with just 200,000 people. Samoa's roads are already dangerous, and his reasoning is that this will only mean more injured and killed citizenry, not to mention a huge bill.
The government wants to hear none of it, sticking to its September 7th changeover date and saying it will be a national holiday. If footage a bus full of people traveling the wrong way down a training road is any indication, though, our advice would be to stick to walking. You can watch a video on the reversing maneuver after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Reed!
Audi R15 TDI - Click above for high-res image gallery
The Audi vs. Peugeot endurance racing battle will continue next month at Road Atlanta as the German team finally confirmed it will bring the R15 TDI back to America. Peugeot announced several weeks ago that it would run its Le Mans-winning 908 HDI at both the Petit Le Mans and Laguna Seca. So far Audi has only committed to the 10-hour race in Georgia. Audi Sport Team Joest will be running the two R15s for the German automaker.
The diesel-powered racers opened up the season battling at the 12 hours of Sebring with the R15 grabbing a debut victory. From there, the Franco-Prussian war moved on to the 24 Hours of Le Mans where Peugeot finally came through with a win after three years of trying.
Audi motorsports boss Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich blamed a lack of testing for the team's failure in France this year and plans to have the team test at Road Atlanta the week prior to the race next month. Hopefully, Audi will stick around for the California race, as well. Full press release after the jump, and thanks to all for the tips!
John Schnatter, the Papa in Papa John's Pizza, has been looking for his 1971 1/2 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 for nearly twenty years. He sold it in 1983 for $2,800 and used part of that to rescue his father's business and the rest to begin the pizza chain that has gone global. He has spent more than 100 times that much trying to get it back.
Starting off with a FBI agent, then a web appeal and a $25,000 reward, he got nowhere. The reward swelled to $250,000, and then he got on television and talked about trying to get the car back. Some Indiana readers heard about it, and a web engine search led them to Schnatter's story on Jalopnik. Those readers, the Sloanes, thought they knew the owner of the car in question, because they had owned it and recently sold it.
The new owner -- only the third one, after Schnatter -- was a Kentucky man named Jeff Robinson of Flatwoods, Kentucky. He had transformed the original Z28 into an 825 horsepower dragster doing 9.55 quarter-miles at 141 mph. Still, he was unsurprisingly content to sell his car back to Schnatter for the $250,000 reward. The Sloanes also got $25,000 for the assist.
And now their gain may be your gain - if you're one of the Camaro faithful. Papa John is so happy to have his car back that he's giving away free pizza to all Camaro owners tomorrow, Wednesday, August 26. One pizza per Camaro, one visit per Camaro. Although we suppose if you can get that transforming Bumblebee Camaro suit from the Mexican Chevy dealer, you might earn a couple more pies. Thanks to everyone for the tips!
Back in 2005, General Motors began adding so-called "Mark of Excellence" corporate logos to all of its vehicles. The reasoning behind the move was that with eight brands, customers needed to know that vehicles from brands like Hummer and Saturn came from the GM family. Fast forward four years and The General is now down to four brands, and the company now feels that a strong link to GM proper won't necessarily help Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. Beginning with future 2010 model year vehicles, the barely noticeable silver GM badge will not be added to new products. Vehicles like the 2010 Camaro and 2010 Equinox already don the GM logo, but the assumption is that the logos will stop appearing once the remaining inventory is used up.
GM spokesman Terry Rhadigan told TheDetroit News that company research shows customers outside the Midwest don't associate brands like Cadillac and Chevrolet as GM products. Some would say that the move will serve to distance the company's brands from the bankruptcy of parent GM, while others may question whether the badging ever captured the attention of customers in the first place. With GM's new emphasis on strengthening the brands it has left, we'd say that tying the mother ship to any of the individual marques is pretty irrelevant and makes little sense. And besides, they're probably saving a few bucks on badges in the process, right?
2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor in Anza Borrego - Click above to watch the video after the jump
After spending a couple days with the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor in California's Anza Borrego desert, we came to the conclusion that Ford's SVT wondertruck is at least 15 different kinds of awesome. After all, how many SVT-badged, factory fresh rides come equipped with three stage Fox shocks, 12-inches of clearance and 35-inch BF Goodrich rubber? We can only think of one, and we drove it in orange.
Motor Trend also spent time with the Raptor at Anza Borrego, and they had cameras rolling on the ground and in the air. The 6:27 video is chock full of information about the Raptor, but perhaps more importantly, it's also filled with rolling footage of Ford's off-road super truck doing what it does best: tackle tough terrain. MT hits speeds of 75-100 mph while behind the wheel, sliding effortlessly across some pretty inhospitable environs. In the video, the publication's Ed Loh also tests out the Raptor's hill descent mode, which crawls down steep grades without the need to touch the gas or brake pedal. Hit the jump to watch the Raptor tackle hill and sand at Anza Borrego, and if you're anything like us, you'll be looking for the nearest dune and any excuse to get behind the wheel of Ford's new desert rat rod.
2009 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Track - Click above for high-res image gallery
The 2.0T is the low man on Hyundai's Genesis Coupe totem pole, disappointing the power addled and whooping it up too much for pinkie-waving tea drinkers. However, raw power isn't what this turbo model is all about, and once that's made clear, the coupe becomes a delightful flavor in Hyundai's best recipe. All the careful execution of the Genesis Sedan carries over, with an extra dollop of involvement. It's a driver's car, pure and simple. And that's a recipe we enjoy as much as Mom's London Broil.
While the car-crazies have hotly anticipated the Genesis Coupe's retail arrival, mainstreamers have yet to get the memo that Hyundai has its afterburner lit. Entirely different than the Tiburon it sent packing, the Genesis Coupe is a rakishly good looking car with crisply pressed, creative styling. So it looks good, but how's it drive?
Cadillac Converj Concept - Click image above for high-res gallery
Last we knew, the fate of the Cadillac Converj vehicle was unknown and remained "a concept vehicle undergoing a review that has not yet concluded." Resistance to putting the Voltec plug-in powertrain into a Cadillac apparently came not only from the Treasury Department (when General Motors was still in bankruptcy) but also some executives within the company.
BusinessWeek names the resisting execs as GM North America President Troy Clarke and Mark McNabb, who ran Cadillac, Hummer, and Saab. Note the past tense there: both Clarke and McNabb no longer work at GM. One of the Converj's strongest proponents, Bob Lutz, remains with the company. While nothing has been officially decided - some inside GM think the Volt should have been a Caddy all along while others don't think that luxury car buyers care about being green - don't count the Converj out yet.
Once again, a hybrid sales success may mean shortages for Toyota as the Japanese automaker rolls out a desirable new product here in the United States. First, the new-for-2010 Prius hatchback proved to be such a stellar sales champ that Toyota found its production hampered by a shortage of batteries. Now, Automotive News reports that the new Lexus HS 250h is in such high demand in Japan that Toyota may not be able to provide an adequate supply of the luxury hybrid model here in the States.
Toyota had initially targeted 500 sales per month of the HS 250h in its home market, but a number of government-backed sales incentives and tax breaks for hybrid vehicles has boosted demand for the new sedan so much that Toyota saw 10,000 orders in its first month on sale in Japan. The Lexus HS 250h is scheduled to hit U.S. dealerships next month with a base price of $35,075 (including shipping), barring any unforeseen supply restrictions.
2010 Volkswagen Saveiro - Click above for image gallery
While we patiently await the release of Volkswagen's Robust pickup truck on this side of the equator, our upside-down neighbors to the south have received a VW pickup of their own. Called the Saveiro, the truck seen above is made in Brazil exclusively for the South American market to compete with the likes of the Fiat Strada and Chevrolet Montana (not to be confused with the Pontiac-badged minivan).
For 2010, the Volkswagen Saveiro has been refreshed to look more like the rest of the VW range. Power comes from a flex-fuel 1.6-liter engine, producing 101 horsepower on gasoline or 104 on ethanol, which is a popular fuel in South America. For our part, we don't mind waiting a little longer for the Robust (not that we're likely to get it in the States), but you can check out the Saveiro in the gallery below.
If you're a car dealer, chances are that you're not visiting Autoblog this morning to see what's going on. No, your head and the head of every single one of your employees is buried in a keyboard right now, frantically refreshing the government's website that handles Cash for Clunkers submissions. The website has been down since yesterday morning, and the Transportation Department has officially extended the deadline for dealers to file their reimbursement requests twice now - once yesterday to noon today and again late last night. The second extension is open ended until the site comes back online and is able to handle the influx of dealer submissions.
The government website went down at some point before noon on Monday morning, presumably when dealers nationwide began submitting their final reimbursement requests from last weekend's bonanza sell-a-thon. All the government is saying right now is that dealers will have any time lost while the site was down to submit their final paperwork. The deadline to actually sell cars through the Cash for Clunkers program came and went last night at 8PM, but if dealers are prohibited from submitting paperwork for those final sales, they may be out the cost of the C4C rebate for each car.
[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd | Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty]
Mini Crossover Concept from Paris 2008 - Click above for high-res image gallery
The gurus of everything Mini at MotoringFile report BMW is planning more new vehicle debuts at the Frankfurt Motor Show, with two new concepts set to debut online this week in advance of the bash in Germany.
The big debut will be the Mini Speedster, the anticipated sportier alternative to the existing four-seat convertible. But even before the Speedster hits the web, Mini could opt to unveil the Countryman crossover later this week. Both will be strict concept cars, like the Traveler from Detroit 2006 and the Crossover concept from last year's show in Paris, but will point the way towards potential production models to come.
2010 Korean-market Hyundai Tucson ix - Click above for high-res image gallery
Although U.S. consumers aren't slated to clap eyes on the new Hyundai Tucson until the Los Angeles Auto Show, the next-generation model has just been revealed in its home market, and it's a much more upscale looking effort. Dubbed 'Tucson ix' in Korea and ix35 in Europe, the compact crossover will likely just be called 'Tucson' when it reaches North American shores.
And while we don't yet have U.S. specifications, we can tell you that the Korean market car will be available with a buyer's choice of a 2.0-liter diesel or gasoline powerplants, both paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. The so-called 'R' diesel puts out 184 horsepower and meets Euro-5 emissions requirements while achieving 15.4 km per liter fuel economy (36 mpg). Conversely, the Theta-II gas engine brings 166-hp to the table, as well as fuel economy of 11.7 km per liter (28 mpg), with both figures presumably arrived at using Korea's fuel economy calculation methodologies and not that of the EPA. Interestingly, only the diesel engine is available with all-wheel drive traction, but as we aren't expecting to see that engine Stateside, we would assume that the USDM Tucson will continue to be offered with both front- or all-wheel drive.
The new Tucson looks markedly more grown-up (and, it must be said, Lexus RX-like) than its somewhat roly-poly cute-ute predecessor and equipment levels for the KDM model appear to have matured as well. Over there, the new model is fitted with available luxury features like a panoramic sunroof and a rearview mirror mounted backup camera, as well as safety equipment like Downhill Brake Control and Hill-Start Assist Control.
KDM pricing starts at 21 million won (about $23,700 USD) for a front-drive gas model, though we suspect that when it arrives in the States as a 2011 model, the Tucson will probably carry pricing closer to that of the current model, which starts at $18,095. While we wait for further information on the U.S. model, Hyundai is promising further details on the ix35 will be revealed on Sept 3 ahead of the vehicle's European debut in Frankfurt. Official press release after the jump, high-res images below.
Now, news from the same source that there may have been a bit more truth to those initial rumors than Suzuki was willing to admit. Says VW Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn, "Suzuki would be an interesting partner because of its competency in small cars." As before, the German magazine suggests that Volkswagen would either purchase a 10-percent stake in Suzuki or enter into a joint venture for the production of small cars for emerging markets.
Of course, even if there have been talks between VW and Suzuki, the German automaker already has plenty on its plate at the moment in the form of a merger with longtime partner Porsche. Perhaps, then, there's room for Renault, which is also reportedly interested in working with Suzuki on future small car projects.
Wasted time. All the wasted time we spent as children looking for that ridiculous, bespectacled, striped goon when we could have been seeking out the world's most enigmatic racing driver. As with so many other things, however, future generations need suffer no more thanks to illustrator Rod Hunt and the merchandising-obsessed limeys at the BBC, who have teamed up on this new project.
Where's Stig? features jam-packed, cartoonish recreations of famous scenes from the hit television show Top Gear, with the mysterious driver in white hidden somewhere on each page. Just like Where's Waldo?, only with more Top Gear-iness. The publication goes on sale from BBC Books as of September 17. Follow the link to the illustrator's website to check it out. Thanks for the tip, Jared!
Back in 2005, General Motors began adding so-called "Mark of Excellence" corporate logos to all of its vehicles. The reasoning behind the move was that with eight brands, customers needed to know that vehicles from brands like Hummer and Saturn came from the GM family. Fast forward four years and The General is now down to four brands, and the company now feels that a strong link to GM proper won't necessarily help Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. Beginning with future 2010 model year vehicles, the barely noticeable silver GM badge will not be added to new products. Vehicles like the 2010 Camaro and 2010 Equinox already don the GM logo, but the assumption is that the logos will stop appearing once the remaining inventory is used up.
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