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| eBay Find of the Day: Custom Ferrari... chopper?
September 6, 2009 at 9:03 pm
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| Filed under: Auctions, Ferrari, Motorcycle 
Custom Ferrari Chopper - Click above for high-res image gallery
When we think of a two-wheeled Ferrari, a stretched-out, chopper-style motorcycle isn't what naturally comes to mind. After all, the Italian supercars are known just as much for their ability to tear up the racetrack as the drag strip and choppers aren't exactly renowned for their handling prowess.
Still, we're all for freedom of expression and at least one enterprising motorcycle builder has decided to tackle the contradiction in terms that is a Ferrari chopper, as you can see with the machine above. There are apparently two such bikes in existence - the first may have been powered by an inline-triple from Triumph while the second uses an inline-four yanked from a Yamaha R1. Both cycles have been on the show circuit, featured all over the internet (including right here on Autoblog) and in print.
If you're interested in taking home your very own Ferrari-branded custom chopper, there's still some time left on the auction and the Buy It Now price sits at $39,495. Thanks for the tip, Avery!
[Source: eBay | Photo: Exotic Custom Choppers - Used with permission]eBay Find of the Day: Custom Ferrari... chopper? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 20:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Lancia gets wet in Venice with model Catrinel Menghia and Martini Racing [w/VIDEO]
September 6, 2009 at 7:37 pm
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| Filed under: Etc., Europe, Fiat  Lancia di Lancia launches in Venice - Click either image for high-res image gallery
Considering that somewhere between two-thirds and three-quarters of the earth's surface is covered by water - and that, if the global warming alarmists are right, that proportion of aqua to terra firma will only increase - it should come as no great surprise that the world's automakers and their designers have been setting sail on the open sea. Recent examples have included 28-foot speedboats and 135-foot catamaran megayachts penned by Porsche Design, sailboats and motor yachts from BMW DesignWorks USA, and speedboats from former Jaguar and Spyker supercar designers. The list goes on and on, and probably will continue to grow until we get the go-ahead to spin off Aquablog.
 The latest pair - both rigid inflatables measuring over 40 feet long and packing ludicrous power - come from the collaboration between Italian shipyard SACS Marine and the Fiat Group: a white, outboard-powered open-plan tender for Abarth and a sleek black vessel for Lancia. The latter shares its nautical name with the motor launches that navigate the canals and waterways of Venice in the place of cars on any other city's streets. And that's just the venue the Italian automaker chose to launch - in every sense of the word - its stunning speedboat, during the international film festival it sponsored there this weekend.
As we reported a couple of weeks ago, the Lancia di Lancia is a 13-meter rigid inflatable speedboat packing a pair of 560hp 6.7-liter 24-valve common-rail six-cylinder turbodiesels from Fiat Powertrain Technologies. It's capable of carrying 11 passengers on board in unparalleled style and topping out at 55 knots - impressive for an eight-and-a-half ton vessel, and easily the most dramatic vehicle to bear the Lancia name in decades. So much so, in fact, that Lancia and its onetime iconic sponsor Martini Racing rekindled their relationship for this speedboat. And just for kicks, they brought along Romanian supermodel Catrinel Menghia - the face of Giorgio Armani and Lise Charmel lingerie - for a cruise around the picturesque canals. You can enjoy the results in the high-resolution image gallery below and in the quartet of videos embedded (along with a press release) after the jump.
[Source: Lancia]Continue reading Lancia gets wet in Venice with model Catrinel Menghia and Martini Racing [w/VIDEO] Lancia gets wet in Venice with model Catrinel Menghia and Martini Racing [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Can you name that road sign? Take this quiz and find out
September 6, 2009 at 6:03 pm
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| Filed under: Etc., Safety, Humor 
A couple of weeks ago, we challenged you to take a shot at a written driving test. The test wasn't designed for rocket scientists, but a few of you justifiably complained about the confusing verbiage in some of the questions, and the fact that some laws vary from state to state. Yeah, some of you flunked.
Moving forward, the folks over at AutoInsurance.org have offered us a new exam -- based simply on road signs. This should be easy. After all, road signs are designed to be comprehended at a glace, day or night, in rain or shine, even if English is your fourth language.
Toss your apprehensions aside. This 19-question quiz won't bewilder or baffle you with a superfluity of words, and the pictographs generally mean the same thing in all municipalities. So no excuses this time... Go ahead, take the quiz.
[Source: Autoinsurance.org]
Can you name that road sign? Take this quiz and find out originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| New for Chrysler in 2010: Not much
September 6, 2009 at 4:34 pm
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| Filed under: Truck, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep 
2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty - Click above for high-res image gallery
Chrysler's in a tough spot right now. The beleaguered automaker survived the Daimler fiasco only to be picked up by an indifferent Cerberus team before ultimately ending up in bankruptcy court. Chrysler came out of those proceedings with a new dance partner in Fiat, and while the new company has a healthier balance sheet, a lack of funding has left the Pentastar with a nearly empty cupboard when it comes to new 2010 products.
In fact, Chrysler's new-product roster for the coming model year can be counted on one finger. The heavy duty 2010 Dodge Ram arrives with new sheetmetal, a significantly improved interior, a new crew cab configuration, and upgraded gasoline and diesel engines. It'll eventually be followed by commercial versions, with model designations ranging from 2500 to 5500.
As for the rest of the lineup, Chrysler did the most it could with its limited resources. Among the running changes for the 2010 model year are an improved Dodge Caliber interior, an updated, smooth-hooded Chrysler Sebring (as if anyone's going to notice) and plenty of fuel economy-related updates. The Dodge Nitro, Jeep Liberty and light-duty Ram receive a fuel cutoff feature during deceleration. The Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot add entry-level 2.0L four-cylinder models that deliver nominal fuel economy gains (2 mpg in the Dodge, 1 mpg in the Jeeps). The 3.5L Dodge Journey, a car that we'd all but forgotten about, will also see tweaks that will allow it to pick up an additional mpg as well.
Finally, Chrysler hopes to entice buyers by making previously optional equipment standard for 2010, while also adjusting pricing. The Dodge Caravan cost of entry has been lowered by $2,180 to $21,800, giving families a budget-priced option in the minivan market. Oh, and one last thing -- a limited edition Dodge Challenger SRT8 will be offered in Plum Crazy for 2010. Now that sounds genuinely interesting.
[Source: The Detroit News]New for Chrysler in 2010: Not much originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Richard Hammond says Top Gear to go out on a surprise high
September 6, 2009 at 3:03 pm
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| Filed under: Etc., UK, Celebrities  It's not pretty to watch once-popular shows and their stars drag things on years beyond their relevance. Everything that's hot, hip, and new right now -- the media creations that set tongues wagging -- they're all headed for their respective versions of Vegas Elvis. Even Top Gear, regarded by many to be the best car programming of all time, has a Bedazzled jumpsuit hiding somewhere in the wardrobe trailer.
Presenter Richard Hammond has said that he, James May, and Jeremy Clarkson have discussed how the show should go out. An exit at the top of its game without undue fanfare seems to be the prevailing wisdom; the only trouble will be knowing when that time is without overshooting it.
Rather than have an over-the-top final episode extravaganza, Top Gear will end its run like a regular signoff, at least if Hammond's vision becomes the plan for closure. Instead of a show full of surprises, the biggest surprise of all will be that there are no more shows forthcoming. Ending TG sounds sad, but it would likely not hold the boys back. The success of Top Gear has opened other doors for the presenters and given them status as media personalities that now makes it possible for numerous side gigs. Hammond himself has several irons in the fire in addition to Top Gear, so even if the program goes out at its zenith, we may yet see the Hamster in that jumpsuit, if only for some stunt on one of his other shows.
[Source: Times Online | Image: Gareth Cattermole/Getty]
Richard Hammond says Top Gear to go out on a surprise high originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Officially Official: 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost details released [w/VIDEO]
September 6, 2009 at 1:35 pm
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| Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Sedan, Videos, Rolls-Royce, Luxury 
Rolls-Royce Ghost - Click above for high-res image gallery
Rolls-Royce has officially dropped dozens of images and plenty of details on its new "baby" saloon, the Ghost. The new Roller won't be seen publicly for another week, when it'll formally bow in Frankfurt, but we now know that its 6.6-liter V12 generates an impressive 575 lb-ft of torque at 1,500 rpm, along with 563 horsepower in U.S. trim. The 212.6-inch body stretches over a 129.7 inch long wheelbase, and the whole car weighs in at 5,445 pounds unloaded.
There are no surprises in the styling, which is unchanged from the 200EX concept displayed in Geneva last March. naturally, the Ghost retains the Phantom-style coach doors (don't call them suicide in the presence of a Rolls rep) with built-in umbrellas. Inside, the Ghost carries over additional Phantom quirks, such as the "Power Reserve" gauge the driver gets in lieu of a traditional tachometer. Aside from that, this is clearly more of a driver's car than the Phantom, whose opulent backseat accommodations show that it's more about being driven in. The Ghost's steering wheel is much smaller in diameter and has a thicker rim than its big brother, and the seats appear to have more contouring for lateral support, as well. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but plan on bringing a Halliburton attache case full of cash if you plan on buying one, just to be on the safe side. A video and an exhaustive official press release follows after the jump.
[Source: Rolls-Royce]Continue reading Officially Official: 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost details released [w/VIDEO] Officially Official: 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost details released [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| Tool Time: Alloy Artifacts separates spanners from sockets
September 6, 2009 at 11:37 am
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| Filed under: Etc. 
 In the deep recesses of untold numbers of sheds and workshops, sit an even greater quantity of old toolboxes filled with long-unused hand tools. Over time, those tool-filled treasure chests will eventually be discovered and emptied by new owners, some of whom will wonder when and where the grease-encrusted wrenches and pliers were manufactured and how they might have been used.
To most people, the letters, numbers and small geometric shapes forged into the tools' handles give few clues as to their provenance. Luckily, there's Alloy Artifacts, a website dedicated to documenting the implements that kept America's machines running smoothly through the 20th century.
Not sure what you've found? The site has numerous photos of tools along with their intended uses; sometimes you'll even find links to their original patent filings. The odd tool you see above was made by Blackhawk Manufacturing in the early 1920s. According to Alloy Artifacts, it's a "model 6218 9/16 speeder socket wrench with a sliding extension" used to remove the engine base bolts of Model Ts.
Several toolmakers are profiled on the website, including Hindsdale Manufacturing, which made the socket set you see here sometime between 1919 and 1924. You'll also find myriad photos and descriptions of products made by Snap-On, Hinsdale, Duro, and Cornwell just to name a few.
Block off a couple of hours and lock yourself away in the garage. Looking through the site and imagining using the antique tools is time-waster on par with YouTube and eBay.
[Source: Alloy Artifacts via Hemmings Auto Blogs]Tool Time: Alloy Artifacts separates spanners from sockets originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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| eBay Find of the Day: One-off 1966 Sonny and Cher Ford Mustangs have got you, babe
September 6, 2009 at 10:15 am
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| Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Ford, UK, Celebrities  Sonny & Cher Custom Ford Mustangs -- Click above for image gallery
It appears that the Sonny & Cher custom Ford Mustangs are once again for sale (the kitschy twosome have been making the auction rounds the last couple years). This pair of 1966 Mustang Convertibles originally built by George Barris were sold in February at RM's Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale event for $198,000.
Prior to the RM sale, the two Ford-commissioned Mustangs hadn't been on the market for 25 years, and spent a least some of that time in the collection of Mustang Country founder Don Chambers. Originally used in the Sonny & Cher film Good Times, the gold and pink pearl droptops, with animal print, shag carpet, and ermine fur interior fitments went out on a subsequent publicity tour and saw some use by the entertainers. Cher only racked up 19,000 miles, while Sonny's car was the beater of the two, having accumulated 24,000 miles. A restoration has since put the cars back into original Kustom Kar Kondition.
The seller apparently wants to peddle these cars into the UK, lists their location as St. Louis, and provides a Florida phone number for contact purposes, so who knows what's up with all that - especially as the cars don't appear to be listed on eBay Motors U.S. Oh, and the asking price is more than £270,000 (around $450,000), a price that will surely have you singing "Baby Don't Go" to your cash. A tip of the cap to Michael D.
[Source: eBay]eBay Find of the Day: One-off 1966 Sonny and Cher Ford Mustangs have got you, babe originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments 
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