autoMedia Auto News Blog : Video

700-hp Hennessey CTS-V So Quick, OnStar Notices

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:43:00 GMT

The latest high-performance creation from Hennessey Peformance Engineering (HPE) is so quick that OnStar was alerted by a recent acceleration test. In a video , posted by AutoBlog , a Cadillac CTS-V700 billed as a “four-door ZR-1” ran the quarter-mile in 11.07 seconds at 128 mph. In doing so, the musclebound CTS-V pulled .99 g, enough to alert OnStar that something beyond the norm for a production car was going on. A great nod to the performance accomplishment, an OnStar operator calls the car after the run and the driver reports all is fine. (Learn how OnStar works .) The CTS-V700 with 20-inch drag radials claims a 10.9 second quarter-mile time at 129 mph. It blasts 0-60 mph in just 3.1 mph, reaching a 211 mph top speed. The V700 package includes: Four-inch cold-air induction system Supercharger pulley and snout upgrade Engine management software upgrade Long tube 1 7/8-inch stainless-steel headers Three-inch stainless mid pipes High-flow catalytic converters Intercooler heat exchanger system upgrade V700 camshaft upgrade V700 high-flow cylinder heads 160-degree thermostat Hennessey embroidered head rests Serial numbered dash and engine plaques Should that transformation sound too...(read more)

Road Trip in 2010 Ford Mustang Took Unexpected Turn

Brandy Schaffels — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:55:00 GMT

It's every car guy's dream: To hit the highway on the ultimate road trip with dear old Dad, exploring the country in the Ford Mustang musclecar they built together....(read more)

Driving While InTEXTicated: Put Down Your Device & Drive!

Brandy Schaffels — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 04:15:00 GMT

Just a year ago, there was very little legislation regulating hands-free and text-free use while driving. At the time, most of the legislation limiting the use of handheld devices while driving was limited to novice drivers, or bus drivers, and only a handful of states deemed it a ticketable offense.

Currently, according to http://handsfreeinfo.com/ only a handful of states require hands-free cellphone use, but more than a dozen states have taken action against driving and text messaging, some in conjunction with handheld cell phone bans. On January 1, 2009, California was the first to enact a no-texting law; Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia enacted texting laws in July 2009, and now 14 states restrict texting while driving. Recently, Utah and New Hampshire also adopted new limits on distracted driving. Additionally, more than 20 states restrict minor or novice drivers from using handheld devices while driving.

In the meantime, if common sense isn't enough to make you put your device down and drive, here's a British public service video that's graphic enough to encourage you to just leave the device at home before you even get into your car. Remember those "Red Asphalt" films that used to be shown as part of driver's education? This is the modern-day version, meant simply to demonstrate how dangerous it is to text while driving.

Not for the squeamish, it starts with a carefree carload of teenage girls chattering and doing what young girls do best: flirting with boys. The driver is texting, and within moments disaster strikes in gruesome glass-shattering, bone-breaking, blood-spattering, drama. The video is more than four minutes long, and agonizing to watch.

Some ask if the ad's graphic imagery goes too far? Screaming teens and blood spatter? Dead parents? Lifeless babies? Jaws of life and emergency helicopters? As the parent of a 16-year-old who hopes to be driving soon, I encourage all parents to watch it with their young drivers. In fact, anybody who has ever sent a tweet or sms while moving should also watch it.

Plain and simple: I'd rather watch it on YouTube, than see it unfold in traffic lanes around me.

Brandy Schaffels, contributing editor

Don't Drink and Drive this Fourth of July Weekend

Brandy Schaffels — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Forty years ago, my own mother was killed by a drunk driver. She was the first car off a green light when the other driver sped through a red light and tee-boned her car, killing her instantly, leaving my father a widow and her four children without a mother. I was barely four years old, but my siblings were old enough that they have memories of the policeman coming to our home to tell us the bad news. They also remember her funeral, though I have no memories of the event, or any of my mother who was taken away before she was even 30 years old.

It is because of this that I take a personal interest in the innovative eCard being sent out by The Century Council for the Fourth of July holiday: It uses a series of simple images to remind people to stay safe this Independence Day and not drive drunk. The images illustrate activities that are common on a typical Fourth of July holiday - a burger flips on a grill... a flag waves... bees buzz around slices of watermelon... somebody tosses a horseshoe. But it ends with images of what happens when someone has too much to drink, gets into a car, and puts lives in danger. It all happens in the blink of an eye, and then?

The Century Council is a national not-for-profit organization funded by distillers dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking; through educational efforts and a peer-to-peer lecture and video program, The Century Council educates students across the country about the hazards of underage drinking and driving. I first learned about the organization in an article at AskPatty.com reporting on the organization's support of Brandon Silveria and his "Make the Right Choice" Program. Brandon was involved in an alcohol-related crash at age 17 just before his high school prom: He was so badly injured that basic motor functions such as walking, talking and swallowing had to be re-learned. He now has permanent brain injury and suffers from dangerous seizures. With the support of The Century Council, Brandon tours the country to share his story so other teen drivers won't make the same mistake.

I hope this eCard will serve as a reminder to all my readers regardless of their age to stay safe this Fourth of July and NEVER drive drunk. Please click on the link to view the eCard at The Century Council, and when it's over, email the eCard to a friend, or post it to your own Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

By Brandy Schaffels, autoMedia.com Contributing Editor

autoMedia CARnival: What's happening this week in the auto blogs? May 15, 2009

Brandy Schaffels — Sat, 16 May 2009 04:14:00 GMT

It's the week ending May 15, and lots of automotive antics have been going on across the internets. We've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather a collection of what we feel is the highlight from each. We hope you survived the week better than some of the folks we read about in the auto blogs this week, and hope you'll enjoy the short treat at the end.

Can you guess what they're talking about over at allaboutprius.com? Hint: It might have something to do with Toyota's popular hybrid vehicle. In this case, their top story indicates the Toyota Prius has become the latest vehicle in which so-called "sudden acceleration" is alleged. According to the article "like every other vehicle accused of speeding up without warning, no conclusive evidence of a systematic or repeatable problem has been uncovered--despite dramatic photos of wrecked Priuses, and even one of a Prius in a rushing river." Check it out to read their arguments, which irrefutably prove "Given the history of 'sudden acceleration,' the lack of any provable defect, and the predictable number of complaints, it's hard to conclude that there's any problem."

It's the first report we know of using Twitter to track a stolen car, but in this case the purloined product is one of only 100 imported Euro-spec Ford Fiestas on United States roadways. In this report at autoblog.com, Brooklyn-based Fiesta Movement Agent Jake Bronstein reported his Ford Fiesta stolen on Twitter Thursday night, saying "#fiestamovement car STOLEN. No, really. Police en route now. I almost couldve predicted this somehow." Apparently the thief didn't know that all of the cars given to Fiesta Movement agents were installed with real-time GPS tracking devices to allow Ford (and the EPA) to keep track of them. So, Ford is assisting local police in their search for the filched Fiesta, but no word has yet been heard regarding its official return.

No matter what that email says, don't believe that Ford is going to sell you a Fusion for half-price. An email received by autobloggreen.com claims that, "because of the terrible economy, Ford would love to sell you a new Fusion Hybrid for just $15,000, or about half of the vehicles $27,270 starting price." Ford's official response says "The email sender does not represent Ford and no such program exists. We recommend people receiving the email delete it without opening the attachment." So there you go!

We spent some time wading through the otherwise enjoyable snarkiness at Jalopnik to find this item that might actually have some historic documentary value: Have you met "Jake"? The Corvette Racing Team's Skull mascot has grown into a true icon of the team's triumphs and mentality. Now in his fifth year, Jake has become a visible power statement to anyone involved in the racing world and he's gaining more and more traction every day. Visit Jalopnik to learn his story.

Chrysler announced midweek that it is closing nearly 800 dealerships across the country, strengthening the remaining 2,392 dealers of the developing new company, but leaving about 44,000 vehicles in inventory. According to LeftLaneNews, Chrysler will extend a $1,000 voucher to its existing customers in a bid to help clear the inventories of the dealers recently earmarked for closure. The voucher is expected to be good towards any new Chrysler-brand car or truck and will be valid through the end of June. You can also learn more about on the closures -- including how to find out if the dealers in your area are on closure list -- right here at autoMedia.

When Rich Truesdell was handed the keys to a supercharged 615-horsepower Mr. Norm's Super Challenger, he said "I realized that a bad day out in the field melting tires beats the best day in the office." Read Rich's report of the first production-spec supercharged Mr. Norm's Super Challenger at Automotive Traveler. Something tells me if you want one of these, you're gonna want to get it while it's hot.

A side-effect of Chrysler's current situation indicates "some consumers that have lemon-law claims are being left on the side of the road during Chrysler's bankruptcy." According to this blog at Consumer Reports,"some checks that Chrysler sent to consumers as reimbursement for lemon-law claims have bounced. Chrysler has said that it will back warranty claims on its cars while in bankruptcy. All payments that have already been sent will be honored, Michael Palese, a Chrysler spokesperson said. However, any claims that have not had a check sent are now in limbo. "Lemon claims," he said, "are currently stayed by the bankruptcy court." This certainly feeds the fear many have expressed about warranty claims after the carpocalypse. Yikes!

Top story at The Detroit Bureau is in-depth coverage of the announcement by General Motors that it plans to reduce its dealer network from 5,969 stores to approximately 3,600 by the end of 2010. This culling process started Friday, when GM began sending letters to dealers regarding its long-term retail outlet plans. Approximately 1,100 under-performing and "very small sales volume U.S. dealers" will be advised that GM does not see them as part of its dealer network on a long-term basis. (In most cases, their existing franchise agreements run through October of 2010.) The article quotes Mark LaNeve, GM Vice President of Sales Service and Marketing, saying "it is imperative that a healthy, viable GM have a healthy, viable dealer body that cannot only survive, but prosper during cyclical downturns. It is obvious that almost all parts of GM, including the dealer body, must get smaller and more efficient. GM's viability plan calls for fewer, stronger brands as well as fewer dealers. "

Bad news! Hybridcars.com reports "After pouring billions of dollars of federal money into fuel cell car research over decades, the US Department of Energy is cutting back on future spending. In the 2010 budget that the administration is submitting to Congress, Energy Secretary Stephen Chu proposed slashing more than $100 million from the Energy Department's hydrogen program. That's a cut of almost 60 percent and one that will almost entirely come from transportation.... The shift away from hydrogen fuel cells and toward hybrids and electric cars sends a clear message to auto companies--especially those seeking federal support for research and development. The change of direction could even further slow down the establishment of a hydrogen infrastructure--already viewed as way off in the future." Groan...

After all this bad news, you must certainly be in need of something lighthearted, yes? Well, the folks over at TruckTrend.com have found a fun six-minute video from the Pixar team in which the "Cars" favorite Tow Mater - voiced by comedian Larry the Cable Guy - inadvertently accepts a tow to Tokyo. There, he runs afoul of a local drift racer who challenges Mater to a race to the top of Tokyo Tower. The winner takes the glory, the loser is stripped of his modifications, and becomes stock. Can Mater win the race? The short film is well-made and pretty funny, so watch and see!

Thanks for joining us for this week's auto blog carnival. Check back next week for another installment. Have you got something of interest you want us to include in a future carnival? Then fill out our online form so we can be notified of your interesting entry to our weekly blog CAR-nival. Check back next week for another installment--until then, have a great weekend!

Brandy Schaffels, Contributing Editor

Game Time - Monster Jam Urban Assault

admin — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:48:00 GMT

Car-crushing fans, Activision has announced its latest monster truck video game title, Monster Jam: Urban Assault. This title for the DS, PS2, PSP, and Wii breaks the trucks out of the typical arena setting to wreak havoc in city settings. Players will be able to conduct urban assault in popular trucks, such as Grave Digger, Maximum Destruction, Monster Mutt, El Toro Loco, and Blue Thunder. Newer trucks such as Air Ford A-10, Stone Crusher, and Backwards Bob are also represented.

For purists, Monster Jam: Urban Assault will still offer stadium racing and stadium freestyle competitions with game play much improved over the original game. Mini games have also been added, including ones brand new to the franchise like Monster Jump, Truck Trickster, Skee Ball, and Air Strike.

The game ships late October, in time for Halloween and the holiday season.

All-New Flex Joins Ford's Crossover Lineup

Editor — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:57:00 GMT

Ford has added a new contender to its ever-expanding family of crossovers, which already includes the recently renamed Taurus X (formerly Freestyle) and the new-for-’07 Ford Edge. Set to go on sale this summer, the full-size Flex lives up to its name for its completely customizable nature. Low-slung and long, Flex mixes old school station wagon lines with new-age features like seven-passenger seating, an interior refrigerator, Ford’s SYNC in-vehicle communications and entertainment system, interior “mood lighting,” plenty of safety features, 18-inch wheels standard, and optional white or silver roofs.

Ford is hoping to sell 100,000 units. Pricing for a base Flex SE will start at $28,995, while the all-wheel-drive Flex Limited begins at $37,255. A 3.5-liter, 260-hp V6 mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission powers the Flex for a good balance of performance and fuel economy, although actual EPA numbers are yet to be determined.

As distinctive in design, yet completely different from the new, more angular Flex, Ford’s curvaceous, midsize Edge crossover is also powered by the same award-winning engine. Introduced in ‘06 as a 2007 model, the 2008 Ford Edge gets several new options this year, beginning with 20-inch aluminum wheels, power-operated liftgate, voice-activated navigation, and the Ford SYNC system as well. Like Flex, Edge comes in three trim levels: SE, SEL, and Limited. autoMedia.com conducted a full test and shot video of the Ford Edge on open track to give you an idea of how well this vehicle performs.

View Video
Format: mov
Duration: 04:26

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue races to stores

admin — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:32:00 GMT

Gran Turismo has always proven to be a killer app for Sony, an essential competitive advantage for the PlayStation systems. The PS3 is finally about to get its due with Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, the fifth installment of the world's best-selling racing franchise. This partial game with 70 cars is now available on Blu-ray disc, with a bonus behind-the-scenes video called “Beyond the Apex.” Tomorrow, PS3 owners will be able to download the game. Both versions cost $39.99.

No other automotive video game franchise has had the impact of Gran Turismo. With a leading-edge graphics and ever-evolving physics engine, each generation of the GT series has brought enthusiasts closer to a true driving simulation, putting them behind the controller of the world’s greatest machines. Having distributed 48 million units worldwide, the GT’s living room impact is undeniable. Even automakers acknowledge its role in the real world, notably pushing the sales of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Subaru Impreza WRX in the United States.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue introduces new modes to the series, including support for up to 16 players head-to-head racing offline and online, complete with race events and leaderboards to determine who is the best driver in the "World of GT." Also new are Drift Trials, where the player's drifting technique is measured based on drift angles, racing lines, and speeds within evaluation zones. Further more, all drivers will receive access to Gran Turismo TV, a new in-game online channel that delivers automotive video content directly to a user's PS3.

The 1080i high-definition resolution is put to good use with the new interior dash view, complete with driver animations and working vehicle gauges rendered in real-time to reflect the car's performance.

Given the amazing resolution demonstrated in GT5P, much more time is necessary to design each photo-realistic car and track than in previous versions. Add in the range of new, sophisticated features, and this game is a massive undertaking. The full GT5 is yet to come, though the richness offered in this “lite” version should carry gamers until the final game is complete.

New movie trailer – Speed Racer

admin — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:25:00 GMT

For those who remember the “Speed Racer” cartoon from childhood, or perhaps are leaving the imported Japanese classic with your own children, the latest trailer released by Warner Brothers should quicken your pulse.

While the colorful, CGI-filled film looks a far step removed from the simplistic animation in the original TV series, the latest trailer reveals many cues and characters that are immediately recognizable. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the film is the creative team behind it: writer/directors Larry and Andy Wachowski, the creators of the “The Matrix” trilogy, with Joel Silver producing. These three last worked together on “V for Vendetta.”

The film stars Emile Hirsch (“Alpha Dog”) as Speed, Christina Ricci (“Black Snake Moan”) as Trixie, Matthew Fox (TV’s “Lost”) as Racer X, Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”) as Mom Racer, and John Goodman (“Evan Almighty”) as a well-cast Pops Racer.

This live-action film is scheduled for release on May 9, 2008.

Take a look at the trailers, and let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, read the experiences of our own speed racer in “Top speed testing.”