LeMons Colorado Inspections: AMC Onslaught, Wankel Overload, and a Checker Marathon

We just wrapped up the pre-race car inspections at the fourth annual BFE G.P. 24 Hours of LeMons, taking place at beautiful-but-halfway-to-Kansas High Plains Raceway, and we’re looking at perhaps the best collection of race machines since at least the 2012 Arse Freeze-a-Palooza race. You like racin’ AMCs? We’ve got three proud Kenosha products competing [...]

Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr

GP3 to modify tyre compounds

GP3 will make changes to its 2013 Pirelli tyre compounds in a bid to make them less aggressive and thereby promote more combative racing. It plans to offer a harder range of compounds at each event, starting from the second round of the championship at Valencia on June 15-16.

Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III

2013 NSCS FedEx 400 Q&A with Driver Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's/Monsters University Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway on May 31, 2013 in Dover, Delaware. - Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty ImagesJIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE?S MONSTERS UNIVERSITY CHEVROLET SS, met with media...more»

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Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot

I sold my Viper, but the memories I'll keep

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Etc., Chrysler, Dodge

The following is written by auto industry veteran Tom Kowaleski. The words are his own, but the memories now belong to everyone thanks to his willingness to share. If you're an industry veteran with a story to share, contact us at tipsATautoblogDOTcom.

It became the flame that started the fire of belief in the next life of Chrysler.

I just sold a car. Nothing new. Millions do it every day. But my car was a 1995 Dodge Viper, so maybe it was a bit more unique since just 12,000 were built. And like others selling a car that's been a part of the family for close to 20 years, this was a confluence of emotions for me. I was sad to see it go, but happy to have the cash and one less big, shiny, under-utilized object in my life.

Viper was a major part of my education in the automobile business. I worked at Chrysler in the '80s and '90s, and the Viper's development - indeed, its whole story - was critical to Chrysler's revitalization and comeback into credibility. The Viper program was done on a shoestring. It came to life as the result of four incredibly strong personalities agreeing on a single vision. It was a car no consumer research would ever support. It was a car one no one else would ever think of building. Yet, it became the flame that started the fire of belief in the next life of Chrysler.

The first time I laid eyes on the Viper, I was invited to join a final review session with Bob Lutz, the Vice Chairman of the company at the time; Francois Castaing, the new head of Engineering and recent AMC arrival; and Tom Gale, the head of Design and the most senior 'real' Chrysler person. The fourth member of the gang, the scalawag racing legend Carroll Shelby, was not in attendance.

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Tom Kowaleski is a veteran of public relations. He has worked in senior positions at Chrysler, General Motors, BMW and currently Lincoln, making him one of the few industry insiders to have worked for each of Detroit's three automakers.

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Continue reading I sold my Viper, but the memories I'll keep

I sold my Viper, but the memories I'll keep originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 May 2013 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida

"Caption this" winner: Jim Fitzgerald

Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III

iRacer Profile: Steve Burnett

Steve Burnett is one of those good guys in the NASCAR iRacing.com Late Model Series. Not necessarily the fastest driver on track or even the most experienced, Steve always manages to make his presence known in some way.� After I had asked for help in getting visuals and strength of field results from competitors, Steve immediately stepped-up to the plate summing up his races and sending me pictures and results. Due to his willingness to help me out I decided it would be a good offer to give him the opportunity to get a bit more exposure on the iRacing world and to show my appreciation to him. So here is a little bit more about Steve. Q: How did you get started in the sim-racing world? A: I started [...]

William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick

Bobby Labonte 2013 NSCS FedEx 400 Race Preview

2013 NSCS No. 47 Scott Products Toyota Camry - JTG Daugherty RacingBOBBY LABONTE & NO. 47 SCOTT� PRODUCTS TOYOTA CAMRY TEAM -�DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY PREVIEW Track: Dover International Speedway Event: FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks Date: Sunday, June 2nd Time: 1 PM ET TV/Radio: FOX / MRN DOVER NOTES: Bobby Labonte made his first NASCAR...more»

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James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears

Mike Conway to race Belle Isle for Dale Coyne

Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani

Huttu Out in Front as Luis Falls By Wayside

When reflecting on the seventh Round of the iRacing,com World Championship Grand Prix Series at Watkins Glenn, people may see it as the turning point of the season for Greger Huttu. The Finn was gifted his fifth victory of the 2013 season when a series of errors saw his main title rival Hugo Luis retire on the opening lap and a Team Redline team-mate hand him the win with a pit-lane mistake. Starting from the second row of the grid, Huttu could only watch as pole-sitter Luis and the sister Redline entry of Atze Kerkhof come together around Turn One. Whilst Kerkhof was able to continue relatively unscathed, Luis was not so fortunate.� As he attempted to recover from the collision, his My3id stable-mate Martin Kr�nke came into the opening [...]

Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr Dale Arnold Jarrett

Michael Annett Looks to Master ?Fastest Mile? in Second Start Back

“Team Looks to Improve on Strong 2012 Results at the Monster Mile” 2013 Michael Annett - Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty ImagesCONCORD, N.C. (May 28, 2013) – Michael Annett will make his third NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) start of the season this weekend at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. He overcame a speeding penalty and a near...more»

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Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani

NHTSA Looking Into Possible Ford F-150 EcoBoost V-6 Acceleration Woes, Report Says

Ford’s EcoBoost engine-enhancement cocktail, which includes direct injection, turbocharging, and smaller displacement, is designed to offer good fuel economy and upsize output. According to Automotive News, it seems some customers are experiencing a few issues with the output part of the EcoBoost equation in their 2011?2013 F-150 pickups. The report says that safety overlords over [...]

Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears

Sunday press conference ? Monaco

DRIVERS 1 - Nico ROSBERG (Mercedes) 2 ? Sebastian VETTEL (Red Bull Racing) 3 ? Mark WEBBER (Red Bull Racing) TV UNILATERAL Q: Nico, you controlled the race from pole position but you had to deal with two safety cars, a red flag, a lot of mental resets no doubt, but describe your feelings right now, you're a Monaco Grand Prix winner? Nico ROSBERG : Yeah, amazing! This is my home, I've grown up here lived all my life here, I've gone to school here. So now to win at home is very special; a very special day for me

Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki

Munoz still focused on Lights title

Indianapolis 500 runner-up Carlos Munoz says the Indy Lights title is still his priority for 2013 despite his spectacular IndyCar debut. Driving a fifth car for Andretti Autosport, the 21-year-old Colombian qualified and finished second, beating his four team-mates, who include reigning champion Ryan Hunter-Reay. Munoz currently leads the Indy Lights standings by 27 points, having won two of this season's four races so far, driving for Andretti's junior arm.

Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth

Plenty of Milk to Go ?Round

Tony Kanaan wasn?t the only racer slurping down some moo-juice over the weekend.� Long before the pint-sized Brazilian scored his hugely popular win in Sunday?s 97th running of the Indianapolis 500, 53 iRacers raced to victory in the fourth annual iRacing.com Indy 500.� Staged in four phases, one each for Rookie-Class D and Class C-Pro on Friday and Saturday, the iRacing.com Indy 500 attracted more than 1400 entries, producing 11 splits in Rookie-Class D and a whopping 42 splits in Class C-Pro. Denis Garese and Brodie Kostecki won the top Class C-Pro splits on Friday and Saturday, respectively, with Jonathan Goke leading an impressive 138 of 200 laps in his split on Saturday to top the event in terms of overall points.� The Rookie-Class D competition saw Mike Ruder win [...]

Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte

FIA to rule on Mercedes tyre test row

Mercedes' alleged breach of the Formula 1 regulations with its secret tyre test for Pirelli could now go to the FIA International Tribunal. Following more than three hours of discussions by the Monaco Grand Prix stewards on Sunday night, they issued a statement stating that a report was being prepared for the FIA

William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick

Ferrari wants test ban clarification

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali claims that the protest his outfit has lodged against Mercedes is motivated by a desire to clarify the Formula 1 test ban regulations. The Scuderia, along with Red Bull, lodged a protest before the Monaco Grand Prix, alleging that Mercedes conducted a three-day track test at Barcelona on May 15-17. Domenicali believes that the sporting regulations do prevent such a test, but that should the stewards deem it legal he will be keen for Ferrari to benefit from such running.

Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV

Production Honda makes test debut

Honda has completed the first test of its new MotoGP production racer, which it hopes to make available to teams before the end of 2013. The machine will be offered to privateers as an alternative to CRT equipment from next year onwards.

Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt

Bobby Labonte 2013 NSCS FedEx 400 Race Preview

2013 NSCS No. 47 Scott Products Toyota Camry - JTG Daugherty RacingBOBBY LABONTE & NO. 47 SCOTT� PRODUCTS TOYOTA CAMRY TEAM -�DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY PREVIEW Track: Dover International Speedway Event: FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks Date: Sunday, June 2nd Time: 1 PM ET TV/Radio: FOX / MRN DOVER NOTES: Bobby Labonte made his first NASCAR...more»

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Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot

Bloomberg Was on Fire at Yesterday?s Bike-Share Presser

Photo: Dmitry Gudkov
Yesterday’s Citi Bike announcement was maybe the last occasion to see Michael Bloomberg answer a whole string of bike-related questions from the NYC press corps in one sitting. The mayor has a reputation for jousting with reporters at these events, sometimes more crankily than others. Yesterday he was combative but clearly enjoying himself. [...]

Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray

SEB, WEB AND SEB RED BULL RACING'S 2012 DRIVER LINE-UP

Red Bull Racing Thursday 5 January 2012 Red Bull Racing is pleased to confirm that S�bastien Buemi will continue his relationship with Red Bull as Red Bull Racing's test and reserve driver for 2012. The 23-year-old joins Sebastian Vettel and...

Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs

Whitmarsh defends ?committed? Perez

Sergio Perez has been given a vote of confidence by McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh, after he was labelled an "idiot" by Kimi Raikkonen. The Mexican pulled off a number of aggressive overtaking moves during the Monaco Grand Prix before eventually coming together with Raikkonen and damaging his car.

Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines

Ambrose ?Racing For a Miracle? This Weekend at Dover

2013 NSCS No 9 DEWALT Racing for a Miracle FordCONCORD, N.C. (May 28, 2013) - He may hail from the land down under, but this Sunday Marcos Ambrose, driver of the No. 9 DEWALT Racing Ford, will be racing to make special children feel on top of the world. As a part of the continued...more»

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James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears

Pirro gets second Ducati outing

Michele Pirro will get his second MotoGP wildcard outing on Ducati's development bike this weekend at Mugello. The factory rider made the first of three such outings at Jerez in early May, where he finished 11th overall. He then stood in for the injured Ben Spies in Ducati's satellite Pramac squad at Le Mans, finishing just behind reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo in eighth

Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears

Pittman sets new track speed record and dominates at New Egypt Speedway

Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines

The Inside Line: Kanaan basking in Indy 500 glory

Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton

Latvala feels ready to win again

Jari-Matti Latvala says he feels more comfortable than ever in his Volkswagen Polo R WRC, and he's ready to push for his first win with the German team in Greece this week. Latvala has struggled to find the rally-winning form he showed at Ford since his start of the season switch to VW, but recent changes to the car and rising confidence from the Finn have made the difference ahead of this week's Loutraki-based event.

Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears

Grosjean shrugs off Monaco accidents

Romain Grosjean insists that his confidence has not been rattled by the two separate trips into the wall at Sainte Devote he has taken so far in the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. The Lotus driver hit the wall for the first time on Thursday during free practice two, before repeating the effort on Saturday morning in the final minute of the third practice session. The team managed to repair the car just in time for Grosjean to take part in qualifying, where he locked down 13th on the grid

Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon

Monaco qualifying quotes: Lotus

Kimi Raikkonen - 5th: "It was a difficult day today because of the weather, but it was the same for all of the drivers.

Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya

Kanaan earned nearly $2.4 million at Indy 500

Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V

Why I Love NASCAR: Our Very Own Superheroes By: Chief 187?

Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V

Giovinazzi claims maiden F3 win

Antonio Giovinazzi claimed victory in the second race of the British Formula 3 International Series opener at Silverstone.

David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle

Yamaha and PETRONAS Conclude MotoGP Partnership

Yamaha Racing Sunday, 01 Jan 2012 As 2011 draws to a close it marks the end of a successful partnership between Yamaha's Factory MotoGP Team and PETRONAS....

Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin

Q&A with Elly Blue, Feminist Bike Activist and Independent Media Titan

Elly Blue’s latest publication, “Bikes in Space,” is a feminist sci-fi zine about her favorite mode of transportation. “I realized that because I work for myself, I can do anything I want,” she says by way of explanation. The amazing truth is that she makes a living writing whatever strikes her fancy about the intersection [...]

Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch

Monaco qualifying quotes: Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel - 3rd: "I was a bit annoyed with my flying lap in Q3; I think I maybe pushed a bit too hard here and there.

Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray

Popular win eases Kanaan's worries at trying time

Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch

Kevin Harvick finds right time to lead, wins bizarre Coca-Cola 600

Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon

Di Resta: Force India got complacent

Paul di Resta thinks Force India got complacent in Q1 in Monaco and threw away a chance to qualify in the top six. The Scot was eliminated in Q1 and will start 17th, a result he described as "probably the most painful experience I've ever had in qualifying".

Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch

Why Damon Rides

Streetsblog is pleased to run the first in a series of bike-share-themed “Why I Ride” profiles by photographer Dmitry Gudkov…
Photo copyright Dmitry Gudkov
Damon is an attorney living in New Rochelle and working in the Financial District. He likes to ride a bike at home on weekends, but has not done much cycling in Manhattan. He [...]

William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick

Monaco qualifying quotes: Pirelli

Paul Hembery: "Qualifying got off to a tricky start as the drivers were immediately confronted with wet conditions for the first time all weekend in Q1, making it difficult to judge the amount of grip available - particularly as some parts of the circuit were much wetter than others. Generally we saw that the track got a lot quicker as each session went on, making the timing of each qualifying run absolutely crucial.

Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne

Monaco qualifying quotes: Force India

Adrian Sutil - 8th: "Very tricky conditions today with the track half wet and half dry. We never knew if it was really drying out or if more rain was coming, so it was important to be on the right tyres at the right time

Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani

Caption this: Menard and Montoya

Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle

2013 NSCS Coca-Cola 600 Final Practice Session Speeds

2013 NSCS Driver Kasey Kahne (Time Warner Cable) - Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty ImagesOnce again it was Kasey Kahne showing the fastest way around Charlotte Motor Speedway, as Kahne ran a lap speed of 188.594 mph, to take the top position on the speed chart during the final NSCS Coca-Cola 600 practice session. Kurt Busch,...more»

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Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage

Grosjean penalised for Ricciardo clash

Romain Grosjean's clash with Daniel Ricciardo in the Monaco Grand Prix has earned the Frenchman a 10-place grid penalty for the next Formula 1 race in Canada. The Lotus driver ran into the back of Ricciardo's Toro Rosso on the approach to the chicane on lap 62 while trying to take 13th place. Both cars had to retire as a result of the tangle, which caused a safety car due to the amount of debris spread over the circuit.

Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin

McLaren set to power Formula E racing

WOKING, SURREY, UK - 12th November 2012 - McLaren Electronic Systems Limited today announced that it will provide the electric engine, transmission and electronics for cars that will participate in the FIA's exciting new Formula E race series. McLaren will...

William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick

2014 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class Announced

William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray

Official: VW builds 250,000th Passat in Chattanooga in just two years

Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Volkswagen

It hasn't been without incident or union organizing drive, but the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, TN has built its 250,000 Passat in just a little over two years. The Night Blue Passat TDI with black leather has come just two years and five weeks after the first customer car came off the line on April 18, 2011.

In the last year the plant operated at the 150,000-unit capacity that it was intended for, but the downturn in Passat sales and subsequent worker layoffs mean it will be a challenge to repeat the feat. The plant does have the world's largest solar park, though, and you can't take that away from them.

You'll find the official hand-clapping in the press release below.

Continue reading VW builds 250,000th Passat in Chattanooga in just two years

VW builds 250,000th Passat in Chattanooga in just two years originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 May 2013 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch

Monaco race quotes: Ferrari

Fernando Alonso - 7th: "Unfortunately today we didn't manage to have a good pace, as is usually the case on Sunday and I wasn't pessimistic about not being competitive yesterday, because so far, things have always improved in the race.

Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin

FIA to rule on Mercedes tyre test row

Mercedes' alleged breach of the Formula 1 regulations with its secret tyre test for Pirelli could now go to the FIA International Tribunal. Following more than three hours of discussions by the Monaco Grand Prix stewards on Sunday night, they issued a statement stating that a report was being prepared for the FIA

Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr

Chilton was dangerous ? Maldonado

Pastor Maldonado accused Max Chilton of driving dangerously after the collision that caused the Monaco Grand Prix to be red-flagged on lap 45.

Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil

Webber: Mercedes win not due to test

Red Bull's Mark Webber admitted he was surprised to learn that Mercedes had carried out a secret tyre test with Pirelli after the Spanish Grand Prix. But he does not believe it was a major factor in Nico Rosberg's win for the Brackley squad in Monaco. Mercedes took its first Formula 1 victory of 2013 just hours after AUTOSPORT revealed that it had covered 1000 kilometres over three days of tyre work at Barcelona last week

Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr

"Caption this" winner: lorrilynn

Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney

WIX� Filters Sponsors Erin Crocker in POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series

Erin CrockerWIX� Filters, a member of the Affinia Group family of brands, will sponsor Erin Crocker, the first woman to win a World of Outlaw feature event in 2004, in seven POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series races in 2013 as well as the 2014 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. WIX will serve as the...more»

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Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III

2014 Mercedes-Benz E550 Coupe Driven

For a considerable number of years, Mercedes-Benz fashioned a coupe variant off a short-wheelbase version of its E-class sedan. That was until the late 1990s, when the E-class coupe model name disappeared in favor of the CLK, which was based on the C-class sedan. In 2009, the E-class coupe moniker was launched again, but technologically, [...]

Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V

Wednesday press conference ? Monaco

DRIVERS - Jenson BUTTON (McLaren), Adrian SUTIL (Force India), Jules BIANCHI (Marussia), Nico HULKENBERG (Sauber), Romain GROSJEAN (Lotus), Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes) PRESS CONFERENCE A question to you all. Round six of a 19-race season coming up, the same points are up for grabs as any other grand prix. It's just another race..

David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch

Nine Racing To Feature Three Cars At Chili Bowl Midget Nationals

Nine Racing Inc. Brownsburg, Indiana January 4, 2012 Nine Racing, Inc. is pleased to announce the signing of three excellent drivers for the 26th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tire midget event that will take place...

Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage

F1: Rosberg Stays Hot, Wins Monaco Pole

Nico Rosberg made it three poles in a row Saturday in Monaco...

Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines

2013 Toyota Prius V Tested: Yep, it?s the Big Prius

For many buyers, the Toyota Prius is to hybrid vehicles what Xerox is to photocopies: a synonym and an archetype. All hybrids are Priuses, to many who don?t read car magazines, and that?s what Toyota gets for being first with a good product. A couple of years ago, Toyota?s popular hybrid had kittens and expanded [...]

David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton

F1: Rosberg Stays Hot, Wins Monaco Pole

Nico Rosberg made it three poles in a row Saturday in Monaco...

Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson

Nissan Altima V8 Supercars Meet Production Brethren at COTA, Have Best Results of Season

z The Austin 400 last weekend at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas?which featured rounds 13, 14, 15, and 16 of the Australian V8 Supercar series?was an eventful occasion for Nissan: Not only was the Japanese manufacturer part of the championship?s first visit to North America, but its Altima sedans had their best [...]

Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney

Rosberg fastest again in second practice

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton proved that Mercedes' Formula 1 rivals are right to fear its Monaco pace as they went first and second in Thursday afternoon practice in Monte Carlo. Following his consecutive poles in Bahrain and Spain, and fastest time in practice one in Monaco , Rosberg continued his strong run by topping the second session on a 1m14.759s. He set that lap less than half an hour into the session and it remained unbeaten for the rest of the afternoon, as teams instead focused on just how far they could push both the soft and super-soft tyre compounds

James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman

Raikkonen: no hurry to sort 2014 deal

Kimi Raikkonen says he is not at all surprised that his Formula 1 future is the subject of fervent speculation, but that will not make him hurry his decision over whether to stay at Lotus or move elsewhere. The Finn is currently second in the world championship, and is one of the few top drivers out of contract at the end of the season

Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III

Video: Washington State bridge collapse victim talks about his ordeal

Filed under: Truck, Safety, Videos, Ram

Dan Sligh and his wife were headed for a Memorial Day camping trip yesterday evening when the Interstate 5 bridge over Washington's Skagit River collapsed ahead of his Ram pickup. Sligh said he saw a big puff of dust after a tractor trailer struck a portion of the bridge, and the roadway quickly vanished into the river below. While he applied the brakes, the momentum of his truck and trailer propelled the couple right over the edge. While speaking with reporters, Sligh said he held on as tight as he could before seeing a white flash and feeling the cold water of the river rush into the cab.

The impact dislocated the Navy veteran's shoulder, but he was able to push it back into place in time to pull his wife from the wreckage. Early reports say the collapse occurred when a tractor trailer struck the bridge's overhead girders. One other individual fell into the water, but no one was killed in the ordeal. Federal inspectors had previously rated the structure "functionally deficient."

The bridge, near Seattle, carries around 77,000 vehicles per day and was built in 1955. Interestingly enough, the bridge's "functionally deficient" rating doesn't necessarily mean that the span was deemed unsafe, just that that portions of it required monitoring or repair. You can watch Sligh's CNN interview below.

Continue reading Washington State bridge collapse victim talks about his ordeal

Washington State bridge collapse victim talks about his ordeal originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 May 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon

Hamlin sets new track qualifying record at Charlotte

Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr Dale Arnold Jarrett

Kids Take Citi Bike for a Stationary Spin

Kids love bikes and shiny new things, so it’s not a huge surprise that this group of middle-schoolers would flock to the bike-share station at East 11th Street near First Avenue. You have to be 16 to join Citi Bike, but what we see in the video, posted by EV Grieve, are a lot of [...]

Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney

Coca-Cola 600 Favors Sprint Cup Champions, Except?

Charlotte?s Coca-Cola 600 is a race for champions. All but three NASCAR Sprint Cup titleholders from 1993 through the present have a least one victory in the season?s longest race. Among the missing ? surprisingly ? is three-time champion Tony Stewart, whose only Charlotte victory came in the track?s 2003 fall race. Stewart has just […]

Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica

Honda ?will benefit? from Mercedes work

Honda's bid to hit the ground running when it returns to Formula 1 with McLaren in 2015 will be helped by the Woking-based outfit having a season with Mercedes' new V6 turbo, reckons rival Renault. It was confirmed last week that Honda will be making an F1 comeback in 2015 after signing a multi-year deal with McLaren. The timing of that move means that McLaren will get to evaluate the new Mercedes turbo next year, opening up the possibility that lessons taken on board will be passed on to Honda.

Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot

The Final Lap Weekly #255 NASCAR Podcast ? Sam Hornish Jr. / Coca-Cola 600 From Charlotte

SHOW #255 -�Guest: Sam Hornish Jr. – We recap and compare the All Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte, Hall of Fame announcement, News Of The Week (queue the music!) Preview of the Coca-Cola 600, and Fantasy Racing. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Toby Christie. (47:55 mins) CREDITS:� Hosts: Kerry Murphey & Toby […]

Divina Galica David Carl Allison

Official: McLaren announces anniversary edition MP4-12C Coupe and Spyder specials

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Luxury, McLaren

McLaren is rolling out special editions of the company's MP4-12C Coupe and Spyder supercars to commemorate its 50th anniversary. Produced by McLaren Special Operations, the cars will feature a new front fascia with additional downforce as well as carbon-fiber trimmed air inlets. Engineers also shed a few pounds from the machine by crafting the floorboard in carbon Kevlar. Each anniversary edition comes with carbon ceramic brakes as standard equipment as well as a set of bespoke, ultralight 19-inch wheels painted Satin Black. McLaren says the rollers are a full 4.4 pounds lighter than the stock wheels, combined.

Inside, buyers will find a full leather interior, and the anniversary editions will only be available in one of three colors. Those with the cash can choose between Carbon Black, Supernova Silver or McLaren Orange. We'll have ours in the latter, please. McLaren will kindly ask for $295,254 for the coupe and $325,836 for the Spyder at current conversion rates. Take a look at the press release below for more information.

Continue reading McLaren announces anniversary edition MP4-12C Coupe and Spyder specials

McLaren announces anniversary edition MP4-12C Coupe and Spyder specials originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt

Bird feels lucky to get Monaco win

Monaco GP2 feature race victor Sam Bird voiced his relief to even be in the event after being caught up in the first-corner incident . Bird required a new rear wing on his Russian Time car before the restart of Thursday's race due to Kevin Ceccon hitting him at Sainte Devote during the 14-car shunt. The stewards adjudged that polesitter Johnny Cecotto Jr caused the accident when he braked too late and took Fabio Leimer with him into the barriers, and have suspended him from the rest of the meeting.

Divina Galica David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss

Carella's 2011 World Title Turns a New Page in F1 H2O Series!

F1 H2O / F1 Powerboat News ABU DHABI - January 2, 2012 Italian Alex Carella of the Qatar Team used both his driving skills and youthful exuberance to overtake his wily veteran teammate Jay Price of the USA with a...

Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin

Schumacher and Rosberg Take to N�rburgring in Mercedes-AMG F1 Car, AMG Road Cars

What’s life like for a successful, retired F1 driver? Just ask Michael Schumacher, who isn’t exactly whittling away his remaining days in a rocking chair. He recently gathered with former Mercedes-AMG Petronas teammate Nico Rosberg, as well as retired racing drivers Bernd Schneider, Bernd Mayl�nder, and Karl Wendlinger at the N�rburgring Nordschleife for some friendly [...]

Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr

2013 NSCS Coca-Cola 600 Q&A with Driver Jeff Gordon

2012 NSCS Jeff Gordon in car - Photo Credit: Robert Laberge/Getty Images for NASCARJEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DRIVE TO END HUNGER CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Charlotte Motor Speedway and discussed his first career win at Charlotte Motor Speedway, his expectations for the race this weekend, his thoughts on Jimmie Johnson?s...more»

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Divina Galica David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss

Whatever It Is: Five Questions before The All-Star Race

Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr

In the Pits: Kenyatta Houston

Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot

Earnhardt has a connection with Charlotte track

Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida

Johnson secures fourth All-Star win

Jimmie Johnson recovered from his qualifying mistakes to take the $1 million NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star race for a second straight year and the fourth time in his career. Such a result looked unlikely when Johnson overshot the Hendrick pit and then received a penalty for a missing lugnut during Friday's qualifying session .

Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin

Nilsson Dominates in Silverstone

Week Two brought the pilots of the iRacing.com Grand Prix Series to Silverstone Circuit, located in Towcester, Northamptonshire, UK.� The 3.194 mile (5.14 km) Grand Prix circuit features 17 famous turns, some of which have been attacked by F1 cars since the late 1940s. As Silverstone is a fixture on the iGP Series schedule, many drivers have a good handle on the circuit.� Yuho Abe (Asia) was the best of them with a blistering qualifying time of 1.20.778, followed by Martti Pietil� (Finland) and Ricardo Castro ledo (France). Despite their great qualifying times, none of these drivers could out-score Tommy Nilsson (Scandinavia) with 280 points.� In his first appearance in the last three months, Nilsson started from the second position but moved into the lead quickly on the first lap.� [...]

Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr

Fry fit to return for Monaco GP

Ferrari technical director Pat Fry will return to duty at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend after recovering from appendicitis. The Briton was forced to miss the last Formula 1 race at Barcelona after he was struck down with the illness on the morning of qualifying and taken to hospital

Divina Galica David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss

Yamaha and PETRONAS Conclude MotoGP Partnership

Yamaha Racing Sunday, 01 Jan 2012 As 2011 draws to a close it marks the end of a successful partnership between Yamaha's Factory MotoGP Team and PETRONAS....

Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III

Jimmie Johnson ? Our House Is a Very, Very, Very Fine House

2013 NSCS Driver Jimmie Johnson (Patriotic Colors) - Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (May 21, 2013) ??Our house is a very, very, very fine house.? Graham Nash wasn?t referring to Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway when he wrote the song ?Our House? �(CF Note:�It was actually a song about Joni Mitchell and Graham...more»

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Divina Galica David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss

De Puniet confirms Suzuki MotoGP test

Randy de Puniet has confirmed he will test Suzuki's potential 2014 MotoGP challenger at Motegi. Suzuki's return to MotoGP has been long rumoured , although it is yet to commit to an entry in next year's championship. The Japanese manufacturer withdrew from the sport at the end of 2011 (pictured), during which it had run a single-bike effort primarily for Alvaro Bautista.

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Caption this: Tony Stewart & Ryan Newman

Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV

2013 Subaru BRZ Long-Term Test Update: Big Fun with a Few Niggles

Since we last checked on our long-term, 10Best-winning Subaru BRZ at about the 10,000-mile mark, springtime temperatures have slowly come to Michigan and put the little rear-drive coupe back in its element for pure driving pleasure. The car continues to accumulate miles at a snail?s pace, and several of the car?s shortcomings seem to be [...]

David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch

CUP: Tim Flock, Maurice Petty Lead 2014 Hall Class

Tim Flock and Maurice Petty were two of five legends voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame?

Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven

Trevor Bayne 2013 NNS History 300 Race Preview

X No. 6 Pillow Pets� Ford MustangTREVOR BAYNE History 300 Nationwide Race Advance Team: No. 6 Pillow Pets Ford Mustang Crew Chief: Mike Kelley Chassis: RK-763 Twitter: @Tbayne21; @RFR6PR ADVANCE NOTES � Bayne in Charlotte o This Saturday Trevor Bayne will try to improve on his third-place finish during last fall?s NASCAR Nationwide Series start...more»

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Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr

Bobby Labonte 2013 NSCS Coca-Cola 600 Race Preview

2013 No. 47 BUSH'S� Grillin' Beans� Toyota CamryBOBBY LABONTE & NO. 47 BUSH’S� GRILLIN’ BEANS� TOYOTA CAMRY TEAM COCA-COLA 600 AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway Event: Coca-Cola 600 Date: Sunday, May 26th Time: 6 PM ET TV/Radio: FOX / PRN Radio COCA-COLA 600 NOTES & QUOTES: Bobby Labonte’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup...more»

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Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil

Elliott Sadler 2013 NNS History 300 Race Preview

2013 Elliott Sadler (OneMain Financial) - Photo Credit: Drew Hallowell/Getty ImagesElliott Sadler No. 11 OneMain Financial Toyota Charlotte Motor Speedway Event Preview THE TAR HEEL STATE: Elliott Sadler and the No. 11 OneMain Financial team head down the street from the Huntersville, N.C.-based Joe Gibbs Racing facility to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Nationwide...more»

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Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica David Carl Allison

F1: Vettel Urges F1 To Rethink Tire 'Recipe'

Sebastian Vettel believes the Pirelli tire needs some work...

Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne

Report: Kia to make push upmarket with Quoris next year, new Sedona also likely

Filed under: Car Buying, Minivan/Van, Sedan, Kia, Luxury

What, you didn't think that Kia was going to let Hyundai have all the big-dollar fun, did you? Hyundai may have blazed a trail upmarket with its Genesis Sedan and more recently, the Equus, but its corporate sibling, Kia, has arguably been autodom's hottest brand the last few years, with increases in style, tech, consumer consideration and sales that are the envy of the industry. So it's no surprise that it isn't stopping its North American product onslaught with its just-introduced 2014 Cadenza sedan, it's reportedly readying its premium-minded rear-drive Quoris cruiser for a launch here next year.

That's according to a new report from Automotive.com, which spoke with Kia officials at the media launch of the Cadenza. The oddly named Quoris ("derived from the English words 'core' and 'quality,'" says Kia), will likely nuzzle up against its Equus stablemate when it debuts, carrying an estimated $50,000 to $70,000 price tag. To our eyes, the Kia looks markedly more contemporary than the Equus inside-and-out (no surprise, it's a much newer design). And there's even more reason for optimism on Kia's behalf: the Hyundai Equus has been doing just fine on the sales front - even before its recently introduced facelift. So it's not unreasonable to interpret the luxury sedan market as open to the idea of owning a full-size luxury sedan from a non-traditional country.

In other news, Kia recently exhumed its elderly Sedona minivan, dusting it off, putting a little more frosting on its flanks and trotting it out to customers anew for 2014. The people mover's odd, Lazarus-like reanimation moment apparently isn't lost on Kia executives, who still very much want a modern minivan. According to the same report, an all-new Sedona, likely informed by 2011's funky KV7 Concept, is still a ways off - but we could hear more about it as early as later this year.

Kia to make push upmarket with Quoris next year, new Sedona also likely originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kenny Dale Irwin Jr Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth

Whincup wins first V8 race in America

Jamie Whincup fended off Triple 8 Holden team-mate Craig Lowndes to win V8 Supercars' maiden American race at Austin.

Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki

McMurray dominates Showdown

Jamie McMurray and Ricky Stenhouse Jr secured spots in the NASCAR All-Star race with first and second places in the Showdown qualifying heat. McMurray dominated most of the 40-lap event

Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne

Biagi snatches last-gasp Brno pole

Thomas Biagi took a last-gasp pole position for the first Superstars International Series race at Brno.

Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III

NASCAR penalizes No. 54 JGR Nationwide team for infractions from Darlington pre-race inspection

Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki

Tomczyk takes his first BMW pole

Martin Tomczyk took his first DTM pole position for nearly two years after edging out Mike Rockenfeller in qualifying at Brands Hatch. The 2011 champion, who had not started from the front of the grid since joining BMW last year, topped Q3 in his RMG M3 and then carried that form into the single-lap Q4 session afterwards. His 41.158s lap in Q4 beat that of Phoenix Audi driver Rockenfeller by 0.035 seconds and gave Tomczyk his first pole since the Spielberg race in 2011

Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson

Almirola Honors Air Force with Patriotic Paint Scheme in Coca-Cola 600

2013 NSCS Driver Aric Almirol (US Air Force) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesNo. 43 Air Force Ford Team Hope to Repeat Top-Starting Spot CONCORD, N.C. (May 21, 2013) - Aric Almirola and the No. 43 Air Force Ford team look to repeat last year’s speed in the Coca-Cola 600. Almirola and team won the...more»

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Divina Galica David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss

Power heads Chevrolet domination

Will Power led a Chevrolet rout of the opening phase of qualifying for the Indianapolis 500, with rival Honda having been completely shut out of the Fast Nine pole shootout. The result echoes qualifying for last year's race , when Josef Newgarden was the sole Honda runner to make it through to the Fast Nine phase In a session that began more than two hours late due to earlier rain, Penske driver Power opened his qualifying run with an extraordinary 229.442mph lap before settling down for an average of 228.844mph. Reigning IndyCar champion Ryan Hunter-Reay came closest to matching the Australian with an average of 228.282mph for Andretti Autosport.

Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty

BMW rubbishes F1 return talk

BMW has rubbished suggestions that it is considering a Formula 1 return. In the wake of Honda announcing it is coming back to grand prix racing in 2015, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone tipped BMW to follow suit in the not too distant future. However, BMW itself has distanced itself from such a scenario, and its motorsport boss Jens Marquardt made it clear on Monday that the company was happy focusing on its DTM and sportscar activities

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Spy Shots: Is Chevrolet readying a CNG-powered Impala?

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Chevrolet, Specialty

When it comes to fleet vehicles, the Chevrolet Impala definitely plays an important role for General Motors, and it looks like GM is hard at work developing the next-gen Impala for bulk-buying businesses. The Motoring Journal recently spotted a handful of Impalas testing in Colorado with minor camouflage, but upon closer inspection, these appear to be test mules for a new compressed natural gas (CNG) model - a powertrain combination far more likely to find favor with fleet buyers than everyday consumers.

Aside from the obvious "CNG" stickers affixed to the decklid, these cars also have different exhaust outlets than what we saw on the V6-equipped Impalas during our first drive of the sedan back in March. Images also show under the hood with a different engine cover and plenty of exposed wiring as the CNG system continues testing. There was also an electrical connector poking out of the front fascia, and at least one of the sedans had a receiver-style trailer hitch.

During the launch of the 2014 Impala, Chevrolet said that it is looking to flip the current fleet-to-retail from 70:30 to a more profitable and resale-friendly 30:70 ratio, and this new CNG Impala could be a good way to retain some of that 30-percent fleet business. We reached out to GM for word on when a CNG Impala might arrive, and received this response:

We do offer a CNG van and a bi-fuel pickup truck, but still studying the demand for CNG powered passenger cars. Infrastructure is a consideration for anyone buying these types of vehicles. Unfortunately, there's nothing to announce today on this front.

Our best guess is that it could debut for the 2015 model year, since the ninth-generation model is carrying over for fleet-only sales as the 2014 Impala Limited.

Is Chevrolet readying a CNG-powered Impala? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Divina Galica David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss

CUP: Monday NASCAR Notebook

Jimmie Johnson has the most victories of any active driver at Charlotte Motor Speedway?

Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin

Fans vote Patrick into Sprint All-Star race

Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth

Dietrich makes it Posse 1, Outlaws 0 at Lincoln Speedway

Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr

NASCAR Driver Ryan Reed to Race on Opening Night at Kern County Raceway Park

?Reed to drive the No. 16 Drive to Stop Diabetes SM Ford Fusion at the Bakersfield CA Track Opening? Ryan Reed - Photo Credit: Tom Whitmore/Getty ImagesBakersfield, CA (May 15, 2013)- NASCAR Nationwide Series driver, Ryan Reed to race on opening night at Kern County Raceway Park Saturday, May 18, 2013. Reed who was diagnosed...more»

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Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki

Auer sets practice pace at Brands Hatch

Lucas Auer set the fastest time during the 80 minutes of free practice ahead of this weekend's Formula 3 European Championship round at Brands Hatch. The Austrian, who has never raced at Brands but learned the 1.2-mile Indy circuit a couple of months ago in a test in a Formula Renault BARC car, edged out Prema Powerteam Dallara-Mercedes team-mate Raffaele Marciello by 0.049 seconds

Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr

No extra $1 million at Sprint All-Star race

Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III

Tomczyk takes his first BMW pole

Martin Tomczyk took his first DTM pole position for nearly two years after edging out Mike Rockenfeller in qualifying at Brands Hatch. The 2011 champion, who had not started from the front of the grid since joining BMW last year, topped Q3 in his RMG M3 and then carried that form into the single-lap Q4 session afterwards. His 41.158s lap in Q4 beat that of Phoenix Audi driver Rockenfeller by 0.035 seconds and gave Tomczyk his first pole since the Spielberg race in 2011

Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki

Biagi dominates race one at Brno

Thomas Biagi was in a class of his own on his way to victory in the first Superstars International Series race of the weekend at Brno.

Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray

Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer and Staff Celebrate Bike to Work Day

Queens Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer and his staff biked to work today. From left to right, Aycan Kaptaner, Matthew Wallace, Council Member Van Bramer, Jason Banrey, and Andres Villa. Photo: Jimmy Van Bramer/Twitter
Via Twitter, here’s Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer and crew gearing up for Bike to Work Day in Queens this morning.
Don’t forget [...]

Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica

Elko Speedway suits Kaeding in rain shortened Feature Event

Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil

Munoz keeps Andretti on top at Indy

Andretti Autosport continued to set the pace at the end of the sixth day of practice for the Indianapolis 500, with Carlos Munoz leading team-mates Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti for a 1-2-3 Andretti sweep of the timesheets. Munoz set the fastest time so far this week with his 225.163mph lap, which came during a late flurry of activity following a restart with 20 minutes of running left. "The fastest lap was an unbelievable tow," Munoz said

Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte

Landon Cassill to run special Red, ?Brite?, and Blue Flex Seal scheme at Charlotte Motor Speedway

GAFFNEY, S.C. (May 16, 2013) ? Swift Response LLC, makers of Flex Seal and Flex Seal Brite, are pleased to announce the running of the No. 4 Red “Brite” and Blue Flex Seal Chevy driven by Landon Cassill, at the History 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25th. The special paint scheme was created...more»

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24 Hours of LeMons New England: Winners!

The last time LeMons racing came to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Hurricane Sandy forced the LeMons perpetrators to drive their rental Kia to North Carolina immediately after the checkered flag. This time, the weather was a bit better, but we still had to endure a blizzard of thrown rods and a hail of engine-block bits. [...]

Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil

Two Metals Enter, One Leaves: The Miracle of Friction Stir Welding

The typical images of welding?a robotic arm burping sparks or a masked Jesse James hovering over a glowing metal puddle?don?t apply to friction stir welding (FSW). The metal-joining technique was developed in 1991 by The Welding Institute, an industrial research center near Cambridge, England. In the mid-1990s, two Scandinavian aluminum-extrusion companies became the first to [...]

Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth

Owner-driver Ed Carpenter steals Indy 500 pole from Andretti, Penske

Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt

Name That Shifter, No. 128: 1968 Opel GT

On Monday, we presented this week?s shifter and asked you to identify the make and model of the vehicle whence it came. We realize our update here is a day late, but that doesn’t change the fact that commenter Alex M. was the first to correctly identify this week’s shifter. Alex was spot-on with his [...]

Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte Randy Joseph Lajoie

Travis Pastrana Finishes 28th at the ?Track too Tough to Tame?

2013 Travis Pastrana - Photo Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty ImagesDARLINGTON, S.C. ? (May 11, 2013) ? In his second NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) start at Darlington Raceway, Roush Fenway Racing?s (RFR) Travis Pastrana fought hard all night to finish 28th at the track properly nicknamed ?too tough to tame?. ?It was my fault,? said Pastrana. ?I...more»

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Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani

Today?s Headlines

Manuel Verdesoto, 82, Crossing Street Blocks From Bronx Home, Killed by�Unlicensed Driver�(News)
NYPD Pitches WTC Fortress Plan as a Car-Lite Haven for Pedestrians and Cyclists (NYT,�Post)
Tom Vanderbilt: NIMBY Histrionics Will Soon Yield to New Yorkers Loving Bike-Share�(OnEarth)
Bus Operator Catches Drivers on Camera Zooming Past Flashing Red School Bus Lights (WNBC)
A Train Service to Rockaways Resumes May [...]

Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte Randy Joseph Lajoie

TV Schedule: May 10-11

Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin Mark Anthony Martin

Video: Isuzu Trail View is Google Street View for off road

Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Technology, Videos, Off-Road, MISC

Isuzu has taken to advertising its not-for-North-America KB pickup truck with a unique initiative. The company wanted to apply the Google Street View philosophy to some of South Africa's more remote off-road trails, and the result is Isuzu Trail View. Using multiple action cameras situated in a 3D-printed housing strapped to the top of the truck, the crew began bouncing along dirt and rock paths, recording all the while. They also shot additional video and worked with experts to provide excellent clips on how to navigate common off-road obstacles.

You can watch the making-of video below, and you can head over to the Trail View site to poke around a few South African trails for yourself. All we want to know is, how long before Jeep does the same here in the US?

Continue reading Isuzu Trail View is Google Street View for off road

Isuzu Trail View is Google Street View for off road originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 May 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Divina Galica David Carl Allison

Seven Ways Technology Is Rendering the Automobile Obsolete

As we try to understand why young people are so much less jazzed about driving than previous generations, one possible explanation always comes up: Kids today just love their smart phones.
That is part of it. But the full picture is far more nuanced.
The internet, and the ability to carry it wherever you go, has changed [...]

Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot

New engines key to Honda return

Honda's decision to return to Formula 1 was motivated by the potential for technology transfer to road cars offered by the switch to 1.6-litre turbocharged engines.

Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines

Acura Reveals More Details of NSX, Will be Produced in Ohio

Long known as the home of buckeyes, cornfields, and Amish communities, central Ohio soon will be home to something a little more exciting for car aficionados: the Acura NSX. In an announcement made today, Honda confirmed the NSX will be produced at a $70-million production facility to be housed inside Honda?s former North American logistics [...]

Terrence Lee Labonte Randy Joseph Lajoie

Turvey takes another ELMS pole

Oliver Turvey maintained his 100 per cent prototype qualifying record by claiming pole position for the second round of the European Le Mans Series at Imola. The McLaren Formula 1 test and development driver, who has joined the Jota Sport Zytek LMP2 squad for this season, topped the times by more than half a second to follow up on his pole at the Silverstone season opener last month. His 1m34.343s pole lap aboard the Jota Zytek-Nissan Z11SN he shares with Simon Dolan compared with the 1m34.914s set by Mathias Beche in the TDS Racing ORECA-Nissan 03

Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines

Lotus confident over qualifying gains

Lotus is heading to the Monaco Grand Prix confident it has made the steps it needed to with its qualifying pace. The narrow confines of the Monte Carlo street circuit always puts a premium on grid position, with Lotus an outfit that has sometimes struggled to extract single-lap performance from its car

Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle

F1 drivers win pitlane fines reprieve

Formula 1 drivers are no longer being fined for pitlane speeding offences, AUTOSPORT can reveal, after the FIA agreed to a change of procedure.

Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven

Jeff Gordon goes for eighth Darlington win in 700th career start

James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman

Mike Wallace 2013 NNS VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 Post Race Report

2013 NNS Driver Mike Wallace - Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty ImagesGAFFNEY, S.C. (May 13, 2013) ? Mike Wallace drove the No. 01 Mac?s Pride Chevy to a 25th place finish Friday, May 10th at Darlington Raceway. The homecoming weekend for JD Motorsports started on Friday morning as the team went through practice and qualifying for...more»

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Report: Visteon working on creepy artificial intelligence for your car's infotainment [w/video]

Filed under: Technology, Videos

Those that hanker for the days when automobiles were generally simple machines - responsive only to the will of their human masters - probably don't work in R&D at Visteon. The Michigan-based automotive supplier, with a track record in climate control and electronics manufacture, has released some new information about a new system it is calling Human Bayesian Intelligence Technology or HABIT.

The goal of HABIT, in a nutshell, is to learn and predict what in-car setting a driver would like, in advance of him even having to ask for them. Using data about radio, climate control and driving behavior, HABIT stores and analyses (some might say "learns") about a driver's preferences, and then makes cues them up for the driver at the right time of day, or in the right situation.

If all of that sounds a little "big brother" to you, well, just wait until you have a look at the demo video Visteon has put together. We'd certainly like to get a closer look at the HABIT system when it's ready for primetime (or even in advance of that), but we're not entirely sold on the sort of creepy, blonde robot guide that we've seen here. Scroll down to see and watch what we mean.

Continue reading Visteon working on creepy artificial intelligence for your car's infotainment [w/video]

Visteon working on creepy artificial intelligence for your car's infotainment [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 May 2013 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth