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newVideoPlayer("/smartgauge.flv", 494, 273,""); That newly unveiled 2010 Ford Fusion looks pretty slick and all, but today we got a chance to sit down in the Fusion Hybrid — complete with black and white jelly bean camouflage — and play around with the new twin-LCD SmartGauge display. We'll let Ford Researcher Jeff Greenberg, a Senior Technical Leader at Ford walk you through the features in the video above, but after spending a couple of minutes with it, what do we think? How about a quicky review on this new fangled tech to go along with a new-fangled Fusion? The user interface is smooth and polished, with no lag in between screens and the interface proved far easier to use than we expected. The twin 4.3" TFT LCD screens that flank the center, traditional speedometer run at 800x480 pixels, which is basically high definition resolution, and are incredibly easy on the eyes. The screens are manipulated using steering wheel mounted buttons and the...
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Ford's making no small secret of their upcoming 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid , but it may be the stellar high-tech SmartGauge LCD instrument panels feature that makes these cars stand out in the crowd. Billed as a way for drivers to maximize fuel economy, SmartGauge with "EcoGuide" uses an all-digital, LCD screen instrument cluster with lively animations to prompt drivers on good driving habits by displaying a heavily stylized greenery for good behavior. The gauges can be customized to display whatever real time data the driver wishes to see. Shades of the 80's era digital dashes aside, this looks impossibly nifty and we can't wait to take a closer look later today. Hit the jump for the press release and the cool video of the screen changing and updating before your very eyes. galleryPost('FordSmartGauge', 9, 'Ford Makes It Easy To Look Green...And High Tech!'); newVideoPlayer("/Ford-SmartGauge.flv", 506, 375,""...
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newVideoPlayer("/Obama_Mcain_Cars_Ad.flv", 506, 423,""); Sen. John McCain took heat yesterday from UAW president Ron Gettelfinger for three of his thirteen vehicles being foreign-made. Now McCain's taking heat from the Obama campaign in a new attack ad claiming pretty much the same thing but so heavily protectionism flavored, it's a good thing the ad's just running in the Great Lakes state. Yes, Michigan, a land that unlike the rest of the nation , remains a magical place where American cars still outsell foreign cars. While the overtones of protectionism are strong, the nuts n' bolts of the ad are all about whether McCain's just a no-good dirty flip-flopper. Gettelfinger claims a recent article by Newsweek 's Keith Naughton contradicts McCain's statement that he has proudly bought American-made cars all his life. Registration records show among McCain's 13 vehicles are a Honda sedan, a drop-top Volkswagen and Cindy's personal Lexus...
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According to the good folks at Streetfire.net , the Gumpert Apollo, the fastest super car around the Top Gear test track , is officially coming to America — and not just as a Euro-plated import . The German company announced this weekend a partnership with the Arizona-based tuning shop Evolution MotorSports to have them handle US-market final assembly of ten cars per year, along with performance validation of what's essentially a kit car (winks and nudges all around, as the customized Audi V8 engine and the rest of the drivetrain is installed when it gets here). They'll then be shipped off to the exclusive US dealer, European Touch in sunny Los Angeles. In addition to Streetfire 's exclusive video of the unveil of the first Apollo, straight from docks, we've got an iPhone photo gallery below of said Apollo from when it entered the Evolution MotorSports shop. We'll have more on the story later — including an exclusive chat with Marc Fritzsche, Gumpert's...
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We caught up with professional drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. and had him walk us around his Ford Mustang to show us what makes his trick drift car tick. Not only did we get a close-up look at the machine, he even took us for a quick spin around some cones conveniently placed in the parking lot. This was our second time riding shotgun in a drift car — our first was in a JDM Nissan Skyline — and we've gotta admit, even though some may feel drifting isn't a real sport , it's unquestionably fun. Follow the jump for a video of the action. galleryPost('mustangdriftdearborn', 6, 'Mustang Drifting'); newVideoPlayer("/MustangDrift.flv", 494, 290,"");
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newVideoPlayer("/HowToDoABurnout.flv", 494, 290,""); Of course you know how to do a burnout. We all talk a big game when it comes to hoonage, but as we get ready for the Woodward Dream Cruise this weekend, we're sure there's got to be someone out there who might appreciate a simple instructional video. For this lesson, we'll be showing you how to do a burnout with a rear-wheel-drive, automatic transmission vehicle. galleryPost('DodgeCSRT8Burnout', 8, 'Dodge Challenger SRT8 Smokes The Tires For Educational Purposes'); For this example, we'll be using the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 , but the essential procedure can be applied to any number of slushbox-equipped RWD vehicles. Once you've mastered the technique, feel free to make your own video to show us all what you've learned. If you'd like some examples, check out our Corvette ZR1 burnout video , or this slow-motion Ford Mustang burnout video . Photo Credit: Alex C. Conley
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Yesterday, we drove the 2009 Corvette ZR1 both at GM's Milford proving grounds and on the road. Even though we can't tell you about it yet (check back Wednesday, August 20th at 12:01 am) we can show you the pictures and take a look at how it stacks up against the competition...by the numbers. Want to know how it compares to the 2009 Nissan GT-R ? What about the Ferrari 599 GTB , 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 , 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 , Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 and Mercedes McLaren SLR ? Click through to find out. galleryPost('zr1select1', 24, '2009 Corvette ZR1 Driven'); Photography: Alex Conley
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newVideoPlayer("/ZR1burnouts.flv", 494, 290,""); Last night we showed you a little tease of our upcoming review of the 2009 Corvette ZR1 coming Wednesday, August 20th at 12:01 AM. Well, we decided not to tease you too much with thoughts of the ZR1s staggering 638 HP 6.2-liter LS9 engine . Without further ado, here's two awesome, all-American, Godzilla-intimidating rolling burnouts on the huge Milford skidpad. But we're assuming you'll still be hungry for more. And we've delivered. While others may give you a whole crapload of crappy pictures, below the jump we have three of the most amazing shots we've yet seen of the ZR1. Enjoy. galleryPost('CorvetteZR1Burnouts', 4, 'The Most Amazing ZR1 Hoonage Ever'); Photo Credit: Alex C. Conley
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I've had the chance to spend a couple of weeks with the Dash Express GPS unit that most notably features two-way communication via Wi-Fi and GPRS for live active traffic data, Yahoo Local search instead of the standard list of points of interest and a robust customizable applications system. It was built to be the "commuter's navigation unit." One item I neglected to mention in the video is that the device has a very handy gas prices application built in. It can find gas stations and tell you the price for standard unleaded. It will also sort by price or distance and you can search other regions for gas prices, which could be very handy for road trips. Overall the Dash Express was fun to use and provided more functionality that any other third-party GPS units we've seen. It does have its quirks; directing me to the wrong place once and having a very slow startup and satellite discovery time. The touch-sensitive buttons on the top were a bit of an annoyance as well...
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Why you should buy the 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition : You need a big cruiser, but need muscle car speed. Your department has a bunch of money to spend after a big drug bust. You've got to reunite your band and save an orphanage. Why you shouldn't buy this car: You think high-speed pursuits are unnecessary and dangerous. You complain about high gas prices. You think the police shouldn't carry guns. You're a neo-Nazi from Illinois. galleryPost('08DodgeChargerPolicepart3', 9, '2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition - Exterior Details'); galleryPost('08DodgeChargerPolicepart2', 9, '2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition - Interior Details'); galleryPost('08DodgeChargerPolicepart1', 9, '2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition'); Suitability Parameters: Speed Merchants: No Fashion Victims: No Treehuggers: No Mack Daddies: No Tuner Crowd: No Hairdressers: No Penny Pinchers: No Euro Snobs: No Working Stiffs: Yes Technogeeks: No Poseurs: No Soccer...
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Exterior Design: **** The 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition benefits from the inherently aggressive looks of the standard Charger's angry headlamps and strong rear haunches. Of course, each car's style will be affected by the livery of its jurisdiction. Our car looks badass in black with the exposed steel wheels and a spot lamp mounted in the A-pillar, but we would've liked to have a push-bar in front to make it even more intimidating. Interior Design: *** Function rules over form inside the Police Edition. The center console and floor shifter have disappeared, making room for a large mounting surface for police equipment, relocating the autostick to the steering column. You would think a cop car might have some sort of donut holder molded into the dashboard, but there aren't even any cup holders. But the three stars come entirely from the rubber floors, making you free to spill beverages or bodily fluids without fear of a difficult cleanup, and the red night-light. galleryPost...
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Exterior Design: **** The 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition benefits from the inherently aggressive looks of the standard Charger's angry headlamps and strong rear haunches. Of course, each car's style will be affected by the livery of its jurisdiction. Our car looks badass in black with the exposed steel wheels and a spot lamp mounted in the A-pillar, but we would've liked to have a push-bar in front to make it even more intimidating. Interior Design: *** Function rules over form inside the Police Edition. The center console and floor shifter have disappeared, making room for a large mounting surface for police equipment, relocating the autostick to the steering column. You would think a cop car might have some sort of donut holder molded into the dashboard, but there aren't even any cup holders. But the three stars come entirely from the rubber floors, making you free to spill beverages or bodily fluids without fear of a difficult cleanup, and the red night-light. galleryPost...
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newVideoPlayer("DodgeCharger_BluesBros_v4.flv", 494, 290,""); If you saw Top Gear last week, you saw the boys compete to find the best sub-£900 replacement for the British standard Opel Astra police car. They shouldn't have bothered. There's already something bigger, stronger and faster in the colonies — and we've driven it. Just ignore the price tag and fuel economy. —Ed. Barreling down the highway in the 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, I'm on a mission. It's 106 miles to Chicago, I've got a full tank of gas, and I'm supposed to meet Hardigree on the Southside in an hour at the 95th Street drawbridge. Legally, there's no way for me to make it on time, and even though this is a cop car, I've no sirens or flashing lights to assist me in pursuing above-the-law speeds. What I've got instead is a stripped-down, blacked-out cruiser that feels like the spiritual successor to the Dodge Monaco Elwood Blues picked up from...
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Come on, admit it. The last time you put $75 of gas into your Camry, this crossed your mind. Like any other commodity, it's easier to steal gas than it is to pay for it. So if you're looking for a way — totally for informational purposes, of course — here's five of the best — and a really bad one — to do it: 5. Siphoning Fuel From Someone Else's Tank newVideoPlayer("StealGasSiphonPump_gawker.flv", 506, 423,""); Pros: Being able to pick the location, secluded is best. The ability to directly target your enemies. Relatively simple and cheap. Cons: No way to check how much fuel is in the tank before you decide to steal it. Applying suction by mouth may result in severe vomiting, recurring nightmares, cancer, addiction. Instructions: Insert a small, stiff pipe into a vehicle's gas tank. Apply suction. When fuel starts to flow, place pipe exit below tank height and fill jerry can. 4. The Old Switcheroo newVideoPlayer("StealGasDwarf_gawker...
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newVideoPlayer("ONIJDM.flv", 494, 287,""); The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser. The new Nissan GT-R may be stirring up a lot of hype, but before the R35, Skyline lovers on this continent had to have their cars independently imported. The problem is, since the gray-market heyday of the '80s, the American import laws have been pretty dang strict. So, we decided to make our way up to Toronto, to check out how hoons in great white north do things. This particular operation, ONI JDM , has brought in everything from kei cars to fully-modded RX-7s, Supras, and of course Skylines. They offered to take us for a ride in their drift-spec R32 Nissan Skyline, so we bolted down the video camera and strapped ourselves in. galleryPost('ONIJDMcars', 9, ''); As you can see, the Skyline was far from stock. It started life as an R32 GTS-T, but now it's powered by a RB26 from an R33 GT-R. The ride feels brutal at first, but you quickly...
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