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Great NSX and TVR 3000S Videos from the Driving Philosopher

Erika — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:00:01 +0000

As most people who read and write blogs know, YouTube (and Vimeo too) is a treasure trove of great content. This is especially true for car blogs, which frequently feature interesting or viral footage; whether it’s of a recent drifting event, an interview, or just a commercial that’s so good (or bad) that you feel compelled to further publicize it despite its being broadcast on a seemingly constant basis. In any case, while you might find a really impressive YouTube hosted video on one of your favorite blogs, the credit you give to the blogger for posting that video is usually limited. On the other hand, there are times when you have to give credit where credit is due for things that seem as basic as posting a video or two. For me, today is one of those times, and the specific blog deserving kudos is The Driving Philosopher. Recently, The Driving Philosopher posted two videos that I would describe as stand outs.

One stand out was a video (above) of Formula 1 legend, Ayrton Senna, piloting a Honda NSX at the Nurburgring. This beautifully (if not overly) produced video has certainly been making its way around the web, and is impressing many along the way. While I can only give The Driving Philosopher so much love for posting an already popular video, the fact is that I saw the video on their blog before I saw it anywhere else. What i found even more significant was that this post followed another featuring a video that was apparently recorded personally by the man behind the site – the second stand out (see following link). The subject of this little film was a TVR 3000s English roadster motoring through a beautiful rural European landscape. While this video could be described as slightly amateurish, I found it to be just as, if not more, breathtaking than the NSX video, which I assume cost much more to produce and arguably doesn’t focus enough on the vehicle. The music was not suited to my tastes, but I still enjoyed the video thoroughly. I think you will too – especially if you have an affinity for classic roadsters!

Tickets Tossed in Michigan, Washington State, and Florida

Erika — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:03:27 +0000

Car and Driver recently published an article discussing how some Michigan municipalities had been writing illegitimate speeding tickets. These towns were allegedly keeping their local speed limits artificially low, in violation of a not very well know federal law. This might explain why the practice has created little controversy – this and the fact that federal and state roadways have been unaffected, which means many Michigan drivers have had limited opportunity to get one of these illegal speeding tickets.

Similarly, TicketHELP.com has reported that drivers in Washington State have also been given invalid tickets. Unlike the Michigan tickets, these have been given to drivers violating the state’s cell phone while driving policy. But, just like in the Michigan case, these tickets have been written by local authorities and not state troopers. The invalidity of these tickets is due to a loop hole that was quickly closed when identified. This is a big difference from the Michigan tickets, which, according to Car and Driver, were motivated by local governments’ need for revenue. For some perspective, it should be said that neither the Michigan or the Washington State case is as outrageous as that of the Florida Highway Patrol trooper sentenced to a year in jail for writing hundreds of bogus tickets. Officer Paul C. Lawrence was charged with 22 felony counts for actions that are deserving of an entire blog post on their own merit. You can read more about this ticket writing insanity by clicking the link below.

Miami-Dade Florida Trooper jailed for issuing false tickets

http://www.tickethelp.com/2010/07/miami-dade-florida-trooper-jailed-for-issuing-false-tickets/

UTI’s Automotive Technology Training Program

Erika — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:43:22 +0000

Do you have a passion for cars and would like to repair them for a living? Then you should check out Universal Technical Institute (UTI). There are campuses all around the country. There’s a special automotive technology training program that lets their students work on cars run by complex computer systems. You will be trained to become a better technician and you will know the ins and outs when you work with domestic and international cars.

If you’d like to be more advanced in repairing specific makes, the following programs are available:

BMW FastTrack
Ford Accelerated Credential Training (FACT)
Nissan Advanced Technician Training (NATT)
Toyota Professional Automotive Training (TPAT)

If you want a better salary and want to have a better career, you should think about applying to the Automotive Technology Training Program now. Click here for more information and how to get started.

Audi’s New System “Travolution” Lets Cars Communicate with Traffic Lights

Erika — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:42:53 +0000

Last month, The University of Texas at Austin (U Texas)’s Center for Transportation Research News blog announced that Audi is testing a new system in their cars to communicate with traffic lights. The system is called “Travolution” and it basically tells the car the exact speed in order to be able to make it through the green lights. It has been tested in Germany in 15 test vehicles. Audi wants to do this so drivers do not have to sit in traffic for a long period of time and less fuel will be consumed. If this is not neat, I don’t know what is.

Check out CNET’s Car Tech blog if you’d like to know more about the “Travolution.”

DIY Network and Car and Driver partner to create a ‘Garage Mahal’

Erika — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 23:44:19 +0000

Do you think that you have the most terrifyingly disorganized disaster of a garage? Or, on the other hand, do you think that yours is the standard bearer of what a real garage should look like? Whether you answered yes to either of these questions or you think that your garage falls somewhere in the middle, the DIY Network has an episode of Garage Mahal that is dedicated to you. Tune-in tonight at 9:30 PM to see Garage Mahal host, Bill Goldberg, and Car and Driver Editor-in-Chief, Eddie Alterman, transform Car and Driver’s existing headquarters’ testing space into the ultimate facility for testing and tinkering cars. They went all out and they were even able to include an entertainment area with a re-tractable motion picture screen. Imagine what Car and Driver road test videos will look like on that!

Find out when to tune-in!

It’s Official! The Ferrari 599 GTO Unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show

Erika — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:11:28 +0000

It wasn’t long ago that we were reporting spy shots that indicated a future release of a street legal Ferrari 599 that would include many of the features seen in the track-specific 599XX race car. Well, I’m excited to announce that the future is here (for those of you who didn’t get the memo) with the official release of the Ferrari 599 GTO. The future seemed to arrive pretty fast, though probably not as fast as the new GTO. The 599 GTO was recently unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show, and Ferrari is calling it the fastest road-going Ferrari ever released. Unfortunately for those of you who can afford the $450,000 it takes to bring one of these babies home, the new GTO was sold out even before it made its official debut. This makes me curious – what’s a tougher sell, the Lexus LFA or the fastest street-legal production Ferrari ever built to date?

2011 Pagani C9 Test Car Wrecked

Erika — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 17:15:02 +0000

Pagani has sought to follow up ten years of success with the Zonda with the an all new supercar, the 2011 Pagani C9. Spy shots of a Zonda with Michigan plates, apparently acting as a test bed for the C9, were circulating earlier this year. The Michigan tags indicated that Pagani could be seeking US certification of the C9. The photo couldn’t illustrate what a 2011 C9 would look like, but we did know what to expect in terms of machinery. A twin-turbo 6.0-liter V-12 based on the Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series is specifically what Pagani has in store for the C9, and this powerplant is good for an output of 690 bhp.

Exotic car fans of the world can now see a brand new photo of a Pagani C9 test mule. I know you’re excited, but it ain’t pretty. I’m not saying the C9 is a bad looking vehicle. What I am saying is that the C9 mule in this picture is a wreck. Literally! The C9 was involved in what looks like a serious accident on the A14 Autobahn near Stuttgart, Germany. Luckily, according to Road & Track, the collision did not result in life-threatening injuries to the test driver.

See photos from the scene of the Pagani C9 wreck.

Ferrari 599 GTO Spied!

Erika — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:53:19 +0000

Recent spy shots indicate that Ferrari indeed is working on a street version of the track-specific 599XX, which itself is based on the 599 GTB Fiorano. Rumor has it that the new model will be called the 599 GTO, resurrecting the legendary GTO name. What Ferrari enthusiasts around the world would like to know is how much XX technology will be seen in a street ready 599 GTO to distinguish this car from the GTB?

One can expect design adjustments to increase aerodynamics and reduce curb weight. The spy photos of Ferrari’s prototypes show that the 599 GTO will use a mesh grille, unlike the GTB (I love mesh grilles!). A photo on Road & Track shows one prototype with a black roof. I can’t be sure if this trait will be seen in a production model, but it looks pretty tough, especially with black wheels. Whatever the Italian automaker decides upon, I’m looking forward to seeing it.

See the Ferrari 599 GTO on RoadandTrack.com

Carbonfund.org

Erika — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:30:27 +0000

Driving is what many people have to do to get around, and some have a passion for it! So how do you take care of the planet while getting around? Carbonfund.org, a nonprofit organization, lets you reduce your impact on climate change from auto emissions by supporting carbon emissions reduction projects in the US and abroad. An innovative truck stop electrification project, for example, lets long-haul truck drivers connect to electricity to heat and operate their cabs rather than burn fuel and emit exhaust. When you support these projects, which are third-party verified to reduce emissions, you are balancing out your own emissions. You can calculate and offset your auto and aspects of your carbon footprint at www.carbonfund.org/calculators. The organization also offers business programs for small and large businesses to reduce their climate impact and has a product certification program, featuring the CarbonFree® Certified label, the nation’s first carbon neutral product label.

Car Spy: 2010 Audi A8

Erika — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:22:46 +0000

You may be wondering what this car is doing with what appears to be an upside-down Mitsubishi grille. Well, this is actually the new 2010 Audi A8. With a slimmed down design that looks more like the A4 or A5, the size of the next generation A8 seems to remain the same.

Expect Audi’s flagship sedan to be powered by the same silky smooth 4.2-liter V-8, but of course with further improvements to output and efficiency. The A8 will most likely be equipped with either a 7 or 8-speed transmission to send power to the Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Also expect a refreshed interior outfitted with all kinds of technology. Look for the official unveiling some time in the near future.