Friday, December 31, 2010

Meals on...Exotic Wheels: Gotham Dream Cars Helps Feed the Elderly, so you Best Give a Damn


In charity-oriented news, Gotham Dream Cars recently assisted Pascack Valley, New Jersey's Meals on Wheels program in delivering food to some of the area's age- and hunger-impaired citizens. Edibles were brought door-side via cars like a Viper SRT-10, Lamborghini Gallardo, and Maserati Quattroporte, among others. The best part? Well, that depends.

Most people would say it's feeding those in need. Normal, right? Unfortunately, the press seems to think the story is the cars. That's right; instead of people who require help, the exotic transportation became the story. It's insane.

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U.S. Car Sales Continue the Uphill Trend in December


While the U.S. car market is still underachieving compared to the best results of the last decade, December sales are expected to significantly contribute to the annual forecast of about 12 million sold vehicles, as 2010 is clearly ending with an uphill trend, according to industry analysts.

“That's a long way from the 16 million and 17 million sales rates that we experienced for the better part of this decade. But we're coming out of 2010 on an upswing and I think this bodes well for 2011”, said Ford Motor Co. sales analyst George Pipas.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK Patent Drawings


While looking for the designs of the Smart Roadster model we showed you in our previous post, we stumbled upon these drawings of the next-generation Mercedes-Benz SLK used for trademark filings. Being that an official video of the 2012 SLK has already been leaked online (you can watch it after the jump if you missed out), these pictures simply offer some additional -and unobstructed- views of the roadster model with the retractable hardtop.

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VIDEO: Honda Civic Burnout Ends in Fiery Fail


As far as hooning goes, one would think that a simple burnout should get you in the least amount of trouble. However, the owner of this
Honda Civic almost lost his car while dazzling the crowd [...], as after about 40 seconds the tires suddenly burst into flames.

So, what have we learned today? Well, first of all, avoid overdoing the burnout if your car is tied to a block of concrete. Also, always keep a fire extinguisher at hand, because it turns out that putting out flames with some refreshments isn’t very effective. Who would of thought it? Watch the video after the jump.

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Noblesse Wings Up Honda CR-Z Hybrid Sport Hatch


Japanese tuner Noblesse has been steadily releasing numerous aftermarket bits and pieces for the new CR-Z ever since Honda launched its hybrid sport hatch . Among other parts, the company has developed a ground aero-kit with front and rear bumper aprons, side skirts, a rear diffuser and a large roof wing. These can be complemented by a lightweight carbon fiber hood, underbody aero parts, larger alloy wheels and a sport exhaust system. You can check out photos of Noblesse's Honda CR-Z offerings along with a video of a test car doing a circuit round right after the jump.

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2011 Chrysler 200: Conflicting MPG Figures Hit the Maker’s Official Website


Even though the 2011 Chrysler 200 is set to debut in the U.S. at the end of January, many facts on the mid-size sedan remain unclear. The company hasn’t officially (…) released interior pictures yet, only a video, and mpg figures were also unknown. However, as some isolated reports about EPA ratings hit the internet today, we decided to investigate. We found out that Chrysler’s sedan won’t establish any records in the segment and that, ironically, the automaker can’t decide which is the correct EPA estimated mpg.

According to one page on Chrysler.com, the 200 sedan equipped with the 173 hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine returns 21/30 mpg city/highway, with both the 4-speed and 6-speed automatic transmissions. This is kind of strange to begin with, as you’d expect the more modern gearbox to have better numbers for the sake of marketing, if nothing else.

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Mercedes-Benz Patents Designs of Smart Roadster Model


Back in 2001 at the Geneva Motor Show, Smart introduced a quirky roadster concept with no doors, no roof and no windscreen called the Crossblade. The Fortwo Cabrio-based concept eventually went into a limited series production the following year with Smart offering a total of 2,000 cars.

Fast-forward to today, and Smart appears to be readying a spiritual successor to the Crossblade as the firm's parent company Mercedes-Benz has trademarked these designs drawings of a two-seater roadster model.

Unlike the original Crossblade, which came without doors featuring instead steel safety bars at passenger shoulder height that swing upwards with the help of a gas-operated struts, the roadster model seen in these pictures gets a conventional set of doors. It also features a larger wind deflector surrounding the driver and passenger as well as Smart's trademark Tridion Safety Cell - albeit redesigned to look like separate safety bars.

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Thursday, December 30, 2010

Poll: Should Fiat Cut Loose Alfa Romeo and/or Sell it to Volkswagen?


Like Saab and countless other brands before, Alfa Romeo is at a tipping point. The famed Italian automaker, which once stunned the world with its gorgeous styling and motorsport victories, is now losing an estimate €200 million (US$265 million) per annum. It’s hard to believe that the company that brought us cars like the GTA, the Spider and the 158/159 Alfetta could be reduced to such a sad state of affairs.

Sergio Marchionne, the unwavering CEO of Fiat and its subsidiaries, is determined to turn the ailing automaker around. Meanwhile, Volkswagen is sniffing around for more brands and smells a potential winner in the Milanese company.

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James Robbins’ Corvette Design Study: Close But No Cigar


Here at Carscoop, we love us some Corvette design studies. Heck, if we wanted to we could probably serve up a new one every day of the week.

Today’s CAD mock up comes from transportation design student James Robbins. Think of it as a C6.5, a stopgap measure between the current gen Corvette and a future C7 model. The design brief required Mr. Robbins to use the basic proportions of the C6, which limited what could be done with the design.

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Meet the 388HP V8-Powered and RWD Mercedes-Benz B55 [with Video]


The regular Mercedes-Benz B-Class wasn’t exactly created with the motoring enthusiast’s needs in mind, but this one-off B55 special is another story. Trainees of Mercedes-Benzs Rastatt plant in Germany turned a B200 CDI diesel model into a full-blown sports car by planting in a 388 hp 5.5-liter V8 and transferring the drive from the front axle to the rear.

The idea of the project came from plant manager, Peter Wesp, while the execution fell on the shoulders of foremen Andreas Würz and Matt Rieger and a team of twelve second and third-year trainees specializing in production mechanics and automotive mechatronics.

The team aimed to fulfill several goals, drawn up in a book of specifications. According to the plan, the spatial concept as well as the body of the B-Class were to remain unchanged. The interior, however, was to be upgraded to reflect the newly acquired qualities and the overall goal was to create a vehicle suitable for everyday driving.

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2011MY Jeep Compass Facelift Priced from $19,295*, or Nearly $4,000 More than the 2010MY


The Grand Cherokee-like nose job and the upgraded standard equipment have had a negative impact on the 2011 Jeep Compass' sticker price as the refreshed crossover model will reach showrooms next month with a starting price of $19,295, not including a (*) $700 destination fee. That's close to $4,000 more than the pre-facelift 2010MY Compass, which retailed for $15,365.

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Useless Stat of the Day: Over 50% of British Drivers Have Made Love in a Car [Plus Top 10 Cars for Hanky Panky Time]


According to a research done by Autoquake, 54% of Britain’s drivers have made out in a car and for 22% of those, it was a fantastic experience. Nevertheless, fooling around in a car presents some, let’s say, technical issues, like being cramped and the possibility of getting caught, so 32 percent think that the experience is overrated.

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Ford Recalling F-Series Trucks, Edge and Lincoln MKX Over Fire Hazard


Nearly 15,000 Ford trucks and crossovers are being recalled in the States because of problems with electrical systems that can short and create a fire. The recall concerns certain 2011MY Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550 and Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles.

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VIDEO: Pagani C9 Teaser Shows Scale Model with Engine Key


One would expect an action-filled teaser for a supercar like the upcoming Pagani C9, which will replace the aging Zonda, but the Italian maker approached the task in a more laid-back manner, choosing to show us a man enjoying some coffee and the written news. And then, at the end of the clip, he picks up something that resembles a scale model of the new supercar incorporating what appears to be the engine key. Now, is this the best way to start your day or what? Video after the jump.

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Triple Recall for Dodge Affects Over 144,000 Journey and Ram Vehicles


The Chrysler Group is recalling certain Dodge Journey crossovers and Ram trucks in three separate actions to repair defective steering wheels, airbags and noisy rear axles.

The largest of Chrysler's recalls involves 65,180 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured from November 1, 2007, through September 7, 2008. According to a posting on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], the wires within the front door wire harnesses may fatigue and break. If this happens, the side-impact sensors may not work resulting in inoperative side airbags. Chrysler said it will replace the left and right door wiring harnesses free of charge.

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VIDEO: BMW Owner Leaves Car in Gear to Push, House Pays the Price


So here's how this 'fail' story goes: A female driver gets stuck on a patch of ice / snow in her automatic BMW 1-Series. After a few unsuccessful attempts of trying to free the Bavarian hatch from behind the steering wheel, she decides to leave it in gear and give it a push herself. While the BMW driver eventually managed to clear out of the slippery part of the road, she ended up in another mess [...]. See what happens next in the video after the break.

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Russia's Topcar Continues Porsche Cayenne Tune with Vantage 2


It's only been a few weeks since Topcar presented its most recent Porsche Cayenne package called the Vantage GTR2, yet the Russian firm has launched another tuning proposal for the second generation of the German automaker's luxury SUV. The new package is named Vantage 2 and it comes with a wide body kit and a choice of performance upgrades.

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Saw an eagle | Semiahmoo | Birch Bay State Park | Texas caviar



The second (and last) time I got seasick was on a fishing boat off the northernmost point of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. We were camping at Meat Cove, a fishing village accessed from an unpaved road off the Cabot Trail, with a permanent population of fewer than 100. Our tent was on a high cliff overlooking the ocean, and remaining on solid ground, hiking and enjoying the scenic beauty, was what I should have done. But no, I had to succumb to the lore of seeing whales. The owner of the gorgeous land was a fisherman who supplemented his earnings by renting out camping space, and hosting whale watching tours in his fishing boat.

(My first experience with seasickness had been a ghastly one suffered aboard a large tour boat off the coast of Paihia, a tourist town in the Bay of Islands in the far north of the North Island of New Zealand. On that fateful cruise, which I'd been looking forward to for weeks, I spent two hours locked in a tiny bathroom making simultaneous use of a toilet and sink basin. I was understandably leery of ever going out on the sea again.)

Anyway, the fisherman/Captain assured me that the sea where we were going was calm, and no one ever got seasick on his boat. HA! The boat was small, bare-bones, and seating was on a ring of milk crates along the rail. Things were OK while we were moving, but when the Captain dropped anchor, the boat started tilting from side to side — up and down, up and down, up and down. It wasn't long before I felt the familiar, horrible feeling of seasickness upon me. The only bathroom was an open toilet visible behind the Captain, and I began to cope with my misery by lying back on my crate and willing myself asleep, so as not to feel the horror. My crate and I became one. I was vaguely aware of a young child keening, "is it going to tip, Mom? Is the boat going to tip?" over and over, and of people leaning over me as if I weren't there, to see the whales, but mostly I was basically unconscious.

Then, one of my sons started tapping me and begging, "open your eyes, Mom. Open your eyes. There are eagles flying over us. Please, Mom, open your eyes. Just for a minute." I tried. I really did. But opening my eyes even a crack allowed the nausea to seep to the surface, so I squeezed them shut again, and fell back into my self-preservation coma. I've always felt so regretful about not seeing the eagles, which is why I was so excited when we went walking on on Semiahmoo Spit on our little mini-vacation to Birch Bay — and there, across the road, was an eagle!



Semiahmoo Spit is a mile-long strip of land jutting into the ocean at the northern end of Blaine, Wash. At the northern tip of the spit is the Semiahmoo Resort, where we stopped to have tea, and gaze at the water from one of the public sitting rooms. After our tea, meandering around the trails behind the resort, we found rotted, moss-covered old piers, and a newer seasonal ferry dock. (Clearly we were here in the wrong season.)





After exploring the docks, we headed to the beach, and walking path.



I've always been hopelessly attracted to rocks, especially wet ones, and used the most restraint I could manage to only look at them, pick up a few, then leave them behind. I won't admit to how many Lake Superior rocks I have, but I didn't take any from the spit. Not even one. You can see how irresistible they are, though, in their nests of grass.



We were heading down the walking path when I looked across the road and saw what appeared to be an eagle sitting on top of a dead tree. With only an 80mm zoom on my camera, we weren't close enough to get a good photo, and I saw there was a walking trail on the eagle's side of the park. Sooooo, we headed over there, not quite sure what the eagle would think of our intentions. When we were at Glacier National Park in Montana, where the chance of encountering wildlife is high, the rule of thumb was, if an animal changed its activity as a result of your presence, you were too close. Using this as our guide, we slowly went closer. The eagle turned to face us and, not knowing anything about eagle behavior, I opted to take some photos from where we were, rather than try to move any closer. Wouldn't you know it — my camera battery chose that moment to die, and I had forgotten to put the spare back in my bag after I'd charged it. Still, seeing the eagle was exciting.

Later that afternoon, Christmas Eve, we took a little break from the damp, natural world to take in a movie. We headed to a seven-screen theater to see True Grit. The lobby seemed perfectly normal, and the cost was typical of any movie, so we were quite surprised when we entered the theater and found a small screen and decrepit seating. The seats were old, uncomfortable, and arranged without concern for viewing ease. We were scrunched and twisted in our efforts to see the screen, and Ken attributes his stiff neck to the two hours we spent in the theater. I think it also had something to do with my aching back. (Along with our marshmallow bed.) The movie was good, though, if you don't mind some shooting and chopping.


Stuffed tofu hot pot with lettuce and black bean sauce

For dinner, we ate our Vancouver leftovers plus the stuffed tofu hot pot with black bean sauce, and soup with dumplings, purchased for the occasion the evening before at Bodhi Chinese restaurant in Vancouver.


Soup with dumplings

The food was just as good as the night before, and left us wanting to return to Bodhi again, soon.



On Saturday we headed to Birch Bay State Park for a gentle hike. Actually, it was more like a walk through the woods, as my back was acting up and I didn't want to take any chances.





The wet, ferny, mossy woods were quite magical — kind of like a series of pastel paintings. It seemed like the kind of place that Hobbits would live. Seriously, I was expecting to come upon a Hobbit house at every turn.







It may be winter here, but so much vegetation stays green year round, that it's a very different scene from what I'm used to. Washington is called The Evergreen State, and it's an accurate description. The temperature is usually in the 40s during the day, and I seldom even wear gloves — an act unheard of in Wisconsin.





With so much rain and dampness, moss grows everywhere, adding to the green and slightly eerie look of the woods.



These are my new hiking boots, which I love. This was their first outing, and they were completely comfortable. As soon as we returned home, I donated my old (very old but still thought of fondly) hiking boots to Goodwill.



Buffy spent the days of our vacation in a scenic dog-boarding lakeside home near Bellingham, and I believe she had a good time there. I was hesitant to leave her because she's 17, but she did well, and came home happy and refreshed, though a little tired from all the excitement.

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Texas Caviar: black-eyed pea salsa



It's almost the new year, and I suppose I should be both looking back and looking ahead — evaluating the past year and forming resolutions and goals for 2011. But for right now, I wish everyone a prosperous, peaceful, healthful and generous new year. And to ensure your good fortune, I'm reprinting my favorite recipe for black-eyed peas. Make it today and let it marinate until Jan. 1, or make it at the last minute and enjoy it fresh. Either way, eating black-eyed peas on the New Year is supposed to bring you luck — and they taste great! See you in 2011!

Texas Caviar
  • 2 cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained (or equivalent amount of home-cooked beans)
  • 4 scallions, finely sliced
  • 3 jalapenos, minced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil,
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Fresh ground peppercorns

Rinse and drain the beans and place in a bowl with the scallions, cilantro and peppers. Put the oil, vinegar, lime juice and salt in a one cup glass measuring cup and mix together. Add the liquid to the beans mixture and combine. Place in a shallow glass (or other non-reactive) dish. Cover and place in the refrigerator for a few hours or a few days. Mix occasionally to distribute the marinade evenly. Grind some peppercorns over the top just before serving.

notes: I thought the mix looked a little too green and beige so I went looking in the refrigerator for a few grape tomatoes to chop up. They were gone so I got a few slices of the tomatoes I dried last summer (and keep in a sealed freezer bag in the fridge). I chopped those up and added them for color and tang. I also used jalapenos from last summer's garden. I always freeze bags of whole, hot peppers from the garden to use in cooking during the rest of the year. This was the first time I tried to use them uncooked. Couldn't tell they weren't fresh.

I like to rinse and drain canned beans in a wire wok skimmer that I got in an Asian market years ago because I liked the way it looked. It's easier to clean than my fine mesh strainers and holds about one can of beans at a time.

For a little black-eyed pea and New Year's history, read this story from the New York Times.

Rising Gas Prices Might Affect Large SUV Sales and Trade-In Values


As crude oil reached $91 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange last week, U.S. gasoline prices started going up reaching an average value of $3.05 per gallon. That’s about half a dollar more than what Americans had to pay a year ago and the highest level since October 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Diesel prices have also increased to an average of $3.29 a gallon.

If the trend continues, we might see owners of large SUVs going for more fuel-efficient crossover models and trade-in values could plummet as well.

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Report: 20 Million Vehicles Recalled in 2010, Toyota Led the Way with 7.1 Million Recalls


Some 20 million vehicles were recalled in 2010, according to a study of preliminary federal data conducted by the Associated Press. It was the highest recall level in the U.S. since 2004, when a record number of 30.8 million vehicles were recalled.

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Nissan's Leaf has Game-like Infotainment Screen so you can Beat your Friends at Saving the Environment


Nissan wants drivers of its new Leaf - which didn't seem to take as much time or PR mumbo-jumbo to reach the pavement as Chevy's Volt - to know everything there is to know about their cars and the trips being made in them.

In Nissan's case, trip transparency is provided by a handy-dandy system called CARWING. The program gives drivers a bucket o'information ranging from travel time to electricity consumption and "average energy economy" on daily, weekly, monthly or annual scales.

You can also compete with other owners for best efficiency levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum) thanks to some in-car "gaming". Thanks to MyNissanLeaf member gudy, we've got some screen shots of what the program looks like and some of the info available.

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China's BAIC Working with Pininfarina on Saab-based Model, Confirms Interest in the Italian Design House

Photo: BAW C71 from 2010 Beijing Show

Yesterday, we brought you photos and details about a new and very Mercedes-Benz B-Class-like model from BAIC or Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Corp. Today, we have more news on the Chinese automaker as a media report citing an unnamed executive from the company claims that BAIC is working with Italian engineering and design specialist Pininfarina on a new vehicle based on the underpinning of a previous generation Saab model.
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New Honda CR-Z JCOTY Memorial Award Edition Shows off with Special Paint...and that's About it


To commemorate its "Japanese Car of the Year" award, Honda will release a limited edition of its CR-Z sport-hybrid hatch in Japan. Billed as a "Memorial Award Edition", the car will be coated in a hue called Pearl Deep Sapphire Blue and will roll on unique Dark Pewter Gray 16-inch rims.

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James Glickenhaus’ Ferrari P4/5 Competizione Starts Taking Shape


In 2006, American car collector James Glickenhaus took the world by surprise with his Enzo-based one-off Ferrari P4/5, built by Pininfarina. In the meantime, Mr. Glickenhaus decided to build a race version, too, dubbed P4/5 Competizione, which, initially, was scheduled to make its racing debut at this year’s 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Unfortunately, that never happened.

However, we're happy to report that the build is still underway. And there’s more: thanks to an update on a dedicated Facebook page, we can show you pictures depicting key moments of the assembly, available after the jump.

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Flashback: Steve McQueen Drives the 2005 Ford Mustang... 25 Years after His Death


In 1980, the world lost a cultural icon. Steve McQueen, the star of such films as Bullitt and Le Mans, had died. Metastatic cancer had claimed the life of the King of Cool.

Still, the legacy lives on. The actor’s love of cars and motorcycles was well known. McQueen competed in many motor races including the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Baja 1000. He also owned several semi-unique vehicles including a Jaguar XKSS, a Porsche 356 Speedster and a Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso. Here was a man who loved his cars almost as much as we loved his movies.

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$5 a Gallon by 2012? Worrisome, but Survivable...for Some


For drivers of gasoline-powered vehicles who were hoping to hear good news about the future state of fuel prices, here's something to rain on your parade. Former Shell President John Hofmeister recently indicated that he foresees gas prices hitting a very European $5 a gallon by 2012.

The question everyone wants answered is this: will vehicle manufacturers be ready? Hopefully they learned their lesson last time, but there's really no telling; after all, cars like the absurd Chrysler Aspen came out at a time when all signs said "Don't do this".

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