autogadgets

Own any word on my site! Text Link Ads

2007-01-21T05:36:00.000-08:00

I have been using a “buy text link ads” type advertising system called Phrase Links for awhile now (I was in private beta).

Phrase Links enables you to purchase any keyword or phrase and link it to your site, product, etc. The difference between Phrase Links and other text link buying services is that you buy the text link ads across thousands of sites (including this one) for one low flat rate price. It’s a great way to get a lot of relevant links back because the system is completely organic and only links from relevant articles.

Check them out at Phrase Links Request an invite, and even though their private blog says launch is any day the invite system is likely to be the only way to get in early.

Buy any word or phrase on this site and thousands of others using Phrase Links™

Bloggers: Your Theme Matters

2007-01-21T02:19:00.000-08:00

I’ve never seen anything on this but if you know about this disregard.

I have two similar sites content wise, and are roughly the same domains (one is pluralized form of the other) I noticed that one of the sites has weird stuff indexed (ie feedlinks, wp login page etc.) and seems to be neglected by google while the other one seems to be indexing fine.

I had a hunch because of how one was being indexed it may have something to do with theme I was using.

If you use firefox and the web developer plugin you can disable styles and see the page as a spider would.

Get it here: FireFox Web Developer Plugin

Sure enough when I compared the two themes (without css styling as the spiders see it), one (the neglected one) was displaying all the menu stuff up top, while the other one had the content (ie posts) up top and all the menu stuff at the bottom.

To see the two example themes:

the theme with with menu stuff up top was juice 2.0 from themes.wordpress.net

the other theme was unsleepable from the same site. If you have the firefox plugin to disable css, just do “test run” on both themes and disable styles right on the test site.

Theme designers, you should check out your templates to see how the content is really displaying.

On a side not if you interested in blog advertising or buying text links on thousands of sites for one low flat price check out Bliggo and Phrase Links

They are invite only systems but I have been in private beat for nearly a year now, and have tremendous results with them.

Click here to advertise on thousands of blogs including mine

AutoblogGreen for 12.13.06

2006-12-14T06:40:00.028-08:00

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Hyundai Santa Fe CRDi goes 1,100 miles on one tank of diesel

2006-12-14T06:40:00.027-08:00

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RR of the Day: 1981 Cadillac Eldorado Diesel

2006-12-14T06:40:00.026-08:00

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South African website names "gayest, straightest, and sexiest" cars

2006-12-14T06:40:00.025-08:00

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Ford puts plant plans in park

2006-12-14T06:40:00.024-08:00

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Autoblog Holiday Gift Guide

2006-12-14T06:40:00.023-08:00

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Saving Lincoln one RWD concept at a time

2006-12-14T06:40:00.022-08:00

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Autoblog Podcast #50: The Relaunch! Win an iPod Shuffle for listening

2006-12-14T06:40:00.021-08:00

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Chrysler Group Media Preview: We came, we saw, we can't say anything

2006-12-14T06:40:00.020-08:00

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Drive it like you stole it - Imaginary winter drifting in an AMG Mercedes

2006-12-14T06:40:00.019-08:00

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Top Gear's COTY Awards... one we actually care about

2006-12-14T06:40:00.018-08:00

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Next Mustang to include Sedan and Wagon variants

2006-12-14T06:40:00.017-08:00

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V8-powered Land Rover LR2 Sport in the works?

2006-12-14T06:40:00.016-08:00

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Spy Stuff: Camaro ragtop

2006-12-14T06:40:00.015-08:00

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Detroit Preview: Volvo XC60 concept

2006-12-14T06:40:00.014-08:00

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Purrrrformance Upgrade: Arden pets the Jaguar XK

2006-12-14T06:40:00.013-08:00

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eBay Find of the Day: TVR Cerbera Speed 12

2006-12-14T06:40:00.012-08:00

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Spy Shots: Ford Mondeo Wagon

2006-12-14T06:40:00.011-08:00

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Top Gear's back, with Hammond, airing Jan28

2006-12-14T06:40:00.010-08:00

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Spy Shots: Renault ooh-la-Laguna

2006-12-14T06:40:00.009-08:00

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Spy Shots: Dodge Avenger R/T

2006-12-14T06:40:00.008-08:00

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Truckers say Louisiana has nation's worst roads

2006-12-14T06:40:00.007-08:00

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Fingers crossed for second Mazda crossover crossing

2006-12-14T06:40:00.006-08:00

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North American Car and Truck of the Year finalists announced

2006-12-14T06:40:00.005-08:00

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Autoblog Night Watch: Senna exceeds the limits at Monaco '89

2006-12-14T06:40:00.004-08:00

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2008 Chevy Equinox Sport: One S shy of an SS

2006-12-14T06:40:00.003-08:00

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AutoblogGreen for 12.14.06

2006-12-14T06:40:00.002-08:00

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Jeep Patriot pricing announced

2006-12-14T06:40:00.001-08:00

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DaimlerChrysler won't share Mercedes platforms

2006-12-14T06:40:00.000-08:00

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VerifiedCharge.com

2006-12-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

Finally an alternative to ccbill, ibill and other 3rd party billers.

If you take payments online or need a merchant account check verifiedcharge out.

VerifiedCharge.com

Originally Syndicated from Bliggo Advertising System

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AutoBlogger Pro Stand Alone 1.0 Released

2006-11-08T01:51:00.000-08:00

The ultimate Blog management software / creation tool has been released. This is a little different than the original AutoBlogger Pro in that it posts out to blogs rather than in.

I can create hundreds of blogs, and using all the different features such as dynamic ad spots, relinker, rewriter etc. and manage them all from one simple yet elegant interface.

Here are some screenshots: Click for larger image

I am in touch with the developers and the features planned for the next release are mind blowing.

Check out The AutoBlogger Pro Stand Alone Website where you can see screenshots, check out demo sites, and get the latest release information.

One of their customers is #1 on google for preorder ps3, and ranks very high for some other big search phrases.

Originally Syndicated from Bliggo Advertising System

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Bliggo Blog Advertising

2006-11-03T21:58:00.008-08:00

There’s a new blog advertising game in town. If you haven’t heard of Bliggo yet read the quote from their website below:

Welcome to Bliggo the company that will revolutionize the way companies, and individuals advertise online.

Bliggo’s proprietary advertising system makes it possible to advertise on thousands of high traffic blogs, and websites. This is not the traditional internet advertising such as banners, or text links. Bliggo is a unique system that provides instant results via clicks to your ad, and offers long term seo benefits via indexing, and search engine traffic indefinitely. The days of buying small banner runs, or text links are over.

Currently Bliggo is in beta stage. We are nearing our goal of 1000+ sites in network. The sites in our network control millions of unique visitors, and have pr rankings from 2 all the way up to 7 Complete network stats including real time traffic stats, and pr rankings will be available when we launch.

I for one cannot wait till they launch. I am already a part of the network on the sell side. Now I’d like to start buying ad space!

Originally Syndicated from Bliggo Advertising System

Click Here to Advertise on my Blog and Thousands of Other Blogs

Room Thirteen

2006-11-03T21:58:00.007-08:00

One of the absolute best online music magazine sites I have found (it also happens to be run by a good friend in the UK )

If you listen to metal, or hard rock check it out. They do reviews, interviews, podcasts, and will be providing insane REAL TIME coverage of this years Download Festival.

Download will feature a lot of great bands including Tool, Guns and Roses, and Metallica

See the full lineup here: Download Festival Lineup

Room Thirteen Where Music Rocks

Originally Syndicated from Bliggo Advertising System

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Egotastics!

2006-11-03T21:58:00.006-08:00

I love this site. I love looking at pretty women Egotastics.com has a growing collection of high quality images of celebrities, and supermodels. Great for wall papers, or just to look at for a while. LOL

Take a look, but only if the boss isn’t looking

Egotastics.com

Originally Syndicated from Bliggo Advertising System

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AutoBlogger Pro 2.5 Released

2006-11-03T21:58:00.005-08:00

AutoBlogger Pro continues to grow as a product. Our new release of 2.5 fixes small server specific bugs, and adds enhancements to relinker, and rewriter which will allow you to break up any repeatable pattern that may trigger search engine splog filters.

One huge benefit of the new rewriter function is that you can change anything, to anything using regular expressions. As always relinker, and rewriter are completely dynamic, and can be changed on the fly site wide from one easy administration panel.

With these new features and cleaner faster code, we have decided to increase the license count for the large network package to 25

licenses instead of 10 (without a price increase!) For those existing customers with a large network license, your licenses are increased to 25 as well.

AutoBlogger Pro Complete Features List:

Autoblogger Pro: This is the heart of the Autoblogger Pro system. Autoblogger Pro uses RSS to syndicate posts from any RSS/XML enabled site (blogs, newssites etc) into your own, allowing you to get content rich sites with a lot of text the se’s love to spider. The software is so easy to use that literally you will have a content rich, and search engine friendly site, within minutes of starting with Autoblogger Pro.

SiteMapper: Will automatically create a sitemap file, and ping Google whenever a new post is added or edited.

Article Engine: You have complete control over very powerful RSS syndication within Autoblogger Pro. Default options are set for maximum search engine optimization

Image Downloader: Sometimes a feed that displays images within an article has hotlink protection on. For this reason we have created the image downloader the image will download each existing image in an article to a local directory.

Image Downloader now supports redirects, and can bypass any hotlink protection.

This is a big advance as some feeds have a weird way of hotlink protecting images that caused image downloading to fail.

Relinker: One of the most useful features within Autoblogger Pro. The Relinking system will replace any word/phrase with a link you specify. This is useful to target certain keywords to affiliate links, product sales, other sites etc. This is all done dynamically so links can be changed any time site wide in seconds. Any number of words/phrases can be linked. It’s very possible to monetize this system. Aside from the obvious linking to affiliate programs, or sites, once traffic builds up, you could also sell words.

Meta Keyword Tagger: This new feature makes an automatic keyword meta description for every keyword within the articles. Stop words are edited out automatically, so only high ranking words within each article are included.

ReWriter: This new section includes a number of features useful for SEO, and promotion.

Rewriter can now replace any text, it uses regular expressions now so it

gives you much more control over the content, and how it displays

Word Changer: While Google does not currently penalize for duplicate content site to site (they do penalize for dupe content within one site) They do hold a patent for this technology. For this reason we made word changer. Just like relinker this feature will allow you to enter and word/phrase but rather than link it, it will allow you to replace with another word/phrase.

Keyword Filter System: In order to create a high quality content rich site you need high quality, and keyword rich articles. Even the best source sites will include articles that do not meet your keyword objectives. This feature will allow you to create a keyword weighting system for each article. Negative, an positive keywords can be added, any article meeting the positive will be published, those that have a higher count of negative keywords will be placed as drafts. You can review drafts at anytime and publish them as you wish.

Source Link Editor: This allows you to place a custom article source link for each article. Like all features of Autoblogger Pro this is completely dynamic, and can be changed anytime. No need to edit thousands of posts, one change in one tab is all that’s needed to change it sitewide.

Article Autoposter: The Article AutoPoster feature allows you to automatically “load” WordPress with custom articles you create for the future given a posting pattern you specify. The articles are all automatically pulled from a directory and AutoPoster keeps track of which html files have been posted and those that are pending.

Article autoposter has been rewritten to accept straight html (rather than the old way of a custom template engine)

The older engine forced you had to make some changes to the content before using it. Now you simply upload each post as an html file to the autoposter data directory. No templating needed.

The new system accepts straight html or text, and the title of the file becomes the post title.

Each article can be posted on an automated schedule, it makes inputting posts for future dates

much easier than the wordpress hack of post dating each article by hand.

Custom Header Footer for each article: This feature will allow you to create a custom header, and footer within in each article. This makes it possible to include custom text, adsense codes, or banners within each article. If you hook it up to a phpadsnew system you can run a complete advertising suite within each article.

Custom Site Footer: This new feature allows you to have a custom site footer regardless of which theme you use. Anything can be placed within this area, by default we include a “Powered by Autoblogger Pro” link. The powered by logo can be removed.

Pinging services list added to build more inbound links, and traffic. List updated in this release to include even more services.

Article Stealth Mode: This is one of our most ambitious features to date. Some smaller sites that make RSS feeds available do not realize they are making their content available for other sites to use legally. They sometimes ask to remove content that you have pulled from them. With this feature you can show a custom “removed” link human readers will see, while Google, and the sitemapper continues to see the original article text.

WYSIWYG Editor: All of the dynamic ad spots can be edited using our WYSIWYG editor or if you prefer it can be disabled from within the misc tab.

Click Here To Order AutoBlogger Pro

Originally Syndicated from Bliggo Advertising System

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DeathWishGirls - NSFW

2006-11-03T21:58:00.004-08:00

OK this is a bit off topic, but I find goth chicks, and tattoo girl sites like suicide girls to be pretty fun. Death Wish Girls is a new one I found that looks promising. This site is definetly not safe for work, so make sure to check it out at home, or if you’re the boss like I am, then feel free to click it now.

Death Wish Girls - Goth Girls Gone Wild

Originally Syndicated from Bliggo Advertising System

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VaroomVroom.com

2006-11-03T21:58:00.003-08:00

I happened upon a pretty awesome site for automotive news, and great pictures of concept cars (which I love) Check it out if you are at all interested in automobile news, concept cars, alternative energy for cars, etc.

http://www.varoomvroom.com

Originally Syndicated from Bliggo Advertising System

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Best Casino Bets

2006-11-03T21:58:00.002-08:00

I happen to be a huge gambler (sorry Mom) I came across a great gambling resource site. If you have a problem managing your finances because you bet on too many sporting events, or horse racing, or online casino, and poker betting… Shoot yourself, or take a look at this site, and get some great gambling tips, and information on all things related to online betting.

Best Casino Bets

Originally Syndicated from Bliggo Advertising System

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Do You Want Big Business Fast?

2006-11-03T21:58:00.001-08:00

Whether you are starting a project or a company do you really want it to grow fast? Do you want to try and control a beast running wild? Far too many of us envision a quick start and a happy finish, but rarely do you see that today. Once that momentum builds up, keeping it is a lot harder than getting it initially. That’s where a new blog advertising system is going to take things to the next level.

I’m pretty excited to have be a part of it since beta, if you haven’t heard of Bliggo yet check out Bliggo The results from small campaigns I’ve done have been very exciting.

Originally Syndicated from Bliggo Advertising System

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Smacktards!

2006-11-03T21:58:00.000-08:00

A great information site about all things gaming. Even though I like the site I should mention real smacktards suck ass.

Take a look: http://www.smacktards.com

Originally Syndicated from Bliggo Advertising System

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AutoBlogger Pro 2.5 Released

2006-10-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

AutoBlogger Pro Complete Features List:

SiteMapper: Will automatically create a sitemap file, and ping Google whenever a new post is added or edited.

Article Engine: You have complete control over very powerful RSS syndication within Autoblogger Pro. Default options are set for maximum search engine optimization

Pinging services list added to build more inbound links, and traffic. List updated in this release to include even more services.

WYSIWYG Editor: All of the dynamic ad spots can be edited using our WYSIWYG editor or if you prefer it can be disabled from within the misc tab.

Click Here To Order AutoBlogger Pro

Originally Syndicated via RSS from Here

Click Here to Advertise on my Blog and Thousands of Other Blogs

Zurich-a! Rinspeed Indy 4S

2006-09-28T19:47:00.001-07:00

Filed under: Tuner Tuesdays, Convertibles, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Porsche

Click to enlarge Subtle. Subtle always works. At Rinspeed, sometimes subtle simply isn"t in the vocabulary. Other times, however, you"d think it"s the only language spoken. This schizophrenic nature is what makes the company what it is. They"re at home no matter what they"re doing, whether it"s creating a gonzo Cayenne-based pickup truck concept or putting together accessories for regular existing road cars. The Indy 4S falls squarely in the latter category. As its name suggests, the Indy 4S program is based on the 997 Carrera 4 and 4S. Convertible? Hardtop? No matter. All the pieces work regardless of which body style you choose and which animal resides under the engine cover. Like the Cayman-based Imola we discussed earlier in the week, the Indy 4S gets improved downforce via a new front skirt, and continues the look all the way around with new side and rear treatments. The updated rear fascia is visually enhanced by a diffuser and Rinspeed"s exhaust kit, which can be as simple as new tips or as comprehensive as a new system from the headers back. The company"s excellent-looking 20" five-spoke wheels return, and a choice of handling upgrades is available for both the standard suspension and the trick PASM setup. And finally, the interior can be customized with new leather, a range of steering wheels, and a full line of aluminum accessories. Best of all, the checkered-flag theme is nowhere to be found. Like we said: subtle. (Photo, press release after the jump) [Source: Rinspeed] Click to enlarge PRESS RELEASE: Rinspeed Indy 4S - Porsche Tuner Rinspeed designs for the all wheel drive 911 (type 997) an exclusive optical package. Carrera 4 or Carrera 4S, Coupe or Convertible: Rinspeed is offering its aerodynamic package Indy for immediate deliveries. The original front skirt is replaced by a complete Rinspeed front skirt which enhnaces the aerodynamic down force. Side skirts let the 997 appear lower and more dynamic. Additionally, a rear skirt with a difusor optic has been developed. The tuner also offers the well established aluminium wheel in the Design C5/1 in 20" for this model range. Wheels of 8.5 x 20" and tires of the maximal width of 245/30-20 can be fitted on the front axle where as the rear takes 11 x 20" wheels with tires of the dimension 305/25-20. Apart of the aerodynamics package, Rinspeed also offers a wide exhaust program. The possibilities range from oval end pipes to a flow optimized sport exhausts to high performance exhaust systems which include headers, metal catalytic converters and rear mufflers. Suspension wise Rinspeed opts for sporty lowering springs (approximately 25mm). Alternatively adjustable coil-over suspension kits can be ordered. Both sets are compatible with the original PASM system. The interior is enhanced by full leather trims, airbag sport steering wheels, aluminum pedals, aluminum foot rests and shift knobs.

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Autoblog arrives in Paris!

2006-09-28T19:47:00.000-07:00

Filed under: Videos, Paris Motor Show

UPDATE: Still haven"t found any French Fries. Someone suggested trying Belgium, which we think is near the Eiffel Tower. Maybe not.

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A New York minute with the 2007 Cadillac Escalade EXT

2006-09-28T19:46:00.011-07:00

Filed under: Garage, SUVs, Trucks/Pickups, Cadillac, GM

Anyone who knows me wouldn"t ever think I would want climb into an Escalade, let alone the Cadillac truck that is the Escalade EXT. One look at me and you might pin me for the euro-import freak that I am. But deep down, somewhere inside my American psyche lies this desire for a White Diamond Cadillac Escalade EXT. There is no justification for it, although I could always spin it as a need for a tow vehicle to pull my toy box camper with an Ariel Atom 2 in the back. That"s a blatant fantasy, but we can all aspire to something, right?

Anyway, in the world of the luxo-truck, Cadillac is head and shoulders above Lincoln and their badge engineered F-150 (sorry Ford, but you know it"s true). This is exceedingly apparent when you pull the EXT"s chrome wrapped door handle. As soon as you climb into the driver"s seat of the Escalade, you feel instantaneously underdressed, and your wrist looks very naked, like it needs a diamond-encrusted watch. The interior is hands down the most elegantly designed interior that you will ever find in production pickup truck. It is all exclusive to the Cadillac line and is not shared with any other full-size GM SUV. The unique-to-Escalade instrument panel has a refined time-piece quality about it. It features white-LED illuminated dial and needles, with the latter featuring illuminated cobalt blue accent stripes.

Even the steering wheel gets special treatment with a wood rim on the outside edge facing the driver, to give your palms the luxury of a wood wheel without compromising the leather grip available to your finger tips. Don"t let that rim fool you, or the Escalade"s large and in charge presence, the wheel on this Caddy isn"t a tiller for any large nautical vessel. The seating position might be high, and the rest of the truck might seem massive, but it is surprisingly maneuverable and any body motions are well controlled. You feel like you"re driving the Escalade EXT and it"s not driving you. And the 6.2L aluminum V8 provides a satisfying 403 horsepower and 417 ft-lb of torque. All that power is channeled through an all new 6-speed automatic transmission. Put the truck in drive and the back up camera will pop on warning you to watch for pedestrians who might be within firing range if you choose to toast the tires on the optional 22-inch wheels.

We did not get a chance to run our own test numbers, but by the seat of our pants, this Cadillac zigs. In fact, the entire package is deceptively fast. Eighty miles per hour comes up very fast at full tilt, and the only noise from the inside is the subdued roar of the General"s latest generation truck V8. If you have a decent amount of self-control, it may be possible to get the 13/19 mpg EPA-rated fuel economy in the Escalade EXT. Those EPA numbers seem about right for a vehicle of this size. Whether you choose to cruise or romp around town, it"s when you step out of the Escalade that you realize the vehicle feels a lot smaller behind the wheel than it is.

From the exterior, you would never mistake the Escalade EXT for anything other than a Cadillac. The new fascia is inspired by the Sixteen concept vehicle, as well as the chrome front fender vents. This truck oozes class and attitude in amounts that make you strangely proud to be an American, albeit with a touch of guilt over your own extravagance.

If this seems like your idea of a luxury truck, head over to Cadillac"s website (http://www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/model/gallery.jsp?model=ext&year=2007) and build one for yourself (trust me, I have).

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BLUETEC diesels to be in all Mercedes SUVs by 2008

2006-09-28T19:46:00.010-07:00

Filed under: Minivans/MPVs, SUVs, Green, Mercedes Benz

Mercedes-Benz announced today that 2008 models of the M-, R- and GL-Class will be offered with BLUETEC diesel engines that meet the Environmental Protection Agency"s tough BIN5 emissions standards in all 50 states. Astute Autoblog readers will remember that not long ago the 2007 Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUTEC failed to meet emissions standards in California and four other states. These 2008 models will use more advanced urea-injection technology to ensure that they earn the right to be sold nationwide. While Mercedes didn"t mention which BLUTEC engine(s) will be available when these 2008 models go on sale, the likely candidate is the same 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel used in the E320 BLUETEC that"s been tweaked to pass muster in California and other states with stricter standards. There"s also an option in Europe for a more powerful 4.0-liter V8 diesel engine, but Mercedes debuted a GL320 BLUETEC at the 2006 Detroit auto show, so our bet"s on the diesel six. [Source: Mercedes Benz]

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Samba de Honda: New FFV system for Brazil

2006-09-28T19:46:00.009-07:00

Filed under: Economy, Sedans/Saloons, Green, Tech, Hatchbacks, Honda

Monday must have been "Engine Tech" day at Honda, seeing as they released info about their new clean diesel, Advanced VTEC, and the topic we"re about to discuss: the new FFV system that"ll be rolled out in Brazil later this year. Before we do that, we should mention that it isn"t just automotive powerplants that received the laboratory love, as Honda also announced innovations for its motorcycle and power equipment engines, too. The White Lab Coat Brigade has certainly been keeping itself occupied. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. With its new flexible-fuel system, Honda believes that it has essentially conquered all the known drawbacks of using ethanol. Problems with cold starts, inconsistent performance, variations in fuel economy and emissions are all addressed with the new system. Designed to operate on fuel grades ranging from E20 all the way up to E100, the Honda FFV system analyzes the levels of exhaust gas concentration in the exhaust system to estimate what fuel blend is currently in the tank, and then adjusts accordingly. The result, according to Honda, is that its FFVs will have performance and fuel economy ratios that nearly equal those of their gasoline-only engines. The two prototypes revealed today, a Civic FFV and a Fit FFV, seem to bear this out. The Civic, when running on E100, generates 140PS at 6,200 rpm and 174 Nm of torque at 4,300 rpm. Fill it with an E22 mix and theose numbers only drop to 138 PS and 172 Nm (this torque peak arrives at 5,000 rpm). With the Fit, it"s more of the same. On E100, it makes 83PS at 5,700 rpm and 119Nm of torque at 2,800 rpm. On E22, it drops to 80PS and 116 Nm at identical engine speeds. What does this all mean? It mean that Honda has positioned itself to be all things to all people in the next few years. Not sold on green tech? No problem, there"s Advanced VTEC standing by. Into diesel? Its new clean diesel technology will pass US regulatory muster. Tree hugger? Technophile? You know about the already-available hybrid powertrain, and in "08, it"ll be joined in the marketplace by a limited-production FCV. And if growing fuel is your thing, these new FFVs appear to be up to snuff (if Honda ever decides to offer them outside Brazil). Honda"s chess pieces are slowly moving into place. They"ve dipped a toe into all the technology pools, and should be able to capitalize if one emerges as the clear favorite among consumers. What? No pure EV? Hey, nobody"s perfect. (Additional photos, press release after the jump) Honda"s Civic and Fit FFVs: PRESS RELEASE: Honda Develops Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) System For Introduction in Brazil in 2006 September 25, 2006- Honda Motor Co., Ltd., announced that it has developed a new flexible fuel vehicle (FFV) system that enables gasoline engine-based power plants to operate on either 100% ethanol or a wide range of ethanol-gasoline fuel mixtures. Up to now, variations in the ratio of ethanol-to-gasoline have affected low-temperature startup performance, and caused variations in air-fuel ratio and engine output. This has made it a challenge to maintain stable dynamic performance, fuel economy and emissions levels. The new Honda system adapts to different ethanol-to-gasoline ratios by estimating the concentration of ethanol in the ethanol-gasoline mix in the fuel tank based on measurements of exhaust gas concentration in the vehicle"s exhaust system. This provides the flexibility to adapt to ethanol-to-gasoline ratios of between 20% and 100%, while achieving outstanding fuel economy and dynamic performance on a par with a 100% gasoline-powered vehicle. In addition, a cold-start system utilizing a secondary fuel tank ensures reliable starts even at low ambient temperatures. Bioethanol fuel, as used in Brazil and other countries, is made from plant sources such as sugar cane. Because plants absorb CO2 via photosynthesis, the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere from burning bioethanol fuel does not increase atmospheric CO2. This makes bioethanol fuel an effective means to combat global warming as well as an alternative to petroleum. In late 2006, Honda plans to begin sales of FFVs in Brazil, where bio-ethanol has gained in popularity.

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RR of the Day: 2001 Ford Ka XR

2006-09-28T19:46:00.008-07:00

Filed under: RR of the Day

The Ford Ka is one of our "forbidden fruit" favorites here at Autoblog, so Fabio"s Ka had a lot going for it before we even started reading the description. What we learned upon reading, however, was more than enough to catapult it out of Flickr and onto Autoblog as today"s RR of the Day. A self-described "Ford kind of guy" in Brazil, Fabio acquired the Ka in 2005 and is its second owner. As you can see, it"s a very well-kept example. Even better, it"s the mechanical equivalent of the Euro-market SportKa -- meaning it"s got the 95-horsepower 1.6L underhood. He reports that it"s very fun to drive, and that he"s wound it out to 124 mph on the highway without it feeling the least bit hairy. It probably looked good doing it as well, thanks to its understated factory body kit and Ford Puma-style wheels That"s not the best thing about it, though. Open Fabio"s rear hatch, and you find a surprise in the cargo area: a 63-liter CNG (compressed natural gas) tank. The system is safe, legal, and government-certified, and to hear Fabio tell it, it"s basically a necessity. CNG, you see, costs three times less than gasoline in Brazil, and the small sacrifices the system calls for -- loss of the Ka"s luggage space, drop in peak power to 86 horses, and an additional 154 lbs added to the car"s weight -- are offset by the money he saves on fuel. Not only is the CNG system less expensive to run, but it"s also very green, producing no CO2 emissions. Besides, if he needs added punch, he can flip a switch and get back into gasoline mode, making this one very flexible daily driver, indeed. We love it, Fabio, and truthfully, we"re more than a little jealous. If you"d like to see your own ride featured here, simply upload photos of your ride into our Flickr group. We select one image to highlight each week day, and on the weekend let you vote for the RR of the Week. Detailed instructions can be found after the jump. HOW TO SUBMIT TO RR OF THE DAY: Create a Flickr account if you don"t already have one. Search for and join the group called "Autoblog RR of the Day". Upload up to three photos of your ride to your own account at a size no larger than 450 pixels wide if possible and include as much information about it and yourself as possible. Even if your ride is sweet, it will not be chosen if there"s not a lot of info accompanying it. Click on each photo and just above the picture it will say "Send to group". Click that and select the Autoblog group. You"re done, that"s it!

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Honda reveals the Advanced VTEC engine

2006-09-28T19:46:00.007-07:00

Filed under: Japan, Tech, Honda

Honda"s engineers have been busily figuring out how to make their VTEC engine better, and today the auto giant released the first details about the next-generation powerplant, which they"re calling Advanced VTEC. Honda says it plans to have the new engine in a production car within the next three years. Torquier at all speeds, the engine also sets the valves for low lift and early closure at lower load levels, which boosts fuel economy to the tune of 13% over the current 2.4L i-VTEC when the engine is equipped with the proper intake bits. In addition to being punchier and more economical, the engine is cleaner-burning as well, garnering a LEV2-ULEV emissions rating. This is good news. While research and implementation of the various alternative fuel and propulsion solutions is most welcome, there"s a lot to be said for the regular, economical four-cylinder gasoline engine. If Honda is on the verge of producing a four with power, more torque (hooray!), better fuel economy and cleaner emissions, the Advanced VTEC is going to be a highly attractive alternative to the alternatives. (Additional photos, press release after the jump) [Source: Honda] Honda Advanced VTEC Research Vehicle: PRESS RELEASE: Honda Develops Advanced VTEC Engine Combining High Power and Environmental Performance September 25, 2006-Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has further advanced its VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control System) technology with the development of the Advanced VTEC engine, which achieves high performance along with outstanding fuel economy and lower emissions. The new engine combines continuously variable valve lift and timing control with the continuously variable phase control of VTC (Variable Timing Control). Honda plans to release a production vehicle equipped with the new engine within three years. This new system permits optimum control over intake valve lift and phase in response to driving conditions, achieving improved charging efficiency for a significant increase in torque at all engine speeds. Under low to medium load levels, the valves are set for low lift and early closure to reduce pumping losses and improve fuel economy. In combination with optimized intake components, these advances in control technology result in world-class dynamic performance along with approximately 13%* improvement in fuel economy. The new engine is also exceptionally clean, with exhaust emissions that meet both U.S. Environmental Protection Agency LEV2-ULEV regulations and Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport requirements for Low-Emission Vehicles, with emission levels 75% lower than those required by the 2005 standards (based on Honda calculations). * Engine only, as compared to production 2.4-liter i-VTEC engine (Honda calculations)

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Fiat Grande Punto goes 1st class... on a stamp

2006-09-28T19:46:00.006-07:00

Filed under: Etc., Euro, Hatchbacks

The Grande Punto has been a runaway success since it was introduced to the European market last fall. The Fiat supermini quickly became the best selling vehicle in Europe, helping Fiat Auto and the Fiat Group post impressive profits. The success has been particularly notable in the UK, where some 20,000 Grande Puntos have found new homes since the car was released at the beginning of the year. So what could possibly bring this little spitfire to a halt? Britain"s Royal Mail apparently has what it takes to make the little powerhouse get stuck in its tracks. In cooperation with Fiat Auto UK, they just released first class postage stamps bearing the front view of the Fiat. Now admirers and competition alike will have what they need to lick this diminutive Fiat. Available in sheets of 20, this limited run of 6,000 sheets might sell just as quickly as the real thing. The U.S. Postal Service has also offered auto related stamps. It issued some classic "50s inspired stamps at Pebble Beach a couple of years ago. While the Grande Punto might not have the same impact as a 1953 Corvette or 1955 T-Bird in the hearts of auto enthusiasts, that rare crossover of philatelist/car crazies will certainly see that all 6,000 soon find good homes. [Source: Fiat Auto UK]

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New peek at next SMART fortwo

2006-09-28T19:46:00.005-07:00

Filed under: Economy, Euro, Hatchbacks, SMART

Mercedes-Benz has decided to provoke our curiosity once again over the next generation SMART fortwo. We"ve already seen a sand sculpture of it, as well as some mysterious detail shots that promote Coke, but today SMART has released a pair of brand new renderings (second shot after the jump) ahead of the Paris Motor Show at which the car will not debut. Word is it"ll launch on its terms at a special event held later in the year. While little information is given about the new fortwo, SMART does say that it will be do everything the current fortwo can do - but a little better. That sounds to us like it will grow a smidge in a few key dimensions and feature a more powerful and efficient engine lineup. That is the trend these days, no? [Source: SMART]

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Rinspeed Imola builds on Porsche Cayman

2006-09-28T19:46:00.004-07:00

Filed under: Aftermarket, Sports/GTs, Porsche

With styling cues inspired by its 997-based Indy, Zurich-based Rinspeed has developed an appearance and light tuning package for the Porsche Cayman. Dubbed "Imola," the slinky Cayman gets a blazing orange finish that"s accented with Rinspeed"s checkered-flag motif introduced on the Indy-- a love-it-or-hate-it element that we could certainly do without. The bodywork incorporates new skirts in front and back with rocker panels to match. The rear skirt features a diffuser insert that accommodates either a center-exit or dual exhaust, which Rinspeed can also provide along with new headers and cats. Our opinion: the dual-exhaust version shown after the jump looks super. Handling is improved thanks to the tuner"s suspension upgrades, which range from new coilovers to a full kit that fully integrates with the factory Porsche PASM system. Simple, good-looking five-spoke aluminum wheels complete the picture. The cabin gets trimmed out with aluminum accents, an F1-style wheel, and velour floormats. To the chagrin of many, the flag-waving models pictured above are not included. For Rinspeed, a company known for stylistic risk-taking, the Imola is pretty tame compared to some of the tuner"s other quirky projects. For most shoppers, though, "tame" will translate to "just right." The Rinspeed Imola should find plenty of takers. Just nix the checkers....please. (Press release, photo gallery after the jump) [Source: Rinspeed] PHOTO GALLERY: Click to enlarge PRESS RELEASE: The Rinspeed Imola based on the Porsche Cayman The Swiss Porsche tuner Rinspeed transforms the Porsche Cayman also optically in an more bitingly reptile. The effect-orange color paint exclusively mixed by the German paint manufacturer Lesonal lets the ducked reptile appear to be even more aggressive and dynamic. The already outstanding road performance is joined by a sophisticated aerodynamic package which doesn"t leave any wish unfulfilled. Rinspeed has modified the Cayman characteristics with a low front skirt which takes design clues from the Indy look which was introduces for the 997 model series. The big carbon air intakes with the integrated parking lights remind of the current 997 Turbo model. New side skirts let the power house from Stuttgart appear lowered and sleeker. The complete rear skirt features a carbon difusor insert. Special attention was given to the exchangeable rear skirt inserts which allow either center or a dual exhaust systems. Headers, metal catalytic converters and stainless steel exhaust systems round up the exciting program. The contact to the road is taken care by the well established five spoke aluminum wheels C5/1 in the format of 8.5 x 20" with tires of the dimension 235/30-20 at the front axle and 11 x 20" with tires 305/25-20 at the rear. The suspension is lowered by 25mm by an especially laid out and engineered suspension kit which is adapted to the serial PASM system. Four way adjustable coil over suspension kits are also available. The interior is enhanced by a sporty steering wheel in F1 look, aluminum shift knob, aluminum pedals sets, emergency brake lever as well as velour floor mats.

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Autoblog Podcast #42

2006-09-28T19:46:00.003-07:00

Filed under: Podcasts

The Autoblog Podcast, Episode #42 is now available for your listening pleasure. Ford once again came up as a topic, this week for the new Mondeo that dominated the posts last week. Seriously Ford, we all want it sold in the States, why won"t you just let us have it? Now that"d be a Bold Move. We also give you the latest update on Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond and his condition after the life threatening accident in which he was involved last week. We round things out by expressing our disgust at California State Attorney General Bill Lockyer suing the Big Six automakers for the greenhouse gases that their cars and trucks produce and how much it costs the state. If Lockyer really wants to be governor, there are more constructive ways to get national press. Enjoy the show! [MP3] Listen to the show now. [iTunes] Subscribe to the podcast directly in iTunes. [RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [Vote] Vote for us in Podcast Alley! Hosts John Neff and Damon Lavrinc Producer John Neff Length 38:10

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POLL Results: RR of the Week

2006-09-28T19:46:00.002-07:00

Filed under: Acura, RR of the Day

What a battle that took place between two rides up for the glorious title of RR of the Week over the weekend. The 1991 Acura NSX and 1951 Hudson Hornet were literally neck and neck the entire weekend, and when the dust settled with 2,646 votes cast (more than double our previous record for most votes cast), the 1991 Acura NSX won by a nose at the finish. About 35% of voters gave their clicks to the NSX, which equals 921 votes. The Hornet, meanwhile, was right behind with 32% of the vote, or about 855 clicks. Again this week, there was a battle for the remaining podium spot that ended in a tie! The bronze will be shared by the SMART Roadster and 2003 Honda S2000, both of which received 13% of the vote, or 357 clicks. Bringing up the rear, as it likely would in a real race between these cars, is the Suzuki Cappuccino, which attracted 6% of your affection, or 156 votes. For those who want their car considered for an RR of the Day feature, please make sure to include as much information about you, your car and its history as possible. No matter how sweet your ride is, we won"t feature it if we don"t know anything about it. Follow the jump for complete instructions on how to have your ride considered for RR of the Day. HOW TO SUBMIT TO RR OF THE DAY: Create a Flickr account if you don"t already have one. Search for and join the group called "Autoblog RR of the Day". Upload up to three photos of your ride to your own account at a size no larger than 450 pixels wide if possible and include as much information about it and yourself as possible. Even if your ride is sweet, it will not be chosen if there"s not a lot of info accompanying it. Click on each photo and just above the picture it will say "Send to group". Click that and select the Autoblog group. You"re done, that"s it!

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RR of the Day: 2003 BMW 325i

2006-09-28T19:46:00.001-07:00

Filed under: RR of the Day

Being big fans of the Q-ship, sometimes it"s the vehicle that doesn"t stand out in the crowd that gets our attention. To this end, Autoblog reader mnjames" BMW 325i gets the glorious distinction of being today"s RR of the Day. Mr. James has begun the process of making his 3-series into an even more competent corner carver by swapping out the stock rollers with 17" BBS, wrapped in Goodyear F1 gumballs. While he had the wheels off, the 325 had its stock springs and struts chucked and replaced with Eibach Sport springs and Koni adjustable shocks. When our reader gets in the driver"s seat, he"s greeted with an OEM M3 steering wheel, along with a hardwired Passport X50 that keeps him from making bad excuses on the side of the road. Keep enjoying the "Dragon" Mr. James and to the rest of you, keep those photos coming. If you"d like to see your own ride featured here, simply upload photos of your ride into our Flickr group. We select one image to highlight each week day, and on the weekend let you vote for the RR of the Week. Detailed instructions can be found after the jump. HOW TO SUBMIT TO RR OF THE DAY: Create a Flickr account if you don"t already have one. Search for and join the group called "Autoblog RR of the Day". Upload up to three photos of your ride to your own account at a size no larger than 450 pixels wide if possible and include as much information about it and yourself as possible. Even if your ride is sweet, it will not be chosen if there"s not a lot of info accompanying it. Click on each photo and just above the picture it will say "Send to group". Click that and select the Autoblog group. You"re done, that"s it!

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Hot Rod tells all about the Bumblebee Camaro!

2006-09-28T19:46:00.000-07:00

Filed under: Coupes, Sports/GTs, Etc., Chevrolet

That the Autobot better known as Bumblebee will take the shape of a Camaro (both old and new) in the Transformers film is old news. Other than a few on-set pics, including some showing a Camaro concept curiously sporting a Saleen license plate, not much else was known about the car. Well, Hot Rod magazine visited the set and got the full skinny on Bumblebee, and it"s all very interesting. In a feature named "Flight of the Bumblebee" in Hot Rod"s November "06 issue (on newsstands now) , we learn that GM, who had a good working relationship with Michael Bay already, opened up the "skunk works" (Bay"s words) to the director, who immediately decided he wanted the new Camaro in the film. The problem was that there were no new Camaros available to be used for filming. The only two in existence were on the auto show circuit, and of those, only one was a runner (the silver one), and it was in no way prepared to handle the rigors of real stunt driving. For the production, new Camaros would have to be created. Enter Saleen, who was brought on board to build the cars. Saleen has done this kind of thing before: they created the Shelby Cobra Concepts used in the Ice Cube actioner, XXX: State of the Union. GM decided that the Pontiac GTO would be the best candidate to act as a base vehicle for the film"s Camaros, and they provided two of the Pontiacs, all the relevant specifications, as well as two fiberglass Camaro bodies made from the concept car molds. Then, the team from Saleen went to work. (Keep reading after the jump) [Source: Hot Rod magazine] They cut off the GTO"s bodywork, reinforced the chassis and built a tube frame around the passenger compartment. They attached the new bodies and pretty much created all the customized Camaro interior and trim pieces from scratch using fiberglass (even the rims and brake discs are fiberglass copies mounted on steel wheels). The end result is that they had a pair of cars that on film look exactly like the concept Camaro, but have the driveability of the production GTO. It took under 45 days for Saleen to complete both cars. . We love how much trickery and sleight-of-hand went into making Bumblebee. After all, the Transformers tagline is "More than meets the eye." Go get yourself the November "06 Hot Rod (subscribe) for the full story, including pictures of the build and a great shot of Bumblebee vaporizing his rear tires (sneak peek above) at the behest of writer Randy Lorentzen, who was behind the wheel. That little stunt got Hot Rod booted off the studio lot by a Teamster. We"re guessing it was totally worth it.

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Last BMW X5 rolls of the line, makes way for next generation.

2006-09-28T19:45:00.014-07:00

Filed under: SUVs, Plants/Manufacturing, BMW

The last of BMW"s current generation X5 rolled off the line at their Spartanburg, SC plant on Friday. The Toledo Blue 3.0is X5 with Truffle Brown leather interior and Dark Grain Poplar wood trim will be kept by the factory and displayed in its Zentrum museum. BMW is one of the first manufacturers to take the SUV segment popularized by American companies and manipulate it into a sporty car-like vehicle while still maintaining the SUV stance. This model has been very successful for BMW, despite the initial outcry from BMW purists (I have to admit, I was one of them). This popularity has enabled BMW to design a new generation, which will now be built at the South Carolina facility.

MAKING WAY FOR THE NEW X5 - THE LAST OF THE FIRST GENERATION X5 MANUFACTURED 09/22/2006 The last of the first-generation X5 Sports Activity Vehicle was produced Friday at BMW Manufacturing Co. in Upstate South Carolina, making way for the production of the next generation X5. The Toledo Blue 3.0is X5 sports a Truffle Brown leather interior with a Dark Grain Poplar wood trim. Due to its significance to BMW, the factory will keep the vehicle and display it in the Zentrum museum as part of the BMW Mobile Tradition Collection.

With the introduction of the X5, BMW opened a new market segment known as the Sports Activity Vehicle and the X5 as the first sports activity vehicle combined the powerful acceleration and exceptional handling of a car with the advanced traction technologies and all-wheel drive of an SUV.

The first X5 sports activity vehicle rolled off the production line on September 1, 1999. The X5 is built exclusively at BMW Manufacturing for distribution to more than 120 markets worldwide. Less than two years after its introduction, the 100,000th X5 milestone was reached on August 23, 2001 and on June 9, 2005, and the 500,000th X5 was produced, just five and a half years after its market introduction. The Spartanburg plant has produced 616,867 of the current generation of X5 Sports Activity Vehicle.

In 2000, the X5 was rated "Best Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, outperforming all other SUVs tested. The X5 not only rated higher than other SUVs, it earned a higher rating than all other vehicles previously tested by the Institute.

BMW Manufacturing Co., a subsidiary of the BMW Group based in Munich, Germany, is the exclusive manufacturer on the Z4 and M Roadster, Z4 and M Coupe and the X5 Sports Activity Vehicle. Its website address is www.bmwusfactory.com. In addition to the South Carolina manufacturing facility, BMW"s North American subsidiaries include sales, marketing and financial services operations in the United States, Canada and throughout Latin America, and a design firm in California.

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Another Ford exec retires: A.J. Wagner of FoMoCredit

2006-09-28T19:45:00.013-07:00

Filed under: Hirings/Firings, Ford

After 33 years with FoMoCo, A.J. Wagner will retire on January 1st 2007. Holding both a Vice President"s position for the automaker and serving as the president of Ford Motor Credit Company in North America, Wagner"s departure, according to the man himself, serves to make Ford, "a smaller, leaner company." Mr. Wagner began working with Ford in 1973, holding a variety of positions with Ford Motor Credit over the next three decades, eventually heading up the organization in 2003. However, his departure from Ford does not mean the end of his working life, as Wagner, 55, intends on seeking employment in other areas of finance, as long as there is no direct competition with Ford Motor Credit. Wagoner"s retirement is another in a series of departures from Ford"s executive ranks, as the automaker makes efforts to streamline both their blue-collar and white-collar workforce over the next two and a half years. [Source: Ford Media]

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A Radical assault on Audi in LMP1 racing

2006-09-28T19:45:00.012-07:00

Filed under: Motorsports

While their first year in LMP2 hasn"t produced a win yet, the performance of the SR9 has been impressive, and Radical has announced plans to step up to LMP1 when the series moves to its new closed cockpit cars in 2010. Ruling body ACO recently adopted a new framework for P1 cars that will have the cars looking more like "road cars" with closed tops, sleeker bodies with not as many obvious cooling ducts, and smaller rear wings. Rather than go it alone, it seems Radical is trying to attract a major manufacturer that would want to go head-to-head with Audi and newcomer Peugeot in the European series. Quotes and another photo-illustration after the jump. [Source: Radical] Radical co-founder, Mick Hyde explains, "I see this as a great opportunity for a manufacturer to get involved with Radical. To date Audi have had it all their own way. Pescarolo has shown what a small team can do, but we believe that the combination of a specialist constructor like Radical and the active involvement of a manufacturer, will bring success both on the track and from a P.R. perspective." Fellow Director and Team Bruichladdich Radical owner, Tim Greaves comments, "The SR9 of Rollcentre Racing would have been on the top step of the podium but for a racing incident and minor gremlins in the dying moments of the last two races. Our SR9 was the fastest car on the circuit in the wet at Donington and we were only knocked off pole by 2 tenths of a second, by a last minute banzai lap from Tommy Erdos. So we have proved we can make a good "out of the box" race car. The next logical step is P1 and we are keen to do it!"

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Aston Martin becomes coolest brand in UK

2006-09-28T19:45:00.011-07:00

Filed under: Trends, Sports/GTs, Aston Martin

It might not have as much sway as J.D. Powers or Car and Driver"s 10 Best, but UK-based Superbrands Limited has made a business of reporting on what the world thinks of different brands. Since 2001 they"ve also run what they call CoolBrands to honor what"s hot and happening. As part of that venture, they host a party to celebrate the year"s coolest. At this year"s annual CoolLive event held last night, Aston Martin was announced as the UK"s coolest brand. With James Bond set to make his return to theaters in the near future piloting an Aston DBS, we think the timing is perfect. Since July 2000, Aston Martin has undergone a transformation under the guidance of CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez and now boasts one of the sexiest automotive line-ups in the world. Between the Vanquish S, the DB9 and the V8 Vantage, they seem to be incapable of doing any wrong with a designer"s pen. [Source: Aston Martin]

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Badge engineering gone bad: the Dodge Attitude

2006-09-28T19:45:00.010-07:00

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Dodge, Hyundai

Hey Dodge, Hyundai"s marketing crew called, they want you to go to Mexico and try a little harder to badge engineer the Accents they sold you. That"s right, the car sold in the US by Hyundai as the Accent is sold in Mexico as the Dodge Attitude. It doesn"t stop at the Accent either, the Hyundai Atos, a city car sold throughout the world, is also part of this badge engineered deal.

It"s not really much of a surprise the two have teamed up in Mexico to market a couple small Korean cars as Dodges. The North American wing of DCX has nothing in the subcompact and micro classes, and with U.S. domestics still highly regarded in Mexico, it"s no wonder that Hyundai choose to market through another manufacturer. And there isn"t anything inherently wrong in this arrangement; it"s just painful to see such a poor attempt to reuse Hyundai"s own press photos and Photoshop in a Dodge emblem. You guys couldn"t even spring for a new set of Glamour Shots?

Check out the doctored pics after the jump.

(Thanks for the tip, Neal!)

Dodge Attitude (Hyundai Accent) Dodge Atos (Hyundai Atos)

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Autoblog Project Garage: Axle swap, Part III

2006-09-28T19:45:00.009-07:00

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tech

In the previous installment of this epic saga, we started reassembling the axle that will be going underneath a 1996 Buick Roadmaster. In case you"ve forgotten the point of this exercise - and you"d be forgiven, as the scope of this project has suffered mightily from feature creep - we"re trying to replace the stock rear drum brakes, worn-out limited slip, and way-too-steep 2.56:1 gears with the discs and 3.08s from an Impala SS. With the housing freshly painted, new bearings and seals installed, and the carrier secured in place, it"s time to button this thing up by installing the axle shafts and brakes. Reinstalling the parking brake system was the first task. The existing adjusters were disassembled, cleaned with solvent, and then packed full with fresh bearing grease. The drum-in-hat parking brake pads were then sprayed down with brake cleaner and clipped in place. A bit of axle lube was applied to the previously dry axle bearings to protect them during the first use. The axle shafts were then slid into place, being particularly careful not to drag it across the fresh axle seal. With the axle shafts inserted, the C-clip retainers were slid into the corresponding groove in the axle. Dropping these into place in a limited slip can be a bit tricky, but a bit of patience and they"ll eventually find their way home. After giving the axle shafts a tug outwards to seat the C-clips into the side gears, the spider gear pin is dropped into place. This not only gives the spider gears somewhere to spin, but also acts as a thrust surface for the axle shafts. The retaining bolt for the pin is coated with the appropriate removable thread locking compound (in this case, blue Loctite), and snugged securely. Surely a torque spec exists for this fastener, but damned if we"ve ever figured out how to fit a socket and bulky torque wrench into this spot. Applying about as much force as possible with one hand to a standard-length 5/16" combination wrench has always done the trick. Regardless of how it"s done, just make sure this bolt is tight, as it"s rather critical to keeping things where they should be. The rear cover can now be installed with a fresh gasket and a thin coating of RTV (silicone sealant), and torqued to spec. This is a great time to fill the differential, as it"s far easier to access the fill hole now than when the axle is under the vehicle. Just make sure that the axle is level. A bit less than three quarts were added before the lube started to run back out from the fill hole, at which point we put a bit of Teflon pipe sealer to the fill plug and snugged it up. The cleaned-up brake discs were wiped down with brake solvent and installed over the axle shafts. At this point, we spent a few moments with the parking brake adjusters. The factory service manual calls for a Kent-Moore tool to measure the inside diameter of the drums and transfer that measurement over to the parking brake pads, but of course we didn"t have one of those laying around the shop. Instead, we just cranked on the adjuster until we got a bit of drag on the parking brakes, and then backed it off about a half-turn so that the axle spun freely. The brake slider pins on these axles are notorious for seizing, so make sure that the pins and brackets are cleaned of any grunge, and then pack the slider pin holes full of a high-quality grease. If the rubber boots are damaged, replace them. One of the slider pins had broken off in the bracket during disassembly, and so we spent an hour making a fixture to clamp it in a mill such that we could drill out the remaining portion of the pin. That made a lot of sense to save a part that costs $70 at the dealer; however, we later found out that an aftermarket replacement is now available for about $20 at AutoZone. Secure the brackets to the backing plates. Since these bolts are rather short, it"s important to apply the required tightening torque or else they"re likely to back out at an inconvenient time. Applying removable threadlocker is also a must; alternatively, new bolts can be purchased at the dealer that have a threadlocking compound pre-applied. The pads are then cleaned with solvent and placed in the caliper bracket, and the caliper is secured in position. Make sure to get the correct caliper on each side; they"re identical other than the orientation of the bleeder screw (it should face upwards). A new center brake line is installed along with the steel lines that came with the axle. We also threw on a set of new lines at the calipers. When routing these lines, make sure the loop goes downwards. While this may appear to put it in a vulnerable location (it"s actually well-protected by the shock bracket), it"s also necessary to keep from creating a high point in the braking system that could trap air and making bleeding the brakes rather difficult. With the "banjo bolt" style of line, make sure to get an aluminum crush washer on both sides of the banjo fitting. It"s also a good idea to use fresh washers each time the line is re-installed. And that now wraps up the reassembly of this 10-bolt rear axle. In the next segment, we"ll wrestle out the old axle, which will likely involve a lot of cursing as we struggle with 10-year-old rusty fasteners.

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RR of the Day: S2000 with a bit of attitude

2006-09-28T19:45:00.008-07:00

Filed under: Honda, RR of the Day

Though many of us Autoblog would be shamed were we forced to submit our cars to be considered for RR of the Day, one of our colleagues has a ride he should be proud of. Today"s RR of the Day is a 2003 Honda S2000 owned by a fellow AOLer, Chris Ciccone, who heads up the AOL Autos channel. Chris has spruced up his S2000 with mostly performance parts, but it"s still a stunner in our eyes. The paint is stock Sebring Silver and the interior pops in a red so deep it looks wet to the touch. The stock exhaust was swapped for one by Invidia and an H&R coil-over suspension was installed so the car now sits snuggly over its WORK 18-inch, 3-piece forged wheels (in gloss black, of course) wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires. As with all S2000s, Chris admits his car"s a lamb below 6,000 rpm. Once that magic number is hit, however, the S2000 can be a lion in the right hands. We"re also glad to know that despite its good looks, this car is no trailer queen. Chris has clocked 11,000 miles on the odo since it was delivered in May of 2003, more than a few of which were on the track. If you"d like to see your own ride featured here, simply upload photos of your ride into our Flickr group. We select one image to highlight each week day, and on the weekend let you vote for the RR of the Week. Detailed instructions can be found after the jump. HOW TO SUBMIT TO RR OF THE DAY: Create a Flickr account if you don"t already have one. Search for and join the group called "Autoblog RR of the Day". Upload up to three photos of your ride to your own account at a size no larger than 450 pixels wide if possible and include as much information about it and yourself as possible. Even if your ride is sweet, it will not be chosen if there"s not a lot of info accompanying it. Click on each photo and just above the picture it will say "Send to group". Click that and select the Autoblog group. You"re done, that"s it!

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2007 Lincoln MKX starts below $35K

2006-09-28T19:45:00.007-07:00

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossovers/CUVs, Lincoln

Ford has announced today that Lincoln will be offering its new MKX crossover utility vehicle starting at $34,795 with front-wheel drive and $36,445 with all-wheel drive. The MKX shares much with its more blue-collar sibling, the Ford Edge, including its 3.5-liter V6 and six-speed auto. Standard items that make you special for opting up to an MKX include 18-inch machined aluminum wheels; real wood, leather and satin nickel trim in the interior; an 8-way power adjustable driver"s seat; and a full-width LED stop light out back. Not that much really to differentiate it from an Edge, unless you want to start talking options. Options on the MKX include adaptive headlights, heated and cooled front seats, a power liftgate, Panoramic Vista Roof, DVD-based navigation system, THX-certified audio system and rear-seat DVD entertainment system, among others. For many, the choice between an Edge and an MKX will be easy since the former starts at nearly $9,000 less than the latter. But Lincoln is pricing its luxury CUV within the sweet spot of its competition like the Acura MDX ($37,125 base, weaker engine), and Lexus RX350 ($38,115, five-speed auto). (Full press release after the jump) [Source: Ford] Press Release: 2007 LINCOLN MKX STARTS UNDER $35,000, LEADS LINCOLN"S STRONGEST PRODUCT LINEUP

Lincoln to launch its first crossover - Lincoln MKX - to compete in fast-growing luxury CUV segment.
Front-wheel drive Lincoln MKX begins at $34,795. All-wheel drive model starts at $36,445. Prices include $675 destination and delivery.
Lincoln MKX boasts innovative technologies like available adaptive headlamps, an all-glass panoramic Vista Roof[TM], heated and cooled front seats, THX-II audio, DVD-based navigation and standard AdvanceTrac(R) with RSC(R).

DEARBORN , Mich. , Sept. 22, 2006 - As crossover sales escalate at a blistering pace, the all-new 2007 Lincoln MKX joins the Lincoln showroom this November at a starting price under $35,000. It takes on a highly competitive market, challenging established players with a host of advantages - including value. Even when exceptionally well equipped with the Ultimate package - which includes features like adaptive headlamps, chrome wheels, and heated and cooled front seats - the Lincoln MKX is still priced below the base sticker of all of its top competitors. "The new Lincoln MKX delivers the features luxury customers want at the best value in its class," says Al Giombetti, president, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury. "It will enter one of the hottest segments in the market and show customers that American luxury can be both desirable and attainable. At the same time, we"re building on the success of the Zephyr with the launch of the new Lincoln MKZ mid-size sedan. These strong new entries, plus our best Navigator ever and the all-new Navigator L, give us an outstanding opportunity to attract new customers to Lincoln showrooms." The new Lincoln MKX features a starting manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) of $34,795 for front-wheel drive and $36,445 for all-wheel drive models, including $675 for destination and delivery. A Confident New Player The Lincoln MKX makes a refined luxury statement with its dynamic American styling. Its distinctive chrome grille, clean, flowing lines and broad-shouldered athletic stance communicate confidence and elegance. Eighteen-inch Euroflange wheels and dual chrome exhaust tips signal power and performance. Wraparound tail lamps and a spoiler complete the rear. Innovative technologies on the Lincoln MKX combine art and functionality. An all-glass available panoramic Vista Roof[TM] allows customers to experience open-air freedom at the touch of a button. Distinctive lighting includes a Lincoln first: available adaptive headlamps that swivel around curves, pivoting as the driver steers and lighting up to 36 more feet of roadway around a corner. In addition, an LED liftgate panel provides edge-to-edge illumination. Inside, the five-passenger Lincoln MKX delivers exceptional comfort along with Lincoln"s hallmark craftsmanship. Its luxurious leather seating features Ford"s first application of its patent-pending Active Comfort Engineering process, with specialized contours helping to reduce pressure points and fatigue. The second-row seats recline to a best-in-class angle and can fold and pivot in one movement. Lincoln MKX provides comfort for all passengers, no matter the temperature, with available heated and cooled seats. The spacious center console offers customers versatility, with a standard MP3 audio jack and a power point hidden inside. Three additional power points also are provided in the cabin. A host of innovative features keeps Lincoln MKX customers connected and in command. An optional a DVD rear-seat entertainment system plays DVDs or CDs with infrared remote. Lincoln MKX also features an intuitive DVD-based navigation system, able to deliver text-to-speech information in English, Spanish or French. An available THX-II sound system and available SIRIUS satellite radio also contribute to the Lincoln business class experience. The Lincoln MKX delivers smooth power on demand for effortless driving enjoyment. It"s powered by Ford"s new fuel-efficient 265 horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 engine, paired with the class-exclusive 6-speed transmission automatic transmission. The independent front and rear suspension are luxury tuned for responsive ride and handling. As the quietest Lincoln ever, Lincoln MKX is designed to give customers a quiet ride on virtually any road surface. Ford engineers have introduced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) absorbers behind nearly every trim panel of the Lincoln MKX for new levels of refinement and quietness. The available intelligent AWD system on the Lincoln MKX delivers luxury performance and offers confident all-weather driving. It continuously monitors vehicle speed and throttle input and seamlessly delivers torque to all four wheels as needed, helping improve balance when cornering. Outstanding Value The Lincoln MKX is available in a single series, featuring a full complement of standard premium equipment along with select options, making it easy for customers to order. Customers may select standalone options, or choose the Ultimate and Elite option packages for additional value (available for FWD and AWD models). Key standard features include:

New 265 horsepower 3.5-liter V-6, certified on regular 87-octane fuel
Class-exclusive 6-speed automatic transmission
Luxurious interior, with genuine wood, leather, and satin nickel trim
18-inch 8-spoke machined aluminum Euroflange wheels
Wraparound tail lamps and full-width LED lighting panel
MP3 audio input jack
8-way power adjustable driver/passenger seat
Front Wheel Drive (FWD)
Excellent NVH characteristics and unique suspension
Dual zone electronic automatic temperature control with particulate air filter
Standard safety features including: industry leading AdvanceTrac(R) with RSC(R), ABS, Safety Canopy[TM] with rollover sensor, front- and front seat side-impact air bags, occupant classification system, adjustable head restraints, LATCH system and Tire Pressure Monitoring System.

Lincoln MKX Options Ultimate Package includes:

Adaptive headlamps
10-way power driver and front passenger seats, including power lumbar support
Heated and cooled front seats
Driver memory seats and mirrors
18-inch 8-spoke chrome-clad aluminum Euroflange wheel
Power liftgate
Reverse Sensing System
Homelink
EasyFold[TM] second-row remote seat release
Easy entry driver"s seat and driver"s side electrochromic exterior mirror

Elite Package* includes: * Each feature in this package is also available as a standalone option.

Panoramic Vista Roof[TM] with dual power sunshades
DVD-based navigation system with a 6.5-inch-wide screen and text-to-speech technology for travel directions aloud in English, Spanish or French
THX II-Certified (R) audio system with 14 speakers and 600 Watts of power
SIRIUS[TM] satellite radio with six-month subscription

Additional standalone options include:

Rear-seat DVD Entertainment System
Class II trailer tow
Heated rear seats

The Lincoln MKX already is turning heads as it crosses the U.S. in a 10-city tour, "Savor the Dream," which gives consumers an advanced look and test-drive opportunity before the vehicle arrives in showrooms later this fall. "Savor the Dream" is a lifestyle showroom tour that plays into a key passion of Lincoln consumers: fine food served in a casually elegant setting. It encourages consumers to enjoy all of life"s best moments. The tour features celebrity chef Rocco Dispirito and top local chefs from each market. Thousands of consumers are turning out to see the Lincoln MKX, along with the new Lincoln MKZ, the new Navigator and all-new Navigator L. The tour runs through mid November. With crossover sales projected to reach 3 million units by the end of the decade, Lincoln"s first luxury crossover offers the brand a unique opportunity to reach new consumers. Lincoln MKX already is generating considerable buzz. Since January, more than 380,000 consumers have visited the Lincoln MKX Build & Price Web site on www.lincoln.com, producing more than 140,000 configurations. About 65 percent of respondents said they were somewhat or very likely to purchase or lease the vehicle they configured.

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Officially official: Ford Mondeo wagon

2006-09-28T19:45:00.006-07:00

Filed under: Concept Cars, Wagons/Estates, Paris Motor Show, Ford

click on image to enlarge Over the past few days, we"ve seen a few scanned pics and blurry images surface of the Ford Mondeo Concept. Finally, Ford has released a full photo gallery of the wagon concept, due to be unveiled in Paris next week. The new Mondeo lifts several cues from the Iosis concept that debuted in Frankfurt, which, according to Ford, is defined as "kinetic design". The wagon sports an aggressive front fascia, with very pronounced air dams that compliment a set of tautly drawn headlamps. Aft of the a-pillar is typical wagon fare, donning a strong crease in the beltline, which flows into an equally aggressive LED taillight arrangement. Beginning with the S-MAX and Mondeo, Ford maintains that this new "face" of the Blue Oval"s European line will carry over to all its models over the coming years. Ford sought to give the interior a more spacious layout, along with additional technology that seeks to set a new standard for mid-size people movers in Europe. The most pronounced feature is the Human Machine Interface (HMI), which mounts a screen between the two analog dials on the gauge cluster and, through the use of switchgear on the steering wheel, can control audio, sat-nav and other "infotainment" features. As for power, buyers will have the choice of both 1.8-liter and 2-liter Duratorq TDCi diesels, along with a 1.6-liter Duratec or, for a more engaging experience, the 2.5-liter turbocharged mill out of the S-MAX. Unfortunately, that"s all the information Ford will release before the Mondeo"s unveiling at the Paris Motor Show. We"ll be there to give you all the juicy details and some great shots, next week. [Source: Ford] PHOTO GALLERY click on image to enlarge

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Paris Preview: Corsavan Concept redefines the work wagon

2006-09-28T19:45:00.005-07:00

Filed under: Paris Motor Show, Hatchbacks

We all know that in Europe you"re less likely to run across a full-sized van being used to haul around a plumber and his plunger than you are in the States. Over there commercial transportation is often based on smaller vehicles that are converted into city vans with just the right amount of space for a laborer and his tools. Vauxhall will be showing this Corsavan concept at the Paris Motor Show next week that shows what its new Corsa compact could do for the commercial sector if given the chance. The only visual cues that would tip one off to the Corsavan"s purpose are blacked out side panels behind the door windows. Through the windows you can also make out a gate separating the driver and passenger from the fully-lined load bay. Being a concept, Vauxhall upped the show factor a bit by adding 17-inch wheels, red-painted brake calipers and the Corsa VXR styling pack that sharpens up the front bumper, sides sills and adds a rear spoiler. It"s powered by a 1.3-liter CDTi diesel and shifts via a six-speed manual, which should make the plumber"s ride over to fix your leaky faucet a bit more enjoyable. (Additional photo and press release after the jump) [Source: Vauxhall] Related posts:

PRESS RELEASE: CORSA CONCEPT HAS LOADS OF STYLE! o. All new Corsavan Concept to debut at Paris o. Sporty looks, quality interior and large load capacity o. Showcases further development of Corsa style It"s a van - but you"d be hard pushed to notice! Making its debut at next week"s Paris Motorshow, the Corsavan Concept takes the dynamic styling of New Corsa to an even sportier level, while also showing how the three-door car"s looks would transfer to a city van. Finished in the same glossy Glamour Red as the Opel GT Concept shown at Geneva, Corsavan Concept features black-coloured side panels to replace the three-door Corsa"s windows without detracting from the car"s coupe-like lines. Distinctive sporty features include red front brake callipers, smart 17-inch alloy wheels and a VXR styling pack, comprising a new front bumper, side sills and a rear spoiler. Black leather sports seats and piano-lacquer surfaces familiar from the Corsa hatchback complete the two-seater Corsavan Concept"s interior, while a fully-lined load bay with a half-height bulkhead show how New Corsa"s design translates into a very competent panel van, with a versatile load area. The concept car is powered by New Corsa"s 90PS 1.3-litre CDTi engine with a six-speed gearbox, making it the perfect choice for both urban and out of town use.

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The care, feeding, and loading of your pickup

2006-09-28T19:45:00.004-07:00

Filed under: Trucks/Pickups, Etc., Tech

While seemingly nearly every truck on America"s roads rides along with an empty bed, there are indeed times in nearly every pickup owner"s life when it"s time to load up some cargo. Such vehicles are designed for exactly this purpose, but it"s important to know a few things before hitting the highway with a bed full of topsoil or a stack of railroad ties.

Continue reading for some tips on properly loading a truck, and as always, we welcome additional contributions from our readers.

Disclaimer: Some of these pictures show improper loading, which we"re showing as examples of what not to do. Just because we survived moments of stupidity does not mean that we condone it. When in doubt, always consult the owner"s manual. 1. Know your vehicle"s limits

Assuming that one is working with a properly maintained vehicle - if something is barely adequate for an empty vehicle, it probably won"t get any better with an increased load - the first step is to determine the maximum working payload of the vehicle in question. This is determined by the vehicle"s chassis, and the load rating of the installed tires. The place to start is with the manufacturer"s tire pressure placard, which is located on the driver"s doorjamb:

Here we see that this vehicle carries a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 8600 lbs. That"s the maximum total vehicle weight, including the vehicle itself, the passengers and fuel, and any cargo. According to the scales at the local scrap yard, our truck weighs 5350 lbs with a full tank of gas, so we can carry a maximum of 3250 lbs including passengers, and only if the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) is not exceeded in the process. Since our truck carries only 2100 lbs or so on the rear axle when empty, we won"t have a problem with the rear axle weight rating (especially since some of that weight will get transferred to the front axle) just so long as we stay under the GVWR. The front axle weight rating will likely only be an issue for those who use their trucks for snowplowing.

When hauling aggregate loads (sand, gravel, etc.), keep in mind that the stuff is sometimes much heavier than it looks. The average 8"-long pickup box can hold over two cubic yards of material, which is about 6000 lbs of sand. That blows past the GVWR of almost any pickup truck, so be careful when asking the front-end loader driver to drop in a couple bucketfuls of moist topsoil.

2. Inflate your tires properly The placard also lists the vehicle"s tire size and recommended tire pressure necessary for the vehicle"s GVWR. If different tires have been installed, it will be necessary to use the proper pressure and not to exceed the tire"s weight rating. In this case, the stock 245/75/16 tires required 80 PSI to support 3000 lbs each; our 315/70/17 tires only require 50 PSI for the maximum load of 3200 lbs.

It should be noted that maintaining the maximum pressure on the rear tires of a pickup will likely lead to a poor ride and uneven wear when the bed is empty, so it"s best to vary the pressure as required.

3. Load the cargo properly

When loading cargo into the bed, it"s best to keep it below the level of the box rails unless the vehicle is equipped with a "headache rack" (a barrier preventing objects from coming through the rear window). The reason, of course, is that one probably would prefer to avoid an unwanted visit from something like a cement block during a hard stop or a collision.

Also, try to keep the cargo low and towards the front of the bed. Anything placed behind the centerline of the rear axle will serve to take weight off the front wheels, which will cause some seriously spooky handling characteristics.

When loading cargo, the tailgate should not be used as a platform on which to apply any sort of significant weight. This is especially true if using a ramp to load something heavy, like a motorcycle. The straps that secure tailgates are prone to failure, and we"ve heard more than one story of someone who"s dropped a lawn tractor or Harley several feet and wrapped the tailgate around the bumper in the process. It only takes a few seconds to remove the tailgate, and we recommend doing so when loading or unloading.

4. Secure the load

Next, it"s usually necessary to find a way to hold the cargo in place. If one sights down the front of this bed, it"s possible to see that it"s bowed inward towards the cab - the result of a sudden stop with a transmission that was not properly secured. In an accident, the results could have been far worse.

Those fortunate enough to own a newer pickup likely have a variety of factory-installed tie-downs; for older trucks or those with drop-in bedliners, some other form of tie-down will need to be provided. The anchors on our truck are mounted to the stake pockets with toggle bolts and have held up rather well.

Uh, well, OK, the one at the left rear corner is leaning like that bell tower in Pisa, so there is a limit to how much force should be applied to this sort of eyelet.

Such anchors work well in conjunction with bungee cords or stretch nets (for lighter loads) or ratcheting tie-down straps (for heavier cargo). When using this type of tie-down, keep in mind that there"s a long path of relatively thin sheetmetal between the top rail of the box and the vehicle"s frame.

If motorcycles or ATVs are to be hauled, it"s best to mount some sort of anchor low in the bed. Recessed anchors are the best as they won"t interfere when hauling other loads, but the downside is that they require cutting the bed, and they don"t work well with drop-in bed liners. This type of anchor should be secured near a bed crossmember using high-grade hardware and large washers.

When using nylon tie-down straps, inspect them on a regular basis for wear, and replace them at the earliest signs of damage. They"re cheap - or at least they"re much less expensive than lost cargo, damaged vehicles, or personal injury.

Another option that works well with drop-in bedliners are these little plastic blocks called Bed Bugs. They do a great job of keeping lighter cargo from sliding around in the bed (but we still recommend tying down any cargo that could become a hazard if dislodged during a sudden stop or collision).

5. Drive sanely

One great thing about modern pickup trucks is that they have sufficient power to provide brisk acceleration, even when loaded to the maximum rated capacity. The problem is that they tend to not stop and turn so well, however, and so it"s important to exercise some restraint with the loud pedal when hauling cargo. One should at least double the typical following distance, and appropriate caution should be given to changing the vehicle"s direction. Placing a few thousand pounds at chest level can dramatically alter the vehicle"s center of gravity, and the rearward distribution of the weight makes oversteer more likely. Keep this in mind at all times when carrying a load.

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Volkswagen unveils the facelifted Touareg

2006-09-28T19:45:00.003-07:00

Filed under: SUVs, Paris Motor Show, Volkswagen

click on image to enlarge Volkswagen has revealed the new Touareg, which receives updates to both the front and rear fascias, as well as an interior refresh that includes new seats and a new high-zoot sound system. Up front, the Touareg adopts the current VW corporate look, getting Eos-style headlights and the chrome grille that"s now trickling across the entire model range. The intakes in the corners of the bumper are now bissected by metallic strips, which add a nice bit of extra flash. Round foglights are integrated in the lower part of the bumper, and the hood and front fenders are also new for 2007. In back, the taillights, bumper, rear spoiler and exhaust have all been revised. On the technical side, the Touareg now receives ABSPlus and enhanced ESP (including new features such as Active Rollover Protection). The engine lineup (for Europe) includes two gasoline and two diesel powerplants, headlined by the mighty 5.0L V10 TDI. These visual updates are an example of taking a good thing and making it even better, as the new Touareg looks very sharp to these eyes. It will be on display for all to see at its debut in Paris next week. (Press release after the jump) [Source: Volkswagen] PRES RELEASE: NEW TOUAREG BREAKS COVER AHEAD OF WORLD DEBUT AT PARIS SHOW Volkswagen has revealed the first photographs of its new Touareg luxury 4x4, ahead of its world public debut at the Paris Motor Show next week. Sporting a new "face", revised rear styling, updated interior and seats as well as the Dynaudio sound system as an option, the new Touareg will go on sale in the UK at the end of January 2007. At the front, the new Touareg features a new grille, bonnet, front wings and bumper, plus new headlights and mirrors. The rear lights, spoiler, bumper and exhaust pipes have also been modified to freshen the 4x4"s appearance. The new Touareg will feature new and revised technology, including ABSPlus and additional ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme) features. ABSPlus has been developed and patented by Volkswagen and is a world first. The system shortens the braking distance by up to 20% on loose driving surfaces. New features have been added to the ESP, these include Active Rollover Protection (ARP), rain brake support, fading brake support and understeer control logic, which improves the turning behaviour in the event of understeer. The UK line-up will remain as before with three trim levels - Touareg, SE and Altitude - all of which boast high levels of standard specification and trim. Four engines will be available: one petrol and three diesel. These are a 3.6-litre V6 280 PS petrol; 2.5-litre TDI 174 PS with DPF (diesel particulate filter); 3.0-litre V6 TDI 225 PS with or without DPF; and the range-topping 5.0-litre V10 TDI with 313 PS and DPF. The 2.5-litre TDI will be available as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox and optional Tiptronic automatic transmission. All other engines will be mated to the six speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. The current Touareg model went on sale in the UK in May 2003. The car is designed to deliver class-leading performance both on and off the road. Features such as permanent four-wheel drive, low and high gear ratios, electronic traction control linked to an auto-locking centre differential, hill start and descent assist and short front and rear overhangs all contribute to class-leading capability when venturing off the beaten track. Extremely steep slope angles are within the Touareg"s capability, and versions with air suspension can ford depths of up to 580 mm. Since launch, over 10,500 Touaregs have been sold in the UK.

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Isuzu VehiCOPS!

2006-09-28T19:45:00.002-07:00

Filed under: SUVs, Etc., Isuzu

Photo: Chris Belanger We love seeing interesting police cars, and by "interesting," we mean a car that does not have an available factory police package. With that in mind, you can imagine the smile that crossed our faces when we opened an email from reader/tipster Chris Belanger. Chris saw something parked in Montecito, CA that definitely qualifies as interesting as far as we"re concerned. It would appear that the Santa Barbara County Sheriff"s motor pool includes a genuine oddity among the usual fleetmobiles: a full-dress Isuzu VehiCROSS police car. Powered by a 3.5-liter 215-horsepower, the quirky-cool 2-door VehiCROSS was only available from "99 to "01 in the US. It seems that Americans preferred their SUVs with a second set of doors (no surprise there), more traditional appearance, and spacious interiors . The VehiCROSS was two doors short and a bit too avant-garde-looking for the masses, and it was euthanized in the US after a little more than 4,000 of them were imported over its three-year stay. Well, we now know the fate of one of them. If you"re in Santa Barbara County, you might catch it out and about one of these days, which would certainly be better than it catching you, if you get our drift. Great tip, Chris! (More photos after the jump) [Source, photos: Chris Belanger] All photos courtesy of Chris Belanger

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RR of the Day: SMART Roadster

2006-09-28T19:45:00.001-07:00

Filed under: RR of the Day

Whether or not we"ll ever see a variant of the SMART Roadster stateside, we"ll get to live vicariously through a reader going by the name pixelthing, who seems to be enjoying his diminutive two-seater while exploring the world through the lens of his camera. For the uninitiated, the Roadster began life back in 2003 and has shown that a city car manufacturer can breathe some driving enjoyment into an otherwise staid means of transportation. Based off of a stretched ForTwo platform, the Roadster came equipped with a turbo"d three-cylinder, sending power to the rear wheels via a six-speed, sequential transmission. Although the engine only produces between 60 and 80 hp, it is more than willing to motivate the roadster"s 1,700 lbs. with ease. However, our favorite version of the SMART Roadster has to be the Brabus-tuned version, equipped with a bi-turbo V6, sharing the same power-to-weight ratio with the last generation Porsche Carrera 4S. Until Project Kimber births an AC product with the underpinnings of the Roadster, we"ll have to settle for adoring the futuristic coupe from afar. Enjoy it pixelthing and keep up with the photos. If you"d like to see your own ride featured here, simply upload photos of your ride into our Flickr group. We select one image to highlight each week day, and on the weekend let you vote for the RR of the Week. Detailed instructions can be found after the jump. How to submit to RR of the Day: Create a Flickr account if you don"t already have one. Search for and join the group called "Autoblog RR of the Day". Upload up to three photos of your ride to your own account at a size no larger than 450 pixels wide if possible and include as much information about it and yourself as possible. Even if your ride is sweet, it will not be chosen if there"s not a lot of info accompanying it. Click on each photo and just above the picture it will say "Send to group". Click that and select the Autoblog group. You"re done, that"s it!

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Standard Taxi: Purpose-built cab for North America

2006-09-28T19:45:00.000-07:00

Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Etc.

When we think of purpose-built taxis, only one brand comes to mind: LTI Limited, producers of the iconic London taxi. Their latest edition, the TXII, is highly versatile, offering features like a ramp for easy wheelchair access. In America, taxis are usually mid- to full-size sedans, though some large urban markets like New York City have seen a sprinkling of other vehicles such as SUVs and minivans enter their fleets. Enter Standard Taxi, a Troy, Michigan-based outfit who is looking to do for the US what LTI has done in the UK: create a highly recognizable and enormously practical taxi specialized for North American use. The recognizable part won"t be an issue. The Standard Taxi looks like a compact armored car, with a tall, pedestrian-friendly nose, high roof, and a stubby rear that houses 26.7 cu. ft. of luggage space. Interior volume is 139 cu. ft. - on par with the Crown Vics passengers usually flag down when they need a ride. Unlike the venerable Crown Vic, however, the Standard Taxi seats four in the passenger compartment, something that hasn"t been seen in a a reguler car-style taxi since the classic Checker cabs with their pair of jumpseats against the divider. The Standard Taxi accomplishes this by sealing off the driver"s seat in it"s own little box, opening up the rest of the car. Follow the jump for more info on and photos of this proposed people mover. Thanks for tip, Mark! [Source: Standard Taxi] The Standard Taxi also complies with American and Canadian standards for disabled individuals, providing wheelchair access to the passenger compartment via a standard recessed ramp. Power comes from a GM 4.3L V6 that"s been prepared for the punishing daily grind taxicabs go through, and like the most popular livery cars in use today, it"s rear-wheel drive. You can check out the car"s full specs here. Whether or not the Standard Taxi makes serious inroads in North America remains to be seen. At first glance, it seems like it might be a little low for pothole-ridden streets, terrain the big sedans navigate with relative ease. We"re sure that"s easily corrected. Other than that, it has the makings of a very serious contender. Come Q4 2007, taxi fleet operators may have another compelling option to choose from. In their eyes, this ugly duckling may look like a gorgeous yellow swan.

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Lincoln MKS to get new engine

2006-09-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Ford, Lincoln

Yes, it"s true that Lincoln"s new flagship, the MKS, will not be available with a V8 (at least initially). But there"s a ray of sunshine for the Lincoln faithful - according to Ford Motor"s VP of Marketing, Sales and Service, speaking Wednesday to the Midwest Automotive Media Association in Chicago, the Lincoln MKS "will be packed with more technology and features than any Lincoln before it." Best of all, those features include all-wheel drive and a new, Lincoln-exclusive 3.7-liter V6. The cynics among us expect that this is a bored-out version of the 3.5-liter Ford unit, but that"s just conjecture at this point. We"ll have to wait until 2008 to see if customers" visions of "Driving the American Dream" extend to driving a V6 Lincoln. [Source: Ford]

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Office on Wheels: FordLink

2006-09-10T20:55:00.003-07:00

Next time you're waiting hours for a contractor to arrive, his lateness may not be due to his getting "hung up on a job." Right, he's surfing porn, I mean, working from his mobile office. Ford's just launched its FordLink system for F-Series pickups (and the 2008 Super Duty). The system includes a rugged, lightweight tablet PC running Windows XP and connected to the Internet via ~~PVC tubing~~ wireless broadband. The dealer-installed accessory package includes GPS navigation with audio prompts, a printer and small-business management software that facilitates job bidding, parts purchases and payment processing. All that and access to Chickswithammers.com

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Crispin Porter + Bogusky's Well-Kitted Gypsy Cab

2006-09-10T20:55:00.002-07:00

Wha' happen' when you put four Mac Minis loaded with Vidi video capture software, four lipstick and pinhole spy cameras, four microphones, four Pinnacle video-to-FireWire converters, a grip of external 250-GB FireWire drives, a Lynksys 802.11G wireless router, a high-gain antenna, a WebTech 5000 Locator GPS tracking unit and a 1000-watt power inverter to drive all the hardware into a VW Rabbit, bring some guy named Steve out from Colorado to drive it around New York, offer people free rides and then splice the footage up?

You get Crispin Porter + Bogusky's "Gypsy Cab Project" viral video campaign. Apple's got the scoop on the Mactastic technology involved. Meanwhile, our Mac has been untastic today. After years of trouble-free operation, in the last year, our Apple equipment has gotten very annoying. We're almost wishing for the heady days of System 7.1 and an 030 processor. Seriously, Apple. After well over a decade of evangelism, kickbacks are in order.

Crispin Porter + Bogusky [Apple Pro]

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VaroomVroom.com

2006-09-10T20:55:00.001-07:00

http://www.varoomvroom.com

Get Your Latte On

2006-09-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge fan of coffee but I do enjoy a strong cup once in a while. For those of you who like to main-line the java, perhaps a console mounted jobbie will keep you from road raging in the Starbucks line.

[VIA GIZMODO]

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Original Article syndicated via RSS from Carhacks

First Post

2006-09-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

This is a test