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Archive for the ‘Concept’ Category

LeMons New England Day 1: Accord Leads, Escort ZX2 and Volvo 244 Close Behind

06 May

With the huge quantities of BMW E30s in 24 Hours of LeMons races (the temptation of a cheap— if not so reliable— rear-wheel-drive car with manual transmission and big brakes is hard for many racers to resist), it’s rare that we see a day’s racing end without a single one in the top ten of the standings… but that’s how it sorted out today. When the checkered flag wrapped up the first of two race sessions at the Loudon Annoying 24 Hours of LeMons, the top ten went like this: Honda Accord, Ford Excort, Volvo 244, Acura Integra, Nissan 240SX, Nissan 300ZX, Mazda RX-7, Pontiac Firebird, BMW 318ti (E36), Volvo 262C.

 
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2013 BMW 6-series Gran Coupe First Drive: An Elegant Alternative to a 5- or 7-series

04 May

2013 BMW 640i Gran Coupe

BMW’s four-door answer to the Mercedes-Benz CLS and the Audi A7 is here, wrapped in stretched 6-series coupe sheetmetal. Like the 6er coupe, it is mechanically very similar to the 5-series—following the pattern of the A7 and CLS, which are re-bodied versions of the Audi A6 and the Benz E-class. (more…)

 
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Tested: Which Portable GPS Data Recorder is Best for Your Track Day?

04 May

Gearbox: Portable GPS Data Recorders Tested

Driving on a track is serious fun, but if you really want to get the most out of your car and your talent, feedback is key. The latest affordable GPS data recorders shown here take lap timing to the next level, providing info such as g-forces, predicted lap times, and lap sections (a.k.a. splits). And when the track work is done, these units allow you to save and analyze the data on a computer. None of the boxes we tested will make you as fast as Sebastian Vettel, but any of the four will help you find precious tenths, or even seconds, on the track. The right one for you depends on your budget and feature preference. (more…)

 
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Aston Martin Will Celebrate 100 Years with 2013 DBS, Won’t Name Car “Centenary”

03 May

2013 Aston Martin DBS successor (spy photo)

There are rumors floating around that Aston Martin will unveil a new capital-C Centenary model next year in celebration of its 100th year of existence. That’s not entirely accurate. As we reported last week, Aston will launch a new DBS for 2013. This is the car at the center of all the anniversary buzz—but it won’t be called Centenary.

 
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Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 134

01 May

Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 134

Hit play for an audio recording of a mystery car’s exhaust note, and then share your guesses or get a few hints from other visitors in the comments below. Be sure to check back on Thursday for the answer!

 
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2013 Ford Focus ST: $24,495 Base Price, SAE-Rated 252 hp and 270 lb-ft

01 May

2013 Ford Focus ST

Ford has revealed the base price for the upcoming 2013 Focus ST: The turbocharged hatchback will start at $24,495 when it goes on sale later this year. The company also announced that the ST’s SAE power ratings are higher than the original estimates. When the ST debuted at the Frankfurt auto show last year, Ford pegged the car’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four at 247 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque; the official numbers now stand at 252 horses and 270 lb-ft. Recall that Ford similarly underrated the 200-mph 2013 Shelby GT500 Mustang before releasing higher power figures. In addition to gifting us with the Focus ST’s price of entry, Ford also laid out the car’s standard and optional equipment. Full pricing below:

 
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Volkswagen Golf/Jetta CC Not Destined for U.S.

30 Apr

2016 Volkswagen Golf CC (artist's rendering)

Remember that theoretical Golf/Jetta CC four-door-coupe-type substance we reported on last month? Yeah, don’t get your hopes up. We’ve learned from European sources that while approval for the car still looks good—a final decision has yet to be made—it is highly unlikely that the car will make it to U.S. dealers. The reason is simple: The thing would be really expensive, and is expected to cost more to build than our Passat.

 
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VW Polo R Line Adds Show Without the Go

30 Apr

Volkswagen Polo R Line

Having an R badge on your car typically means that the car is quick, or at least quicker than its plebeian, non-R counterpart. However, the new European Polo R Line offers no such improvement. All of the “upgrades” for this trim are cosmetic. In other words, it looks fast, but it isn’t.

 
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Italian Masterpieces on Display at L.A.’s Petersen Automobile Museum; Here’s an Exclusive Behind-the-Ropes Photo Tour

27 Apr

1970 Lancia Stratos

Should you find yourself in Los Angeles between now and next February, or if you’re itchin’ to make a trip out west and all you need is a reason, make the “Sculpture in Motion: Masterpieces in Italian Design” exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum a part of the itinerary. This extraordinary showcase currently features 17 cars of varying vintages ranging from a 1932 Ford cabriolet designed by Pininfarina (who knew?) to the unspeakably gorgeous 2009 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, including notable works by Ghia, Scaglietti, Bertone, Zagato, Italdesign, and more.

Your inner teenager will be mesmerized by the wacky, wedge-shaped 1970 Lancia Stratos Zero concept by Bertone with its bright orange paint, triangular engine cover, and one-piece BMW Isetta–style windshield/door—complete with ribbed rubber foot grip on the nose. In terms of significance, few vehicles in the world can compare with Pininfarina’s elegant 1947 Cisitalia 202 coupe, a car so beautiful it landed a parking spot in New York’s Museum of Modern Art. A mischievous-looking, banana-yellow Bertone-designed 1953 Stanguellini coupe is such a delight that it won last year’s Concorso Italiano in Carmel, California. And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the majestic (and extraordinarily valuable) silver 1957 Ferrari 625/250 Testa Rossa.

While the Cisitalia and the Stratos will serve as anchor vehicles throughout the exhibit, others will be rotated out for other examples of Italian style. Petersen spokespeople declined to say which exact cars are on the way, however, other than to say that they also are “masterpieces.”

The gallery below shows the current crop of Italian artworks.

Italian Masterpieces on Display at L.A.’s Petersen Automobile Museum; Here’s an Exclusive Behind-the-Ropes Photo Tour photo gallery

 
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NHTSA Tests Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications

27 Apr

Car-to-car communication may help save lives, according to experts at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They say that new regulations in 2013 could create a system that would help prevent auto accidents. They are currently testing the software. “Our research shows that these technologies could help prevent a majority of the collisions that typically occur in the real world, such as rear-end collisions, intersection crashes, or collisions while switching lanes,” said an NHTSA administrator. 2,800 cars are currently being used to perform tests throughout the year. The systems could prevent 80% of car accidents, according to news reports.

As a Columbia personal injury lawyer, I look forward to hearing more about these innovative methods of preventing auto accidents. I hope they prove successful in the field during testing. If you or a loved one are harmed by a driver that did not follow the rules of the road, you may want to seek legal assistance from a personal injury lawyer who can evaluate your case, address your claim, and answer any further legal questions you may have. When you have an attorney on your side, you are more likely to get the results you deserve for your claim. An attorney can help guide you through your case and get you started on the right foot towards a successful case. Discuss your options with an attorney who can fully protect your rights.

NHTSA Tests Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications is a post from: South Carolina Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Related posts:

  1. NHTSA Announced Audi Recall
  2. NHTSA Recalls Chrysler Cars for Corrosion
  3. Recreational Vehicle Recalled for Braking Issue
  4. NHTSA Study on the Importance of Child Safety Seats

 
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Confirmed: 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Rated at 662 hp, 631 lb-ft!

26 Apr

The $54,995 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 will have 662 hp and 631 lb-ft of torque according to SAE ratings released by Ford today—eclipsing the 650 hp and 600 lb-ft the company originally estimated. We’d love to make an analogy to demonstrate what an obscene amount of power and torque this is, but the GT500 is the analogy. Should you ever find yourself swatting flies with rocket-propelled grenades, you might say, introspectively, “Gee, I really did a GT500 on that one.”

Let’s just stick to other cars for context, then. Ford says that the GT500′s supercharged 5.8-liter V-8 is now the most powerful production V-8 in the world. We’ll leave it to you to decide if you want to stretch the definition of “production” to include some of the European tuning houses that work over and rebadge German sedans. But there’s this: The GT500 tops the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG by 99 hp. It beats the mighty Cadillac CTS-V by 106. For heaven’s sake, the GT500 has 232 more horsepower than does the base Corvette. Even the gladiatorial Vette ZR1 falls shy, at 638 hp and 604 lb-ft. Besides the ZR1, these cars aren’t really the GT500′s intended competition, but the extent to which the GT500 tops these cars, rightly thought of as extremely powerful, is shocking. The most direct competitor to the GT500 is the Chevy Camaro ZL1, which has a supercharged V-8 good for 580 hp and 556 lb-ft.

2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

We’ve said it before and it bears repeating: Horsepower numbers are impressive, but ultimately not as important to a performance car as braking, steering, suspension tuning, and the myriad other chassis settings that separate the good from the great. This is a large part of the motivation behind our annual Lightning Lap track showdown. But right now, we’ve got numbers and only numbers for the GT500. And in the manhood-measuring contest that is muscle-car building, the Ford has the crown.

  • First Ride: 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Prototype
  • Instrumented Test: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302
  • Instrumented Test: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Of probably nominal importance to GT500 shoppers, Ford also announced that its monster Mustang will get an EPA rating of 15 city mpg and 24 on the highway. A run-of-the-mill Mustang GT, with a 420-hp V-8 and manual transmission, is rated at 15/26. The phrase “your mileage may vary” has never been more applicable; we have no doubt many GT500 owners will see single-digit mpg. At least the on-paper numbers are good enough for the GT500 to dodge a gas-guzzler tax.

Sales start in May. You can read more about the GT500′s pricing here—the base price above was no typo; this is 662 horses for $55K—and check out our first ride in a prototype here.

 
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South Carolina Department of Safety Combats Pedestrian Deaths

26 Apr

The South Carolina Department of Safety developed a new initiative following reports of increasing pedestrian and cyclist deaths. Fatalities have been increasing since 2006, and four pedestrian deaths alone this year were investigated by South Carolina Highway Patrol. Richland County has the highest number of pedestrian fatalities, while Charleston and Horry place second and third, according to news reports. “We’re headed into the summer months and of course people are out walking more and more because of the warm weather,” he said. “We’ve seen the spike in pedestrian related collisions for the past couple of years. They’ve been steadily rising,” said a representative for the South Carolina Highway Patrol. “When we see pedestrians walking improperly, in the road or with their back to traffic, an officer will stop and talk with them and give them the card and slap bands,” he said. “Hopefully that type of education along with giving them something reflective will cut down these deaths.”

As a personal injury lawyer Charleston, my thoughts are with those involved in these collisions. If you or someone dear to you was harmed by an unsafe driver, discuss your case with a personal injury attorney who can evaluate your case and help protect your rights. When you have an attorney on your side, you are more likely to get the results you deserve for your case. An attorney will help you through each step of your personal injury claim.

South Carolina Department of Safety Combats Pedestrian Deaths is a post from: South Carolina Car Accident Lawyer Blog

No related posts.

 
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2012 Audi A1 Sportback First Drive: Two More Doors and a Trick New Four-Cylinder

26 Apr

2012 Audi A1 Sportback

Audi has added two doors to its A1 hatchback, a car that competes head-on with BMW’s Mini, yet does without any retro touches or excessive cuteness. This five-door derivative is called the A1 Sportback and is significant not only for its styling and added practicality, but also for a new engine that’s available on this car first. (more…)

 
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Lamborghini’s Latest Trademark Application: “Huracán”

26 Apr

Just months after filing trademarks for Urus (the eventual name for its SUV concept) and Deimos (still unassigned), Lamborghini has added Huracán to its portfolio of pending applications. Huracán, as you can probably guess, is Spanish for “hurricane.”

Not only does English essentially borrow the word intact from Spanish, but the Spanish people adopted it from ancient Mayan mythology, in which Huracan was the god of fire, wind, and storms. That squares quite well with Lambo’s recent filing for Deimos, which is the ancient Greek god of terror and dread. (It’s also an incredibly bad-ass name for a car.) We’re aware of no readily made connection to bullfighting for either name, but this hasn’t stopped Lamborghini’s Matador Research Bureau from digging up a historically significant bull or matador in the past.

Unlike some automakers, Lamborghini doesn’t play around with trademark applications or file paperwork every time a potential badge does well in focus groups. What the company’s lawyers apply to use, the company almost always puts to work, even if only on a concept car. You might, at this point, be wondering what Lamborghini plans to do with both the Huracán and Deimos names. Our guess? The Urus badge will stay consigned to the concept version of the SUV, with Deimos and Huracán going to the production SUV and Gallardo replacement. (Which name is for which vehicle, we won’t yet speculate.)

  • Instrumented Test: 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4
  • First Drive: Lamborghini Gallardo Bicolore and Gallardo Spyder Performante
  • Comparison Test: Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 vs. Porsche 911 Turbo
We are sure, however, that Lamborghini is planning to keep its lineup at just three vehicles once the SUV arrives. Even if that means Deimos or Huracán—or both—gets trashed, this isn’t a sign of an imminent fourth model line.

Lamborghini Urus concept

Lamborghini Urus SUV concept

 
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Acura NSX Concept Gets Painted Proper Sports-Car Red Beijing Auto Show

26 Apr

Acura NSX Concept

When it debuted in January at the Detroit auto show, the Acura NSX concept wore techy silver paint, and that didn’t change when the car made an appearance in Geneva wearing Honda logos. At the Beijing show, the car reverted to its luxury-brand badge—and showed up in a racy shade of red.
A sports car usually looks best in red, and we definitely dig the hue on the NSX. Like the concept, the 2015 production model will feature a mid-mounted V-6 bolted to a dual-clutch automatic transmission that integrates an electric motor and drives the rear wheels. Two front-mounted electric motors will spin the front wheels, providing what Acura has dubbed Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel Drive. (Read more about how it works here in front-drive applications; the idea is simply applied in reverse for the NSX.) The car is being developed in the States and will be built in Ohio.

  • Comparison Test: 2010 Acura TSX V6 vs. 2011 Buick Regal CXL Turbo, 2010 Volkswagen CC 2.0T R-Line
  • Instrumented Test: 2011 Acura TSX Sportwagon
  • First Drive: 2013 Acura ILX

Acura NSX concept

2012 Beijing auto show full coverage

 
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Aston Martin Will End Current DBS Production with Run of 100 Ultimate Editions

26 Apr

2010 Aston Martin DBS Carbon Black Special Edition

The DBS Ultimate should follow the template laid out by this DBS Carbon Black Special Edition.

Aston Martin will introduce a new DBS for 2013 at the end of the year, which means that the current car is on the way out. As a send-off to the outgoing model, the final 100 examples will be built as special DBS Ultimate Editions.

The Ultimate Editions will not receive any powertrain or suspension upgrades over the standard DBS, but our sources tell us to look to the DBS Carbon Black special edition as an example of what to expect from the Ultimate. That car featured bespoke paint—Aston claimed it required 50 man-hours to apply—special wheels, and a few options tossed in as standard, and it was available in both coupe and Volante convertible body styles. We expect most if not all of the foregoing to apply to the commemorative cars. The Ultimate may not, however, be available with a manual: The Carbon Black special edition, as well as the DBS Carbon Edition that debuted in Frankfurt last fall, were sold only with a six-speed automatic.

  • Comparison Test: V12 Vantage vs. R8 V10, 458 Italia, SLS AMG, 911 Turbo S
  • First Drive: 2010 Aston Martin DBS Volante
  • First Drive: 2012 Aston Martin Virage
Of the 100-unit run, fewer than 30 Ultimates are expected to be available Stateside. Although the car isn’t technically available yet—nor has it even been officially announced—our sources indicate that our allotment will be spoken for shortly. If you love the current DBS and have the coin (the Ultimate coupe, for example, should command a modest premium over the $288,000 or so asked for a DBS Carbon Edition), we suggest you visit your local Aston Martin store, like, yesterday.

 
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MG’s Icon Concept Unveiled in China Beijing Auto Show

26 Apr

Chinese-owned MG unveiled a concept SUV called the Icon at the Beijing show, but we’re thinking it would have been more accurately named Iconoclast—which means one who attacks cherished beliefs and institutions.

Despite design director Anthony Williams-Kenny’s attempt to incorporate classic MG design cues, the result is less than satisfying. The MGB-inspired grille is nice, but upright, creased headlight housings are overpowering and unattractive. Vertical extrusions on the lower part of the fascia are all-too-reminiscent of the ugly 5-mph bumpers drilled into so many of those MGBs in the 1970s. The concept will no doubt be toned down should the bosses at Chinese-British MG decide to put a small crossover into production, just as designers at the company have done in the past when turning show cars into reality.

After its parent company went bankrupt in 2005, MG was sold to a Chinese company called Nanjing Automobile Group; Nanjing then merged with one of China’s larger car manufacturers, SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation). Since then, the company has re-entered the UK market and assembles vehicles for the European market at MG’s historic Longbridge factory.

  • Comparison Test: 2012 Nissan Juke vs. 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman, 2012 Jeep Compass
  • Photos and Info: 2013 BMW X1
  • Instrumented Test: 2010 Audi A4 2.0T Avant S-line
Mechanical details weren’t provided, but other MG models in production either use highly modified versions of Rover’s K-series engines or smaller four-cylinders developed by SAIC.

2012 Beijing auto show full coverage

 
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2013 Aston Martin DBS Spied: 550 hp and One-77 Looks

26 Apr

2013 Aston Martin DBS successor (spy photo)

What It Is: A heavily camouflaged example of the next-generation Aston Martin DBS, seen here undergoing cold-weather testing in Sweden. We previously reported this car to be the next DB9, but our European sources have informed us that it actually is the new DBS. We’re told the car is wearing a significant number of dummy panels, so take the car’s sheetmetal with a pinch of salt. (more…)

 
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2012 Ford Focus Electric to Serve as NASCAR’s First Electric Pace Car

26 Apr

2012 Ford Focus Electric pace car

Ford has announced that the 2012 Focus Electric will silently pace this weekend’s Capital City 400 Sprint Cup race in Richmond, Virginia. The company says this is historic, because never before has an EV paced a NASCAR race. Ford’s previous pace car “first” came in 2008, when it fielded NASCAR’s first hybrid pace-setter in the form of a Fusion hybrid.

2012 Ford Focus Electric pace car

There isn’t anything particularly wrong with the Focus Electric, but we’d say the battery-powered pace car is massively underwhelming compared to, say, a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series. Despite having a light bar—which typically adds an instant dose of cool to any car—the Focus is let down by what appears to be a leaf-filled cloud motif decaled over a sea-foam, bluish-green Frosted Glass paint job. After all, we can’t think of anything that says “Start your engines!” better than a pastel-colored hatchback whirring its way around a track. At least it will be followed by a bunch of stock cars.

  • Comparison Test: 2012 Ford Focus SE vs. 2012 Honda Civic EX
  • Instrumented Test: 2012 Ford Focus SE Hatchback Manual
  • First Ride: 2013 Ford Focus ST
We also can’t help but wonder how the Focus would fare if there were to be a particularly long caution—we’re confident there are plenty of slow-moving objects Juan Pablo Montoya could seek out and crash into. Regardless of Montoya’s potential antics, the Focus Electric should have sufficient driving range to survive the race; it recently snagged a 105-MPGe rating from the EPA, which also certified the car as having a 76-mile range. Richmond’s D-shaped oval is just three-quarters of a mile, so as long as a 101-lap caution doesn’t happen, the Focus should make it.

2012 Ford Focus Electric pace car

 
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Automated-Vehicle Cheat Codes: How to Get the Most Out of Cars that Drive Themselves

26 Apr

Automated-Vehicle Cheat Codes: How to Get the Most Out of Cars that Drive Themselves

From the May 2012 issue of CAR and DRIVER magazine

Self-driving cars have arrived: Google has a fleet of autonomous Toyota Priuses roaming Silicon Valley, Audi raced a driverless TTS up Pikes Peak, and Ford has proven that a modern Walkman can parallel-park better than you. Here’s a handful of ?hacks, tips, and cheats that’ll help humans get back some of their dignity once the digital drivers take over.

INCOMPREHENSIBLE-CABBIE MODE:
INPUT: Right turn signal + radio on + open glove box + left turn signal
RESULT: Switches to barf-inducing full-throttle/no-throttle driving style; plots route from Harlem to the East Village via Teaneck, New Jersey; sets entertainment system to Halal in the Family.

GRAD-STUDENT MODE:
INPUT: Engine start + left turn signal + trunk release + hazard flashers
RESULT: Vehicle possessed by sense of ironic detachment; is unable to start before noon; ashtray self-fills with Nat Shermans.

AVIS MODE:
INPUT: Trunk release + engine start + adjust seats + adjust mirrors + select reverse + set parking brake + wide-open throttle
RESULT: Releases parking brake after onboard text-to-speech function spends 45 minutes upselling insurance.

FOREST-GREEN TOYOTA CAMRY WITH GOLD TRIM PACKAGE MODE:
INPUT: Accessory mode + radio on + engine start + climate-control knob
RESULT: V/max capped at 53 mph; lane selection reset to < wipers and turn signal permanently activated.

SIDESHOW DONUT MODE:
INPUT: Hazard flashers + engine start + window lock + hazard flashers
RESULT: Lidar-guided steering reset to < traction control reset to < active restraints reset to <

LEARNER’S-PERMIT MODE:
INPUT: Open glove box + engine start + trunk release + right turn signal
RESULT: Prevents incompetent 15-year-olds from running down senior citizens; also lets incompetent 16-year-olds pass DMV test.

TVR MODE:
INPUT: Engine start + engine start + open door + open hood + jiggle battery ground + engine start + pound on dash + drive away in another car
RESULT: Ignition cuts out at random intervals; transmission-incontinence value is reset to < shift lever and steering wheel become reachable only by cephalopods.

FIDEL MODE:
INPUT: Engine start + left turn signal + left turn signal + left turn signal
RESULT: Vehicle throws off shackles of parasite meat-sack oppressors and drives chin-high toward glorious revolutionary future. Eventually, runs out of gas.

LAFF-RIOT MODE:
INPUT: Engine start + radio on + left turn signal + hazards
RESULT: Vehicle pulls up three feet when incoming passengers reach for door handle; lets outgoing occupants off at deep puddles; delivers random shocks via seat heaters.

ROCKFORD MODE:
INPUT: Engine start + left turn signal + trunk release + window lock
RESULT: Vehicle exits all parking lots via J-turn; Bondonium body panels self-repair on impact; powertrain-control module goes offline when villain of the week kloons with frying pan.

BARRY WHITE MODE:
INPUT: Engine start + engine start + door locks + activate OnStar + engine start
RESULT: Nav system identifies lonely road; vehicle runs out of gas and sprays rear seat with Scotchgard.

  • Cadillac’s Super Cruise: Baby Steps Towards Autonomous Driving
  • First Drive: 2012 Toyota Prius C
  • Instrumented Test: 2010 Audi TTS
Illustration by Chris Philpot

 
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