| _______________ | 1 |  | Why the Stig outed himself | Filed under: Etc., Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, UK, Celebrities, Rumormill 
[Via TKTK]
The Stig, as we're all now aware, is portrayed by talented wheelman Ben Collins. Stiggie, like the three Top Gear presenters, is beloved by fans around the globe. It's hard to attend a motorsports event without someone claiming to be a fat relative of the white-suited power lap maestro. What would persuade Mr. Collins to give up his clandestine position behind the visor? According to The Daily Mail, it all comes down to money.
Ben Collins' company, Collins AutoSport, has reportedly racked up over $1.5 million dollars in losses over the last five years. He has a wife, three young kids and three other business ventures to support. The other members of Top Gear command handsome sums (rightfully so) and perhaps Collins felt he deserved a larger slice of the BBC cash cake. Removing the helmet allows him to cash in on what's sure to be a substantial number of opportunities. He recently received an advance of close to $400,000 to begin work on his autobiography and there's already talk of a Ben Collins TV Show.
Is breaking the trust of his Top Gear brethren worth the potential financial windfall? In the eyes of many fans, it might not be, yet we imagine Collins' autobiography will be a page-turner. To Collins and his family, however, this bold move might be the fast lap to fiscal freedom. Thanks for the tip, stecki!
[Source: The Daily Mail]Why the Stig outed himself originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments | |
| _______________ | 2 | | Video: Japanese trailer for Ayrton Senna documentary | Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Racing 
Ayrton Senna biopic trailer - Click above to watch video after the jump
Ayrton Senna da Silva was born on March 21, 1960. To our knowledge, he won his first competition when he cut his umbilical cord before his doctor could. In reality, he began his karting career at age 13. He jumped to single-seat race cars in 1981 before finally reaching the holy land of Formula One in 1984. He was just 24. Four years later, he captured the first of three world championship titles, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest drivers of all time.
Watching Senna drive, especially in rainy conditions, was like watching an artist create a masterpiece. As you already know, tragedy struck when Ayrton Senna died in an accident during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola. Senna aficionados will soon get the opportunity to learn more about their idol, thanks to a forthcoming documentary. A Japanese-language trailer has been released for the upcoming biopic. Senna, the first officially-sanctioned feature-length film about the Brazilian driver who, to this day, remains sorely missed. Click past the jump to watch it.
[Source: YouTube via Jalopnik]Continue reading Video: Japanese trailer for Ayrton Senna documentary Video: Japanese trailer for Ayrton Senna documentary originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments | |
| _______________ | 3 | | 21-year-old with giant supercar collection makes us jealous | Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Middle East, Luxury, Koenigsegg 
When we were 21, we were happy to ditch the fake ID and score cheaper insurance rates. Life's a little different for Dhiaa Al-Essa, a 21-year-old Saudi who owns a fleet of exotics that'd turn the average enthusiast's knees into Jell-O.
His 30-car (not a typo) garage includes enough Italians, Brits and Germans to re-enact World War II. His current stable includes four Ferraris, five Porsches, three Lamborghinis, two Rolls-Royces and a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, which he counts as his personal favorite. To wring maximum enjoyment out of his exotic empire, Al-Essa spent this summer flying his fleet around the globe so that he and his friends could create their own driving tours in cities such as London, Montreal, Las Vegas and New York.
How is a young man like Mr. Al-Essa able to afford such amazing machinery? Well, he can't. His father just happens to be a billionaire who enjoys spending money on cost-is-no-object basis for his son. To prove this point, Dihaa's father is planning on providing him with the keys to two more otherworldly vehicles. On his 22nd birthday, Dihaa will become the proud owner of a Koenigsegg Agera, which comes with a golden key. It's like the Willy Wonka of supercars. After the Agera, a Bugatti Veyron will join the family. The price for both cars? Around one Corvette Z06 under $5 million dollars.
Sadly, Al-Essa's new Ferrari 458 Italia was recently lost to fire while housed at Heathrow Airport. Is he crying about it? Nope. He reportedly plans to replace it with one of the Ferrari 599 Roadster models rumored to have been shown at Pebble Beach last month. Thanks for the tip, dood!
Image Copyright (C) 2008 Alex Núñez / AOL
[Source: Metro.co.uk]21-year-old with giant supercar collection makes us jealous originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments | |
| _______________ | 4 | | 2012 Ford Focus EV to use liquid-cooled lithium-polymer battery | Filed under: Sedan, Technology, Hatchback, Electric 
Ford Focus EV - Click above for high-res image gallery
When the 2112 Ford Focus Electric debuts in late 2011, it and the Chevrolet Volt will have a common feature in addition to their LG Chem lithium polymer cells. Ford confirms that the Focus EV will employ a liquid-cooled battery pack with automatic thermal management, just like the Chevy.
Ford opted for active thermal management solution in order to help maximize the Focus EV's battery performance and lifespan. By protecting the battery from overheating, the system can help prevent the development of cracks in the electrodes. Those imperfections eventually reduce the pack's ability to hold a charge. Conversely, warming the cells when cold will improve the battery pack's winter performance. When the car is plugged in, the thermal management system will use grid power to precondition the battery before charging actually starts.
So far, Nissan and Mitsubishi are the only major EV manufacturers that are sticking with passive air cooling for plug-in vehicles. Nissan has committed to an eight-year warranty, but it remains unclear how well the battery will hold up over regular use in differing climates.
[Source: Ford]Continue reading 2012 Ford Focus EV to use liquid-cooled lithium-polymer battery 2012 Ford Focus EV to use liquid-cooled lithium-polymer battery originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments | |
| _______________ | 5 | | Will the next Stig be a woman? UK bookies lay odds | Filed under: Etc., Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Humor  Is the Stig about to get a sex change? William Hill, one of the UK's largest bookmaking operations, places the odds of the next Stig being a lady at 4-1 and has reportedly seen a good amount of action on that particular wager. Gamblers can also bet on what color the next Stig will wear, with pink currently holding 5-1 odds.
Ireland's largest bookmaker, Paddy Power, is also in the mix, posting odds on both the color of the next Stig and who will be behind the mask (they stick with all-male options, though). Paddy Power is also taking bets on how White Stig will meet his demise. The long shot, at 20-1 odds, is currently an assassination by Tom Cruise (not a solid bet, really, as such behavior seems unbecoming of a high-level Thetan).
If Top Gear does go the Lady Stig route, who do you think will suit up? We're going with Sabine Schmitz. She clearly has the ability, plus she's already friendly with the Top Gear crew.
Actually, that's not a bad bet at all - excuse us while we place a few international calls...
[Source: The Sun; BettingDirectory]Will the next Stig be a woman? UK bookies lay odds originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments | |
| _______________ | 6 | | Hybrid sales plummet 40% in August; Prius records 37.5% decline | Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Toyota 
2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery
One month of dreary sales figures doesn't signal the end of the hybrid, but the numbers reported for August hint that without a rise in gas prices, hybrid vehicle sales will likely continue to suffer. Overall hybrid sales dropped 40.4 percent in August compared to a year ago. Not even the mighty Toyota Prius could avoid the plunge. Prius sales fell 37.5 percent compared to August 2009 and dropped off 16.3 percent compared to the July 2010 numbers. Combined, Toyota and Lexus hybrids saw a 36.2 percent decline from a year ago. Ford fared better by posting a 17.1 percent drop in year-over-year numbers.
Hybrid sales were clearly boosted last August by the government's Cash for Clunkers program, but this summer's low gas prices take much of the blame for the current hybrid sales plunge. Toyota remains in the number one spot, posting 15,444 sales last month. Ford sits in second place after moving 3,894 hybrid vehicles off dealer lots, while Honda holds onto third with 3,485 sales. It's getting redundant, but Toyota still leads the hybrid market. Anyone want to place bets on when (or if) that'll change?
[Sources: Green Car Advisor, Autoblog]Hybrid sales plummet 40% in August; Prius records 37.5% decline originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments | |
| _______________ | 7 | | Video: Sheik's custom six-wheeled Nissan SUV is a thing that makes us go 'Hmmm' | Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Etc., Videos, Nissan, Middle East, Design/Style, Off-Road 
Well, this is certainly different. We've seen our fair share of wild vehicle modifications over the years, but this one takes the cake as one of the most imaginative. If the YouTube description is any sort of indication, this craft was hewn just for Sheik Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan as his personal toy. Near as we can tell, the guy liked the side-mount spare tire carriers on classic vehicles from the '30s, but wanted to be able to deploy them without having to actually get out and spin a lug nut. The solution was found in the miracle (or curse) of hydraulics.
Let's just do the world a favor and make sure this doesn't evolve into a trend. We've already had terrible visions of a future SEMA show with row upon row of six-wheeled, white-wall wearing Honda Civics. If you're brave enough, you can hit the jump to see the Nissan-based for yourself. Just don't show anyone else.
[Source: YouTube]Continue reading Video: Sheik's custom six-wheeled Nissan SUV is a thing that makes us go 'Hmmm' Video: Sheik's custom six-wheeled Nissan SUV is a thing that makes us go 'Hmmm' originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments | |
| _______________ | 8 | | Spy Shots: 2012 Honda Civic prototype holds on to two-tier dash | Filed under: Spy Photos, Budget, Sedan, Honda 
2012 Honda Civic spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery
After seeing a handful of spy shots of the next-generation Euro-spec Honda Civic, the North American car is finally starting to show up out roaming the heat-soaked roads of Death Valley. When the new Civic arrives next year, it won't be that much larger than the current car, and the overall shape looks to have stayed the same, though substantial changes to the front and rear fascias are definitely on deck.
 Our spies were able to get a peek inside the Civic's cabin, showing that the two-tiered dash theme from the current car will likely be carried over to the new Civic. This means we can expect a digital speedometer on the top shelf with an analog tach below, and while we've never been big fans of this arrangement, it has its adherents among Civic fans.
We're not expecting to see the Civic debut until sometime in 2011, possibly at the Detroit or New York auto shows. For now, check out Honda's latest prototype from all angles in our gallery below.
[Source: KGP Photography]Spy Shots: 2012 Honda Civic prototype holds on to two-tier dash originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments | |
| _______________ | 9 | | Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 9.3.10 | 
Ford's off-road beast, the F-150 SVT Raptor, has only been on sale for a year, but it's already getting a few upgrades for the 2011 model year. Many reports and a few spy shots indicated that Ford had been prepping a four-door SuperCrew version of the Raptor (you know, for when the family wants to do the Baja run with you), and the automaker has officially confirmed the details (again).
That's what the crew at Car Guide would have us all believe. According to the website, Toyota is looking to hedge its bets by producing a second model on the same platform as the upcoming FT-86....
Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 9.3.10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments | |
| _______________ | 10 | | Vancouver using 3D optical illusion to scare motorists into safer driving? | Filed under: Safety, Canada  Safety organizations and the District of West Vancouver, Canada are joining forces to build awareness about careful driving during the start of the school year. Thanks the work of the BCAA Traffic Safety Association, drivers motoring down 22nd Street in West Vancouver will be met with a 3D image of a girl chasing a ball across the street. No one is saying exactly how the tech works, but it's meant to be a wakeup call for drivers who may be distracted or otherwise not paying enough attention to their surroundings while driving near school zones.
The display will be installed for just one week and cost a princely total of $14,400 (USD) to operate. According to The Globe and Mail, drivers will be able to see that there is something on the road as they approach the 3D image. Once the vehicle reaches a certain point, the image of the child and her toy will appear. According to the BCAA Traffic Safety Association, September and October are the two months with the highest child fatalities, and this exercise should go well beyond the typical awareness campaign. Here's hoping it doesn't trigger any panic-braking induced accidents in the process.
[Source: The Globe and Mail]
Vancouver using 3D optical illusion to scare motorists into safer driving? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments | |
