What?! It's the last day of the January? Where did the month go?? Oh yeah, I remember... CES 2008 and the relaunch of the new SoundDomain.com! We had quite a busy month and over the next few it's going to get better and better. But to hold you over until then, you should check out the hot news over at SoundDomain. Here's what you missed yesterday:
- America, F&#K Yeah! InPhase Audio had these patriotic sub boxes on display at CES. Not quite what I'd rock in my trunk, but I can appreciate the pride!
- The mad scientists over at JML Audio just wrapped up an install on a hopped-up IS300. This bad boy pumps out 540HP to the wheels and is loaded with an audiophile-quality install of the highest caliber.
- Navigon's 7100 portable navigation device is quite possibly the new king of the streets! It's sexy and loaded with features to make your life a much better place. Find out how!
- Cadillacs 2009 CTS-V is going to come equipped with an Alpine radio the features a pop-up nav screen, 40GB hard drive, DVD capability, USB 2.0 and more, all wrapped into one of the sexiest dashboards I've ever seen.
Darin Cosgrove and Ivan Limburg didn't have any experience with electric cars when they decided to convert a 1992 Geo Metro, but they did a bang-up job. Using parts from an old forklift and eight six-volt batteries, the buddies built a machine which does 40 MPH and travels up to 15 miles on a single charge. The coolest part? They did it for the low, low price of $672. So, um, why is Detroit still whining about the new CAFE standards? For more info on the build, check out 2Solitudes, and to see the it run for the first time, watch the video below.
Vermont has been acting scewy lately, and the most recent of its oddball legislative campaigns involves waiving the licensing fees of drivers who consent to organ donation—after their death, of course. The Truth About Cars calculates that the proposed program could save you 400 bucks over a lifetime of driving. While it seems like a nice deal at first glance, shouldn't everyone just be volunteering their guts right off the bat free of charge? I'm guessing that Vermont's move could cause problems around the country, as opportunistic drivers withhold needed entrails until their home states implement similar policies. Wouldn't you?
What I can't believe is that the guys from StangNet haven't hunted this guy down and killed him yet. What I can believe is that this misbegotten trike currently has 0 bids. On eBay now!
The Periodic Review of NASIOC (North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club) is one of the most ingenious things that any car forum has done. The 15-minute episodes, aired on YouTube, manage to be both charmingly home-made and slickly edited at the same time, giving viewers an inside look at the world of Subaru enthusiast culture. Segments within each show feature hosts and guests pulling stunts, working on project cars, clowning around, and profiling various Subie luminaries, all the while educating the viewer on the NASIOC forums and Subaru in general. I love watching these, and like many viewers, I don't even own a Subaru. It's really a wonder that no other forums have shows like this, because of what they've been able to do with this show. I hope that episode 5 will convince other forums to do the same, since there's no better way to spread the word about your cars and your scene at the grassroots level. The last four episodes are compiled on the show's MySpace page, and check out the current one below!
From the way the tower explodes after the car's impact, you'd think the guy shooting the action would be a goner. But amazingly, after all the rubble settles, he stands up! Bravo dude! Hopefully he just got a good scare and didn't get injured. Wonder what this clip looks like from his angle?
Yesterday, I did a post about Isuzu leaving the US passenger car market. For the headline, I wrote, "Isuzu to US: Screw You Guys, We're Going Home." Later in the day, someone who claimed to be the Public Relations Director for Isuzu North America commented that Isuzu never actually said, "we're going home." I'd like to take this opportunity to say they didn't say "screw you guys" either. That was Cartman. Here's the news:
- Looking to buy a new GTR? According to this article, you should be prepared to pay up to 60 grand over sticker. As a reminder, list price is 69 grand. Like Pizza Hut says, double means more. Exhaust Note
- "The King" will wave the green starting flag for the 50th running of the Daytona 500. Nope, not Elvis. But close. NASCAR
- Yesterday, a supposedly leaked brochure for the upcoming VW Scirocco hit the web. The interior looked almost identical to the new Rabbit, and the seats were pretty bland. Turns out it was a fake. Motor Authority
- IIHS studies have shown that speed cameras reduce speeding in a big way. The good news for you speeders is that only 35 jurisdictions in the United States use them in enforcement efforts. Yahoo News
A Florida woman whose 3-year-old was upchucking all over the inside of her Dodge Caravan did not get out of a ticket by pointing to the vomitot as an excuse for her illegal U-turn. Gina Boyd claimed she had to make the dicey maneuver so she could pull over and deal with the distressed child, but the attending cop didn't agree, and smacked her with a $123 fine. What do you think: should an unwilling barf-o-rama participant get the same ticket as everyone else, or should those "Baby on Board" stickers now be read as a blank check for erratic driving?
Spy photographers have once again spotted a prototype of BMW's "Progressive Activity Sedan" while out testing. The car appears to be a pure hatchback with no room for a rear deck-lid--as our rendering below shows. Overall styling appears to be similar to the X6, but the vehicle spied has a taller roofline arc--allowing for more headroom in back--and the rear hatch looks more cargo-friendly.
Earlier reports said BMW's next MPV would go head-to-head with Mercedes' R-class, but BMW instead decided to build a sedan-like crossover. This is probably a good decision for BMW, as it better suits the automaker's values and the R-class has been met with a lukewarm reception at best. As you can see from the illustrations, the PAS won't fit into one specific segment. The body is more sedan than wagon, but will offer more cargo room than a typical sedan. The PAS will also ride slightly higher ride, giving the car the look of a CUV. Overall, the PAS should combined all the best features from a wagon, CUV and sedan. More photos at Left Lane News.
Talk about bad PR. After investigating an accident which killed two children in 1999, a French court determined that the brakes of the driver's Volvo 850 were faulty, and convicted the company of manslaughter. While dead kids don't look good on any company's resume, for one that's stressed safety as much as Volvo has, it seems particularly ugly. Of course, Volvo plans to appeal. More details over at BBC News.
Looks like Roush is branching out to GM products. The first will be the Chevrolet Silverado, which was recently caught by spy photographers. The truck's 6.0-liter Vortec MAX V8 is reported to hit 500 hp with the Roush supercharger. More at Left Lane News.
Allpar is reporting that a super stock version of the new Challenger will be available by March. This car will be a full 800 pounds lighter than the standard version. From Allpar:
This will be a special factory package built for NHRA-sanctioned Stock Eliminator drag racing. Features will include a unique serial number sequence, variations of current Hemi and 5.9 liter Magnum engines, automatic or manual transmission, and special lightweight features including:
Lightweight front fascia support system
Composite lift-off hood with functional scoop
Lightweight cooling module with electric fan
Special modified drop-out front crossmember
Lightweight drag race-only front brake assembly
Seats to accommodate six-point harness
Special Body-in-White modified for drag racing
This is one serious package that does away with such frills as windshield wipers, power windows, HVAC System, sound deadener and rear seats to create one lightweight and intense racing machine.
Um, I want...
Yup, you read that right. After her boyfriend told her she was too drunk to drive, a Wisconsin woman hopped in her truck anyway. But for good measure, she called the cops and asked them to follow her home. Her excuse? She wasn't thinking too clearly at the time. You don't say? This video has a recording of the 911 call, and it's hilarious.
Saw this pic of the exhaust setup on a fake M3 over at VWVortex and it really cracked me up. I guess the owner didn't visit Grandpa's Tip Corner.
Check out these awesome Enkei Apache wheels on JP's 1976 Mitsubishi Galant! And if you're into old school JDM wheels, you should definitely check out this thread over at japanesenostalgiccar.com.
Check out Kevin's super-clean Maxima. He broke into the 12's at the dragstrip this fall, and next year he'll be going back for more with some burlier mods. Take a look at what he's done so far!
