2009 LA Auto Show Coverage by Autoblog

Jeremy Korzeniewski

- http://www.autobloggreen.com

Funny Car Commercial of the Day: Maybe consider taking the bus?

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Nov 14th, 2009 at 7:52PM

Maybe consider taking the bus? - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Being the type of people who obsessively cover the auto industry, we generally prefer four-wheeled travel to pedal-for-yourself bicycling. Not that riding a bike is a bad thing... quite the opposite, actually. Getting out, seeing the sights and smelling the fresh air away from the hustle and bustle of the city is a great way to spend some free time and maybe put a dent in the ol' blogger spare tire.

That said, if we've got somewhere to be, like, say, meeting up with some old Italian friends at the local wine bar, we'd certainly opt for the car. After watching the video after the break, though, we wonder if it would be a safer bet to just hop on the bus. Guess it depends on your chosen occupation, eh? Hit the jump to watch the video and check out veryfunnyads.com for more humorous commercials.

[Source: veryfunnyads.com]

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Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 11.13.09

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Nov 13th, 2009 at 7:20PM

2011 Buick Regal revealed live at the Hollywood Palladium

2011 Buick Regal live unveiling - Click above for high-res image gallery Last night General Motors' superstar train blew into Los Angeles for a gala event at one of Hollywood's most iconic...

BREAKING: Ford announces it will build all-new Police Interceptor for 2011

In a surprise move, Ford has announced that it will pursue the development of an all-new Police Interceptor model. The move comes on the heels of General Motors' announcement that it plans to...

Introduction to Karting - Part 7

WRAPPING UP The leaves have long-since changed and most have fallen off. There's a chill in the air and the odd snowflake, too. The summer motorsports season is at an end, and it's time to think...

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Orange Crush: KTM to bring entire line of streetbikes to U.S.

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Nov 12th, 2009 at 10:01AM

2010 KTM 690 Duke R - Click above for high-res image gallery

We'll be honest and say right off the bat that we have a soft spot for KTM. This particular blogger's first real two-wheeler was an old KTM 125 two-stroke that ate piston rings for breakfast, lunch and dinner... but boy was it fast! More recently, the traditionally off-road-focused Austrian marque has made a renewed plans to enter the U.S. market with an exciting line of streetbikes, and that's reportedly set to continue in full force for 2010.

According to the boys at Hell For Leather, KTM plans to bring its entire line of motorcycles Stateside, and that includes the 990 Adventure R, Super Duke R, SMT and SMR along with the RC8 R superbike (finally!) and the full line of single-cylinder 690s. Speaking of which, also new for 2010 is the 2010 690 Duke R that gets firmer suspenders, a bespoke paint scheme and carbon fiber fender and, most importantly, an enlarged engine with 70 horsepower and 51 lb-ft of torque. Hit the jump for a detailed PDF file that contains KTM's full line.


Gallery: 2010 KTM 690 Duke R


[Source: Hell For Leather]

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Funny Car Commercial of the Day: Politically Correct Edition

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Nov 11th, 2009 at 4:56PM

Volkswagen loves everyone - Click above to watch the video after the break

Nowadays, being politically correct is of the utmost importance to companies the world over, and that includes automakers. Especially Volkswagen, apparently. Judging from the commercial pasted after the break, the German automaker – which just happens to have recently earned the title of World's Largest Automaker – wants you to know that everyone loves it cars, regardless of age, sex, race or color.

Volkswagen is also accepting of any sexual preference, and it doesn't care if you are right- or left-handed. Do you like to drive fast? Slow? It doesn't matter – the Volkswagen New Beetle is the perfect car for you. Or something like that. Click past the break to watch the video and visit veryfunnyads.com for more humorous car ads.

[Source: veryfunnyads.com]

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Funny Car Commercial of the Day: Serious automotive testing

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Nov 10th, 2009 at 4:29PM

Serious automotive testing - Click above to watch the video after the break

These days, cars and trucks need to pass a slew of strict testing procedures before they can be certified for sale. Included among these procedures are tests for safety, emissions, performance and reliability. Though they're surely a hassle for automakers and one reason it's so difficult to bring a new model to market, these tests are also why today's cars are better than they've ever been before.

Apparently, things are done a little differently in Europe. While we might have guessed that today's Funny Car Commercial was made by Citroen – quite possibly the quirkiest automaker in existence – the advertisement is actually from French automaker Renault. Though the ad says it's "99% Serious," we kinda think they've got it backwards. Click past the break to see what we mean, and check out veryfunnyads.com for more hilarious car commercials from around the world.

[Source: veryfunnyads.com]

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BMW defies logic with six-cylinder Concept 6 motorcycle

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Nov 10th, 2009 at 2:57PM

BMW Concept 6 - Click above for high-res image gallery

BMW is known the world over for its excellent brand of inline-six cylinder powerplants. In most cases, those supremely smooth and powerful engines power the German company's cars and trucks. Apparently, that won't always be the case, though, as BMW has just revealed its new Concept 6 motorcycle at the EICMA Show in Milan.

As the name implies, the Concept 6 boasts an engine with six cylinders, and the best news is that the mill is destined for a new production model in the near future. Expect to see a replacement for the long-running LT series of touring bikes, bringing BMW more in line with the standard-setting Goldwing from Honda.

Looking at the actual concept itself, the chassis appears to be heavily based on the current production K-Series unit, and the powerplant is tilted at the same 55-degree angle as the current four-cylinder. Bodywork is suitable for concept duty, with a futuristic take on the old-school Cafe Racer look.

Power? BMW's being a bit coy at the moment, suggesting that it makes as much horsepower as the current 1.3-liter four (over 150, to be sure) and as much torque as any other motorcycle engine in production with a stout 96 lb-ft at 2,000 RPM. With a redline of nearly 9,000... you can imagine that there's plenty of power on tap. Check out our high-res photo gallery below and hit the jump for a video and the press release.


Gallery: BMW Concept 6


[Source: BMW]

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Lutz: High-performance Chevy Volt SS a "possibility"

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Nov 10th, 2009 at 1:02PM

2011 Chevy Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

Electric cars are for those who would rather drive slow, boring commuters that don't consume fossil fuels and therefore don't spew pollutants from their tailpipes. Gas-powered cars – and especially those wearing time-honored badges like SS, R/T or GT – are for those who prefer fire-breathing, tire-screeching performance and care much more about nitrous oxide than nitrogen oxide. Right? Not so fast, says Bob Lutz.

When asked whether or not Chevy could shock the performance crowd with an SS version of the upcoming Volt, Lutz said, "I would not discount that possibility." That's as close as you're going to get to an admission of intent this early in the game. Lutz goes on to suggest that the Voltec powertrain will allow for plenty of on-demand power. "[I]f we want to sacrifice a little bit of fuel efficiency in the interest of performance and still get over 200 miles per gallon, we can do that any time."

Following the same logical train of thought, we could certainly see a V-Series of the Cadillac Converj. If you're interested in hearing the news straight from the horse's Lutz's mouth, click past the break for a video.


Gallery: 2011 Chevy Volt


[Source: Fox Car Report via GM-Volt.com]

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Not News: South Korean woman passes driving test. News: On 950th try.

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Nov 10th, 2009 at 10:58AM

You've just got to admire this kind of tenacity. Earlier this year, we related the story of Cha Sa-soon of South Korea. This 68-year-old woman wanted her driver's license so badly that she had gone to take the written test nearly every single day since April of 2005. Unfortunately, Cha was unable to score the necessary 60-percent score to pass.

Ultimately, Cha ended up taking that same written test about 950 times before managing that 60-of-100 score. Yes, you read that right – this woman took the written test 950 times before earning a passing grade. Like we said, tenacity.

That coveted slip of paper didn't come cheap. All told, Cha spent more than five million won ($4,200) in application fees over the last four years. Please join us in a silent prayer for safety on South Korean roadways.

For what it's worth, Cha's not out of the water just yet – she still needs to pass the actual driving test before being rewarded with a real license. According to local media reports, Cha hopes a driver's license will improve her door-to-door vegetable-selling business. Good luck!

[Source: Associated Press via Yahoo]

Ducati updates Hypermotard 1100, adds new EVO and SP models

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Nov 10th, 2009 at 10:31AM

2010 Ducati Hypermotard 1100 EVO - Click above for high-res image gallery

Following the release of the $9,995 Hypermotard 796, it was pretty obvious that Ducati would have some updating to do on its bigger 1100cc brother. After all, with a power-to-weight ratio within spitting distance, it seemed tough to justify the price increase for the bigger model. Not surprisingly, then, Ducati has just released all the details on the 2010 Hypermotard 1100, and it's got all the right boxes checked: 15 pounds lighter, five more horsepower and an $11,995 starting price.

The new base 1100 is now called the EVO, and it weighs 379 pounds dry and puts out 95 horsepower and 76 lb-ft of torque. New vacuum-cast engine cases join a magnesium alternator cover, a superbike-spec flywheel from the 848 and rare-earth magnets in the generator assembly help the latest Desmodue engine drop 11.5 pounds. Like the smaller 796, the new EVO eschews the previously-forged chassis bits for lighter pieces without sacrificing performance.

Also new for 2010 is an uprated 1100 EVO SP model for $14,995 that has higher ground clearance, upgraded suspension bits, Brembo Monobloc brake calipers, Marchesini wheels and a few external carbon fiber components. Want to know more? All the sordid details can be found in the press release after the break and we've added a high-res image gallery for your viewing pleasure below.


Gallery: 2010 Ducati Hypermotard 1100 EVO and SP


[Source: Ducati]

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Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 11.9.09

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) on Nov 9th, 2009 at 7:20PM

First Drive: 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG straightens up and flies right

AMG's first crack at creating a supercar from scratch proves Mercedes' in-house tuning division isn't just about big engines and powerslides anymore.

First Look: Bugatti 16C Galibier Concept

Bugatti's first modern sedan is enough to make you weak in the knees at first glance, and that's before you get a load of its 8.0-liter W16 and $1.6 million price tag.

Detroit News says GM will build Cadillac Converj

According to a recent report, General Motors will put the Cadillac Converj plug-in hybrid into production, spreading out the costs of its all-new Voltec drivetrain.

Also of interest:

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