VIDEO: Vette versus Impreza at the scariest track day ever

AutoBlog: VIDEO: Vette versus Impreza at the scariest track day ever

:: Click Image to Watch Video ::We know two things about this video: 1) The in-car camera is mounted to a Subaru Impreza WRX modified by Canadian tuners Lachute Performance and 2) We've thankfully never been to a track day like this.

From what we can tell, the Lachute crew is drawing a bead on one of the Corvettes and right around the four-minute mark (after several scary passes and slides), the Impreza gets clipped by one of Chevy's finest, goes off course and then rams into another Corvette while coming back on track. And everyone's acting like it's just another Sunday drive. We count at least two more wrecks and several offs over the eight-and-a-half minute video, so we're not sure if this was a track day, a sanctioned competition or something far, far scarier. If you can shed some light on the situation, let us know in the comments.

UPDATE: Impreza vs. Vetta highlight reel added after the jump, and yes, this was a sanctioned event: the Jacques Villeneuve Grand Prix of Mirabel at ICAR. Wouldn't he be proud...
 

Dodge Challenger Goes Plum Crazy Purple For 2010

AutoBlog: Dodge Challenger goes Plum Crazy Purple for 2010

2010 Dodge Challenger in Plum CrazyOf the three classic muscle car nameplates currently on sale in the United States, the Dodge Challenger may very well sport the most retro look and feel. Whether or not that's a good thing depends on your personal point of view, but Chrysler seems happy to accept the role and is further promoting the link to Challenger's '70s heritage with a new Plum Crazy Pearl Coat color option for 2010.

In case you're not aware, Plum Crazy was the surprisingly popular deep purple hue found on the Challenger and its stablemate, the Plymouth Barracuda, during the heyday of the American muscle car wars. These days, any car originally painted up in Plum Crazy has an intrinsic value to many collectors, and it seems Dodge is hoping for a similar situation the second time around.

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Intelligent Speed Bumps Collapse to Reward Slow-Pokes, Cut Down on Emissions

Engadget: Intelligent speed bumps collapse to reward slow-pokes, cut down on emissions

:: Click Image to View Larger ::There's a saying that originated in the wild, wild west, and if our memory serves us correctly, it goes a little something like this: "If you can't convince the cops to do their jobs, just install as many speed bumps as humanly possible."

Oddly enough, that very mantra has mirrored reality down in Mexico, with some 18,000 speed bumps established in central Mexico City alone.

In an effort to cut down on pollutants emitted from legions of motorcars slowing and accelerating rapidly, Decano Industries is developing a "smart" version that collapses if your vehicle taps it gently enough. Granted, an actual speed sensor would be slightly more efficient, but we're told that it reacts to the impact so quickly that it would seem as if you never even ran over the bump.

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STUDY: Ford Owns Brand Loyalty in 2009; Scorned Saturn, Pontiac Buyers Will Look Outside of GM

AutoBlog: STUDY: Ford owns brand loyalty in 2009; Scorned Saturn, Pontiac buyers will look outside of GM

Ford buyers appear to love their cars more than customers of any other automotive brand, returning back to the American automaker when it comes time to purchase their next vehicle.

According to a study by Experian Automotive, six of the top 10 vehicles for customer brand loyalty wear badges from the Blue Oval. That includes the Ford Fusion (62.4 percent), Ford Edge (57.9 percent), Ford Five Hundred/Taurus (56 percent), Ford Freestyle (51.9 percent), Ford Escape (49.4 percent) and the Ford Focus (47.57 percent).  Press release after the jump..

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Coming Soon: Downloadable Ringtones For Your Silent Electric Car?

AutoBlog: Coming Soon: Downloadable ringtones for your silent electric car?

Like to download new ringtones for your phone so that you don't sound like everybody else in the world that opts for the free cell phones from their chosen service provider? The same kind of thing is reportedly in the works for future electric cars.

We've been hearing for the last few years that the near silent nature of hybrids and EVs is a potential safety problem for pedestrians, especially for children and those hard of hearing, and these so-called "car tones" are seen as a possible answer to this problem.

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Former Ford Employee Arrested For Stealing Trade Secrets

AutoBlog: REPORT: Former Ford employee arrested for stealing trade secrets

Former Ford engineer Xiang Dong Yu, also known as Mike Yu, was arrested Wednesday at the Chicago O'Hare airport and indicted on suspicion of stealing trade secrets from his former employer. Yu, who worked at Ford Motor Company from 1997 to 2007, is being charged with downloading over 4,000 sensitive documents to an external hard drive before leaving the automaker for an opportunity with another U.S. company's Chinese operations. Yu was nabbed while arriving in the U.S. from China where he was stationed.

The Free Press is reporting that Yu is being charged with stealing "system design specifications connected to engine and transmission mounting systems; outside rear view windows; sliding doors; steering wheel assembly; interior trim; wipers and washers systems; front/rear side door; instrument panel and console systems; sound and heat control and electric power systems."

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Feds Release 2010 Fuel Economy Guide, Prius Still Most Miserly

AutoBlog: Feds release 2010 Fuel Economy Guide, Prius still most miserly

2010 Toyota PriusQuick – what's the most fuel efficient car currently for sale in America? Did you guess the Toyota Prius? If so, give yourself a cookie, you're right. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the 2010 version of Toyota's seminal hybrid once again scores the mileage victory with its estimated 51 mpg city and 48 highway.

Second place is grabbed by a set of newcomers to the hybrid arena for the 2010 model year: Ford's Fusion sedan and its sibling from Mercury, the Milan. The Blue Oval's hybrid duo earn EPA ratings of 41 city and 36 highway, making them the most fuel efficient midsize sedans in America.

Rounding out the top 10 vehicle platforms are the Civic Hybrid and Insight from Honda; the Lexus HS 250h; the Nissan Altima Hybrid; the Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner hybrid 'utes; Smart's Fortwo coupe and cabriolet (the only non-hybrids in the top 10); Toyota's Camry Hybrid and finally the Lexus RX 450h. Want to know where your next car comes in on the federal government's list for 2010? Click here to find out.

Toyota FT-86 Concept Gets Shot in The Studio

AutoBlog: Toyota FT-86 Concept gets shot in the studio

Toyota FT-86 Concept :: Click Image to View Larger ::

We're eagerly awaiting our first live encounter with the Toyota FT-86 Concept next week at the Tokyo Motor Show. But before we endure the long flight over the Pacific, the crew at the freshly hosted FT-86 Club has scrounged up a bevy of live shots of Toyota's new coupe in the studio.

The more we see, the more we like. And these detail images give us a clearer view of the subtle design elements that make the reborn Hachiroku so damn appealing. We're particularly partial to the straked vents aft of the front wheels that tie in with the rest of the coupe's triangular elements, and plenty of carbon fiber detailing on the door handles, side mirrors, wheels and rear diffuser doesn't hurt, either.

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Catching Up With Chevrolet's 1,200-mile Pre-Production Volt Fleet Drive

AutoBlog: Catching up with Chevrolet's 1,200-mile pre-production Volt fleet drive

Chevy Volts on 1,200 mile driveYesterday, we had an opportunity to chat with Chevrolet Volt chief engineer Andrew Farah as he rode through the hills of West Virginia during a development drive. On Tuesday, a fleet of eight pre-production (a.k.a. IVER) Volts set out from the company's Milford Proving Ground in Michigan on three day, 1,200 mile jaunt through Ohio, Pennsylvannia, Maryland, West Virginia and back. This event is known in General Motors' engineering process as a "65-Percent Drive" and as it implies it's one of a series of milestones on the road to production.

The 65% roughly corresponds to the minimum level of completeness of development of all the hardware, and more specifically, the software. At this point, many of the systems are in fact approaching 90-100% complete. Over the next several months, 70, 80, 90 and 100 percent drives will follow on the way to production launch a year from now. Read entire article..

STUDY: Men Can't Help But Enjoy Fast Cars - It's That Testosterone Thing Again

AutoBlog: STUDY: Men can't help but enjoy fast cars - it's that testosterone thing again

:: Click Image to View Larger ::Talk about a foregone conclusion. Researchers at Canada's John Molson School of Business at Concordia University in Montreal took thirty-nine typical young men (i.e. college guys) and placed them in one of two cars. The first was a Toyota Camry. The second was a Porsche 911 Cabriolet. They then let the men drive up and down on two streets. One was busy and filled with women. The other was deserted. After each little cruise, each man's saliva was measured for levels of testosterone. Results?

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