Saturn Ditches All-American Image

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As you probably know, TTAC is an R-rated site. After a discussion with our readers, we decided to allow swearing on both sides of the editorial curtain (writers and commentators), subject to our existing anti-flaming regs (i.e. we can't call each other fuckheads, assholes, douchebags, etc.). In this Brave New e-World, the fall-out from our "no bad word left behind" policy has been... non-existent. Even so, you can hardly expect G-rated, AOL-owned Autoblog to allow effing' and blinding (although flaming and trolling is clearly not a problem). Which means it's no surprise that John Neff's blog on a swear-laden "That's a Saturn?" ad provides some unavoidable comic relief. "Steve Hall at AdGabber found a different version of the commercial, which we'll call 'That's a f@#$% Saturn!'. It seems after they had gotten the footage that Saturn's ad agency requested, the actors, director and production crew had some fun and made a different, rated R version of the commercial that probably more closely resembles reality than the canned responses in the original commercial." Hang on John; we call bullshit. I mean, b^*(&*(%$it. First, aside from the Sky (anyone remember the Sky?), no one's ever done a verbal double take on a Saturn. Second. this is no outtake. There is no World's Funniest Videosity here. It's a cynical, officially-sanctioned version specifically designed to make Saturn look hip. To get slackers to "rethink" the flag-waving, American-as-apple-pie image the brand once possessed. Call me a fucking hypocrite, but I liked "The Different Kind of Car Company's" picnics, honesty and just plain folks approach.  

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Pagani Zonda: new spy-shots

We are were all waiting for the first pictures showing the facelifted Pagani Zonda. The guys from Autoexpress managed to capture it. The biggest chaning comparing with the previous model, is and will stay the engine that got switched in a V8 instead of the V12. You should think that’s a rather bad [...]

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Ferrari F430 design-study by Luca Serafini

There are many people who like to tune their already good looking supercar. And because most of the tuners offer really nice packages we can’t blame anyone for doing it. But then there are still some exceptions out there, who completely redesign the looks of a car. So did Luca Serafini, student [...]

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Timing Is Everything

More supply means lower prices. He didn't do it. Related articles NY Times: THE 2000 CAMPAIGN: THE TEXAS GOVERNOR; Bush Would Use Power of Persuasion to Raise Oil Supply Link from Daring Fireball

Read The Full Article:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/CarsCarsCars/~3/291849316/timing-is-every.html

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Question of the Day: Do You Love Your Car

I had an interesting conversation this morning with one Mr. Justin Berkowitz. Among other topics we discussed the fact that most people are happy with their own, personal cars. As car scribes, we have the luxury of ripping apart $44,000 BMW convertibles because, well, we didn't buy 'em. But on the purchaser's part, how much of this is psychological? As is often pointed out, an automobile is the second most expensive item you will buy. Or, if you live in New York (like Justin) or Los Angeles (like me) a car is by far the most expensive good you can afford (though I did see a lovely 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom for the reduced price of only $640,000 the other weekend...). Years ago a friend of mine bought a 2001 Ford Escort. Horrid, nasty little thing. Ugly, slow, worst build quality imaginable and awful to drive. I told her, "Don't buy that." But, she did. And even after multiple "issues" she still claimed that she loved it and even shed a tear when it was totaled while parked by a drunk. Or pretended to. Now, for my part, I love my car. It's in fact my second WRX wagon (a 2006) and the more press cars I drive, the deeper I fall head over heals. And I can't believe anyone drives anything else. Now, am I that much smarter than my fellow man, or just blind in the face of love? And what about you and your car?


Read The Full Article:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/question-of-the-day-do-you-love-your-car/

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Smart Car Gets Hit by TWO Trucks

ee-YOW!!What you see here is, essentially, a real-world crash test of the much loved (by some) Mercedes Benz Smart ForTwo city car.This comes by way of CarScoop by way of Jalopnik, and it happened somewhere in North America (there’s some discussion going on as to whether it’s the USA or Canada). Seems that this particular [...]

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Ex-Hulme M23 comes to Europe for Masters races

A very famous McLaren M23 Grand Prix car is returning to Europe this summer to race in Grand Prix Masters events, starting on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit on 25/26 May.

Now owned and raced by New Zealander Phil Mauger, the M23 was raced in 18 Grands Prix by Denis Hulme and Mike Hailwood during 1973 and 1974 and Hulme took it to victory in the 1973 Swedish Grand Prix.

Hulme, the 1967 World Champion, ended his Formula 1 career at the close of the 1974 season and was given the M23 as a gift from the McLaren team to mark the close of a decade of Grand Prix racing. In that time, he started 112 F1 races and won eight of them.

The McLaren then remained in the ownership of the Hulme family after his death in 1992. More recently, it was acquired and totally rebuilt by New Zealander Mauger, and he has raced it a number of times in Australia and New Zealand over the last two seasons.

The McLaren is not thought to have raced in Europe since the summer of 1974, but is now returning for Mauger to race it at Brands Hatch in the Masters Racing Festival. It is hoped that the M23 will contest other Grand Prix Masters races during the summer months and is expected at the new Anderstorp event in June.

Source: Masters racing Series

Read The Full Article:
http://www.classicrallies.com/blog/index.php?/archives/1317-Ex-Hulme-M23-comes-to
-Europe-for-Masters-races.html

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Daily Podcast: The Future, By Prius Engagement

And so it continues: the debate about the Toyota Prius as a fuel saver/economy car/green badge of honor/etc. over on Captain Mike's review. Sammy Hagar's off-hand comment about the Prius cannibalizing Camry sales intrigued me. For some strange reason-- not anti-Detroit bias I can assure you (if you can be assured)-- I'd never thought of the Prius as a cannibal. But it makes perfect (imperfect?) sense. If you're in the market for "inexpensive, efficient, reliable transportation that makes you feel good about not driving anything else," why wouldn't you choose the Prius over the Camry? Or, for that matter, the Camry over the Prius? We've heard rumors that ToMoCo's going to launch the Prius as a fourth brand. On one hand, yes. On the other hand, uh-oh. Toyota's entirely useless Scion brand (remind me again what PRODUCT-related focus they bring to the table) is one GM-style branding mistake. Launching a Prius brand would be another. In fact, it looks to me like Toyota could, some day, maybe, not beyond the scope of possibility, become the new GM (especially when the old GM goes C11). Hey, empires rise, empires fall. C'est la guerre.  

Read The Full Article:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/daily-podcast-the-future-by-prius-engagement/

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Monaco 2008 Historic GP crash video

A 1977 McLaren destroyed under Monaco Tunnel during 2008 Monaco Historic Grand Prix:


video details and more



Read The Full Article:
http://www.classicrallies.com/blog/index.php?/archives/1316-Monaco-2008-Historic-
GP-crash-video.html

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Ickx Ferrari set for Masters Racing Series debut

One of the most significant cars to return to racing in 2008, an ex-Jacky Ickx Ferrari 312B2, will make its debut in the Grand Prix Masters races on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit next weekend (25/26 May).

The Ferrari 312B2 that won the 1972 German Grand Prix in the hands of Ickx has not been raced since the 1970s, but is now due to return to racing in the skilled hands of James Hanson and is due on the grid at Brands after a long rebuild.

After spending most of its life in private collections, the car was demonstrated by Ickx at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix in 2006, but has not raced for well over three decades. Ickx's 1972 victory at the Nurburgring was his last Grand Prix victory as the 312B2 struggled to compete with the Lotus 72 and Tyrrells.

Now owned by James Hanson, the 1971 3-litre flat 12-engined Ferrari has been painstakingly rebuilt over the last 18 months. It was shown in public at Race Retro in March 2007 when it took pride of place on the Masters stand and is now ready to race once more.

"It came as a runner, and it is very original," said Hanson. "But it needed some work before it could be raced again. It will be brilliant to race it and the car should create a lot of interest," he said.

Subject to its progress at Brands Hatch during the Masters Racing Festival, it is hoped that the Ferrari will contest other Grand Prix Masters races this summer.

Source: Masters Racing Series

Read The Full Article:
http://www.classicrallies.com/blog/index.php?/archives/1315-Ickx-Ferrari-set-for-
Masters-Racing-Series-debut.html

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