Jalopnik: News

Watch a driverless golf cart wreak havoc at a high school football championship game

Sean Newell — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:30:00 EST

The conclusion of the Texas 5A Division 2 championship game saw the usual thrill of victory and agony of—OH MY GOD, RUN! THE MACHINES ARE SELF AWARE. More »

Dirt Showdown is Gymkhana with a heaping helping of destruction derby

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST

Dirt Showdown is Gymkhana with a heaping helping of destruction derby" alt="Click here to read Dirt Showdown is Gymkhana with a heaping helping of destruction derby" src="http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/images/12/2011/12/small_28206bfbad30ec538abf7c2e6639d83b.jpg"/>

I'm going to tell you a secret. My favourite racing series of this generation has been neither Gran Turismo nor Forza. It's been Codemaster's Dirt series. A new game in the franchise should be cause for joy, then, but, well. Hrm. More »

Charlie Davies sues nightclub and Red Bull for car wreck that nearly killed him

Brian Hickey — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EDT

"D.C. United's Charlie Davies is suing the owners of a Washington nightclub and the drink company Red Bull for $20 million, claiming they are responsible for a fatal car crash that ended the MLS player's hopes of joining the 2010 U.S. World Cup team. Davies, now 25, was a passenger in the car driven by a woman who has since pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and drunken driving in the 2009 one-car crash that killed a second passenger. The lawsuit claims the Shadow Room and Red Bull served excessive alcohol to driver Maria Espinoza." [MyFoxDC] More »

Farewell, Island That Rust Forgot!

Murilee Martin — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EDT

Some of you may have noticed that the quantity of my posts has been down for the last month or so. That's because I've been busy pulling up stakes and heading to the Mountain Time Zone. More »

VIDEO: Man Dumps Body In Car, Pushes Car Into Lake

Sam Smith — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:10:00 EDT

A Florida man recently appealed to the public to help find his missing wife. One day later, she turned up dead in a car that was videotaped being pushed into a lake. Guess who the pusher looks like? More »

NUMMI Is No More

Murilee Martin — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 17:30:00 EDT

The once-bustling GM-Toyota New United Motors plant, located at the northeastern edge of the area known as Silicon Valley and about 25 miles down the freeway from Chez Murilee, shut down on Friday. More »

SFI Decertifies Impact Racing Gear Over Alleged Counterfeiting

Murilee Martin — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EDT

We're pretty sure things got quite exciting at the offices of Impact Racing on Friday, when the foundation used by most racing organizations to certify safety gear announced they were decertifying Impact Racing's products. More »

Beijing Automotive Makes Deal To Build Saab 9-3, 9-5 In China

Murilee Martin — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:30:00 EST

We write about a great Saab achievement, and what happens? Minutes later, The General makes a tentative deal with a Chinese car manufacturer to build two Saab models in the Middle Kingdom! More »

Mini USA VP: Our Cars Are Like Adorably Imperfect Wives

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:30:00 EDT

Mini USA VP JIm McDowell tried to explain away yesterday's J.D. Power IQS showing the automaker in dead last, by telling CNBC their cars take some getting used to — like "your wife." Also, Kudlow's like 100-years-old. [CNBC] More »

V-Vehicle: New Auto Company Buys Louisiana GM Plant To Build Cars

Ray Wert — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:20:00 EDT

A new San Diego-based auto company named V-Vehicle, backed by billionaire investor T. Boone Pickens and staffed by former Mazda design chief Tom Matano, plans to build "environmentally friendly" vehicles in Louisiana. More »

Chinese Bridge Collapse Kills Nine, Incites Local Outrage

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 20 May 2009 13:00:00 EDT

A 600 ft section of bridge collapsed in Zhuzhou, China, crushing 24 vehicles and killing nine. The condemned bridge remained standing after unsuccessful explosive demolition and traffic continued underneath. Outrage towards government officials has been swift. More »

Ferrari Outruns Clumsy Canadian Police

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:30:00 EDT

A police officer in Port Moody, British Columbia, spotted a red Ferrari speeding across a highway at top speed this morning and gave chase. Ferrari against Crown Victoria? We wonder how that one turned out... More »

Audi Intelligent Emotion Design Project Looks To Future

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:30:00 EDT

Audi's latest program with the Munich University of Applied Sciences is designed to cultivate the next generation of Audi engineers, designers and product direction for what it calls the "Audi Intelligent Emotion" project. More »

Carbon Motors E7 Stops, Searches CNBC

Wes Siler — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EDT

The Carbon Motors E7 police car appeared on CNBC this morning after ringing in the opening bell at NASDAQ. More »

UPDATE: Michigan Car Wash Vacuum Molester Gets 90 Days In Jail

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EDT

Remember when a Michigan man was arrested after police caught him making sexy time with a car wash vacuum cleaner? Well his name is Jason LeRoy Savage and he just got 90 days in jail. More »

Jalopnik Contributor Reveals His Ford Fiesta-Sized Movement

Andrew Didorosi — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:30:00 EDT

Jalopnik Contributor Reveals His Ford Fiesta-Sized Movement" alt="Click here to read Jalopnik Contributor Reveals His Ford Fiesta-Sized Movement" src="http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/images/12/2009/03/zeMOkv_Gb3c.jpg"/>

We couldn't let the Fiesta Movement contest go without submitting an entry and since it'd be unfair for Jalopnik to enter one, I decided to enter one on my own. Guess what? You can help! More »

Detroit Lawmaker Proposes Texting-While-Driving Ban, Angers Youth

Andrew Didorosi — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:30:00 EDT

A Detroit legislator is trying for the second time to put a stop to texting while driving in Michigan, pursuing legislation levying a misdemeanor and hefty fine on perpetrators. More »

2010 British Motor Show Canceled On Account Of Carpocalypse

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EDT

Autocar is reporting the 2009 British Motor Show has been canceled due to the Carpocalypse. Whatever. We know it was really because of the bland food, crummy weather and threat of ghost-of-Lucas-related electrical fires. More »

Mercedes Confirms Permanent Michigan-Based Hybrid Research Facility

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EDT

Mercedes has confirmed a new $9.9 million hybrid and alternative propulsion research facility will be based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The facility will create as many as 454 new jobs in the area. More »

Big Video Contest: Show Us Your Jalopnik, Win Fabulous Roush Prizes!

Andrew Didorosi — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:30:00 EDT

After snagging some hot swag from today's 2010 Roush Mustang reveal, we figure it's time for another contest. Below, how to win some Jack Roush-signed paraphernalia and what you need do to earn it. More »

Rumors Of Crane Cams' Demise May Be Greatly Exaggerated

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EDT

A couple weeks ago we heard Crane Cams would be shuttering after 56 years of operation. Crane Cams now claims it plans to reorganize under bankruptcy and restart operations this month. More »

Crane Cams Closes After 56 Years Of Awesomness

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:30:00 EST

Friends, speed-freaks, grease-monkeys, lend me your ears; We come to bury Crane Cams, the latest victim of the Carpocalypse. The noble Crane, which delivered roller rockers and glorious lumpy idles, now falls silent. More »

Beijing Teen Hotwires City Bus, Goes On Destructive Rampage

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:15:00 EST

A 13-year-old Beijing boy managed to slip into a parked city bus and take it on a massively destructive joyride through the city after swiftly hot wiring the ignition. More »

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero Tears Into Fox News Over Bailout Double Standards

The Auto Insider — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:30:00 EST

Virgil "Virg" Bernero is the mayor of Lansing, Michigan and he's a little hot under the collar from the bad wrap that the UAW workers are receiving and lays it all out for Fox News. More »

Austrian Uses VW Golf To Mooove Calves

Andrew Didorosi — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:30:00 EST

Shocked motorists have spotted an Austrian softie who uses his tiny VW to relocate his beloved calves wherever they might need to go. More »

ING: Ronald McDonald's F1 Playhouse

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST

Ronald McDonald and F1 rulemeister Max Mosley used to "party" in the 80s. Now we know the price of keeping the clown quiet. Are you a bad enough dude to caption this? More »

Victory! Arizona County Ditches Speed Camera Program

Andrew Didorosi — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 09:30:00 EST

Success was had on Wednesday in the fight against robotic roadway policing, the harbinger of Skynet, when a small Arizona county struck down their failing speed camera van program. More »

REPORT: Saab Exploring Independence From GM

Wes Siler — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST

Saab is exploring breaking free from GM. This would include moving the majority of production to Trollhattan, a move backed by the Swedish government and the Swedish Chef. More »

Ricardo Montalban, Chrysler Cordoba Spokesman, Dead At 88

Murilee Martin — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:53:07 EST

Much of the Country knew Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán Merino as "Khan" or "the guy from Fantasy Island," but car freaks the world over knew him as the man who gave us Soft Corinthian Leather. More »

Australian Grandma Banned From Roads For 1000 Years

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:30:00 EST

It takes a certain kind of bad driver to be banned from the road for almost 1000 years, but 84-year-old Luba Relic of Warriewood, New South Wales, Australia has managed to be just that dangerous. More »

GM December Sales Down 31.4%, Still US Sales Champ

Ray Wert — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST

GM's reporting 221,983 US sales in December, 2008, down 31% compared with a year ago. GM kept the title of US sales leader, with a market share remaining steady at just above 22%. More »

Bloomberg Cuts New York City Municipal Car Fleet

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:30:00 EST

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered city agencies to cut their municipal vehicle fleets by 10%. The move will eliminate 700 cars and put $20 million into coffers over two years. More »

French Hooligans Burn 1,147 Cars To Celebrate New Year

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:30:00 EST

Sacré bleu! The French Interior Ministry is reporting the country's emerging New Year's Eve pastime of burning cars for fun has resulted in 1,147 torched automobiles, up 30.64% from last year. More »

Ford River Rouge Plant Roof Collapses?

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:57:55 EST

We're told the roof of the Severstal Steel building at Ford's River Rouge Complex has collapsed due to snow. No injuries believed at this time. More »

While New York Slept: A Mad Lib NYT Op-Ed By Friedman Thomas

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST

Thomas Friedman's obscenely transparent attempt to sell books with yet another rant against "Detroit" has pushed us to ask our own Friedman Thomas to respond with a Mad Lib rant of his own. More »

California Highway 99 Crippled By 53 Vehicle Pileup

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:30:00 EST

Dense Wednesday morning fog along California Highway 99 near Caldwell led to a mangled wreckage of 49 cars and four tractor trailers. More »

24 Hours Of LeMons Coming To Buttonwillow, Reno-Fernley, Nelson Ledges In 2009!

Murilee Martin — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST

As the economy continues to take kidney punches, more and more once-exclusive tracks have decided that it's OK to allow the caddies into the pool, and thus it has come to pass that Nelsen Ledges in Ohio, Buttonwillow Raceway Park in Southern California, and Reno-Fernley Raceway in Nevada will be holding 24 Hours Of LeMons races in 2009! Jump away for the full schedule. More »

ExxonMobil Posts Largest Profit In US History, Makes $1,865.69 A Second

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

ExxonMobil has announced third-quarter profits of $14.83 billion, the largest profit ever recorded in US history. That number is up from the company's last record profit — in the second quarter — of only $11.68 billion. Let's put this into perspective; ExxonMobil could buy every Ferrari Enzo ever built, every 38 hours, and they'd still be profitable. Obviously this means additional tax incentives are needed to hasten oil exploration off the coastal shelf, to develop oil shale fields that'll be useless when a barrel of crude costs less than a movie ticket, and to create techniques to mine the souls of treehuggers for industrial uses. [CNN Money] More »

Wild Dog Pack Destroys Aussie Ute, Owner Poses For Hilarious Photo

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:20:00 EDT

"Doggone it! That's a bit ruff." That's the response Clayton Dwyer, a landscaper from Darwin Australia, gave when he discovered a pack of wild dogs had torn off the front bumper of his work ute and gnawed it to pieces. According to Dwyer, the dogs had been terrorizing the neighborhood for some time and had savaged his girlfriends car to a similar effect. The dogs are so problematic, the neighbors have taken to throwing mangoes at them to get them to go away. This story proves once again that Australia is a considerably more interesting place to live than your average country (as if more proof was needed). [You should head over to NT NEws because Dwyer has a lot of good one liners] More »

Police Arrest Michigan Man For Car Wash Vacuum Sexy-Time

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:30:00 EDT

On October 18th, Police apprehended an unnamed Michigan man in the act of coitus with his chosen mistress of the night, a car wash vacuum cleaner. Police were alerted to the unnatural activities by eye witnesses and approached on foot around 6:45 AM finding the man in the act, disturbing as that thought might be. When commenting on the situation, Sgt. Gary Breidinger said "I've seen some strange things, but this is the weirdest thing I've ever heard." We're wondering how many quarters that kind of thing costs. [AP] More »