Jalopnik: 2012

2012: Anatomy Of A Carpocalyptic Disaster Scene

Ray Wert — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST

Big-budget disaster ~~porn~~ flick 2012 was the top-grossing movie in theaters this weekend. Personally, we think it's because of the insane amount of automotive hoonage and destruction. Popular Mechanics has an inside look on how the carnage magic was made.

After storyboards are done, VFX artists move to a stage called pre-visualization — a crude version of the action. [PopMech]

Director Roland Emmerich shoots the limo — a Lincoln Town Car L — against a massive blue screen in Vancouver, Canada. [PopMech]

Next step? Rendering! [PopMech]

Better than the takes-a-couple-hours-per-frame renders is this. It's called a doughboy render that takes just a few minutes per frame. [PopMech]

The final result? Well, simply put, it's epic disaster porn. Want to know the rest? Head on over to Popular Mechanics.

2012: The Year The World Dies, And A Bentley Saves Lives

Ray Wert — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:40:00 EDT

2012 may be the year the world dies, but it's also a movie that'll apparently show a Bentley saving some lives. Although we don't remember any Bentley having a voice-activated engine start feature. Must be the Russian mafia option package.

2012 Movie Trailer Promises Stunt Flying And Bentleys Jumping

The Auto Insider — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EDT

If you missed Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen this past weekend, robogasmic warfare wasn't the only mankind-threatening destruction you would have seen. 2012 promises apocalyptic Bentley-jumping, aircraft carrier-capsizing and falling skyscraper-avoiding stunt flying.

Roland Emmerich's newest disaster flick, featuring John Cusack, Amanda Peet and Danny Glover, is an epic disaster movie based on events prophesied by the ancient Mayan calendar. Based on the most recent HD trailer for 2012, it appears as if the human race is a bit more screwed than if both the Transformers and Terminators combined to make the Transforminators and ate all our sand.

Makes the whole carpocalypse seem a bit light, doesn't it?

2012 BMW 1-Series May Go Retro, Lose Some Weight

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EDT

The BMW 1-Series illustrates the gap between what enthusiasts want and what customers will buy. A modern 2002 tii was what we wanted, and BMW may be delivering exactly that in the next generation.

Car magazine is reporting the next version of the 1-series, slated for 2011 production will take a different direction compared to the 1er we have today. The new car will come in a variety of body styles including a coupe, a hatchback and a uniquely styled model dubbed the Supersport. The Supersport is the car which gets us worked up, bearing throwback styling like round headlights, eyebrow style turn signals, and a body-ringing character line. The Ess-Ess would slot between the 135i and the M3 with a rumored two-ish liter twin-turbo, direct injection four cylinder with positively felonious power figures, think 300 BHP and about 330 lb-ft of torque.

The other two models would share less raucous styling and get more normal engines, but there's the possibility of a stripped-out model in the form of a 115i, which would more bare bones than any BMW in years. Is it possible? Is BMW listening to the complaints and desires of its enthusiasts? Sounds impossible, but it may be true. [Car]

Today Show's Matt Lauer First Journalist To Drive Chevy Volt

Ray Wert — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:30:00 EST

We knew the Chevy Volt would increase global levels of smugness. Here's Matt Lauer, crowing about being the first to drive it to CNBC's Phil LeBeau — and that was only a test vehicle!

Official Car Pundit Drinking Game: 2012! 2012! 2012!

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:40:00 EDT

With news that GM may be halting new truck development, our good friends at the Fox Business Network just had to have us back, which means another episode of the official car pundit drinking game. We get more name love (drink) from Stuart Varney and even argue a bit with the lovely Tracy Byrnes. Though she doesn't want the Civic, it was the best selling car in May. Just saying. And to Buckster, I took your advice and gave "1984 Tom Cruise" his hair back.

Could This Be The 2012 Mazda RX-9?

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:30:00 EST

The illustrator's over at Winding Road have been having fun with a possible future RX-9 based on previous concepts such as the Mazda Nagare. Their guesstimation picks up some of the Nagare aft of the A-pillar, with a modernization of lines from the current generation RX-8 and last generation RX-7 in the rear. As for under the hood, guesses range from a modified Renesis to something as out-of-character as a V8. But before you rotorheads get up in arms, remember this is all just educated dart throwing. [WindingRoad]

Ein Schtang! More on the Next-Generation Mustang

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 12:14:47 EST

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport offers an artist's rendering of what the next-generation Ford Mustang will look like, circa 2010-2012. The sketches reflect reports indicating the new design will involve less emphasis on retrograde cues in favor of a more modern, aggressive style. AMuS also predicts a kammback version, which may remind history buffs of the Pontiac Firebird wagon concept from 1978. Supposedly, the object would add utility to the 'stang's sporting ways. Could it be there's yet another shooting brake — sorry, macho kombi — in the wings? Oh, the humanity. – Mike Spinelli

Mustang plant den Macho-Kombi [internal]

Updated Mustang for 2009, New Generation for 2012?

Mike Spinelli — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 12:34:42 EDT

Looks like Ford's planning to refigure its Mustang in time for the pony car wars to reach critical mass. According to Road and Track, Ford's applying a bit more new hotness to match the Mustang's current take on the old hotness. A facelfit for the 2009 model year will give it a more modern, aggressive and harder-edged look, in a similar approach to GM's take on the 1969 Camaro. The base model will get Ford's new, ubiquitous 3.5-liter V6, producing 260+ hp (take that, haters) and a return to 5.0-liter displacement for the V8. Subsequently, a new generation will arrive in 2012, based on the Aussie-Ford Falcon, which may hearken a four door version. Pony up, indeed.

[via Autoblog]