<![CDATA[Jalopnik: iphone]]> http://tags.jalopnik.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png <![CDATA[Jalopnik: iphone]]> http://jalopnik.com/tag/iphone http://jalopnik.com/tag/iphone <![CDATA[New Mercedes iPhone App: Hands On]]> Mercedes knows its drivers may lose their keys or even their cars but never their iPhones. Lose your giant luxury SUV at the mall? There's an app for that. Click through to see how it works.

The main screen for the iPhone version of the app (the Blackberry version is boring) looks just like a Mercedes key fob and, essentially, works the same way. Unlock/lock the car or even locate it.

The locate feature use's the car's GPS and the phone's GPS to provide instructions for how to get back to your car. And in case you're worried the wife is going to find you riding dirty, the system overrides if you're more than a mile away from the car. Philander in peace, Tiger.

Don't want the kids getting their grubby hands on your M-Class? Lock the ungrateful rats out.

The "mbrace" system isn't OnStar, Mercedes will tell you, but it's OnStar. Access all those features without having to crash your car from your phone.

Screw up your CLK because you were too busy playing on your iPhone and left the parking brake on? The system will locate the nearest dealer to help fix your car and take a million dollars off your hands.

Forget the Mercedes dealership with a staff you actually like? You can find your selling, local or preferred dealer.

You must be moderately wealthy to live by all these Mercedes dealerships.

Developed by Hughes Telematics, this is rolling out on all new models and requires a monthly subscription.

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<![CDATA[Nerds Modify Oldsmobile For iPhone Control, Go Car Surfing]]> Give nerds enough time and they'll come up with some crazy stuff. Example: this Oldsmobile Delta modified with servo actuators and operated wirelessly via iPhone. Of course, with that working, it only makes sense to go car-surfing. [Gizmodo]

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<![CDATA[Get "Jalopnik Rules" Up On Times Square Billboard With Prius iPhone App!]]> Here's the deal. Toyota has a Prius iPhone app that'll let you draw things and get them on a big screen in Times Square. First person to get a photo to us of it saying "Jalopnik Rules" wins. Now go!

Because if there's one thing we know, this always ends well. And y'all better hurry — we think you only have until the end of today to do it.

Oh, and the prize? It remains to be seen. But the more spectacular the stunt, the better.

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<![CDATA[Witness the iPhone-ized Future Of Auto Show Displays]]> You just know that flat screens with icons in a grid are the zeitgeist when even a carmaker’s display screen looks like an iPhone.

There were a few years around the turn of the millennium when a wild spectrum of appliance manufacturers were inspired by the translucent, colored plastics used by Apple lead designer Jonathan Ive for the original iMac. The future, as evidenced by a casual glimpse at household appliances, was about to turn bondi blue.

This did not happen, of course, mainly because Ive has since abandoned color and began to lead his team to create monochrome computers, like the latest iteration of his iMac, announced yesterday.

But Apple’s aesthetics creep through and define modern industrial design. Observe this info-display made by Toyota for last month’s Frankfurt Motor Show to advertise their new Prius: it is as close to an iPhone as you can get without actually manufacturing a handheld computing device with a multitouch screen.

I wouldn’t be surprised if our Ray Wert, currently prowling the Tokyo Motor Show, came across something very similar. Or perhaps a rapid-prototyped press freebie aping Apple’s new mouse. (Nope! Bupkiss. —Ed.)

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<![CDATA[Start Your Car With Your iPhone]]> Viper SmartStart is an iPhone app that allows you to remotely unlock or start your car and, unlike remote keyfobs, the range is virtually limitless.

The catch is that the system that bolts into your car to enable all this costs $499, then there's a $30 a year subscription fee after the first year. Personally, we've never had a problem inserting a key into a lock and twisting it or waiting until we were in the car to start it, but convenience junkies now have one more way to shave precious seconds off their daily routine. [via Automoblog]

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<![CDATA[Driver Demonstrates iRoad Rage With iPhone App]]> Ever want to blast your way out of traffic jams with your peacemaker? This Honda driving hipster guy does, but he's only got an iPhone app to get the job done. Very NSFW language.

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<![CDATA[MINI Offers Roadside Assistance App To iPhone Nerds]]> Is there a more perfect hipster union than MINI and the iPhone? No. So MINI, in conjunction with Allstate, is offering an iPhone application to manage all your roadside assistance needs. Because, you know, that's necessary.

This news makes us wonder what the percentage of MINI owners who also possess an iPhone is. We're betting it's obnoxiously high. The demographics just line up so well. Anyway, the roadside assistance application works for both the iPhone and Blackberry's, and it apparently makes the process of breaking down tech savvy and somehow hip. You can select the type of service you need and send your request along and Allstate will be along to provide. Just what kind of message is this sending though? Do MINI's break down so often you need a dedicated software program to manage all your service requirements? Is Allstate's phone service so bad you need to avoid it? Seems a transparent attempt at painting a picture of cool while just being obnoxious.

PRESS RELEASE

MINI IS THE FIRST MANUFACTURER TO LAUNCH A MOBILE APPLICATION FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
MINI owners can now access roadside assistance with the touch of an icon

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – August 20, 2008... MINI USA announced today the introduction of a free app to MINI owners that allows access to roadside assistance with the touch of an icon. The new MINI Road Assist mobile application was developed by Allstate Roadside Services and is available for iPhone and select BlackBerry users. The app connects users to roadside assistance while automatically supplying the service provider with all relevant information about the vehicle, most importantly, its exact location.

"MINI owners appreciate technological innovation and will welcome the additional peace of mind that comes from having fast, easy access to the free roadside services provided during their warranty period," said Jim McDowell, Vice President MINI USA.

Whether it's for a battery boost or to replace a flat tire, the new MINI Road Assist app for iPhone and BlackBerry users puts control in the driver's hand – and handset. Perhaps the best part, it eliminates the need for lengthy conversations about vital vehicle information and location and jumps directly to sending help after a short call.

To begin using the app, MINI owners will need to download it to their iPhone or compatible BlackBerry device. Step-by-step instructions guide users to enter their Vehicle I.D. (VIN), name, address and other details – even uploading a photo of their MINI. When a MINI owner needs roadside help, they simply launch the app, select their service need and press the "call" button. Their user information, vehicle location and service need are all transmitted automatically to customer service representatives – saving valuable time to get them motoring again as quickly as possible.

This feature utilizes global positioning system (GPS) technology, pinpointing a caller's location to help customer service representatives identify the nearest available service provider and communicating their exact location. Once service is confirmed, the mobile app delivers the driver with the service provider's name, an estimated time of arrival and an automated service follows up to ensure the issue has been resolved.

"As the exclusive provider of roadside assistance for MINI USA and a number of other prestigious auto brands, Allstate Roadside Services is proud to launch this application designed to enhance the MINI owner's experience," said Patrick O'Brien, president of Allstate Roadside Services.

It's free to MINI owners and can be downloaded here: HYPERLINK "http://www.allstateroadsideservices.com/mini/" http://www.allstateroadsideservices.com/mini/

To access a video of the app and how it works, click the link:
HYPERLINK "http://www.youtube.com/miniusanews" http://www.youtube.com/miniusanews

All MINI USA owners have access to roadside assistance free of charge as long as the vehicle remains under warranty. Customers whose warranty has expired may still download the free app and use the roadside assistance for a fee set by the service provider.

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<![CDATA[Avis iPhone App: Reserve Your Rental Car Reach-Around On-The-Go]]> Yesterday, Avis Rent A Car released a rental car reservation app for the iPhone, allowing you to reserve a car from any Avis rental location with an easy tap-and-type interface that's easier than using a web browser.

Although we think maybe they need to have someone take a quick run-through of the pictures they're using for each vehicle. Somehow we don't think the Ford Fusion's a GM product (check the gallery for further proof) or that there's any Avis location that'll rent you a Pontiac G8 GXP.

Also, for some reason, it shows that Detroit Metro airport has no cars to rent. Ever. Somehow we don't think Detroit's such a tourist and business attraction that they've completely sold out. But otherwise, the app seems fairly robust. Check it out in the gallery below, or download it yourself. Don't worry, it's free. Unlike the "GPS upgrade" on your rental.






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<![CDATA[iPhone Steering Wheel: The 10th Best Thing To Driving]]> No matter how many driving sims there are for the iPhone, we'll always find the idea of this large CTA Digital steering wheel attached to an object esteemed for its smallness to be a shade ridiculous. [CNET]

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<![CDATA[22 Custom Jalopnik Wallpapers For Your Apple iPhone And Palm Pre]]> The recent release of the Apple iPhone 3GS and the Palm Pre provide a great time for these twenty-two exclusive, high-resolution Jalopnik wallpapers to you, our car-obsessive readership. Take your pick below.

We've scoured the Jalopnik archives for some of our best imagery to provide you with 22 high-resolution wallpapers that will work with both the Apple iPhone and the new Palm Pre. Both devices utilize a 320x480 format, so any of the wallpapers can be swapped between the two if you're a true Gizmodo-like gadget freak. We've even provided you with a handy guide for installing wallpapers on both at the end of the list, just in case you haven't figured out your newfangled touchscreen devices. If you find a wallpaper you like and absolutely must have; install it and take a picture to show us in the comments below.

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Sunglasses Guy
'Nuff said.

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2010 Shelby GT500: First Drive
With the 2010 Shelby GT500, SVT's engineers claim they've turned a 500 HP Mustang into a 540 HP super car. They've succeeded, but don't worry; it'll still do enormous burnouts. Read More

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Switzer P800 Nissan GT-R: First Drive
The Switzer P800 Nissan GT-R makes over 700 HP at the wheels, nearly double that of the comparatively plain-Jane GT-R. Luckily that's at all four wheels, because we drove it through both snow and ice. Read More

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Ford GT
Betcha didn't know the Ford GT had a 100th anniversary clue in its headlight. Read More

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2009 Subaru Forester: Unsupervised Off-Road Mayhem
The last 2009 Subaru Forester we drove blew a tire, forcing us into making clichéd gay jokes. This time we took it to an off-road park and beat it like a rented mule. Read More

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2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe: First Drive
For too long the American market has lacked an affordable, accessible, fast, responsive, fun, communicative, good-looking rear-wheel-drive sports coupe. The Hyundai Genesis Coupe is that car. Finally. Read More

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Jalopnik GEM-Powered Detroit Auto Show Mobile Command Center
Want to know what that mystery electric car was? Why it's our very own Jalopnik GEM-powered Detroit Auto Show Mobile Command Center, and it's why we've had the fastest coverage at this year's show! Read More

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AEV J8 MILSPEC: Offroading Jeep's Forbidden Fruit
Until now, civilians couldn't buy the AEV J8 MILSPEC - the militarized truck-bed-equipped Jeep Wrangler. Now you can. We hit the mud to uncover the government secret on Jeep's pickup truck. Read More

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AEV J8 MILSPEC: Offroading Jeep's Forbidden Fruit
Until now, civilians couldn't buy the AEV J8 MILSPEC - the militarized truck-bed-equipped Jeep Wrangler. Now you can. We hit the mud to uncover the government secret on Jeep's pickup truck. Read More

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Save The Enzos!
Would you like to see these glorious t-shirts make a return? Read More

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Muscle Car Wars: Camaro vs. Challenger vs. Mustang
Here's what you've been waiting for - the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T and the 2010 Ford Mustang GT - reviewed by us, together at the same time and place. Time for the Muscle Car Wars! Read More

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Hoon Of The Day!
Are you the hoon of the day? Would you like to see this t-shirt make a comeback? Read More

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2009 Corvette ZR1: First Drive
The 2009 Corvette ZR1 is the best car ever made. It redefines what performance cars are capable of, not by its numbers (the 0-to-60 in 3.3 seconds and a 205 MPH top speed figures are no longer noteworthy north of $100,000), but by how it makes those numbers so accessible. Simply put, the ZR1's most remarkable achievement is how easy and unintimidating the chassis makes exploiting the car's 638 HP. The only problem is I'm not good enough a driver to fully do so. Read More

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2010 ROUSH Mustang 427R
You'll have to wait for this bad boy. In the meantime check out the 2009 ROUSH Mustang Blackjack. Read More

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2010 Chevy Camaro: First Drive
After countless spy shots, speculation, Transformers tie-ins, leaked photos and numbers comparisons, we've finally driven the 2010 Chevy Camaro. Does the reality match the hype? Well, it's like Star Wars. Read More

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2009 Corvette ZR1: First Drive
The 2009 Corvette ZR1 is the best car ever made. It redefines what performance cars are capable of, not by its numbers (the 0-to-60 in 3.3 seconds and a 205 MPH top speed figures are no longer noteworthy north of $100,000), but by how it makes those numbers so accessible. Simply put, the ZR1's most remarkable achievement is how easy and unintimidating the chassis makes exploiting the car's 638 HP. The only problem is I'm not good enough a driver to fully do so. Read More

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2010 Ford Transit Connect: First Drive
After the Ford Fiesta, the 2010 Ford Transit Connect is the second most lust-worthy European Ford to make it Stateside. Can a small, practical cargo van appeal to big, burly American workers? Read More

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2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8
But this week I'm back in Detroit for one reason, and one reason alone - an entire week of driving the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8. It's a car imbued with so much positive energy there's only thing I can think of to do it justice. I plan on running Dodge's muscular old-school revival up and down Woodward Avenue, stoplight-to-stoplight, from downtown Detroit to Pontiac until I pass out from exhaustion or the gas station declines my credit card. Read More

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2010 Ford Taurus SHO: First Drive
Normally, when we review an exciting new performance car, we like to use a dramatic burnout shot. Unfortunately, the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO barely chirps its front wheels on its 5.2-second trip to 60 MPH.
Read More

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2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8
But this week I'm back in Detroit for one reason, and one reason alone - an entire week of driving the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8. It's a car imbued with so much positive energy there's only thing I can think of to do it justice. I plan on running Dodge's muscular old-school revival up and down Woodward Avenue, stoplight-to-stoplight, from downtown Detroit to Pontiac until I pass out from exhaustion or the gas station declines my credit card. Read More

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Down On The Street
Those of you who have been Jalopnik regulars for a while most likely have a pretty solid grasp of the concept behind the Down On The Street series, but what about newcomers to the site? We don't want DOTS to feel like some sort of in-crowd-only deal, so here's the Down On The Street FAQ. Read More

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Jalopnik: Obsessed With The Cult Of Cars
Because you read the internet for the car articles.

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iPhone-Wallpapers provides a simple step-by-step guide to installing wallpapers on your Apple iPhone, although if you already own one shouldn't you already know how to do this?

1. Right-click or control-click on the image you want to use.
2. Select "Save as…" and save the image to your hard drive.
* Mac users can either save the image to a folder or add it to their iPhoto library.
* PC users will want to save the wallpaper into their "My Pictures" folder.

You can then sync the iPhone with photos in iPhoto 4.0.3 or later on a Mac, or Photoshop Album 2.0 or later or Photoshop Elements 3.0 or later on a PC. Or you can sync with any folder on your computer that contains images. Connect the iPhone to your computer and do the following:

1. Launch iTunes then click the Photos tab and select "Sync photos from:"
2. From the pop-up menu, do one of the following:
o If your using a Mac, choose iPhoto or your Pictures folder.
o If you're using a PC, choose Photoshop Album, Photoshop Elements, or your My Pictures folder.
3. Choose Folder, then choose any folder on your computer that has images.
4. Choose "All photos," or choose "Selected folders" or "Selected albums" and choose the folders or albums you want to sync.

Finally on your iPhone:
1. Goto the Photos section of your camera. Browse through the albums or camera roll until you find the picture you wish to use.
2. Select the picture so it is displayed full screen.
3. Tap the icon in the lower left corner of the screen. If you don't see the icon, single tap the picture to display the menus.
4. Here you can select if you want to email the picture, save the picture as a wallpaper, or assign to a contact.
5. If you want to assign to a contact, press that button. The contact list will open and you can select the contact you wish to link to the picture.
6. Select Done to complete the process.

[via iPhone-Wallpapers]
The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.Here's a quick and dirty method to getting wallpapers on your brand-spankin-new Palm Pre thanks to PreThinking.

Adding wallpaper(s) to your Palm Pre:

1. Have your image as the new wallpaper ready on your computer. It must be in 320 x 480pixels. (Check out our wallpapers optimized for the Pre here.)
2. Connect your Palm Pre to the computer using the Micro-USB cable that came with the Pre.
3. Your Pre will ask to Media Sync, USB Drive or Just Charge. Choose USB Drive.Your Pre will now show up as an External Hard Drive on your computer. For Macs, you'll find 'Palm Pre' on your desktop and for windows, it's in 'My Computer'.
4. Click on 'Palm Pre' and you'll find yourself looking at several folders. One of which is labeled 'Wallpapers'.
5. Drag and Drop your preferred wallpaper(s) in the "Wallpapers" folder and you're done!

Changing your Wallpaper on your Palm Pre:

1. Open the 'Photos' App
2. Choose Wallpapers or any other photo album which your new Wallpaper is located at.
3. Scroll down to your new wallpaper and open it
4. Hit the upper left icon for the drop down menu
5. Hit 'Set Wallpaper'
6. It'll ask to Set Wallpaper again, hit it.

[via PreThinking]

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<![CDATA[iPhone 3G, 3GS: Car Gadget Round Up]]> Apple announced a host of auto-centric applications and features for iPhones both new and old at yesterday's 2009 World Wide Developers Conference, ranging from driving games to TomTom toys to Zipcar control. The full spectrum of new Apple auto-erotica below.

More at the Gizmodo WWDC 09 LiveBlog

As previously reported, Zipcar and iPhone have hooked up to give users of both services ultimate control.

TomTom, not willing to give up market share to iPhone users, have created an app with a window mount including a built-in speaker and microphone using the iPhone's own map system. The mount even rotates horizontally — making Gizmodo's Brian Lam remark it's how he's going to be able to watch movies while driving. Kids, don't try that at home.

Gameloft's mobile racing series Asphalt gets a series of upgrades for Asphalt5, taking advantage of the latest system improvements for the iPhone.

You can race an Audi R8 from an Audi R8.

There's a new compass system for the new iPhone 3GS using the new included magnetometer, and is integrated into the new Google maps app, showing your orientation with a small semitransparent cone.

While it's not really all that car-related, you pair this with the TomTom mount or even a Belkin mount and you've got a great replacement to the little bubble-suction cup on your dashboard.

Apple's now got voice control for the iPhone and it's the perfect way for Steve Jobs to make an end run on Microsoft-powered Ford Sync.

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<![CDATA[Control Zipcar From Your iPhone]]> Apple announced a new iPhone application for car-sharing service Zipcar at today's 2009 World Wide Developers Conference. The app will allow users to find, reserve and control zipcars from their phones. Yes, control.

Zipcar users with an iPhone will not only see locations and cars as little green pins and allow them to access information about the cars and make reservations. Better yet is a new feature that'll allow you to unlock the Zipcar from your phone rather than with the usual ZipCar ZipCard and even potentially control certain features of some cars, such as the horn, from the iPhone app. They haven't yet announced full control of the steering from an iPhone yet, but if they do it'll be at Gizmodo's WWDC live blog. [via Gizmodo]

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<![CDATA[The $2 Million Showdown: Bertone Mantide vs. Corvette ZR1]]> Stile Bertone's Mantide now has a price and production run size: $2,000,000 and ten. Let's see if it's worth the 20× premium over its donor car: the Corvette ZR1.

A few hours after we published our in-depth interview with Stile Bertone’s new design director Jason Castriota, I was standing by Lake Como with him showing me the secrets of his first Bertone design, the Mantide.

The front fenders melt into wings behind the front wheels then draw up into a single taut bunch—reminiscent of a calf muscle—which in turn passes under an archway similar to Castriota’s famous C-pillar for the Ferrari 599 GTB. The confluence of curves and LED’s in the back is, when viewed from a step back, a classic Kamm tail. While retaining the tried-and-true shape of the fastback, the Mantide is boldly futuristic.

But will anyone be able to drive it? There are plans to make two more examples, Castriota says, in white and green, to create an Italian flag with the addition of the first car. Then, in an email to the New York Times, he said: “We would not rule out producing as many as 10.” A price has also been quoted: €1,500,000

That's close to two million US dollars at the current exchange rate—almost two Veyrons worth of cold, hard cash. Not insignificant for a car built on a Corvette ZR1, which retails for 5% of the Mantide’s asking price. Let’s examine what you get for that kind of money, apart from the warm feeling of contributing to a company’s survival which has given us the Miura, the Countach and the Lancia Stratos.

Interior

While Jeremy Clarkson has named the Corvette ZR1 his car of the year for 2008 and our own road test editor Wes Siler called it “the best car ever made,” the fact remains: on the inside, it's all Corvette.

To whit, from our first drive:

In fact, the only thing detracting from the ZR1’s grand touring credentials is the interior. The only options on the $103,300 car are an awful set of chrome wheels and the 3ZR upgraded interior package, which succeeds in moving the interior from cheap and nasty into luxurious bass boat territory with more embroidered ZR1 and Corvette logos than my fragile mind could comprehend. We have a hard time accepting the “value” excuse; for this kind of money we’d no longer like to feel like a Jeff Foxworthy punchline. An automatic transmission is, thankfully, not an option.

Let’s see what the Mantide has to offer:

As you can see, it’s a modern European alcantara-carbon-fiber-leather affair, with the car’s hexagonal theme continuing as cutouts on the racing seats, themselves thin carbon shells. The instrument screen is the one used in the Ferrari FXX, the gearshift is a nice aluminum knob and it’s certainly got a snug racer feel to it. But it’s perhaps not as remarkable as the car’s exterior.

Certainly a major upgrade on the Corvette, though, but then that’s not saying much when you’re considering this is a two million dollar Italian super car.

Exterior

Here in Europe, the current Corvette is not liked much. It’s a big, brash American design, a brute amongst small European cars, but while it’s unarguably alien to these shores, I rather fancy its low, wide, flowing looks. In ZR1 trim, it’s a proper menace, with all the right vents, wings and scoops.

The Mantide gets rid of that all. Aside from the front-engined layout and the fastback silhouette, you would be hard pressed to tell there’s a Corvette underneath. And there is: the Mantide is not like the Italian-American cars from the 60s like the Iso Grifo or the De Tomaso Mangusta which paired an Italian chassis with an American V8. Beneath the red carbon fiber is a Corvette ZR1: LS9 engine, aluminum chassis, the works.

But what carbon fiber! It’s all sharp Bertone creases which turn into subtle arcs as you examine them up close, dihedral Enzo doors, smatterings of hexagons everywhere. The angular rear wheelarches—straight off the M577A armoured personnel carrier which transported the space marines into the doomed reactor core in Aliens—frame black Transformer wheels.

It’s dramatically new, so shockingly new that it’s actively disconcerting to take a few steps back and see its classic berlinetta profile. In person, it creates the sort of time warp the iPhone did when it first went on sale in the summer of 2007. You felt as though you were holding a sliver of 2011 in your hands.

The Mantide? I’d say it’s from 2017. Similar vehicles are on their way to leave the inner Solar System.

But then is it worth the price of 20 ZR1’s? There is, of course, no rational answer to such a question, as even the ZR1 is not an entirely rational purchase, being, as Dan Neil put it in his article The rapture of the hypercar, a big needle to deliver the combustible heroin of petroleum.

If you have space-faring ambitions on the public road, set to the soundtrack of a pushrod V8 with titanium bits, then by all means get in touch with Stile Bertone and put down whatever deposit they ask. The car geeks of the world need you to enable them to carry on the traditions of coachbuilding.

And then I saved the best part for the end. If you open the gigantic hood and peer inside, what you’ll see is exactly what you'll see when you open the hood of the ZR1 — a grinning, black Corvette Racing skull named Jake.

So even though this is not a race car, your Le Mans ass-kicking heritage is right there. And who could ask for more.

Photo Credit: Alex Conley (Corvette ZR1), Natalie Polgar and the author (Stile Bertone Mantide)

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<![CDATA[iPhone-Controlled Mazda RX-8 Not As Cool As It Sounds]]> When Jon Oxer decided to hook up his Mazda RX-8 to his iPhone, he had a car poised to impress hot-librarian-type women. Instead, he developed something likely only to impress dudes in Linux penguin t-shirts.

Anyone can put a computer in a car and, using remote controls, nearly anyone can control a car's electronics from a safe distance. Controlling a car remotely using an iPhone and installing a computer that can run without the addition of a new battery is something entirely different.

This trick, though nerdy, piece of kit, uses a small Alexi computer running Linux (Ubuntu) and hooked up to a 3G connection. Using the browser on his phone and a lot of brainpower, he can now access the OBDII data and control his audio system, motor, locks and other electronics. Even better, instead of using a direct wifi-to-wifi connection, he connects to the Internet and then the car downloads/uploads the information. This means he can connect to the car from in his house or, if he likes, in another part of the world.

[Slash Gear]

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<![CDATA[Apple iPhone OS 3.0 To Include Turn-By-Turn Direction Application Development]]> Apple's revealing their newly upgraded 3.0 iPhone Operating System today. No, we haven't just become Gizmodo, we're just interested in a new capability for developers to build turn-by-turn non-Google Maps map applications.

Here's what we've heard so far from the Gizmodo live-blog:

Many developers have asked Apple to use Google Maps inside of their application. And it's here. The Maps app can now be used as a public API and be embedded directly into any app.

Developers can now use CoreLocation to make Turn by Turn applications. So now you can build a turn by turn application, but you cannot use Apple's Google Maps because of licensing issues. But you can bring your OWN maps (as a developer), and make turn by turn directions for the iPhone.

So you'll get turn-by-turn, but you won't be getting Google Maps using the turn-by-turn. Damn lawyers. [Gizmodo Live]

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<![CDATA[XROADS G-Map: First iPhone Turn-By-Turn Nav App Review]]> The XROADS G-Map software brings turn-by-turn capabilities to the Apple iPhone, bridging the gap between the device and a typical GPS systems. Does it work?

Our friends at Kicking Tires put the XROADS G-Map iPhone App through the same tests they apply to regular GPS systems and found it to be a capable competitor to the larger, more expensive alternatives.

On the plus side, the App is easy-to-use with good routing and accurate placement. On the negative side, it doesn't have voice turn-by-turn and the maps don't include as many detailed street-level names. Overall, they found the system to work well and, considering it's just $19.99 for the XROADS G-Map App, it's a great value if you've already dropped a few hundred dollars on an iPhone.

[Kicking Tires]

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<![CDATA[Mustang Envi: The Essence Of 'Stang]]> Is this the lamest automotive iPhone app ever? [MustangEnvi]

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<![CDATA[Driver Saved From $200 Ticket By iPhone]]> When a police officer asks for proof-of-insurance, most people reach for their card. When it's expired, most people take the ticket. Paul reached for his iPhone and saved himself $200 and a suspended license.

A reader over at The Unofficial Apple Weblog was driving through a small blizzard when he slowed down and was rear-ended by another motorist. The investigating officer who arrived asked Paul, the driver, for his insurance card. Unfortunately, it was expired. In many states, if you're unable to prove your insurance you have to pay a $200 fine — and, because your insurance normally acts as a bond, if you don't have the cash, put up your license for bond.

Being cash-poor but rich in sense, Paul logged into his online Geico account via the iPhone's web-browser and got a PDF copy of the card mailed to his phone. The officer accepted the proof and no ticket was issued. While we don't expect this to work with most officers, having the web in your pocket might become a big help when driving — as long as you use it primarily when you're parked.

[via TUAW]

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<![CDATA[Jalopnik "Hacks" Chrysler Concept UConnect In-Car Internet Service, Lives To Tell About It]]> Chrysler debuted their HAL 9000-like next-gen Uconnect system in the Chrysler 200C Concept and it proved to be an impressive piece of tech. It's so impressive that we, uh-hem, had to "hack" it.

Chrysler provided us with an exclusive walk-through of their 2009 200C Concept at the Detroit Auto Show and we were most impressed by the integrated next-gen Uconnect system. Unlike Ford, who merely provided video evidence of their in-car media system (creepy avatar included), Chrysler built a fully functioning Wi-Fi enabled proof-of-concept into the 200C.

Brad Gieske, a designer at Chrysler, provided us with an in-depth look at the system from the user provided "smart phone" that controls all of the cars auxiliary functions; the concave glass surface that replaces a typical centerstack and cluster; to the pull-out tablet style control interface for passengers. While there were a few bugs in the system, mostly from an ultra-sensitive touch surface, the Chrysler team really provided a clear indication for the future of the Uconnect system.

The "smart phone" that acts as the car's key fob looks a whole hell of a lot like an Apple iPhone, but Gieske tells me that the system can be configured to any phone through a simple download service. It controls the typical key fob functions like lock/unlock and panic, but provides much more beyond just that. The phone/fob is capable of locating your car via GPS and an on-screen map; it can also raise/lower the windows, turn the lights on/off, turn on the AC/heat and it can also snap images/video of the vehicle's interior if the car is ever stolen or your horny teen is making a pass on his girlfriend. These are pretty cool features that seem to be possible today, so hopefully we won't have to wait for long.

The Uconnect system itself is designed into the 200C Concept's IP surface and features a concave, black glass surface with a projected image from the backside. The surface itself is controlled via a touch surface that seemed to be a little temperamental on the day that we were given the demonstration, but not enough to distract from the overall usability of the system.

In order to start the car, a large green power button glows on the center stack area of the touch panel, which when touched, illuminates the rest of the display surface. The main control area is designed to simulate a trackball of sorts with different icons set on a rotatable axis, all virtual of course. This control surface allows the manipulation of many of the cars different configurations like the audio, media, navigation and user settings.

A secondary auxiliary tablet-style display is carefully hidden in the passenger-side IP and when removed reveals an Apple Coverflow-like display. This secondary controller is set up for any passenger of the vehicle to listen to music, watch video and it can even serve as a route planner with transferable navigation data being sent to the in-dash Uconnect system.

Steve Holmes, Chrysler Component Design Manager, had this to say about the system:

This is what’s so different about Chrysler, we strived to make this work. It’s to show that we can do this, that the technology is there. It’s easy to show videos (referring to Ford). We really busted our ass to get this system to work. The curved surfaces, we didn’t want to have it be rectangular, we wanted it to fit in uniquely with the surface. We wanted the images to project all the way out so you weren’t looking at a bunch of squares.

And that they did. It worked and it worked well though we thought it was a little humorous when Queen/David Bowie's, Under Pressure, came on during our demonstration. Chrysler, you really were under pressure for this years Detroit Auto Show and while you showed us more vaporware EVs and the exterior of the 200C was nice, it really was the next-gen Uconnect that was the star of your display. We hope to see a version of this concept in the near future.

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<![CDATA[Drive The 2009 Audi A4 For Free... On Your iPhone]]> The Audi A4 Challenge may sound like an exciting spec-racing series, alas, it's only a free iPhone game allowing you to tilt a 2009 A4 through virtual tracks using the iPhone's accelerometer. No screen shots yet, but the game should be available now online at the iPhone application store and in Audi dealerships next month. Unfortunately, there's no multiplayer mode, and you can't even race against any AI opponents. How boring. What would really get us excited is if they make an Audi R8 or Audi RS6 challenge. Press release after the jump.

[screen shots via MotorAuthority]

HERNDON, Va., Aug 21, 2008 - Audi of America today announced the release of the first ever iPhone application from an auto manufacturer. "Audi A4 Challenge" is a driving game that utilizes the iPhone's accelerometer (motion sensor) to steer a digital version of Audi's entirely new 2009 A4 through a series of progressively challenging courses. Players maneuver the course and race against the clock to beat their own personal best time. The application is now available free of charge on Apple's iPhone Application Store. The 2009 Audi A4 will be available in Audi dealerships nationwide starting in September of 2008.

"The iPhone is an ideal platform to help introduce the entirely new Audi A4 to the public," said Scott Keogh, chief marketing officer, Audi of America. "Audi customers are smart, sophisticated and technologically savvy. As a brand, we are committed to progress and innovation at every turn. We're very excited to be the first automotive manufacturer to connect with our audience through the iPhone."

Located in Denver, Factory Design Labs, Audi's interactive agency of record designed the game in just two weeks.

"Innovation is the foundation of the Audi brand," said Scott Mellin, CEO of Factory Design Labs. "This is the first application by an automotive OEM, but it's also reinventing the shopping experience. In combination with the A4 iPhone web site, this is the first viable mobile marketing solution in the automotive space. Importantly, it is also a unique way to engage the consumer with the DNA of the Audi brand."

To support the application and the launch of the A4, Audi has also created an A4 iPhone experience web site that allows users to experience and learn more about the entirely new Audi A4. Customers who visit truthinengineering.com/a4/iphone on their iPhone will find a unique interface and content on the A4, specialized videos, wallpapers, an exterior color customizer, a dealer locator and link to install the Audi A4 Challenge application.

[Audi]

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