Archive for April, 2010

2011 Chevrolet Cruze: A Safety Story [w/video]

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Technology, Chevrolet

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Crash Testing – Click above for high-res image gallery

Over the course of Bob Lutz’ tenure at General Motors, one of his major goals was globalizing the production process. As Lutz tells it, the Pontiac GTO was the first global vehicle born of his labors, with development work being done in both Australia and North America. But the GTO, and its follow-up, the Pontiac G8/Holden Commodore, were niche products sold in limited numbers in limited markets. The real test of global product development comes when it’s applied to high-volume mainstream products.

That’s were the Epsilon II and Delta II architectures come into play. Epsilon is GM’s mid-large platform (D/E segment) while Delta is the compact (C segment) platform. We’ve already seen the Epsilon II here in America, underpinning the Buick LaCrosse, but the Chevrolet Cruze proved to be a tougher nut to crack. One of the most difficult challenges in the global production strategy is the differing safety standards around the world, along with the guidelines imposed by non-governmental bodies like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Creating a platform that can live up to all of these standards without being absurdly heavy is a problem. Find out how GM tackled the problem and found a solution after the jump.

Continue reading 2011 Chevrolet Cruze: A Safety Story [w/video]

2011 Chevrolet Cruze: A Safety Story [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Limited edition Mazda2 Yozora package comes with snow tires

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Mazda, Canada

Mazda2 Yozora edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

Canadian buyers can now get a Mazda2 with “2″s all over it, since that’s apparently what you’ve been dying for. The Mazda2 Yozora edition wears a suit of black as well as a rear spoiler, short antenna, chrome pipe and special wheels on winter tires. And a decal theme that looks like it was designed by John Nash in A Beautiful Mind. Just five hundred will be made at a starting price of $19,280 ($19,178 U.S.). Follow the jump for the details on its “captivating design,” or go straight to the gallery of high-res photos below.

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Limited edition Mazda2 Yozora package comes with snow tires

Limited edition Mazda2 Yozora package comes with snow tires originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Princess Leia. Car wash. No, we’re not kidding

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Celebrities

Star Wars Charity Car Wash – Click above to watch the videos after the break

It could very well be the ultimate car-obsessed/Star Wars fanboy fantasy. What is this latest object of our geekery? How about a car wash carried out by a gaggle of Princess Leias? And not just any Princess Leia, mind you, but slave Leia. We told you already: Ultimate car-obsessed Star Wars fanboy fantasy.

Not surprisingly, the fertile minds over at G4TV’s Attack of the Show were behind the stunt, and proceeds from the Star Wars Charity Car Wash went to the Make A Wish Foundation. And if you’re worried it was all just a horrible example of male chauvinism (yeah, it probably was), Han Solo, Darth Vader, Obi Wan, a slew of Storm Troopers and even a Tusken Raider and pair of Jawas were also present and accounted for. What, no Olivia Munn?

Video? Of course, four of them in total. See it all go down after the break.

[Source: Attack of the Show]

Continue reading Video: Princess Leia. Car wash. No, we’re not kidding

Video: Princess Leia. Car wash. No, we’re not kidding originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Puerto Rican funeral home presents shooting victim on his motorcycle [w/video]

Filed under: Etc., Motorcycle

David Morales Colón’s unusual wake – Click above to watch video after the jump

If you thought you’d previously seen it all, well, you’re wrong. Case in point: David Morales Colón, a 22-year-old Puerto Rican man who was shot to death last Thursday, and whose wake is now making headlines here in the United States mainland. How come? Well, suffice it to say that the funeral directors at Marin Funeral Home in San Juan’s Hato Rey neighborhood have a flair for the unorthodox. For example, in 2008, they embalmed another young shooting victim and displayed his body standing up for the duration of a multi-day wake.

Back to the present: Yesterday and today, callers who stopped to pay their final respects to the late Mr. Colón got a bit of a surprise. Instead of the traditional presentation of the body in a casket, Mr. Colón’s corpse, dressed in casual duds and sunglasses, was instead posed in a very lifelike position atop his Repsol-liveried Honda CBR600 F4. According to Puerto Rico’s Primera Hora newspaper, the motorcycle was given to the victim by his uncle, and upon Mr. Colón’s untimely demise, family members delivered the bike to the funeral home specifically for this unusual wake.

Lest you think this is some sort of insane hoax, here’s the link to the local Primera Hora coverage, which features a multi-shot photo gallery, and here’s the less detailed Associated Press wire version, which is presently making the rounds. Finally, we’ve got a video posted after the jump. We’ll say this: David Morales Colón rides into the afterlife in memorable style. Thanks to Joel for the tip, and thanks to Wes Siler for the bike ID.

[Source: PrimeraHora.com, YouTube]

Continue reading Puerto Rican funeral home presents shooting victim on his motorcycle [w/video]

Puerto Rican funeral home presents shooting victim on his motorcycle [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AutoblogGreen for 04.27.10

Chelsea Sexton: why the Volt’s engaged roll-out is vital, especially in the first few years
GM is walking the fine walk this time around.
Compared to Jay Leno’s Big Dog Garage, you park in a Superfund site
This one got out of hand, in a good way.
Video: Monoxitube puts exhaust and carbon monoxide emissions in your face
Just a thought.
Other news:

AutoblogGreen for 04.27.10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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