Toyota’s Huntsville, Alabama production facility, which makes the company’s four-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines, is getting a couple of big boosts: $ 80 million and roughly 125 new jobs. When the spending and hiring is complete, the enlarged factory and the plant’s 1,150 workers will raise engine-production capacity to more than 700,000 units, with V6 [...]
We don’t need to tell you why rally racing – though awesome – is incredibly dangerous. As much as we love to watch turbocharged, all-wheel-drive Euro hatches being flung around on dirt, gravel, snow and tarmac, the fact that many of these races go through small towns and wooded trails leaves plenty of room for [...]
It’s official. You really can build anything from Lego blocks. Behold a fully-functional 1:8.5 scale version of a Land Rover Defender 110. This radio-controlled machine features a five-speed transmission with reverse, a two-speed transfer case that offers both four-wheel and two-wheel drive modes and functional disc brakes on all four corners. It’s cool. We’ll wait [...]
Drifting’s been off the front pages for a while, the latest reports having more to do with turmoil than tire shredding. As with most things, though, just because it’s not headlining doesn’t mean it’s disappeared. NOS energy drink sent one of our favorite filmic chroniclers, Will Roegge, across the country to survey the drifting world. [...]
RM Auctions only just finished pulling in record numbers at its event in Monaco, but it’s already gearing up for the next event set to take place during Pebble Beach weekend in Monterey, California. Headlining the Canadian specialist auctioneer’s catalog for the August event are the rare 1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Berlinetta and the timelessly [...]
Automotive News reports Pininfarina projects it will turn a profit for 2012, thanks in part to debt restructuring. The Italian design studio hasn’t seen a profit in eight years, but signed a deal in April to restructure $ 182.6 million in debt. The move effectively stretched the studio’s repayment deadline from 2015 to 2018. At [...]
It’s one thing to protect yourself on the road against bad drivers who might cut you off or ride your bumper on the highway. It’s quite another to do that when those drivers have guns and want to kidnap the diplomat in your back seat. While the latter scenario may sound unlikely, many drivers in [...]
You are the driver of a yellow Lamborghini Gallardo, and you’ve been waiting at a traffic light for something like an entire minute. That glowing red orb of light has been the matador’s crimson cape to your bull, taunting you, holding you back, making you very, very angry. So crush the gas pedal a few [...]
The crew from Mission Motors took the time to stop by Jay Leno’s Garage to give the comedian a peek at the Mission-R electric motorcycle. The machine uses 14-kWh lithium-ion batteries paired with a 120-kilowatt motor, which means there’s around 161 horsepower on hand. Mission says the combination can get rider and machine to 60 [...]
Mike Flewitt, Ford’s vice president, manufacturing, Ford of Europe, has decided to “pursue other career interests” according to the company’s press release. Jeff Wood, director of manufacturing for Ford’s North America operations, will replace Flewitt beginning June 1. Automotive News reports that the resignation comes after Ford of Europe reported a first-quarter, pre-tax loss of [...]