If you’re launching a line of extended-range electric vehicles, ala the Chevy Volt, it’s hard to imagine a better person to help you with the launch than Bob Lutz, the driving force behind that very car. Now he’s working with VIA Motors, which today introduced a line of electric vehicles of a rather different scale. The V-TRUX line of big boy toys includes modified GMC trucks, SUVs and vans, customized to include a Volt-like powertrain that enables up to 40 miles of electricity-only driving before switching over to the onboard 4.8 liter V8. More details after the break.
I like to think that I’m pretty plugged into retro geek culture, but I have to hand it to the guys over at You Found a Secret Area! for turning up something I’ve not seen before – a series of Atari 2600-themed cars from Hot Wheels. Oh, and you can still buy them!
The 1/64th scale die-cast vehicle series is packaged on cards that look like classic Atari 2600 games, including Breakout, Centipede, Pong, Missile Command, and Tempest. There’s even an Atari 2600 party bus (aka Urban Assault Vehicle) for good measure. I’m not sure if the vehicles really make much sense, but they’re still an awesome bit of swag for any collector of Atari 2600 memorabilia. My personal favorite has to be the Centipede monster machine – it totally reminds me of the 1970s with its funny car styling and giant exhaust headers.
Here are a bunch of detailed video shots of each vehicle, courtesy of Hot Wheels Nation:
You can find them over on Amazon for $9.99(USD) each. But you’d better move fast before they all become as hard to find as a copy of Air Raid.
Lasha Pataraya has an unusual gift. He’s not just insanely strong: he has insanely strong ears, too. Which is why he was able to use one of them to pull an 8-ton truck. More »
If you’re an Xbox 360 gamer and a big fan of the video game Forza Horizon, the December 2012 car download pack has been announced. The new cars will be available on Tuesday, December 4 via Xbox LIVE Marketplace. The pack will include six new vehicles.
One of the new vehicles is the 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Halo Edition. This is a Halo skinned version of Ford’s impressive off-road racing truck designed by 343 Industries. The car pack also includes a 2008 Aston Martin DBS rocking a 510 hp V12 engine.
The DLC also includes a 2012 Ferrari F12berlinetta, which won’t come to the US in the real world until next year.
Rounding out the car download pack is a 2006 Ford GTX1, a 2006 Hummer H1 Alpha Open Top, a 1993 McLaren F1, and a 1971 AMC Javelin-AMX.
That last vehicle will be available as a free download to all Forza Horizon players, while the rest of the December download pack will sell for 400 Microsoft Points.
While driving off-road can be a lot of fun, it can also be a challenging and dangerous activity, especially if you’re not a skilled 4×4 driver. Well thanks to some cool technology in Toyota’s trucks you can rest a little easier when driving off-road or in challenging terrain.
I recently had an opportunity to test out a couple of Toyota’s trucks with their new five-speed CRAWL control, a technology which helps drivers focus on steering while off-road, increasing safety and driving efficiency in difficult terrain.
At the center of the system is the ability for the vehicle to automatically regulate engine speed and braking force, while all the driver needs to do is turn the wheel. So when you’re making your way across rough ground or steep grades, the truck can do almost all of the work for you. The system works its magic by watching the wheel speed at each corner of the vehicle, and modulates the powertrain and braking system to ensure a safe and stable speed as you navigate treacherous roads.
You can use lower speeds to navigate rocky terrain downhill, while the higher speeds are best for uphill climbs on rocks, snow or gravel. Plus it works in either Drive or Reverse. And even if you’re not going off-road, the Hill-Start assist feature is very helpful if you live somewhere with steep hills. It automatically holds the car still at the top of a hill, so you don’t constantly need to keep your foot on both the brake and the gas.
There’s also a nifty mode called Off-Road Turn Assist which helps you make extremely tight turns by pulsing the rear brakes individually, depending on the direction of the steer. Think of what happens if you lock up a single wheel on a shopping cart – it pivots. This same principle is at work here, and all you need to do is turn the wheel. The truck takes care of the rest.
Truckers of the world! No matter how many times you try it, no matter how much you duck inside your cabin as get through it, no matter how strongly you believe the warning signs don’t apply to you, your vehicle is never going to be able to survive an encounter with Durham’s 11-foot 8-inch tall bridge. More »
Griffin makes all sorts of accessories for Apple products like the iPhone and the iPad. The company has unveiled a couple of new toys that use iOS devices as controllers. The toys in question include a monster truck and little racing dune buggy called the Moto TC Monster and the Moto TC Racer.
The Monster is available right now and sells for $59.99(USD). It uses Bluetooth connectivity from the smartphone to send signals to the vehicle for control. The vehicle can be controlled using fingers on a virtual steering wheel or by tilting the device using its motion sensors. The controller app also features a slide controller where you can slide your finger back and forth to direct the truck.
Drivers can also set up a preset route to have the truck automatically run a specific route with no interaction. The Racer is a smaller buggy style car that will launch in the middle of November for $29.99. It will use an integrated RF sensor and an accessory that plugs into the headphone port of your device. Its app will support control using virtual steering wheel or motion. Both devices require iOS 5.0 or higher to operate.
To complement Mitsubishi‘s existing electric minivan and car, the Minicab MiEV has parked itself here at CEATEC, Chiba, adding a Gasoline-avoiding pick-up truck to the family. Capable of reaching distances up to 110km on a single charge, with the option of a portable battery, the vehicle is set to roll in Japanese stores some time next year.
Trucks are some of the best-selling vehicles on the road thanks in large part to the utility and their ability to tow lots of weight. For most people who have a boat or a travel trailer, a truck is the preferred vehicle. It used to be if you wanted to be able to tow a significant amount of weight, you needed a V8 engine under the hood.
That’s not the case anymore and the 2013 Ford F-150 V6 is proof of that. Ford has claimed the towing capacity crown for entry-level V6 pickup trucks with the new 2013 F-150 powered by a 3.7-liter V6 engine producing 302 HP. The truck has a rated towing capacity of 6700 pounds.
The 13 model is rated for 600 pounds more than the 2012 model. Ford up the towing capacity by 600 pounds after analyzing data collected in real-world use of the truck. The new 6700-pound towing capacity is 200 pounds higher than the V6 powered Ram 1500.
The 2013 F-150 can tow 1800 pounds more than the V6-powered Toyota Tundra. The towing capacity of the new Ford truck is also significantly higher than the entry-level Chevrolet Silverado truck. The V6 Ford tows 1300 pounds more than the V6 Chevrolet. The F-150 is also rated for fuel economy of 23 mpg on the highway.
Growing up back in the 1970s, during the height of the C.B. radio craze, the U.S. had truly romanticized the life of the trucker. Between movies like Convoy and Smokey and the Bandit, kids were aspiring to take to the open road and drive an 18-wheeler. Or not. If you still long for the trucker lifestyle while you sit at your MacBook and sip lattes, then you might want to grab one of these.
It’s a media player that’s shaped like the cab of a tiny truck – minus the cargo. I can only imagine a tiny little guy inside there, chatting away on his C.B. (or more likely inviting skanky hookers inside at every truckstop.) Other than its truck looks, this media player is nothing special. It’s can read microSD cards and USB flash drives, and plays MP3 and WMA files. It also has an FM radio built in, and a small speaker. But you’re not buying this thing for the technology, are you?
You can grab the Truck Media Player over at USBGeek for $27(USD). 10-4, good buddy?
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
