Pagani Zonda F Driver Survives 199mph - 320 km/h Crash After Spinning Out of Control

There are very few (if any) people that can lose control of their car at 199mph or 320km/h and live another day to tell the tale. But that's exactly what happened to a 28-year-old German driver of a black Pagani Zonda F and his 21-year-old [sic...] Lithuanian passenger, after the young man lost control of the $1.5 million supercar earlier this week on Italy's A10 autostrada. According to reports

Brain...Jammed Vandals Destroy Seven New Toyota Models at 2011 Chicago Auto Show

Auto shows seem to have become risky business for car manufacturers. After the BMW 750i that was stolen at the Detroit motor show earlier this year, now more disturbing news comes from the Chicago Auto Show, where the Toyota booth attracted unwanted attention. According to local newspapers, seven new Toyota models had their interiors vandalized by three young men, aged 20, 21 and 28. We don't

VIDEO: Ford Fusion Accident Leads to an Epic Landing

Now here's a scene you don't see every day. In fact, even if you tried to do it on purpose, we seriously doubt that you'd manage to pull it off no matter how hard and how many times you tried. The truly epic landing and vertical rest of this silver colored Ford Fusion (or at least it looks like a Ford') in the snowbank is the result of a multiple vehicle accident that took place on I-93 South bound just before Exit 3 in Windam in New Hampshire on Tuesday. Video follows after the break.

Source: Eagle Tribune

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

VIDEO: Ford Fusion Accident Leads to an Epic Landing

Now here's a scene you don't see every day. In fact, even if you tried to do it on purpose, we seriously doubt that you'd manage to pull it off no matter how hard and how many times you tried. The truly epic landing and vertical rest of this silver colored Ford Fusion (or at least it looks like a Ford') in the snowbank is the result of a multiple vehicle accident that took place on I-93 South bound just before Exit 3 in Windam in New Hampshire on Tuesday. Video follows after the break.

Source: Eagle Tribune

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

VIDEO: Oops...Ford F-150 Steps Over Ferrari 458 Italia

The owner of a brand new Ferrari 458 Italia with some 500 miles on the odometer in Brandon Florida received a quick lesson on the disadvantages of a low slung sports car in the land of pickup trucks and SUVs when a Ford F-150 ran over its hood. We don't know if the F-150 driver mistook Maranello's creation for a red speed bump or if the Ferrari owner questioned Ford's 'Built Tough' slogan, but something tells us this video is going to become a hit. You can watch the clip after the break.

Via: Autoblog.nl

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

VIDEO: Oops...Ford F-150 Steps Over Ferrari 458 Italia

The owner of a brand new Ferrari 458 Italia with some 500 miles on the odometer in Brandon Florida received a quick lesson on the disadvantages of a low slung sports car in the land of pickup trucks and SUVs when a Ford F-150 ran over its hood. We don't know if the F-150 driver mistook Maranello's creation for a red speed bump or if the Ferrari owner questioned Ford's 'Built Tough' slogan, but something tells us this video is going to become a hit. You can watch the clip after the break.

Via: Autoblog.nl

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

Euro NCAP's Best and Worst Performers of 2010

The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), which is similar to the American IIHS testing regimen, has released a list with the safest car in each vehicle category and the two worst performers overall of 2010. The cars that attained the coveted five star rating and achieved the highest overall score in their respective segment are:

------ Executive category: BMW 5 Series
------ Small Family category: Alfa Romeo Giulietta
------ Supermini category: Honda CR-Z
------ Small off-road 4×4 category: Kia Sportage
------ Small MPV category: Toyota Verso

On the other side of the fence are two models that achieved the poorest results of 2010. These are the Citroen Nemo with three stars and China's Landwind CV9 that received only two stars.

The European body noted that the cars in the top list "accomplished a high combined score based on the scores in each of the individual four areas of Euro NCAP’s assessment, while notably exceeding the thresholds for a 5 star overall rating". Along with the five top achievers, Euro NCAP said that the Suzuki Swift, Kia Venga, BMW X1, VW Sharan/Seat Alhambra, Citroen C4 all exceeded the 80% mark in overall score putting them on the runner-up list for the safest cars of 2010.

Commenting on the results, Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General said: “Every year, car manufacturers constantly work to innovate and make their cars better and safer for the driver, whatever the size of the vehicle. The presence in these categories of high performing 5 star cars demonstrates car manufacturers’ commitment to safety for all sizes of vehicles.”

In early 2009, Euro NCAP implemented tougher crash testing procedures that make it more difficult for vehicles to receive a five-star rating. Last year, the European body crash tested a total of twenty-nine vehicles from numerous categories, of which 65 per cent reached the five star rating, compared to 90% in 2009...

Big Brother is Watching your Teens Drive [with Video]

You wouldn’t let a novice with less than sixty hours experience operate a two tonne piece of heavy machinery unsupervised, would you? “Of course not!” you reply, not realizing that many of us do at least once a week. Ask yourself this: what do you think you’re doing if you let your teenage offspring borrow your car?

Okay, so maybe that’s a bit reactionary. You probably think I’m one of these people who want to ban everyone under the age of 30 from driving. That’s not true, mostly because I’m twenty-three and was a teenage driver. I’ve had more than my fair share of stupid, naive accidents behind the wheel and I feel comforted that I, unlike a few less fortunate friends, have made it into my twenties

Why, you ask? Because the sad fact is, teenagers are more than four times likely to have an accident than adults, accounting for more than 3,000 automobile fatalities a year in the U.S. It’s so bad, in fact, that’s it’s considered one of the leading causes of death among 15- to 19-year-olds. No wonder so many parents feel powerless in protecting their kids on the road.

There is a few rays of hope, however. American Family, an insurance company based in Wisconsin, has been offering its Teen Safe Driver Program since 2007. The program involves fitting a DriverCam camera behind a car’s windshield, which looks both forward and aft so it can monitor the teen driver and the road outside.

The program pays for the cameras, installation and a monthly service fee, and enrolled families receive a discount on their auto insurance. In the event of aggressive driving – such as swerving suddenly or slamming on the brakes – the cameras record 20 seconds of footage that parents can then see on DriveCam’s website. And it would appear to work – American Family reports that it reduces risky driving by up to seventy percent.

The idea is that the cameras will encourage kids to stay on the straight and narrow, and as a learning tool where parents can teach their kids driving skills and correct poor driving behavior. And there’s more.

The Tiwi is a vehicle-integrated tracking device that monitors a vehicle’s location and speed, the posted speed limit and the driver’s seat belt usage. It then gives audible coaching to tell the driver to slow down. Ford is also implementing parental controls that can limit the top speed of its vehicles to 80 mph and reduce the maximum volume the radio can be set at.

One thing’s for sure, we all better get used to electronic oversight in our vehicles. By 2013, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration will be mandating the installation of aircraft-style black boxes that record vital vehicle data before, during and after an accident. Regardless of what you think about invasion of privacy and consumer rights, you have to agree: if it genuinely saves lives and reduces accidents, it’s probably a good thing.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Kansas City Star via Cnet

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

Big Brother is Watching your Teens Drive [with Video]

You wouldn’t let a novice with less than sixty hours experience operate a two tonne piece of heavy machinery unsupervised, would you? “Of course not!” you reply, not realizing that many of us do at least once a week. Ask yourself this: what do you think you’re doing if you let your teenage offspring borrow your car?

Okay, so maybe that’s a bit reactionary. You probably think I’m one of these people who want to ban everyone under the age of 30 from driving. That’s not true, mostly because I’m twenty-three and was a teenage driver. I’ve had more than my fair share of stupid, naive accidents behind the wheel and I feel comforted that I, unlike a few less fortunate friends, have made it into my twenties

Why, you ask? Because the sad fact is, teenagers are more than four times likely to have an accident than adults, accounting for more than 3,000 automobile fatalities a year in the U.S. It’s so bad, in fact, that’s it’s considered one of the leading causes of death among 15- to 19-year-olds. No wonder so many parents feel powerless in protecting their kids on the road.

There is a few rays of hope, however. American Family, an insurance company based in Wisconsin, has been offering its Teen Safe Driver Program since 2007. The program involves fitting a DriverCam camera behind a car’s windshield, which looks both forward and aft so it can monitor the teen driver and the road outside.

The program pays for the cameras, installation and a monthly service fee, and enrolled families receive a discount on their auto insurance. In the event of aggressive driving – such as swerving suddenly or slamming on the brakes – the cameras record 20 seconds of footage that parents can then see on DriveCam’s website. And it would appear to work – American Family reports that it reduces risky driving by up to seventy percent.

The idea is that the cameras will encourage kids to stay on the straight and narrow, and as a learning tool where parents can teach their kids driving skills and correct poor driving behavior. And there’s more.

The Tiwi is a vehicle-integrated tracking device that monitors a vehicle’s location and speed, the posted speed limit and the driver’s seat belt usage. It then gives audible coaching to tell the driver to slow down. Ford is also implementing parental controls that can limit the top speed of its vehicles to 80 mph and reduce the maximum volume the radio can be set at.

One thing’s for sure, we all better get used to electronic oversight in our vehicles. By 2013, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration will be mandating the installation of aircraft-style black boxes that record vital vehicle data before, during and after an accident. Regardless of what you think about invasion of privacy and consumer rights, you have to agree: if it genuinely saves lives and reduces accidents, it’s probably a good thing.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Kansas City Star via Cnet

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

VIDEO: BMW's Security Vehicle Test Grounds at Former Soviet Military Base

For more than thirty years now, BMW has been producing a special range of security vehicles that offer armored protection against everything from pistol fire to small explosions. These vehicles are developed at a special test facility located in east Germany, in a former soviet base, said to have been the biggest military airport in Europe during the Cold War. Here, the Bavarian automaker tests its armored vehicles and hosts a special driver training program where instructors teach participants how to react in dangerous situations and push the cars to their limits. You can watch the video right after the jump.

Source: BMW via Autoblog.nl

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

VIDEO: BMW's Security Vehicle Test Grounds at Former Soviet Military Base

For more than thirty years now, BMW has been producing a special range of security vehicles that offer armored protection against everything from pistol fire to small explosions. These vehicles are developed at a special test facility located in east Germany, in a former soviet base, said to have been the biggest military airport in Europe during the Cold War. Here, the Bavarian automaker tests its armored vehicles and hosts a special driver training program where instructors teach participants how to react in dangerous situations and push the cars to their limits. You can watch the video right after the jump.

Source: BMW via Autoblog.nl

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

Euro NCAP's Best and Worst Performers of 2010

The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), which is similar to the American IIHS testing regimen, has released a list with the safest car in each vehicle category and the two worst performers overall of 2010. The cars that attained the coveted five star rating and achieved the highest overall score in their respective segment are:

------ Executive category: BMW 5 Series
------ Small Family category: Alfa Romeo Giulietta
------ Supermini category: Honda CR-Z
------ Small off-road 4×4 category: Kia Sportage
------ Small MPV category: Toyota Verso

On the other side of the fence are two models that achieved the poorest results of 2010. These are the Citroen Nemo with three stars and China's Landwind CV9 that received only two stars.

The European body noted that the cars in the top list "accomplished a high combined score based on the scores in each of the individual four areas of Euro NCAP’s assessment, while notably exceeding the thresholds for a 5 star overall rating". Along with the five top achievers, Euro NCAP said that the Suzuki Swift, Kia Venga, BMW X1, VW Sharan/Seat Alhambra, Citroen C4 all exceeded the 80% mark in overall score putting them on the runner-up list for the safest cars of 2010.

Commenting on the results, Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General said: “Every year, car manufacturers constantly work to innovate and make their cars better and safer for the driver, whatever the size of the vehicle. The presence in these categories of high performing 5 star cars demonstrates car manufacturers’ commitment to safety for all sizes of vehicles.”

In early 2009, Euro NCAP implemented tougher crash testing procedures that make it more difficult for vehicles to receive a five-star rating. Last year, the European body crash tested a total of twenty-nine vehicles from numerous categories, of which 65 per cent reached the five star rating, compared to 90% in 2009.

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Euro NCAP's Best and Worst Performers of 2010

The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), which is similar to the American IIHS testing regimen, has released a list with the safest car in each vehicle category and the two worst performers overall of 2010. The cars that attained the coveted five star rating and achieved the highest overall score in their respective segment are:

------ Executive category: BMW 5 Series
------ Small Family category: Alfa Romeo Giulietta
------ Supermini category: Honda CR-Z
------ Small off-road 4×4 category: Kia Sportage
------ Small MPV category: Toyota Verso

On the other side of the fence are two models that achieved the poorest results of 2010. These are the Citroen Nemo with three stars and China's Landwind CV9 that received only two stars.

The European body noted that the cars in the top list "accomplished a high combined score based on the scores in each of the individual four areas of Euro NCAP’s assessment, while notably exceeding the thresholds for a 5 star overall rating". Along with the five top achievers, Euro NCAP said that the Suzuki Swift, Kia Venga, BMW X1, VW Sharan/Seat Alhambra, Citroen C4 all exceeded the 80% mark in overall score putting them on the runner-up list for the safest cars of 2010.

Commenting on the results, Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General said: “Every year, car manufacturers constantly work to innovate and make their cars better and safer for the driver, whatever the size of the vehicle. The presence in these categories of high performing 5 star cars demonstrates car manufacturers’ commitment to safety for all sizes of vehicles.”

In early 2009, Euro NCAP implemented tougher crash testing procedures that make it more difficult for vehicles to receive a five-star rating. Last year, the European body crash tested a total of twenty-nine vehicles from numerous categories, of which 65 per cent reached the five star rating, compared to 90% in 2009.

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

VIDEO: Audi A3 Turns Into Icicle after NY Water Main Breaks

An Audi A3 Sportback owner in New York City's East Village received a chilly surprise on Monday after finding his car literally encased in ice. The freakish incident occurred after a pipe broke under the street sometime during the weekend causing a sinkhole that formed a small pond around the Audi. The passing cars splashing water all over the A3 and subfreezing temperatures did the rest. As you can see in the video after the jump, the ice was so thick that the owner's attempts to free the car from its frozen cage with a chisel and a hammer proved futile.

Source: KLG News

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

VIDEO: Audi A3 Turns Into Icicle after NY Water Main Breaks

An Audi A3 Sportback owner in New York City's East Village received a chilly surprise on Monday after finding his car literally encased in ice. The freakish incident occurred after a pipe broke under the street sometime during the weekend causing a sinkhole that formed a small pond around the Audi. The passing cars splashing water all over the A3 and subfreezing temperatures did the rest. As you can see in the video after the jump, the ice was so thick that the owner's attempts to free the car from its frozen cage with a chisel and a hammer proved futile.

Source: KLG News

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

Tunisians Destroy Ferrari California Allegedly Owned by a Family Member of the Exiled President [with Videos]

Earlier this week, a video showing ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano dangling from the forks of an industrial truck made world headlines. But that wasn't the only car from Maranello to be targeted by the angry protesters. New videos and photos showing yet another Prancing Horse model being 'liberated' have now surfaced online.

This time it's a red-colored Ferrari California claimed to be owned by a member of the former Tunisian Preseident's family named Sofiane Ben Ali. In their mad rush, Tunisian rioters utterly destroyed the hardtop convertible relieving it from tires, badges and anything else that could get their hands on.

The looting seems to have taken place in the garage where the Ferrari was parked, meaning that no one took the Italian supercar for a spin, which is kind of sad (in a twisted way of course...). Scroll down for the video and photos.

Source: Czechferrari via Autoblog.nl

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________VIDEOS_______________________________