Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Nissan to take on domestics with commercial truck in 2010]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/nissan-to-take-on-domestics-with-commercial-truck-in-2010/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/nissan-to-take-on-domestics-with-commercial-truck-in-2010/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/27/nissan-to-take-on-domestics-with-commercial-truck-in-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Sensing the ripe market opportunity, Nissan will start producing various light-commercial and medium-duty trucks in 2010. The targeted segment is currently dominated by Ford and GM, where the miscellaneous cabs and frames are used to produce such vehicles as dump trucks, tow trucks, and school buses. Now, Nissan wants a piece of the pie. Larry Dominique, Nissan's VP of product planning, wouldn't disclose details right now, but he did say that a handful of new products will be needed to satisfy the new commercial truck dealers - and Nissan is more than willing to oblige. Joe Castelli, the former director of Ford's commercial trucks (and now a VP of commercial trucks at Nissan), said the Japanese automaker will be pulling from their global stable of commercial components (branded Atlas and Atleon in other markets) to quickly adapt them for the U.S. market. Nissan's official commercial truck plans will be announced in January at the Detroit Auto Show, and we'll be there to judge reactions.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

 

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]]>Commerical TrucksCommericalTrucksLight TrucksLightTrucksManufacturingNissanTruck2008-08-27T18:01:00+00:00<![CDATA[Navistar <i>not</i> going to buy GM's medium duty truck business]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/20/navistar-i-not-i-going-to-buy-gms-medium-duty-truck-business/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/20/navistar-i-not-i-going-to-buy-gms-medium-duty-truck-business/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/20/navistar-i-not-i-going-to-buy-gms-medium-duty-truck-business/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



It's an epic poem that could have been written by Byron: you suffered a nasty breakup and met a new girl, you dated for a while, things were looking outstanding, you proposed... and then the bottom dropped out of the medium-duty truck business. We've seen it all before. And now that it's happened, Navistar has backed away from it's non-binding commitment to purchase GM's medium-duty truck operations.

GM and Navistar only had a memorandum of understanding, so there appears to be no harm, no foul in Navistar getting icy feet. The brief announcement of the dissolution presents it as a mutual affair: "Due to significant marketplace and economic changes, GM and Navistar have decided not to renew the memorandum of understanding to purchase GM's medium duty truck business," but we imagine GM standing at the altar, watching its Navistar groom bolt from the church and hop in a taxi.>

GM is still talking to Navistar and looking at other ways to dump find a good home for its medium duty truck business. A shame, because they make some fine vehicles.

[Source: GM]

 

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]]>chevy kodiakChevyKodiakgmgmc topkickGmcTopkickinternationalinternational truckInternationalTruckmedium duty truckmedium duty trucksMediumDutyTruckMediumDutyTrucksnavistarnavistar truckNavistarTruck2008-08-20T14:58:00+00:00<![CDATA[Ford slashing F-150 customization by 90 percent]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/18/ford-slashing-f-150-customization-by-90-percent/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/18/ford-slashing-f-150-customization-by-90-percent/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/18/ford-slashing-f-150-customization-by-90-percent/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


Click on the pic above for our high-res 2009 Ford F-150 gallery

As staggering as it may seem, the 2008 Ford F-150 pickup can be ordered in billions of different combinations. That's all going to change for 2009. In an effort to reduce complexity and cut spiraling costs in the process, Ford will be slashing the number of possible F-150 configurations by 90 percent. The automaker isn't leaving the rest of the lineup alone either. The Ford Expedition goes from 250,000 combos down to fewer than 10,000. The 2009 Lincoln MKS debuts with about 300 combinations, and the 2010 Ford Focus will offer only about 150, which is 95 percent fewer than the current model. Are you in the market for a 2009 Ford F-150 and worried that you won't be able to get it exactly the way you want? Don't fret, Ford will still offer more than 9 million combinations for next year's model, including a brown one we presume.

Gallery: 2009 Ford F-150


[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

 

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]]>2009 F-1502009F-150configurationscustomizationF-150FordFord ExpeditionFord FocusFordExpeditionFordFocusLincoln MKSLincolnMksoptionsreduce optionsReduceOptions2008-08-18T13:33:00+00:00<![CDATA[AM General to produce wheelchair-accessible transit vehicle]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/14/am-general-to-produce-wheelchair-accessible-transit-vehicle/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/14/am-general-to-produce-wheelchair-accessible-transit-vehicle/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/14/am-general-to-produce-wheelchair-accessible-transit-vehicle/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


While General Motors looks over a stack of offers for its HUMMER brand, the fate of AM General hangs in the balance. The military contractor developed and built the original Humvee until the rights to the HUMMER name were bought by GM, who then contracted AM General to continue building the H1 (until it was discontinued) and then the Chevy Tahoe-based H2. (The Chevy Colorado-based H3, meanwhile, is built entirely by GM at its Shreveport, Louisiana plant.) With the future of its General Motors contracts uncertain, AM General has announced a new deal of another kind.

Starting in 2010, the Indiana-based company will begin producing a new series of wheelchair-accessible transit vehicles for the Vehicle Production Group, LLC. Although, as VPG points out, the usual development gestation period for such vehicles is two to three years, VPG and AM General intend to get the ramp-equipped para-transit vehicle to market in less than 24 months. Over 3,500 units have already been ordered, leading VPG to project that annual production will well exceed that number, while AM General intends to use the same workforce it currently employs for the new project. As for what the para-transit vehicle will look like, no one knows, but there was word of AM General developing a new version of the Standard Taxi (see above) with a low ride height and large doors that appears as if it could easily accommodate wheel chairs.

[Source: Detroit News]

 

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]]>am generalAmGeneralhmmwvhummervehicle production groupVehicleProductionGroupvpgwheelchair accessiblewheelchair-accessibleWheelchairAccessible2008-08-14T09:30:00+00:00<![CDATA[Titan Tire ships world's first 63-inch tire]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/31/titan-tire-ships-worlds-first-63-inch-tire/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/31/titan-tire-ships-worlds-first-63-inch-tire/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/31/titan-tire-ships-worlds-first-63-inch-tire/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Remember in the first Crocodile Dundee movie when he gets mugged in New York City and Sue says "He's got a knife," and Dundee says, "That's not a knife, this is a knife," and then he pulls out a beast-killing monstrosity of a blade? Well, that's what the folks at Titan Tire are saying right now about every other -- smaller -- tire in the world.

Titan has made a 63-inch rubber behemoth for use on trucks in Canada's oil sands. The stats on these rubber donuts is impressive: the 59/80R63 is the biggest production tire in the world, standing over fourteen feet tall and weighing 12,500 pounds with a load rating of 101 metric tons. It makes Titan a very appropriate name for the company, as we learned from another movie, Remember the Titans, that in Greek mythology the Titans were greater even than the gods. Now we can only hope this development will make the price of oil drop another ten dollars...

[Source: Titan via Gizmag]

 

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]]>6363 inch tire63InchTiremining equipmentMiningEquipmenttiretirestitantitan tireTitanTirewheels2008-07-31T14:28:00+00:00<![CDATA[VW 9.150 ECE armored robot bulldog...er...truck]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/10/vw-9-150-ece-armored-robot-bulldog-er-truck/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/10/vw-9-150-ece-armored-robot-bulldog-er-truck/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/10/vw-9-150-ece-armored-robot-bulldog-er-truck/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above for 16 high-res images of the 9.150 ECE.

Volkswagen Brasil's commercial arm released the 9.150 ECE armored truck back in February of this year, but it's been off of everyone's radar until today, when photos began making the internet rounds. Looking like a giant, wheeled metallic bulldog that could transform into a giant talking robot at any moment, the 9.150 ECE is powered by a 4750cc inline four-cylinder turbodiesel mated to a five-speed transmission. Power is a modest 150 horses, but peak torque is a stout 405 lb.-ft., delivered between 1,600 and 2,000 rpm. It clearly needs that low-end grunt to haul a full payload of duckets. We call for VW to import a civilian version to North America posthaste. After all, the civilian-trim Chevy Kodiak, International CXT, GMC TopKick and Ford F-650 could use a little competition. How do you say "Das Auto" in Portuguese?

Gallery: VW 9.150 ECE Armored Truck


[Source: VW Brasil]

 

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]]>4750cc9.150 ece9.150Ecearmored truckArmoredTruckvolkswagen brasilvolkswagen brazilVolkswagenBrasilVolkswagenBrazil2008-07-10T15:30:00+00:00<![CDATA[Enthusiast's tractor brings Porsche back to its roots]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/08/enthusiasts-tractor-brings-porsche-back-to-its-roots/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/08/enthusiasts-tractor-brings-porsche-back-to-its-roots/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/08/enthusiasts-tractor-brings-porsche-back-to-its-roots/#commentsFiled under: , ,

What do Porsche and Lamborghini have in common? Well, a lot. To begin with, both make highly desirable sports cars, and after the former bought up a serious stake in Volkswagen, which in turn had bought the latter, both are now under common ownership. Both have produced insanely powerful sport-utilities and both have built tractors. Lamborghini started out making tractors before Ferruccio's infamous run-in with Enzo Ferrari, after which he started making sportscars. The rest, as they say, is history. Porsche, on the other hand, started out in the opposite direction, producing sportscars before eventually moving on to sport-utes. But back in the 1950's, Porsche made a series of tractors as well. Now one enthusiast has brought it around full swing with this unique Porsche tractor.

The machine started out as a 14.5hp Partner lawn mower before its owner went to town, taking apart the engine and painting it yellow, fitting a custom stainless-steel exhaust, a fire extinguisher and a tachometer crafted from a 911 oil filter, then painting the body "Grand Prix Weiss" with "Idischrot" red accents. The result? Well, it won't be setting any Nürburgring lap records, but we'd be happy to see it face off against an old Porsche Diesel Super tractor to see which could mow The Green Hell fastest.

[Source: The Car Connection]

 

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]]>911 tractor911Tractorporscheporsche diesel superporsche tractorPorscheDieselSuperPorscheTractor2008-07-08T17:35:00+00:00<![CDATA[Thieves steal gas from U-Haul, refill with water]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/27/thieves-steal-gas-from-u-haul-refill-with-water/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/27/thieves-steal-gas-from-u-haul-refill-with-water/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/27/thieves-steal-gas-from-u-haul-refill-with-water/#commentsFiled under: ,

We've seen our fair share of gasoline thefts as of late, and it seems that more are to be expected as the price for a gallon of gas continues its upwards trajectory. The latest scam affects moving companies such as U-Haul, which is now reporting that some renters of its trucks are using up the fuel in the tank and refilling them with water. Other less ingenious criminal minds are simply resorting to the age-old tactic of siphoning gas from the delivery vehicle's tanks.

One U-Haul employee in Olympia, Washington reports that she has seen "five or six [instances of] water in fuel [tanks] last week." Because water does not readily mix with gasoline, some renters have been able to go uncaught as the deed isn't found out until the next user gets the truck. In that case, major repair bills starting around $2,000 are necessary. Let's just hope that thieves looking to score some free gas at U-Haul's expense don't begin using the drill method.

[Source: KATU.com]

 

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]]>gas theftgas theftsgas thievesgasoline theftgasoline thievesGasolineTheftGasolineThievesGasTheftGasTheftsGasThievesu-hauluhaul2008-06-27T08:32:00+00:00<![CDATA[Mercedes introduces new Zetros military truck]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/24/mercedes-introduces-their-new-zetros-military-truck/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/24/mercedes-introduces-their-new-zetros-military-truck/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/24/mercedes-introduces-their-new-zetros-military-truck/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click on the above image for a Zetros photo gallery

Mercedes-Benz chose the International Defense Exhibition Eurosatory 2008 in Paris, a show we don't normally attend, to introduce their new Zetros truck. The model pictured above is the Zetros 2733 A 6x6, offering permanent all-wheel-drive to all three axles and the ability to haul nearly 10 tons of equipment and supplies. If you just don't have that much stuff, Mercedes also offers the Zetros 1833 A 4x4, a two-axle derivative with a reduced load capacity. Both versions offer go-anywhere capabilities with exemplary off-road manners and the ability to be upgraded with state-of-the art armor for protection against mine and ballistic attack. While you'd expect the Zetros to handle like a wet noodle, the German automaker insists the Zetros has been designed with the driver in mind, adding "...the ideal seating position behind the front axle delivers intuitive car-like handling." Since we don't have a Zetros planned for an "In the Autoblog Garage" review, we'll just have to take their word on that.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Zetros Off-Road Truck


[Source: eMercedesBenz]

Continue reading Mercedes introduces new Zetros military truck

 

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]]>6x6defense exhibitionDefenseExhibitionheavy truckHeavyTruckmercedesmercedes benzmercedes-benzMercedesBenzZetros2008-06-24T13:26:00+00:00<![CDATA[New low-emissions London Black Cab to be based on Mercedes-Benz Vito Traveliner]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/new-low-emissions-london-black-cab-to-be-based-on-mercedes-benz/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/new-low-emissions-london-black-cab-to-be-based-on-mercedes-benz/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/new-low-emissions-london-black-cab-to-be-based-on-mercedes-benz/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Londoners could be swapping out black cabs for black vans pretty soon. EcoCity vehicles, through its subsidiary KPM-UK, has worked with LTI, the maker of the famous black cab, for almost 20 years. Now EcoCity has signed an agreement with Mercedes-Benz to produce cabs out of Vito Traveliner vans, which produce lower emissions than the LTI offering.

With 93-percent of the London taxi market owned by black cabs, we wouldn't expect to see Traveliners dominating The City any time soon. For EcoCity, it was more about offering a more environmental choice for drivers and customers. Former mayor Ken Livingstone was a big proponent of that, if you'll remember. And for the city of London, it could mean less of the brown stuff in the air. The Traveliner taxi will be launched next week, and go on sale shortly after.

[Source: The Telegraph via Carscoop]

 

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]]>black cabBlackCabecocitylondonltilti taxiltitaxitaxistravelinervitovito travelinerVitoTraveliner2008-06-19T06:58:00+00:00<![CDATA[A visual history of the BBC "TV Detector" van]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/a-visual-history-of-the-bbcs-tv-detector-vans/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/a-visual-history-of-the-bbcs-tv-detector-vans/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/09/a-visual-history-of-the-bbcs-tv-detector-vans/#commentsFiled under: ,



To subsidize the BBC's programming, UK residents are compelled to pay a TV licensing fee (this is what we also call a "tax") if they choose to watch television programs in their homes. To encourage compliance, the Beeb invented the myth of the "Television Detector" van, which supposedly contained powerful antennae that were capable of zeroing in on any house that was watching television without a license. Hell, they could even tell what show you were watching, according to the ominous TV commercial we've embedded after the jump. Anyway, the BBC's fleet of Television Detector vehicles is really more silly than sinister, and oobject, a site that puts together interesting themed gadget lists, has a gallery of TV detector trucks as they appeared through the years. We wonder if there are secret field-ops TV Detector trucks in the U.S. "Got 'em. They're watching Top Gear." Remember, while you watch the BBC, the BBC is watching you.

[Source: oobject]

Continue reading A visual history of the BBC "TV Detector" van

 

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]]>bbctelevision detectorTelevisionDetectortv detector vantv licensingTvDetectorVanTvLicensing2008-06-09T19:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Cross-bred Caddy: Volkswagen Caddy Carrera Cup Edition 2.0TDI R]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/30/cross-bred-caddy-volkswagen-caddy-carrera-cup-edition-2-0tdi-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/30/cross-bred-caddy-volkswagen-caddy-carrera-cup-edition-2-0tdi-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/30/cross-bred-caddy-volkswagen-caddy-carrera-cup-edition-2-0tdi-r/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for a gallery of the VW Caddy Carrera Cup Edition 2.0 TDI R.

The link between Volkswagen and Porsche is about to get stronger, but VW's Swedish contingent has already created a special edition to honor the alliance. The VW Caddy has lived a staid life as a popular work truck in Europe, but the Swedes apparently think it could be so much more. So it's releasing 250 Carrera Cup Edition Caddies outfitted with black, 17-inch wheels wrapped in 225/45 R17 rubber, a new body kit, red-on-white paint scheme with Porsche's signature "Carrera" text, two-tone leather sport seats, a leather steering wheel and shifter. The 2.0-liter TDI mill is putting out 140 hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque and with a fire extinguisher mounted on the diamond-plate floor boards, we think we might have found the perfect track-day accomplice to join that GT3 RS we've been building in our dreams.

Gallery: Volkswagen Caddy Carrera Cup Edition 2.0TDI R


[Source: Carscoop]

 

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]]>carrera cupCarreraCupporscheswedenvolkswagenVolkswagen Caddy Carrera Cup Edition 2.0TDI RVolkswagenCaddyCarreraCupEdition2.0tdiR2008-05-30T19:32:00+00:00<![CDATA[Cleanup on I-80: Oreo spill snarls traffic in IL]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/19/cleanup-on-i-80-oreo-spill-snarls-traffic-in-il/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/19/cleanup-on-i-80-oreo-spill-snarls-traffic-in-il/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/19/cleanup-on-i-80-oreo-spill-snarls-traffic-in-il/#commentsFiled under: ,

Oreo SpillSnacks should be readily available for crews cleaning up an overturned tractor trailer 50 miles south of Chicago on Interstate 80. The rig in question was hauling fourteen tons of Oreo cookies, and when it tipped, the trailer's roof ripped open, spilling cases of the cookies onto the median. As you can see in the video we've embedded after the jump, a traffic backup thicker than a Double Stuf's filling ensued. Local authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident, but Autoblog has received unconfirmed reports that Keebler elves were spotted fleeing the scene.

[AP via Breitbart]

Continue reading Cleanup on I-80: Oreo spill snarls traffic in IL

 

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]]>i-80oreo spillOreoSpilltractor trailerTractorTrailer2008-05-19T12:32:00+00:00<![CDATA[Rumormill: Dodge to replace Sprinter will full-size van from Nissan]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/rumormill-dodge-to-replace-splinter-will-full-size-van-from-nis/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/rumormill-dodge-to-replace-splinter-will-full-size-van-from-nis/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/rumormill-dodge-to-replace-splinter-will-full-size-van-from-nis/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



We've heard through the grapevine that another element of the collaboration between Chrysler LLC and Nissan, in addition to the latter giving the former a small car and the former giving the latter a pickup, is that Chrysler will be ditching its Daimler-sourced Sprinter commercial van in favor of a rebranded Nissan van by 2011. As we already know, Nissan is planning on producing three new light commercial vehicles for the U.S. at its plant in Canton, Mississippi, and it will be sourcing some engines for its new LCVs from Cummins. Thus, we would also expect to see the familiar sight of a Cummins diesel under the hood of Dodge's version, as well. Will we discover even more sharing between Chrysler and Nissan as time goes on? Our sources say these companies aren't finished raiding each other's parts bins by a long shot.

[Source: Wouldn't you like to know]

 

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]]>chrysler nissan splinterchrysler nissan sprinterChryslerNissanSplinterChryslerNissanSprinterdodge sprinterDodgeSprintersprinter replacementSprinterReplacement2008-05-15T09:28:00+00:00<![CDATA[Nissan 360: Day One from Estoril, Portugal]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/29/nissan-360-day-one-from-estoril-portugal/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/29/nissan-360-day-one-from-estoril-portugal/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/29/nissan-360-day-one-from-estoril-portugal/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click the image above for more hi-res shots from the first day of Nissan 360

Nissan is holding its second ever Nissan 360 event in Cascais, Portugal as we speak. The two-day Nissan (and Infiniti) product extravaganza gathers every product produced by the company from around the world, and we're here to drive them all. We were in the Infiniti group yesterday, so we tooled around the Portuguese coast in rides like the FX50 and EX35, which we've already had a chance to drive on American soil. We also took the Speed -Racer-worthy GT-R for a spin or three around the Estoril race circuit, and got a ride with a pro driver at the wheel.

The only Nissans we got our hands on were the Large Commercial Vehicles, a Clipper JDM van, and a two-generation-old, authentic Nissan Cedric taxi complete with fare receipt printer. But stay tuned, because we'll be right back with first drives of impossibly cute Nissan city cars like the Cube, Moco, and Micra, among others. In the mean time, feel free to check out the gallery of hi-res shots from our first day in preparation for more to come.

Gallery: Nissan 360 - Day One

Travel and lodging for this media event was paid for by the manufacturer.

 

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]]>infinitinissannissan 360Nissan360product linesProductLines2008-04-29T11:58:00+00:00<![CDATA[Hyundai i10 Ice Cream van hits sweet spot]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/28/hyundai-i10-ice-cream-van-hits-sweet-spot/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/28/hyundai-i10-ice-cream-van-hits-sweet-spot/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/28/hyundai-i10-ice-cream-van-hits-sweet-spot/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


Click to view more of the Hyundai i10 ice cream van

We can come up with all manner of criteria for evaluating a car at any level: design, performance, spec sheet, ride, features, technology, value... but the one factor that trumps all others, what it all really comes down to, is how it appeals to our inner child. At the heart of it, that's why we love Lamborghinis and HUMMERs and Mustangs... and this particular Hyundai i10. It's just a treat.

The ice-cream van conversion wasn't made for Good Humor, although it certainly put us in that state of mind. It was created as a promotional tool for the British launch of the i10 by auto innovator Andy Saunders, the same guy who gave us the neo-Picasso Citroen 2CV and the ground-hugging Fiat 126, among others. While the Poole, England-based customizer has come up with many creative designs before, we doubt any of them would get children running after it down the street like the Pied Piper. Have a look at the images in the gallery below and pick out something delicious on us.

Gallery: Hyundai i10 ice cream van


[Source: theCarfanatic.com and AutoTrader.co.uk]

 

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]]>good humorGoodHumorhyundai i10hyundai i10 ice cream truckhyundai i10 ice cream vanhyundai ice cream vanHyundaiI10HyundaiI10IceCreamTruckHyundaiI10IceCreamVanHyundaiIceCreamVanice cream truckice cream vanIceCreamTruckIceCreamVan2008-04-28T15:26:00+00:00<![CDATA[Cutting room floor: The 2009 Dodge Ram that could've been]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/18/left-on-the-drawing-board-the-dodge-ram-that-couldve-been/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/18/left-on-the-drawing-board-the-dodge-ram-that-couldve-been/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/18/left-on-the-drawing-board-the-dodge-ram-that-couldve-been/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above to view more high-res sketches of rejected Rams

Chrysler is in the battle of its life to regain its competitiveness here in North America, and there is perhaps no vehicle more important to becoming profitable again than the 2009 Dodge Ram. The Pentastar put in a lot of elbow grease to get this truck just right, and the end result is improved power and efficiency, more storage, and a more refined look than the current truck. We like the design of the new Ram, but the production truck unveiled in Detroit was just one of many designs sketched by Chrysler artists.

Friend of Autoblog Mike Levine at Pickuptruck.com got his hands on many of the designs that led to the Ram we'll see in showrooms this fall, and the sketches range from interesting to bizarre. If you take the photo above, for instance, you can see where Dodge was trying to conceptualize nifty storage solutions. The forward-leaning cross-hair grille and integrated bumper had already taken shape, too. Check out our gallery below that includes some exclusive pictures of rejected Rams, and visit PIckuptruck.com to see even more.

Gallery: Rejected Dodge Rams


[Source: Pickuptruck]

 

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]]>ChryslerDodgeDodge RamDodgeRamHemiRam DesignsRamDesigns2008-04-18T07:27:00+00:00<![CDATA[Nissan entering light-duty commercial market in U.S. with three new vehicles]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/07/nissan-entering-light-duty-commercial-market-in-u-s-with-three/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/07/nissan-entering-light-duty-commercial-market-in-u-s-with-three/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/07/nissan-entering-light-duty-commercial-market-in-u-s-with-three/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Big news from Canton, Mississippi today. Nissan North America has announced it will be entering the Light Commercial Vehicle business in the U.S. in a big way. Seeking to fill up excess capacity at its plant in Canton after production of the Quest minivan and Infiniti QX56 is sent elsewhere, Nissan will debut three new LCV vehicles over the next three years that will use a pair of newly designed Cummins diesel engines and transmissions from ZF. The Canton plant will receive a $118 million makeover to produce the vehicles, but will continue to produce the Altima sedan, Titan pickup and Armada full-size SUV in the meantime. Nissan's current dealer network will sell and service the LCVs, which will also require some retraining in preparation.

The first vehicle will make its official debut at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next January, and Nissan tells us it will be a clean sheet design. Rather than just make commercial-grade versions of the Titan or import any number of the commercial vehicles it sells outside the U.S., Nissan will be designing these three LCVs for the North American market in particular, which suggests a significant investment on its part. The automaker also tells us that the vehicles will likely leave the Canton plant as chassis cabs and outfitted to meet the specific needs of its buyers by third-party companies. With the arrival of the Ford Transit Connect and panel wagons making a resurgence in the U.S., this move makes sense. Also consider that the full-size truck market is falling flat on its face thanks to the new housing market being busted by subprime loans, so finding another niche in the commercial sector to sell vehicles is a good way for automakers like Nissan to hedge their bets.

[Source: Nissan, Clarion Ledger]

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]]>nissan canton plantnissan LCVnissan light commercial vehicleNissanCantonPlantNissanLcvNissanLightCommercialVehicle2008-04-07T15:59:00+00:00<![CDATA[Build your own big rig: International launches configurator for LoneStar]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/04/build-your-own-big-rig-international-launches-configurator-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/04/build-your-own-big-rig-international-launches-configurator-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/04/build-your-own-big-rig-international-launches-configurator-for/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Truckers are like motorcycle riders in the way that they invariably customize their rides. It's probably just as challenging to find a bone stock tractor as it is an unembellished Fat Boy. When you're plying the roads as much as the big rigs do, why not have some fun and stand apart from the rest of the crowd and their mudflaps decorated with conformist chrome silhouettes of questionable taste? International's new LoneStar truck will be factory trickable with a new line of Navistar accessories called DoubleSix Customs. While the Autoblog Garage isn't quite big enough to hold an 18-wheeler, we did dedicate the better part of an hour to International's website designing the perfect vehicle for hauling our tricked out fleet of Zastavas.

With International's online configurator, you can start with a basic truck and add a splash of color, a dollop of flames, lots of chrome, and nearly as many lights as Vegas. The DoubleSix name takes its inspiration from the mother road, Route 66, which International is hoping still resonates with those who keep our economy rolling. Our only problem? Lack of the proper license. Try it yourself, you can even upload logos and graphics to design your perfect LoneStar. Press release after the jump.

[Source: International]

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]]>18 wheeler18Wheelerbig rigBigRigconfiguratorcustomdesigninternationalinternational lonestarInternationalLonestarsemitractor trailerTractorTrailer2008-04-04T09:57:00+00:00<![CDATA[VIDEO: Cadbury ad light on chocolate, heavy on airport truck racing]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/02/video-cadbury-ad-light-on-chocolate-heavy-on-airport-truck-rac/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/02/video-cadbury-ad-light-on-chocolate-heavy-on-airport-truck-rac/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/02/video-cadbury-ad-light-on-chocolate-heavy-on-airport-truck-rac/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above to view video

Have you ever watched a commercial and wondered what the heck the ad had to do with the product? Of course you have. But sometimes we don't mind, like with this commercial for Cadbury chocolate. You wouldn't know it was for Cadbury unless they told you so at the end. But follow the jump to view a video that is sure to put a smile on your face - now and every time you look out the tiny portal of a plane as you wait for takeoff. And you thought your teddy bears had fun at night...

[Source: Cadbury]

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