MetaFilter posts tagged with auto

From 0 to 60 to World Domination

rollbiz — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:34:05 -0800

"Engineers Rule" and "The Toyota Way": How Toyota and Honda have bested the Big Three.

Vanhacking

Miko — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:14:16 -0800

In a time before the Prius, the custom conversion van ruled the roadways. Pushing the boundaries of the airbrush form, testing the limits of mobile interior design, featuring the latest in automatic pink leather bed, compact toaster, 8-track, and love machine technology, the 70s van was celebrated in song and cinema. You started with a factory model, new or used, and ended at a place limited onlyby your creativity, your budget, and your old lady's patience (NSFW). Ford could make you a man.If push came to shove, you could even live in your van. It was fantasy on wheels: van-tastic, man. More from the 1977 movie Supervan. Even more from that movie. A van show clip from The Van. George Barris rehabbed the Supervan for its 1977 movie appearance. The Guild of Automotive Restorers returned it to its former glory in 2003 - step by step photos here. My closest personal connection to the world of conversion vans was through the Little Van Goes Design Kit, which let you use relief templates to customize your own fantasy van.

Urban Tentacles

Kronos_to_Earth — Thu, 22 May 2008 20:08:07 -0800

Interzone interchanges: Can GPS get a driver off of, or keep a driver off of...these things? (via)

Jalopnik Ad Watch

Fuzzy Skinner — Sat, 17 May 2008 12:33:57 -0800

Feeling nostalgic for cheap gas and and a "poke-through air cleaner that jumps when the engine cries"? The Mustang Mach I was the way to swing in '69! But 9 years later, the Cougar XR-7 was the 1978 choice of Cheryl Tiegs for her midnight driving. Speaking of women, what if your wife has to drive alone? It's a shocking concept, sure, but when a woman's at the wheel, you need Polyglas tires. Yep, crazy things used to happen. Heck, Pontiac even sold this thing for a few years. All that and more at Jalopnik's classic ad watch.

RIP Boyd Coddington.

fixedgear — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 02:30:31 -0800

RIP Boyd Coddington. American Hot Rod star and wheel maker is doing a big burnout in the sky.

Lee press-on car

XMLicious — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 05:16:25 -0800

The Tata Nano (pic) is a car that costs less new than the amount I've spent on gas during single car trips, recently announced to the auto market in India. The Chery QQ ^, successful , wide ly ex por ted, and recognized as the Hostage Taker's Vehicle of Choice by China Car Times, is the runner-up for the world's cheapest car but is still approximately twice as expensive. Yes indeed, the price of gas is not going to come back down. So much for my coast-to-coast road trips. Forbes magazine's The World's Cheapest Cars (javascript slideshow)

Keep the Jaws of Life on standby

bwg — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:13:56 -0800

Disappearing Car Door: Damn, this is cool. Everyone will want one. Until the inevitable car accident which renders it unopenable.

Maybe they're talking about the paint job

dead_ — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:25:16 -0800

A two-ton 21-mpg 8-passenger V8 Chevy Tahoe? America, meet your 2008 Green Car of the Year!

Earl Ma 1971-2007: RIP The Flyin' Hawaiian

Scram — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 11:43:02 -0800

Automotive journalist, cartoonist and architect Earl Ma passed away this week after a three year battle with cancer. But you would never have known it from how he lived his life. Last month, he refused to let his partial paralysis keep him away from the Indianapolis 500 (though fellow Hawaiian Jim Nabors was too ill to attend), and with the help of friends covered the race from his wheelchair. His boundless energy, generosity and wide range of talents earned him many friends and admirers, and he is already greatly missed.

Electronic Stability Control mandated in all vehicles by 2012

jaimev — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:27:13 -0800

All your donuts are belong to us. The US government has mandated that by 2012, all new vehicles must have Electronic Stability Control. ESC senses when a driver may lose control of the vehicle and automatically applies brakes to individual wheels to help stabilize it and avoid a rollover.