MetaFilter posts tagged with cars and automobile

Cartype - gives a whole new meaning to E-type

1f2frfbf — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:51:30 -0800

Cartype has a huge repository of vehicle logos and other related typography. In addition, you can see collections such as shield and crest emblems, emblems with animals, and hand-painted type on cars. They cover European automotive history from the near mythic to the exotic. They also cover American iron from the old to the malaise years to the cutting edge of new.

Sign, Sign, everywhere a sign.

Mitheral — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:23:35 -0800

US Traffic & Road Sign Test. Five part, 30 questions each, multiple choice test on US road, highway and traffic signs. Results include inline scoring and explanation of each sign. The average for part 1 (the easiest) is only 82% and 15% of takers score less than 70%.

Weirdest Stories in Car Collecting

Floydd — Tue, 06 May 2008 07:13:21 -0800

The Weirdest Stories in Car Collecting, Part 1 and Part 2. From Sports Car Market

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)

May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan

1f2frfbf — Thu, 24 May 2007 09:01:24 -0800

SUV sales are up. In spite of higher gas prices and concern about global warming, Americans still want bigger cars. It might not be enough to save the Hummer H2, though.

America's continued love affair with the automobile

jaimev — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:03:00 -0800

A study released by CERA has some interesting tidbits: the average motorist in 2005 used 703 gallons of gas, and drove 40 percent more than 25 years ago; the US has 1,148 registered personal vehicles for every 1,000 licensed drivers; the percentage of vehicles that are SUVs (including minivans and light trucks) is slowly going down from 55% in 2005 to 53% in 2006; the average fuel consumption for all vehicles is 19.8 mpg in 2005, a drop from when it peaked at 20.2 in 2001; and the share of U.S. household budgets going to gasoline and oil has has been relatively stable for decades, at about 3.8 percent in 2006.

Life in the slow lane

jaimev — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 12:40:24 -0800

The Transportation Research Board released their 3rd edition of Commuting in America. Among their findings, a 50% increase in "extreme commuters", those with a one way commute of more than 60 minutes; 8% of Americans are now in this category. 25 years ago, 1 in 5 commeters carpooled. Today, only 1 in 10. And the dominant commuting pattern is now suburb to suburb or city to suburb. [via NPR]

Carthedral

Gator — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 08:34:58 -0800

"Q: Is that another car on top?
A: Yes, it's a VW bug." -- Carthedral. A few more (clearer, daylight) photos here.

Bugatti Veyron: Concorde of cars?

nthdegx — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 01:38:37 -0800

The Bugatti Veyron, according to Jeremy Clarkson on last night's Top Gear, may well be the Concorde of cars. So Clarkson is a man prone to hyperbole, but this time the facts might just back him up. A throw-away remark from VW boss Ferdinand Piëch became the informal design brief. A 1000 horsepower car capable of the north side of 400kph/250mph. It looks futuristic, but has the stats to match. 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds. In an acceleration race with a McLaren F1 (the previous fastest supercar), the Veyron can give the F1 a head-start to 120mph, but will still beat it to 200mph. At 250mph, the 100 litre fuel tank will empty in 12 minutes, and you can brake to stand-still in just ten seconds (albeit covering the length of four football pitches in the process). The car will set you back most of UK £1,000,000 but that's barely an indicator: the few that exist are being sold at loss because they "just wanted to see if they could". With an industry facing shifting priorities, there may never be another super-car quite like this.

New take on traffic calming

ObscureReferenceMan — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:16:58 -0800

Calm down. A new, humorous, attempt at "traffic calming". I know, I know, a lot of it was previously discussed. Some think it's a good idea (hey, we've even got some in my neighborhood!). But there are others who disagree. I never thought it would be such a heated topic! (or noteworthy by Wired, even.) Aaaah... the hell with it. Maybe the way to go is NO RULES.

Brilliantcrank — Mon, 19 Jan 2004 09:11:21 -0800

"...Red 5 standing by..." Kate Horn documents her love and creation of the X-Wing Toyota Tercel. Note the license plate people, she's out on the road, armed with blasters and quiet possibly, the Force.

autoxray

stbalbach — Mon, 12 Jan 2004 22:11:57 -0800

Hack your car. AutoXRAY scans internal vehicle computers and gives detailed diagnostics and real-time graphing output.

Breastfeeding while driving

peterb — Wed, 06 Aug 2003 07:46:10 -0800

Breastfeeding while driving seemed like a good idea to Catherine Donkers, but now she is (thankfully) on trial for it. Since she's a member of a weird cult that believes the Bible should be the law of land, this should be entertaining. Presumably, they can just keep appealing for a few years until the crazies run the country.

chrisroberts — Fri, 20 Sep 2002 12:08:34 -0800

Drive on air. A new engine design that not only runs on air, but cleans it too.

riffola — Sun, 31 Mar 2002 07:57:51 -0800

The pinacle of automobile racing now provides technology for your feet. Pininfarina designed Scuderia Ferrari replica shoe based on their Formula One cars, made by Fila is here. "The 3 Action system provides superior cushioning and the Speed Tech shank offers maximum responsiveness, stability and torsion control. And, so that you may choose your path, the racing tire-inspired outsole provides maximum traction on every surface."

adrianhon — Wed, 23 Jan 2002 07:50:32 -0800

It looks like a Radio Shack exploded inside... possibly one of the most astonishing cars I've ever seen. Just wait until you find out what it started its life as.

Voyageman — Tue, 18 Dec 2001 09:20:44 -0800

Have a favorite vehicle? Looking for a late night, post-office party romp, well keep an eye out for the Spanish or Italian gent in his Porsche Boxter, or the Chesire lady in her Volkswagen Beetle. Be sure to stay clear of stick shifts and men from Southeast England.

JFunk2800 — Wed, 28 Mar 2001 14:52:02 -0800

Certain things like this irk me just as much as the next guy, but it always makes me wonder how it can bother someone so much to create an organization against it.