autothing.com's August 2007 News Room Archives (back)

Saturday, August 18th 2007

We LOVE Custom Exotics

You know, there aren't exactly 50,000 Ford GT samples out there like the Ford Mustang; in-fact, there's probably only 5,000 or something! With a price tag of around $160,000 and change, we always get nervous when somebody (i.e. wealthy and eccentric) goes and changes OEM perfection. We can safely say though that the slick Ford GT above looks even more sporty with its custom metallic red paint, deep-dish chromed rims and cream-colored leather interior (we hate light interiors since they show dirt immediately, but we'll let it slide for the time being...)

For factory color schemes, the glossy red with white stripes is still the most delicious. We just want to polish the glass on our monitor and take a bite!

Here we have Saleen's S281-SC, which is Ford's Mustang in a redesigned, retooled and supercharged outfit. It wears well and from all the brands out there specializing in Ford Mustangs, Saleen does it best. The damn thing is subtle, wild, classy, outrageous and sporty -- all at the same time. Roush Mustangs have too many frivolous design features that detract from the "eye candy" effect of a Saleen. Hey, that stunning Beryllium Orange metallic paint doesn't hurt either! (It's a $17,000 option)

Saturday, August 18th 2007

This Is How Angelina Jolie Drives Around
Yes, it's another edition of "What Are Hollywood Stars Driving?!?"

We at autothing are thrilled! Angelina Jolie is here in our hometown of Chicago for the next couple of weeks working on her newest movie, Wanted. Here she is filming an action sequence while laying on the hood of a Dodge Viper.

Friday, August 17th 2007

The Great American Run

Say hello again to Barricade, the evil (but beautiful!) police car from the recent Transformers movie. In reality, it's a 550hp Saleen S281-SC Extreme and available for around $75,000. Check out the additional pictures for a tour of Saleen's "Great American Run" event, where people with too much money spend it on the fastest and most desirable cars in the world, which they proceed to drive across the country as a group. There's even a Bugatti Veyron!

Thursday, August 16th 2007

Money Don't Make You Smart!

Florida police officers said Ronald Tridico, 39, was apparently speeding in his brand new, bright yellow Lamborghini Murcielago near Orlando when he lost control and crashed. Now get this -- he proceeded to leave both the scene of the accident as well as his slightly injured wife!

This guy is quite the winner! Thanks to his drunk driving escapade, your insurance bill will go up a little next year... hey, somebody's got to pay for the damage and it sure isn't going to be Ronald!   more...

Thursday, August 16th 2007

Damn Porsche & Their Sexy Cars

Porsche is getting into the design business a la Mercedes-Benz' Designo Series by introducing their first ever "Design Edition 1" model via the Cayman.

If the future continues to look sporty and gorgeous like this new model, we welcome the upcoming variants contained within this limited edition series.   more...

Wednesday, August 15th 2007

A Rare Land Rover. No, Really!

Only 250 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Limited Editions will be coming to the United States, so start seeking out that future wealthy spouse now if you want in. Land Rover doesn't do anything limited very often, so this model is pretty unique in that it actually incorporates design features from the Range Stormer, a concept vehicle presented a few years ago.

This baby will probably cost around $90,000 and everyone in Hollywood will buy them up (just like most of the Ranger Rovers sold in the United States).   more...

Wednesday, August 15th 2007

Oh Yes, You Touched It!
Yes, it's another edition of "What Are Hollywood Stars Driving?!?"

Wednesday, August 15th 2007

This Little MINI Is Fast

MINI continues to impress us with their everlasting and singular design: the Cooper. In an effort to keep things a bit peppy and fresh, here's yet another special edition in the form of the 2008 MINI Cooper S John Cooper Works Challenge. Sure it's a mouthful, but since this $70,000 car is not street legal, don't even bother trying to remember it. Instead, buy a MINI Key Chain!   more...

Thursday, August 9th 2007

Ford's Harley-Davidson F-150 Is Fast

The new 2008 Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 is expensive, fast,  a bit under-styled and yet still so darn attractive that thousands of people will quickly put down over $40,000 for the right to own one. In fact, Ford has sold nearly 50,000 Harley-Davidson F-150's and F-250's, all of which mean killer profits considering how inexpensive a mass-produced pickup truck is to build (yes, even when using those pricy union members).

As an added bonus for 2008, the new HD F-150 comes with an optional factory installed Saleen twin-screw supercharger, which pushes the horsepower to 450. The supercharger -- identical to that found on Saleen's wicked S331-SC truck -- costs about $6,500, but like all Saleen products, it's top-of-the-line.   more...

Thursday, August 9th 2007

Let's Hope It's The First & Last Time

We got yet another email forward containing some new photos of the bridge collapse that recently occurred. Take a look, as the close-up's kind of make you realize how large this thing really was!

Wednesday, August 8th 2007

Fire In The Hole!
(YouTube has removed most videos for police investigations)

Funny Videos

Check out this awful stuff! Jerks are going to fast food restaurants, ordering [and actually paying] for the largest soda/milkshake and then THROWING IT AT THE DRIVE-THRU SERVER. Just watch the little movie -- it explains everything. This is also the only video available where the aforementioned jerk forgets to put his car into "park," and gets a drink thrown right back at him. That's karma!

Seriously, this whole "fad" is hard to believe until you actually see it for yourself. Think about it -- the employee at McDonald's or Wendy's works a 9-hour day for about $9.00 an hour when a car filled with jerks decides to well, physically assault them!

Somebody tell these pricks that a large Coca-Cola drink weighs like one or two pounds! We would totally jump out that drive-thru window, chase their car down the street and use the ice-scoop to scratch a Ronald McDonald outline into their hood.

Kidding! We would actually call the cops first, THEN start the scratching!

Wednesday, August 8th 2007

Audi's Speed Demon SUV

The Audi Q7 V12 TDI will be hitting the market in the second half of 2008 and as the TDI initials indicate, it may be a strictly diesel powered model.

Although Europe will receive the classy brute first, this limited-edition Q7 produces 500 horsepower, giving it the ability to do 0-62mph in just 5.5 seconds. We will eagerly await its arrival here in Chicago, because us Midwesterners love our SUVs, especially the fast, high-end models like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and the more subdued BMW X5 4.8i.

Wednesday, August 8th 2007

Those Pesky Paparazzi Caused It
Yes, it's another edition of "What Are Hollywood Stars Driving Crashing?!?"

Wow! Britney Spears finally delivered after all these weeks of boring appearances in and around Los Angeles. She finally "crashed" her Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class convertible -- wouldn't you know it -- into another Mercedes-Benz station wagon.

Britney is poised as always and shows complete concern. For HER car! She doesn't even go look at the other car to check out the potential damage.

It happens right away in the video and thank god for the distracting paparazzi, it's all caught on camera. Britney handled it pretty well in-fact, as Paris Hilton's past Bentley GT crash almost resulted in a bunch of paparazzi getting run over (unfortunately each photographer got away safely with $3,000 photos for Star and National Enquirer).

Tuesday, August 7th 2007

One Hot Car...
2008 BMW 550i Sport Package

We were oddly bored with the BMW 5-Series ever since it was revised with that "flame surfacing" design (as BMW calls it) a few years ago, and the low sales reflected our own displeasure with the car. Its styling was simply too subtle, which is just PERFECT if you wanted a Toyota Camry or something... No worries though!

BMW has gone and revised the entire 5-Series line-up with new exterior design cues and an awesome set of interior refinements, the best of which can be found on the BMW 550i Sport Package (see delicious photos). We've already experienced the new interior and it is gorgeous: the leather seats are ultra-supple with really comfortable headrests, the doors -- and even door handles! -- have all-new and totally curvaceous design features, and the center console is simply perfect with a contoured shift. With 360 horsepower, this baby is a cool $70,000 and worth it.

Here you can see the LED taillights, dual-tip exhaust (unfortunately the full exhaust set-up is still reserved for the exclusive M5 model) and classic yet sporty curves. This car proves that you don't have to be the most expensive or exclusive automobile to gain some respect, but turning some heads doesn't hurt either.   more...

Tuesday, August 7th 2007

So Trashy, So Beautiful

This lady suffers from COPD: Crazy Old Person's Disease! Among many other things, she wants to go to Las Vegas (she can't stand Palm Springs), needs her inhaler (due to second-hand smoke from people who don't exist) and wants to hijack a police car (to turn on the windshield wipers). In a nutshell, SHE'S INSANE!! Enjoy.

Tuesday, August 7th 2007

She's Not In Prison Yet?
Yes, it's another edition of "What Are Hollywood Stars Driving Crashing?!?"

Singer Brandy is still walking around after causing an accident LAST YEAR that resulted in some poor lady's death. What's up with the crappy laws in this country?! According to TMZ.com, prosecutors in Los Angeles are torn on whether or not to prosecute Brandy for a fatal car accident she caused last December.

Girl was probably on the cell phone chatting up a storm. We've seen how people on cell phones drive and they drive like Brandy!

Tuesday, August 7th 2007

Hummer's Pickup Truck

We love all the Hummer models, but at a certain point they should look a little bit different than the other models, don't you think? The Hummer H3T pickup is expected to drop as a 2009 model, so all you farmers with mud bogs and giant strawberry patches will want to line right up for this bad boy!   more...

Monday, August 6th 2007

HAMANN Does Land Rover Nicely

Monday, August 6th 2007

$3.00 Carnival T-Shirt!