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Bentley promises a Grand summer

Bentley teases a new car today, the Grand Bentley, set to debut this summer. Details are few, with a short video showing the bonnet and ornament. But judging from the name, which we assume isn't the actual model designation, and the visuals, it looks like Bentley will encroach on Rolls-Royce territory. Both brands sit at the top of British automotive luxury (even if both are owned by German companies), but Bentley has focused on speed where Rolls-Royce embodies stately elegance. Cars from Bentley, such as the Continental and Flying Spur, show sporting cues in their body work, with an … Read more

Traxxas TORC Racing

So far this week we've enjoyed fun and breezy racing in the form of midget and quarter midget car racing. Now it's time to get a little dirty. In fact, you can't get much dirtier than yet another division of the USAC racing spectrum, the Traxxas TORC Off Road Championship Series.

The Traxxas TORC Series is short-course racing on all natural terrain: dirt, gravel, mud, and everything in between. What sets this race apart from other forms of off-road racing is the tough 4X4 trucks these guys push around; these bad boys can fly like dirt bikes … Read more

Ford truck stars in documentary film

The 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor will be making its Hollywood debut on June 23 when a new feature film about the off-road performance truck.

"Raptor--Born in Baja," will premiere at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, Calif., before an audience of more than 500 automotive and off-road motorsports executives, entertainment industry notables and members of the press.

The documentary follows Ford designers, engineers, and race program directors, along with Foutz Motorsports and other aftermarket organizations, as they construct, test, and unveil the new F-150 SVT Raptor to the automotive world by entering it in the grueling 631-mile Baja … Read more

Quarter Midget Racing!

Yesterday we took a look at USAC midget car racing. If you thought that was fun, get ready for Quarter Midget racing!

While the United States Auto Club is arguably the foremost promoter of Quarter Midget racing, there are many national and regional promotions who host events for these cars that are literally about a 1/4 the size of regular midget cars. Partially because of the minute size of these cars, Quarter Midget racing is typically reserved for children 5-16 years of age. The Quarter Midgets, while resembling motorized go-karts, typically reach speeds of up to 45 mph, and … Read more

This week: A look at USAC Racing

The weekend of my birthday, I read some unfortunate news online about the death of Chad McDaniel, a USAC midget car driver who died of neck and head injuries sustained during a race at Knoxvile Raceway in Iowa. McDaniel was just 34 years old, and was having one of the most successful years of his career. Also, McDaniel was liked and loved by his fellow competitors and of course his family. I thought of maybe doing a video blog tribute to McDaniel, but I feared that some people might view this as exploitative and in general bad taste. So instead, … Read more

Poll: Forza 3 vs. Gran Turismo 5

E3 2009 has come and gone, leaving delicious trailers and tons of information for Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo 5 and Turn 10's Forza Motorsport 3 racing sims in its wake. It looks like it's time for the digital drag race to begin anew.

Will the winner be GT5, with its new WRC and NASCAR modes, or scrappy Forza 3, with its in-depth customization options and more flexible difficulty levels? Sure, you could just get both and have double the fun, but only one can be the best. Check out the trailers below in HD, cast your votes, … Read more

My Favorite Cars 5: A real-life Batmobile

All this week I've been dedicating my video blog to my dream cars--cars that I'd love to own but alas never have. If money were no object, I could reasonably own every car on this shortlist. However, there is one dream car that I could probably never, ever own and that's one of the most badass vehicles ever built...the Batmobile!

Now this isn't your parents' Batmobile. This is a specially built take on the modern interpretation of the Batmobile built by British entrepeneur Paul Garlick. He was apparently commissioned to make a replica of the … Read more

My Favorite Cars Pt. 4: Mustang vs. Z Series

You know, I'm a big fan of Mustangs, both past and present. They're the classic American muscle car. But I'm also a fan of the Nissan Z series (my favorite model being the 300ZX, but I think they're all pretty sweet) as it's a fun, semisporty Japanese cruising machine. While I was searching for video for this week's blog series dedicated to my favorite cars, I found a video that had not just one but two of my fave rides--the Mustang and the Nissan 370Z. So here it is...an in depth look at … Read more

2009 Smart ForTwo Passion Web video

The value-packed, sporty and well-equipped Smart ForTwo Passion coupe includes a panorama roof, alloy wheels, air conditioning with climate control, three-spoke leather sports steering wheel with shift paddles, power windows, electric and heated side mirrors, and AM/FM radio with CD player.

The car debuted last fall at the 2008 LA auto show. Check out this review by Cars.com's Joe Wiesenfelder.