World's Smallest Car to Meet Gumball Obama at Ripley's NYC

It's impossible for anyone, even Brad Pitt, to pick up chicks in the Peel 50, the smallest car ever approved for street use -- and that's because it's a one-seater. Still, this 130 lb. roadster, which is coming soon to Ripley's New York City Odditorium, has something that really impresses sophisticated Manhattan ladies. At 52 inches long, you can park it anywhere. In the early 1960s, Britain's Manx Peel Engineering Company made about 50 of these three-wheeled beauties, and Ripley's Believe It Or Not! purchased one of the last that remain. With the United States trying to revive its auto industry, it's thoughtful of Ripley's to put the Peel 50 near it's other new NYC attraction --

Gumball Obama, a presidential mural made from 12,784 pieces of gum. As a case study, the Peel 50 certainly offers auto manufacturers some lessons. Despite great gas millage, this small fry never appealed to consumers, perhaps because at top speeds it couldn't break 40 MPH. Then again, how fast do you want to go in a vehicle that probably weighs less than you do?

All new Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 2013 Trailer

Here’s perhaps the oddest car recall you’ll read about. Mazda is recalling 52,000 of its Mazda6 sedans from model years 2009 and 2010 in the U.S. because a certain type of spider can spin a web in a fuel system vent line that can eventually lead to cracking of the system and ultimately cause the fuel tank to crack. [UPDATE: When including cars in other parts of North America, the total vehicles affected is 65,916, Mazda said.] We couldn’t make this stuff up if we tried, and a spokesman at Mazda’s U.S. headquarters in Irvine was just as surprised by the issue, which only affects Mazda6 sedans equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. No injuries or accidents have been linked to the issue, said Jeremy Barnes, but the automaker has received about 20 reports of the problem. The issue, Barnes said, is that a Yellow Sac spider can spin a web in a pipe that regularly becomes pressurized and then purges itself. The web can apparently interrupt this normal operation, which in turn can cause stress on the pipe and make it crack. While it’s not unusual for critters such as rats to crawl into engines, a small spider is a whole ‘nother matter, Barnes said. “I’ve never heard of anything like this in my 20-plus years,” he said. “It’s just an unusual situation and it’s related only to this engine. It’s due to the design of this fuel system.” Barnes said that furthermore, this recall only affects Mazda6 sedans made in Michigan, which are sold in North America. To remedy the situation, dealers will for free inspect affected cars, clean the canister and install a spring to prevent this type of spider from entering the vent line, according to the recall notice posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s web site. The safety recall campaign is expected to begin o or before March 25. If you have additional questions or concerns, you can contact Mazda’s consumer hot line at 800-222-5500 .

Chevy to drop Avalanche pickup in 2013

DETROIT -- The Chevrolet Avalanche, the truck that helped launch the boom in crew cab pickups, is ending its run a decade after its U.S. sales hit their high level. Chevrolet confirmed today the 2013 Avalanche will be the final year for the crew cab, which it will send off with the 2013 Black Diamond edition. GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said Avalanche sales peaked in 2003 with 93,482 units, but were only 20,088 for 2011. “As the crew cab pickup became an increasing part of the light duty market, Avalanche sales have really been tapering off,” Wilkinson said. “We have a very passionate following but unfortunately it’s not large enough to make a strong enough business case to do a next generation Avalanche as part of the next generation full-size truck program.” The Avalanche, introduced as a concept at the 2000 Detroit auto show, went on sale in 2001 as a 2002 model. It was named 2002 Motor Trend Truck of the Year upon its introduction. The 2013 Avalanche will start production in June and will be in showrooms shortly after, Wilkinson said. The vehicle is built at GM’s plant in Silao, Mexico, which also produces the Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra and Cadillac Escalade EXT. Mark Clawson, Avalanche marketing manager, said more than 580,000 Avalanches have been sold since its introduction. “Although Avalanche sales have tapered off in recent years, as crew cabs have grown to dominate Silverado sales, we know there are many Avalanche enthusiasts among Chevy customers,” Clawson said in a statement. “The Black Diamond Avalanche is our way of saying ‘Thank you’ and making it just a little more attractive to own one more Avalanche.” Chevrolet sold 5,494 Avalanches in the United States during the first quarter, a 23 percent gain over the first three months of 2011. Chevrolet says Avalanche reshaped the pickup market with its unique styling and a Midgate that extended the bed into the cab, while still allowing room for five people. Based on this appeal, truckmakers began developing light-duty crew cab pickups and by 2011, crew cabs accounted for more than 65 percent of light-duty pickup sales, according to Chevrolet. Base prices for Avalanche have been reduced $2,500 after equipment adjustments, with the two-wheel-drive LS now starting at $36,975, including a $995 delivery fee. The 2012 version sells for $39,235, including delivery. For the Black Diamond edition, a rear camera, rear park assist, power adjustable pedals, fog lamps and remote start will be added as standard equipment on LS models, while LT models have added a standard rear camera. The model also will feature body-colored bed surrounds and a unique badge on the sail panel. Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20120413/OEM04/120419940#ixzz1s7XNZch2

10 Worst Car Names of All Time!

Some car names just make sense. The curvy Volkswagen Beetle, the devilishly powerful Lamborghini Diablo and the superfast Ford Mustang were given monikers designed to call attention to each vehicle’s unique characteristics. But not every car is so fortunate. Whether these vehicles were top sellers or commercial failures, they all have one thing in common: prime real estate on our list of the worst car names of all time. #1 Mohs Ostentatienne Opera Sedan (1967-75):

Well, a really bizarre-looking car needs a really bizarre name, and former seaplane mogul turned automaker Bruce Baldwin Mohs came through on both counts with his Ostentatienne Opera Sedan. Incidentally, we have no idea what it means, either.#2 Zimmer Quicksilver (1984-88):

Quicksilver is an archaic name for mercury, exposure to which causes all sorts of neurological impairments, a few of which may have afflicted those who came up with the idea of designing a hyper-expensive luxury sport coupe around the lackluster Pontiac Fiero. #3 Studebaker Dictator (1927-37):

In fairness to Studebaker, when they named the car Hitler, Mussolini and Franco hadn’t yet given dictators the black eye they later would, but still, naming a car after an undemocratic, authoritarian head of state seems more than a bit weird. Ford Führer, anyone?#4 Geely Beauty Leopard (introduced in 2003):

If you imagine being a non-English speaker, it’s conceivable that pairing the words “beauty” and “leopard” might have a certain cachet. Or not. The car itself is a relatively non-descript Chinese compact whose only claim to fame is that it sported the world’s first in-car karaoke machine. #5 Mitsubishi MAUS (Mini Active Urban Sandal) (1995):

The name conjures the image of a smelly, worn-out pair of flip flops, so it’s no wonder this micro compact concept car flopped. Little was heard of it after the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show. #6 Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard (1991-2004):

A compact SUV produced by Isuzu in Japan, the real mystery here was why anyone thought this was a better name than “Amigo” or “Rodeo,” the way the car was marketed outside of Japan, unless both Amigo and Rodeo mean something rude in Japanese.#7 Honda That’s(2002-07):

A tiny urban car built in Japan for the home market. Honda’s rationale for the name was that it wanted people to see the car and exclaim, “That’s it!” They more likely exclaimed, “That’s totally lame!” #8 Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear (1994-2007):

Mitsubishi has an illustrious history of nonsense names like Starion, Cordia and Tredia, so Delica isn’t out of character in that mishmash. The “Space Gear” part likely refers to the chubby minivan configuration of the vehicle and contributes immensely to the overall absurdity of the name. #9 Datsun Fairlady (1959-70):

Nothing says macho sports car like show tunes. Amazingly, Nissan named its sporting roadster after the musical “My Fair Lady,” thereby alienating at least 50 percent of the market for the car. #10 Mazda Bongo Friendee (1995-2005):

To non-English speakers, this probably sounds like it means something. To English speakers, it just sounds silly and is perhaps even the silliest-sounding name on the list. Other than the nutty name, it’s a rather nondescript minivan. Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/04/14/10-worst-car-names-all-time/?intcmp=features#ixzz1s3Mqeesg

Are You a Stupid Driver?

Are You a Stupid Driver?: A national drivers test suggests 38 million American drivers may be unfit to get behind the wheel. It also says which states have the best and worst drivers. Hint: if you plan on driving in New York this summer, be especially careful.

 Think you’re a smart driver? Prove it.
For the last six years, GMAC insurance company has offered an online driver’s test to see if Americans are still capable of passing the written part of their driver’s exam. The results aren’t encouraging.
This year’s scores indicate that about 38 million Americans, or one in five licensed drivers, would fail a typical written driver’s exam. The state with the worst drivers was New York, with an average score of 70. The best drivers live in Kansas, with an average score of 82. The test involves 20 common questions culled from state DMV exams, with additional questions designed to discover if drivers are engaging in distracting behavior while driving.
Here are the states with the best and worst scores:

Best scores:

1. Kansas
2. Oregon
3. South Dakota
4. Minnesota
5. Iowa

Worst Scores

1. New York
2. New Jersey
3. Washington DC
4. California
5. Rhode Island

The national average score was 76.2, a slight decline from last year’s 76.6. The best scores went to older drivers, with males scoring about four percentage points higher than females. About 25% of participants admitted to “driving while talking on a cell phone, eating and adjusting the radio or selecting songs on an iPod.” Only 5% would admit to texting behind the wheel.
Want to see if you’re smarter than the average driver in your state? Here’s where to take the test:

JC Mud Races_2.wmv

Honestly, we were a little skeptical when we bought the tickets for the 2012 Motor Metal Madness Mud Races at the Josephine County Fairgrounds.  Not only was there a torrential downpour when we left the house but when we got there, there were hoards of people lined up in the rain to buy tickets to get in and we didn't think to bring an umbrella.  Of course our three boys were with us and we'll just say that they weren't quite as enthusiastic about seeing the race as we were despite promises of big trucks and lots of mud.  Like any good parents would, we forced them out into the freezing cold weather so we could get a few shots of the races.  After all, where else can you huddle with 800 other Oregonians in the sideways pelting rain on a stormy Saturday afternoon and drink Coors Lite to this kind of entertainment?

This one is fuzzy at the beginnig but if you wait it out, this little car is pretty impressive and did much better than most of the big trucks!