Now, to answer what we’re sure is a burning question on the minds of all of our readers… yes, it is possible to ride a Segway on a supercross track. Well, it’s a burning question if you happen to be AMA Supercross Champion James “Bubba” Stewart, that is. As you’ll see in the video we’ve conveniently pasted after the break for your viewing pleasure, for the rest of us, probably not.
From the looks of things, this particular Segway is one of the brand’s off-road models and has some specific modifications to help improve its chances on Stewart’s own personal supercross track. For instance, note its deeply lugged side-by-side tires, and, most importantly, the Renthal dirtbike-style handlebar complete with appropriate padding for safety.
Kids, don’t try this at home. Now, how long till we see this replicated on MythBusters?
In Europe, it’s quite common to have a set of summer and winter tires. What isn’t common is to improperly install the lug nuts during a swap and lose all four wheels simultaneously at freeway speed.
The local Swiss constable reports the passengers had just swapped over to summer tires and used the incorrect bolts to put the wheels on (how that happens we have no idea) and one they brought the car up to speed the wheels promptly fell off. The car ground to a halt in the middle of the freeway and amazingly nobody was injured and there weren’t any secondary accidents.
Of course, upon hearing this we immediately thought of the above video classic where an RX7 loses all its rubber after the driver failed to torque things down, though it’s on a cone course and at low speeds, not a freeway at high speeds.
You may remember last fall when we showed you a couple videos by Farmer Dave where he blows up refrigerators. That was good, stupid fun involving the blunt force of an exploding airbag. What you’re about to see after the jump is just stupid, and every bit as interesting to watch.
A group of young men with nothing to do and little upstairs decided to get way more creative with an airbag. They strapped a ‘live’ airbag to a skateboard body and blew it up. For some reason, they thought it was a good idea to have one of the guys stand on two chairs with his legs spread apart when the safety device was detonated. The result of this stupidity is one helluva powerful blow to the male reproductive organs. We’ve seen some stupid stunts over the years, but this one has Darwin Award honorable mention written all over it. While you’re watching the clip after the jump, think about how much money you would pay to not have this happen to you, then think about the fact that this guy probably didn’t get a dime to ruin any chance at future offspring.
More proof that Lamborghinis are the devil: this one forces a car to dramatically reenact a harsh dragon maneuver on an unsuspecting idling car stopped at a light. Damn you
This monstrous German broke a Murcielago by hanging on while the driver fries the clutch, then, above, he manages to hold back the ferocious power of a Diablo for seven seconds. Whoa!
Fast forward to the 7:30 mark if you don’t like waiting around for the big event.
According to our rusty German, this is a Guinness Book world record attempt where the giant strongman, cabled to the SUV behind him, must hold onto the car as long as possible, with the clock starting a minimum level of force is applied to the cable. Looks like a sketchy setup, might be a stunt, might be real, looks an awful lot like a big guy holding onto a cable as someone in a Lambo does a brake stand, but it still looks cool.
What’s the fastest way to get from New York City to Washington D.C.? In an homage to BBC TV show TopGear, Garage 419 embarks on an epic journey, racing a Dodge Challenger SRT-8 (on a single tank of gas) against an airline shuttle and Amtrak rail. Progress is tracked by Google’s new GPS social networking tool, Google Latitude. Find out more at www.google.com/latitude.
How weird is an automotive subculture where the competing cars don’t move an inch? Super weird. Still, even the strongest restraining belts can’t contain the savage fun of this… dyno party.
Exhibit A would be the above dyno party produced by NYCE1S.com.The focus of the evening is CarlitoDaKing taking on Ceazdachamp in cars with their hoods removed to expose turbochargers the size of jet engines. While the propellers dip into the lunatic end of the rev range you cringe in anticipation of the whole shebang blowing up and showering the packed crowd with cherry-hot pieces of metal.
As both the DJ and the turbos spin away, it slowly dawns on the viewer that we’re seeing an exquisite parody of what we should expect from a post-Carpocalyptic car culture. It’s a sport where inflated and wholly pointless horsepower ratings with no roads to utilize them on do nothing to tamp the fun to be had. If this is the new automotive sub-culture in a world without money, we at least applaud the attention to technical detail if not the adrenalin rush of the old method of doing the same thing — straight-line racing on a drag strip.
Since its debut the Audi TT has stirred emotions and imitations with its daring looks, just as fresh now as when introduced just over a decade ago. The Roadster is even more image-conscious, and in recognition of that, Audi is reportedly considering a downsize for the drop-top’s engine to a 1.8L TFSI unit.
The smaller four-pot generates 160hp (119kW) and still manage to get the little roadster around with pep, though it wouldn’t have any pretensions to the true sportiness of its hard-top sister.
Efficiency benefits will outweigh the loss in performance for many buyers, with fuel efficiency topping 34mpg US (6.9L/100km) in the combined cycle, and 0-62mph (100km/h) times still in the 7.4-second range.
The new car will cost £23,910 on the road in the UK, or about $34,550. It’s due to hit the streets in Great Britain in April, with likely sale throughout Europe as well. No word yet on whether the car will make it to the U.S., but given the increasing globalization of model lines, it is possible.
On the other hand, America’s taste for displacement knows few limits, so it’s equally possible we’ll only be able to wonder what the little roadster is like from afar.
The Tata Nano finally goes on sale in India this week. Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler gets a cash infusion from a desert kingdom, Chevrolet wins again and gives Corvette buyers the trophy, and the latest German rocket sled, the E63 AMG, preps for a New York unveiling. Hosted by Derek DeAngelis
There is a new proposed deal on the table between Detroit and an Italian auto giant. Cadillac goes WiFi, a new green highspeed train could be headed to Detroit and will BMWs next M3 say good bye to its V8 engine? Hosted by Derek DeAngelis
Ouch. After taking an off-track excursion and narrowly missing major guardrail contact, the driver of this BMW M3 tries to just power back onto the track. Not so fast says the berm as it totally tears up the undercarriage. The driver’s miscalculation leaves this high-performance 3-series high centered and in need of a push, and the car likely sustained more damage before its wheels were once again solidly on tarmac.
Watch on video below what happens when an over-confident driver piloting a brand-new Nissan GT-R takes off after an Evo IX MR on a curvy mountain road at night.
Let this video serve as a lesson to anyone — don’t drive mad. Sure, you missed a shift or an apex. Whatever. You get pissed and you’ll end up crashing. Like this unfortunate GT-R driver who ended up getting spanked by a Mitsubishi Evo IX MR.
