Autoblog

• Duh: Cadillac shelves that whole V12 thing
  

  Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedans/Saloons, I.C.E., Cadillac

  
  750-hp 7.5-liter V12 from the Cadillac Cien concept
  
  Here's a shocker: Cadillac has reportedly canceled plans for a range-topping V12 engine. Really, you don't say? Last we checked, General Motors didn't seem to have any problems extracting plenty of performance from its 6.2-liter supercharged and 7.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 engines, and the majority of the development work has already been done for a Caddy installation. Additionally, we've heard some rumors of a possible twin-turbo version of GM's excellent 3.6-liter direct injection six, which could find a cozy spot under the hood of the next Cadillac...
  



• Lotus developing efficient two-stroke OMNIVORE engine
  

  Filed under: Green, I.C.E., Lotus

  
  Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lotus Exige 270E Tri-Fuel
  
  Lotus Engineering has been hard at work developing new engine technologies that allow the use of sustainable alcohol fuels. It's recent Exige 270E Tri-Fuel concept showed that the British firm knows how to make an engine run on various fuels, including gasoline, ethanol and methanol. In fact, the 270E Tri-Fuel concept was the most powerful Exige ever conceived by the Hethel-based company and made its highest power output using synthetic methanol fuel. Lotus has started a new research project called the OMNIVORE engine -- cleverly indicating that it will...
  



• High gas prices mean more superchargers. We're okay with that
  

  Filed under: Tuners, Green, I.C.E., Tech

  
  Click above for more shots of the GM LSA V8 and its Eaton supercharger
  
  The ongoing debate between the supercharger camp and the turbo boys isn't likely to die along with large, fuel-thirsty performance engines. In fact, Eaton believes that the market for both power-boosters will continue to grow at an extremely fast pace along with the rising price of gas. Because manufacturers are looking to downsize their engines, power-adders like the supercharger are becoming increasingly necessary in order to deliver the kind of performance new car buyers have come to expect along with the low fuel consumption that is...
  



• Should've bought a Garmin? Testing the iPhone 3G's GPS capabilities
  

  Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., I.C.E., Tech

  Yes, we were among the suckers who endured the idiotic lines, activation woes and intermittent service that you've undoubtedly read about after the iPhone 3G's launch this past Friday. But our reason for suffering through myriad hassles to get our hands on Apple's newest hotness wasn't purely selfish. We wanted to see whether the iPhone 3G's new GPS functionality was worth the cost of admission or if we'd be better off buying one of the many stand-alone navigation units currently on the market. Make the jump to find...
  



• Next BMW iDrive to take cues from Audi's MMI
  

  Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, I.C.E., BMW

  We've already gotten a sneak peak of what the 2009 BMW 7-series will look like on the outside ahead of its official launch, but the interior - and iDrive in particular - is still veiled in a cloak of secrecy. However, Bimmerfile has supposedly gotten the inside dope on the new multi-function brushed aluminum mole.
  
  According to Bimmerfile, the new iDrive interface will take a cue from one of our favorite in-dash control units - Audi's MMI - with a new interface that has a similar list design and selection system. The screen resolution is higher, which makes the maps and text "more...
  



• VIDEO: Engadget gets to play with Mio Knight Rider GPS, Autoblog jealous
  

  Filed under: Aftermarket, Gadgets, Time Warp, I.C.E., Videos

  
  Click above to view the video posted after the jump.
  
  Okay, Mio's Knight Rider GPS unit is now officially "hella" cool. Engadget snagged some video of the startup sequence, and we're overcome by nostalgia for 1984. We're not excited to the point where we've gone digging for vintage Le Tigre polos or pulled that zombie leather jacket (the Thriller replica, natch) out of deep closet storage, but seeing that sweeping light bar and watching the flanking LEDs twinkle to the dulcet tones of William Daniels brings back sunny memories for those of us...
  



• Chrysler's What's New 2008: uConnect web w/VIDEO
  

  Filed under: I.C.E., Chrysler, LLC.

  
  Click above to view a video of Chrysler's uConnect in action.
  
  At Chrysler's annual "What's New" gathering at its Chelsea Proving Ground, we were able to get a demonstration of the new uConnect Web system, which transforms any vehicle into a rolling WiFi hot spot. The hardware consists of a WiFi router with a built in wireless 3G modem. The 3G modem automatically connects to the internet and allows any WiFi enabled devices, such as a laptop, iPod Touch, Nintendo DS or XBox to connect, as long as you're within range of a cell signal. Chrysler is offering the system as a dealer...
  



• VIDEO: Mio Knight Rider GPS speaks!
  

  Filed under: Gadgets, Time Warp, I.C.E., Tech, Toys

  
  

  If you're a child of the 80's, you may very well have gone ballistic when news of Mio's Knight Rider GPS hit cyberspace. The sat-nav unit is not only styled like the original Knight Industries Two Thousand, but even has blinking red lights along the flanks (just like KITT's voice modulator) and features voice directions recorded by the man himself, William Daniels. (What do you mean, who is William Daniels?! He was the original voice of KITT!) You can have it call you Michael and feel like The Hoff himself, or select from a long list of...
  




• Knight Rider-themed GPS system with authentic KITT voice
  

  Filed under: Aftermarket, Gadgets, Time Warp, I.C.E.

  
  Click above to view more shots of the Mio Knight Rider GPS
  
  "Michael, you're going the wrong way, you ninny." For all you Knight Rider fans no longer moved by finding a perfect 45 rpm single of "A Knight Rider Christmas," Mio has a brand new toy that's capable of Knight Industries Two Thousand level antics. The Knight Rider-themed GPS unit has voice prompts recorded by the one-and-only William Daniels (thankfully not Val Kilmer), the original voice of KITT, and asks cordially "Hello Michael, where do you want to go today?" when powered up. The LCD display is...
  



• How about a smaller nav screen? Magna develops in-mirror display
  

  Filed under: Aftermarket, Gadgets, I.C.E.

  
  
  While Ford's giving the Fusion an LCD large enough to watch feature films, Magna has joined up with Swiss firm u-blox and Germany's Paragon to develop a navigation system that puts the map display in your rearview mirror. The system is called MirrorPilot, and it does look like a slick way to add factory navigation with a minimum of effort on the automaker's part. It's also far nicer than suction-cupping some aftermarket unit to the windshield and dealing with its tangle of cables. It's not just a mirror with a display; the MirrorPilot incorporates a GPS receiver and antenna, as well as...