We’d guess a thief’s favorite Ford Mustang is whichever one he happens to be hooning around in – ahead of either illegally selling it, stripping it for parts or falsifying its VIN to pass it off as a legit car. But the ‘Stang that’s attracted the most attention from this scourge of society is none other than the 2000 Mustang.

While we’re not sure what it is about the venerable Ford pony car in that model year that’s caused it to rise to the top of the inaugural National Insurance Crime Bureau “Hot Wheels Classics” report on Mustangs, we are finding the study to be compelling reading. Who knew that 411,155 Mustangs have been stolen since 1981? The report is similar to NICB’s annual report on the most stolen cars, but focused on just Mustang thefts, with data dating all the way back to 1964. Apparently NICB got the idea to do a Mustang-centric report after being asked for data from MustangEvolution last year.

Even more interesting than the report, however, is that NICB has also posted a six-minute documentary about how it helped reunite a Shelby GT350 with its rightful owner some 25 years after the car had been stolen. While not exactly part of the report, the video is a pretty cool showpiece for the nonprofit group that investigates car theft and insurance fraud.

To read the full press release and check out the NICB’s video, click past the jump.

Continue reading Which Ford Mustang is most popular with thieves? [w/video]

Which Ford Mustang is most popular with thieves? [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Classics

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The only thing we can show you is the image above. No video, no additional pics, just that.

Tucked away in the way-way-back of the South Hall at CES is Garmin’s private meeting room. One section holds the company’s current automotive, nautical and aviation systems, while the other is an exhibition of the future.

We sampled Garmin’s new “Everest” setup, which includes one-shot voice commands and the ability to buy tracks from Amazon while you’re listening to them over FM radio. You’ll see it in cars later this year. We also sampled their “In2it” eight-way rotary controller (think a tech’d-out iDrive, MMI or COMAND knob), complete with proximity sensors and configurable buttons. Garmin is pitching it to OEMs right now.

But the system that blew our mind is dubbed K2. And the only thing we can show you is the image above. No video, no additional pics, just that.

Continue reading We can’t show you the most impressive infotainment system at CES

We can’t show you the most impressive infotainment system at CES originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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msnbc.com: Autos

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In Germany, having a reliable car is almost a rite of passage. That is, you won’t be granted passage onto the roadways if you’re car hasn’t passed the government’s strict testing regime.

Called the Technischer Überwachungsverei and generally shortened to TÜV, the organization first gets its hands and diagnostic equipment on your new car after its third year of service, and then again every two years after that. If your car fails its first go-round at the TÜV, it gets sent to a repair shop. If it fails again, it’s off to the great junkyard in the sky.

No wonder, then, that consumers are eager to see the results of the TÜV’s checkups year after year. And for 2011, after 7,779,312 million inspections, the Toyota Prius and Porsche 911 have taken home golden trophies in two different classes.

Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Germany’s iconic sports car was found to be so reliable, even after 10 or more years of ownership – after all, we’d imagine that most owners take extremely good care of their pride and joy. Plus, the 911 employs a design that practically dates back to the dawn of the German automobile itself, which means Porsche has had plenty of time to refine its mechanicals.

If you’re looking for something a bit newer, it seems the Toyota Prius is your best bet. For the second year in a row, the Japanese hybrid hatchback earned top marks in the three-year-old category, beating out the Toyota Auris and Mazda2.

And the worst? The Ford Ka. After 10 years, Ford’s mini-mobile fails its TÜV certification a whopping 38.9 percent of the time. As for the three-year-olds, the Dacia Logan’s 12.7-percent failure rate puts it in last spot.

Porsche 911 is officially Germany’s most reliable car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As wanderers of the infinite Internet wastelands, we’ve seen some pretty bizarre drag races, but nothing compares to the event that takes place in the video after the jump. In it, a classic Ferrari 250 GTO is pitted against the most unlikely of competitors; a Polaris Ranger RZR XP 900. The Ferrari gets the benefit of a tarmac launch while the UTV is left to put its 875cc engine’s motive powers to the grass-covered ground. How does the race turn out? We’ll let you watch and see for yourself, but we will say that the tango was considerably closer than we might’ve imagined.

It’s difficult to tell whether the 250 GTO is an actual product of Maranello or if the vehicle is simply a well-executed replica. Either way, the video makes for fun watching. Hit the jump to check it out.

Continue reading Ferrari 250 GTO vs. Polaris Ranger RZR XP 900 is the most absurd drag race we’ve ever seen

Ferrari 250 GTO vs. Polaris Ranger RZR XP 900 is the most absurd drag race we’ve ever seen originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog

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