Rob Dyrdek’s “kick flip” stunt in a Chevrolet Sonic effectively sealed his place in the hallowed halls of stunt driver lore. As it turns out, actually pulling off a 360-degree barrel roll in a vehicle is one of the most challenging stunts one can perform. Driving on two wheels? Cakewalk. Knocking down a series of buses stacked on their ends? As easy as sucking pea soup through a crazy straw. The barrel roll requires stacks of mathematical calculations to account for everything from the vehicle’s weight to its speed and the exact rotation angle of each ramp.

But Dyrdek wasn’t the first guy to successfully execute such a bit of insanity. He’s one of a select few stunt drivers to do the deed, and Popular Mechanics has taken a look at those who have tackled the automotive barrel roll in the past. Dyrdek’s stunt was actually an almost exact replica of the Astro Spiral Jump as performed in 1972 at the Houston Astrodome. That exercise used a significantly classier AMC Javelin, however. Head over to Popular Mechanics to check out the video series and click past the jump for a clip on the Astro Spiral Jump.

Continue reading PopMech offers a video history of the automotive barrel roll

PopMech offers a video history of the automotive barrel roll originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

As you likely know by now, Lexus is planning to pull the curtains off a new concept car at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. Besides the fact that it’s red and appears to be a sporty coupe of some sort, we have no real details on what to expect.

What we do know, however, is that the concept will be sporting a rather inviting interior, thanks to the second teaser image that you see above (click here to enlarge). We note lots of attractive waves of stitching and a plethora of different leather colors and textures.

We also spy some genuine wood trim and what appears to be a mighty large sweeping information center making up most of the dash. And finally, judging by the serious plunging roofline, we’re pretty sure this will be a two-seater. Looks like Detroit is shaping up to be an interesting show, with stunning coupe concepts promised from both Lexus and Acura.

Continue reading Lexus offers interior glimpse of new Detroit-bound concept

Lexus offers interior glimpse of new Detroit-bound concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

msnbc.com: Autos

No related posts.

Everywhere we look we’re surrounded by “smart” technology embedded into everyday items. Refrigerators have built-in televisions and internet connections, while our phones contain more computing power than a NASA control room from the ’70s. Automakers are also ready to ride the tech-train to tomorrow, and Toyota has provided a glimpse of a new way to give passengers a window to the world.

A car already has such a window, but what if the glass was able to provide both information of the world outside and an interactive tool to view it. Engineers and designers from Toyota Motor Europe and the Copenhagen Instituted of Interaction Design have begun thinking about the future, and it could feature a rather unique option for the rear windows. Touch-screen glass would allow one to see how far objects lie in the distance, pinch to zoom on an area outside and to generally learn more about what’s going on outside.

It’s called the Window to the World concept, and you can experience it by watching the video after the jump.

Continue reading Toyota offers back-seat passengers a new Window to the World

Toyota offers back-seat passengers a new Window to the World originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

Jalen Rose, former NBA player and member of Michigan’s Fab Five, is looking to help out a charitable organization founded in his name. It’s called the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, and it’s a preparatory school for students in grades 9-12, located in Detroit. The JRLA is slated to open in September of 2011, and 120 students will enter the halls as ninth graders. Rose has chosen to offer up his 1969 Dodge Charger General Lee at auction, and all of the proceeds will be put towards the new school.

Rose took the liberty of making a few changes to this particular car. The Confederate flag has been removed from the roof and the numbers on the doors have been changed to show “05″ in honor of Rose’s playing number.

This is not simply a Dukes of Hazzard replica, however, as this Charger is one of the few surviving cars used during filming of the television show. Jalen Rose’s signature can be found under the hood, along with the John Hancock of Bo Duke himself, John Schneider.

The auction will get underway on May 23rd, and the car will be listed with an opening bid of ,000. This is a no-reserve auction with the proceeds going to a good cause, so pegging the final hammer price is rather tricky. Head over to the eBay Motors listing for more information on both the car and Jalen Rose Leadership Academy.

Jalen Rose offers up his 1969 Dodge Charger General Lee for charity originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 May 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.