#taft #taftdieselindonesia #tdi #mud #celong #horeamngumbah http://t.co/nGjaXsSflY

“@BossBitchFacts: A jealous woman does better research than the FBI.” @Mander_86 #tdi

RT @Palapalavecino8: En SLP el partido de #Everton - #Camioneros por el #TDI

Filed under: Etc.

We're almost ready to record Episode #334 of the Autoblog Podcast. Check out the topics below, add your own to the Q&A and join us live via UStream, as well. Keep reading for our embedded UStream player, and thanks for listening!

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #334

• 2014 Mercedes Benz S Class
• BMW 2 Series
• People (apparently) trust autonomous cars

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #334 goes LIVE at 10PM Eastern!

Autoblog Podcast #334 goes LIVE at 10PM Eastern! originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That soot. #jetta #tdi #euro #diesel #sedan #vdub #Volkswagen #fast #straightpiped #soot #coal #Rollin… http://t.co/v6vPjgZI3B

Coal Rollin' #euro #Volkswagen #jetta #slammed #lowered #stance #tdi #sedan #mk4 #coal #Rollin #fast… http://t.co/v6nDYeyJe6

Coal Rollin' #jetta #tdi #diesel #dub #vdub #vw #euro #Volkswagen #sedan #wagon #slammed #stance… http://t.co/sykVNYMcvj

En SLP el partido de #Everton - #Camioneros por el #TDI

I want my car already it needs to be the end of the week!! #hopeful #vw #tdi

#nissan #patrol #tdi #turbo #intercooler #diesel #blindada @ Tecun Uman http://t.co/B1Muv0ank6

Filed under: Motorsports, Truck, Videos, Ford, Specialty, Racing

The Silver Lake sand dunes see their fair share of well-built trophy trucks executing impressive jumps. Drivers build insane pieces of machinery for the express purpose of sailing through the air like mad men and women.

Mike Higgins is no stranger to the area. His heavily modified Ford trophy truck has gone flying through the sky on more than one occasion, but he recently bit off more than he could chew. After hitting a particularly lofty dune, Higgins went airborne for a ridiculous 180 feet before becoming intimately familiar with the finer points of gravity.

While Higgins nailed the jump, his landing fell short of wowing the judges. The impact very nearly broke his truck in two. Despite the mechanical mayhem, the driver walked away without a scratch, proving that occasionally miracles really do happen. You can check out the jump and the subsequent destruction below for yourself. Be warned: there's a fair bit of foul language.

Continue reading The big dune jump and the damage done

The big dune jump and the damage done originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Si nadie en el mundo se preocupa por ti ¿Realmente existes? #TDI

Filed under: Etc., GM

Universities are right now trotting out Grade-A commencement speakers to motivate this year's graduating class of collegiates to change the world, or at least vacate their parents' property before the age of 30. Some of the most inspiring commencement speeches of all time include the one Steve Jobs gave at Stanford in 2005, and this year's address du jour is one given by the late David Foster Wallace at Kenyon College in 2008 (watch them both below).

Automaker executives are often invited to the podium to speak as well. Former General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner spoke in 2011 at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne just recently addressed graduates at Walsh College. Over the weekend, current GM CEO Dan Akerson took to the podium to inspire students embarking from the Mendoza School of Business at Notre Dame.

Did Akerson, who graduated from Annapolis in 1970, motivate the next Jobs, Musk or Gates to lead us all into a bright and promising future? We'll let you read the transcript below and judge for yourself. His message had to do with what constitutes a good leader, those qualities being the ability to define reality by setting priorities, allocating capital and resources to meet those priorities, a willingness to serve and leading by example.

Speaking to a room full of business school graduates, Akerson also remarked, "If all you intend to do with this knowledge and influence is see how many points you can score on your personal wealth scorecard... then something is terribly wrong." An interesting, if convenient, revelation from someone whose salary topped $11 million in 2012.

Continue reading Graduates! The CEO of GM has some wisdom to share

Graduates! The CEO of GM has some wisdom to share originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thank you @duffbert @marie_scott @idnotes. The #TDI video you made cleared things up. http://t.co/yIIanHJTdH My head is not longer exploding

#LandRover #Defender #OneTen #Tdi #110 #proper #green http://t.co/I6dOFcRWc5

Filed under: Performance, BMW, Toyota

Earlier this year, BMW and Toyota confirmed a four-part joint venture mostly focusing on increasing improving vehicle efficiency using fuel cells, lightweight materials and better battery technology. Also tucked into the announcement was a "feasibility study" for a shared platform to underpin a future midsize "sports vehicle."

In terms of the latter, it seems that things have stepped up from the feasibility stage to the conceptual stage, as Motor Trend reports we could see a pair of new sports car concepts debut later this year in at the Tokyo Motor Show. There isn't much information about the new program, but the article suggests the sports cars could be all-wheel drive hybrids, with electric motors powering the front wheels and a gas engine powering the rear wheels. While a partnership between Toyota and BMW might not lend itself to a catchy portmanteau like "Toyobaru," here's hoping it will bear fruit that is as exciting as the ones produced by the Toyota/Subaru tie up.

BMW-Toyota sports car heading towards Tokyo debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 18:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Chevrolet, Specialty

When it comes to fleet vehicles, the Chevrolet Impala definitely plays an important role for General Motors, and it looks like GM is hard at work developing the next-gen Impala for bulk-buying businesses. The Motoring Journal recently spotted a handful of Impalas testing in Colorado with minor camouflage, but upon closer inspection, these appear to be test mules for a new compressed natural gas (CNG) model - a powertrain combination far more likely to find favor with fleet buyers than everyday consumers.

Aside from the obvious "CNG" stickers affixed to the decklid, these cars also have different exhaust outlets than what we saw on the V6-equipped Impalas during our first drive of the sedan back in March. Images also show under the hood with a different engine cover and plenty of exposed wiring as the CNG system continues testing. There was also an electrical connector poking out of the front fascia, and at least one of the sedans had a receiver-style trailer hitch.

During the launch of the 2014 Impala, Chevrolet said that it is looking to flip the current fleet-to-retail from 70:30 to a more profitable and resale-friendly 30:70 ratio, and this new CNG Impala could be a good way to retain some of that 30-percent fleet business. We reached out to GM for word on when a CNG Impala might arrive, and received this response:

We do offer a CNG van and a bi-fuel pickup truck, but still studying the demand for CNG powered passenger cars. Infrastructure is a consideration for anyone buying these types of vehicles. Unfortunately, there's nothing to announce today on this front.

Our best guess is that it could debut for the 2015 model year, since the ninth-generation model is carrying over for fleet-only sales as the 2014 Impala Limited.

Is Chevrolet readying a CNG-powered Impala? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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#TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TDI #TECHO #TECHO #TECHO #TECHO #TECHO #TECHO #TECHO

#TDI Voy por ellos <3*-* http://t.co/VrfL34Pv78

Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal, Saab

The Associated Press reports three former Saab executives have been arrested on charges of accounting fraud. Swedish prosecutor Olof Sahlgren has refused to identify the individuals, but says they're suspected of attempting to evade taxes by falsifying Saab accounts between 2010 and 2011 during the Spyker years. Other reports indicate the parties involved include former General Counsel to Saab Kristina Geers (seen to the left of former CEO Victor Muller, above), a 15-year-veteran of the company - her husband, Eric, was the company's communications director for 9 years as well.

Saab filed for bankruptcy in 2011, and was purchased shortly thereafter by National Electric Vehicle Sweden. If convicted, the trio could face up to four years in prison for their crimes under Swedish law.

3 former Saab execs charged with tax evasion originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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