Kurt Ernst, Contributor
Articles
-
If you’ve never had the pleasure of driving a mid-1960s Cadillac Coupe DeVille, do whatever is necessary to get yourself behind the wheel of one. It’s not that the cars were strong... -
Building The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette’s LT1 V-8 Engine: VideoWhen the new C7 Corvette goes on sale sometime in 2013, base models will come to market with an all-new 6.2-liter LT1 V-8. Chevy says the new engine will make 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, including the 400 pound-feet that are on tap between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm. That kind of output...
Kurt Ernst -
Ferrari Leaks Details On Its F150 (F70) SupercarAccording to the latest information from Ferrari, its Enzo successor is no longer being called the F70; instead, Ferrari is referring to it with the same alpha-numeric combination that it used to identify its 2011 Formula One car. If you recall, Ford wasn’t too happy about that, claiming that...
Kurt Ernst -
Shelby American To Reveal EcoBoost-Powered Model In Detroit: ReportDespite the passing of Carroll Shelby, the company that bears his name, Shelby American, is as active as ever in designing new products and new vehicles. Its vice president, Gary Patterson, promises that 2013 will be a big year for the brand, with new product introductions at the Detroit and New...
Kurt Ernst -
SRT Boss Ralph Gilles Helps Build 2013 ViperIf you needed more proof that Ralph Gilles, head of Chrysler’s SRT division, is a car-guy’s car guy, the above picture should go a long way towards settling the argument. Last Tuesday, Gilles joined the crew at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant to help build a 2013 Dodge Viper. While...
Kurt Ernst -
Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion Heads Home Following Its RestorationIn terms of design, the early 1930s were a time of promise, when people weren’t afraid to dream big. Buckminster Fuller is a perfect example, and his “Dymaxion” brand promised Americans a better (and more stylish) quality of life. Though applied to everything from the Marshall...
Kurt Ernst -
In two months, NASCAR’s 2013 season will begin in Daytona Beach with the Daytona Shootout, scheduled for Saturday, February 16. That doesn’t give teams a lot of time to shake down the new... -
The Cadillac ATS Wants To Be Your PALJust when you think you have every automotive acronym figured out, General Motors goes and invents a new one. In this case it’s “PAL,” which stands for “Performance Algorithm Liftfoot,” and we think you’re going to like what PAL can do for you. If you’ve...
Kurt Ernst -
The World's Fastest VW Golf In Action: VideoWhen we say “Volkswagen Golf,” what comes to mind? If you’re an enthusiast, you’re probably thinking of the VW Golf GTI, a car known for its spirited personality and fun-to-drive factor, if not its outright speed and handling. What probably doesn’t come to mind are...
Kurt Ernst -
Continental Is Latest To Get Nevada License For Autonomous CarsAutomotive supplier Continental is one of the driving forces behind the development of systems necessary for autonomous vehicles, and it’s become the first industry supplier granted a license to test autonomous vehicles on Nevada’s roads. Google was the first company granted a license...
Kurt Ernst -
Ford Announces Second Mustang Customizer Winner: VideoBack in October, James (last name omitted) got a surprise visit from Vaughn Gittin Jr., who showed up driving a new Mustang GT. It wasn’t just any Mustang GT, however, it was a car that James had designed and promoted as part of Ford’s Mustang Customizer contest. Giten was on hand to...
Kurt Ernst -
2013 Goodwood Revival To Honor 50 Years Of The Ford GT40In 1963, the Ford Motor Company came very close to acquiring Ferrari, which was (discreetly) up for sale. Ford spent a significant amount of time and money conducting due diligence, and the deal was close to signing when Ferrari suddenly broke off negotiations. Under the terms demanded by Ford...
Kurt Ernst -
We here in America tend to view road rage as a uniquely domestic phenomenon, with the chances of an encounter increasing proportionally to the amount of traffic on the road. It may not be a serious... -
Jay Leno Shows Us A Different Kind Of Vintage Lamborghini: VideoIf you know your Italian sports car history, you probably know that Lamborghini built farm tractors long before a falling out between Feruccio Lamborghini and Enzo Ferrari led to the creation of Lamborghini’s automobile business. In fact, Lamborghini’s tractor business began to take off...
Kurt Ernst -
2012 Hyundai Veloster Models Recalled For Sunroof FlawHyundai has announced the recall of certain 2012 model year Veloster hatchbacks, built between November 1, 2011 and April 17, 2012. At issue is a potential defect in the panoramic sunroof glass, caused by inadvertent contact between the glass and the unloading station robot. In all, some 13,500...
Kurt Ernst -
FIA Announces Rule Changes For the 2013 Formula One SeasonPerhaps more than any other form of organized motorsport, Formula One is constantly evolving to embrace and adapt to new technologies, designed to enhance not only competition but driver safety as well. As the pinnacle of the motorsports world, such a progressive view is to be expected for Formula...
Kurt Ernst -
Porsche Details The Carrera 4's Heritage: VideoThe new Type 991 Porsche 911 Carrera 4, like all Carrera 4 models before it, can trace its lineage back to the formidable Porsche 959, a no-holes-barred supercar that debuted such things as performance-oriented all-wheel drive, sequential turbocharging and a Kevlar and aluminum body that took...
Kurt Ernst -
Volkswagen Confirms Advertising For Super Bowl XLVIIIn 2011, Volkswagen’s unforgettable Super Bowl XLV ad (featuring a young Darth Vader, amazed at the sudden emergence of his mystical powers) earned the brand the Number One Ad of 2011 award from Adweek. Last year, it’s follow-up, called “The Dog Strikes Back,” earned it...
Kurt Ernst -
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, it seemed like a future filled with flying cars was inevitable. Automotive designers and engineers weren’t afraid to push the boundaries of design, as... -
Snowkhana One Spoofs Ken Block's Automotive Antics: VideoKen Block’s resume contains things like "actor," “shoe company CEO” and “part-time World Rally Championship competitor,” but let’s be honest here - he’s probably best known for his series of Gymkhana videos, featuring Block hooning in whatever car...
Kurt Ernst -
The Petersen Automotive Museum’s Secret Vault (Temporarily) Opens To The PublicIf you’ve never been to the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, the only word we can think of to sum it up is “impressive.” Regardless of where your automotive passion lies, there’s something at the Petersen to get you salivating like one of Pavlov’s dogs at a...
Kurt Ernst -
UN secretary general gets bulletproof Hyundai Equus limoBan Ki-moon, the current Secretary General of the United Nations, originally hails from South Korea. Now in his second term as Secretary General, it seems fitting that Ki-moon would travel in an armored limousine that comes from the land of his birth. Yesterday, Hyundai handed over the keys to a...
Kurt Ernst -
Mercedes-Benz Highlights New E Class Features: VideoWant to learn more about the new Mercedes-Benz E Class models, but find yourself pressed for time? There’s no need to wade through an eighteen-page press release (written in German, translated into English) when we recapped all the relevant information for you last week. That’s still...
Kurt Ernst -
Toyota To Pay Record Fine Over Lexus Pedal EntrapmentJust two years after Toyota paid fines totaling $48.8 million, including a then-record single fine of $16.4 million, the automaker has been hit with a new $17.4 million fine over a delayed pedal entrapment recall on 2010 Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h models. As CNN Money explains, the NHTSA contacted...
Kurt Ernst