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Video: Ferrari FF Plays in the Snow

John Suit — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:27 +0000

Last week, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, forecasting another 6 weeks of winter for us in the continental US. I don’t normally post about any Ferrari-related, but I’m giving an exception to this video. Click past the jump for a primer on the Ferrari FF and a 2-minute, 46-second video of it being handily driven around a prepared snow track.

The Car:

The Ferrari FF is an interesting mix of sports car, practicality, and of course luxury. A four-wheel drive setup powered by a snarling 12-cylinder engine, with seating for four. Four seats, Four-wheel drive, hence the FF moniker. It’s got a 6-speed transmission, 651 horsepower on tap, and weighs about 4,000 lbs. To say it’s fast is an understatement. An interesting side-note: the FF’s four-wheel drive system is comprised of a 7-speed driver-controlled gearbox to power the rear wheels, and an ingenious 2-speed transmission that gets its power from the front of the engine. This 2-speed setup doesn’t work at insanely fast speeds (since it’s only operable between 1st and 4th gears) but transfers up to 20% of the engine’s torque to the front wheels, to help it grip in the snow, as you’ll see below. Click here for more information on the Ferrari FF.

The Setup:

The driver in the video is Markku Alen, a former World Rally Championship (WRC) driver. The track is the Arjeplog, in northern Sweden. It’s covered in snow, and looks to be like it’s groomed that way for rally car drivers to practice (or even race) on.

The Video:
Note: I recommend you view the following video in 720p quality, in full screen mode.

by John Suit

Source: Ferrari

Super Bowl XLVI Ads: Chevy Silverado Takes on the Apocalypse

John Suit — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:14 +0000

GM is breaking out the big guns for this year’s Super Bowl, with an ad directly aimed at the Ford F-150. The ad claims that the Chevrolet Silverado is the “… most dependable and longest lasting full size truck on the road…” and that if you drive an F-150, you won’t survive for the post-apocalyptic world. This brought to mind another video I’ve seen on YouTube, wherein a Ford F-150 drives away after being involved in a dealership fire. Click past the jump for Chevrolet’s ad and the F-150 video I found.

Chevrolet’s Ad:

Ford F-150 Real Life Video:

by John Suit

Source: GM, YouTube

Super Bowl XLVI Ads: Matthew Broderick and His Honda CR-V

John Suit — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:00:09 +0000

It’s the last week before Super Bowl XLVI, and while the Patriots and Giants are readying themselves in Indianapolis, automotive manufacturers are leaking their upcoming ads via YouTube. So, all this week, Road Reality will feature those ads, and of course anything else that I’d regularly report on. Click past the jump for Honda’s CR-V commercial, starring Matthew Broderick, reprising his role as Ferris Bueller.

by John Suit

Source: YouTube, Honda

The 2011 Ford Explorer … in the snow! (w/Video!)

John Suit — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:00:58 +0000

It’s winter time in the United States, and for a great number of us, that means snow! While the white stuff is pretty look at, it wreaks havoc with our road system. Further, many drivers simply don’t know how to adjust their driving habits for foul weather, and end up playing bumper cars. Click past the jump to see how well the 2011 Ford Explorer helps its driver stay on course.

The YouTube channel for the 2011 Ford Explorer (and this applies to the 2012 models as well) has a good number of videos highlighting the features and capabilities of Ford’s newly-redesigned SUV. I’m highlighting the snow-bound Explorer video and the aforementioned YouTube channel because of its (mostly) high-quality videos and informative content.

by John Suit

Source: YouTube

Video: Scale City “Metropolis II” Background

John Suit — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:00:17 +0000

Late last year, I shared a video of “Metropolis II“, Chris Burden’s sculpture which involves a ton of die-cast cars zooming around a scale city. Now, a follow-up video has surfaced, featuring an interview with Mr. Burden about the meaning behind his impressive display. The sculpture will be visible to the public in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art this fall. Click past the jump to see more of “Metropolis II”.

by John Suit

Source: Plum TV

Video: Jay Leno Drives the Oldest and Newest VW Beetle

John Suit — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:00:38 +0000

From 1938 to 2012, the Volkswagen Beetle has changed quite a bit. At the same time, the shape is similar, albeit much larger. Recently, noted car enthusiast and comedian Jay Leno got his chance to drive the new Beetle. He also got to drive the oldest known surviving example, which dates back to 1938. Click past the jump for the video, which contains Mr. Leno’s impressions of the new Beetle.

by John Suit

Source: YouTube via AutoBlog