If you were able to catch the Knight Rider series when it was a hit in the eighties, chances are, you’re one of those who have always dreamed of having a car with KITT answering back at you. Who didn’t? In those days, the Knight Rider car was every guys’ (and probably even girls) fantasy. Well, thanks to modern technology and a little help from Mr. William Daniels, the actor who played KITT, you have a chance to relive that fantasy.

GPS provider Mio has teamed up with actor William Daniels in developing the Mio Knight Rider GPS system. No, Mr. Daniels wasn’t involved in the design or construction. He actually lent his voice so every time you activate the GPS, you’ll hear him…uh I mean, KITT greet you. Not only that, you can set your name into the system so every time it’s activated, KITT will be able to say your name when he greets you. How cool is that?

The only design flaw – minor I may add - here is that instead of copying the design of KITT in the early Knight Rider series, they’ve used the design based on the Knight Rider 2000 movie released this year. But that’s something I think every devout Knight Rider fan can live with. Aside from sounding like KITT, the new Mio Knight Rider GPS system still carries the standard GPS functions of telling you where to go as well as having a pre-loaded set of maps of the U.S. and Canada.

So if you’re giddy about getting one, all you have to do is save $270 so you can snag one of these babies when it comes out this fall.

Sources: TopSpeed, Wikipedia

Spiderman, Spiderman, does whatever a spider can. Spins a web, any size, catches thieves just like flies, look out! Here comes the Spiderman. Every time I hear and see Spider-Man, I just can’t help but think of the Spider-Man theme played by the Ramones. And I can just imagine singing the song every time my eyes land on this new Spider-Man car cell phone holder (should it ever find its way in my car).

Since having a cell phone is now one of the basic necessities in life, it’s important for you to make sure that your phone is kept secured and protected. And what better way to do that than with Spidey right here! Well, you won’t be getting the real Spider-Man to watch your back but this Spider-Man cell phone holder will at the very least have your cell phone’s back. The Spidey cell phone holder comes with a suction cup attached to the back of Spidey’s head. It’s designed to be placed on your windshield at eye-level to help you get to see if you’ve got a call coming or you have a new text message. It can be adjusted to your specifications and can be used for almost all types of cell phones, MP3 players and PDAs. It measures at 145 x 75 x 75 mm and weighs in at 200g. If that wasn’t enough, it comes in two variations: one in his standard red costume and another in his black Spider Man 3 costume.

So if the idea of having a superhero guarding your cell phone makes your spider-sense all tingly inside, then this Spider-Man car cell phone holder is just for you. Just try not to do what the guy in the pic did by pairing it up with Winnie the Pooh and Hello Kitty. At least give Spidey that much respect, man.  

Sources: Kicking Tires, Gizmodo, Geek Alerts 

Remember Lighting McQueen, the sleek and suave red race car from the movie Cars? Well if you do and you want to see more of him and his crew, then you’re in luck. According to TopSpeed, Disney / Pixar’s Cars will be gracing this year’s British International Motor Show.

As part of the program, Disney / Pixar will be converting one part of the motor show into a World of Cars area. The area will feature different activities for both adults and kids like gaming pods, face painting and other activities. Prizes will also be given out during the event. The Disney / Pixar Cars activities will coincide with the other activities set up by other car companies for this event such as Peugeot’s driving school for kids and Honda’s live action theatre and sky-diving simulation ride.

Cars was a film released by Disney / Pixar in 2006 grossing $60.1 million in its opening weekend and generating favorable reviews. It starred Owen Wilson as the cocky Lighting McQueen along with Bonnie Hunt who played his love interest Sally and Paul Newman who played his friend Doc Hudson. A sequel is currently in the works and is scheduled for release in 2012.

Sources: TopSpeed, Wikipedia

No, that’s not your daddy’s new sports car. That my friend, is a new concept sports car that will be used in the upcoming Transformers sequel entitled “Revenge of the Fallen.”

While it’s still uncertain as to what brand this new concept car owes its existence to, it’s been starting to cause a lot of buzz around the web. Ever since the release and success of the first Transformers movie, a lot of us (if not all) have been waiting in anticipation for the sequel to come out. While we already know of some of the vehicles that will be used in the sequel, this one’s got us scratching our heads. Some have speculated that this might be the earth mode of the new Transformer named Stinger. While Stinger has been set to transform into a new concept Corvette, we’re still not sure whether this is the Corvette they’re referring to or if this car is even a Corvette at all.

But one thing’s for sure, Corvette or not, this new concept simply rocks. If only we didn’t have to wait for next year to see this baby in action.

Source: TopSpeed

At a glance, the new Cree SAM will make you wonder what on God’s green Earth did its creator smoke for it to come out the way it did. What could have been a sleek looking car turned out to be a scary looking three-wheeled car with bulging headlight lamps for eyes and grille that resembles a skull’s teeth. Actually, when you look at it from the side, it looks like it’s shaped like a skull. Only it has wheels.

But despite its odd look, the Cree SAM does have one good feature. Produced by Swiss company Cree Ltd in 2001, this environment-friendly car has the unique ability to run without emitting any type of emissions. That’s right, zero emissions. It’s able to do this through the use of its 15 kW electric motor. This same motor is able to produce 80Nm of torque and relies on six batteries that produce 168 volts for its fuel. The batteries can be charged for 6 hours and can let you go up to 43 miles at a top speed of 53 mph. The Cree SAM can also reach 30 mph in less than 7 seconds.

So if you’re an attention whore who just happens to be an advocate of clean air, then this oddball of a car is for you. Just don’t be surprised though if you end up getting weird looks from people. At least, you got their attention thanks to the Cree SAM.

Source: TopSpeed

If you thought BMW would be happy with just simply developing luxury cars, think again. Because of the rich history they have, the company decided to share details of this history and hold exhibits by constructing their very own BMW museum.

On June 19, the BMW museum was officially opened, with the opening ceremony presided by Dr. Norbert Reithofer, BMW’s Chairman of the Board of Management. The museum, which covers approximately 5,000 square meters, took two years to construct. The idea of having their own museum was part of the company’s plans since 1973.  The BMW museum is shaped liked a bowl (and is also called by that name as well) and currently stands beside the company’s head office tower. The museum will play host to 120 exhibits, all related to BMW.

So if you’re interested in learning more about BMW and want to catch their exhibit, well here’s your chance. The new BMW museum can now be visited by the public, ever since it opened its doors to them last June 21.

Source: TopSpeed

Some car companies just can’t seem to get a good break. Take Chrysler for example. After having to reduce the company’s production line this year, this happens to them. Due to a flaw in the engine wire harness, Chrysler has ordered the recall of its 2009 Dodge Journey.

The good news here (if you could still call it that) is that the engine wire harness flaw is said to affect only the Dodge Journey’s that carry a V-6 3.5-liter engine. Those with the V-4 engine won’t be affected by this problem. According to reports, the defect in the engine wire harness can cause damage the electrical circuits of the V-6 Journey.  This is brought about by the rubbing of the harness with the vehicle’s transaxle mount. Despite this problem, no reports of accidents or injuries have been made in relation to this flaw.

Ever since its release, Chrysler has been able to sell a total of 17,569 Dodge Journeys from January to May 2008. But thanks to its newly discovered flaw, 6,692 of those will have to be recalled for repairs. Affected owners will be notified this month and won’t be charged for any repair cost.

Source: Kicking Tires, Reuters 

In 1976, a controversial game called Death Race, was released and received with a lot of criticism and protest causing the game to rise in popularity and later become a much sought after collectors item. The objective of that game was for you to run over creatures called gremlins using a car. While the game play and storyline were pretty simple (with the graphics in your old school black and white color scheme), the objective of running over creatures and hearing them scream connoted violence. This led to numerous protests over the game causing production to stop. But thanks to these protests, the game became a cult favorite that it has now spawned a movie, which will be released this year.

The Death Race movie will star Jason Statham and will be set in a post-apocalyptic setting (ala Mad Max) where prisoners are forced to compete with one another in a driving arena. Statham plays the role of an inmate named Frankenstein who’s forced into racing just days before his release. And since the movie involves racing, a number of notable cars will be making an appearance. One of the most notable is a 2006 Mustang GT (as shown above) that’s been given additional accessories such as guns and window covers. Other vehicles include a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500, a 1966 Buick Riviera, a 1980 Porsche 911, a 1989 Jaguar XJS, a 2006 Chrysler 300C, a 1972 Buick Riviera, a 1979 Pontiac Trans AM, a 1989 BMW 735i, and a Peterbilt truck that’s named “Dreadought.” All the vehicles are designed to look like they’ve seen better days (thanks to the post apocalyptic world they’re in) and are equipped with guns, armor and even a flame thrower (for the Dreadnought).

So if you’re into movies that involve heroes driving cars in a post-apocalyptic world, then Death Race is for you. It’s scheduled for release in August this year. I wonder if the studios were able to find a way to put a cameo of let’s say, Mel Gibson playing the character Mad Max in the movie. That would be awesome.

Sources: TopSpeed, Wikipedia, Autoblog: Cars of Death Race Revealed, Autoblog: Death Race Trailer, Jalponik

The soaring oil prices have really done nothing good to our lives. Not only is the price of gas escalating almost every week, but the constant increase has also affected the prices of other commodities. The increase has prompted individuals and companies to cut cost. Even a company as big as Toyota wasn’t spared from feeling the effects of this increase.

As a result, Toyota has now announced that it will start to cut the production of its large scale vehicles. Aside from the increase in the price of oil, the slow sales and mortgage crisis have caused the company to trim down on production. Because of this announcement, a number of plants will cease to operate for a certain period of time. Toyota’s plant in Princeton, Indiana, which produces Tundra and Sequoia SUVs will be closed for 6 days by the end of August. Another plant in Texas will be shut down for 14 days by the end of October. The Alabama plant will cease operations for 5 days in August as well.

Hopefully this stoppage doesn’t mean that these plants will be closed permanently in the near future and it’s just Toyota’s way of recouping the losses they’ve incurred these past few months.

Sources: Reuters UK, Market Watch

What do Pamela Anderson and her 2000 Viper have in common? Well aside from being super hot, both are set to make a significant contribution for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA when Pam’s 2000 Viper goes on sale at the Julien’s Auctions’ Summer Entertainment Sale of Hollywood memorabilia.

The 2000 Viper, which Pam Anderson customized with white stripes, was used in the E! series “Pam: Girl On The Lose.” The actress, who admitted that it was “dangerous for her to own such a high-performance vehicle for being a terrible driver”, will oversee the sale of the vehicle. The 2000 Viper is just one of the many items that will be offered at the auction which will be held at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on June 21 and 22.

The actress, who was able to gain popularity thanks to her stint in Home Improvement and Baywatch has been an advocate of animal rights. She’s been lending a helping hand to PETA for the better part of 15 years, which shows how committed she is to the cause. So if you’re after nailing a hot item (the Viper, not Ms. Anderson), then try taking a shot at bidding for the 2000 Viper. Not only will you be getting a cool ride, you’ll also be able to help in the advocacy of animal rights.

Sources: TopSpeed, Wikipedia