Traveling to visit family during the cold winter months can sometimes be a challenge. That’s why I opted to rent a vehicle with all-wheel drive (AWD) for a trip from Colorado to Utah to visit my parents during Christmas. Many car rental outlets won’t let you specify what make and model of vehicle you receive when you make your reservation, so I chose a midsize SUV, rolled the dice, and hoped for something that left the assembly line in the last year or two and had all-wheel drive.

After filling out my paperwork at the Avis rental counter and trudging out into the lot, this is what I found waiting for me: A 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4×4 cloaked in what Chrysler calls “Deep Cheery Red Crystal Pearl.” More importantly, I was happy to see that this vehicle came equipped with Jeep’s full-time Quadra Trac I AWD system and the new 3.6L “Pentastar” V6. I’ve heard good things about this engine, so I’m eager to see if it lives up to the positive buzz I’ve seen in other reviews.

I’ll be posting multiple updates during the trip, so check back regularly for the new installments.

Dominik Farnbacher behind the wheel of the record-setting 2010 Dodge Viper ACR

“We’re extremely proud to set the lap record for a second time at the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife,” Ralph Gilles, President and CEO of SRT Brand and Motorsports for Chrysler,  said in a prepared statement. “Our team returned to Germany knowing we’d left some time on the track when we set our first lap record, so this effort shows the incredible depth and capability the Viper ACR has by running a full 10 seconds faster than we did in 2008.”

Unlike less testosterone-filled vehicles, the Viper ACR eschews traction control, stability control, and other nanny-mode frippery in favor of a more direct approach to driving performance that centers around a massive 8.4 liter V10 engine with 600 horsepower and 560 lb.-ft. of torque. There are many tales of how intimidating the Viper ACR can be to drive at the limit by the uninitiated, but in the hands of a true professional like Farnbacher the Viper truly reaches its potential, as this record-breaking Nürburgring run indicates.

Anyone else curious how long it will take Audi, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, or Motown rival General Motors (with the Corvette ZR1) to try and knock the Viper off the top spot?

Gymkhana driver and celebrity Ken Block has a demonstrated knack for flinging obscenely-overpowered small cars at high speed through convoluted gymkhana-style road courses, and his latest creation —  Ken Block’s Gymkhana Four; the Hollywood Megamerical — is arguably his most impressive work yet. (Video below.)

I’ve blogged a bit about Ken’s appearance with James May on Top Gear in 2009, and the same formula applies here: Block and company have produced a slick, professionally-edited ten minute bundle of automotive entertainment that has to be seen to be believed. Block’s 650hp Ford Fiesta flies through fake brick walls, has all four wheels leave the ground at several points, and lays down enough black patch to keep tire sponsor Pirelli busy for weeks. The video was filmed on the back lots at Universal Studios, so you’ll see Block fly past memorable bits of movie history  – from Jaws to Psycho — throughout the video. And he does donuts around moving forklifts. And drifts around a guy in a gorilla costume on a Segway.

Cool technical bit: High-horsepower turbocharged rally cars like Block’s Fiesta are tuned for maximum performance, so they use lots of fuel under high pressure. The distinctive exhaust backfire and jet of flame you see periodically throughout the video sometimes happens when Block eases up the accelerator, which can cause some unconsumed fuel to pass through the engine and ignite harmlessly on the hot exhaust as it exits.

Granted, this latest video is heavy on enough over-the-top special effects to make Michael Bay envious, but Block’s insane car control ability still shines through. My advice? Crank up the speakers, full-screen this baby and get ready to be entertained.

Introduced in 1996, GM’s OnStar vehicle communications, security, and safety system has been installed in millions of GM vehicles. OnStar is a complex service with long list of standard features, but I’ll highlight three capabilities of the system that stand out the most: OnStar hands-free calling, 24-hour access to OnStar Advisors, and emergency calling features. Note: Some OnStar features are only available as part of specific subscription packages that require a monthly fee.

OnStar Hands-Free Communication
Thanks to a partnership between GM and Verizon, the OnStar system integrates wireless communication that allows drivers to make and receive phone calls while in their vehicles. This communication ability is a key component to several other important OnStar safety features, including stolen vehicle slowdown, stolen vehicle tracking, and remote ignition lock, and crash assistance.

OnStar Advisors
Given that a central feature of the OnStar system is wireless communication, OnStar uses that capability to provide another service to OnStar customers: OnStar Advisors. By pushing a OnStar button inside the vehicle, subscribers are connected to OnStar advisors that can answer questions the driver may have about their vehicle, get turn-by-turn directions, and even perform remote vehicle diagnostics. OnStar Advisor call centers are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

OnStar Emergency Assistance
Arguably the most important OnStar system feature is OnStar Emergency System. When the button for this OnStar feature is pressed, the driver is connected with the nearest emergency services provider. This feature is primarily used to report to nearby emergency services that the driver has been in an accident, or that the driver has witnessed an accident that needs to be reported. GM touts this aspect of OnStar heavily in their advertising efforts for OnStar, and is credited with helping thousands of drivers who needed emergency assistance.

Extending OnStar: The MyLink Mobile App
The OnStar system also has a companion OnStar MyLink mobile app, available for Apple iPone and Google Android phones. Once downloaded and installed on your favorite mobile device, you can use the MyLink app to contact OnStar Advisors, start an OnStar-equipped vehicle remotely, view real-time vehicle diagnostic information, and perform a host of other OnStar-related tasks.

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 More Information

• General Motors’ Official OnStar Website
• Wikipedia: OnStar

Being the sort that is always up for a good chase — especially if fresh brainnssss! are involved — zombies may be dismayed to know that Subaru has come to the rescue of harried zombie prey everywhere by declaring itself the producer of the “Official Escape Vehicle of the Zombie Apocalypse”, which  happens to be the Subaru Impreza WRX. (Subaru promotional video below.)

It seems that Subaru is sponsoring a new 5K racing series called Run for Your Lives that will debut in Baltimore on October 22, 2011. Race participants assume the role of survivors of the zombie apocalypse that are attempting to make their way through a 5K course filled with obstacles. A mob of race volunteers serve as the zombies, and try to pull “health” flags off the participants (think flag football). Make it to the finish line with at least one flag and you’re eligible some prizes; lose all your flags and you become a zombie (and possibly get your brain eaten as well).

The WRX — with a turbocharged, intercooled boxer four-banger and rally car-inspired AWD — seems like a good choice for a zombie survival vehicle, but what about the Mad Max Interceptor, the Phantasm ‘Cuda or the Zombieland Hummer H2? Tell me what your ideal post-apocalyptic survival vehicle would be by adding a comment to this post. Via: Autoblog, Run for your Lives

In a controversial 5-2 vote last week, the Austin, TX city council agreed to move ahead with a construction project that will bring Formula 1 racing back to the states. Formula 1 hasn’t been seen stateside since 2007, and many American Formula 1 fans still remember the embarrassing 2005 United States Grand Prix debacle at Indianapolis.

You can find out more details about Austin’s plans on the official Formula 1 Austin website, or read a solid write-up of the council decision by Marty Toohey over at the Austin American-Statesman. A new track — dubbed the Circuit of the Americas – is being purpose-built for the race outside of Austin, and was designed by famed Formula 1 track designer Hermann Tilke.

The history of Formula 1 in the United States has been a tumultuous one, from the ill-fated (and aforementioned) 2005 US Grand Prix to ongoing criticism of current Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone. Autoweek’s Dutch Mandel authored an open letter to the people of Austin last week, warning them about Ecclestone’s business practices. Here’s a small excerpt of what Mandel had to say:

Know that nothing happens without Bernie’s approval and his piece of the take. Nothing. If you want a “green space,” he’ll get his green, too. The local “Rattlesnake Burgers” sold trackside for $10 a pop? Mr. E probably takes $3 apiece.

What are your thoughts on Formula 1 coming to Austin in 2012? Add a comment to this blog post or start up a discussion on Twitter.

• Follow Jeff James on Twitter at @jeffjames3
• Follow Drivelineblog on Twitter at @drivelineblog

During the 24 Hours of Le Mans last weekend, driver Allan McNish walked away from a catastrophic car crash. While approaching a turn, McNish clipped a Ferrari 458 Italia and lost control of his diesel-powered Audi R18 TDI, sending the car flying into a crash barrier at high speed.

The footage is amazing to watch, and is even more amazing when you consider that nobody — not even McNish — was seriously injured in the crash. There’s a spot in the footage where the wreckage of McNish’s Audi teeters on the edge of a crash barrier, then reverses direction and flies away from the spectators just beyond.

It wasn’t all bad news for Audi, however, as another R18 TDI managed to cross the finish line in first place. Credit goes to the team at Audi for such an impressive (and life-saving) example of engineering prowess.

A lot has been said about the new 2011 Ford Mustang, which receives a bevy of significant upgrades for the 2011 model year. Chief among these are two all-new engine options: a 3.7 liter V6 good for 305hp for the base Mustang and a 412hp 5.0 liter V8 in the Mustang GT. Both of these new powerplants are impressive, but the new V8 in the Mustang GT is attracting the most attention.

A 2011 Mustang GT with that new 5.0 liter V8 just arrived at a local Ford dealer, so I stopped by early this morning to grab a few photos. Are you looking forward to the new 2011 Mustangs, or are you more fond of the Chevy Camaro or Dodge Challenger? Sound off in the comments section.

Well, not really, but the automaker is making a strong patriotic statement in support of the American team playing against the English team in an upcoming World Cup soccer (football to the rest of the world) match. The company has put together a TV ad showing General George Washington riding to battle in a Dodge Challenger against some English redcoats. It’s a humorous segment,  but I think Dodge could have gone a step farther.

Instead of a trio of black Dodge Challengers, what if the ad was a joint effort by all of the American automakers in support of the US world cup team, perhaps featuring a Corvette ZR1, a Ford Shelby GT500, and a Dodge Challenger SRT-8? The ad would have had much more patriotic impact, and the addition of the ZR1 and the Shelby could have helped fend off a Redcoat counterattack using the the likes of the Jaguar XKR, Aston Martin V12 Vantage, and the McLaren MP4-12C.

I’ve always thought that the Ford GT (and its forbear, the Ferrari-busting, LeMans-winning GT40) was the ultimate combination of track-punishing power and gorgeous sports car aesthetics. Let not forget that the GT also sounded amazing, thanks to a 5.4L supercharged V8 that churned our 550 horsepower.

Alas, Ford only made about 4000 Ford GTs, but the car does live on as a favorite vehicle for many racing teams. One such team is Matech Competition, a Swiss racing team that is running a heavily modified Ford GT (draped in Darth Vader’s favor color) in the FIA GT1 Championship Race on April 17th, 2010 at the Yas Marina circuit in the United Arab Emirates.

You can read more about this car over at Autoblog, visit the official Matech Competition website, or watch a large version of this sweet-sounding video of the car in action over at YouTube. Don’t know how the Blue Oval does it, but supercharged Ford V8s always sound like music to the ears.