Aston Martin DB5 - James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 Soldout in $4.2M at London Auction

A classic car collector from Ohio made the winning bid of £2.6 million ($4.2 million) for James Bond's 1964 Aston Martin DB5 in a London auction on Wednesday.

Harry Yeaggy told the BBC he planned to take the vehicle first made famous by Sean Connery in Goldfinger out for a spin around London that night. "We're going to have a bit of fun with it," he said.

His winning bid at the RM Auctions sale in Battersea came in under the estimated £3 million. "I thought a European would get it," Yeaggy said, "but I guess they don't appreciate James Bond like we do."

He plans to display the car at his private museum in Ohio.

The vehicle as depicted in the Bond movies has revolving licence plates, Browning machine-guns, an ejector seat, a bullet-proof rear windshield and an early version of today's satellite navigation system.

It was previously owned by Jerry Lee, a U.S. broadcasting executive who paid $12,000 US for it in 1969. The proceeds of the sale will go to his charitable foundation that supports education and international anti-crime projects.

Bond's creator, novelist Ian Fleming, had originally placed Bond in a Bentley, but the filmmakers preferred the Aston Martin, which at the time competed with the Jaguar E-type for the lucrative British and American sports car market.


James Bond Real Film Car 1964 Aston Martin DB5 Video

Read More

Most people fitting into a Mini Cooper Car set Guinness world Record

Local mum Fiona Munro (42) is desperate to write Perth's name into the Guinness Book of Records by fitting the most people ever into a Mini Cooper at an event on Saturday.

However, stringent rules surrounding the bid mean she has to find a certain model to be absolutely sure the attempt is accepted by the governing body.

Despite months of planning and searching she has still not tracked down an original Mini Cooper made between 1961 and 1969 or a replica of the original made between 1996 and 2000.

She needs to fit 22 people into the retro car to claim the wacky title and has been given access to a new car so the attempt will go ahead regardless.

"Hopefully by following all the other guidelines we will still be able to get the record but Guinness haven't been very forthcoming about that," Fiona said.

"It's a frustrating process dealing with them as they take a long time to reply to queries but we will go ahead as planned and hope for the best.

"But I'm still holding out hope that someone will be able to provide me with a proper model of car in the next week.

"I can pick it up and take it back and it is insured for the day. It doesn't even have to work, as long as it has all the internal fittings like seats, steering wheel and gear stick."

The record attempt is part of Fiona's Inspire event — an afternoon of challenges to motivate and energise young people, arranged as part of her recently completed college course.

There are activities for anyone aged from five to 21 on the plaza at Perth Concert Hall, like song and story writing, rapping and clothing design.

The Inspire event takes place from 1-5pm, with the record attempt at around 3.50pm.

 Most people fitting into a Mini Cooper Car set Guinness world Record 2010 Video

Read More

World's Highest Mileage Car 2010 - Volvo P1800

Record-breaking automotive pioneer Irv Gordon turns 70 today. And to celebrate, the driver of the highest mileage vehicle on the road, a 1966 Volvo P1800, he aims to reach the unmatchable record of 3 millions miles sometime in the next three years!

In 1998 he made the Guinness Book of World Records for most miles driven by a single owner in a non-commercial vehicle as his red Volvo reached 1.69 million miles. Then in March 2002, he drove the car’s two-millionth mile down Times Square to national and international media attention. A few days later, car enthusiast Jay Leno invited the Two Million Mile Man to his Tonight Show along with the record-breaking Volvo – in the studio in front of the audience!

In October 2007, Irv had driven his Volvo coupe over 2.6 million miles. Three years later, the mileage is well over 2.8 million miles. Mathematically reaching three million miles before his 73rd birthday makes sense! He could become the Three Million Mile Man!

                                         Volvo P1800 Picture

True P1800 diehard Gordon, a retired science teacher from East Patchogue, N.Y., purchased his Volvo from a neighborhood dealership in June 1966 for $4,150. He immediately fell in love with it and drove 1500 miles in the first 48 hours.

With a 125-mile round-trip daily commute, a fanatical dedication to vehicle maintenance and a passion for driving, Gordon logged 500,000 miles in 10 years. Today, he breaks his own record every time he drives, whether it’s to Cincinnati for coffee, Rolla, Mo., for lunch or Green River, Wyo., for dinner.

Gordon – like any mighty record-holder at the top of his game – is mindful of his legacy, as well as setting a record no one can beat. He gets his kicks driving his Volvo on Route 66 and just about every other picturesque highway in the US. He visited Canada and Mexico. In 2007, he said that to reach his next milestone, he was allowing himself a more conservative pace of 80,000 miles per year... on doctor's orders.

World's Highest Mileage Car 2010 - Volvo P1800 Video

Read More

Maruti Swift Car set Guinness World Records 2010 - Maruti Suzuki India

Maruti Suzuki set a world record and has entered the Guinness Book of Records by organizing the largest car procession of its popular hatchback Swift in Gurgaon. Swift's sales crossed 4.5 lakh units since its launch in 2005.

The company said, "Maruti Suzuki has set a new Guinness Book of World Records by bringing together 342 Swift cars at a car parade in Gurgaon".

Similar parades were also held in Mumbai and Sriperumbudur. Maruti Suzuki executive officer for sales and marketing Mayank Pareek revealed that the world record that has been achieved is an indication of Swift's growing popularity and that the record is a victory for all the 4.5 lakh Swift owners.

The 2011 Swift will be a little bigger than the existing model and will be equipped with new engines ranging from 1.2 liter and 1.4 liter direct injected petrols to a 1.5 liter K Series petrol engine. It would have higher fuel efficiency.

The 1.5 Liter K-Series engine will be able to produce 100 Bhp. Though, there has been no verification from Maruti Suzuki yet about new engines for the 2011 Maruti Suzuki Swift. The 2011 Swift will feature sporty interiors with a new dashboard layout. It would have a steering wheel, with a lot of mounted controls.

Read More

Turkish blind pop singer Metin Senturk Breaks Speed Racing Guinness World Record

Turkish blind pop singer Metin Senturk has defied the odds by breaking the world speed record for driving by a visually-impaired person, according to Guinness World Records.

Senturk reached a new record of 181.44 miles per hour, against the wind in his Ferrari F430, with a 600 horsepower engine.

The event took place at the runway of an airport in the eastern Turkish town of Urfa.

During the record attempt, Senturk was given verbal instructions by Volkan Isik, a former rally driver, who followed behind him in another car.

Isik was Senturk's eyes, yelling out directions to Senturk who was wearing an earpiece in his helmet as he drove.

Senturk's wife was present, watching her husband on the sidelines.

Senturk's wife was present, watching her husband on the sidelines.

Turkish blind pop singer Metin Senturk Breaks Speed Racing Video

Read More

World's Most Fuel Efficient Hummer Car design by Jeremy Dean

Introducing the world's most fuel-efficient Hummer. New York artist Jeremy Dean spent his last $15,000 to buy an unloved Hummer H2, cut it in half, made modifications and found two horses to drag it around Central Park. Some agreed it was art, others called it a travesty.

Dean called it "Back to the Futurama," claiming it was part protest, part sculpture, but a definite head-turner. It's otherwise known as "the CEO Stagecoach."

"It is a tongue-in-cheek satirical view of the future," Dean told AOL News. "The Hummer has been called a rolling indictment of the American psyche on wheels. To me, it represents an absolute pinnacle of consumerism and excess in every way.

"The Hummer was once a military vehicle used to kill and protect, and now it's toting people back and forth with lattes and groceries," he said.

"Hoover carts," named for Depression-era President Herbert Hoover, inspired Dean's design.

Such vehicles were not an uncommon sight in the rural South in the 1930s. They were driven by people who could no longer afford gasoline, so they hitched car bodies to mules and horses.

Dean, 33, bought his eight mpg Hummer from a Florida yard sale of vehicles repossessed by a bank. "If I had gotten a wrecked one, it would not have had the same power," he said.

"I bought it from a dealer in Orlando, and they'd just got it from a bank auction of repossessed vehicles. It was a further monument to the times. I couldn't get a bank and cut that in half, so a Hummer is the next best thing.

"We have been going through a lot of things in this country. The financial meltdown was a big part of everything. A lot of the excess and bigger-is-better thinking of the past two decades got us into the position we are in today," he said.

But Dean does not want to be perceived as a "whining greenie."

Read More

Largest Ford Car Parade set World Record by South Africa

Ford re-wrote the record books on 27 February 2010 when South African motoring enthusiasts from around the country gathered to create the largest recorded Ford parade in history.

The event, which took place on a fair-weathered Saturday at Phakisa Freeway in the Free State, brought 586 Fords together to participate in a spectacular parade lap to secure an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Ford owners from around the country were invited to bring their vehicles to the Welkom-based race circuit to complete the 3.2km route in celebration of the Blue Oval and its illustrious history.

Overwhelming support

Ford marketing manager Ben Pillay at the end of the record attempt said: "It was a fantastic day, the turnout was phenomenal and we've been overwhelmed by the loyalty and enthusiasm of all the die-hard Ford fans who joined us."

A vast array of models lined the circuit with everything from Fiestas to Granadas coming together in support of the brand.

Pole position was given to a Model T Ford, as the first production model, it proved a fitting car to head the notable chain of machinery.

Other Ford exotica making up the record numbers included the country's only Focus RS and an iconic Ford GT from Lazarus Motor Company.

A record of Ford history

 "The variety was unbelievable and really shows the depth of Ford's history in South Africa," said.

The day proved so successful that a recount was required with the numbers far surpassing initial expectations. The final tally was recorded at 586, beating the previous record by more than four times.

In addition to being an historic event, fans attending the day were entertained with a variety of activities. Team Ford Racing demonstrated their on-track skills in a series of demonstration laps.

Read More

Lowest Fuel Consumption Car Set World Record - Volkswagen'

Low Fuel Consumption Car
The world's most fuel efficient couple, John and Helen Taylor, have broken the current world record for lowest fuel consumption across the 48 contiguous United States averaging 58.82 miles to the gallon. They ended their 20 day trip in West Virginia on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008. To help them break the world record, they drove the all-new, 50-state-compliant clean diesel Volkswagen Jetta TDI, fueled by Shell Ultra Low Sulfur diesel fuel under real world driving conditions, simply applying easy to use fuel saving tips and the latest efficient engine technology available for good clean diesel fun.

** "We are very excited and grateful to have broken the current Guinness World Record for lowest fuel consumption across the 48 contiguous United States," said Helen Taylor. "We would like to thank Volkswagen for providing us their new clean diesel Jetta that helped us get another World Record and to Shell for supplying the diesel fuel."

** The previous Guinness World Record for the lowest fuel consumption on a nationwide drive was 51.58 miles per gallon and the Taylors broke it by setting a new record of 58.82 miles per gallon, a whopping 14 percent improvement. In 20 days, driving across 48 states the Taylors drove 9,419 miles, exceeding 60 mpg on several legs of the record-setting run, spending only 6.9 cents per mile (total was $653).

** "The terrain was very diverse, the weather less than ideal, and the traffic heavy at rush hour and the VW Jetta TDI handled it all beautifully, showing its fuel efficiency and its fun-to-drive dynamic capability, just two of this vehicle's many attributes," said John Taylor. "The car efficiently helped us to drive to a fuel economy world record."

People were encouraged to e-mail the Taylors along the way at: fuelacademy @ gmail.com with any questions they may have about the tour, the vehicle or about fuel economy tips and join their "Fan" page on Facebook.com. As of the end of the trip, more than 2,000 people have e-mailed the Taylors.

** Approximately 12 official check-in and refueling stops across the country were included throughout the duration of the drive. The couple drove on a counter-clockwise route passing through: Washington D.C.; New York City, Rutland, Vermont; Toledo, Ohio; Des Moines, Iowa; Spearfish, S.D.; Missoula, Mont.; Winnemucca, Nev.; Santa Monica, Calif.; Durango, Colo.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Mount Vernon, Ill.; Ponchatoula, La.; and, Beckley, W.V. Some of the fuel saving tips the Taylors advocate include: avoiding idling and higher speeds, minimizing vehicle drag and performing regular vehicle maintenance.

** The Taylors have made a 26-year career out of driving economically and conducting workshops globally on fuel-efficient driving techniques. They have collected 82 world fuel economy and vehicle-related records from drives around the globe in Australia, Asia, South Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America.

Read More