Suzuki SX4 Sport with Garmin navigation system - Click above for high-res image gallery
When Garminissued a recall on its Nuvi portable navigation system a couple of weeks ago, Japanese automaker Suzuki informed us that it would need to issue a follow-up recall for a few vehicles in its lineup. After all, Suzuki offers dashboard-mounted Garmin GPS units in its Equator, Grand Vitara and SX4 models, and unfortunately, the Nuvi navis supplied to Suzuki are among the ones that need repair.
Approximately 20,692 Suzuki vehicles are affected by this recall - specifically the 2008-2010 SX4, 2010 Grand Vitara and 2009-2010 Equator equipped with Garmin Nuvi 750, 760 and 765 navigation systems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that the batteries in these nav units can potentially overheat which could result in a fire.
Garmin technicians will replace the existing batteries free of charge and owners will be notified within the next few weeks. The official recall notice from NHTSA is available after the jump.
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It's Episode #194 of the Autoblog Podcast, and Chris, Sam and Dan talk about the 2011 Bentley Continental, what Lamborghini has in store for the Paris Motor Show, Mexico's Mastretta MXT and budget sports cars from Toyota. Two questions cap it at just over an hour this week. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #194 - Bentley Continental, Lamborghini teaser, Mexico's Mastretta and budget Toyota sports cars
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World's Fastest backhoe - Click above to watch the video after the jump
Drag racing and construction vehicles do not typically mix well. Unless someone is trying to quit their job in dramatic fashion, heavy equipment is confined to slow speeds and hard labor. The JCB GT backhoe chooses to disagree. Thanks to a 1,300 horsepower engine, this drag racing backhoe (one of the weirdest phrases ever typed) rips away from the tree and down the line. Perhaps they were inspired by videos of wheel-standing loaders and drifting semi trucks?
Ken Block and his crew from DC Shoes didn't exactly stun the world with Part I of Gymkhana 3. The clip was more music video than sideways action, and after worshipping the first two hoon-laden pieces of cinematic glory, we were all expecting, well, more. Fortunately, it appears that Block has his heart set on delivering. According to Jalopnik, Part II will feature all of the tire and wheel-shredding glory we've come to expect from the rally world's number-one showboat. The team began teasing the next installment with a Craigslist ad hawking a pair of very abused 18-inch Volk wheels. Whatever the next clip entails, we're nearly guaranteed to see some sparks fly.
The next video is set to drop on September 14, and was supposedly filmed in France using the team's beastly Ford Fiesta rally beater. Can it top the sheer magic of Gymkhana I? Miracles do happen.
The SSC Ultimate Aero II is designed by skilled artisan Jason Castriota, who his now putting his pen to paper for Saab. The design of the front is a beautiful mix of flowing lines with subtle, hard creases. The rear end seems much more alien, but equally stunning. The previous SSC vehicle, the Ultimate Aero TT, bested the Bugatti Veyron in the all-out speed competition at 256 miles per hour. This all-new Ultimate Aero II looks like it already beat that mark while simply posing for pictures. In fact, we wouldn't be surprised if someone handed us the keys then told us "where we're going... we don't need roads."
Our one nitpick? The eventual damage to the exhaust area. It already looks like that rear pod is sitting on the deck so it's unlikely the SSC will make it through the local Wal-Mart parking lot. Oh well, time to put the checkbook back in the drawer. We'll just wait for the Saab equivalent.
