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EcoCar2 is on the hunt for a better, cleaner Chevy Malibu [w/video]

The students spent three years transforming an ordinary Chevy Malibu into a revolutionary vehicle. Not far from the building where General Motors once invented the Chevy Volt, a dozen or so college students are standing on the blacktop alongside a test track, watching a professional driver push the limits of a plug-in hybrid car they've built that's far more radical. These students, from Colorado State University, have spent the past three years transforming an ordinary Chevy Malibu into a revolutionary vehicle. At first glance, it still looks like a regular sedan. But under the hood, they've installed a hybrid powertrain that contains both hydrogen and electric power sources. Even by the standards of the Department of Energy competition they're participating in, it's an outlier. That's exactly what they had in mind. "We didn't want to come here and tell them how to build a better Volt," said Tom Bradley, faculty adviser for the Colorado State team. "They already know how to do that. We can tell them how to think about these possibilities in a whole new way." After three years of work, it all comes down to this. The Colorado State team was one of 15 that came to GM's Milford Proving Grounds last week for the final stretch of the EcoCar2 competition, which challenges regular college students who have no automotive experience to do nothing less than reinvent the American car. The teams have come from across North America, and include schools like Ohio State and Virginia Tech that have a long history of participating in similar competitions, and schools like the University of Washington and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University that are here for the first time. After three years of work, it all comes down to this. The teams have operated 24 hours a day for almost two weeks here at the Proving Grounds, running a gamut of tests that include a 310-point safety inspection, emissions and energy-consumption tests and road tests, in which professional GM drivers ensure they're road worthy. The winning team will be announced tonight in Washington D.C. Revolutionary cars, ordinary package While other green-car competitions encourage extreme designs, this one comes with a somewhat constraining twist: Yes, students must improve fuel economy and reduce emissions, but in the end, they still have to have a car that would appeal to mainstream customers. In practical terms, that means they must keep conveniences like air conditioning and trunk space.

eBay Find of the Day: Mario Andretti's personal 2009 Corvette ZR1

With victory in the the Indianapolis 500, a Formula 1 World Championship, a win in the Daytona 500 and too many other motorsports accomplishments to list, Mario Andretti stands among not just the greatest American racing drivers of all time, but the greatest drivers, full stop. Apparently, the champ is also a fan of speed when not on the track, because now there's a chance to own what is said tobe his personal 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 with just 12,872 miles on the clock. The eBay Motors auction page clearly shows Mario Andretti standing with the car, but the rest of the ad is admittedly short on details. The vehicle history report lists only one previous owner – ostensibly Andretti. The exterior is a handsome Blade Silver Metallic accompanied by a Dark Titanium leather interior. However, the seller keeps additional information to a minimum as well with the description simply stating, "This 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1 is owned by Mario Andretti and has been garage kept all its life. It is fully loaded with all option on this car." The future buyer will get a seriously great car along with some huge bragging rights at any party by touting its ownership history. We've reached out to the seller for more particulars and provenance, and will update this story if we hear back. In the meantime, the auction for this C6 ends on Thursday, January 8, and currently the reserve isn't met. The price sits at a hefty $68,100 as of this writing, with six bids registered. Featured Gallery 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 owned by Mario Andretti Auction News Source: eBay MotorsTip: Roger Celebrities Motorsports Chevrolet Auctions Coupe Performance chevy corvette zr1

Domino's reveals Chevy Spark-based delivery car

Next time you order from Domino's Pizza, check out the delivery car. In an effort to get hot and fresh pizzas to hungry customers, the company is creating a small run of custom vehicles that are tailored for the job. Dubbed the Domino's Delivery Expert (DXP), these 2015 Chevrolet Spark-based hatchbacks pack a plethora of features to provide the perfect pie. When the DXP's on delivery duty, every order should arrive steaming hot thanks to the hatchback's biggest custom upgrade – a warming oven right behind the driver. Accessible from outside, it can keep pizzas at the perfect temperature on the way to your house and hold two of Domino's Heatwave bags. Other than the driver's seat, the rest of the interior also gets replaced with bountiful storage and non-slip surfaces. According to the company, as many as 80 pizzas could conceivably fit inside, and that would be quite a party. The exterior is still clearly derived from the Spark but with some clever additions. An illuminated "Out for Delivery" sign is on the roof, and a puddle light shoots the Domino's logo on the ground. Plus, the company's red-and-blue color scheme is emblazoned over the hood, pillars, and hatch. Underneath all the pizza-related mods, power comes from a 1.2-liter four-cylinder and CVT. Rather than just a one-off stunt, Domino's is working with Roush Enterprises and former General Motors exec Kenneth R. Baker to build 100 DXPs. They're hitting the streets in 25 US cities, and you can check if your locale is included on the project's website. The seed of this idea came from a partnership with Local Motors to crowdsource the ultimate pizza delivery platform. Domino's Launches Purpose-Built Pizza Delivery Vehicle Domino's Innovative DXP™ Created by Three Great Michigan Brands and an International Crowdsourcing Design Competition Ann Arbor, Mich., Oct. 21, 2015 -- In its latest innovation as the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, Domino's (NYSE:DPZ) is launching the Domino's DXP™ (Delivery Expert), a specially designed and built pizza delivery vehicle. The DXP is the combined brainchild of former GM R&D executive Kenneth R. Baker, Michigan-based Roush Enterprises and Domino's. To also include consumers' input, hundreds of concepts were initially identified in an online crowdsourcing design competition hosted by Local Motors. "The Domino's DXP is the first purpose-built vehicle aimed at revolutionizing pizza delivery," said Russell Weiner, president of Domino's USA.