2008 Honda Civic Ex-l With Nav & Moonroof. No Reserve Auction on 2040-cars

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A closer look at the motorcycle El Chapo used to escape prison

Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera, better known by his nickname, El Chapo, stands five-feet, five-inches tall. This defining trait – his nickname, not coincidentally, can be translated as "Shorty" in Spanish – is an important detail in his escape, as the tunnel that stretched a mile underground that led the drug kingpin to safety measures just one inch taller than Guzman's height. Clearly, this was a well-planned and executed escape. The tunnel that was custom-sized to perfectly fit El Chapo started at an abandoned building in the middle of an empty field and ended in a tight shaft that led to the shower stall in Guzman's jail cell. In between those start- and finish-points was an impressively dug-out hole in the Earth, complete with ventilation shafts, wiring for electricity and lights, and rails on the bottom to serve as tracks for a custom-built motorcycle that El Chapo apparently rode to freedom. There are specific traits that could be useful in figuring out what kind of motorcycle we're looking at. All of these facts are well-known to anyone who's been following the story of how the most notorious criminal in Mexico could escape from a maximum-security prison in broad daylight. Especially considering that this event marks the second time since 2001 that Guzman has arranged his own prison break. There's one detail, though, that has caught our attention. A close look at the images released by Mexican authorities shows us a motorcycle that's been heavily modified specifically to work underground. We can't be certain, based on the grainy shots and limited viewing angles of the pictures we have access to, but there are some specific traits that could be useful in figuring out what kind of motorcycle we're looking at. For starters, there's the engine. It's a single-cylinder, air-cooled powerplant, canted slightly forward. The exhaust exits on the right side of the bike, when looking from above, and there's a short chain guard on the opposite side. Granted, that doesn't narrow it down all that much. A look at the shape of the fins on the cylinder and the shape of the head, though, makes us think this may be one of Honda's ubiquitous CG-series of engines. A quick look at the bike's frame shows a single downtube, dual shocks and a steel-tube swingarm. That means it's probably not of particularly recent vintage, but we can't really pinpoint exactly what model it may be.

NACTOY announces top nine finalists for Car, Truck and Utility of the Year

Finalists for the 2024 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) Awards were announced at this year’s L.A. Auto Show. This whittles the field down to nine vehicles in total, with the winners scheduled to be announced on January 4, 2024. The finalists in their respective categories: Car category: Honda Accord, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Toyota Prius Truck category: Chevrolet Colorado, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Ford Super Duty Utility category: Genesis Electrified GV70, Kia EV9, Volvo EX30 These nine cars were chosen from a list of 25, which was previously narrowed down from a list of 52 eligible vehicles. Notable misses include the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, Toyota GR Corolla, GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Mazda CX-90 and Toyota Grand Highlander, among others. Jurors will now evaluate the final nine through the end of the year to determine the four winners. Autoblog Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is among the jurors. Green LA Auto Show Chevrolet Ford Genesis GM Honda Hyundai Kia Toyota Volvo Truck Crossover Hatchback SUV Electric Hybrid Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance Sedan

Recharge Wrap-up: Innova EV Car Share, Mercedes to use CO2 A/C

Innova UEV will launch its carsharing program at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education 2015 Conference & Expo. Called Innova EV Car Share, the program is designed for college campuses, and uses the Innova Dash neighborhood electric vehicle and solar charging stations. "The Innova UEV team is excited to introduce this innovative sustainability program to universities across the country as a way to reduce CO2 output as well as decrease congestion," says Innova UEV Founder and CEO Roman Kuropas. "Visionary schools that make this level of commitment to the environment are sure to add to their sustainability prestige as leaders in higher education." Read more in the press release from Innova UEV. Microsoft and ABB are launching a new EV fast-charging services platform. ABB chargers will connect to the Microsoft Azure cloud, allowing for smarter charging as infrastructure expands. "Platform performance and stability are critical differentiators for the successful operation of a modern, data-dependent EV charging station," says ABB's Pekka Tiitinen. "By partnering with Microsoft, ABB will be able to offer best-in-class operations as well as innovative advanced services - what we call the Internet of Things, Services and People." Perhaps we'll hear more specific details following the platform's launch at eCarTec in Germany. Read more from Microsoft. Honda is testing solar-powered EV charging in the Marshall Islands. The AC charging stations, called the Honda Power Chargers, will help power a fleet of Fit EVs on the remote islands as part of a pilot test. The Marshall Islands must import most of their energy supplies, so solar-powered mobility would help provide some self-sufficiency and cost savings. Honda, the Marshall Islands government, and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will use the experiment to determine if it would be worthwhile to expand the solar-powered charging infrastructure. Read more at Green Car Reports. Mercedes-Benz will use CO2 air conditioning to help meet the EU's 2017 environmental requirements. The European offerings of the S-Class and E-Class will be the first to use a CO2-based air conditioning system. The use of CO2 requires a redesign of much of the system, as it requires a much higher pressure than other refrigerants. The automaker will use the HFO-1234yf refrigerant in its other vehicles.