CARSCOOP

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• Watch the Tesla Model S Reach its Top Speed of 133MPH or 213KM/H
• First Photos of 2014 BMW X5 M Sport and X5 M50d, Plus Brochure Catalogue
• See How the Vauxhall VXR8 Tourer Stacks Up Against the Audi RS4 Avant
• Williams Drops Renault Engines, Will Be Powered by Mercedes-Benz from 2014
• Father of the Year Shoots at Car for Not Giving Way at Crosswalk
• BMW Releases UK Pricing Information for M5, M6 with Competition Package and New 518d
• 2014 Could Spell the End for Mitsubishi, Volvo and Road&Track in the US, Says Report
• Bumblebee Looks Sweet Dressed up as a 1967 Camaro SS for Transformers 4
• New Details on Maserati's Next Coupe that Gets Turbocharged V6 from Quattroporte
• Russian Mercedes-Benz AMG TV Spot Takes it Easy
• Disgruntled Serbian Fiat Employee Reportedly Vandalized 31 500Ls with a Screwdriver!
• Who Needs an S-Class? Carisma Auto Turns Mercedes Viano into a Luxury Lounge on Wheels
• Fiat Reportedly Raising $10 Billion to Buy Remaining Chrysler Stake and Refinance Debt
• Lamborghini, Ferrari and Other Luxury Cars go up in Flames on Thai Trailer [w/Video]
• Peek-a-boo: Caterham Teases New and Affordable Base Seven Model
• Discrepancy Between Real-World Economy Figures and Manufacturer Data On the Rise
• This is the Effect an Audi A1 Quattro has on Road Test Editors
• Spied: Dacia Duster Small SUV Prepares for its First Botox Treatment
• Chris Harris Calls Morgan Three Wheeler and Caterham Seven the “Essence of Driving”
• Hamann Releases New Range Rover Mk4 Mystere Onto the Market
• Ford to Sell the EcoSport SUV in 62 Countries, But U.S. is Not One of Them - For Now
• Romanian Cops Nearly Run Over Old Lady on Crosswalk
• Honda Slashes Fit EV's Monthly Lease Price by a Third, Down to $259
• Peugeot 208 T16 Meets Ventoux Mountain in First Hill Climb Test before Pikes Peak [w/Video]

Watch the Tesla Model S Reach its Top Speed of 133MPH or 213KM/H Posted: 30 May 2013 06:49 PM PDT The Tesla Model S is turning into a success story for the Silicon Valley-based automaker, having received praise for many qualities and not only for being a good EV, but a good all-round practical car. All owners of the all-electric sedan seem to be into their cars, and I haven't seen a vehicle catch people's attention like this in a while, especially for a relatively new brand like Tesla. Read more »

First Photos of 2014 BMW X5 M Sport and X5 M50d, Plus Brochure Catalogue Posted: 30 May 2013 06:11 PM PDT Just yesterday, BMW released photos and preliminary details on its new generation X5 Series. Among other bits of information, BMW told us about the availability of the optional M Sport package and the M50d performance diesel variant, but it did not share any pictures of these particular X5s. If you're curious to see what the X5 M Sport and the X5 M50d look like, here's your chance as we got our hands on the first photos of these two models or rather the trim line and the diesel sports version, as well as on a fresh set of images of the regular X5s and the official brochure. Read more »

See How the Vauxhall VXR8 Tourer Stacks Up Against the Audi RS4 Avant Posted: 30 May 2013 05:20 PM PDT If you live in the UK, you are very fortunate to be able to buy the Vauxhall VXR8 Tourer, which is basically a rebadged version of the HSV-prepped Holden Commodore SS SportWagon. This means it gets a 6.2-liter V8 engine with 408 hp, rear-wheel drive and a manual six-speed gearbox, all with plenty of boot space to carry as many of your possessions as you can throw in. Read more »

Williams Drops Renault Engines, Will Be Powered by Mercedes-Benz from 2014 Posted: 30 May 2013 05:01 PM PDT If you like Formula 1, you probably know that major changes will happen next season, with the most important being the switch from normally aspirated 2.4-liter V8 engines to turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 hybrid units. Following McLaren's announcement that it will switch to Honda engines from 2015, the Williams F1 Team said it reached an agreement with Mercedes-Benz, which will supply engines from 2014. Williams currently uses Renault powerplants. Read more »

Father of the Year Shoots at Car for Not Giving Way at Crosswalk Posted: 30 May 2013 04:24 PM PDT Just when I was most tempted to say I've seen it all when it comes to surreal moments caught by Russian dash cams, here comes this mind-boggling footage. It shows a man crossing the street together with a small boy, who we assume to be his son. Suddenly, the man stops in the middle of the crosswalk, pulls out a gun and fires a shot towards a car that denied him passage moments ago. He then continues to cross the street holding the boy's hand, who witnessed it all. Read more »

BMW Releases UK Pricing Information for M5, M6 with Competition Package and New 518d Posted: 30 May 2013 03:51 PM PDT BMW has made the 5-Series more appealing with important additions to the European range – two at the very top, along with an entry level model, the 518d, which "minimizes buying and operating costs." The first two are the M5 and M6, fitted with the new Competition Package, which ups the power to 567 hp (575 PS) and "also adds Sport suspension settings, Sport steering, Sport exhaust with Black Chrome exhaust tailpipes and exclusive 20-inch Double-spoke M light-alloy wheels." Read more »

2014 Could Spell the End for Mitsubishi, Volvo and Road&Track in the US, Says Report Posted: 30 May 2013 02:46 PM PDT The modern business world is so competitive, that it is no longer an advantage to be one, or eight, steps ahead of the competition – it is a survival requirement. According to a report from financial news publication 24/7 Wall St., ten important brands may disappear from the US scene in the coming 18 months, three of which are automotive-related. They say that Mitsubishi, Volvo and the Road&Track publication could bite the dust in the States due to "the brutally competitive nature of certain industries and the importance of not falling behind in efficiency, innovation or financing." Read more »

Bumblebee Looks Sweet Dressed up as a 1967 Camaro SS for Transformers 4 Posted: 30 May 2013 02:19 PM PDT Michael Bay, the director of the first three installments of the Transformers franchise who had said that the third movie of the series, dubbed Dark of the Moon, would be his "last one", is…back again to produce a fourth film, which has yet to be named but is scheduled for release in June 2014. The teasing for Transformers 4 kicked off on Wednesday with the release of four images, which showed the new custom-built Optimus Prime, a Bugatti Grand Sport Vitesse and a 2014 Corvette Stingray along with an abstract picture. Today, Bay dropped another photo, this time of the Bumblebee Autobot character as a wide body 1967 Camaro SS. Read more »

New Details on Maserati's Next Coupe that Gets Turbocharged V6 from Quattroporte Posted: 30 May 2013 01:31 PM PDT Maserati has seen that there is room in its future lineup for two distinct two-door models. One will continue in the mold of the current GranTurismo and GranCabrio models as GT cruisers with seating for four, while the other, dubbed the Gran Sport, will be a lighter, smaller and strictly two-seater model. Read more »

Russian Mercedes-Benz AMG TV Spot Takes it Easy Posted: 30 May 2013 01:11 PM PDT All those crazy dash-cam videos from Russia that are circulating on the internet would lead you to believe that any car footage related to the land of vodka, babushkas and caviar would entail a crash or at least someone pointing a gun to a motorist. Read more »

Disgruntled Serbian Fiat Employee Reportedly Vandalized 31 500Ls with a Screwdriver! Posted: 30 May 2013 12:39 PM PDT A Serbian assembly line worker from Fiat's Kragujevac plant has reportedly vandalized 31 half-assembled 500L MPVs with a screwdriver. The worker scratched curse words and offensive messages on the cars' bodies. The exact content of the messages was not disclosed, but it appears the curses were aimed at the management of the plant, including the general manager and the workers' Italian supervisors. Recently there have been tensions between management and workers as parts shortages delayed production, with trade unions saying workers had been forced to work long hours and had been denied cigarette breaks. Read more »

Who Needs an S-Class? Carisma Auto Turns Mercedes Viano into a Luxury Lounge on Wheels Posted: 30 May 2013 11:44 AM PDT For various reasons, some people don't want to be seen in expensive, flashy cars, but at the same time, they also don't want to give up on the luxuries that such vehicles are equipped with. This is why bespoke luxury vehicle specialists from Carisma Auto Design are offering a customizing package for the Mercedes-Benz Viano that really makes the large German van an S-Class of its category. The aftermarket company basically finishes off what Mercedes-Benz started in 2011 with the Viano Vision Pearl Concept. Read more »

Fiat Reportedly Raising $10 Billion to Buy Remaining Chrysler Stake and Refinance Debt Posted: 30 May 2013 11:24 AM PDT Fiat is negotiating with a series of banks to borrow as much as $10 billion to buy the Chrysler Group stake it doesn't own and refinance both automakers' debt at lower rates. According to a report from Bloomberg, which cited people familiar with the matter, Fiat wants to buy the 41.5 percent of Chrysler held by the United Auto Workers' retiree health-care trust with money borrowed from banks including Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and BNP Paribas. Read more »

Lamborghini, Ferrari and Other Luxury Cars go up in Flames on Thai Trailer [w/Video] Posted: 30 May 2013 10:48 AM PDT Here's a story that's being making the news rounds in Thailand today, and all for good reason, because, while it's not uncommon for exotic supercars to catch fire on the road individually, having four of them turned into useless scrap metal on a transport trailer is a rare occasion, to say the least. Yet it happened on a road in the resort district of Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima, in Thailand when a fire that is said to have started on a BMW, which spread on a Lamborghini Mucilageo and then onto a Ferrari F430 and a Bentley Continental. A motorist from the opposite lane purportedly alerted the driver of the truck about the fire. Read more »

Peek-a-boo: Caterham Teases New and Affordable Base Seven Model Posted: 30 May 2013 10:01 AM PDT Almost 60 years (57, to be precise) since the launch of the original Lotus Seven in 1957, and 40 years after Caterham brought the rights to the lightweight sports car from Lotus founder Colin Chapman, the saga of the Seven continues with its current owner announcing today the upcoming release of a new model. Read more »

Discrepancy Between Real-World Economy Figures and Manufacturer Data On the Rise Posted: 30 May 2013 09:40 AM PDT We are all aware that the advertised economy figures for new cars are nearly impossible to match or surpass under normal driving conditions. It is something you factor in when looking for your next purchase, especially if you want it to be a particularly efficient one. Now, according to a study published by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), the discrepancy between the declared and real-world numbers has risen to around 25 percent, up considerably from 10 percent a decade ago. Read more »

This is the Effect an Audi A1 Quattro has on Road Test Editors Posted: 30 May 2013 09:01 AM PDT The Audi A1 Quattro is a limited-edition model built in only 333 units that showcases the brand's engineering expertise and also serves as a tribute to the iconic Audi Quattro. Rare and expensive, the A1 Quattro is basically a pocket rocket that Audi built just to show it could. The crew from XCar in the UK managed to get their hands on an A1 Quattro for a test drive and were absolutely impressed by it. I mean, who wouldn't be impressed with an all-wheel drive B-segment premium car that is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine developing 252 bhp? Read more »

Spied: Dacia Duster Small SUV Prepares for its First Botox Treatment Posted: 30 May 2013 08:31 AM PDT Dacia's foray into the small SUV segment with the affordable Duster has proven successful, but the Renault Group-owned Romanian brand refuses to rest on its laurels and is working on a light facelift, which could be revealed as early as this fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show or alternatively, at next year's Geneva Salon in March. Read more »

Chris Harris Calls Morgan Three Wheeler and Caterham Seven the “Essence of Driving” Posted: 30 May 2013 08:07 AM PDT We're grateful that cars like the Morgan Three Wheeler and Caterham Seven still exist, and have only taken from modern technology that which doesn't detract from what made them so popular over the years. Both are very old in their design and concept, but have been brought up to date with modern brakes, engines, gearboxes and some electronics. Read more »

Hamann Releases New Range Rover Mk4 Mystere Onto the Market Posted: 30 May 2013 06:58 AM PDT There are many ways to make your fourth generation Range Rover stand out from a sea of luxury SUVs, but if you're not sure how, just ask the tuners over at Hamann Motorsports. Following the world premiere of the German company's Range Rover "MYSTÈRE" at the March 2013, Geneva Auto Salon in Switzerland, Hamann has now made the package available for order. Naturally, the first thank that catches your eye on the Mystère is the pink tinted chrome body wrap, which Hamann says, is "a color that exhibits nothing more but self-confidence". Read more »

Ford to Sell the EcoSport SUV in 62 Countries, But U.S. is Not One of Them - For Now Posted: 30 May 2013 06:32 AM PDT Ford announced today that its subcompact EcoSport SUV will be sold in 62 markets worldwide by 2017, but the United States is not going to be one of them. According to a report from The Detroit News, Ford's executive vice president of global marketing, sales, service and Lincoln, Jim Farley, said the automaker is studying "very closely" the possibility of selling the small SUV in the States. However, he added that the immediate market does not warrant selling the car in Ford's home market. Read more »

Romanian Cops Nearly Run Over Old Lady on Crosswalk Posted: 30 May 2013 06:16 AM PDT It seems that the corruption of crosswalks is not limited to the vast expanses of Russia, and it actually affects all countries around the world. While in Russia you get to walk on the hood of offenders' cars, in Romania you aren't given a chance to by the police. What I mean by that is that they may run you over before you get a chance to make a statement, as the video posted below eloquently illustrates. Read more »

Honda Slashes Fit EV's Monthly Lease Price by a Third, Down to $259 Posted: 30 May 2013 05:44 AM PDT The battery-powered Honda Fit EV has just become more affordable for American consumers as the Japanese carmaker has reduced the monthly lease price by more than 30 percent, from $389 to $259 a month for new as well as existing lessees beginning from June 1. Honda's new three-year lease offer comes with no down payment and includes unlimited mileage, routine maintenance, collision coverage and a 240 volt EV home charging station equipment –albeit excluding installation- from Leviton. Read more »

Peugeot 208 T16 Meets Ventoux Mountain in First Hill Climb Test before Pikes Peak [w/Video] Posted: 30 May 2013 05:25 AM PDT Peugeot is ready for the "Race to the Clouds" after the 208 T16 Pikes Peak has successfully finished its first and only test "in the wild" ahead of the Colorado event. Sébastien Loeb drove the 208 T16 Pikes Peak in the south of France on Mont Ventoux, famous for hosting a stage of the Tour de France cycling race. It was the first time the 875-hp car rolled outside Peugeot Sport's factory or a closely guarded circuit. Read more »

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