CARSCOOP |  |
- Poll: Which One is the Prettiest, the Acura NSX or Nissan GT-R?
- How Cool and…Illegal is That? Lexus Pulls James Bond License Plate Switcheroo
- Cadillac May Use Escalade Name on Smaller SUVs
- Tour Honda's Collection Hall Museum in Japan with Google Maps
- LA Auto Show Confirms 22 World Premieres, Including Juke NISMO RS
- Volvo Releases the Bulls on Its New FL Distribution Truck
- Vossen Dresses Infiniti Q50 with New Rims
- Another 2014 Corvette Stingray Gets a Crash-Lift
- Watch a Ferrari 458 Challenge Going 220km/h Crash at the Nürburgring
- China's Dongfeng Reportedly Planning to Buy a Third of PSA Peugeot-Citroen
- Mexican Monster Truck Driver Hit with Manslaughter Charge After Killing 9 People
- Porsche Teases Macan SUV Ahead of LA Show Debut with Video and Sketches
- Tesla Model X Has Racked Up More than 6,000 Orders Already
- Check Out this Mad Volvo 960 With a V8-Swap and Claimed 2,200 HP
- Tremendously Stupid Yet Remarkable Overtake in Korea
- Mercedes-Benz Reportedly Confirms BMW X6 Rival
- New Generation MINI will Have 8 to 10 Different Variants, Diesels Considered for US
- Lincoln Uses Direct Comparison to Lexus ES to Promote MKZ Sedan
- Scoop: New Mystery Ferrari Pops Up on Patent Office, What Is It?
- Ducati Pays Tribute to Ayrton Senna with Special Edition 1199 Panigale S
- Ford-Powered USCC Prototype Breaks Daytona Lap Speed Record with 223MPH (359KM/H)
- It’s Not All Plain Sailing for Nissan's NYC Taxi of Tomorrow as Judge Rejects Program
- Polish Blogger Puts a Big Dent on BMW 4-Series Coupe
- Watch Exotic Supercars, Including Ferrari F50 Driven by a Shirtless Guy, Having Fun in NYC
- GM Recalls 22,000 New Silverado and Sierra Pickups for Faulty Seats
| Poll: Which One is the Prettiest, the Acura NSX or Nissan GT-R? Posted: 10 Oct 2013 06:39 PM PDT  Suffice it to say, the two greatest sports cars to come out of the Land of the Rising Sun in the past quarter century, are the Honda / Acura NSX and the Nissan GT-R. Seeing both parked side by side at the recent Boston Cup car show was pure bliss and we just had to take some shots and share them with you. If you grew up in the 1990s, then you can most certainly relate to the sentiments expressed for the original Acura / Honda NSX, which remained in production for 15 years, from 1990 to 2005 - a pretty impressive feat for any vehicle, let alone a mid-engined sports car. The yellow NSX at the Boston Common is a 2002 model, which was the year Honda applied a refresh that included the replacement of the original pop-up headlamps with fixed xenon HID units and changes to the wheels and suspension. Power came from a 3.2-liter naturally-aspirated V6 churning out 290hp (294PS). If you're old enough to read these lines, then you should know everything there is to know about Japan's modern supercar fighter, the Nissan GT-R. It doesn't have its engine in the middle, but it packs enough grunt to scare anything from a raging bull to a wild stallion. This particular GT-R with the cheeky GTRRR license plates is a 2012 Black Edition, meaning it blends a 530HP twin-turbo'd 3.8-liter V6 with a bag of other performance and styling goods such as improved aerodynamics, bespoke wheels and interior upgrades. After gazing at the two cars, it becomes quickly obvious that they're very different beasts; whereas the NSX is what we'd call the Bruce Lee of Japanese sports cars, the GT-R is more akin to a pissed off Mike Tyson. At 183.9 in (4,671 mm) long, 74.9 in (1,902 mm) wide and 54.0 in (1,372 mm) tall, the GT-R trumps the NSX in size, as the latter is 174.2 inches (4,425 mm) long, 71.3 inches (1,810 mm) wide and 46.1 inches tall (1,170 mm). We initially wanted to include a single poll about which one is the prettiest in your opinion, but we decided to add another one asking which of the two would you take home if some kind and generous soul offered it to you (yeah, right…). You can answer both questions in the poll and the comments below. All Photos Copyright Carscoops  Which is the prettiest one? Which one would you take home?                                                    |
| How Cool and…Illegal is That? Lexus Pulls James Bond License Plate Switcheroo Posted: 10 Oct 2013 05:10 PM PDT  Once upon a time, not too long ago, license plate flippers were a thing of James Bond movies and Cold War espionage stories. Nowadays, anyone willing to depart a few hundred bucks can have a device that flips licenses plates fitted to their car. Like the Russian (?) owner of this white Lexus LS 460 who was filmed at a stop light magically switching his rear plate from numbers and letters to a dark shade of grey emptiness. With all the things we've seen in dash-cam videos, we dare not to ask why… Such devices are sold on the web, though, whether they're illegal or not, depends on local laws. In Texas, for example, the house passed a "Flipper Bill" in May. Under the bill, the possession of a license plate flipper is a class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail, while distributing or selling these devices is a class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail. You can see how these license plate flipping devices work in the following videos.    |
| Cadillac May Use Escalade Name on Smaller SUVs Posted: 10 Oct 2013 04:40 PM PDT  At yesterday's New York unveiling of the all-new 2015 Cadillac Escalade, brand boss Bob Ferguson said GM may use the Escalade name for other luxury vehicles within the Cadillac lineup. "There's a lot of equity in Escalade and I'd like to explore the notion of other vehicles that would carry that brand name," Ferguson said, according to a Bloomberg News report. Although he didn't provide any details about when other Escalade models will launch, the executive acknowledged Cadillac is considering another Escalade that would use a car-like SUV frame. "There are a number of individuals who just love this vehicle, but there are others who would say, 'I would like something that would give me a different ride and a different experience,'" Ferguson said. It's safe to assume Cadillac would use the Escalade name for as a sub-brand for Cadillac SUVs. By 2015, Cadillac wants to roll out 10 new or redesigned models in the U.S., including the Escalade and the ATS compact sedan, which helped boost Cadillac's U.S. sales by 29 percent in the first nine months of this year. The Escalade had its best sales year in 2004, when 62,250 units were sold. Last year, only 23,340 Escalades were sold in the U.S. The Escalade faces strong competition from smaller, car-based SUVs that are more fuel-efficient, as well as from upcoming high-end SUVs like the Maserati Levante. This is why Cadillac may try to extend the fame of the Escalade name to smaller SUVs that could better compete with car-based competitors. An example of SUVs from different segments using the same nameplate comes from Mitsubishi, which sells the Outlander and Outlander Sport in the U.S. The latter is a small SUV that is sold as the ASX in Europe. By Dan Mihalascu         |
| Tour Honda's Collection Hall Museum in Japan with Google Maps Posted: 10 Oct 2013 04:15 PM PDT  The idea of bringing Google Street View indoors is brilliant, because most of the interesting stuff there is to be seen in built-up areas, is to be found inside. For instance, up until now, you would have used the internet giant's service to check out what the roads around the Ring Motegi track in Japan looked like, and that would have been it. Now, they've added one stop that will definitely make the mouse click-powered virtual trip worthwhile. That's because the Honda Collection Hall museum that's located next to the famed racetrack has been included in the array of Street View-shot interiors, along with other cool automotive-related ones such as the Lamborghini Museum. It's meant to showcase pretty much all of Honda's significant two- and four-wheeled vehicles destined both for racing and the road, and houses around 350 fully refurbished exhibit pieces. Two of the floors are covered: the third floor deals with competition cars and bikes, while the second floor houses all of the important historic road-going models. Each level has its own link and have to be accessed separately - you can check them out below! By Andrei Nedelea Story References: Google Maps via Silodrome   |
| LA Auto Show Confirms 22 World Premieres, Including Juke NISMO RS Posted: 10 Oct 2013 04:01 PM PDT  Organizers of the Los Angeles Auto Show have confirmed 22 world premieres and 56 vehicle debuts overall during this year's event that takes place from November 22 to December 1. Among the world debuts that will be first seen by the press between November 19 and 21, there's the Nissan Nismo Juke RS and a Nismo Concept vehicle, four models from Mercedes-Benz (the S65 AMG is one of the rumored premieres) and three models from Porsche (including the Macan SUV). The show will also see global debuts from BMW, Chevrolet, Cadillac (the 2015 Escalade), Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mini, Subaru (probably the WRX and STI) and Toyota. In addition to the world premieres, the show will include many North American debuts , such as the BMW's 4-Series Coupe, i8, i3, 5-Series Sedan and 5-Series GT, Jaguar's C-X17 concept, Mercedes' GLA crossover and S63 AMG, three vehicles from Volkswagen, including the e-Golf and five from Audi, among others. Organizers also confirmed "more than a dozen" green vehicles from Acura, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen, ranging from alternative fuel models to new plug-in hybrids. As for the luxury segment, nearly 20 debuts are expected from automakers including Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and others. Twelve concept cars will be on display, from brands like Cadillac, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, VW and Volvo. The LA Auto Show will overlap with the auto shows in Tokyo, Japan (November 23 – December 1), and Guangzhou, China (November 21 – 23). By Dan Mihalascu         |
| Volvo Releases the Bulls on Its New FL Distribution Truck Posted: 10 Oct 2013 03:34 PM PDT  Remember Volvo Trucks' promotional video featuring a hamster? Well, the Swedish truck-maker has released a similar commercial, only this time it used bulls to promote one of its products, the Volvo FL distribution truck. In the new film named "The Chase", the FL truck is chased by bulls in a race through Spain's medieval town Ciudad Rodrigo. With precision driver Rob Hunt behind the wheel, the red-painted truck manages to squeeze through the town's narrow streets while being pursued by angry bulls. The idea behind the video is to show how easy the 12-ton FL truck is to maneuver in a demanding urban environment, on a 2-kilometer (1.24-mile) long course. "The town is old, the streets are narrow and we drive on slippery cobblestones. To be chased by bulls on top of that is a real challenge," said Rob Hunt. To keep ahead of the herd of bulls, he had to maintain a speed of at least 30 km/h (18.6 mph). "The bulls maintained a consistently high speed and were really close sometimes, but the truck handled the corners very well so it was just a matter of driving," said Rob Hunt. You can watch the unusual chase after the break. By Dan Mihalascu         |
| Vossen Dresses Infiniti Q50 with New Rims Posted: 10 Oct 2013 02:57 PM PDT  The Infiniti Q50 is a nicely styled and designed modern sedan, with clear Japanese origin, European influences and a (primarily) American final destination. It is in no way a bad looking new car, but as is always the case, the regular manufacturer rims and standard ride height do little to enhance the overall look. That's why the car in the video posted below look so much better. It gets some cool new wheels from Vossen that are of a new design that require special manufacturing techniques, as well as a lower ride height, to give them a better chance of filling the arches. The rims themselves, called CVT, are directional and come in 20- or 22-inch flavors, and will be available for purchase this month or in November, depending on which size you want (the larger ones will be available next month). I think they look spot on underneath the Q50, but look far less so when fitted to a Nissan GT-R, BMWs, a Mercedes-Benz SL or Ford Mustang where to me they looked out of place. The Infiniti is the only one of the bunch that completely pulls them off, while at the opposite end of the suitability scale we have the Audi S5, which in my opinion, should have stuck to stock. By Andrei Nedelea                                    |
| Another 2014 Corvette Stingray Gets a Crash-Lift Posted: 10 Oct 2013 02:11 PM PDT  You can add one more 2014 Corvette Stingray to our (currently) short list of crashed C7s. This picture of a yellow example of GM's halo sports car with a re-arranged front and possibly rear end as well, surfaced on Reddit about an hour ago with the poster nicknamed "Inflame" stating "He didn't make it very long". When asked about what lead to this incident, he replied "No clue, if I find out I'll post." Until he does or if by any chance, any of you know more details on the crash, feel free to tell us what you think happened – humorous answers are welcome… For what it's worth, and while we do not know if the driver was an owner, a GM engineer or a member of the press (sic), this is the third Corvette C7 accident that we've seen this year, the other two having taken place in the hands of Chevy's people.     |
| Watch a Ferrari 458 Challenge Going 220km/h Crash at the Nürburgring Posted: 10 Oct 2013 02:00 PM PDT  If you have enough cash stacked in the bank to afford buying a track-only, racing version of an exotic supercar, then you should consider yourself one of the luckiest gearheads in the world. One of the options available to these few fortunate individuals is the Ferrari 458 Challenge, introduced in 2010 and made available for order since 2011. Whether you consider the following owner of the 458 Challenge lucky, is a matter of perspective. You see, he's unlucky, because he crashed the 570-horsepower, high-revving model from Maranello during a quick lap at the Nürburgring race track when he came out of a corner too fast (around 220km/h or 137mph), stepped on grass, and well, you can figure out the rest. On the other hand, as we're told by the YouTube author of the video that shows the crash from the onboard camera, both the driver and passenger made it out unscathed.    |
| China's Dongfeng Reportedly Planning to Buy a Third of PSA Peugeot-Citroen Posted: 10 Oct 2013 01:40 PM PDT  Volvo seems to be doing fine under Chinese ownership, even though most were understandably skeptical, immediately after hearing about that controversial deal going down. We're bringing this up now, because another traditional European manufacturer, PSA Peugeot-Citroen, is having serious financial trouble and according to a recent report, China-based automaker Dongfeng is looking to grab a third of the company's shares. Now going through its worst period of the last two decades, PSA "is examining new industrial and commercial development projects with different partners, including the financial implications that would accompany them," said a spokesman, but concluding that "None of these projects has reached maturity at this stage." The Bloomberg source article reads that the Chinese would be willing to offer $1.63- (€1.2-) billion for 30 percent of the company, and while we can't say for sure that it's the exact amount they would end up paying, the link between the two companies is there, with official statements of interest from both sides. PSA's CEO, Philippe Varin did speak about this last month, saying that they did carry out preliminary talks, and their partnership would first be an industrial one, and only after that stage is complete would they talk about finances. Dongfeng has been making Peugeot-branded cars with old PSA bits in China since 2004, so we could assume that that was part of the mentioned industrial partnership - the two companies are linked, so this report seems to be of the more plausible kind. We will follow it up when new information arises. Note: The model pictured is the 2006 Citroen C2 built by the Dongfeng-PSA joint venture in China – and yes, it is clearly a Peugeot 2006 underneath. By Andrei Nedelea        |
| Mexican Monster Truck Driver Hit with Manslaughter Charge After Killing 9 People Posted: 10 Oct 2013 01:20 PM PDT  The monster truck accident video we posted a few days ago was one of the most disturbing pieces of footage we've seen in a while. Sure, there have been other frightening accidents, but this one left nine people dead (one more died in hospital since the first reports came out) and dozens more (eighty plus) injured, even though Dario Franchitti's severe accident could have turned up its fair share of victims too – thankfully it didn't. Now, the Mexican monster truck's driver, 51 year-old Velazquez Samaniego, has appeared before a judge and has been charged with manslaughter. His side of the story is that he was knocked on the head and left unconscious just enough to plough into the packed crowd of spectators. However, apparently, that was not really the issue, and the ruling was that "he didn't meet the age and health requirements needed to be part of the show," according to The Daily Mail, though, these exact requirements weren't detailed… Event organizers said that the spectators should not have gathered so close to the track, and should have been more weary as to the dangers associated with monster truck shows, especially when they take place at what appear to be makeshift locations with no stands or fences to keep the people from being squashed - just look how effective those were in the aforementioned Indy crash. If you can bear to watch them, we found three new videos showing the action from multiple angles and posted them below. By Andrei Nedelea    |
| Porsche Teases Macan SUV Ahead of LA Show Debut with Video and Sketches Posted: 10 Oct 2013 12:54 PM PDT  Porsche is gearing up for the premiere of its spanking new Macan SUV at the Los Angeles Auto Show (November 22 – December 1) with a fresh teaser video, a darkened photo plus two design sketches. On the microsite Porsche launched for the Macan, the SUV is pitched as a sports car with five doors, five seats and all-wheel drive that is also "intimate with the road." The teaser photo doesn't reveal much except for the quad daytime running lights similar to those on the 918 Spyder. For the rest, we have to trust the accuracy of the sketches and Porsche's own words, as it says the Macan "has defining facial features, a dynamic front with characteristic headlights." The front end also features large air intakes, while the side profile has a "sporty sloping roof line". As for the rear, it is characterized by wide, imposing shoulders. Porsche describes the overall design of the car as sleek and we have to admit the sketches look good. But as is the case (all too often) with sketches, they exaggerate the strong points of a car and minimize its weaknesses. The sketches also show the taillights will be shaped similarly to those on the 911. The only technical details revealed are fuel economy figures that vary between 6.1 and 9.2 l/100 km (38.5 - 25.5 mpg US) and CO2 emissions (159 g/km to 216 g/km). By Dan Mihalascu       |
| Tesla Model X Has Racked Up More than 6,000 Orders Already Posted: 10 Oct 2013 12:31 PM PDT  Despite last week's bad news for Tesla Motors, with the Model S fire causing company stocks to fall, it looks like people are still confident in the company's products. Reservations for the upcoming Model X crossover have exceeded the 6,000 mark, with a member of the Tesla MotorsClub website confirming he has reserved car number 6,117 on October 5. Refundable reservations start at $5,000 for the base Model X, while those for the Model X Signature start at $40,000. It's not clear how many of each variant have been reserved, nor how many customers have ordered the 60 kWh battery pack versus the more powerful and longer range 85 kWh pack. However, it's a good sign for Tesla Motors that the Model X, the price of which remains unknown, has managed to rack up more than 6,000 reservations with deposits. The Model X is expected to cost about the same as the Model S, which is priced between $62,400 and $95,000 before incentives. Many Model X reservation holders appear to be existing Tesla customers, with either a Roadster or a Model S already in their garage. Many are looking to buy the Model X as a replacement for a conventionally-powered SUV. The Model X is built on a slightly modified version of the Model S platform and comes with seating for seven adults and optional all-wheel-drive capability via two electric motors. Deliveries will begin next year. By Dan Mihalascu Story References: plugincars        |
| Check Out this Mad Volvo 960 With a V8-Swap and Claimed 2,200 HP Posted: 10 Oct 2013 12:08 PM PDT  The Volvo 960 is a large, comfortable car that's billed as safe and full of cool touches of Swedish design flair. However, we don't know what its original designers would make of this mad mod job from Pennsylvania. It's an eBay find, but its auction has now expired, not meeting its reserve, with a top bid of $12,600. Still, with a claimed 2,200 hp from a quad-turbocharged big-block V8 engine and some… questionable choices of improvements, we thought it would be fun to share anyway. The owner apparently has receipts to prove he spent $5,000 on the engine block alone, as well as all the internal bits that are the "best of everything." Then he added four turbos for good measure, thus enabling the car to reach the alleged peak horsepower output – there's even a dyno sheet shot, but it's not completely convincing on its own. I would have liked to see a video of it in action – if one does pop up along the line, we'll definitely post it. Hopefully, by that time its new/current owner will have been told by somebody that the cutout hood, the wheels and the ride height are three things that should be addressed, before would even stand a chance to woo a serious performance car crowd. By Andrei Nedelea Story References: eBay via hooniverse                   |
| Tremendously Stupid Yet Remarkable Overtake in Korea Posted: 10 Oct 2013 11:39 AM PDT  How can an occurrence be both ill advised and amazing at the same time? Well, it happens that you can actually have both - when the decision to make a move is bad or unwise but your actions afterwards amend the situation you put yourself in. Something of the sort happened in this video, purportedly shot in South Korea, when the driver of what looks like a Hyundai Genesis (judging by the rear lights), foolishly attempted to overtake the camera-car from the right lane, squeezing behind a truck. Yet, the situation somehow worked out in an amazing way with the Genesis swerving around the lorry and the driver saving his head. As you would imagine, his next pass was much more civil…    |
| Mercedes-Benz Reportedly Confirms BMW X6 Rival Posted: 10 Oct 2013 12:26 PM PDT  We heard Mercedes-Benz was planning a rival for the BMW X6 a while ago, but now it looks like it's more than just a rumor. Two high-level Mercedes executives confirmed the brand's plans to launch a competitor to the sporty Bavarian crossover to Car&Driver magazine. Mercedes' model will likely be called the MLC and will be based on the M-Class architecture – just like the X6 sits on the X5 platform. While the design of the MLC will be sleeker than the ML's (pictured below), running gear is expected to be virtually the same. The crossover will probably be available with a choice of six- and eight-cylinder gasoline engines in the U.S., plus a range-topping AMG model. Europe will obviously get diesel models as well. One of the unnamed sources said the business case for the MLC is simple: the BMW X6 proved that there is demand for such a vehicle, engineering work and costs are low, and the profit margins will be high. Furthermore, this type of crossover can appeal to customers in all major markets, including the U.S., Europe, Russia and China. However, the report argues that this segment is not big enough - at least in the U.S., where the BMW X6 is outsold by every other BMW model except the Z4 roadster. This is why C&D forecasts the big Mercedes-Benz crossover won't sell more than 5,000 units a year in the United States. That depends on many factors though, with pricing being one of the most important. I tend to agree that Mercedes-Benz could roll out much more interesting models than the MLC that would be both cheap to make and successful. The CLA Shooting Brake and the 3-door A-Class hatchback would be my top choices. By Dan Mihalascu       ![BMW-Special0Editions-5[8]](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sKmXyDL2yM0/Ulb-xHbnmZI/AAAAAAAOiMA/O65-OPXMSSQ/s1600-h/BMW-Special0Editions-5%25255B8%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg "BMW-Special0Editions-5[8]") ![BMW-X6-M-Design-Edition-3[3]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZnE-A0nTNxA/Ulb-zATCI6I/AAAAAAAOiMQ/p36zaUGmMak/s1600-h/BMW-X6-M-Design-Edition-3%25255B3%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "BMW-X6-M-Design-Edition-3[3]")    |
| New Generation MINI will Have 8 to 10 Different Variants, Diesels Considered for US Posted: 10 Oct 2013 10:30 AM PDT  The BMW Group's new modular, front- and all-wheel drive UKL platform, the name of which is an acronym for the German words 'Unter Klasse', is a game changer for the company, as for the first time, Mini and BMW cars will share the same underpinnings. It also opens new opportunities for the British automaker, as Peter Schwarzenbauer, BMW's board member in charge of Mini, acknowledged during an interview with Autonews Europe and Luca Ciferri. "With the new ULK architecture, we currently have in mind eight to 10 models," said Schwarzenbauer when asked about the new generation Mini's range, adding that the company is still mulling whether to offer direct replacements for the brand's current lineup of seven models, or present new ones in terms of body styles. According to the Mini official, the company will not expand its factories, and for the next couple of years, it will focus production on the three existing plants it operates in Oxford, the former Mitsubishi plant in The Netherlands (VDL), and with Magna Steyr in Austria. Asked whether Mini will offer the BMW Group's three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines on entry-level models alone or in performance editions as well, Schwarzenbauer replied: "It's very difficult to predict the mix now. I think that consumers will be very surprised, and in a positive way, by the three-cylinder's performance, so I would expect that its share will go up quite a bit. But we still will see consumers asking for the four-cylinder engine. It would be wrong just to concentrate on the three-cylinder engine, even though it is a very attractive option" Schwarzenbauer said Mini is considering diesels for the U.S. market and confirmed a plug-in hybrid variant, while adding that the company is still "investigating" pure-electric models for the masses. As for the new Mini Hatch, he said that it will go on sale in both Europe and the U.S. next spring. Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS                   |
| Lincoln Uses Direct Comparison to Lexus ES to Promote MKZ Sedan Posted: 10 Oct 2013 10:00 AM PDT  The Lincoln brand as a whole is still frankly a bit stale, so they are using a targeted approach to their advertising. Not only are they focusing almost exclusively on their most well-known model, the MKZ (hybrid), but have also brought along a Lexus ES to…compare. It's not really a comparison per se, as the set of questions is rigged - you will get it once you have watched the videos posted below. Company officials are aware of that the image associated with Lincoln cars has all but lost its luster, as the Detroit Free Press reveals quoting company officials. They received a statement from group marketing manager, Andrew Frick, who admitted that "Leading with the Lincoln brand as a whole right now wouldn't get us as far as leading with key products," adding that "When we lead with nameplates (models) we have better recognition." The new ad campaign will run through to the end of the year, though, Frick mentioned that they will not be submitting any ads for this year's Super Bowl, using TV and hashtags to do the dissemination. By Andrei Nedelea    |
| Scoop: New Mystery Ferrari Pops Up on Patent Office, What Is It? Posted: 10 Oct 2013 08:53 AM PDT  The good thing with patent photos is that they give you a very close idea (as long you use some coloring and three-dimensional imagination) of what a car will look like on the road. The bad thing is that's the only piece of information usually offered. So, what do we think that these Ferrari patent drawings show? You'll be forgiven to think that it's a variation of the four-seater, all-wheel drive FF or the 731hp (740PS) F12berlinetta just by looking at the front with the typical headlamps found on these models, but after a closer inspection of the car's lines, we believe it is based on the California hardtop roadster. You can see that on the sectional roof, the profile line that swoops upwards over the rear fender, the positioning of the front fender air vents, and the rear side window line, all of which, in our book at least, point to the California. All that said, I believe there are three possible explanations: 1) Ferrari is readying a new edition that will be added to the California's range 2) It's a one-off special, much in the likes of Eric Clapton's SP12, 3) It's a newer / facelifted version of the California. If you have a different explanation, you're more than welcome to share it in the comments below.
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| Ducati Pays Tribute to Ayrton Senna with Special Edition 1199 Panigale S Posted: 10 Oct 2013 08:25 AM PDT  Two decades after the untimely death of Ayrton Senna, one of the greatest motorsport drivers to have ever graced F1, Ducati his honoring his memory with a surprise debut at the Sao Paulo Motorcycle Show in Brazil. Created exclusively for the Brazilian market, the Ducati 1199 Panigale S Senna sports a special livery color that was chosen by Ayrton Senna himself during his visit to the Ducati factory only a few weeks before his last race in Imola in 1994. The same theme was used later on to produce a first series of 300 motorcycles, the "916 Senna I", designed to honor the Brazilian star in 1995, with two more versions, the "916 Senna II" and "916 Senna III" following in 1997 and 1998. The new 1199 Panigale S Senna will be built in only 161 examples, all of which will go on sale in Brazil in June 2014. Aside from the Senna livery, the bikes will be offered with a racing exhaust system and each will have its individual production number etched on the top fork clamp.       |
| Ford-Powered USCC Prototype Breaks Daytona Lap Speed Record with 223MPH (359KM/H) Posted: 10 Oct 2013 08:07 AM PDT  It took 26 years for someone to break Bill Elliott's Daytona lap speed record of 210.364 mph (338.548 km/h), set in a Ford Thunderbird during qualifying for the 1987 Daytona 500. The new Daytona lap speed record has been broken by Michael Shank Racing's Colin Braun in a Riley Technologies Daytona prototype race car powered by the new 3.5-liter V6 Ford EcoBoost race engine. Braun reached 222.971 mph (358.837 km/h) during a special record attempt run yesterday and set new world speed records for 10 miles (16.1 km) from a standing start (210.018 mph/337.911 km/h average) and 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from a standing start (202.438 mph/325.792 km/h average). 25-year-old Braun wasn't even born when Elliot set the previous speed record. "It was a challenging day. There was a lot of work put in by a lot of people to accomplish these records. The power in the new EcoBoost engine was incredible, and it was amazing how fast it came up to speed on the runs," said Braun after breaking the speed record. The new Ford EcoBoost engine was prepared for the record run by Ford Racing engine partner Roush Yates Engines, while Continental Tires did a special tire for the run that was lighter and had less rolling resistance than the standard race tire. Tires also had a harder compound than those used for a typical road course race. Both the new car and its twin-turbo engine will compete in the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (USCC) that kicks off in January with the 24 Hours of Daytona. The USCC has been founded by the merger of the former American Le Mans Series and Rolex Sports Car Series. By Dan Mihalascu       |
| It’s Not All Plain Sailing for Nissan's NYC Taxi of Tomorrow as Judge Rejects Program Posted: 10 Oct 2013 07:31 AM PDT  I for one, was not particularly pleased to hear that NYC Ford Crown Vic (and classic sedan-shaped) taxi cabs were being phased out, being replaced with hybrid Nissan vans, as part of the Taxi of Tomorrow (ToT) project. Yes, the NV200 is very efficient, spacious and purpose-built for taxi duty, it just doesn't look right with the romantic image of New York that people who have never been there have. The plan was to have all old cabs replaced by the new Nissan ones by October 28, but it hit a snag in the form of a rejection by the Superme Court of Manhattan on Tuesday. The Wall Street Journal says the magistrates "rejected Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Taxi of Tomorrow program as an overreach of executive authority, potentially dooming a project to create a virtually uniform taxi fleet for the city". It all depends on who you ask, really, regarding uniformity as a general concept: some will say it's the most efficient way to go and an integral part of the natural progression of things, while others will fight against it, convinced that diversity and freedom are the way forward. That's what the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission tried to do – forcefully push the NV200 onto them, and make them buy only it for the next decade, as part of a grand plan thought up by Mayor Bloomberg. Now, the Greater New York Taxi Association has sued the NY institution, in the hopes of turning the decision around, and the prosecution did side with the plaintiffs on several cases, so it's not a foregone conclusion just yet. Moreover, many of Mr. Bloomberg's political rivals and those looking to take his place as mayor do not approve of ToT. This will definitely cause additional problems, and the other party involved, Nissan, will definitely not be pleased about this at all, especially since production on the yellow NV200s has already begun in Mexico. By Andrei Nedelea    |
| Polish Blogger Puts a Big Dent on BMW 4-Series Coupe Posted: 10 Oct 2013 06:57 AM PDT  With so many thousands of 4-Series Coupes that BMW will predictably sell over the years, a crashed example of the Bavarian carmaker's sportier looking 3-Series will soon be of no particular significance, but since the car is just arriving in dealer lots and we haven't heard of another incident, we thought we'd share these photos. The (press?) tester was a BMW 428i Coupe upgraded with the M Sport Package, which was driven by a Polish blogger nicknamed "bkwwa" on his Instagram channel where he posted the following pictures. There's no specific information on the hows and whys of the accident, but from this image, at least, it looks more of a heavy fender-bender than anything else, as only the front-end of the car was damaged. Story References: Instagram/bkkwa via zero2turbo Thanks to Michael for the heads up!        |
| Watch Exotic Supercars, Including Ferrari F50 Driven by a Shirtless Guy, Having Fun in NYC Posted: 10 Oct 2013 06:22 AM PDT  The list of cars that got together in this ride in New York is pretty impressive by any standards: a 1,184hp (1,200PS) Bugatti Veyron Super Sport "Pur Blanc", a 513hp (520PS) Ferrari F50, a Nissan GT-R, a Lamborghini Gallardo, a McLaren MP4-12C, a Lamborghini Aventador and probably one or more cars we forgot to mention. What they did in NY, would have landed them at least a ticket, if not in jail in some cases (at one point, the GPS in the Bugatti shows the car travelling 158mph (254 km/h), and we are pretty sure that's well over the limit...) if they had been caught, which they didn't. As for the experience riding the Super Sport version of the Bugatti Veyron, the man who filmed the NY ride, nicknamed "Speedracer38", stated on YouTube: "Riding in the worlds fastest car is an absolutely epic experience, having a bunch of exotic cars around to toy with makes it even more entertaining! The Super Sport is actually quite a different feel then the normal Veyron. The suspension is a bit more stiff and the acceleration is still smooth but feels more powerful. When being pushed to the limit the car feels pretty brutal as you can see I was fighting to keep the camera steady a few times. The Ferrari F50 met up with us before we met with the group of other exotic cars and hearing the F50 exhaust through the city was a dream come true. I will be uploading another video soon of the F50 which won't disappoint." You can watch both videos, including the one with the F50 alone, right past the break.    |
| GM Recalls 22,000 New Silverado and Sierra Pickups for Faulty Seats Posted: 10 Oct 2013 05:40 AM PDT  General Motors has announced the recall of exactly 21,721 full-sized pickups on the grounds of them having been fitted with seats that may not meet federal regulation for rear impact safety. The vehicles involved are the new GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado pickups, both from the 2014 model year, and only the ones that have manually-adjusting seat backs are involved. Despite the fact that so far no injuries have been linked to this defect, dealers are required to inspect the seats, and modify them when and if necessary, obviously, at no charge to the owners, other than having to waste some of their time taking their new pickup to be serviced before term. Of the affected vehicles, 18,972 are located in the US, 2,575 in Canada, 103 in Mexico, as well as a number of 71 vehicles that have left the American continent altogether. Since this is a safety-related recall, it will probably be carried out as quickly. It's not the first recall to affect the current-shape Serra and Silverado, as 843 of them had been called back this July for airbag-related issues. By Andrei Nedelea                |
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