CARSCOOP |  |
- Video from 2011 Shows NYC Bikers Attacking Toyota Prius, Plus Latest Developments
- Prince Albert Rings the Bell on New Venturi VBB-3 Electric Land Speed Record Car
- Dutch Students Take 0-100 KM/H Sprint Record with Homemade EV
- Alfa 4C Reportedly Lapped the 'Ring in 8:04, Faster than BMW M3 E92
- 1931 Cadillac V12 Convertible Coupe is the Original Fleetwood
- Spied: New Lamborghini Cabrera Filmed Singing to the Tunes of its V10
- Malaysian Minister Says Drivers Should Give Way to VIPs and Leaders as a Sign of Respect!
- GM Files Patent for 7-Speed Dual-Clutch Transmission – Is it for the Corvette Stingray?
- …And This is Why There Are So Many Jokes About Ladas
- Mercedes-Benz Confirms Brazil Plant, Will Produce Next-Generation C-Class and GLA
- Scoop: New BMW X4 Opens its Doors, See it Next to the X3
- Buy V8-Powered Citroen DS and Have the Opportunity to Play Golf with Alice Cooper
- Why Annalisa Chose a 1959 Bianchina over a Porsche 911 and an Alfa Duetto
- Study Claims Women Prefer Men with Eco-Friendly Cars, What do You Say?
- Chevrolet Camaro Tjin Edition Concept from 2009 SEMA up for Grabs
- Compilation of Russian Drivers Mistaking the Road for the Boxing Ring
- A Tongue-in-Cheek Print Ad from Citroen's Past
- GM Partners with U.S. Army to Develop Fuel Cell Technology
- Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Squadra Corse Flexes its V10 Muscle on the Track
- Gray Design's Nouvair Concept Comes from Another Time and…World
- McLaren to Break Even This Year Ahead of Expansion into Asia, Says No to SUVs
- The Footage That the NYC Bikers Didn't Want You to See
- Nissan Pits 370Z Nismo with GT Academy Driver Against Man in Wingsuit [w/Videos]
- Cadillac Takes Us Aboard 2015 Escalade's Interior, It’s a Big Step Up From Its Predecessor
- AC Schnitzer Presents its Tuning Goods for New BMW 4-Series Coupe
| Video from 2011 Shows NYC Bikers Attacking Toyota Prius, Plus Latest Developments Posted: 01 Oct 2013 07:03 PM PDT  The person who uploaded (and possibly filmed) Sunday's unfortunate events in New York City, YouTube author "Michelinman900", may have quickly removed all of the other videos from said gathering, which police said was likely made by a group called the "Hollywood Stuntz" (albeit not fast enough to avoid downloads…), but he did leave plenty of clips from the past two years. One of them, filmed in 2011, captured our attention. We don't know if the motorcycle meeting was organized by the same group, but if you take a look at the clip at the 1:20 mark, you'll see the bikers succumbing to mob mentality attacking a Toyota Prius driver. Fortunately, the only casualties in this incident seem to have been the hybrid car's mirror and perhaps the driver's mental health… Latest Developments Regarding Sunday's events, the latest news is rather bleak as one of the riders who was run over by the frightened Range Rover driver Alexian Lien, was reportedly paralyzed. According to CBS News, the unfortunate motorcyclist is Edwin Mieses, an "aspiring rapper from outside Boston" who was in a medically-induced coma on Tuesday with crushed legs and serious internal injuries. "There's no hope for his back. They crushed his spine — broke it in two different places — so he will be forever, forever paralyzed," Edwin's wife, Dayana Mejia-Meises, told WBZ-TV. "When all the bikers stopped, my husband got out, parked his bike to walk over to try to help his friend. He walked over towards the front of the vehicle when, at this point, I don't know what happened the man was scared, the man just peeled off and ran over my husband," she said. "That man paralyzed my husband," Mieses said about Lien. "He needs to pay for what he did." Lien, who himself landed in the hospital after a group of motorcyclists attacked him, has not been charged by police. Mieses' family created a dedicated FaceBook page named "Justice for Jay Meezee", which is what his friends call him. A family member also opened an account on "gofundme" asking for donations, with the following message: "This page is to support the Victim's family during this time of need. I am his Aunt and I have created this page to help my nephew during his coma. His wife will be out of work without an exact return date. His children need to be fed and taken care of while both of their parents are in a hospital. If you can shower Jay Meezee with love and prayers we will gladly accept. If you can participate in a monetary donation it will also be greatly appreciated. This family lives in Massachusetts and has to travel to New York to be by his side and the expenses are building up. Thank you for helping us." New York City police said that currently, two suspects in the beating of Lien are in custody, including motorcyclist Christopher Cruz, 28, who was charged with reckless endangerment, reckless driving, and endangering the welfare of a child, and a second, unnamed man, who turned himself in, but who has not yet been charged.        |
| Prince Albert Rings the Bell on New Venturi VBB-3 Electric Land Speed Record Car Posted: 01 Oct 2013 06:11 PM PDT  French automaker Venturi is currently the holder for the record of the world's fastest electric vehicle, which it set in 2005 when the Buckeye Bullet 2.5 hit 307 mph or 494 km/h. Now, they're back with an even more ambitious land speed record car, the VBB-3. It's aim is to surpass its predecessor's performance, and reach the noticeably higher top speed of 440 mph or 708 km/h. The 3,000+ hp EV was detailed by the Prince Albert II of Monaco who "came to bring his support," in the first of the videos you see below, though it's yet to be cranked up to its full potential, as it needs the weather to be just right, and so far the clouds have been mischievous above the Bonneville salt flats (see third video). The initial plan was to have it reach 375 mph or 604 km/h this year, but the run has now been rescheduled for the warmer part of 2014, when the weather is expected to stay consistently sunnier. Only afterward will they crank it up, and see just how fast it is through the measured mile at full bore. By Andrei Nedelea    |
| Dutch Students Take 0-100 KM/H Sprint Record with Homemade EV Posted: 01 Oct 2013 05:30 PM PDT  If there's one thing the Tesla Model S has taught us is that electric cars can punch well above their horsepower rating when it comes to acceleration. However, it's not the most relevant example, and for that we must go to the Netherlands, where a team of students from the Delft University of Technology managed to make an electric single-seater with only 135 hp go from 0-62 mph or 0-100 km/h in 2.15 seconds. In doing so, they took the world record for the fastest accelerating EV, which originally stood at 2.68 seconds. They made the job of beating the record easy for themselves, though, fitting the DUT12 with four independent electric motors, and only making it carry around a total weight of 320 lbs / 145 kg. It's purpose-built to just shoot off the line with no real wheelspin if the tarmac is dry. Chances are it's probably geared for acceleration only, so it tops out very quickly, but we'd like to see that race car-like suspension system being put to good use, because when adding in the sticky tires, the DUT12 shouldn't be half-bad around the corners either. Check it out in the videos below. By Andrei Nedelea Story References: tudelft   |
| Alfa 4C Reportedly Lapped the 'Ring in 8:04, Faster than BMW M3 E92 Posted: 01 Oct 2013 05:05 PM PDT  The Alfa Romeo 4C has received tons of media coverage lately, but there was still something people were curious to find out: its Nürburgring Nordschleife lap time. Although no official announcement has been made so far, Italy's car magazine Quattroruote has reported that the 4C lapped the "Green Hell" in 8 minutes and 4 seconds flat, which is a second faster than the BMW M3 E92's lap set in 2007. If the Nürburgring lap time is accurate, it means Alfa Romeo has really nailed it with the 4C in terms of handling and dynamics, since it managed to be faster than the M3 with a car that has four less cylinders and roughly half the power output. The Alfa 4C's lap time is identical with the Lamborghini Diablo GT's (1999) and only a second slower than the lap times of the Jaguar XKR-S (2011), Aston Martin V8 Vantage (2005) and Porsche 911 GT3 (1999). Much of the credit goes to the lightweight construction of the car, as the 4C has a dry weight of 895 kg (1,973 lbs), making it easy for the 236hp (240PS) turbocharged 1.75-liter 4-cylinder engine to catapult it from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 258 km/h (160 mph). By Dan Mihalascu                    |
| 1931 Cadillac V12 Convertible Coupe is the Original Fleetwood Posted: 01 Oct 2013 03:27 PM PDT  Cadillac is only now just starting to recover from years of being just another name, and the most recent additions to its range, the ATS and CTS are receiving constantly positive reviews. Even so, no matter how good a car they make by today's standards, it will always pale in comparison to what the company was doing in the late 1920s to the 1930s. Cars more like this 1931 V12 Convertible Coupe sporting custom coach-built bodywork hand-beaten by Fleetwood, which before being another name for middle-management to push about, was the Fleetwood Metal Body Company. Unlike many similar shops of the time, it was not a builder of horse-drawn carriages-turned coachbuilder, being in fact, founded in 1909 specifically to create bodies for automobiles. Its 150 hp engine was considered light, despite displacing six liters divided among twelve cylinders, and it really was when compared to the even larger and heavier V16 units also common in its day. Apparently, the weight difference over the front axle made these smaller engined cars easier to handle and steer. The RM Auctions page created for the car has a very detailed description of what this car's history, as well as an estimated price for its October 11 auction date - $175,000 - $225,000. By Andrei Nedelea                   |
| Spied: New Lamborghini Cabrera Filmed Singing to the Tunes of its V10 Posted: 01 Oct 2013 02:37 PM PDT  Along with a fresh set of photographs of the Lamborghini Gallardo's replacement, rumored to bear the "Cabrera" nameplate, our spies also secured around three-and-a-half minutes worth of video footage of the Italian supercar working its revised V10 engine on the Nürburgring circuit in Germany. We can't tell you how fast the car's going, but we will say that the 10-cylinder mill sounds just like what you'd expect from a Lamborghini, perhaps even a tad deeper and angrier than the Gallardo, or in other words, delicious… Structurally, mechanically and technologically, the new Cabrera is related to the next iteration of the Audi R8 that's scheduled for a 2015 introduction. It will be lighter than the Gallardo, while the updated version of Lamborghini's naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10 petrol engine will be more powerful, thus promising improved performance numbers. Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS              |
| Malaysian Minister Says Drivers Should Give Way to VIPs and Leaders as a Sign of Respect! Posted: 01 Oct 2013 02:09 PM PDT  In many countries, official motorcades forcing their way through heavy traffic cause frustration among drivers, especially when state officials are abusing their privileges and put themselves above traffic rules on a daily basis. But wait until you hear what one of these officials believes about regular drivers on the street. Malaysia's Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Datuk Hasan Malek said drivers should give way to patrols escorting royalties and VIPs as a sign of respect to the country's leaders! According to Live Life Drive, he told The Sun Daily that drivers should give way as the people that are being escorted need to get to their destination on time to perform their official duties. "I have received complaints that when our Rulers pass, road users just don't give way. We must put a stop to this, showing respect to our leaders is part of our culture," said the minister. According to the law, drivers in Malaysia are only required to stop or make room for emergency services. I don't know about you, but I'm wondering what century does this man think we're living in? If traffic is impossible, aren't state officials more or less responsible for it? Why should they be above the law? Why should a government official arrive at work in time, while the regular citizen has to wait in traffic? Other countries, however, have cut down on the use of police escorts, limiting them for high security occasions such as state visits. The report gives the UK as an example, with Prime Minister David Cameron sometimes travelling in his armored official car with no escorts, coping with traffic just like everyone else. He has even introduced a new ministerial code aimed at cutting public spending and rebuilding public trust by limiting the use of government vehicles and encouraging ministers to use public transport. Unfortunately, there aren't many leaders with this kind of mentality on this matter like Mr. Cameron in the world today. By Dan Mihalascu Shout out to Bobby A. for the submission!        |
| GM Files Patent for 7-Speed Dual-Clutch Transmission – Is it for the Corvette Stingray? Posted: 01 Oct 2013 01:36 PM PDT  It looks like GM may not be content with the six-speed automatic transmission it offers in the newCorvette Stingray. It may have been adequate for a C6, but the C7 needs a seven-speed automatic, right? I mean it's just awkward for the manual transmission to have more gears… Well, now we learn that it may very well be that the product planners at GM were thinking the exact same thing, because a report published on CorvetteForum.com reveals the company recently filed a patent for just such a gearbox. The information provided suggests that while the dual-clutch setup would most likely be offered across the range, not just limited to the higher performance model. We agree to this as being a valid hypothesis, since this is definitely the way forward, towards making the 'Ray a worthy opponent for the Porsche 911, customers of which swear by the optional PDK self-shifter. What do you think? Does the car need such a transmission, or is it better off converting torque the old fashioned way? By Andrei Nedelea    |
| …And This is Why There Are So Many Jokes About Ladas Posted: 01 Oct 2013 01:07 PM PDT  "Do you know why Lada drivers [insert whichever part of the car you like here]" is, or at least, it was a popular series of jokes back in the days when Lada was actually active in markets outside of Russia. Nowadays, the Viking sailing ship-badged brand, which is owned by Russian car manufacturer AvtoVAZ, is a shadow of itself Nevertheless, most of us remember the funny jokes about Lada cars, most of which had to do either with the quality of build (or the lack thereof) and the absence of any modern comfort features. All that said, we think you'll find the following incident of a VAZ-2112, which is how the Lada 112 is marketed in its domestic market, quite amusing. Watch the video for yourself right after the break.    |
| Mercedes-Benz Confirms Brazil Plant, Will Produce Next-Generation C-Class and GLA Posted: 01 Oct 2013 12:35 PM PDT  Brazil seems to be the new hotspot for the automotive industry, especially for luxury car manufacturers. Following Audi's announcement last month that it will build a plant in the South American country to build the A3 Sedan and Q3 SUV from 2015, Daimler has announced an investment of around €170 million in a new production facility for Mercedes-Benz Cars. As early as 2016, the new plant in Iracemapolis near Sao Paulo will manufacture the next-generation C-Class and the GLA crossover for the local market. Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff and Mercedes-Benz officials jointly signed the the framework contract on October 1. Estimated production of the assembly plant is up to 20,000 vehicles a year, with 1,000 new jobs to be created in the new facility. Furthermore, 3,000 new jobs are estimated to be created for suppliers of the factory. "With the next generation of the C-Class and the GLA, we will be localizing two highly attractive products with top Mercedes quality, for which we see great potential in the Brazilian premium segment," said Andreas Renschler, Management Board member for Production and Procurement at Mercedes-Benz Cars and Vans. The new automobile plant will add to Daimler's Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais factories, which build trucks, buses and vans. Mercedes-Benz Brazil will soon complete the purchase of land for the future plant premises in Iracemapolis near Sao Paulo, in order for the building preparations to begin. By Dan Mihalascu         |
| Scoop: New BMW X4 Opens its Doors, See it Next to the X3 Posted: 01 Oct 2013 12:04 PM PDT  BMW pretty much set the tone for what we should expect on the design front with the upcoming X4 sporty-looking crossover when it presented a thinly disguised concept back in April at the Shanghai Auto Show. At least on the outside, because the concept's blacked out windows did not allow us to take a peek inside. Then again, we were expecting most of the interior parts to be borrowed from the current X3, which forms the base for the X4, and these first shots of its interior simply confirm this. No surprises here, as the dashboard is identical to that of the X3, as are many other elements of the cabin like the seats and the switchgear – the same, of course, applies to everything under the skin. And just in case you were pondering what the X4 looks like next to its more practically-shaped X3 sibling, our spies took a few shots of the two crossovers parked next to each other at BMW's facility. Sales of BMW's downsized X6 will begin sometime next year. Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS                |
| Buy V8-Powered Citroen DS and Have the Opportunity to Play Golf with Alice Cooper Posted: 01 Oct 2013 11:45 AM PDT  This Citroen ID (DS) from 1964 will definitely split opinions. At first, when you look at the photos, hardly anything seems out of place, aside from the mirrors and oversized wheels. However, if you keep on reading, you'll learn why we've featured this seemingly ordinary French classic. It was apparently owned by rock legend Alice Cooper, who drove it to his regular golf games and "loved it." The eBay ad reveals that "over $300k" were invested in bringing it to its current state. Most of the cash probably went towards the custom chassis and suspension setup, as well as its conversion to rear-wheel drive and V8 engine swap. That's right, it has an "LS1 crate motor" which makes over 400 hp! The interior is also drastically changed, and it seems to have extra strengthening bars for the roof – a kind of roll cage that it needs given its newfound hotrod status. Why not swap out the stock engine with a flat-six unit, like the car was originally envisioned with, but give it less than 400 hp, keep the squishy suspension, the interior and the front-driven configuration. This V8-powered one is not particularly appealing to those who like the old DS for what it is. Still, as a piece of rock paraphernalia it's great! The deal is only enhanced by the fact that the winner of the auction will be treated to an autographed guitar and tour photo, along with two tickets to an upcoming event featuring the car's illustrious former owner. By Andrei Nedelea Story References: Autoblog-com                           |
| Why Annalisa Chose a 1959 Bianchina over a Porsche 911 and an Alfa Duetto Posted: 01 Oct 2013 11:25 AM PDT  Imagine your father has a wonderful collection of vintage cars and he invites you to choose one as your daily driver when you turn 18. Which one would you take? A Porsche 911? An Alfa Romeo Spider? Or maybe a more mundane VW Beetle? Well, for the girl who was in this lucky position, the answer was rather different, as she chose a 1959 Bianchina. Why, you ask? Because it's small, colorful and makes a powerful impression on the street. Launched in 1957, the Bianchina was Autobianchi's first automobile and was seen as an upscale compact car. Based on the Fiat 500, it was available in five different versions: Berlina (saloon), Cabriolet (roadster), Trasformabile (convertible), Panoramica (wagon) and Furgoncino (van). The car from the video is a Trasformabile, featuring a soft top similar to the one on the modern day Fiat 500C. You can find out more about how it is to drive a car that can only do 50 km/h (31 mph) in the following video by Petrolicious. By Andrei Nedelea    |
| Study Claims Women Prefer Men with Eco-Friendly Cars, What do You Say? Posted: 01 Oct 2013 11:49 AM PDT  We recently came across an interesting report about a study carried out in the UK through a report on The Australian. The study asked some 2,000 adults what they thought about other drivers solely based on their choice of car. You know, as well as we do, that such studies and surveys can be flawed and run the risk of making many people reach the wrong conclusion - we gave this one a chance nonetheless. Its findings suggest that of the total pool of interviewees, "48 per cent of men were convinced that an expensive car made them more attractive to the opposite sex." This makes us smile, as we continue to read that 53 percent of women would not be impressed by this at all, in fact labeling drivers of these types of cars as arrogant, "while 44 per cent considered them self-centered and 38 per cent reckoned they were a danger on the roads," according to The Australian. We maintain the smirk as we learn that women find a sense of security in the classic sedan shape, thinking of Ford Mondeo and VW Passat drivers as "hard-working and safe motorists." In fact, green vehicles proved to be appreciated on the female side, and apparently, the words associated with drivers of these cars are "conscientious, intelligent and safe motorists." Do also check out the Top Gear Australia video excerpt posted below - it tackles the same problem, but only from the feminine perspective. By Andrei Nedelea    |
| Chevrolet Camaro Tjin Edition Concept from 2009 SEMA up for Grabs Posted: 01 Oct 2013 10:46 AM PDT  Have you ever wondered what happens to all those conceptual and one-off cars that are displayed by the dozens on the floors of the Las Vegas Convention Center for the SEMA aftermarket show every year? Well, after they complete their motor show presentations and become obsolete from marketing and crowd-gathering perspectives, many end up being sold, like this 2010 Chevrolet Camaro Tjin Edition from the 2009 SEMA. A winner of the Design Award for Best GM Vehicle of the 2009 SEMA show, the Tjin Edition Camaro sports a multitude of upgrades, ranging from a 6.8-liter supercharged V8 pushing a massive 608 rear-wheel horsepower and 575 lb-ft of rear-wheel torque, and…a lot more with the nitrous package engaged, to a bespoke aero kit, LED lights and a reworked suspension. The manual-gearbox display model has only 5,179 miles (about 8,330 kilometers) on the odometer, with the highest bid on eBay currently standing at $23,301 (reserve had not been met).                            |
| Compilation of Russian Drivers Mistaking the Road for the Boxing Ring Posted: 01 Oct 2013 10:17 AM PDT  Judging from the scenes in the video you're about to see, it looks like Russian drivers are big fans of fighting sports…on the road. The video has it all: boxing, judo, wrestling, you name it. Fighting on the road looks to be a favorite pastime for some drivers: no matter the reason, a good ol' fight seems to be the fastest (albeit painful) way to solve traffic disputes the wrong way. The clip contains some strange scenes as well, including a loader that hits parked cars and a wild fight at a construction site. You can watch these, and some more, in the video compilation just after the virtual break. By Dan Mihalascu    |
| A Tongue-in-Cheek Print Ad from Citroen's Past Posted: 01 Oct 2013 09:30 AM PDT  Few cars in the history of the automobile industry have managed to remain in production with limited changes for so many years as Citroën's 2CV ("deux chevaux" in French) did. The French carmaker produced the humble and minimalistic economy hatch with the original design from 1942 to 1990 – if you do the math, it comes out to 48 years, during which, it sold more than 8.7 million examples (if you take into consideration all body styles). When a car remains in production for such a long time - and regardless of its merits, which in the 2CV's case, included the iconic and timeless styling together with simplicity of use and maintenance, you have to be creative with your advertising campaigns. And we think that you will find the following 2CV print ad from the 1980s, charmingly cheeky and successful in getting its message across. Photo Credits: Citroen UK     |
| GM Partners with U.S. Army to Develop Fuel Cell Technology Posted: 01 Oct 2013 09:01 AM PDT  General Motors and the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development & Engineering Center (TARDEC) have announced that they are expanding their collaboration to develop hydrogen fuel cell technology. The two parties signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement to "jointly test new hydrogen fuel cell-related materials and designs to evaluate their performance and durability before assembling them into full scale fuel cell propulsion systems," said the automaker in a statement. GM and TARDEC will jointly develop technology that meets both of their requirements, with the project expected to continue for up to five years. The announcement follows a similar one in July this year, when GM and Honda signed a long-term partnership to co-develop a next-generation fuel cell system and hydrogen storage technologies. GM is currently building a new Fuel Cell Development Laboratory in Pontiac, Michigan, where most of its fuel cell development work will take place. TARDEC's lab is 20 miles away, which means daily collaboration will be possible, including sharing physical material and data between the locations. TARDEC's Warren, Michigan, lab enables it to test and integrate the fuel cell systems it has been developing for military applications for more than a decade. "The Army continues to investigate technologies and partnerships that give the United States a decisive advantage," said TARDEC Director Paul Rogers. "Our relationships – like this one with GM – are maturing and accelerating technologies critical to the transportation and energy capabilities of the future," he added. The U.S. Army is evaluating GM's fuel cell technology in order to apply it to military ground vehicles and mobile generators. How long do you think it will be before we see fuel cell tanks? By Dan Mihalascu       |
| Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Squadra Corse Flexes its V10 Muscle on the Track Posted: 01 Oct 2013 08:40 AM PDT  The recently unveiled LP 570-4 Squadra Corse is the most extreme (production) Gallardo ever made and the last of the breed, as a replacement model (tipped to be called the Cabrera) will surface next year. Basically, a racing car with license plates, the Gallardo LP 570-4 Squadra Corse was designed for the track, which is where Lamborghini showcases it in the latest official video. We get to hear the beautiful roar of the 562hp (570PS) V10 racing engine as the car is driven aggressively on the circuit. It's a nice way to say goodbye to Lamborghini's best-selling model in history. As a quick reminder, the Squadra Corse sprints from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 seconds and reaches 200 km/h (124 mph) in just 10.4 seconds. Top speed is 320 km/h (199 mph). The V10 engine is linked to a robotized e-gear six-speed transmission operated by steering wheel paddles. At 1,340kg (2,954lbs), the Squadra Corse is 70kg (154lbs) lighter than the Gallardo LP 560-4, boasting a power-to-weight ratio of 2.35 kilograms per hp. Prices start from €191,100 ($258,844) in Italy, excluding taxes. By Dan Mihalascu    |
| Gray Design's Nouvair Concept Comes from Another Time and…World Posted: 01 Oct 2013 08:20 AM PDT  You may or may not remember Edward Gray of Gray Design, from his conceptual drawings of a future generation Saab 9-3. Gray has returned to the spotlight with a new concept named the Nouvair inspired by the Art Nouveau design movement, which was created to coincide with the company's debut as official judges at Sweden's Westcoast Motorshow. "The Nouvair is a design study that is infused with the spirit of this graceful design language, and draws inspiration from the flawless flowing curves that Alphonse Mucha [a Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist from the 19th and 20th century] made famous," says Grey Design. Design, or for that matter, any creative project, is a very subjective matter - and rightly so, but for what it's worth, I find the Nouvair far too busy, with overly complicated lines, creases and curves on the body and a front end that looks almost out of place with the rest of the car. Naturally, you can agree or disagree with us in the comments section below. Story References: Grey Design via Cardesignnews         |
| McLaren to Break Even This Year Ahead of Expansion into Asia, Says No to SUVs Posted: 01 Oct 2013 08:00 AM PDT  McLaren Automotive, the carmaking business of the McLaren Group, will break even this year ahead of its expansion into Asia and higher-volume segments. "We're bang on track to break even this year," said the company CEO Mike Flewitt in an interview with the Financial Times. The UK-based sports car manufacturer has seen its sales quadruple last year and is betting on demand from China to reach annual sales of 4,000 units by 2015, when McLaren will launch the entry-level P13 sports car, a rival for the Porsche 911. Further growth will be provided by new models, as the company aims to launch two new models each year from 2016 onwards. "I expect about 1,500 sales this year and next year, and then after we get P13, around 4,000 cars," said McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt. He added that the P13 will cost two-thirds the price of the 12C, roughly £110,000 (€131,570). When asked if McLaren has any plans for an SUV, like Bentley and Jaguar, Flewitt replied it's not the right time to consider that. "McLaren needs the global audience to understand our brand, so we need to be consistent in what we build," he added. McLaren entered China this month with three dealerships and expects the market to make up 10 percent of its total sales next year, or about 150 vehicles. The executive says global luxury car sales are shifting towards Asia and sees no growth in Europe at least until 2019. "I wouldn't be surprised if we end up with more than a third of sales in Asia", Flewitt said. He added that he expects medium-term sales percentages to be 40, 20, 40 in North America, Europe and Asia, respectively. By Dan Mihalascu         |
| The Footage That the NYC Bikers Didn't Want You to See Posted: 01 Oct 2013 07:35 AM PDT  Since we first told you about the New York City incident between a family of three in a Range Rover SUV and a group of motorcyclists with a pack mentality early Monday morning, the story has blown up nationally and even internationally. We tracked down the original source of the video to YouTube user "Michelinman900", whom we attempted to contact on Monday, but he never answered back. What's interesting is that said rider, who was part of the loosely formed "Hollywood Stuntz" group of motorcyclists, had uploaded several clips from the NYC run on YouTube, but upon checking his channel last night, the only one available from the Sunday afternoon run, was the clip with the Range Rover incident. In other words, the other videos were removed. If you're wondering why he kept the SUV incident, if you ask us, for one, it basically frames the Range Rover driver and cuts out when the motorcyclists attack him, and it has already garnered over 2 million views in 24 hours and it does show Google Adsense ads… Naturally, as we've seen so many times in the past, if you upload something of interest on the internet, it's not going to go away just because you removed it. In this case, a Liveleak user purportedly downloaded the videos from Michelinman900's channel and shared them with the world. "A few videos pulled from the guy's YouTube account which he has now removed because it shows the behavior of the group at what I believe is before the incident with the Range Rover," said user MixedWithFruit. There's roughly an hour's worth of footage in the seven videos, in which the bikers are more of a nuisance, though, sometimes, they do put themselves and other drivers to risk with their actions. For example, they pass red lights on several occasions (4th video at the 1:20 mark and 6th video at 10:00)), they enter opposite lanes, and ride on pedestrian sidewalks (last video at the 1:15 mark). Before we let you go to watch the clips, let us tell you that it has been confirmed that the Range Rover driver did indeed injure one of the bikers, Jeremiah Mieses, 26, who according to the latest report from NYDaily, was hospitalized after being run over by the SUV's driver, Alexian Lian. "The rider was bleeding out of his mouth and nose even though he had a helmet on," said an anonymous witness. "He was conscious but couldn't move at all."    |
| Nissan Pits 370Z Nismo with GT Academy Driver Against Man in Wingsuit [w/Videos] Posted: 01 Oct 2013 06:40 AM PDT  Nissan has released the first in a series of Nismo short films that pit the sub-brand's road cars and athletes against various challenges. Set in Switzerland's Susten Pass, the video called "Nismo vs. Wingsuit" shows an unusual race between Germany's 2012 Nissan GT Academy champion Peter Pyzera driving a Nissan 370Z Nismo, and BASE jumper Dave Barlia, jumping from the top of the mountain in his wingsuit. During the 4,501 feet (1,372 meters) drop, Barlia reached speeds of more than 210 km/h (130 mph), coming as close as 6 meters to the rocks. Wearing little more than his wing suit, the BASE jumper tried to reach the base of the mountain faster than Pyzera, who had to descend his way down along the winding road with the 370Z Nismo. The film demonstrates advanced technology such as the biometric harness and JukeRide used by the Nismo Athletes during the Driver Development Programme at the Nismo Lab. We won't tell you who won, but the video posted below will. There's also a behind the scenes film and another one explaining the JukeRide analysis tool. By Dan Mihalascu                  |
| Cadillac Takes Us Aboard 2015 Escalade's Interior, It’s a Big Step Up From Its Predecessor Posted: 01 Oct 2013 05:31 AM PDT  I'm not trying to bash Cadillac here, or anything of the sort, but I did once get the chance to sit in one of their 2009 Escalades, and I did not really enjoy the experience all that much. That was all mainly down to the look of the interior, which had poorer quality plastics than some contemporary superminis, and looked like it was from 1995 – it did not seem to me to be a modern and/or high quality product. However, as we await for the full reveal of the all-new 2015 Escalade (so far we've only see bits and pieces), the automaker has decided that now would be a good time to dispel fears that the interior was not going to be up to scratch. Only one photo was released, though it's enough to see the CTS and ATS influences, and what appear to be high-quality materials that won't take the skin off your elbows when you rub against them. The official story from GM's mouth is that it "combines luxurious handcrafted elements with state-of-the-art advanced technology. The new design takes advantage of Cadillac's cut-and-sew interior craftsmanship technique, enabling precisely elegant surfacing of the instrument panel and door areas." One thing I can tell you after looking at the sole photo is that it's three steps ahead of what we see in the old model – I added a photo of that for comparison. The rest of the new Escalade will be fully unveiled in New York, on October 7, "along with a portrait series and behind-the-scenes video by indie artist Autumn de Wilde." If you're too eager to wait until then, there's always our rendering to quench the anticipation and fill in some of the blanks you may have. By Andrei Nedelea        |
| AC Schnitzer Presents its Tuning Goods for New BMW 4-Series Coupe Posted: 01 Oct 2013 05:10 AM PDT  BMW aftermarket specialist AC Schnitzer has announced a first batch of performance and styling accessories for the new 4-Series Coupe, with more parts to be added to the list in the coming months. For the exterior, AC Schnitzer's current offerings are limited to a selection of chromed tailpipes in twin or quad sets, and a choice of alloy wheels designs in black, silver or black and silver shades from 18 to 20 inches in diameter. There are more options for the 4-Series coupe's cabin, including an aluminum handbrake handle, custom gear knob in aluminum or leather with or without a digital shifting display, aluminum pedal set, floor mats and special trims. Along with a sports exhaust system and height adjustable or lowered sports suspensions, AC Schnitzer's performance upgrades include power kits that boost the 428i's turbo'd inline-four from 241hp (245PS) to 290hp (294PS), the 435i's 3.0-liter turbocharged straight six from 302hp (306PS) to 355hp (360PS) and the 420d's diesel-four from 181hp (184PS) to 215hp (218PS).                  |
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