CARSCOOP |  |
- Subaru Crafts New BRZ Premium Sport Edition JDM for "Playful Adults"
- Just a 1970s Toyota Cressida Having Some Drift Fun in Norway
- GM's New Data Mining System Slashes Recall Numbers by Pinpointing Affected Cars
- Spied: BMW X4 Sporty Crossover Continues to Drop Camouflage
- EVO Picks Its Favorite Track Car for 2013
- Cyber Criminals Sell Nonexistent Cars on Known Sites; One Makes FBI’s Most Wanted List
- BMW M3 in Individual AtlantiS Blue Rolling on D2FORGED Deep Concave wheels
- BMW Execs Are Delighted with the 2-Series Coupe in New Video
- Kia to Test the Waters with 1,000 Units of the K7/Cadenza in Europe
- Lazareth Wazuma V8F Quad Sports Ferrari V8 and BMW M3 Gearbox
- Sebastian Vettel Wins 4th F1 Title, Gets Fined €25,000 for Donut Celebrations…
- Jeep Frees First 2014 Cherokee SUV Spot
- Daimler Selling Warhol’s Painting of Mercedes W196 F1 Car, Could Fetch up to $16 Million!
- 2014 Mazda3 and Mazda6 Suit Up for SEMA Show
- Citroen C4 Cactus Crossover Sneak Peek [w/Video]
- Jay Leno Drives Aston Martin CC100 Concept; Interviews CEO Ulrich Bez
- Scoop: Cadillac Looks BMW M4 Straight Into the Eyes with New ATS V Coupe
- Aston Boss Says Cygnet Discontinued Because Toyota iQ will be Axed in 2014
- Ford Falcon Ute Turns Into a Hot Rod, Owner Calmly Puts Out Fire and Drives it Back to Work!
- Nissan Prices the 2014 Pathfinder Hybrid from $35,110 in the U.S.
- HRE Teases 2014 Corvette Stingray Wearing its Wheels
- After Body Panel Batteries, Volvo Gets into EV Cordless Charging Too
- Scoop: Watch and Hear the New Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe
- Rare 1960 Lancia Appia GTE Zagato Can Be Yours for $125,000
- Toyota Updates its Classic Crown Sedan Series Like it's 1984
| Subaru Crafts New BRZ Premium Sport Edition JDM for "Playful Adults" Posted: 28 Oct 2013 09:02 PM PDT  Dubbed by Subaru as a special edition made for the more mature crowd or as the company put it, "playful adults", the new BRZ Premium Sport for the Japanese domestic market is the production variant of a concept bearing the same name from this year's Tokyo Auto Salon in January (see videos below), unfortunately, without the tasty aerodynamic add-ons. Instead, the exterior modifications of the BRZ S-based model are limited to the smaller 17-inch STI aluminum wheels finished in black, with the same shade applied to the top end of the mirror caps. The Premium Sport will be available in a number of colors. On the other hand, Subaru kept most of the concept's interior goods, including the nifty looking two-tone sports seats and steering wheel in tan and black leather, and the use of black Alcantara with contrast tan stitching above the instrument panel, on the sides of the center console and the top section of the doors. Furthermore, there's tan leather on the doors, black leather with tan stitching on the handbrake and the manual gearbox levers, plus satin silver accents throughout the cabin and carbon fiber trim on the dashboard. The STI made push engine button in red and the aluminum pedals round out the upgrades. Mechanically, the BRZ Premium Sport Edition remains unchanged with Subaru offering customers the choice of a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. The special edition version of the rear-wheel drive coupe goes on sale in Japan at the end of December with prices starting from 3,034,500 Yen (roughly US$31,100 or €22,600).                          |
| Just a 1970s Toyota Cressida Having Some Drift Fun in Norway Posted: 28 Oct 2013 05:31 PM PDT  Warning: The following videos might lead you to an eBay quest for a classic RWD Japanese model If our story on the ever so lightly enhanced Toyota Crown earlier today stirred up some nostalgia for Japanese sedans, you're not alone. It all so happened that we stumbled upon some entertaining videos involving another classic Japanese model, one that has ceased to exist as a nameplate since the mid-1990s: a Toyota Cressida saloon from 1977. This particular car is the famed Underground Garage "Shakotan" JZX30 Toyota Cressida built and owned by Norwegian drifter Fredrik Sørlie, who swapped the original engine for a newer 2JZ-GE (found in a number of models including the Toyota Supra MK IV, Lexus IS 300 and yes, the Toyota Crown). In stock form, the 3.0-liter straight six makes 220hp (223PS), but we don't know if Sørlie has fiddled around with it. Below you will find the latest video of Sørlie getting frisky with the Cressida "at an undisclosed location in the hills of eastern Norway" as well as some older clips, including one where he…dances on ice. Photo Credits: Underground Garage           |
| GM's New Data Mining System Slashes Recall Numbers by Pinpointing Affected Cars Posted: 28 Oct 2013 05:01 PM PDT  The modern automotive industry has grown to monstrous proportions, and with it, so have its supply chains, number of employees and general complexity of operations undertaken. That's why it's very difficult for these large-scale manufacturers to operate small changes in the production cycle of a vehicle, or recall just the ones it knows are affected when a recall is in effect. This is a problem and a major inconvenience for literally millions of people: being caught up in a gigantic recall of hundreds of thousands of cars to find only a few faultily built ones… However, now GM is showing its way of making the whole process of sorting out manufacturing defects after the car has been released much easier for both themselves and the owners through more careful tracking of the manufacturing process. This has allowed them to make a very accurate recall that involved only 4 Chevy Volts instead of hundreds or thousands of cars. Automotive News tells the tale. Apparently, it was discovered this year that some 2012 Volts may have been fitted with a faultily manufactured brake valve. However, instead of recalling all Volts to search for and sort it out, GM took a much smarter approach to finding a fix. According to the report, GM allocated one of its engineers to search into a database that tracks the parts used in its cars, and collects manufacturing records from suppliers, which in the case of the Volt, happened to be TRW Automotive. It took a month to pinpoint the U.S. cars with the problematic valve. They were able to do it because the part in question came with detailed information from its manufacturer. They then tracked down the cars fitted with the defective part and found out it was only four Volts – imagine how much less of a hassle this was, as opposed to recalling en masse, for both manufacturer and owners. This represents the future of recalls, and manufacturers who are not currently heading in this direction of marking all parts either with bar codes or radio frequency tags should really reconsider their steps. It will definitely pay for itself in the future… By Andrei Nedelea         |
| Spied: BMW X4 Sporty Crossover Continues to Drop Camouflage Posted: 28 Oct 2013 04:40 PM PDT  Today, BMW informed us that the 4-Series Convertible will be the brand's sole world premiere at next month's LA Auto Show, and that while the X4 will be present, it will be displayed in concept (as a North American premier) and not in production form. For what it's worth, the actual X4 will remain faithful to the study, and if that's not enough, our spies have chipped in with a fresh set of pictures showing the compact crossover in prototype guise having shed most of the camouflage wraps on its profile. Designed as a smaller and more affordable sibling to the X6, which itself, will soon be replaced by a new generation model, the X4 is in essence a sportier looking but less spacious alternative to the X3, with which it shares everything under the skin, from the 110.6-inch wheelbase (2,810mm) platform to the four- and six-cylinder diesel and gasoline engine lineup. BMW said that production of the X4 will start next year at the company's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, USA. Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS         |
| EVO Picks Its Favorite Track Car for 2013 Posted: 28 Oct 2013 04:03 PM PDT  The videos uploaded by EVO, particularly in recent months, have been some of the more enjoyable ones to watch from a sea of clips that the internet has to offer. Now that they have uploaded a twenty three-minute-long video of their attempt to pick out 2013's best track car, I cleared up twenty-three minutes in which I would do nothing else, in order to watch it. Part of what made me stay until the end was their (British-biased) selection of candidates for the title: McLaren 12C GT Can-Am, Caterham Seven 620R, Radical RXC, BAC Mono, Litchfield Subaru BRZ Spec S (supercharged from 200 to 280 hp), Mini JCW GP, Ariel Atom 3.5 Supercharged and Porsche Cayman S. The track chosen to try out the cars on was Blyton Park, which seems to be placed on very flat ground with no features (it's marginally better as a setting than Top Gear's airfield). Still, the typically British overcast day probably made for some nice beauty shots. I won't tell you which they chose as their favorite, but I will tell you that it's not the Porsche – it was severely outnumbered by Brits, and it was much more of a usable road car than pretty much all the other models, except, perhaps the Mini. By Andrei Nedelea    |
| Cyber Criminals Sell Nonexistent Cars on Known Sites; One Makes FBI’s Most Wanted List Posted: 28 Oct 2013 03:49 PM PDT  If you thought buying cars (and boats) on well known sites such as eBay Motors, Cars.com, AutoTrader.com and bikes on CycleTrader.com was a completely safe affair, and no criminals were posting fake ads to steal your money, you would be wrong. It seems that a lot of this type of cybercrime originates in Eastern Europe, but it's not limited there. There are many known cases of this kind to have taken place, though most are low-level and don't attract too much heat. However, the most recent case seems to be the biggest one the authorities have managed to piece together. It involves six Romanian men and one Albanian, all in their thirties, who were indicted in the US for having collectively extracted some three million dollars from the bank accounts of unlucky prospective buyers looking to utilize the services of one of the above sites between the years 2011 and 2012. The group was led by Nicolae Popescu, 33, and according to his FBI Wanted poster, he "is wanted for his alleged participation in a sophisticated Internet Fraud scheme where criminal enterprise conspirators, based in Romania and elsewhere in Europe, posted advertisements on Internet auction market sites for merchandise for sale." "Using forged documents and phony websites, for years Popescu and his criminal syndicate reached across the ocean to pick the pockets of hard working Americans looking to purchase cars," said Loretta Lynch, a U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, according to a CNN report. She added that the criminals wrongly "thought their distance would insulate them from law enforcement scrutiny." The names of all involved were passed on to Interpol, thus beginning their cat and mouse game with authorities. The current whereabouts of those charged are unknown, but it is suspected that Popescu may have "traveled to Europe." By Andrei Nedelea     |
| BMW M3 in Individual AtlantiS Blue Rolling on D2FORGED Deep Concave wheels Posted: 28 Oct 2013 03:05 PM PDT  If you ever have the opportunity and the financial means to afford a brand new BMW M model, you might as well spend some extra cash and get it in an Individual shade like the Atlantis Blue E92 M3 featured in these photos from D2FORGED – just make sure BMW doesn't mess up and give you an Atlantic Blue instead of an Atlantis Blue finish… The New York-based aftermarket wheel specialist prepared this M3 Coupe (now discontinued) for one of its clients named Alex. D2FORGED fitted the car with a set of its 19-inch CV-13 Deep Concave rims in a brushed aluminum finish with a chrome lip and gloss black inner ring. While not mentioned in the release, the owner of the M3 has also customized the look of the M3 with added vents on the hood, gloss black front kidney grilles and side air vents, and carbon fiber lip spoiler.                    |
| BMW Execs Are Delighted with the 2-Series Coupe in New Video Posted: 28 Oct 2013 02:31 PM PDT  BMW is marketing the all-new 2-Series Coupe as a sportier, lightweight alternative to bigger coupes and that is truly something the brand really needed. Not that its predecessor, the 1-Series Coupe, didn't provide that, but it wasn't too convincing in the design department. Following the release of the official photos and information, the German carmaker has now shown a new video in which it details the BMW 2-Series, particularly the M235i range-topping version. In the first film, Domagoj Dukec, BMW head of exterior design, and Thomas Ebner, product manager of the BMW 2-Series, are talking about the main design and performance features of the car. BMW pitches the 2-Series as a natural successor to the BMW 02 range, and talks of "supremely sporting driving experience" while referring to it. Naturally, that can only be good news for BMW enthusiasts, who will no doubt enjoy the video as it presents features like the launch control, among others. The other clip is a short launch film. Watch booth after the break. By Dan Mihalascu    |
| Kia to Test the Waters with 1,000 Units of the K7/Cadenza in Europe Posted: 28 Oct 2013 02:00 PM PDT  Kia is planning a small-scale introduction of more upmarket models in Western Europe as the South Korean carmaker wants to have these models as permanent fixtures from 2016. At the moment, Kia's largest car offered in Europe is the Optima, a family sedan which is known as the K5 in South Korea. The BMW 5-Series-sized K7, also known as the Cadenza in certain countries including the United States, and the luxurious K9, available as the Quoris in export markets, are not available in Europe. That will change soon as Kia will bring the Cadenza in Europe to see how the market receives it. "We would like to introduce 1,000 units to get feedback from customers," says Soon-Nan Lee, the company's vice-president for overseas marketing. Depending on the success of the Cadenza, Kia may decide to make the next generation model a permanent fixture in Europe. "In 2016 there will be the next Cadenza and this is the car we could bring to Europe. We are studying right-hand drive for Australia, the UK and South Africa and other markets," the executive added. If the next Cadenza arrives in Europe, it could borrow advanced technologies from the Quoris, including active safety systems, a sophisticated head-up display unit, a multi-display TFT LCD instrument cluster and VIP rear seats with heating, cooling and electronic reclining. Kia won't have it easy in Europe though, in the premium segment where it will compete against Germany's finest. Furthermore, it would have to offer diesel engines on the next-generation Cadenza in order to stand a chance in the highly-competitive European market. By Dan Mihalascu                                                 |
| Lazareth Wazuma V8F Quad Sports Ferrari V8 and BMW M3 Gearbox Posted: 28 Oct 2013 01:35 PM PDT  Some of you may remember French custom car and motorcycle builder Lazareth because of this crazy creation; the Twingo with a mid-mounted Range Rover V8 engine. Although that was a daring project, it pales in comparison with this one, a quad bike powered by a Ferrari V8 engine! Called the Wazuma V8F Matt Edition (they might as well name it the Quad from Hell), the machine is based on the Wazuma R1, a similar model but with a Yamaha R1 engine. Instead of the motorcycle unit, the Wazuma V8F features a 3.0-liter Ferrari V8 engine mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox sourced from a BMW M3. The V8 engine produces around 250 hp and has been modified to accommodate the injection system of two Yamaha R1 engines. The electronic management of the gearbox is completely revised, with gear selection being made from the handlebars. The Wazuma V8F Matt Edition features modified Momo (+Power) rims with Brembo calipers and four 324mm (12.7in) brake discs. The quad has a very specific suspension system consisting of four horizontal shock absorbers, made‐to‐measure by EMC. It rides on enormous wheels shod with slick tyres: 285‐30ZR18 for the front and 315‐30ZR18 for the rear. Taking into account that the engine produces around 250 horsepower and that the quad only weighs 650 kg (1,433 lbs), performance is ballistic: top speed is around 200 mph (322 km/h). One could only reach that speed on a drag strip, as the one-off vehicle is not street legal in France. However, it is for sale for an unspecified sum. Taking into account that "regular" Wazuma V8F quads cost around $250,000 (€181,460), it is better not to ask for the price of the one-off Matt Edition unless you have too much money in your bank account… Scroll down for a video demonstration of the regular Lazareth Wazuma V8F. By Dan Mihalascu                      |
| Sebastian Vettel Wins 4th F1 Title, Gets Fined €25,000 for Donut Celebrations… Posted: 28 Oct 2013 01:10 PM PDT  Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel was crowned Formula 1 World Champion for the fourth consecutive year on Sunday, after winning the Indian Grand Prix. The German has now the same number of titles as Alain Prost and has only two other great drivers to beat: Juan Manuel Fangio (5 titles) and Michael Schumacher (7 titles). The 26-year-old driver is the youngest double, triple and now quadruple world champion. Although he started the race on pole-position, Vettel quickly dropped to 17th place following an early pitstop to change tires. The German then started to work his way up and by lap 21, he was second, behind Red Bull teammate Mark Webber. On lap 33, Vettel raced in front again and kept the position until the end of the race. Naturally, after he crossed the finish line he wanted to celebrate so he made some donuts on the front straight during the celebration lap. One would think he would get away with that, even in a politically-correct sport like Formula 1; well, he didn't. FIA regulations stipulate that the winning car must go straight to "parc ferme" after the race, and Vettel broke that rule as he stopped the car on the grid after doing the donuts, got out of it and threw his gloves into the grandstand. The idea behind the rule is to prevent interference with the car - which obviously didn't happen. Nevertheless, FIA officials quickly reached Vettel's car to "neutralise" it, and Vettel with his team manager were called up by the stewards. They decided to reprimand Vettel and fine the team €25,000 ($34,470). You can watch Vettel's hoon-style celebration in the video below. By Dan Mihalascu         |
| Jeep Frees First 2014 Cherokee SUV Spot Posted: 28 Oct 2013 12:45 PM PDT  The Chrysler Group had been holding back on, well, just about everything concerning the all-new and all-important for the Jeep brand 2014 Cherokee SUV until it ironed out all the problems, which it did last week, when it finally began shipping the first examples to dealers across the country. Now it's time to kick off the marketing and advertising aspect of the 2014 Cherokee launch starting with an extended, 60-seconds long spot dubbed "Built Free" across television and online networks. The spot, which is set to Bob Dylan's 1962 "Motherless Children", has a certain nostalgic tone to it, something that in some ways, stands in contrast to the new Cherokee's adventurous styling tone that breaks with tradition. "The return of the Cherokee nameplate to the Jeep brand brings with it the opportunity for consumers to experience an exciting vehicle that will move the midsize SUV segment forward," stated Mike Manley, President and CEO of Jeep. The campaign won't be limited to this spot as it will also target print media with a number of monthly magazines and daily newspapers, as well as an exclusive in-theater ad to be released on November 29 in conjunction with the upcoming film, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" with Ben Stiller.        |
| Daimler Selling Warhol’s Painting of Mercedes W196 F1 Car, Could Fetch up to $16 Million! Posted: 28 Oct 2013 12:25 PM PDT  Earlier this year, Juan Manuel Fangio's former Mercedes Formula 1 car became the most expensive car sold at an auction, fetching $29,650,095 (€21,474,674) at the Goodwood Festival of Speed sale. I only reminded you of that to put into context the price of another work of art - this time literally. A representation of the streamlined version of the Mercedes W196 R F1 car painted on canvas by famous American artist Andy Warhol will be auctioned for half the price of Fangio's car! Warhol's work, titled "Mercedes-Benz W196 R Grand Prix Car (Streamlined Version, 1954)", will be offered at a Christie's auction in New York on November 12, 2013, and is estimated to sell for $12 million (€8.68 million) to $16 million (€11.6 million). The painting is owned by the Daimler Art Collection. Warhol's work is made using synthetic polymer and silkscreen inks on canvas and is quite big in size: 160.5x180 inches (4,076x4,575mm). A leading figure of the pop art movement, Warhol finished the painting in 1987, the year of his death. At the time, he was working on a series of paintings commissioned by Mercedes-Benz to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary. Mercedes wanted Warhol to create 80 artworks inspired by 20 Mercedes models, but the artist's sudden death in 1987 left the project unfinished. Warhol only made 35 silkscreen prints and 12 drawings of eight Mercedes models. Among the finished works is the one featuring the streamlined version of the 1954 Mercedes W196 R Formula 1 car. In a similar way to his famous Marilyn Monroe painting, Warhol printed a single model of the W196 several times on one canvas and used different hues for each car that appears on the painting. By Dan Mihalascu     |
| 2014 Mazda3 and Mazda6 Suit Up for SEMA Show Posted: 28 Oct 2013 12:00 PM PDT  Official sketches of Mazda's custom concepts for next Thursday's 2013 SEMA aftermarket show in Las Vegas have found their way on the web, unfortunately, without additional information on the tunes. The photos include a pair of 2014 Mazda6 sedans, in what we assume to be regular gasoline and diesel versions, plus two more 2014 Mazda3s in saloon and hatchback forms. All four cars look like they're combining custom paint jobs with mild aerodynamic components and bigger wheels. We'll know if they're hiding any performance bits under their shells as soon as Mazda shares the details with us. Story References: Jalopnik & Detroitnews        |
| Citroen C4 Cactus Crossover Sneak Peek [w/Video] Posted: 28 Oct 2013 11:40 AM PDT  New bits and pieces of information about the upcoming production version of the Frankfurt Motor Show Cactus Concept, the C4 Cactus, keep surfacing online. After learning about the automaker's decision to keep the study's innovative protective body air capsules and classic sofa-style front seating, a report from France's TF1 that aired earlier this month provides new material on the car. The French journalist who drove the concept and visited Citroen's headquarters to see what the brand's designers are up to, lifted the skirt on a near production model (notice the regular door handles) while also sharing a rendering of the car's dashboard. He also mentioned that Citroen will reveal the final production C4 Cactus in February. The world premiere will take place at the Geneva Motor Show in March with European sales of the compact crossover model to start in the summer of the same year. Story References: TF1 via Worldcarfans          |
| Jay Leno Drives Aston Martin CC100 Concept; Interviews CEO Ulrich Bez Posted: 28 Oct 2013 11:20 AM PDT  No matter what kind of automotive enthusiast you picture yourself to be, there's really no argument against the Aston Martin CC100, a fully-functional concept with a sexy 1959 DBR1-inspired body done in carbon fiber, sitting atop a Vantage platform and getting its power from the usual company V12. It looks very stylish (and stylized), having plenty of historic significance while being capable to go just about as fast as the styling will have you believe it can – Jay Leno likes it too, after having experienced it and having it explained by the company CEO, Ulrich Bez. Jay is impressed that Aston is able to make this car the way it does – it's not just a concept for parading at events and looking pretty for pictures, but a fully-fledged (albeit horribly expensive) standalone and two-off model that reportedly costs around €580,000 / £500,000. The insight from Mr. Bez adds more context to the car, after he goes on to explain that the company, despite now being 100 years old, has not completely lost touch with how things used to be done in the past, and their minute size compared to the other automotive giants allows them to make cars like this and not suffer terrible financial punishment as a result. Check out the video after the jump. By Andrei Nedelea    |
| Scoop: Cadillac Looks BMW M4 Straight Into the Eyes with New ATS V Coupe Posted: 28 Oct 2013 10:50 AM PDT  It's no secret that Cadillac has been working on a coupe version of the well-received ATS compact luxury sedan, and now we have proof that a high-performance version with the brand's "V" badge will also be on offer, competing directly against the upcoming BMW M4, Audi RS5 and Mercedes C63 AMG coupes. The protruding front chin and rear boot spoilers outlined by the black camouflage along with the quad exhaust pipe arrangement and the large brake discs on all four corners leave no question about the place of this prototype in the ATS Coupe range. Some additional details worth mentioning include what looks to be a vented hood and possibly wider fenders, though; we will have to see the car with less camouflage to be sure about these cues (see our Future Car rendering here). Overall, it seems like GM followed a simpler / more elegant styling approach with the ATS V Coupe and consequently, the ATS Coupe range in general, compared to the current CTS Coupe that it partially replaces – there will likely be a new CTS Coupe, but it will grow in size accordingly. As for what is hiding under the hood that may or may not feature a power dome, we hear that a tweaked version of GM's recently announced 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 will power both the ATS V Sedan and Coupe. In the CTS V-Sport, the same unit produces 420-horsepower. Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS           |
| Aston Boss Says Cygnet Discontinued Because Toyota iQ will be Axed in 2014 Posted: 28 Oct 2013 10:28 AM PDT  Earlier this month, we reported that Aston Martin has discontinued the Cygnet due to poor sales. However, it turns out there was more to it than that. Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez said Toyota is going to axe the iQ next year, so Aston Martin had no choice but to stop production of the Cygnet as well. The Cygnet is basically a rebadged and more luxurious version of the Toyota iQ. "We stopped the Cygnet as Toyota itself will stop the iQ in 2014 and we don't want to invest anymore," Ulrich Bez was quoted as saying by Autocar. The executive said he had big plans with the Cygnet, but they never came to fruition because of various reasons. "I wanted to bring it to the US, but there was no support for it. I wanted a supercharged engine, but there was also no support," he said. Bez placed a part of the blame on Toyota for the lack of success of the Cygnet. "We had a great start with Akio Toyoda, whom I still have a great relationship with. But Toyota didn't follow up the support like it does with Tesla and its marketing of other products," Bez revealed. He added that Aston Martin did a good thing with the Cygnet after all and that it's a great car, particularly in London. "It will be a cult car in the future and will be well looked after," Bez said. In response to the executive's statements, Toyota said it has no plans to end iQ production and declined to comment any further. By Dan Mihalascu              |
| Ford Falcon Ute Turns Into a Hot Rod, Owner Calmly Puts Out Fire and Drives it Back to Work! Posted: 28 Oct 2013 10:00 AM PDT  Talk about turning around a hot situation into a very cool affair. Mark Schocroft, a young automotive electrician from the Australian city of Adelaide, was in for a nasty surprise on Friday morning when he saw his Ford Falcon ute engulfed in flames. Apparently, the butane bottles in the pickup truck's bed exploded. Thankfully, bypassers notified Schocroft who ran outside the pizza place and extinguished the fire. What makes this story cool is that Schocroft, far from shocked, checked out his Falcon ute and once he made sure that the basics work, he drove the car to his job! Schocroft told 7News that he was concerned he would be late for work. "I didn't know what the bosses would say…," explained the young man.    This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Nissan Prices the 2014 Pathfinder Hybrid from $35,110 in the U.S. Posted: 28 Oct 2013 09:39 AM PDT  Nissan has announced pricing for the 2014 Pathfinder Hybrid, which joins the Pathfinder 3.5-liter model in the crossover's expanded 2014 lineup in the U.S. The Pathfinder Hybrid starts with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $35,110 (€25,430) for the SV 2WD Hybrid model, compared with a starting price of $32,110 (€23,260) for a similarly equipped SV 2WD 3.5-liter V6 model. Prices do not include an $860 (€623) destination and handling fee. The 2014 Pathfinder Hybrid is powered by a supercharged 2.5-liter gasoline engine paired with an electric motor and a compact Lithium-ion battery. The battery is placed under the third row seat and doesn't affect passenger space or cargo space. The hybrid system uses a Nissan Intelligent Dual Clutch System (one motor / two clutch parallel system) that manages power from both the electric motor and the gas engine. The 15 kW electric motor and gas engine work in tandem to provide performance equivalent to the Pathfinder 3.5-liter gasoline V6 model. The hybrid system is rated at 250 horsepower and 243 lb-ft (329 Nm) of torque, compared with 260 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque (325 Nm) on the 3.5-liter V6 model. The Pathfinder Hybrid averages 26 mpg (9.8 l/100 km) on the combined cycle and is 24 percent more fuel-efficient than the standard Pathfinder. City fuel economy is 25 mpg (9.4 l/100 km), while highway mileage is rated at 28 mpg (8.4 l/100 km) – for the 4WD model highway mileage is 27 mpg (8.7 l/100 km). Driving range is estimated at more than 546 miles (879 km), thanks to the 19.5-gallon (73.8-liter) fuel tank. By Dan Mihalascu          |
| HRE Teases 2014 Corvette Stingray Wearing its Wheels Posted: 28 Oct 2013 09:05 AM PDT  Much like exterior color choices, alloy wheels are a matter of personal taste, though, there's something about sports cars in dark shades with polished (not chrome) or satin rims that has a wide, and dare we say, global appeal. After Vossen Wheels' take on the 2014 Corvette Stingray, it's time we showed you what HRE Wheels has come up with for GM's sports coupe. In these pictures, the C7 is wearing HRE's 590RS Series rims with a polished finish in unspecified dimensions, and the note that in one of the photos, the Corvette's ride height has been lowered "via Photoshop". The aftermarket firm says that the 590RS series is available in 18-inch, 19-inch and 20-inch sizes and a choice of 21 different shades ranging from polished and satin silver to satin bronze and gloss black.        |
| After Body Panel Batteries, Volvo Gets into EV Cordless Charging Too Posted: 28 Oct 2013 08:41 AM PDT  Volvo has announced the successful completion of a "research project, which included inductive charging for cars and buses" that took place in Belgium's Flanders region, being partially funded by the local government. Lennart Stegland, VP of electric propulsion systems at Volvo, stated that "the tests demonstrated that our VolvoC30 Electric can be fully charged without a power cable in about two and a half hours." There's clear incentive to get this wireless charging tech up and functional, because it will boost the appeal of owning an EV in town, as you will be less troubled about parking it in the street and the prospect of petty people snipping the cord for fun. Also, there's now the prospect of hiding the charging pads in plain sight as manhole covers – will work wonders against the aforementioned vandals, as they'll just walk on by and overturn a trash bin or something of the sort instead. Volvo's intentions in the field of electrification are very clear. Not only have they launched a diesel-electric version of the V60 that went into production in 2012 and is doing very well, but they also have the C30 full-EV that they use as a test bed. It has an output of 120 hp and a maximum range of 150 km or 93 miles. Moreover, they're now also looking into making the batteries built into the structure and panels of a car using carbon fiber – it's actually trick stuff, but a long way from becoming a commercially viable solution. By Andrei Nedelea             |
| Scoop: Watch and Hear the New Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe Posted: 28 Oct 2013 06:27 PM PDT  We don't know yet what Mercedes-Benz's plans are for a V12-powered AMG version of the upcoming S-Class Coupe (S65 AMG), but the bi-turbocharged V8 S63 AMG Coupe. is a given and we now have a spy video of the car filmed in Germany. The sporty version of Benz's 5 meter long S-Class Coupe with the AMG badge will borrow the S63 AMG sedan's 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8, and is expected to produce the same output and torque figures at 577 hp (585 PS) / 5,500 rpm and 900 Nm (664 lb-ft) available between 2,250 and 3,750 rpm, respectively. The eight-cylinder mill will be linked to an AMG Speedshift MCT 7-speed Redesigned bumpers, intakes and wheels along with a tweaked chassis and interior, will be part of the S63 AMG package that should be released to the public within the next year or so. Video via YouTube/swsthebest1994    |
| Rare 1960 Lancia Appia GTE Zagato Can Be Yours for $125,000 Posted: 28 Oct 2013 07:36 AM PDT  Lancia is at its lowest point in history right now, and that's a real shame considering the cars it made in the past. Take this 1960 Lancia Appia GTE Zagato for example, one of only 136 ever built. Its stunning looks remind of a beautiful era, when Italy was living "La Dolce Vita" and was enjoying post-war growth and freedom. The Appia GTE Zagato was no ordinary car: coachbuilder Zagato only made 136 examples of the Appia GTE, which looked very different compared to the more mundane Appia sedan – and the Pininfarina-bodied Appia Coupe. This particular car is No. 73 of 136 and is said to have spent all its life in California, which is good news when it comes to rust. According to the listing on eBay, the car was restored in 2006, with the pictures proving it's in an excellent shape. The paint, chrome parts and the biscuit/chocolate interior all look like the car has just left the factory. It has 47,159 miles on the odometer (75,895 km) and is powered by a 1.1-liter V4 gasoline engine developing 60 hp. Not a lot, but this beauty wasn't made for racing between traffic lights, was it? By Dan Mihalascu                            |
| Toyota Updates its Classic Crown Sedan Series Like it's 1984 Posted: 28 Oct 2013 07:05 AM PDT  If you're looking for classic Japanese cars in the 1980s sense of the term, then it doesn't get any better than the Japanese domestic market Crown, and no, we're not talking about the Crown Athlete, Majesta and Royal, but the Crown Sedan, Comfort Deluxe, Comfort SG (taxi) and Comfort Instruction Car (for license permit tests). You see, Toyota offers two distinct Crown sedan lineups in Japan, the classic you see pictured here and a modern model, the 14th generation of which was presented last December. The boxy one that pays tribute to just about everything that made Toyota and other Japanese carmakers capture the market in the days of Ronald Reagan, received some minor enhancements for the 2014 model year, including, but not limited to, built-in VSC & TRC traction control and stability systems for all versions, and a revised speedometer and tachometer with an illumination control function [sic]. The 4,830mm (190.2 inches or roughly the same size as the North American Toyota Camry) sports a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 111hp (113PS) linked to a 4-speed automatic turning the rear wheels. Prices in Japan range from 1,738,800 Yen to 2,973,600 Yen, which come to about US$17,800 - US$30,400 or €12,900 - €22,000 at today's exchange rates.
   
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