CARSCOOP |  |
- Kiwis Moto-Travel Through North Korea, Offer Glimpse Into Life There
- U.S. Auto Exports Reach a Record 2 Million in 2013
- 2015 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Sedan with 4.0L Bi-Turbo V8 Rendered
- This is How Le Mans Racing Cars Look and Sound when Driven on the Street
- Scoop: Which New Renault Model is Hidden Under This Test Mule?
- Michael Schumacher in a Coma Fighting for His Life after Skiing Accident
- Unbelievable Russian Car Chase Will Leave You Rolling On the Ground Laughing
- Honda's Barchetta-Style Vision Concept for Gran Turismo 6
- DMC's New Lamborghini Aventador LP988 Edizione GT Teased
- Mercedes-Benz Sets New Production Record with over 1.49 Million Cars Built in 2013
| Kiwis Moto-Travel Through North Korea, Offer Glimpse Into Life There Posted: 30 Dec 2013 06:29 PM PST  Many may make fun of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's failed military experiments (and his hair), but what the media doesn't usually focus on is the over 24 million people that live in the country, and what they think of it. Vice tagged along for a motorbike expedition through the single party-run country, seeing the (admittedly pretty) sights along the way, and taking in all of the stories too. It's one of the most insightful incursions into the state by outsiders, and proof of its importance are the excessive security measures the New Zealand-based crew is put through as it tries to gain entry into the country, from Russia, as well as the permanent escort that never strays from the set path – they see what they are meant to see, and no more. A lot was probably edited out in the end, but what you have below is a 16-minute cultural and social lesson that is hard to come by nowadays, both because of the logistical problems facing such a trip and the reticence towards sharing details about the inner workings, in a country where even close relatives of the leader can be accused, trialed and killed at a moment's notice if they in some way are thought of as a threat to the regime. Scroll down and check it out. By Andrei Nedelea        |
| U.S. Auto Exports Reach a Record 2 Million in 2013 Posted: 30 Dec 2013 09:08 AM PST  More cars and trucks built in the U.S. have been exported this year than ever before as markets worldwide are bouncing back from the recession. According to a Detroit News report, U.S. auto exports could reach 2 million units this year, with more than half of them to be made up by Ford, GM and Chrysler. The other half is sourced from American plants owned by Japanese, Korean and German automakers. Last year, automotive exports totaled $132.7 billion on approximately 1.8 million exported cars and trucks, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. That is $27 billion more than the next highest manufacturing sector in the U.S., aerospace. However, auto imports to the States are still way larger than exports, with the automotive trade deficit sitting at more than $100 billion. Roughly, half of all U.S. exports are to Mexico or Canada, but the biggest growth in exports is to countries outside North America. Back in 2004, vehicles shipped to Mexico or Canada made up 80 percent of all U.S. vehicle exports – now that number is 49 percent and falling. Exports to China have increased six-fold since 2009, with one in nine vehicles shipped from the U.S. going to China. Most of the exported vehicles are models already sold in the U.S., with one of the most successful being the Ford F-150 pickup truck, shipped to 49 countries around the globe. By Dan Mihalascu        |
| 2015 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Sedan with 4.0L Bi-Turbo V8 Rendered Posted: 30 Dec 2013 08:42 AM PST  To the delight of photo manipulators, all three major German premium carmakers, including Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, are very predictable (to the point of tediousness sometimes) when it comes to the appearance of high-performance versions of their regular models. As such, imagining the styling of upcoming cars like the next Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG sports saloon is a pretty straightforward process – change the grille, lower the ride height, add model-specific front and rear bumpers, side skirts, bigger alloy wheels and trim details, and you're all set. Before we leave you to take a closer look at Virtuel Car's digital-made photos of the car, let us tell you that, unlike the latest BMW M3 and M4 that swapped their predecessors' naturally aspirated V8 for a force-fed inline six, Mercedes will continue to offer a V8, but instead of being naturally aspirated, the new 4.0-liter unit is reported to employ the use of twin-turbochargers for close to 500-horses. Designer: Virtuel-Car       |
| This is How Le Mans Racing Cars Look and Sound when Driven on the Street Posted: 30 Dec 2013 08:11 AM PST  Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have your own Le Mans racing car and to be able to drive it on the street? Well, the guys from the video you're about to watch are living this dream – literally. These three men from Japan each own a Le Mans racing car that has actually participated at least once at the 24 Hours of Le Mans! Furthermore, two of them somehow received approval to drive them occasionally on the street, which means each and every one of their outings is impossible to ignore. The cars are the Mazda 767B (yes, the one with the four-rotor engine), Jaguar XJ220LM and Porsche 962C, and the video was put together by Motorhead magazine. There's not much to add that the video itself doesn't explain, so without further ado, turn up the volume in your speakers and enjoy the show. By Dan Mihalascu    |
| Scoop: Which New Renault Model is Hidden Under This Test Mule? Posted: 30 Dec 2013 07:40 AM PST  One of the best ways for automakers to conceal upcoming products during testing on public roads is to use so-called development or test mules that hide a new or modified chassis and drivetrain components under a fake body shell, typically sourced from a model currently in production. This is the case with a new Renault prototype captured by our spy photographers this week in Northern Europe undergoing cold weather testing. The modified body shell is borrowed from the facelifted Renault Fluence, but it's evident from the photos that the car is sitting on a longer wheelbase and wider platform. It also rides on a taller suspension. At this point, however, we are not aware if the French brand is working on a new SUV / Crossover or a sedan / station wagon model, but the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March of 2014 may provide some answers to what's concealed under the sheetmetal. Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS            |
| Michael Schumacher in a Coma Fighting for His Life after Skiing Accident Posted: 30 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST  Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher is fighting for his life after suffering a severe head injury in a skiing accident in the French Alps on Sunday. The German underwent brain surgery and remains in critical condition, with the doctors refusing to comment on his prognosis. The former Ferrari and Mercedes driver was skiing with his 14-year-old son and others in an off-piste area between two marked runs above Méribel when he fell on Sunday morning and banged his head against a rock. Despite the fact that he was wearing a helmet, the shock was powerful and by the time he arrived in hospital in Moutiers he went into an induced coma. After being stabilized, he was moved to a larger hospital in Grenoble, where he underwent brain surgery. Professor Jean-Francois Payen told reporters that if Schumacher had not been wearing a protective helmet "he wouldn't be here now." Doctors explained they had to operate him urgently to release some pressure in his head. "We cannot tell you what the outcome will be yet," the doctors told reporters on Monday morning. "All we can do is wait," they added. According to neurosurgeon Stephan Chabardes, a post-operative scan had shown "diffuse haemorrhagic legions" on both sides of Schumacher's brain. The seven-time Formula 1 champion is kept in a coma at low temperature to facilitate his recovery. Schumacher's spokeswoman said in a statement: "We ask for understanding that we cannot give out continuous information about his health. He was wearing a helmet and was not alone. No one else was involved in the fall." Schumacher retired from Formula 1 racing in 2012 and this year has become a brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz and its "Intelligent Drive" safety and comfort systems. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Formula 1 legend and his family during these very difficult times. By Dan Mihalascu Story References: BBC    |
| Unbelievable Russian Car Chase Will Leave You Rolling On the Ground Laughing Posted: 30 Dec 2013 06:33 AM PST  In all seriousness now, you just can't make all this stuff up! And while the opening snap-shot from the video showing a weapon-wielding man slipping on the roof of a minivan that had just been driven off the road suggests a deadly confrontation, we can assure you that it's more comedy than tragedy… Filmed in the eastern part of Russia from the dashboard camera of a following vehicle that was not involved in the incident, it begins with a Toyota Camry chasing what looks like a Mazda MPV. The Camry driver pulls up several times in front of the minivan, and jumps out of his car to attack the Mazda motorist with what you may initially perceive as a gun, but turns out it was a knife of some sort. What happens towards the end of the footage is simply put; rib-tickling. See for yourself below. Shout out to Falco for the submission!    |
| Honda's Barchetta-Style Vision Concept for Gran Turismo 6 Posted: 30 Dec 2013 05:59 AM PST  You can now add Honda to the growing list of automakers, design studios and other companies that have released a teaser sketch of a dedicated concept model through which they will be represented on Gran Turismo 6's Vision series in celebration of the racing game's 15th anniversary. Like most other concept models of the series, we don't have a name or any information, for that matter, on the Honda study, and the only thing we can tell you is what you can already see for yourself; that it has a barchetta-style body, with the profile air-vents behind the doors suggesting a mid-mounted powerplant. All concepts designed around the theme "Vision Gran Turismo" will gradually be available to players for free via DLC (downloadable content).     |
| DMC's New Lamborghini Aventador LP988 Edizione GT Teased Posted: 30 Dec 2013 05:32 AM PST  These teasers of a menacing-looking Lamborghini Aventador coupe dressed in a racy black outfit come to us courtesy of German sports- and luxury-car tuner DMC, which has prepared a new package for the Italian supercar under the "LP988 Edizione GT" moniker. While very few details have been released about DMC's third tuning project for the Aventador after the Molto Veloce (Stage 1) and Limited Edition SV (Stage 2), there's more to the moniker than simply numbers, as the aftermarket firm's naming system usually refers to output figures. Therefore, the LP988 should correspond to 988PS or 975hp, up from the stock model's 700PS or 690hp. Besides the performance tune for the Lamborghini's V12, DMC has designed a new lightweight carbon fiber aero package, complete with a huge rear wing and a different set of wheels and tires, with the photos also suggesting the existence of interior modifications such as the Alcantara (?) sport seats.        |
| Mercedes-Benz Sets New Production Record with over 1.49 Million Cars Built in 2013 Posted: 30 Dec 2013 05:07 AM PST  2013 has been a very good year for Mercedes-Benz, with the luxury car manufacturer selling over 1.4 million passenger cars this year and likely to hit its best sales figures ever. Furthermore, the carmaker's annual production of over 1.49 million vehicles means it has also surpassed the previous year's record. The new Mercedes-Benz CLA had an important contribution to the company's increased production and sales. Available also in the U.S. since September, the CLA was delivered to 12,000 U.S. customers in only four months. Launched in summer 2013, the all-new S-Class has already become the best-selling luxury sedan in the world. S-Class production in Sindelfingen is currently running to full capacity at an output of around 460 vehicles per day, the highest daily output ever for the S-Class. Mercedes-Benz will be starting 2014 with its biggest range of new models since 2009. This is made possible by the expansion of production capacity, with the carmaker investing €1 billion in the Sindelfingen plant in 2013, as well as €1.2 billion in the Rastatt plant for compact car production. More than €1 billion will also be invested into the Bremen plant, the center of competence for the new C-Class. Furthermore, Mercedes-Benz will invest over €300 million in additional powertrain capacity at the Romanian subsidiary Star Transmission. In China, Mercedes-Benz schedules investments of about €4 billion in coming years together with local partner BAIC to expand local production and build a new engine plant. The carmaker will also invest around €170 million in a new plant near São Paulo in Brazil to build the new C-Class and GLA. By Dan Mihalascu       |
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