Wednesday, November 30, 2011

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Subaru BRZ Makes its Video Debut, Plus New Photo Album with First Shots of the Interior

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 07:46 PM PST


The production versions of the jointly developed Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 twins are making their world premiere today at the Tokyo Motor Show.

We've already brought you the news on the BRZ, but for those of you interested, Subaru has unleashed a promotional video as well as a second round of pictures including the very first images of the coupe's interior that is identical to the 86 right up to the digital clock that brings back memories of the go-go 1980s. Oddly, Toyota and Subaru ditched the cassette player…

As a reminder, the BRZ runs on very low mounted 2.0-liter flat-four with direct-injection technology and an output of 200 ponies that are directed to the rear wheels through a choice of 6-speed transmissions (manual and automatic).

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Audi Pays Tribute to Japanese National Soccer Team with A1 Samurai Blue

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 07:19 PM PST


Tagging along with the new A1 Sportback five-door hatchback at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show booth, is a one-off A1 SAMURAI BLUE special dedicated to the Japanese national soccer team.

The A1 special is based on the three-door model with the 122HP 1.4 TFSI petrol engine and features the team's traditional blue and white colors accentuated by the red of the Japanese flag. It rides on unique 18-inch wheels painted in red.

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New Volkswagen Cross Coupe SUV Concept Bows at 2011 Tokyo Motor Show

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 08:29 PM PST


The Cross Coupé SUV concept is Volkswagen's surprise debut for the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show that opened its doors (to the press) today.

The German automaker says that concept is a study for a potential new CC-style SUV that "hints at how a crossover between a four-door coupé and an SUV could look like" -think small BMW X6- while also previewing an evolved form of VW's current design language.

The concept is the first VW model based on the company's new 'modular transverse matrix' or MQB platform architecture to be shown to the public. The MQB chassis will be used in a number of VW Group models ranging from the next Golf to the Audi TT's successor.

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Subaru's Untamed BRZ GT300 Racer Breaks Cover

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 06:04 PM PST


Meet the new BRZ sports coupe's much, much wilder racing brother with which Subaru and its STI division will compete in the next season of Japan's Super GT championship in the GT300 class

Sadly, while Subaru released the first rendering of the BRZ GT300, the Japanese automaker is still holding back on the details (though we assume a boxer engine should be in the mix), but we'll keep you posted on any information we get in our hands.

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Tokyo Motor Show: Honda’s New EV-STER Concept is the Beat of the Future

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 05:48 PM PST


While not the NSX or S2000 replacements that enthusiasts have long been waiting to see, the Japanese firm's EV-STER concept shows that Honda still has some faint traces of sporty genes left in its DNA.

The pure electric roadster model is very compact in size measuring just 3,570mm (140.5-in.) long, 1,500mm (59.0-in.) wide and 1,100mm (43.3-in.) tall, with a wheelbase of 2,325mm (92.5-in.). That makes it slightly bigger than the Beat, Honda's mid-engined, two-seat roadster kei car that was produced from 1991 to 1996.

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Motorcycle Stunt Goes Terribly Wrong at Brazil's Beto Carrero World Theme Park [Video]

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 05:17 PM PST


In its simplest form, Murphy's Law says that if anything can go wrong, it will. In other words, regardless of how careful you are or how easy the task may seem, there is no such thing as a guarantee of perfect safety.

And one motorcycle stunt rider in Brazil found that out the hard way during a routine show at the Beto Carrero World, which is the largest multi-theme park in Latin America, and is located in the municipality of Penha in Brazil.

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Marchionne: Maserati will Launch Three New Models Very Soon, Doesn’t Rule Out Alfa Sale if the Price is Right

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 04:19 PM PST


The Fiat Group may have its share of problems, especially in Europe, yet CEO Sergio Marchionne recently announced that its second most prestigious brand, Maserati, will soon launch no less than three new models.

"Maserati will increase its volumes by having three cars", said Marchionne after the CBI conference in London last week. According to British publication Car Magazine, Marchionne said that these would be the Kubang SUV, the Quattroporte replacement and a smaller four-door sedanthat will compete in the E-segment against the likes of the Jaguar XF and BMW 5-Series.

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SCOOP: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate gets in the Black Series Mood

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 03:52 PM PST


You'd think that 457-ponies under the hood of any family car let alone a station wagon would be enough to get any enthusiast excited, but Mercedes-Benz believes otherwise and has ordered its AMG division to prepare a Black Series edition of the C63 AMG Estate.

Behind that mismatched front bumper are the same hardware upgrades found on the C63 AMG Coupe Black Series, and which include a modified 6.2-liter V8 engine pushing out 517HP and 620 Nm (457 lb-ft) of peak torque, an increase of 60HP and 20Nm over the regular model.

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2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Modestly Refreshed in Australia

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 02:38 PM PST


While Hyundai's engineers are working on the development of the next generation of the Santa Fe, which may carry the iX45 moniker in select regions, the Korea firm is presenting a 2012 model year version of the crossover with some very subtle cosmetic and equipment upgrades in Australia.

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Buy a Bentley Continental Convertible ISR, Get a Breitling Limited Edition Chronograph for Free

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 01:59 PM PST


Many people that are into premium cars are also into expensive watches, which is only natural since the finest examples of both serve more than just a utilitarian role.

A Bentley and a Lada can both take you from point A to point B. In much the same way, a 10 dollar watch can tell you the time in exactly the same way as a Rolex or a Breitling.

So if you're looking just for transportation and knowing what time it is, pass on the Bentley and the Breitling and save yourself enough money to buy a house.

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Juke Nismo Concept gets its Video Debut, Nissan Says it may Enter Production

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 01:23 PM PST


Nissan has big plans for its in-house motorsports and performance arm, Nismo, as the Japanese company announced earlier today that it wants to use the sub-brand's expertise to create a variety of sports cars based on the company's mainstream models on a larger scale.

We're going to get a taste of what this means for Nissan with the presentation of the Juke Nismo concept at this week's 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.

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SPIED: Jaguar Revisits Station Wagon Territory with New XF Sportbrake

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 12:49 PM PST


The last time Jaguar offered a station wagon model was with the ill-fated X-Type Sportwagon, which was produced from 2004 to 2009. But Jaguar is getting ready to give it another try, this time with an estate model based on the mid-size XF, with which it will go against the BMW 5-Series Touring and the Audi A6 Avant. Read more »


Pelican Brief: Court to Decide on Whether Drowned Veyron was a $2 Million Insurance Scam or Not

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 12:03 PM PST


The Bugatti Veyron is an amazing car that can do a lot of things – which, no doubt, you have read and heard about a gazillion times by now.

What it can't do, though, is run across water. If you are one of the 2.5 million viewers who watched the video on YouTube (or Carscoop), then you must remember the much talked about incident from 2009 when a Veyron veered off the road and dived into a saltwater lagoon in Galvestone, Texas.

The driver and owner of the Veyron, Andy House, claimed at the time that a low-flying pelican distracted him and he then jerked the wheel, dropped his cell phone, and eventually lost control of the $2 million car ending up in the lake.

The popular video, however, that was filmed by someone driving on an adjacent road shows no pelican in sight – just the Veyron going for a dip.

Now, a jury in Texas is to decide whether House is telling the truth or if he intentionally drowned the Veyron to collect a $2 million insurance.

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Mazda Readies New Biante GRANZ Prototype for the Tokyo Motor Show

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 11:39 AM PST


The 42nd edition of the biennial Tokyo Motor Show that opens for the public on December 3 will see Mazda unveiling a new prototype version of its Japanese domestic market Biante people carrier.

The Biante GRANZ showcar is a design study for a more luxurious version of the 4.7-meter (186-in.) long minivan. The most noticeable changes take place up front where Mazda's designers moved the firm's new five-point grille from the lower part of the bumper to right under the hood. The new grille also gains prominent horizontal chrome slabs.

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Does the World Really Need Another Chinese Brand? Chery Certainly Thinks So, Launches Qoros [Video]

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 11:04 AM PST


We tried to count the number of Chinese carmakers, and it turns out that there are approximately 70 brands. That's not counting the foreign makes they've already bought like Volvo, or are currently trying to acquire like Saab, nor their numerous joint ventures with almost every big-, medium- or small-sized foreign automotive companies from Isuzu and Suzuki to Toyota and General Motors.

Even Alfa Romeo, which has cancelled its return to the U.S. more times than we care to remember, has plans to form a joint venture with local company Guangzhou Automobile.

Well, the list just got a little but bigger as on Monday Chery Automobile Co. and investment firm Israel Corp. announced a new joint venture that will lead to a new brand called Qoros.

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Steinmetz Hatches New Tuning Program for Opel Astra GTC

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 10:34 AM PST


With the upcoming Astra OPC, Opel and its sister company Vauxhall have pretty much covered the needs of the go-fast crowd, but for those that already have a regular GTC model and would like some modest upgrades, Steinmetz revealed a new tuning program at the Essen Motor Show that runs from November 26 to December 4. Read more »


Korean Tow Trucks Break Every Law in the Book while Trying to Reach an Accident Scene First [Video]

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 10:02 AM PST


We completely understand that in certain life-threatening situations, police cars, fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles should have the priority on the road - even if that means breaking some laws, as long as they don't endanger the lives of other drivers.

But seriously now, tow trucks violating every single law in the traffic book just to be the first to reach a client at an accident scene is a something out of reason.

In the following video that was shot from a dashboard mounted camera placed in one of at least three tow trucks that were racing against each other on public roads in South Korea, we see the driver passing countless red lights and entering the opposite side of the road with no consideration whatsoever for the rest of the cars.

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More Troubles for Swedish Carmaker as Saab Great Britain Files for Administration

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 09:10 AM PST


The impasse on the sale of Saab Automobile to Pang Da and Youngman has not been resolved, due to Saab shareholder and supplier General Motors objecting to its platform and engineering technology being transferred to the Chinese.

Swedish Automobile N.V. (Swan), though, announced today that Saab Great Britain (Saab GB) filed for administration with the High Court in London.

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GM Builds 100 Millionth Small Block Engine, Confirms Gen V with Direct Injection Tech

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 08:56 AM PST


It's one of the most famous engine series in the world with a history spanning close to six decades. We're talking about General Motors' small block that was first introduced by Chevrolet in 1955 and which celebrates today its 100 million production milestone.

Fittingly, the landmark small block is a hand-built, 638-horsepower supercharged LS9 V8 that will find its way under the hood of a Corvette ZR1. The force-fed LS9 is the most powerful engine ever to be installed in a regular-production Chevrolet or GM vehicle.

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Honda UK Confirms Production of Supercharged CR-Z iCF by MUGEN with 173HP and 0-62mph in 6.1"

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 08:02 AM PST


As we rightfully suspected when Honda revealed the Mugen CR-Z RR Study at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011 earlier in the summer, the Japanese carmaker confirmed a production version of its hotted-up hybrid sport hatch that will go on sale in Britain next spring.

And for those of you wondering, unfortunately, Honda has no plans to offer the car in other markets – at least for the time being.

The production model is named CR-Z iCF and it has been developed in partnership with Mugen's European arm. At the heart of the car lies a modified version of the CR-Z's 1.5-liter hybrid powertrain that gains a supercharger, a new induction system and a reprogrammed ECU.

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Nissan Plans Major Expansion for its Nismo Performance Division in the Likes of the BMW M and Mercedes AMG Arms

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 07:29 AM PST


If you are a gaming, racecar or even a frequent visitor of Carscoop, then you already know about Nismo. For the rest, it's an abbreviation of Nissan Motorsports, the Japanese carmaker's in-house performance division established in 1984.

Yet its activities have been restricted mainly in motorsports, where it has been involved with great success in events like the FIA GT1 World Championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and of course, numerous racing series in Japan .

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Dodge Viper GTS-R Race Car Reverse-Engineered to be Street-Legal

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 11:42 AM PST


Usually, you hear about street-legal sports cars converted into racers but this time we have the exact opposite.

After acquiring a Zakspeed Racing Dodge Viper GTS-R in 2010, the current owner of the 1998 model turned to Heurich Classics, a Germany company that specializes in the maintenance, repair and optimization of vintage and classic cars.

The owner had two very special requests for Heurich Classics: recreate the looks of the Hasseroder Viper GTS-R that won the 24 hours of Nürburgring endurance race in 1999 and at the same time, make it completely street legal.

The German firm started out by eliminating, replacing, adding or modifying certain components of the Viper GTS-R to allow it to achieve road-legal status in Europe.

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New Sporty-Flavored Ford Focus Zetec S Introduced in Britain

Posted: 29 Nov 2011 06:15 AM PST


With the 250-horsepower Focus ST not due to land in British showrooms until the summer of 2012, Ford decided to warm up enthusiasts with a somewhat sportier flavored series of its five-door hatchback model bearing the "Zetec S" nameplate.

While there are no engine upgrades, the Focus Zetec S offers a sportier exterior appearance through a body kit that includes front and rear spoilers with lower sill extensions along with rear LED tail lamps and new 17in alloy wheels.

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