Chevrolet Camaro tours overseas as new safety car for World Touring Car Championship

Seeing a Chevrolet Camaro setting the pace at a NASCAR or Indy race is not uncommon, but its latest tour of duty has taken GM's modern ponycar to another form of racing altogether: the World Touring Car Championship. The WTCC pits race-prepped sedan and hatchback touring cars against each other on tracks across Europe and around the world. Considering that the factory-backed Chevrolet Cruze has emerged over the past couple of seasons as...

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Ford wants you to give the gift of "some assembly required" for Father's Day

Father's Day lands this weekend, and if you're anything like us, you're doing your best to put off trying to find a gift. Ford has an idea for those of us too lazy to pull up dad's Amazon list and click purchase. The automaker says it takes roughly two years for a hobbyist to complete a classic vehicle restoration from the ground up over nights and weekends. That means that a project Mustang started this summer will be ready just in time for...

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Ferrari restoring Steve McQueen's 275 GTB/4 to factory condition

Even 32 years since his death, Steve McQueen captures the imagination of driving enthusiasts. The actor's cars continue to fetch big bucks at auction. Last summer at Pebble Beach, McQueen's personal 1970 Porsche 911S, driven in the opening scene of Le Mans, sold for $1,375,000 - a figure nearly matched by the racing suit he donned for the same movie. His metallic brown 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso sold at Christies a few years back for $2.3 million,...

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Top Gear finishes its Nissan Deltawing knockoff, looks surprisingly good

If you've been keeping tabs on the crew at TopGear.com, you know they recently embarked on the ambitious task of building a replica of the new Nissan DeltaWing prototype race car. After enlisting the help of custom-car builder Andy Saunders, the crew looks to have succeeded, and the machine is on its way to cover this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The finished product looks no more ludicrous or phallic than the real deal. Surprisingly enough,...

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B&B Audi A8 4H Tuning Programs

German Tuner B&B offers upgrades for the new Audi A8 (model 4H). B&B can upgrade both the petrol and diesel engines of the Audi flagship with performance increases up to 510hp and 950Nm of maximum torque. This takes the luxury saloon from Ingolstadt in to sportscar territory with a possible sprint time of 0-100km/h in 4.3sec, 0-200km/h 15.5sec and top speeds in excess of 300km/h. B&B offers three stage upgrades for five different...

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Last Lexus LFAs up for Sale

Rumours emerged that the limited Lexus LFA (500 pieces) is nearly sold out. Apparently the last ten cars on the initial production run are up for sale. Based on reports from mid 2011 Lexus aimed to produce 20 LFAs a month and was on par from a December 2010 production start, this would mean that by the end of this year all 500 Lexus LFAs could be produced. Although Lexus wouldn’t comment if the 500 LFAs including 50 Nurburgring Editions...

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Hybrid Imperia GT to Enter the Market This Year

Imperia Automobiles, a new and ambitious carmaker from Belgium, is working on a retro-looking hybrid GT designed to show that “a socially- and environmentally-responsible approach does not rule out the finer pleasures in life.” The Imperia GT will be powered by a so-called PowerHybrid propulsion system consisting of a 1.6 liter four cylinder engine, which provides 211 horsepower and a maximum torque of 260Nm. An electric motor provides...

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Gentle Pagoda by Vilner Studio

The Mercedes-Benz W113 ‒ better known as the Mercedes Pagoda ‒ was produced from 1963 through 1971 and has aged very well. Therefore Vilner Studio has given the classic Mercedes SL some light exterior interventions and a complete renewing of the interior. The interior of the two-seat roadster is fitted with high-quality leather in vintage colors. The dashboard is upholstered, the chromed elements and mahogany steering wheel are renewed...

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Cars & Girls: Inden Design Mercedes SLS AMG & Katja Runiello

Inden Design has released a series of photos entitled ‘Haute Couture meets Tuning’ starring the Inden Design Mercedes SLS AMG and German photo model, dancer and television personality Katja Runiello.  Inden Design fitted the Mercedes with a set of 21 inch light metal rims painted in high-gloss black combined with gloss-lathed beddings. The wheels are completed with Continental high-performance tires measuring 265/30R21 at the front...

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2013 BMW Alpina B7

BMW’s main competitors Mercedes and Audi both offer high-performance versions of their top models. Mercedes has the S63 AMG and S65 AMG, Audi offers the S8, but there isn’t a BMW M7. Those who want a high-performance version of BMW’s flagship model there is the Alpina B7. And now the Alpina B7 has been enhanced in-line with updates to the 2013 BMW 7 Series Sedans including more power, more performance, and more efficiency. Whereas the...

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Ferrari 2008 F1 Car - Brutal Launch and Burnout

Formula One is a very serious sport, for serious people. It is at the pinnacle of automotive technology and many other auto clichés, both good and bad, but we won’t get into that now. Ferrari are an equally serious brand, which take their racing very seriously and invest millions upon millions in research, development, testing, driver contracts etc. Them being serious, translates into very competent Formula One cars year after year, always...

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White Party - Aventador, 458 Italia and McLaren

Do exotic cars go hand in hand with techno/trance music? Not necessarily, because they’re engineered to be owned by everybody from 70-year old tycoons to 20-year old football players. Color is an important choice as it’s basically the biggest statement you can make right off the production line before going to the tuners. If you’re a rapper, you go for black on black, and if you’re a footballer you go for orange. However, there are some...

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BMW USA Explains Why X1 Is Good

BMW only decided that the BMW X1 was worth bringing to the US as ‘the Ultimate Driving Machine’, which combines the best attributes of the car with those of an SUV, thus creating the Sports Activity Vehicle. Why it’s smaller than the X3, there’s still plenty of practicality left in the X1, and so the vehicle is ideal for the outdoorsman in you. Of course, nobody is really going to take a BMW off-roading, so you’re basically left with the...

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Pagani Heaven: 11 Cars in One Place with Zonda and Huayra

Pagani owners recently held a secret event called Vanishing Point (the 2012 edition was the 8th one) and we have a video that shows just how spectacular this was. The clip, which comes from Youtube use Marchetinno, allows us to see a line-up of 11 Pagani supercars, also coming with a nice audio flavor. The meet brought together all sorts of Pagani goodies, ranging from the C 12 S, to the Huayra. In between the two, you’ll find monsters (elegant...

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This papercraft Volvo 240 is pure lunacy

We've seen some pretty impressive papercraft creations as of late, including a massive Bugatti Veyron and a 1969 Ford Mustang, but this Volvo 240 Wagon takes the cake. The pieces come in a sizable tome, complete with instructions, and buyers can choose from a ludicrous number of options. Your papercraft Volvo 240 can be made with either a right-hand or left-hand-drive steering wheel, black or silver trim, automatic or manual transmission...

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Local Motors wants your help designing the next Peterbilt big rig

No, that's not Peterbilt's new concept for a futuristic long haul truck you're looking at. It's an entry in the company's RIG2: Road Icon Generation 2 competition, a contest being run by Local Motors to develop new ideas in aerodynamic designs for Peterbilt semis. Contest entry is open through June 26, with design materials including CAD and Photoshop files available at the Local Motors Forge website. Prizes include $10,000 for the winning...

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Audi unveils A1 in exclusive red and white flavors

Audi is launching a German-market special edition of its tiny A1 and A1 Sportback. Called A1 Amplified, the special models are available now in either Misano Red or Glacier White paint and include some special trim and other upgraded options. The Amplified A1 is based on Audi's A1 Ambition trim line, but tacks on an extra $2,500 to cover its unique equipment. With glossy black-finish roof arches, mirrors, grille and S Line spoiler, the...

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Lancia contemplating Chrysler 300-based Thema coupe?

Head overseas and you may run into a Chrysler 300 wearing a distinctly foreign badge: that of Lancia. The awkward stepchild of the Fiat group rebadges Chrysler vehicles as their own and gives them nameplates from their own back-catalog. Lancia calls its rebadged 300 the Thema, but aside from the handle, it's pretty much the same. But could Chrysler's Italian cousin prompt the development of a coupe version? According to the latest churn of...

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Audi SQ5 released with 313-hp twin-turbo diesel

Audi is using the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a launching pad for its latest performance machine. Based on the Q5 crossover platform, the (long-rumored) SQ5 boasts 313 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque from its twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel engine to move its not insignificant mass to 60 miles per hour in just five seconds. Top speed comes in at 155 miles per hour, limited we presume, and, just as importantly, fuel mileage on the...

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Le Mans starting grid set, Audi hybrid takes pole but Toyotas break up the pack

There were times during the past two days of qualifying when it looked like Audi might own the first two rows of the starting grid for this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The R18 e-tron quattro hybrid cars were running the quickest lap times, with the two diesel R18 Ultras following close behind. The two Toyota TS 030 hybrid cars were also quick, but it seemed they were always nipping at the heels of an Audi's lap time, much like the Audis used...

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AOL Autos giving away a Mini Countryman to readers

AOL Autos, sister site to Autoblog, is giving away a Mini Countryman to readers who "Like" the AOL Autos Facebook page. AOL Autos and Autoblog have been sharing a Mini Countryman as a long-term tester for about a year. And what with Mini celebrating its tenth anniversary in the U.S., AOL Autos Editor-in-Chief David Kiley thought it a good way to kick off what we hope will be a series of AOL Autos Giveaway cars. The process for winning...

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BMW reveals Alpina B7 upgrades for 2013

We've already read about the new features that will be available on the refreshed 2013 BMW 7 Series, but now, the German automaker has spilled the beans about its delicious Alpina B7, as well. As you'd expect, the B7's 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 has been massaged for the new model year (including the addition of start/stop), and drivers will now be able to enjoy 540 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque – increases of 40 and 22, respectively....

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Auto Sales in China Exceed 1.6 Million in May

The total number of cars made in China in the month of May was 1.57 million, while total sales accounted for 1.61 million units. This latest production figure marks a 4.66% decrease as of April, but it’s 16.9% higher than that of May 2011. Sales have followed roughly the same pattern, decreasing by 1.06% in May, when compared to April, but growing by 15.97% from last May. Of the total figures, passenger cars accounted for 1.27 million of...

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Audi A5 Avant Rendering

The Audi A5 was created out of the desire to differentiate the A4 cabrio from the sedan. Instead of simply getting a better looking car, we got one of if not the best design in Audi’s current linup, one which we think they diluted for a bit of market share with the A5 Sportback, a car that looks too much like the A4 sedan. Now though, wagons are making a comeback, as Jaguar and Mercedes Benz are taking the market by storm with the XF...

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Vossen CLS63 AMG Lifestyle Short Film

It’s almost the weekend and it’s time to take on those heavy work boots and put your feet up. And to get you in the mood, the guys at Vossen Wheels will get you in the mood for some night cruising in the Mercedes Benz CLS63 AMG. This satin white beauty has been tricked out with a set of concave VVS-CV3 wheels, with five spokes, a matte graphite finish and sized 20x9 up front and 20x10.5 round the back, giving the car that perfect stance. The...

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Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 with Tubi Exhaust Sound

The Lamborghini Gallardo won’t be on the market for too long now, as the Raging Bull is preparing to offer us a replacement for its entry-level supercar. However, the vehicle will definitely stay in tuner’s hearts for quite a long time and the reason for this is that it comes with an ultra-high tuning potential. We’ve brought along a video that shows how delicious a Gallardo LP640-4 that had been gifted with a custom exhaust system coming...

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BMW i8 Hybrid to Cost Over €100,000

BMW’s ‘i’ sub-brand, while despite going on tour around the world, has also been surrounded by uncertainty and doubt. However, according to autonews.com, it seem that everything is going according to plan and BMW are now sorting out the pricing of the first two models, the i3 and i8. According to BMW, the i3 is due in 2013 and will be priced “very competitively for the substance you get and following the opening of their first showroom,...

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DMC Reveals SV-Style Spoiler for Lamborghini Gallardo

DMC is a German tuning that usually makes carbon fiber parts for exotic Italian supercars. Recently, they’ve focused their attention on the Lamborghini Gallardo with the result being the Toro body kit. Now, they have taken things further, by launching an aftermarket spoiler that looks just like that on the SuperVeloce. The Germany tuner was approached by a Chinese owner who wanted the apparel of the LP67-4 SV on the LP560-4 Gallardo and...

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