It is not mentioned if YouTube user "koji nakanishi" from Japan had lapped the track with his Subaru WRX STI before the videotaped run, and for all we know, it may have been his first that costly day, but whatever it was, it didn't exactly go as planned.

The Japanese driver managed to keep his car intact behind a classic Mini Cooper for a whopping 20 seconds before he sent it crashing onto the metal barrier. He says the brakes died on him just before the corner.

A Google translation of his side of the incident reads: "My SUBARU WRX STI had the brake fade then crash during my sports driving at the suportsland SUZUKA ,a small racing circuit..The vehicle is completely from factory, normal bakes….If you like sports driving in the circuit, you must replace the brakes and brake fluid. They all are made for slow driving on the street."

Slide down to watch the video and tell us if you think his story adds up.

Our area of focus is on the days leading to, as well as, the actual press days on November 20 and 21, when we will witness some two dozen world premieres along with a similar number of North American debuts.

Hotly anticipated production displays at this year's LA motor show include the Jaguar F-Type Coupe, the Nissan Juke Nismo RS performance crossover and the next generation of the Mini hatchback.

Below, you will find our preliminary list of new cars that have been officially confirmed, as well as some that we have heard might break cover in LA, such as the new global Ford Edge crossover and the next iterations of Subaru's popular WRX and STI series.

Be sure to bookmark and re-visit this page as we will be updating it regularly whenever we receive more information.

Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD

Aston Martin Vanquish Special

BMW 4-Series Convertible

Cadillac Escalade

Chevrolet Tahoe & Suburban

Chevrolet Colorado

Fiat 500 "1957"

Ford Edge

GMC Canyon

GMC Yukon

Honda Civic Coupe Facelift

Honda FCEV Concept

Jaguar F-Type Coupe

Kia K900 Flagship

Lexus CT 200h F/L

Lincoln MKC SUV

Mercedes S65 AMG V12

Mercedes SLS AMG Final Editions

Mercedes AMG New Model

MINI Hatch

Nissan Nismo Concept

Nissan Juke Nismo RS

Porsche 911 Turbo / S Convertible

Porsche 911 Targa

Porsche Macan SUV

Porsche Panamera Turbo S

Porsche Boxster / Cayman GTS

Range Rover LWB

Subaru WRX / STI

Subaru Legacy Concept

Toyota DAR Study

Alfa Romeo 4C

BMW i8

BMW Concept X4

BMW 4-Series Coupe

Jaguar C-X17 Concept

Honda Fit

Mercedes GLA

VW Jetta SportWagen

Compared to the current Lexus RX, the Toyota Harrier features different front and rear ends with unique headlights and taillights, a new grille with the harrier logo, redesigned bumpers and a different interior.

There will be two available powerplants, including a hybrid unit pairing a 2.5-liter engine to an electric motor with a combined output of 197PS (194hp). Average fuel economy is 21.8 km/l (4.6 l/100 km/51.3 mpg US) under Japan's JC08 test cycle, while CO2 emissions are rated at 106 g/km.

Toyota will also offer a gasoline-only engine model featuring a 2.0-liter Valvematic engine with continuously variable transmission that produces 151PS (149hp). The engine can be combined with either 2WD or 4WD, while the hybrid is only offered as a 4WD model. Two-wheel drive models feature a stop & start system and deliver an average fuel economy of 16.0 km/l (6.25 l/100 km/37.6 mpg US), with CO2 emissions rated at 145 g/km.

Prices start from 2,720,000 yen ($27,330) for the base 2WD model with the 2.0-liter engine. Sales of the new Toyota Harrier begin in Japan on December 2, with the hybrid model to follow on January 15, 2014.

By Dan Mihalascu

Apparently, a prospective buyer was trying out the autonomous braking system (or as Mazda calls it, Smart City Brake Support) that the Japanese crossover now comes with as standard, and it failed, sending the car into a fence, injuring both the driver and dealership representative – the first suffered whiplash and the latter broke his arm.

Mazda quickly responded and acknowledged the incident, putting out a press release with all of the currently available details as well as their "sincere apologies."

An investigation has been launched, but hopefully it will be of the kind we do hear about again, in the future… Until then, if you have an autonomously-braking CX-5 or other Mazdas equipped with the system, don't put all your faith in it until the matter is resolved.

Even Top Gear managed to prove it's not fool-proof, as the brief video excerpt posted below undeniably shows.

By Andrei Nedelea

Still, the comparison is justified, and makes for some sound advice, as the three vehicles cost about the same, go about as fast and are all viable alternatives as "everyday supercars."

Moreover, they could have easily included the Nissan GT-R into their group of cars, though they know it would have annihilated the other three performance-wise, aside from already matching them in terms of price, practicality and even image.

The decision of buying a new car is difficult regardless of the price range within the constraints of which you must stay, or the class/type of vehicle you're looking to get behind the wheel of. Even buying a very fast sports car/supercar is a daunting task, and the better informed you are, the harder the decision becomes…

Scroll down, check out the video, and find out which car won the test (hands down) in the end.

By Andrei Nedelea

Even though no harm was done, the law is the law, and after the motorcycle civilian who asked the unidentified cop to race him at the lights, Lawrence Lee Spillers, shared the footage from his helmet camera on YouTube, the Montgomery (Alabama) Police Department learned about it and launched an investigation.

The department's police chief, Kevin Murphy, told KLTV news that the officer seen in the video shot this past Sunday has since decided to resign his position from the force.

"When a member of the Montgomery Police Department fails to adhere to our core values of honor, duty and loyalty, it is my duty to ensure they will not represent the MPD, or serve the citizens of Montgomery any further," said Murphy. "The officer in question no longer wears the badge of the Montgomery Police Department."

The motorcycle cop, who does not want to be named, issued the following statement:

"I don't have any hard feelings against the department. All my life and throughout my career I have tried to be humble and reserved, but I'm not perfect. If I could start over I would have never done what I did. I appreciate everyone's support. I can't believe how everything has turned around for me. I guess it's the will of God."

As for the other protagonist, Lawrence Lee Spillers Spillers, he stated:

"We posted [the video] thinking, you know, it was something fun, something you don't run across every day and that's why we did it. Our intentions were to never get the cop in trouble, and we definitely didn't think he would lose his job."

We don't know for how long the PDF file from the magazine will stay online (see and/or download it to your computer via this link), so we'll give you all the details, just in case it disappears. For one, the photos of the WRX that we showed you earlier this week are indeed the real thing with the saloon being an Impreza in everything but the name and the performance upgrades.

As many anticipated, Subaru has swapped the older model's 2.5-liter turbocharged flat four that produced 265hp at 6,000 rpm and 244 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm with the new Forester's 2.0-liter flat-four tuned to deliver 268hp at 5,600 rpm and 258 lb-ft of peak torque at 4,800.

Also, out goes the five-speed manual and in comes a six-speed stick shift, with which the WRX goes from 0-60mph (96km/h) in 5.4 seconds. An available CVT will increase that time to 5.9 seconds.

We're also told that manual transmission models get a center differential with a fixed 50:50 (rear:front) torque split, while the CVT model comes with Subaru's All-Wheel Drive system featuring Variable Torque Distribution, in which the center differential offers a 45:55 (front:rear) torque split, the ratio of which can vary.

The new WRX is said to be available only as a four-door sedan, as Subaru has eliminated the hatchback - at least for the U.S.

Other notable details include a new electrically assisted power steering, bigger brakes, 235/45 R17 tires, a stiffer suspension setup than on the older WRX, plus a 9 percent increase in torsional rigidity over the regular Impreza and 41 percent over the outgoing WRX

In another leak, Jalopnik obtained a dealer sheet in which we learn that the new WRX STI will continue with a 2.5-liter boxer engine and will include a Launch Edition exclusively available in the nameplate's traditional WR Blue shade.

The WRX will debut at next week's 2013 LA Auto Show.

Thanks to Perscitus for the heads up!

With only days before the Macan's official reveal at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Porsche wanted to highlight the high-performance side of the new crossover, with the video showing the baby SUV as it is driven aggressively on the Weissach circuit.

The Macan seems to hold itself very well on the twisty test track, but that is hardly a surprise, given the Cayenne precedent. Since it's a smaller and lighter car, it should be even more fun to drive than its bigger brother.

What's even more interesting about this video is that it includes the best view of the interior so far. Don't expect surprises though: just like the exterior, the cabin is inspired by the Cayenne. The dashboard layout, the large screen on the center console flanked by chrome-trimmed and vertical stacked air-vents, plus the button-filled lower center console, all bring to mind Porsche's larger SUV.

By Dan Mihalascu

In particular, for 2014, the Korean carmaker has added one-touch triple turn signal, sliding sun visors and a driver's blind spot mirror as standard on all Accent trims, while updating the standard audio system updated for improved voice recognition and button layout.

Furthermore, the 5-door SE and 4-door Premium Package models obtain more modern looking projector headlights with LED accents and a 'welcome/escort' function, along with driver's side auto-up window and tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel.

Finally, Hyundai is also offering an available B&M Racing Sport Shifter for the SE hatchback.

Pricing is expected to be announced soon.

Inspired by the iconic 1969 DB6 Volante, the bespoke Vanquish Volante debuted as part of the 2013 Neiman Marcus Fantasy Christmas Catalogue and will be the first Vanquish Volante to enter the U.S. market.

All cars are painted in a Neiman Marcus Exclusive Seychelles Blue paint with the fabric convertible hood in Atlantic Blue, while other exterior cues include 20-spoke alloys in a "Liquid Silver" finish, blue brake calipers, Sterling Silver and Flux Enamel wing badges, and other bespoke trim details.

On the inside, the limited edition model comes with black semi-aniline leather seats with Aurora Blue contrast stitching and embroidered NM logo, Ivory Roekona headlining and walnut veneer fascia. Also included in the package is a matching 4 piece bespoke leather luggage set.

Technically, the Neiman Marcus Edition brings no modifications compared to the standard Vanquish Volante. The car is powered by the same 6.0-liter V12 engine producing 565hp, with the 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint taking just over 4 seconds and the top speed being rated at 183 mph (295 km/h).

The Neiman Marcus Edition of the Vanquish Volante is priced at $344,500 in the U.S., which represents a hefty premium over the standard model's starting MSRP of $296,295, excluding a $2,825 destination charge and a $1,700 gas-guzzler tax.

By Dan Mihalascu

Based on the 2014 Fiat 500 Lounge model, the 500 1957 Edition is available in three classic exterior colors: Bianco (white), Verde Chiaro (light green) and Celeste (celestial blue), all paired with a signature Bianco painted roof and mirror caps.

The retro-design 16-inch wheels have a wide chromed lip, body color accent and large center cap with historic Fiat emblem – also found on the front fascia and rear liftgate. The vintage theme continues on the inside, where the 500 1957 Edition features an Avorio (ivory) interior environment contrasted by premium Marrone (brown) leather seats with Avorio accent stitching.

The Grigio (grey) door panels feature a contrasting Avorio inner panel, while Marrone door armrests and shift boot match the leather seats. The Avorio leather-wrapped steering wheel with Marrone leather on the inner ring and retro Fiat badge, plus the uniquely styled key fob with Marrone casing and Avorio-painted "1957" graphic complete the interior upgrades.

The Fiat 500 1957 Edition is offered with the base 101hp 1.4-liter MultiAir engine paired to a five-speed manual transmission as standard. A six-speed automatic transmission with driver-selectable gear changes is offered as an option.

Combined with the sports-tuned suspension and the driver-selectable Sport mode on the instrument panel, the limited edition 500 is not stuck in 1957 when it comes to dynamics.

The 2014 500 1957 Edition arrives at Fiat dealerships across the U.S. in spring next year, just in time for the 57th anniversary of the classic 500. Orders begin in early 2014, with pricing to be announced closer to market launch.

By Dan Mihalascu

Footage sourced from Missouri Highway Patrol Corporal Cody Dunfee's patrol car dashcam that was released by the Clay County Prosecutors Office shows how it all went down when the cop pulled over Alan Hampton, initially for a speeding violation, according to The Kansas City Star.

"As I approached the car, I noticed what appeared to be a black square object in his waistband," Dunfee said. "I kind of figured that he was trying to hide something in the car. I didn't know what it was at the time."

Seconds later, Hampton took off, but Dunfee held onto the car and managed to pull and fire his gun twice, hitting the driver in his hand and leg, forcing him to stop, at which point, we hear him in the video yelling, "You shot me? You shot me! … Oh my God."

"It happened so quick and to this day, I still don't know why I more or less dove into that car," Dunfee said.

It was found later that Hampton had a gun in his car. According to reports, Hampton has been in trouble with the law for more than 20 years.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Few of its current owners probably treat it as badly as a rugged rally car should be, understandably preferring to wax its body in the garage, then just look at it chiseled 1980s good looks.

Still, there are those who know what it was intended for, and aren't afraid to use it as such, like the people behind the increasingly renowned YouTube channel TaxTheRich100 who recently made their own British countryside interpretation of Gymkhana in a pristine-looking 288.

Naturally, since it's shot in the same style and cued to the same music, it's just as spectacular as their other videos, though it does not top the Rolls Royce rally car one they uploaded a while back. It's still up there, though – nothing beats seeing a red Ferrari from back in the day, using its 400 hp to powerslide around hairpins, on a surface as loose as dewy grass.

By Andrei Nedelea

So why is there such a big difference between petrol and diesel cars? "There are a number of possible explanations for the marked difference in MOT emissions failure rates between petrol and diesel cars," explains Bruce Ellis, research and development manager at Redex, a maker of additive products that evaluated the data that is submitted to the Vehicle Operator and Services Agency (VOSA) by every MOT test facility in the UK.

"These include the different driving cycles that traditionally are undertaken.  Namely, petrol cars are more likely than diesels to be chosen for frequent shorter, urban trips, whereas diesels are more likely to be chosen if the vehicle is to be commonly used for longer, motorway-based journeys.  Also, diesels operate at lower engine speeds and are therefore a little less stressed than higher revving petrol motors," Ellis says.

However, while these factors do make a difference, the biggest one is the MOT test itself, he adds.

"Petrol cars are assessed for a high number of gases and hydrocarbons in the exhaust emissions, while diesels are tested only for smoke levels. This means that relatively speaking, diesels probably have an easier emissions test than petrol-engined cars," Ellis explains.

That may be happening now, but the future doesn't sound so good for diesels.

Analyzed data covers 47.97 million MOT tests taken during the full year of 2010 and the first nine months of 2011.

By Dan Mihalascu

What some didn't like was the sole choice of just one powertrain, and absence of a non-hybrid alternative – it lacked oomph too, stepping into battle with the BMW 1-Series and Mercedes A-Class ill prepared, with under 140 hp from its 1.8-liter petrol and electric motor combo.

However, good news is headed the way of those who actually related to what was said in the opening paragraph, as a senior Lexus official, Mark Templin, recently admitted that only offering the CT as a hybrid negatively affected sales.

Speaking to Motoring, he suggested that a more powerful variant is being considered – it may get the 2.0-liter turbo unit which debuts in Tokyo under the hood of the LF-NX crossover concept, with the 200t designation.

He argued that "You had the people who loved the CT's hybrid powertrain, the markets that need that kind of powertrain, and the people who are eco friendly or want to save that money on gas and that's great."

However, he conceded to having "missed a segment of the market for people who want fast cars; because a lot of people liked the looks and liked the way it drove so they wanted something faster. So yeah sure in the future, I hope we can account for that."

Templin still stood by the decision to only offer the CT as a 200h, explaining that "It helped us solidify our place in history when it comes to the development of hybrid powertrains and showing that luxury and hybrid go together… It was just a natural step for us to launch a car that came 100 per cent as a hybrid. That was a good play. But in the future? Maybe we need both."

By Andrei Nedelea

Still, it's a notable vehicle, according to its official figures, and as if to prove it to the rest of the world, drag races were staged and recorded on video, showing the Qin battling it out against a wide array of fast motors.

Its powertrain is comprised of two electric motors working in conjunction with a 1.5-liter turbo petrol engine to deliver a combined total of 298 hp (223 kW) / 440 Nm (324 lb-ft), as well as an EV range of 31 miles (50 km) and a claimed efficiency rating equivalent to 118 MPGe. Off the mark performance is said to be very good, as the car is touted to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in around 6 seconds and on to a limited top speed of 185 km/h (115 mph).

Now scroll down and check out the two videos posted below. The first is short and shows the Qin winning easily, while the second lengthier one shows it on the losing side, as well, and is more balanced.

By Andrei Nedelea

If all goes according to plan, we'll get our first look at the car next Wednesday, November 20, but until then, the British carmaker seems to be in a teasing mood, releasing cropped photos like the one posted above.

Judging by the teasers and (mainly) the numerous scoop photos of prototype models, the production F-Type Coupe will remain faithful to the sexy C-X16 concept shown back in 2011.

While the engine range will be shared between the coupe and roadster versions, the former is believed to offer better handling than the latter, chiefly because of the closed top model's greater structural rigidity.

ABT Sportsline has released a performance package for the Audi S3 that starts off with a kit boosting output of the 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged unit from 296hp (300PS) to 365hp (370PS) and peak torque from 380Nm to 460Nm.

With this newly found power, ABT's S3 cuts an impressive 0.5 seconds off the standard 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint, dropping the run time from 5.1 seconds to 4.6 seconds, while along with the removal of the top speed limiter, the hatch can now reach 265km/h (164mph).

Available accessories and parts include fender inserts and a choice of alloy wheels, the largest of which is 20-inches in diameter shod in tires size 235/30 R20.

There have been so many of these stories that it has caught the eye of publications from non-automotive fields too (naturally), and this has culminated with Ask Men choosing him as their Most Influential Man of 2013, after having made Time's list of 100 most influential people earlier in the year!

An impressive ascent for Musk, clearly a very able businessman that seems to be working against the industry trends, but doing it in a mainstream-understandable way, if that makes sense…

Naturally, the magazine made references to Musk being akin to a modern-day real-world superhero and went into detail about his contribution to the world-wide electric car scene through the success of the Model S.

Below, you'll find one of Musk's Latest video interviews, this time on the sidelines of the UK Model S launch.

By Andrei Nedelea

The high demand caught the company a bit by surprise, as an official spokesperson that was quoted in the report said:

"We set ourselves the target to be sold out by year-end off the back of first cars being delivered to customers in September, the fiftieth anniversary of McLaren's founding. Demand for the car has been consistently strong since Geneva. A combination of the first feedback from customers and Top Gear's review of the P1 has seen us cross the line a little sooner than we had planned..."

Still, there's always the Porsche 918 Spyder to go for, and knowing the brand, its probably the most usable of the trio, plus it also gets the largest production run – 918 units will be made.

By Andrei Nedelea

It's not a very pleasant image, but for a driver from Belarus it was as real as it gets. The cart's driver (supposedly not very sober) whipped the horse so bad that the poor animal entered the curve too fast and, being a "front-leg drive" vehicle, the cart oversteered.

It's one of those surreal crashes that you can't believe it happened even though you saw it with your own eyes – hence the lack of reaction from inside the crashed car fitted with a dash cam. As for the outcome of the crash, the horse was hopefully okay (but I could be wrong) as it jumped over the car, but the two passengers from the cart have probably been thrown in the air from the impact. Scroll down to watch it.

By Dan Mihalascu

However, you know what they say; fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me… Subaru often tries to build up a lot of excitement about upcoming models with its concept cars, only to hugely disappoint with the production versions – should we remind you of the 2010 LA Auto Show Impreza and this year's WRX studies? We all know how these cars turned out…

In any case, the Legacy Concept sports a sleek looking body with a four-door coupe style roofline and strong and expressive front and rear ends. The car measures 4,930mm (194 in.) long, 1,940mm (76.4 in.) wide, and 1,500mm (59mm) tall, with a wheelbase of 2,880mm (113.4 in.).

There are no images of the interior yet, but Subaru tells us that in concept form, it can seat four passengers, describing it as "highly functional" and made with high quality materials.

No word on what powers the concept. That's all we have for now, but we'll update you as soon as we find out more.

Strictly limited to 50 units, the small-series production model will be produced beginning in March 2014. Audi has only released one photo of the new model which shows the interior of the car, where the most significant upgrades were added compared to the standard A8 L W12 model (featured in the photo gallery below).

The seats are covered in aniline leather in the color Agatha cognac, produced by Italian designer furniture maker Poltrona Frau. Audi says this leather is particularly soft and natural looking. The center sections of the seats feature diamond quilting, while the inlays are made of fine grain olive ash natural silver brown.

The gray-brown shade matches the granite gray piping, stitching and central pleat of the seats. The granite gray shade is also found on the steering wheel, the door top shoulders and the upper section of the instrument panel, which is covered with Nappa leather. The headlining features snow white Alcantara, the rear shelf is covered with cognac brown Alcantara and the carpeting is jet gray.

Audi says each of the 50 vehicles will have a special logo on the door sill trims, but doesn't say anything about exterior upgrades.

By Dan Mihalascu

The Aqua Cross Concept follows the athletic Aqua G Sports and the Aqua Air Roadster studies, exploring the possibility of a crossover-flavored look for the compact hybrid.

Toyota has adorned the body of the Aqua with dark plastic moldings around the wheel arches, skirts and bumpers, while also adding a different front grille, skid plates, roof rails and additional lights up front.

Inside, the Japanese carmaker's designers kept changes limited to the upholstery colors, materials and trims.

More information on the concept, including Toyota's intentions, will be announced during the brand's presentation at the Tokyo Motor Show next week.

Thanks to KTR for tip!

The updated 2014 XC70 D5 AWD police car features an updated chassis that includes new anti-roll bars, shock absorbers and springs. In order to fit the requirements of a police car, the XC70 is developed in cooperation with the Swedish Police. It can be sold either as a fully-equipped police car or as a base car with only a specially developed chassis.

Volvo sells 500-600 police cars every year, 90 percent of which remain in Sweden. However, Volvo also sells patrol cars in the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The company wants to double sales numbers in the coming years.

"We are in discussions with at least a dozen different police forces around the globe: seven in Europe, two in the Americas and three in Asia. And we are determined to add more to that list," says Ulf Rydne, Business Manager Commercial Vehicles at Volvo Car Special Vehicles and Accessories.

Production for the 2014 model year with the new chassis will begin in late November, with first deliveries scheduled for the start of next year.

By Dan Mihalascu