CARSCOOP

Reader Spies Swoopy Roof Sedan in Australia, But What is it?

Posted: 12 May 2014 05:50 PM PDT

We receive quite a few requests to identify prototype vehicles spotted on the road by our readers, but it isn't always easy to provide a definitive answer, as some of these cars often leave us baffled too, especially when we don't have additional views from different angles. Read more »

One More Reason Why You Should Wear Your Seatbelt

Posted: 12 May 2014 05:10 PM PDT

We'll agree that this scene is probably more about keeping the doors of your vehicle locked when on the move than anything else, but that's not to say you shouldn't always wear your seatbelt and if this guy had done so, we wouldn't have even bothered with this dash-cam video in the first place… Read more »

Scoop: Mercedes Tosses Out Some of the M-Class Facelift's Camo

Posted: 12 May 2014 04:50 PM PDT

With the clock counting down to the debut of the facelifted M-Class that could happen as early as the 2014 Paris Motor Show this October, Mercedes is gradually reducing the amount of camouflage on the prototype models – not that the exterior of the car sports any drastic changes. Read more »

Toyota Applies Some Light Updates to the Verso-S MPV / Ractis

Posted: 12 May 2014 04:20 PM PDT

Toyota has updated the Verso-S B-segment MPV (called Ractis in Japan) three years after its debut in order to align it with the brand's "Keen Look" design. The most obvious changes are at the front end, which has received a new upper grille with a chrome bezel surround, as well as updated headlight clusters. Additionally, the headlights now feature LED daytime running lights offered as standard on all grades. Read more »

Sparks Fly: This is Why Rally Car Batteries Need Extra-Special Attention

Posted: 12 May 2014 03:50 PM PDT

Several valuable lessons can be extracted from this video uploaded by The Smoking Tire. It features footage from onboard an eventful stage of the High Desert Trails Rally, when the car's mid-mounted battery came loose while it was traveling at over 100 mph or 160 km/h. Read more »

BMW M235i Coupe Gets xDrive, 228i Coupe Joins 2-Series Lineup in Europe

Posted: 12 May 2014 03:25 PM PDT

BMW has announced that the M235i Coupe will be available with the xDrive all-wheel drive system starting this summer, marking the first time a 2-Series model gets xDrive (not that the 2-Series has been around for too long). BMW says the intelligent four-wheel drive system will also be available in the upcoming 2-Series Convertible. Read more »

AMG Performance Studios Unlocks the Mercedes S 63 AMG Coupé’s Full Potential

Posted: 12 May 2014 02:57 PM PDT

While the Mercedes S 63 AMG Coupé wears an aggressive body kit that makes it stand out from regular S-Class Coupé models, there will always be customers asking from more differentiation. This is why AMG Performance Studio is offering an array of performance and design upgrades. Read more »

How Much Would You Give for This 1999 Packard Twelve Prototype?

Posted: 12 May 2014 02:31 PM PDT

Whenever we hear of the iconic American automaker Packard, we tend to think of beautifully crafted and technologically advanced cars from the first half of the previous century, before the Detroit brand merged with Studebaker in 1954, with the name being dropped altogether in 1958. This 1999 Packard Twelve Prototype that will soon go up for auction, doesn't exactly fit the bill of what we expect from a car bearing the famous nameplate, does it now… Read more »

American Buyers Say Hybrids and Big Luxry Cars Don't Mix

Posted: 12 May 2014 01:51 PM PDT

Despite the fact that ther are a wide assortment of American-sized hybrid vehicles on offer in the States, it seems that there isn't really that much demand for them. Based on logic alone, it doesn't really sound like a bad idea to partially electrify a large-engined gas guzzler in the quest for greater efficiency, and yet the market doesn't seem to be sold on the idea at all. Read more »

Lamborghini Huracan Forces Another Reviewer to Make Ambiguous Claims

Posted: 12 May 2014 01:25 PM PDT

There's something strange about the Lamborghini Huracan. Now that first drive reviews shot at the official launch event have popped up, you would think it would not be hard to form a balanced preliminary impression based on the information they provide, but it is… Read more »

Scion FR-S Turbo Four-Door Purportedly Detailed via Unofficial Source

Posted: 12 May 2014 01:10 PM PDT

In spite of previous rumors that have so far proven untrue and slightly incredible, there's still talk of adding a second set of doors to the Scion FR-S (and we assume the other two differently badged models too). Rumor has it, that it will happen, sometime in 2016. Read more »

First Spy Shots of Hyundai's Facelifted 2015 Veloster

Posted: 12 May 2014 12:25 PM PDT

Hyundai is preparing to refresh the Veloster as it nears the mid-point of its life-cycle, and this is the first prototype we've seen of the car, spied at the Korean firm's R&D center in Germany. Read more »

This 1970 Bentley T1 Will Make You Feel Like a Duke...from 1970

Posted: 12 May 2014 12:00 PM PDT

The simple fact that Queen Elizabeth II was a passenger at one point in this Bentley owned by the Duke of Devonshire should make it very appealing for certain bidders, or at least that's what the folks from Silverstone Auctions believe. Read more »

This is the New Batmobile from Batman vs. Superman

Posted: 12 May 2014 11:35 AM PDT

You can probably kiss Josh Byrnes' more Corvette/sports car-like Batmobile proposal goodbye, because Batman vs. Superman director Zac Snyder has just tweeted a teaser picture of the next Batmobile and it looks like it will continue to have that industrial / workhorse feel of the Tumbler from the Dark Knight franchise. Read more »

Did This Guy Push His Biker Pal Onto a Car or Was it the Potholes?

Posted: 12 May 2014 11:11 AM PDT

When seeing this footage from a third biker coming from behind for the first time, it appears that the motorcyclist on the right hand side of the road deliberately pushed his fellow rider into an oncoming car. Read more »

All-New 2015 VW Golf Priced from $17,995, GTI from $24,395 in the U.S.

Posted: 12 May 2014 10:40 AM PDT

Volkswagen has announced U.S. pricing for the all-new, seventh-generation 2015 Golf, which goes on sale this August. The most affordable model is the two-door Golf Launch Edition model with a manual transmission, available for $17,995 (€13,069), plus $820 destination and handling. Read more »

1967 Ford Mustang Hardtop Convertible Could be Yours for $65k

Posted: 12 May 2014 10:17 AM PDT

The 1967 Ford Mustang Hardtop Convertible is no stranger to our site as we've featured this unique creation before, when it was listed for sale back in 2009. Now, it has resurfaced on Autotrader Classics with an asking price of $65,000 (about €47,300 at today's exchange rates). Read more »

Tesla Delivers 6,457 Model S Vehicles in First Quarter 2014, but Posts $50 Million Net Loss

Posted: 12 May 2014 09:49 AM PDT

Tesla Motors said it delivered 6,457 Model S vehicles in the first quarter of this year and built a record 7,535 units of its electric car. In a letter to shareholders, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company will expand factory capacity to support increased Model S production later this year and the introduction of Model X (pictured below) next year. Read more »

Ken Block Previews Next Big Video: Shot in Darkness, Lit by Lasers

Posted: 12 May 2014 09:09 AM PDT

The people behind Ken Block's Gymkhana videos probably looked back at all they had achieved, and tried to figure out what they hadn't done that still warranted a try… Words that popped up on their list were two words: darkness and lasers. Read more »

Honda Could Create Mid-Range Sports Car; Spiritual Successor to the S2000

Posted: 12 May 2014 08:41 AM PDT

While not technically a successor to the desirable S2000, the car that Honda is reportedly discussing behind closed doors will be the closest thing to it. The car would sit right in between the small three-cylinder S660 and the flagship NSX, with suitable performance for its place in the range. Read more »

Jay Leno Completes 1,000 Miles in his New McLaren P1

Posted: 12 May 2014 08:17 AM PDT

What's the point of buying an exotic super/hyper car like the new McLaren P1 if you're going to keep it locked up in a garage? Well, it makes sense if you see these specially made, limited production automobiles purely as an investment, but Jay Leno seems like the kind of person who tries to enjoy his rides as much as possible. Read more »

Maserati Posts 420% Sales Increase in Major European Markets This Year

Posted: 12 May 2014 07:51 AM PDT

Together with Ferrari, the Maserati brand is the main bright spot right now on the European side of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' (FCA) business, with the Trident marque recording an average increase of 333 percent over the same month in 2013 across all major European markets, including Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and United Kingdom, with a total of 507 units sold. Read more »

BMW Previews Frozen Shades for New M3 Sedan in Turkey

Posted: 12 May 2014 07:26 AM PDT

The current crop of available exterior colors for the newly launched F80 BMW M3 sedan that consists of seven metallic and one regular (Alpine White) shade is rather underwhelming for those who seek more individuality, but the Bavarians will soon address this issue with the release of the Individual palette as well as a selection of "Frozen" hues. Read more »

Tank Driver in Ukraine Shows Pure Hatred for Ad Billboard

Posted: 12 May 2014 06:55 AM PDT

Ukraine is not the best place in the world currently to go and visit right now. It's going through a dramatic transformation, and many people supporting both sides of the ongoing argument are behaving strangely. Some are ecstatic, while others are petrified yet everybody has their own unique way of showing it… Read more »

Cadillac Debuts Special Edition 2015 CTS-V Coupe, Confirms New "V-Series Models" for Next Year

Posted: 12 May 2014 06:31 AM PDT

Like the saying goes, Cadillac is killing two birds with one stone through the release of the final chapter of the current CTS-V Coupe in the form of a limited production special edition. You see, in the same announcement for the 2015 CTS-V Coupe, Cadillac also confirmed the debut of the next generation CTS-V "models" for next year. Read more »