Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake combines innovative design, technology, and highest-quality materials, representing the company name. The shooting brake is a historic term which has evolved into a synonymous name for a vehicle which combines the features of a station wagon, and a coupe.

Mercedes-Benz has created the elite sports car, with seating for five, and a large rear compartment for luggage. The Shooting Brake is designed for those who want a different look, but do not want to compromise on sportiness, style, comfort, or storage space.

Engine Variants

There are four engine variants to choose from in the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake. The CLS 250 CDI 2.1 liter, 4 cylinder diesel engine provides 204 horsepower, while the CLS 350 CDI 3.0 liter, V-6 offers 256 horsepower.

The 350 CLS 3.5 liter, V-6 gas engine offers 306 horsepower, and the 550 CLS 4.6 liter, V-8, twin-turbocharged gas engine offers 408 horsepower. The Shooting Brake can accelerate from 0-60 miles per hour in 7.8 seconds, and 5.3 seconds, with a top speed of 155 miles per hour.

The Shooting Brake comes with automatic transmission featuring 7G-TRONIC PLUS, with ECO start and stop function, providing fuel and emission economy. The air suspension is automatically adjustable, ensuring proper handling when cargo is being transported. Electromechanical direct steering ensures comfort and sportiness in driving agility. The efficient and powerful drive systems equal driving pleasure and agility, with environmental responsibility.

Exterior

The CLS Shooting Brake uses lighter aluminum construction to provide better aerodynamics which contributes to its efficiency. The long hood, narrow window line, with frameless side windows flow continuously. It is hardly evident that there are four doors and a tailgate upon first glance. The elongated roof flows back aerodynamically to the electric EASY-PACK tailgate.

Interior

Alpha-N BMW 1M RS

German Tuning Specialist Alpha-N has launched the 2012 Alpha-N BMW 1M RS, or the 1M RS, an updated version of the BMW 1M.

The 1M RS is lighter and faster compared to the stock version.

It is designed according Alpha-N's vision of improving the weight on cars, which is critical in racing.

Engine

Alpha-N updated the 3.0 liter 6-cylinder engine through an exhaust system that is specially developed, a new air duct software optimization. As a result, the powertrain can now deliver 410 horsepower which is 70 more than the stock engine.

Performance

In order to complement the powerful engine, Alpha-N installed a high-performance braking system. It includes braided stainless steel lines, 380mm discs and 6 piston calipers. As a result, you get a fast car without compromising safety.

Most of the exterior is made of carbon fiber and thus add to the car's lightness making it nimbler than the stock model. To make the car even lighter, Alpha-N used OZ Superforgiata rims that measure 8.5"x19" and 10.0"x19" in the front and the rear respectively. The additional horsepower provides cutting speed on straightaways, while the lightness brings speed on curves.

Exterior

Focus of the improvements made by Alpha-N is not on the looks, so the 1M RS looks almost the same as the 1M. What is interesting about the 1M RS include its ventilated hood, low spoilers, front fascia, carbon roof, rear fascia diffuser, and luggage lid spoiler that are all made of carbon fiber.

Interior

Renault Alpine A110-50 Concept

The excitement of car enthusiasts is nearing its peak now that the 2012 Renault Alpine A110-50 Concept has been unveiled. This supercar is a tribute to the French car brand's A110 that conquered the streets 50 years ago.

Enlisting the aid of Alpine, the new A110-50 is expected to provide comfort better than its sports counterpart. And although Renault Sport will develop the car, it will be sold under the Alpine Badge.

Engine

The 2012 Renault Alpine A110-50 is equipped with the exclusive Renault V4Y, a 3.5 liter V6 mid-rear engine that effortlessly delivers 400 horsepower. The A110-50 will be available only as a rear-wheel drive model.

An intake is mounted on the roof to draw in clean air to the carbon fiber intake of the engine. The car has two side intakes where the left cools the engine bay and the right cools the gearbox.

Performance

Definitely, the A110-50 will deliver the performance of a true sports car. It will also have updates to make it fit for modern roads. We can expect this Renault to accelerate well in highways. Since it is yet to be released, we cannot test drive it on the city streets.

Exterior

The new A110-50 is visually stunning. It bears the Alpine Blue paint job over a sleek body work made of carbon fiber.

2012 Ugur Sahin Design Alfa Romeo 12C GTS

After the Anadi received warm welcome and entered production; Ugur Sahin has proudly unveiled the 2012 Ugur Sahin Alfa Romeo 12C GTS concept car. Ugur Sahin aims to give a new interpretation to the legendary Alfa Romeo lines.

If you think that the Alfa Romeos that you have seen before are eye catching, the concept car is stunning.

Engine

There are barely any details about how the 12C GTS will be powered. But since it draws inspiration from Alfa Romeo's 8C, experts predict that it might just get the same powertrain. That would be the 4.7 liter V8 engine that delivers 444 horsepower and 354 lbs/ft of torque. The engine is paired with a six-speed robotized gearbox to provide smoother shifting and smooth performance.

Performance

Based on the specs of the 8C, the Ugur Sahin Design (USD) Alfa Romeo 12C GTS is projected to have a top speed of 181 mph. It can reach a quarter mile within 12.4 seconds, and it can run from a standstill to 62 mph in just 4.2 seconds. Since there are possibilities for Alfa Romeo to update its engine, there are great chances that the concept car can do better.

Exterior

What is the most exciting about the 12C GTS is the updated design from Ugur Sahin. The surface, the styling cues and the historical lines are given a fresh perspective that, according to the designer, imparts a state of mind. The new 12C GTS has sharper lines, yet the familiar organic characteristics that you loved about the Alfa Romeo still remains.

Even if the car is standing still, you can sense the "forward movement" exuded by its stance. The organic lines flow from front to rear with hardly any disruptions, making the car look whole. In their center is the iconic Alfa Romeo grille. From the side, your eyes can see the proportional balance as well as the seamless lines that divide the upper and lower parts of the car.

Kelleners Sport BMW M5 KS5-S

Kelleners Sport has unveiled its own version of the BMW M5, the 2012 Kelleners Sport BMW M5 KS5-S. More than a merging of two great names, the KS5-S brings perhaps the best updates that a BMW could ever have.

Proof of it is the record that the KS5-S holds: being the fastest sports sedan.

Engine

The stock M5 comes with a 5.0 liter V8 engine that delivers 560 horsepower and 502 lbs/ft of torque. Kelleners Sport made great upgrades to the engine, making it capable of delivering 660 horsepower and 583 lbs/ft of torque.

Performance

With this great power, the KS5-S is capable of speeds up to 205 mph. Performance is further enhanced by 90 mm diameter tailpipes and Kelleners Sport's stainless-steel, valve-controlled rear silencers.

Through the help of Kelleners Sport suspension system, the new power achieved by the KS5-S can be easily handled. On top of that, the suspension system can be adjusted so that you can drive the car on the track and on the road.

Exterior

To highlight the sporting capabilities of the Kelleners Sport BMW M5 KS5-S, the rear diffuser, the mirror caps and the restrained rear spoiler are coated with carbon. The same approach is done for the front-spoiler lip and the side moldings. T

he overall design and details of the M5 is retained so you are sure to get the distinct looks of the BMW.

Interior

2012 Ferrari SP12 EC

World-famous guitarist Eric Clapton has been known to be a long-time Ferrari fan and to commemorate his indubitable patronage for the supercar, Ferrari has set the gears to create a one-off project, the 2012 Ferrari SP12 EC.

To build the car that will pay homage to Clapton's career, the Centro Stile Ferrari collaborated with the engineers in Maranello and Pininfarina.

Engine

There are barely any details about how Ferrari will power the SP12 EC, though they are eyeing to put the powertrain for the award-winning 458 Italia that has a 4.5 liter V8 engine that delivers 570 horsepower and 398 lbs/ft of torque.

Performance

The Ferrari 512 BB is a sports car. Therefore, it is safe to presume that the SP12 EC will inherit most of its characteristics. It is also expected that Ferrari will make fine adjustments to make the car more versatile for daily driving and public roads. Clapton will definitely get the performance of a sports car and the comfort of a luxury car at the same time.

Exterior

The exterior of the SP12 EC draws inspiration from the 512 BB that will include a wider grille, new bumpers, a new exhaust system and a retro-style rear. According to Ferrari, the creative process for the SP12 EC exterior is similar to how Clapton meticulously picks up every note to create a musical score.

Interior

Novitec Rosso Ferrari 458 Spider

The designer kit by Novitec Rosso, created for Ferrari's 458 Spider model, includes super-lightweight forged wheels, 609 hp, 202 mph top speed and a carbon aero kit that makes the Spider even faster and a lot more dynamic.

Among the upgrades include a unique, staggered 21" and 22" forged wheel combo with a new suspension system that includes the ability to make ride-height adjustments hydraulically, power increase, and a new high performance exhaust system.

Novitec Rosso makes further customization available by offering features like black lamps and custom-tailored interiors.


Aerodynamic Carbon Fiber

Carbon fiber isn't just used for F1 racing car enhancements; it is also the material of choice for Novitec Rosso's upgrades to the 458 Spider. The carbon fiber kit offers a high level of aerodynamic efficiency as well as an impressive new look.

The front fascia has been upgraded with a 2-piece front spoiler and includes side flaps that allow for reduced lift while travelling at high speeds. The wings and ventilation grill in the front have also been molded out of carbon fiber to enhance the sleek new look. Carbon fiber skirts also give the side of the slick 2-seater an even sportier appearance.

On the rear, the bezel that surrounds the fogs lamps, and the diffuser, has also been upgraded to carbon fiber components. Optional carbon fiber upgrades include rear spoiler, rear wings and black side markers.

NF4

Citroen Numero 9 Concept

The 2012 Citroen Numero 9 Concept car is a fresh, more radical take on some of the automotive experiments undertaken on the DS range, a line marketed alongside the main Citroen line. The DS line, consisting of the DS3-DS5, just two years after the launch, has sold over 200,000 units.
The Numero 9 is expected to herald the DS line's future and indicate the type of styling that we should be expecting from the next three cars to appear in the DS line: the premium C-segment Sedan, executive D-segment saloon and an SUV.

Like others in the DS line, the Numero 9 exhibits radical design choices that are immediately recognizable, sophisticated and inspiring. The body styling is extremely charismatic and the car itself includes a number of extremely useful everyday features as well as some remarkable performance statistics (39g/km carbon footprint, 50km range and 295bhp).

Dimensions

Coupe and estate proportions are subtly combined in the Numero 9, with a long bonnet, taut lines and low stance of 1.27m tall. Generous proportions are also provided in the interior, creating a comfortable driving and passenger experience.

The Numero 9 is 1.94m wide, with a wheelbase of 3m and a length of 4.9m. These dimensions have the advantage of being able to offer passengers extra leg room for rear passengers and also give the car an inviting, roomy look.

Eibach Audi S5 Project Car

Not so many years ago, the Audi name symbolized a car that was well built but perhaps a little dull. All that has changed recently is that the German manufacturer is now putting out a number of very desirable models.
The 2012 Eibach Audi S5 Project Car takes this a step further with a truly exclusive and eye-catching design.

Performance

Eibach is the official supplier of Audi Sport, the organization which runs the company's hugely successful track division. This car gets its inspiration from the car raced at the DTM championship, otherwise known as the German Touring Masters - one of the most prestigious racing series in Europe.

Unusual for an edition of this nature, Eibach decided not to increase the base engine which already produces 333 horsepower, but instead concentrated on optimizing its handling abilities.

Handling

The decision to make handling and road-holding are top priorities for the Eibach S5 that has resulted in what is an exceptionally capable and rewarding car to drive.

Specially adapted Bilstein shock absorbers are mated to Pro-Kit springs, giving tremendous feedback to the driver and instilling confidence in its maneuvering and cornering ability, even at high speeds.

The Tucker Torpedo still impresses: Flickr photo of the day

Preston Tucker only built 51 of his Tucker Torpedos before the company collapsed in 1948, but of those 51, 47 still exist as a monument to the inventiveness of a determined entrepreneur, as caught in this photo by Jimmy Smith. If you have a photo to share.

Jaguar XJ Ultimate

The Jaguar name has become increasingly prestigious in recent years, with a succession of impressive models coming out of this famed British marquee factories.
The 2012 Jaguar XJ Ultimate takes this to the next level, and lives up to its name by being the ultimate incarnation of a car that is already an icon around the world.

Performance

Jaguars have always been about refined performance, and that's certainly the case with the XJ Ultimate. You have two engine choices - either a 5.0-liter V8 gasoline-powered unit or a 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel. A third option, a supercharged 3.0-liter gas unit, will be made available soon.

The largest engine gives incredible levels of performance, with over 500 horse power on tap. Despite this, however, fuel consumption of close to 40 mpg is possible in mixed driving, making any type of journey a pleasure rather than a chore.

Exterior

The Jaguar XJ has quickly become highly regarded for its looks, which update the traditional Jaguar style to suit the 21st century, yet without losing the up-market, classy feel for which the brand is so popular.

The distinctive all-aluminum body-shell sets the car apart from its rivals in this market sector, while the Ultimate also benefits from exclusive features such as 20-inch Maroa wheels and the ability for its customers to specify any color scheme they wish

Lamborghini Urus Concept

The 2012 Lamborghini Urus Concept is an SUV with a difference. Extreme performance is coupled with a unique, powerful and dynamic design that includes a number of innovative features such as forged carbon fiber composite in the interior.
The Urus concept car is redefining the design and the dynamics of cars that typically fall into this category by being a uniquely designed, versatile, lightweight yet powerful and efficient SUV.

The Urus concept car is projected to offer the lowest C02 emissions of any in its category. With a power output of 600 hp and Lamborghini's extensive knowledge of how to make lightweight, dynamic vehicles, the Urus is set to impress.

Dimensions

The Urus offers the perfect amount of space, plenty for four people to sit comfortably and still fit a large amount of shopping or luggage. The Urus has been designed with everyday use in mind, for families or leisure pursuits with a group of friends.

The Urus has an unmistakable powerful look, muscular but not bulky, highly athletic and elegant. With a length of 192.9”, it's a perfect fit for the sporty SUV niche but it's also comparatively lower than competitors with a height of just 62.9”.

Eterniti Artemis

London-based luxury carmaker, Eterniti Motors, recently unveiled the world's first 'Super-SUV' named the 2012 Eterniti Artemis.
'Super-SUV' is a term coined by Eterniti to describe the new range of high-class SUV vehicles that provide a high level of performance, are highly exclusive and extremely lavish and luxurious.

By summer 2012, this model will be in the production line and out on the market before Maserati's, Lamborghini's and Bentley's super-SUV offerings. Vehicle deliveries are expected to begin in the fall.

Exterior

The exterior is surprisingly customizable. The Artemis' body panels are made from carbon composite material; hand built and come finished in a wide variety of paint colors.

Depending upon your panel color of choice, complimentary chrome trim colors and styles are added. Ultra-low 315/25 tires and 23" forged alloy wheels, that are super-lightweight and also come with a vast range of alloy rim styles, are also offered with the new super-SUV.

Interior

The rear-cabin's interior is similar to a limousine and features 100 mm of extra leg room, twin recliners complete with heating and cooling features, iPad holders and a beverage cooler.

This super-SUV is suitable for chauffeuring and is also a great vehicle to drive for pleasure. This SUV offers better handling than limousines on poor terrain, due to the ride height. The 2012 Artemis is a limo/SUV crossover that makes travelling in style on poor road surfaces much easier.

Where Dany Bahar steered Lotus wrong, and the road back

It's always a crummy time to get fired, but if you're Dany Bahar, the recently ousted head of Lotus Cars, you might have found yourself breathing a sigh of relief last week when the parent company's new owners — DRB-Hicom Berhad— told you to pack your things. There's only so much adversity a single huckster can take, even if he is an inexhaustible former Red Bull executive and Ferrari marketing whiz, equipped with the requisite masters' degrees in total bullshit -- advanced and applied — that such postings demand. But all tap dances, no matter how good, must come to an end. So, too, all tap dancers.

For remember, following his 2010 appointment, the Swiss-born Bahar swiftly lit the fuse on his own demise, blowing everybody's mind in a bad way by announcing a boldly mad plan at the Paris Auto Show to grow and so rescue Lotus by recasting it entirely, a grandiose blueprint for world domination by the venerable but often rickety English sports car maker that was as ambitious as it was ludicrous.
Announced then were plans for five new higher-end models to be rolled out in short order, over the course of three, then five years, the biggest Lotus product assault in history. Not just big but big -- all of these future machines save one was going to tilt the scales at 3,500 lbs or more, Lotus revealed. Blithely failing to observe the company's central animating principle - the brand-defining commitment to light weight at all costs that dates all the way back to its birth in humble circumstances sixty-four years ago —

Sixty-something-old drag racer proves there’s nobody meaner

It's true that 60 years old is the new 50, but taking 11.7 seconds to cover a quarter-mile drag race means what it always has -- that you know how to drive fast. Here's Kathy Countiss at this year's TX2K event outside of Houston, explaining why she likes to hit the strip in her 2009 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG that's boosted to 475 hp, and how drag racing has kept her going ever since she was a teen-ager.

One good way to mark Father’s Day: Flickr photo of the day

For this Father Day's, if you're still seeking a last-minute gift, why not skip the neckwear and golf gadgets and give ol' Dad something he'll never forget -- a face full of raw monster truck power, like this scene at a California jump caught by a certain Tesla Model S owner

The Flying Scot in full roar: Flickr photo of the day

Today marks the 73rd birthday of Sir Jackie Stewart, a three-time Formula 1 champion who went on to become a Scottish voice of reason in the sport. Age doesn't sit well with every driver, and Stewart's work off the track mattered more than his racing career, but it's still electrifying to see him behind the wheel, as in this shot from Bleuchoi of Stewart in his 1969 Matra F1 car. If you have a photo to share,

Fiat 500 Abarth: Motoramic Drives

About a dozen years ago, Chrysler hired French psychologist Clotaire Rapaille to run focus groups with customers that involved getting in touch with their subconscious, what he called "the reptilian brain." To do so, participants would talk about cars for a couple of hours, then lie on pillows in a dark room and write about the imagery that came to mind. This, claimed the psychologist, led to several hit Chrysler models including the PT Cruiser, that spoke to our buried Jurassic passions.
Today, Chrysler's paring with Fiat has brought us the Fiat 500, a car that codes for "prey" in the reptilian brain and wouldn't look more mammalian if the windshield washer nozzles expressed milk. Yet Fiat has a secret stinger waiting for those who think the 500 just sucks with this, the Fiat 500 Abarth.

The funny name comes from Karl Abarth, an Austrian-born motorcycle racer who survived long enough to stop doing insane stunts like racing the Orient Express 800 miles in a motorcycle sidecar. After his racing career ended, Abarth decided to spur others to speed by taking the 20-hp postwar Fiats and crafting bolt-on parts that would transform them into screaming track monsters, under the symbol of a scorpion, his zodiac sign.

For a corporate entity, Fiat has stuck closely to Abarth's gonzo-lieri blueprint of how to make its vehicles sporty. The 500 Abarth's motivation comes from a turbocharged version of the 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine pumped to 160 hp and 170 lbs.-ft. of torque, a 60-hp gain on the everyday 500. The suspension gets lowered and toughened, the brakes upgraded, the interior redone and the dual exhaust tuned to buzz like an angry junebug on a string, just as Karl liked it. Fiat says 60 mph arrives in 7.5 seconds of pedal pushing, two seconds and change faster than the regular edition.

On the road, that exhaust buzz can get tiresome after a hundred miles or so, but in every other respect the 500 Abarth improves on the driving manners of the 500 without compromise. The 500's tall roof lessens the anxiety of driving a 12-foot-long vehicle around semi trailers, and the power from the MultiAir comes on at a low enough level that constant stirring of the five speed isn't required for hillclimbing. Top speed of 130 mph arrives with no drama, or so some guy from a semi-monthly motoring magazine told me.

Fiat execs maintain the 500 Abarth could do duty as a track-day race car, and to prove their point put dozens of writers on a Nevada race track to showcase its handling. It sounded ridiculous, like running the Iditarod with a pack of beagles, but the 500 Abarth makes a case for turning its wheels in anger.

2012 Bentley Mulsanne Diamond Jubilee Edition

Bentley is honoring the Diamond Jubilee by offering 60 unique Mulsannes. The exclusive models, unveiled on the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, are limited edition, unique examples of quality craftsmanship and elegant design.
Each of the 60 cars are set to represent a year of HM's reign as Queen, with handcrafted, bespoke embroidery depicting the Royal Carriage and gold-stitchings in the lining.

Highly polished, beautifully designed stainless steel plaques on the tread-plates have been commissioned for the Jubilee edition models and set to feature the famous Bentley script and declare each of the 60 vehicles as a 'Diamond Jubilee Edition'.

True to the Bentley Mulliner tradition, each of the Diamond Jubilee models features a vast spectrum of paint colors that distinguishes them from standard Bentleys. Stylish shades and combinations of the Union Jack colors (red, blue and white) underlines the British connection along with two distinctive Bentley badges on each of the D pillars.

Performance

The twin-turbo V8 6.75 liter engine has a power output of 505 hp at 4200 rpm and an impressive 752 lbs of torque at approximately 1750 rpm. The Mulsanne is capable of going from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and 0-99 mph in just 11.5 seconds. The top speed is at 184 mph.

Decorative Features

2012 GSC Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG Kit

Finishing specialists, German Special Customs, have developed a new aerodynamic assembly kit designated with the nickname 'Stealth' to fit the current AMG CLS63 models.
The sportiness and elegance of the AMG remains, the additional aerodynamic accessories are subtly nestled into the outer body.

However, the kit makes the front of the AMG CLS63 series look a lot more aggressive and gives the impression of a broader frame thanks to the new bumper, new hood and other accessories. The bumper features integrated daytime LED running lights.

German Special Customs make their mark clear on the grill which has been proudly decorated with their emblem.

Engine

A broad shaft in the new engine hood ensures the hot air produced by the 5.5 liter Biturbo V8 engine is disposed of appropriately. Additionally, the broadness of the AMG CLS63 is accentuated via new side skirts and new mud guards.

It's not just the front end that has been styled into a more aggressive looking machine. A new rear bumper, built with an integrated diffuser, made from carbon fiber, air outlets and a four-pipe steel exhaust system with angular end-pipes also adds to the aggressiveness.

Performance

As well as the many aerodynamic component upgrades, the CLS63 AMG has also received a performance upgrade to 750 hp and it can now achieve a maximum of 848 ft lbs of torque produced by V8 Biturbo engine displacement.

To achieve the additional 225 hp, an additional water cooler, a larger set of turbochargers and a new exhaust has been added. The additional power output means that the CLS63 can go from 0-60 mph sprint in 3.7 seconds! Maximum speed is said to reach 217 mph.

Click & Clack retire from “Car Talk” after 35 years of chump stumping

For 25 years, millions of listeners have tuned their radios every weekend to hear two MIT-trained brothers talk about rusty Dodge Darts, settle automotive bets between spouses and concoct puzzlers in the third half of their show, the most popular hour of NPR programming. Today, Tom and Ray Magliozzi announced they're retiring from "Car Talk" this September -- but you should expect to hear them on the radio for years to come, whether you want to or not.
According to NPR, the brothers say time has finally convinced them to stop pretending to work and worry full time about boat payments, what with Tom Magliozzi turning 75 this year. The duo has been taping "Car Talk" from WBUR in Boston for 35 years, and have grown their banter into a sizable business with Website, merchandise, newspaper column and even a short-lived animated series.

The duo fell into public radio as a way to drum up business for their repair shop in the late 1970s. "We were doing it for nothing. And we did it for years for nothing. And one day we decided to ask them for 20 bucks apiece a week," Tom Magliozzi told CBS in 1995. "And, I mean, we agonized over this for the... 'Well, they'll never give us 20 bucks a week.' And they gave us 20 bucks a week. And we said, 'We're in Fat City.'"

At its peak, "Car Talk" generated more than 30,000 callers a month, and ran on nearly every NPR radio station nationwide. As everyone who's ever listened to the show knows, "Car Talk" is a comedy with some automotive advice on the side. The weekly banter honed by the Magliozzis over decades of radio, old cars and divorces matches that from any great comedy duo in broadcast history. And for the occasional embarrassments captured in the weekly "Stump the Chumps" feature, the car advice was often not just accurate but fearless; Click and Clack aren't afraid to call a car junk nor drown some mechanic's costly repair estimate in shouts of "bogus!"

2012 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster, and how to spend that Facebook IPO: Motoramic Drives

Car critics seem to live the life of Riley. Exotic machines dropped off at the curb daily and so forth. Truth is, most of time it's straight-forward people movers, frugal, well-built machines that rock neither the pocket book nor the soul. But not today.
When the black on black Aston Martin rolls up, a spawn of James Bond and Catwoman, you know what it feels like to be a new Facebook bazillionaire, suddenly rich enough to on a whim buy a small Caribbean island or a new 2012 Aston Martin V8 Vantage.

But then I look up the model's base price: $118,000? OK, not chump change, but a price that's less than half of Aston's road-rocking DBS. Sure, you're missing four cylinders in the V8 Vantage, but you've got the same rakish looks, snarling exhaust note and valet cache that says "I'm not following the herd."

And what a herd it is. With the 2012 V8 Vantage Roadster, Aston has deliberately jumped into a snarling pit of sub-$200,000 exotic convertibles, which includes the likes of the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet ($149,000), Mercedes SL65 AMG Roadster ($150,000), Maserati Gran Turismo Convertible ($136,000) and Audi R8 Spyder ($171,800). Our test car slotted right into that crowd at $148,395, thanks to that rag top and options such as a paddle-shift transmission, premium audio and the like, presenting a pampering if not overly luxe package that returns respectable EPA scores of 14mpg city and 21 mpg highway.

"The V8 Vantage is deliberately the most accessible of all our models, designed to appeal to someone who might have a full garage of high-end cars but wants a nice daily driver," says Matthew Clarke, brand communications manager for Aston Martin, which since 2007 has been run by a consortium of British and Kuwaiti investors.

The typical Aston buyer? "Self-made for starters, and the Aston is their reward," says Clarke. "Our buyers wear their designer labels on the inside."

Breakthrough driver’s mirror eliminates blind spots without warping the world

Ever since Ray Harroun first bolted a mirror to his car so he could see what was behind him during the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911, drivers looking back have had to deal with the blind spot where the mirror couldn't reach. Many automakers offer cameras and even radar to monitor that spot, but a new mirror developed by a Drexel University professor could offer a stunning and safer view without electronics -- and it's closer than it appears.

The mirrors on the driver's side of every modern car have a field of view of about 15 to 17 degrees wide -- the angle between two adjacent numbers on a clock face -- offering a narrow slice of what's going on behind the car. It's easy enough to make a mirror that curves for a wider field of view, as passenger-side mirrors do, but that curve distorts the image, which is why passenger side mirrors always warn riders that objects are closer than they appear.

Blind spots remain one of the larger dangers posed to drivers; a 2008 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimated that if all cars were equipped with some kind of blind spot monitoring system, the nation would be spared 457,000 crashes a year. But such systems have only begun to filter down from luxury vehicles, and previous studies have shown it takes up to two decades for a new safety feature to spread through the majority of cars on the road.
Andrew R. Hicks, a mathematics professor at Drexel, came up with a compromise that doesn't require video cameras. Instead of bending the mirror like a piece of paper, Hicks says he designed a surface that acts like thousands of tiny disco balls, whose reflections are focused by a new algorithm "so that each ray of light bouncing off the mirror shows the driver a wide, but not-too-distorted, picture of the scene behind him."

Ram heavy-duty pickup catches fire in federal crash test

New cars and trucks have advanced to the point where most U.S. government crash testing offers a perfunctory four or five stars for protecting passengers from head-on and side impact crashes. But a new test of the 2012 Ram 2500 heavy-duty pickup resulted in not just an unusually low rating, but smoke and fire from the truck after the crash -- the only such incident in a vehicle tested this year.

The head-on crash of a Ram conducted in March by a contractor for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration followed the standard procedure for all such tests. Using a crash dummy for an adult man in the driver's seat and an adult female in the passenger seat, the vehicle is towed at 35 mph into a hard barrier. By measuring the forces on the dummies during the test, researchers can estimate what kind of injuries real passengers might suffer in severe front-end crashes.

The outcome wasn't good news for the Ram, with NHTSA giving it only two stars for driver protection -- meaning the driver is more likely to suffer injuries in a typical collision -- and three stars for passenger safety. Only one other vehicle tested so far by NHTSA this year also received two stars for front-crash safety, the 2012 Acura TL.

Shortly after the test, NHTSA says, "smoke and flames were observed from the engine compartment." None of the available NHTSA photos or videos captured the fire, but this picture of the truck's engine compartment after the crash does show signs of burning around where the radiator smashed into the Hemi V-8 engine. NHTSA says the fire caused it to look for any reports of fires after crashes in Ram pickups between 2006 and 2012, but that it did not see "a safety defect related trend."

Carroll Shelby remembered by hundreds of revving sports cars in a “Moment of Noise”

Among all the tributes to hot-rod and racing legend Carroll Shelby, I'd vote this one the most appropriate. Staged on the grounds of the San Jose Mercury News last week, hundreds of Shelby Cobras, Shelby Mustangs and other cars bearing his imprint burned through a few barrels of gasoline in what organizers called a "Moment of Noise." Hear the thunder below.

“Bentley” convertible on eBay conceals a different winged automaker’s work

In these hard times, everyone feels the need to save where they can. If you're accustomed to driving a Bentley Continental GTC convertible, the $200,000 sticker price of a new model might seem too much for your neighbors to bear. Why not consider this "Bentley" for sale on eBay, with a bid just one-tenth the price of a new one? It's not a real Bentley, but the original Michigan-built convertible also had a winged badge on its hood.

Located just two hours west of its namesake Florida city, underneath what looks like a well-crafted copy of Bentley bodywork lies a 2003 Chrysler Sebring, which the seller says has just 134,000 miles on its chassis. The ad unearthed by Carscoop includes a lengthy list of upgrades for viva la Bentley, and there's a claim of all original badges, fully functional lighting and $3,000 in wheels. But the upgrade list ends at the interior, which not only gives away the Chrysler heritage -- namely a 2.7-liter V6 where a W-12 should reside in the engine bay -- but sports a good-size tear in the driver seat, nothing a good cover from Pep Boys couldn't take care of. The trunk photo also shows some unfinished business relating to the relocated battery.