Filed under: Convertible , Performance , Etc. , BMW 2010 Veritas RS III - Click above for high-res image gallery After an eight-year buildup, the Veritas RS III has finally slithered into series production in Grafschaft-Gelsdorf, Germany. Just like the Dutch firm Spyker, Vermot AG has resurrected the post-war German racing marque that sold a few road-going versions of their racers to a handful of lucky enthusiasts. Now, the new company is doing less racing and more street scorching, and the RS III is its first foray into the world of production cars. In Monterey this past August, we caught our first glimpse of the finally-ready-for-production Veritas RS III . With its newly revised front end (now with 50 percent more serpent!) it looks even more like a BMW Z8 on acid. Which is totally appropriate, because this retro rocketsled is powered by the same 5.0-liter V10 engine found in the M5 supersedan. With 500 hp propelling a scant 2,400 pounds, the 30 insane lucky folks who plunk down a million bucks for one of these can look forward to a 0-100km/h dash of just 3.2 seconds and a top speed of more than 215 MPH. That's Enzo-like performance for an Enzo-like price, but it offers ten times the exclusivity -- not to mention Veritas started operating the same year as Enzo Ferrari in 1947. The difference is that this serpent lay dormant for almost 50 years, getting ready to strike.

Filed under: Coupe , Tokyo Motor Show , Nissan , Motorcycle , Specialty , Alternative Fuel Nissan Land Glider Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery Concept cars tend to push the boundaries of what is and isn't possible with a four-wheeled vehicle. Such is the case with the Nissan Land Glider -- a 47-inch cross between a motorcycle and a car, with an enclosed cabin, a glass canopy and passenger compartment that leans into turns for added stability -- going on display this week at the Tokyo Motor Show . Usually, such far-out-there concepts make the auto show circuit before being abandoned somewhere in the corner of a dark, dingy warehouse, but perhaps not this one. According to Automotive News , there are some inside the Japanese automaker that suggest the fully electric car could slot into the company's upmarket Infiniti lineup, possibly even making it to the United States. If that happens, the Land Glider may be a single-seater, as the concept's single rear passenger perch may not make it through safety testing. We'd be pretty surprised to see a production Infiniti Land Glider that keeps the concept's unique layout, but it certainly wouldn't be the only strange-looking eco-friendly automobile to hit the market. We'll see... Gallery: Nissan Land Glider Concept [Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req'd] REPORT: Nissan Land Glider could come to the States as an Infiniti originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

Filed under: Performance , Nissan 2010 Nissan GT-R - Click above for high-res image gallery Hot on the heels of reports, brought to you by British car site PistonHeads upon their visit to the Nissan's Ring-side test facility, of updates planned for the current R35-generation Nissan GT-R comes another report detailing the Japanese automaker's plans for the next-generation R36 model. With competitors lining up to challenge the current GT-R's performance benchmark, Nissan's senior veep for global product planning, Andy Palmer, confirmed that plans are underway to succeed Godzilla with a next-generation model. The R36 will, according to the report, carry over the current model's twin-turbo V6, but with enough modifications to keep it ahead of the pack. The new GT-R is expected to hit the road by 2013 at the latest. Beyond that, Palmer didn't disclose many details, except to say that Nissan is committed to the GT-R program and won't be letting the Porsche 911 GT2 alone without a fight. Gallery: Review: 2010 Nissan GT-R [Source: PistonHeads ] REPORT: Next-gen Nissan GT-R in the works for 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read

Filed under: Etc. , Honda , Hyundai , Nissan Old Hyundai Excel print ad. Nobody's laughing at Hyundai today. Japan's automakers know a threat when they see one, and based on their words, it sure isn't in Michigan. Motown is fleeting image in the Japanese carmakers' rearview mirrors, which they're now nervously checking for a budding South Korean juggernaut. Honda CEO Takanobu Ito minced no words when he told the Associated Press, "Hyundai is awesome. They are undoubtedly a threat because their products are cheap, and the quality is improving." The numbers seem to bear that out, as Hyundai and its corporate sibling, Kia, continue to show substantial sales chart improvements in key markets like the Europe and the US, where it continues to show strong growth while many other automakers look at double-digit shortfalls year-over-year. Nissan's Shiro Nakamura echoes Honda's Ito when it comes to identifying Japan's new boogeyman, "Hyundai is the biggest threat for the Japanese automakers. They have the technology, but they seem to have cheaper labour." Hyundai, once basically a joke (we all remember such legendary products as the Excel, pictured above), is catching the Japanese by beating them at their own game -- offering a mix of value and quality that's hard for shoppers to ignore. Japan knows it needs to defend itself, too.

Filed under: Videos , Humor Cheer Beer Parking Space Ad - Click above to watch the video after the break We've all been there. Is there anything more maddening than when you and three of your best buddies head out on the town for a day of merriment, only to find that there isn't a single spot anywhere on earth in which to park your car? Boy, that really grinds our gears. Of course, when that elusive parking spot finally does magically appear out of thin air, a great deal of rejoicing is in order. And beer. Lots of ice cold beer. What could possibly be better? Click past the break to watch the video and visit veryfunnyads.com for more. [Source: veryfunnyads.com ] Continue reading VIDEO: Funny Car Commercial of the Day: Cheer Beer and the elusive parking spot VIDEO: Funny Car Commercial of the Day: Cheer Beer and the elusive parking spot originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

Filed under: Coupe , Performance , Nissan , Rumormill 2010 Nissan GT-R - Click above for high-res image gallery The GT-R is already one of the most devastatingly fast cars on the market, but the speed-hungry record-breakers at Nissan aren't about to rest on their finely calibrated laurels. According to a report from British car site PistonHeads, upon their visit to the Japanese automaker's testing facility at the N

Filed under: Government/Legal , Safety , Toyota According to Bloomberg , Toyota has been ordered by Texas Judge T. John Ward no to destroy any of its crash data, and research projects related to product liability or crashworthiness. The temporary restraining order, which is in effect until after a October 7 hearing (at which it will be determine if the order should be extended), stems from allegations from former Toyota lawyer Dimitrios Biller that the Japanese automaker withheld evidence in over 300 rollover lawsuits. Ward wrote of his decision "The court finds an immediate threat of irreparable harm in that, under the allegations, a threat exists that evidence material to this case would be destroyed or altered." As is typical of most companies being sued for what could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars, Toyota isn't commenting for the most part. Toyota spokesman Mike Michels only says that the company feels it acted appropriately in the lawsuits. While Biller's suit is big in its own right, there is a lot at stake if the former Toyota attorney wins the suit. Lawyers are already looking to reopen cases which were previously settled or rejected for lack of evidence. Dallas area lawyer Todd Tracey has asked Ward to reopen several cases which were either settled or rejected, and there are likely other lawyers and injury victims lining up to do the same. [Source: Bloomberg ] REPORT: Judge orders Toyota not to not destroy car crash information originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .

Filed under: Coupe , Performance , Japan , Tokyo Motor Show , Nissan , Rumormill , Luxury The development of an Infiniti version of the Nissan GT-R has been more on-again, off-again than couple on an NBC sitcom. But while the jury deliberates over that project, fresh rumors from Japan once again suggest that Nissan is planning to unveil a more luxury-oriented version of the existing GT-R at the upcoming Tokyo show. Reportedly called the SpecM, the exclusive GT-R is tipped to pack the same aero kit and rims as the ultimate SpecV, but with a softer suspension and further customization options for discerning customers. Unfortunately, that's all we've got right now, together with the rendering above, so we'll just have to wait another couple of weeks until the curtain raises in Tokyo for more. Stay tuned. Gallery: Nissan GT-R SpecV [Source: Carmode via CarScoop ] Rumormill: Nissan to debut exclusive luxury-oriented GT-R SpecM in Tokyo? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read

Filed under: Truck , Government/Legal , Safety Research shows that a driver can be as much as 23 times more likely to get into an accident if he or she is texting while driving. New legislation in Washington aims to ban texting while driving by forcing states to adopt the federal mandate or risk losing federal highway greenbacks. One group is fighting the legislation, and it's not teen drivers or multimedia addicts, it's our nation's truck drivers. Truckers, the guys who drive around in 18 wheelers which take 2-3 times as much road to stop when compared to the typical car, often have touch screen computers on the dashboard and keyboards on their laps. They use the multimedia tech to map routes and converse with dispatch, saving minutes (and money) in the hyper-competitive shipping business. Drivers told The New York Times that they're all but forced to communicate with such computers, as pulling off the road to send a message can cost their companies $1.50 per minute, and the driver risks having his or her pay docked. Clayton Boyce, spokesman for the American Trucking Associations, called the bill "overkill," going so far as to say that banning such devices "won't improve safety." But safety advocates counter that the measure would effectively be underkill, and they have some stats to back up their argument: Heavy trucking deaths in the U.S. have steadily climbed over the past decade, as big rigs now account for 12% of all highway fatalities (4,808 deaths in 2007) versus 11% (4,777) in 1997 - in spite of the fact that passenger cars and trucks are now far safer than they have ever been. Americans like low prices, and fast, efficient shipping helps keep costs in check. And at the same time, we like to be safe and sound as well, and truckers looking down at a keyboard while driving a 40-ton truck 60 mph just a few feet from strikes us as hazardous to our nation's health.

Filed under: Aftermarket , Coupe , Performance , Europe , Mercedes-Benz Lorinser SLS AMG Gullwing Rendering - click above image for hi-res gallery Much of the discussion in Frankfurt centered on our personal "best of show" car. Going into the show, it would have been pretty safe to assume that the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG would have been the run away winner. What's not to love? 571 hp, essentially mid-engined (you should see how far back that engine sits in the chassis), gullwings -- its got everything. But up close, something about it left us... a little cold. It's probably the headlights. So our best of show group decision went to the E63 AMG Wagon . There's something so very right about 500+ horsepower wagons. But maybe Lorinser could help steer our affections back to the Gullwing?