VIDEO: 2010 Ferrari F450 Mule Caught Testing

Looks can be deceiving. What appears to be a modified F430 in this video is in fact a test mule of Ferrari's forthcoming F450 supercar sporting new hardware under the current generation model's bodywork. The F450, which is set to be revealed at this fall's Frankfurt motorshow, will be powered by a direct-injection V8 engine producing somewhere north of 500 horsepower. Get a taste of the new Ferrari revving its V8 powerhouse on the track and on the road in the two-minute-long video after the jump or click here to read more details on the new Prancing Horse model.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Teen Allegedly Crashes Audi S4 at 155mph, Police Supposedly Find Video Evidence on Youtube

According to a report from 'Channel 3000', a Middleton High School teenager driving an Audi S4 was involved in an accident that occurred earlier this month on a highway south of Verona. While there's nothing surprising about that, here's where the story gets interesting. It is reported that before the crash, the youngster was going 155mph or 250km/h and that one of the passengers recorded his 'accomplishments' on video which he then uploaded on Youtube.

The report goes on to say that the video was discovered by the police and that the authorities are "consulting with the district attorney about additional charges - possibly reckless endangerment because passengers were in the vehicle."

Truth is, we're kind of cautious about the details. For one, it is said that no one was injured during the crash - something that we find extremely hard to believe if the accident happened at a speed even remotely close to 155mph.

Furthermore, the video on Youtube shown here is not the original, it was uploaded by another user claiming that the original had been removed. We also checked the press releases from Dane County Sheriff's department and the Dane County Government, but didn't find anything on the specific crash/incident. We're not saying it didn't happen this way, but we'd like to see something more official before we make any conclusions.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

VIDEO: Foolish Cop in Patrol Car Chases Running Suspect in Apartment Complex

Sometimes there are no words to describe the reckless actions of people whose job is to serve the law without breaking it themselves. Take for example Lance Cpl. Alexander Richardson, a South Carolina trooper (Phil, we're expecting a comment) that was caught on video bumping a running suspect with his patrol car inside an apartment complex (!) in April 2007.

We don't know what the man did, but we do know that the trooper's actions were dim-witted as they not only posed an unnecessary danger for the suspect but even more significantly, for any innocent bystanders that may have been in the complex - can you imagine what would have happened if a kid was playing around in the area?

And while you'd expect a harsher punishment for the trooper, according to the Associated Press, a federal judge on Tuesday approved a deal that requires Richardson to perform around 100 hours of community service. Sounds more like a baby slap to the hand if you ask us.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

VIDEO: 2010 Corvette Grand Sport Walkaround and Talkaround

Last week, GM took the wraps off the new 2010 Corvette Grand Sport model in front of a crowd of 'Vette owners and devotees. The folks over from Corvetteblogger participated at the event and shot a couple of live videos of the Grand Sport that you can check out after the jump. Available in both Coupe and Convertible forms, the new Grand Sport model pays homage to the 1963 racing model. Among other features, it comes with wider fenders that house chunkier alloy wheels and a race-spec suspension with revised shock, stabilizer bar and spring specifications.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

VIDEO: Bertone Mantide Presentation at Shanghai Auto Show

We've pretty much summed up our feelings about John Castriota's Corvette ZR1-based Bertone Mantide in our previous post here, so we're not going to get into the design discussion again. Just hit the jump to watch to watch the coupe's presentation from the Shanghai Auto Show earlier this month, and don't forget to lower the volume of your speakers because you're probably going to get as annoyed as we did the music background.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

VIDEO: How to Instantly Fail a Breathalyzer Test

There's no need to spoil the surprise by telling you what happens in this short video, but rest assured you're going to crack up laughing. And even though we haven't the slightest idea of what the police officer or the drunk old man are saying, the video itself is worth more than a thousand words...

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

VIDEO: Lamborghini Diablo Crashes in Front of Crowd

This is one of those videos that you know is going to get a million hits on Youtube. During a racing event of some sort in Europe, an overly confident Lamborghini Diablo driver attempts to make a flashy exit from the starting point and amuse the crowd by pushing the pedal to the metal as he turns into a side road only to lose control of the 'raging bull' smashing it on a parked truck....

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

VIDEO: 2011 BMW M5 Gone in 12 Seconds

This 12-second long video hypothetically shows a prototype version of the next-generation BMW M5 sedan that's expected about a year after the introduction of the new 5-Series Sedan and Touring models in 2010. There's no way of being 100 percent sure if it's an M5 or not, but it certainly sounds the part. The new M5 will be powered by the same 555HP 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine found in the X5M and X6M sporty crossovers.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Aussie Homage to the Holden Torana GTR-X: A Lost Opportunity

Take a close look at this car; ain't it a beauty? Even though it was conceived precisely four decades ago, the wedge-shaped Holden Torana GTR-X is classic example of how less can be much more when it comes to design -take note Mr Jason Castriota. Believe it or not, the Torana GTR-X was actually designed by GM's Australian division to enter production in 1970. The concept was to create a low volume sports car using inexpensive tooling and parts straight off the shelf.

In particular, when Holden gave the green light for the development of the Torana GTX-R in mid-1969, the Australian automaker's engineers decided to base the sports coupe on the running gear of the production Torana GTR XU-1, a compact-sized model which had its origins in the British Vauxhall Vivas of the mid 1960s.

The two seater was fitted with the standard's Torana XU1's 186 cubic inch or 3.0-liter straight six that generated an output of 160HP at 5,200rpm and 285Nm or 210 lbs-ft of torque at 3,300rpm. Power was channeled to the rear wheels through a four speed manual transmission. Weighing in at just 1,043 kg or around 2,300 pounds, the GTR-X reportedly posted a top speed of 210km/h or 130mph during testing.

Despite its humble underpinnings, the Torana GTR-X boasted a striking and uncluttered exterior design with an elongated front end that hosted a pair of pop-up lights and a low wedge-shaped grille. The 'wedge' theme continued at the rear-end that featured an elevated tail light assembly. The body was made out of fibreglass.

The Aussie coupe's interior styling matches the simplicity of the exterior design with the most prominent features being the machined aluminium instrument panel and the high-backed sports seats.

As you can see from the brochure below, Holden was very serious about putting the Torana GTR-X into production as the company built several prototype models and even went as far as making a promotional film on the car only to pull the plug at the last minute amidst concerns on the financial viability of the project. All we can say is what a shame...

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

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Official Brochure of Holden Torana GTR-X

VIDEO: Russian SWAT Team assaults wrong Porsche Cayenne...

Owning an expensive and somewhat uncommon vehicle like the Porsche Cayenne can have its downturns sometimes, especially if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time. In this video that has been making the round of Russia today, a SWAT team was tipped off about a group of criminals driving a dark colored Porsche Cayenne. Only problem is that a few minutes before the criminals arrived at the point where the SWAT team was waiting for them, another dark Cayenne with similar license plate numbers passed by...

As you can see in the video below, the poor guys in the first Cayenne were attacked by the Russian SWAT team which released them a few minutes later after they realized their mistake. What's even more amazing is that the SWAT team cleared the scene in minutes and actually managed to catch the real criminals in the second Cayenne!

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

VIDEO: 2010 Audi Q7 Facelift in Motion

The hard-working folks from Ingolstadt have released the first official videos of the facelifted Q7 SUV that made its world premiere at this week's Shanghai Auto Show. Hallmark features of the 2010MY Q7 include a series of not so noticeable cosmetic updates here and there along with a new energy recovery system that helps reduce fuel consumption and a revised version of the 4.2-liter V8 TDI diesel engine that now churns out 340HP. Hit the jump to watch the refreshed Q7 in action.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Bertone Mantide based on Corvette - Really, it's not a Chinese Concept...

Don't you just love the media's double standards? If its Chinese, it's junk, if its Western European or American it's a masterpiece. Excuse me, but the first thing that came to mind upon seeing Jason Castriota's Corvette ZR1-based Bertone Mantide Concept was 'hey, this thing looks like it came straight out of the design studio of some random and gawkily named Chinese automaker'. Sure it captures your attention as any concept sportscar would do, but this ain't no Italian beauty... Those that disagree with us may -and should- leave their thoughts in the comment section below.

Even though we may not find its design alluring -at least in the classic Italian sense, compared to the Corvette ZR1 donor car, drag has been reduced by 25% to Cd 0.298 while there's also a 30% improvement in down force.

Bertone claims that the Mantide also promises greater performance than the ZR1, due to significant weight savings, achieved through the extensive use of carbon fibre for all body panels, interior trim, seats and even the wheels. The result is that the overall vehicle weight has been reduced by 100 kilos or 220 pounds over the ZR1.

Equipped with the Corvette ZR1's 640Hp supercharged V8, the Mantide sprints from 0 to 62mph (100km/h) in 3.2 seconds and has a top speed of 351km/h (217mph).

The Mantide made its global debut at the Shanghai Auto Show.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com