Month: June 2014

Admit it — when you get your dream supercar, you’d take good care of it, not even let a fly scratch it, even love it more than your girlfriend or wife (sometimes).

Apparently, not everyone has this thinking. A 40-year old entrepreneur from Thailand apparently believes he had too much of a good thing, as he crashed his Lamborghini Gallardo. Bad enough? Just look at how it was ripped in half. Yes, that bad. Definitely cringe-worthy.

The driver said he was traveling at around 93 mph in heavy rain when the accident occurred. I believe this may qualify as “too fast for the conditions.” The resulting impact was enough to break the car in two, a fact he apparently didn’t realize until he stepped out of the passenger compartment, essentially unscathed, and saw the car’s rear end sitting in the street. Rescue crews found him talking on his phone when they arrived on the scene.

But maybe the driver can chalk his walking away from the shunt up to more than luck: The newspaper also reports that he stopped at a temple before the crash, where a friend recommended he wear a Buddha amulet before setting off on his drive. He did so, and here we are. Whether it was plain old good fortune or a higher power looking out for him, he lives to drive another day. Just not this particular Gallardo.

Just another “oh no he didn’t just do it to a Lambo” moment, we guess.

It’s confirmed — Toyota and BMW are co-developing and launching a convertible sports car.

According to Toyota official Tetsuya Tada, who is the model’s chief engineer, the much-debated — and eagerly anticipated — ride from the two auto giants is a convertible since it’s a more viable business as opposed to coming out with a GT 86 Convertible. The latter won’t be launched due to Europe’s economic downturn corroborated with slow U.S. sales of the coupe which wouldn’t justify the added costs.

While there are no confirmations yet as to what power the car will adopt, Toyota is expected to build it with a front-engine layout. Rumors are rife that this model will revive the iconic Supra moniker.

Will the Toyota-BMW sports car resemble anything like the Toyota FT-1 concept as shown in the picture? Watch out for more details here.

Undeniably,  when Herbie — a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle — emerged as a serious contender in racing competitions, at least in films, we all fell in love with him. Having a mind of his own and is capable of driving himself, Herbie has established itself as a wolf in sheep’s clothing, besting other cars that most will consider race-worthy.

Well, fans of the Love Bug will be happy to know that Volkswagen has unveiled a truly wicked racing Beetle — and genuine this time.

The Beetle GRC rallycross car will be Tanner Foust and Scott Speed’s steed in the Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship. The 1.6-liter turbo four has been cranked to a baffling 544 hp, all of which gets to the ground via a six-speed sequential gearbox and an all-wheel-drive system.

A custom suspension with 9.1 inches of travel and massive brakes should help the car contend with the rigors of the rallycross course. Volkswagen also threw some fancy bodywork at the car, including the obvious rear wing and the more aggressive front fascia.

We guess the next question is — will we be seeing this version here on our local roads?

Chevrolet seems to be redefining cockpit luxury, basing on the photos the company released recently at Auto China.

The 2015/2016 Cruze looks much mor upscale than its predecessor, boasting high quality materials and showing better attention to detail.

The model pictured is obviously a high-end variant but we can see saddle brown leather upholstery, chrome accents and piano black trim. There’s also a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, ice blue ambient lighting and a MyLink II infotainment system with an eight-inch display. Last but not least, there’s a “butterfly-shaped center console” that promises to provide “intuitive, user-friendly operation with clear functions at a glance.” As we have previously reported, the Chinese-spec Cruze will be offered with a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine and a naturally-aspirated 1.5-liter unit. They can be connected to a six-speed manual, a six-speed automated manual and an all-new seven-speed DCG dual-clutch gearbox.

For months, the motoring world has eagerly anticipated for legendary racer Michael Schumacher’s recovery from an unfortunate skiing accident.

Now, good news for all his fans: the 45-year old former Mercedes and Ferrari driver is no longer in a coma. He has left the hospital in Grenoble, where he has been admitted since December.

Schumacher will now “continue his long phase of rehabilitation” elsewhere, the statement added.

The statement thanked hospital staff for their “excellent job”, and also those who have sent the seven time world champion “good wishes”.

“We are sure it helped him,” said Schumacher’s management.

“For the future we ask for understanding that his further rehabilitation will take place away from the public eye.”