A group of ex-Soviet stunt drivers are taking the law into their own hands in a bid to get their viral internet videos noticed by Hollywood.
The group, known as Need For Drive, are taking extreme risks on public roads in Georgia to film Youtube videos reminiscent of classic Hollywood car chases.
Driving in peak hour traffic, the videos show drivers threading through traffic at high speeds, crossing onto the wrong side of the road, and ‘drifting’ through busy intersections.
Such is the group’s popularity, one video has collected 2.6 million views in the past two months.
The group’s leader, Giorgi Tevzadze, says he hopes the videos will help attract the attention of Hollywood filmmakers.
“If we get noticed by from someone from Hollywood, we will be able to offer a variety of scenarios connected with street racing and to perform extreme maneouvres,” he told UK paper the Daily Mail.
“Those may include chasing a vehicle or racing with two or more cars in traffic. Our team can perform any scenario connected with vehicles while driving at the highest possible level.”
Unsurprisingly, Mr Tevzadze revealed he is regularly fined by traffic police, but still has a valid driving licence.
Just two months from the launch of its new VF Commodore, Holden will cut 500 jobs from its plants in South Australia and Victoria.
The company will cull 400 positions from its Elizabeth plant in Adelaide, while a further 100 positions will be axed from its product development operations in Victoria.
The cuts, which come just months after a further 170 jobs were axed for similar reasons, are a reaction to slow sales of the Commodore, which have dropped to record lows.
Holden’s other locally-built car, the Cruze, is also struggling.
Holden’s Managing Directionm Mike Devereux, has blamed the strong Australian dollar and fierce competition from foreign brands for the nosedive in sales.
Holden employs around 2200 staff at its Elizabeth plant in Adelaide.
Love the looks and performance of the BMW M6 Coupe, but need the practicality of four doors?
Think the iconic M5 super saloon is just too cheap?
BMW has the answer.
The brand from Munich has just released a third variant to its tyre-shredding M6 range – the M6 Gran Coupe.
Gallery: BMW’s all-new M6 Gran Coupe
Weighing in at a hefty $299,500, the four-door Gran Coupe sits in the middle of the M6 range (the coupe is 292,500 and the convertible is $308,500) and sports an extra set of doors, rear sunblinds for the rear windscreen and windows, plus unique 20-inch M alloy wheels.
The 412kW twin-turbo V8 engine remains the same, boasting enough grunt to propel the Gran Coupe from 0-100km/h in just 4.2 seconds.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via a seven speed dual-clutch ’box, while fuel usage is quoted at 9.9L/100km.
But with a mechanical package near identical to the M5, which costs a gobsmacking $70,000 less, you’ve got to wonder why buyers will foot the extra cash?
Electric cars are boring right?
Environmentally friendly vehicles designed by people with trees for thumbs and dirt for brains.
Not any more.
American car maker Detroit Electric has given the electric market a much needed jolt of excitement, unveiling this – the world’s fastest electric car.
Officially called the SP:01, this Lotus Elise lookalike will hit 250km/h and go 305km/h on a single charge.
It’s a car designed to take on the Fisker Automotive – a hybrid-electric sportscar made by Paypal mogul Elon Musk.
Just 999 examples of the SP:01 will be built, with production scheduled to begin in Detroit in August.
And as for the price? Detroit Electric says it will cost in excess of US$100,000.
Expect that figure to be significantly higher if it makes it to Australia.
The 97th running of the world-famous Indianapolis 500 motor race is happening next month, and Chevrolet has debuted a special edition ‘Hot Wheels’ version of its Camaro muscle car to coincide with the warm-up to the event.
All 33 directors of the six week festival, leading up to what they claim as ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’ received the keys to their Indianapolis 500 Chevrolet Camaros, and their road presence in and around Central Indiana will remind residents that ‘Indy’ is just around the corner.
The special, one-time production run, Camaro Hot Wheels Edition is the first time a full-size, production Hot Wheels car has been offered for sale by any manufacturer.
The original Custom Camaro 1:64-scale toy from 1968 was one of the original 16 Hot Wheels issued, and remains one of the most valuable Hot Wheels toys among collectors.”
The Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 26.
The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is no longer officially the fastest car in the world.
The supercar – which has held the record for the world’s fastest production car since July 2010 – has been stripped of its title by the Guinness World Record team for ‘breaching the rules.’
The Guinness team has revealed the Bugatti that was tested, and subsequently set the record at 431km/h, was modified and hence not eligible.
The car in question had its speed restrictor deactivated – a key difference to the 30 Veyron Super Sports sold to the public.
Road going Super Sports are limited to ‘just’ 415km/h – something Bugatti claims is done for ‘safety reasons’.
”It has come to the attention of Guinness World Records that there was an oversight in its adjudication of the ‘Fastest production car’ which was set in 2010 by the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport,” Jaime Strang, GWR’s PR director, told UK paper the Sunday Times.
”As the car’s speed limiter was deactivated, this modification was against the official guidelines. Consequently, the vehicle’s record set at 431.072 kmh is no longer valid.
“Following this, Guinness World Records is reviewing this category with expert external consultants to ensure our records fairly reflect achievements in this field.”
The issue of Bugatti speed limiting its production cars was raised by top speed rival John Hennessey last week, after his car, the Venom GT, recorded 427.6km/h in Texas – a feat he is claiming makes the Venom GT the world’s fastest production car.
We’ll have to wait and see if the boffins at Guinness World Records agree.
Click here for our story on the Hennessey Venom GT record
A dog has run a man over in Pennsylvania, America, after taking control of a running, parked car.
Steve Kover, 52, was rushed to hospital after being struck by the moving pick-up truck, commandeered by a dog.
West York Police have established the canine, which was left in the running car, pushed the gearstick into drive – causing the vehicle to move and eventually strike Mr Kover.
Unaware of the moving car, Kover was unable to brace himself and became trapped between the pick-up truck and another parked car.
Mr Kover was struck temporarily unconscious after his head hit the ground, but was later released from hospital with no lasting injures.
A new 310kW plug-in ‘E-Hybrid’ variant, and a powerhouse twin-turbo V6 model, are highlights of the upgraded and face-lifted Porsche Panamera line-up, set to debut at Auto China in Shanghai, which opens on the 21st of this month.
The (3.0-litre V6) petrol/electric Panamera S E-Hybrid can be charged within around two and a half hours via the integrated on-board charger (connected to an industrial electrical outlet), or less than four hours when hooked up to a conventional household outlet. Porsche claims a zero-emissions, electric-only top speed of 135km/h, and a driving range of 36 kilometres.
The 308kW/520Nm V6 bi-turbo flagship replaces the previous 4.8-litre V8 engine in the Panamera S and 4S.
Local deliveries of the new models will begin in July, with pricing and exact specification yet to be confirmed.
Jaguar’s stunning F-Type has made just its second appearance on Australian soil.
The new model was on show at the 44th Jaguar National Rally held in Wollongong last weekend, with Jaguar keen to demonstrate its sporting bloodline.
The F-Type was placed alongside historic C-Type, D-Type and E-Type models – the first time all four cars have been seen together.
“The all-new Jaguar F-Type continues an enviable sporting bloodline” said Mark Eedle, Brand Manager, Jaguar Australia, “Displaying the four models side-by-side celebrates the F-Type’s sporting heritage and showcases some of the most beautiful, thrilling and desirable sports cars ever built”.
It’s a crafty PR stunt, but got us thinking – which Jag would you choose?
The F-Type goes on sale in Australia in August.
Rich Russians have developed a unique way to skip the morning traffic jam – use fake ambulances.
The super rich are reportedly paying 6,000 rubles an hour – around AUD$200 – to use specially modified, fake ambulances to blast through traffic with the siren wailing.
They aren’t ordinary ambulances either.
Each ambulance has been specially modified with opulent interiors, so customers can sip champagne and eat caviar while slicing through traffic.
The practice has become so widespread, police are beginning to stop emergency vehicles for random checks – causing what could be life threatening delays should the ambulance be real.
Still, you have to applaud the Russian’s ingenuity.
Whether it’s ethical or not is another issue.
