A Mazda MX-5 On Steroids: Australia’s V8 Engined Bullet Roadster

In the late ‘90s, Australian John Bettini unleashed onto the word the Bullet Roadster. What begin life as a heavily modified Mazda MX-5 with an RX-7 13B powerplant gradually evolved into a V8-engined monster like the one you see here that we found for sale in Queensland, Australia.

According to the seller, this was the fifth Bullet Roadster built and the first V8-engined one to roll out of the company’s then new Chinderah, NSW factory. It’s all hearsay, of course, but I’m willing to believe the words of a 62yo motoring enthusiast with arthritic knees. So here goes...

Bullet No. 5 was a special order from a man named George Covacic who supplied a 4.6-liter all-alloy, fuel injected V8 crate motor along with a Tremac 5-speed manual transmission and the differential from a Holden Commodore SS. Like all Bullet supercars, the brakes and suspension came from the Mazda RX-7.

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DARPA Selects XC2V to Replace HUMVEEs [with Video)

The trusted HMMWV (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle), or as the troops (and everyone else) understandably calls it, Humvee, is getting a little long in the tooth, having entered service for the first time in 1984.

So it’s reasonable that DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) started looking for a suitable, and more up-to-date replacement with the Experimental Crowd-derived Combat Support Vehicle project –or, in civilian-speak, “the first crowd-sourced, military relevant vehicle design”.

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2012 BMW M5 Touring Artistically Imagined

Now that we’ve seen what the new 2012 BMW M5 sports sedan looks like, it’s time for some talented hands to shape the Touring version that may or may not follow in the future as the Bavarian company has not yet revealed any plans for a high-performance station wagon model. Read more »

VIDEOS: “Monster” Tajima Breaks 10 Min Record at Pikes Peak with 910-hp Suzuki SX4

Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima has broken his own record at this year’s Pikes Peak Hill Climb, completing the 12.42-mile (19.9 km) “Race to the Clouds” in just 9:51.278, demolishing the 10:1.408 time he set four years ago.

“Monster” Tajima, who has being racing at Pikes Peak every year since 1988, accomplished this extraordinary feat driving an extremely modified Suzuki SX4 with 910-horses. Second fastest was Rhys Millen in the modified Hyundai PM580, with a time of 10:09.242.

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Tell Him He’s Dreaming: £200,000 / US$320,000 for a Parking Space

Behold Britain’s most expensive parking space: 284 square feet (26 square metres) of concrete in an underground car park in Knightsbridge, West London. There’s a separate entrance and exit driveway and 24 hours a day, 7 days a week remote access and security. The price is just…£200,000 (US$319,460) for the first nine years, then another £710 (US$1,134) a year for the next ninety.

Though at just 33 pence an hour, the price is some ten times less than what most people pay to park in Knightsbridge. Still, they don’t have to keep paying for the next 99 years. Though Harrods Estates Asset Management, which brokered the deal, refused to name the buyer for confidentiality reasons, the terms of sale stipulate that the buyer must live within 400 metres (1,312 feet) of the parking spot.

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Scion Introduces Updated 2012 tC and New tC RS 7.0

It’s only been eight months in the market but Scion has already announced a 2012 model year version of its latest tC sports coupe. Leaving aside the equipment upgrades for the basic model, the most important news for the 2012MY is the launch of the first release series for the second-generation tC sports coupe. Read more »

Camal’s Retro Sexy Fiat 500 Marcia Corta

What happens when two people who share their passion for sports cars and motorbikes meet under the right circumstances? It depends, but if we ‘re talking about two Italians, Alessio Minchella (designer) and Alessandro Camorali (surface and product development) who met in 2010 while working at Pininfarina, the result is a new company, Camal, and a new product. Read more »

Fail: Wile E. Coyote’s Long Lost Cousin goes Rock Climbing

When common sense goes out the window, you can usually expect one of two things to follow: tragedy or comedy. What you’re about to view in the video after the break could have turned tragic, but since it appears that no one was seriously hurt, we’re going to categorize it as comedy. Read more »

Volkswagen to Build Two New Plants in China

The Chinese government has given, as expected, the green light to the Volkswagen Group for the building of two new automotive plants in the cities of Foshan and Yizheng. The final approval for the project was signed today, June 28, in Berlin during a meeting between Chairman of VW’s board, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, and the Presidents of the Chinese partner companies. Read more »

New BMW 6-Series GT Four-Door Coupe Spied in the Wild

Not too long ago, we brought you official design sketches of the production version of last year’s BMW Gran Coupé Concept. Now, our man with the long lens has captured an actual prototype that is production ready with only a few splashes of BMW’s traditional swirly camouflage covering its sides and rear end.

BMW’s first ever attempt to rival the Mercedes CLS in the so-called four-door coupe segment will most likely carry either the 6-Series GT or 6-Series Gran Coupé moniker.

Whatever the name, the sporty looking sedan model will share its underpinnings with the new 6-Series and of course the latest 5-Series, which forms the basis for BMW’s flagship coupe and convertible models.

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Anderson Germany Turns Ferrari F430 Spider into Scuderia Spider 16M

A new alternative tuning proposal for owners of the Ferrari F430 Spyder has been released by Anderson Germany. The design house has created a package that brings the brings the regular version closer to the flagship edition of the series, the F430 Spider Scuderia 16M.

The transformation begins on the outside with a new aero kit comprising of a front air dam, side skirts and a rear apron. Anderson Germany then finishes the car in a new color called Hyper Black and adds pin stripes in the form of carbon fiber accents with a yellow border.

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BMW Turbocharges X1 SUV with New 2.0 liter Gasoline and Diesel Engines

BMW is extending its smallest SUV’s range by adding two new engines to the X1's line-up. The first unit, which will be available this autumn, is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine producing 184HP and 270 Nm (27,5 kgm) from 1,250-4,500 rpm.

The compact crossover will be available in both rear and four-wheel drive versions bearing the sDrive20i and xDrive20i designations respectively, and which accelerate from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 7.4 (sDrive) and 7.8 (xDrive) seconds.

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Greenpeace wants to Turn VW Away from the Dark Side, Launches Spoof Star Wars Ads

The rebel alliance from…Greenpeace launched a coordinated attack against the Volkswagen Group this morning by airing spoofs of the German firm’s now famous mini Darth Vader commercial, taking over advertising hoardings to install their own banners on billboards located in London and unleashing “eco-storm troopers” to protest on London's Old Street.

Greenpeace went ahead with the attack to draw attention to its concerns over the German company’s ecological record.

The environmental activist group claims that the car giant is “spending millions of Euros every year funding lobby groups who are trying to stop Europe increasing its commitment to greenhouse gas reductions from 20% to 30% by 2020” and calls Volkswagen to turn away from the Dark Side.

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Renault Fluence Z.E. Priced £17,850 OTR after £5,000 Plug-In Car Grant in the UK

Following the announcements on UK pricing for the Kangoo Van Z.E. and Twizy, Renault today confirmed prices for its third pure-electric model, the Fluence Z.E. ahead of its launch in the market in 2012.

The four-door, five seat Fluence Z.E. saloon will carry an on-the-road price of £22,850, which drops to £17,850 (US$28,500) after the £5,000 UK Plug-In Car Grant has been deducted.

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Saab Secures Further Funding by Leasing its Property

Another day, another chapter in the ongoing saga that is the survival of Saab. After yesterday’s order from a (yet unnamed) Chinese company, which temporarily solved its cash-flow problem, today the automaker announced that it has reached an agreement with a consortium of Swedish real investors led by Hemfosa Fastigheter AB, for the sale of 50.1% of Saab Property for a period of 15 years.

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Nissan Celebrates Production of 1 Million Qashqai Crossovers, will Give Away the Landmark Vehicle

Four years, six months and 23 days after the first Qashqai small crossover rolled off the Sunderland Plant’s production line in the UK on December 5, 2006, Nissan has passed the 1 million milestone.

The Japanese automaker said the Qashqai is “easily the highest-volume car produced in the UK” adding that no other car in Britain has reached the one million mark in such a short period.

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Ferrari North Europe Brightens the Lives of 50 Special Children

On Tuesday, July 26, 50 special children will enjoy being driven around the Silverstone circuit in a Ferrari California by professional racing drivers from the British Racing Driver’s Club along with “BRDC SuperStars”, young drivers learning to be the professionals of tomorrow. Read more »

2013 VW Golf GTI and Golf R Mk7 Test Mules Scooped in Germany

Never mind the body of the current, 6th generation Golf featured on these test two Volkswagen prototypes snagged by our scoop photographers in Germany; these are test mules for the upcoming Mk7 Golf GTI and its more powerful sibling, the Golf R.

Despite the fact that both vehicles look alike at first, a closer glance shows that the GTI is the one with the twin tailpipes while the R features a quad exhaust outlets. Another important detail worth mentioning are the rear wheel arch extensions that suggest a wider rear track for both models.

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Report: New Alfa Romeo-Derived / U.S. Made Dodge Compact Sedan to Debut at 2012 Detroit Show

A new U.S. market compact sedan to be developed by Fiat and built by Chrysler is set to make its debut appearance at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in the beginning of next year, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

The as-of-yet unnamed model will be badged as Dodge and powered by a Fiat-derived 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. It’ll also do 40 mpg combined, or at least it will if Fiat wants to net itself a further 5% of Chrysler from Mr. Monopoly Uncle Sam.

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New Jaguar XF 2.2 Diesel Goes from Birmingham to Munich on One Tank of Fuel

Jaguar is touting it’s new diesel-powered XF 2.2D saloon as the most fuel-efficient model in its history and to back its claims, the company set out to complete a journey from its factory at Castle Bromwich in Birmingham, UK, to Munich, Germany, on a single tank of fuel.

The British company manages to achieve its goal, with the four-cylinder XF covering a distance of 816 miles or 1,312 kilometers on 64 liters of diesel fuel, which gives an average fuel economy of 57mpg UK, equal to 4.9 lt/100km and 47.5 mpg US.

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Mazda’s Legendary 787B Le-Mans Winner to Race at Goodwood

It’s been 20 years already, yet it feels like yesterday when Mazda in 1991 became the first, and to date, the only Japanese manufacturer to win the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. The weapon of choice was the rotary-engine-powered 787B, which sported a carbonfibre body, an output of 700 PS and a 210 mph (338 km/h) top speed. Read more »

Yes Please: Porsche 911 with GM LS1 V8 Power [Videos]

By taking a kitbashed GM-sourced LS1 V8 engine and slotting it into an AWD Porsche 996, LS1tech forum member “1dirtyZ” has set out to create something truly unique. Sure, it’s unconventional and perhaps a little sacrilegious...but just look at the Porsche donor car.

It’s a wreck, the victim of a catastrophic engine fire. It has a ruined interior and a body that’s been damaged both by fire and rust. It would have spent the rest its days rotting away in a car wreckers yard if 1dirtyZ had not rescued it.

And even though this confabulation of All-American grunt and German precision engineering is not yet finished (it doesn’t have a rear bumper, for one), it certainly runs and can even be driven around a dirt race track. You can check out our gallery of in-progress images below and a handful of videos showing the V8-powered Porsche 911 running.

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New Jeep Grand Cherokee Lands in the UK, Available Exclusively with 3.0 V6 Diesel

Jeep claims that it has created the premium SUV market almost 20 years ago with the first generation of the Grand Cherokee (though Mercedes’ M-Class may actually have a better claim on the word “premium”, but whatever…). We’ve already seen the latest iteration of Jeep’s iconic 4x4, and we must admit that, on paper at least, it looks like a significant leap forward from its predecessors. Read more »

Rolls-Royce Crafts One-Off Phantom Drophead Coupé Special with Bespoke Details

If your run of the mill Phantom Drophead Coupé is just too darn common, then you may want to take a look at this one-off special that will go on display at the Masterpiece London 2011, which is held in the South Grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, UK, from Saturday 30 June to Friday 5 July 2011. Read more »

Sacha Baron Cohen gets Glitzy Gold Dartz for the Needs of his New Movie The Dictator

After becoming worldwide known for his portrayal of the fictional character Borat from the Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, and the lesser successful flamboyantly gay Austrian fashion show presenter, Brüno, English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen is returning to the big screen with a new movie called The Dictator.

And what may that have to do with a car site, we hear you ask? Well, for one, we’re going to see him facing off three Lamborghinis with his camel on the streets of New York, but most importantly, we learned that the dictator he portrays will ride in an “all-gold Dartz” armored truck.

For those of you with a weak memory, the Russian maker of the Dartz Prombron had made headlines about a year ago when it introduced a special version of the armored truck with its interior slathered in…whale-penis leather.

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