Exactly a month ago to this day, Saab announced a deal with China's Pang Da Automobile Trade Co. and Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile Co while also revealing a grand plan for expanding its range with three new models, the 9-1, 9-6X and 9-7. It also delivered its first 9-4X in the US. All’s well that ends well, right?

Well, in Saab’s case it looks like we haven’t seen the end just yet. The Swedish firm continues to face a cash-flow problem. Thus, it issued a press release concerning the subscription notice for 5 million shares under a €150 million agreement between Swan and GEM Global Yield Fund Limited.

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If there was ever a prize for the most spied car this year, it should go to the new Porsche 991, which we will come to know as the latest generation of the 911. Our spy shooters have caught up with a variety of prototypes ranging from the standard Carrera coupe all the way up to the Turbo Convertible.

This time they snagged what looks to be either the Carrera or the Carrera S, possibly in final production trim as the car was fitted with the white protective strips we normally find on vehicles that are to be transported. There's also a tag on the passenger seat, but we couldn't zoom close enough to make out what it says.

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Do you know how many people have tried to imitate the driving tricks of the Dukes of Hazzard in real life over the years? As you may have already guessed, the answer to that question is countless - as are the accidents related to these types of stunts.

In this edition, we have a doppelganger in a General Lee Dodge Charger replica trying to jump over a copy of Sheriff's Roscoe P. Coltrane patrol car. And while our driver managed to pull off the jump-over-the-vehicle part he failed miserably in the landing portion of the stunt.

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Since the beginning of July, Infiniti has been releasing a teaser photo of its new 2013 JX luxury crossover every single week and will continue to do so until the official unveiling at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance event in Monterey, California, on August 18.

For this week's menu, we get the fifth picture that shows the 7-seater model's rear end in all its glory but nothing else more. You can check out the rest of the images of the 2013 Infiniti JX right after the break.

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What you’re about to see in our latest video find is one very stubborn and irresponsible driver and an equally persistent (but evidently responsible) police officer.

The incident purportedly takes place in rather congested area of Algeria when the driver of a white colored, older generation Renault Megane refuses to conform to the traffic officer's instructions.

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We all know about the merits of electric vehicles but have you ever wondered how it would really be like owning one and driving it on a daily basis?

In collaboration with the British government, the BMW Group launched a trial program in the UK with 40 pure-electric MINI E cars given to 62 citizens and 72 pool users over two six-month periods, from December 2009 until March 2011.

Now that the trial period is over, MINI and the Oxford Brookes University, which undertook the research, have released their findings.

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In the 1970s, the must-have automotive accessory was the fuzzy dice. Forty years later, it is the in-car GPS / satellite navigation system. It has as effectively replaced the seat pocket map book as the Apple iPod has replaced the Sony Discman.

Now, GPS / sat nav users are playing a potentially dangerous new game whereby they attempt to “beat” their portable / in-dash unit’s estimated time of arrival. It’s a game where things like road rules, speed limits and other drivers are mere impediments to “winning” the game.

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The Chrysler Group has issued a recall on 299,718 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans from the 2008 model year to fix a problem that could cause the airbags to deploy unexpectedly.

The automaker said that the issue is related to the Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) modules that controls the airbags. According to Chrysler, the OCR module may have been exposed to moisture. If this happens, it could lead to the airbag warning light going on while in some cases, the airbag could deploy for no reason.

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Ford's India subdivision announced today that it sold 71,347 units from January 1 until July 31, which corresponds to a 45% increase compared to the same period of 2010 when it delivered 49,131 units.

The Detroit firm wants to further increase its presence in the country and has announced the signing of an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the State of Gujarat to invest approximately $1 billion to build two new plants in addition to the one in Chennai, for vehicle and engine manufacturing on a 460-acre site in Sanand.

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The Lotus Elise and Exige will soon be a thing of the past for North American fans of the brand (though both cars will continue to be offered in other markets), but if our spies prove to be right, the British firm is already cooking up a replacement, at least for the Exige coupe.

Our man with the long lens snagged these pictures of a mid-engined Lotus prototype during testing. But how can we be sure that this the Exige, we hear some of you ask?

Well, the test car does not bear any resemblance to the recent Lotus concept models shown in Paris last year so given the prototype's shape and size, the most plausible explanation is a replacement for the Exige.

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American-based design house Scagliarini Motorsports has unveiled its latest creation, the 504 Coupe Zagato Elaborata, or 504cze. As the name implies, the car is inspired by Zagato’s 500 Coupe concept that was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show last March. Read more »


It is known for some time now that Lotus is going to axe the Elise roadster and Exige coupe from its North American lineup by the end of August due to Toyota's decision to stop production of the 2ZZ 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine that powers the two models.

Fans of the Elise and Exige in other markets around the world including Europe need not to worry as the two cars will continue to be available as they are fitted with a new 1.6-liter four-cylinder unit.

To mark the end of production for North America, the British firm has announced the release of three Final Edition [FE] models. Lotus said will build and import into the US and Canada 15 examples of the Elise SC FE, 25 of the Exige Matte Black FE and 30 units of the Exige S260 FE.

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Under the supervision of an official Guinness World Records [GWR] adjudicator, German driver Ronny Wechselberger, also known as "Ronny C-Rock" (be careful with the spelling here…), set a new record earlier this year for the world's tightest parallel parking.

Mr. C-Rock was able to slide his VW Polo with the help of the handbrake into a parking space measuring just 26 cm’s (10.24 inches) longer than that of his vehicle. Even though the record was set in April 2, 2011, the Guinness World Records officials released the video today.

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Ferrari president, Luca di Montezemolo, has stated that he expects the Scuderia to win more races this season. And this despite the fact that in the 11 first races of the year they have won only once, with Fernando Alonso in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Alonso lies fourth at the Drivers’ championship and his teammate Fernando Massa sixth, trailing championship leader Sebastian Vettel by 89 and 164 points respectively with just eight races remaining. In the Constructors’ championship, Ferrari is in third position, with 215 points, trailing Red Bull (383) and McLaren (280).

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Precisely two weeks remain for the official presentation of the all-new 2013 Lexus GS 350 on Thursday, August 18th at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and the Japanese automaker decided it's time to enter the teaser photo game with the release of a single, partially blacked out image of the mid-size luxury sedan.

There's not much to say about the Lexus sedan from the photo other than that it looks a lot like the LF-Gh Hybrid concept we saw at this year's New York Auto Show.

For those of you that would like to see a bit more of the new GS than what Lexus has to offer, hit the break to watch the first test drive videos of the car by U.S. magazines Motor Trend and Road & Track.

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Mazda has announced that orders for the subtly revised Mazda Demio, or Mazda2 as is known overseas, in its first month of being available in Japan have far exceeded their initial target. Specifically, from June 30, when the Demio became available, until July 31, orders have reached 13,500 units, more than double Mazda’s initial estimate of 6,000. Read more »


The Cadillac-related announcements keep dropping in as after the release of a teaser photo of the firm's entry-level compact sedan codenamed ATS, GM revealed that we're also going to see a flagship luxury sedan model added to Cadillac's range in the Spring of 2012.

We will come to know that model as the Cadillac XTS and it will replace both the current STS and the DTS, the production of which was terminated this year.

General Motors may not have published a teaser photo of its Cadillac range-topper in the sedan category but the Detroit firm said it will be modeled closely after last year's XTS Platinum concept study adding that the final production model will be revealed in the coming months – obviously either in LA this November or Detroit in January 2012.

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We've been following the news for a very long time but General Motors is finally ready to give us our first taste of Cadillac's new entry in the premium sport sedan segment codenamed ATS with the release of an official –albeit shadowed- photo.

The new entry-level Cadillac which may or may not keep the ATS moniker when it arrives in the market next year, will go up against Germany's finest including the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class as well as the Lexus IS range.

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The countdown for the highly anticipated 2011 Frankfurt auto show in the second week of September has begun and carmakers are trying to keep us on our toes with enticing teasers like this invitation from Alfa Romeo.

Shown on the Italian firm's Facebook page, the teaser is about the new 4C mid-engined sports car that was previewed as a thinly disguised concept study at this year's Geneva Salon.

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Following the news on the presentation of its subtly refreshed 2012 FX, Infiniti also released detailed pricing on its luxury SUV before it goes on sale in October.

The facelift brings an increase in pricing for the base FX35, FX35 AWD and FX50 AWD models which now start from $43,450 (+$850), $44,900 (+$850) and $59,350 (+$1750) respectively, not including a destination and handling fee (*) of $895.

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ECU tuning specialist Superchips has released a new software upgrade for the UK market Ford Fiesta Zetec S. In factory tune, the Ford's 1.6-liter Ti-VCT twin independent cam timing engine delivers 120-horsepower.

After Superchip's engineers optimize the engine control unit (ECU), the four-cylinder powerplant gains an additional 10 bhp at 5,986 rpm and 13 Nm of torque at 4,390rpm.

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The 2+2 coupe is a long-standing tradition in motoring. The Porsche 928, Lamborghini Espada and Ferrari 330 GTC all adhered to this formula with impressive results.

UK designer Julliana Cho’s Porsche 929 concept study builds on this tradition while also weaving aerodynamic styling, the brand’s design heritage and an innovating car sharing program into the mix.

The 929’s theoretical dimensions make it smaller than the Porsche Panamera but larger than the 911. Aside from the design itself, what makes the 929 stands out from the pack is Cho’s imaginative (though possibly impractical and expensive) car sharing scheme.

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Fiat's engineers are putting the final touches on the third generation of the Italian firm's best-seller in the mini segment, the Panda, which will make its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September before going on sale in select European markets by the end of the year, with the rest to follow in early 2012.

If you're weren’t content with our recent spy photographs of the prototype 2012 Panda, you might want to take a look at this video that was said to have been filmed in Napoli, Italy.

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Last Sunday night BBC aired the sixth and last episode of Top Gear Season 17. In this 60-minute episode we saw a lot of things, but what impressed us more is that they drove not one, but two Lamborghini Aventadors.

Richard Hammond sat behind the steering wheel of a white Aventador and came to a rather controversial conclusion (see, no spoilers there), while the Stig took a red colored example of the V12-powered Lamborghini for TG's customary power lap.

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Just a couple of days after we brought you a first look at Mercedes-Benz's sporty looking small sedan that will probably carry the CLC nameplate when it enters production in 2013, we have a fresh collection of scoop photos.

The rakish looking CLC is a spin-off of Mercedes-Benz's new A-Class family using a long wheelbase version of the latter's MFA platform. Think of the CLC as a much more affordable version of the CLS four-door coupe featuring a similar design applied on a smaller package.

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Security consulting firm iSec Partners warns drivers that thieves could exploit smart phone apps that allow the unlocking and starting of cars remotely.

Researchers Don Bailey and Mathew Solnik have hacked the protocols some of these apps use and demonstrated how they can take advantage of them using a laptop.

According to Mr. Bailey, the whole process of hacking and improvising the signals these apps send – what he dubs “war texting” – can take as little as two hours.

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Chevrolet announced today that it is installing solar-powered electric charging stations at two dozen dealerships in North America as part of its Green Zone initiative.

The new units will generate enough electricity to fully-charge 12 Chevrolet Volts a day, while excess electricity created will be used to power the dealership, supplementing their power needs. According to the Detroit automaker, each canopy generates enough electricity for up to 4,500 charges per vehicle annually.

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It's that time of the year in the U.S. that automakers launch their new model year lineups. For the Infiniti FX, the luxury crossover enters the 2012MY with some mild styling changes inside and out along with new standard features and the presentation of a limited edition version.

The visual refresh concerns a new front grille and fascia design that is influenced by the Essence Concept and which we will see all future Infiniti models, plus a revised meter illumination with a more pronounced white appearance.

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Say goodbye to the 2010/2011MY Accord Crosstour and hello to the 2012MY Crosstour as Honda decided to drop the Accord moniker from the name of its high-riding liftback for the new model year.

The name may be different but there aren't any significant changes besides some additional standard features and new color options over the previous model year version.

The Crosstour continues to be available in two trim levels, the base EX and the better-equipped EX-L.

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You have to admit that the Karma, Henrik Fisker’s extended-range electric sports sedan with a celebrity clientele and 3,000 firm orders, has already had its fair share of coverage on this site. And that’s before it even goes on sale.

However, Fisker’s $100,000 sedan is an intriguing car. Not just for its sensual lines, the gorgeous interior or the way it is promoted, but because it promises to deliver a supercar experience the “green way”.

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One of Carscoop's alert readers managed to scoop these two photographs of what we believe to be a prototype of the next generation of the BMW 3-Series sedan out testing in Los Angeles.

This is the sixth generation of BMW's hugely popular sports sedan model. Aside from the evolutionary styling changes, the big news for the F30 3-Series is the introduction of a new range of four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engines with a displacement of 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter delivering between 135HP and 245-horsepower.

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The US could host two Formula 1 races by 2013 if a proposal for a second Grand Prix in New Jersey goes ahead. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, mayors of New Jersey townships Weehawken and West New York are already discussing plans with private investors in order to organize an event in about two years’ time.

The project is about a street circuit on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River. And NYC’s skyline would make for a wonderful background. In addition, it relies solely on private investors, so taxpayers will not be asked to pay a penny (or so it is claimed).

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We first reported on Mercedes-Benz's Frankfurt auto show-bound Viano Vision Pearl Concept just last week, but since then, the German automaker has released a slew of new photos detailing the luxury people carrier. Read more »


We've already had our first taste of the upcoming 2012 Toyota Camry through some video footage shot during a dealer presentation in Las Vegas back in June, but today, the Japanese carmaker released the first official teaser of the mid-size sedan via its Twitter account.

All we get for now is a cropped image showing a 3/4 view of the 2012 Camry's edgier styled front end and the promise for "more info on the upcoming launch" soon.

We'll keep our eyes and ears open for any updates as the new Camry is scheduled for launch this fall and will post them as they come through. In the meantime follow the break to check out the full-size image.

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Sibling rivalry: every family faces it, at one point or another. And what are automotive groups such as General Motors if not one, big (and bailout-happy) family? Platform and parts sharing is the name of the game in order to reduce costs and maximize profit margins. But what happens when two brands, like Opel and Chevrolet start to overlap each other?

Having introduced five new cars in the past 18 months and on the verge of launching a major TV, print and digital campaign this summer to celebrate its centennial anniversary, Chevrolet is trying to become more premium.

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The Hennessey-prepped Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT600 is once again in the center of attention of the Bulgarian design firm Vilner. Back in October 2010, the company had launched its first take on the Hennessey Grand Cherokee SRT600 that packs a modified V8 engine fitted with a "Vortech" turbo system for an output of 600-horses.

For its second go on the Jeep, Vilner completely revamped the interior with red and black Alcantara combined with black leather trimmed in red seams. The company says it also designed a new flat-bottom steering wheel with its shape customized to fit the owner's personal preferences.

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Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne gave a speech today at the 2011 CAR Management Briefing Seminars. He quoted philosopher Albert Camus, talked about the reason geese fly in a V formation (they create uplift for those that follow, thus extending their range by 70%) and even used an excerpt from Alice in Wonderland, specifically a dialogue between Alice and the Queen in “Through the Looking Glass”.

Marchionne did all this to convey the message that he feels vindicated. For effectively taking over Chrysler, for receiving the bailout money when most were skeptical or openly opposed it (and paying them back six years before schedule) and for wanting to merge the American group with Fiat.

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Plug-in hybrids seem to be all the rage these days, from Chevrolet’s Volt to Nissan’s Leaf and the soon to be launched in the U.S. market, Toyota Prius Plug-In. And there are many more vehicles capable of running on electric power to follow.

However, their owners must not forget to charge them, usually overnight, or they’ll wake up next morning and discover they’ve run out of electric juice. In addition, they need to know their way around with the charging cords –not an easy task as any computer geek knows very well.

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A new sport package has been added to the available options for buyers of Maserati's GranTurismo S Automatic in Britain.

This Sport pack is said to enhance the GranTurismo S Automatic's performance by adding the MC Auto Shift software that allows for faster gear changes and a revised exhaust system, which keeps its bypass valves fully open in Sport mode to provide what the company describes as "an even richer sound".

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As we are nearing closer and closer to the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, which will be held for the public from September 15 to 25, automakers are slowly releasing more details about their plans.

Today, Ford revealed that it is planning four global product presentations in Frankfurt including "a new design concept" and what the company described as "details of the next Focus performance car".

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