Etc. auto news

Official: Brabus turns its attention to custom jets

If you're looking to give your Mercedes-Benz an added dose of performance, look no further than Brabus. The aftermarket tuning house specializes in customizing Daimler's finest, and doesn't stop at upgrading the engine and running gear, either. With packages like the iBusiness suite, Brabus will turn your S-Class, for example, into a 219-mph high-tech office on wheels. In other words, it'll make it more like a private jet. But what if you want your jet to feel more like your customized Mercedes? Brabus can help with that, too.

The new Brabus Private Aviation division is set up in response to customer demand and follows a similar project launched recently to outfit yacht interiors. It allows discerning and well-heeled clients to either retrofit the cabins of their existing private jets or commission the accoutrements to be fitted to new aircraft direct from whatever aerospace concern is building their new private jet.

The focus is on both luxury and business capabilities, which Brabus is currently displaying with two concepts at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Geneva. Scope 'em out in the high-resolution image gallery above, the press release below and the dedicated website beyond the link.

Continue reading Brabus turns its attention to custom jets

Report: Pininfarina turns first net profit since 2004

Automotive News reports Pininfarina projects it will turn a profit for 2012, thanks in part to debt restructuring. The Italian design studio hasn't seen a profit in eight years, but signed a deal in April to restructure $182.6 million in debt. The move effectively stretched the studio's repayment deadline from 2015 to 2018. At the same time, Pininfarina announced it will likely see an operating loss this year, but a one-time gain of $57.6 million will result in the net profit. Last year, the company lost $8.3 million in the first quarter, though that figure has dropped to just under $4 million during Q1 2012.

Pininfarina also saw its net revenue increase by $2.9 million. The company designs vehicles for manufacturers the world over, including makes like Ferrari, Maserati, Rolls-Royce and Cadillac, though CEO Silvio Pietro Angori recently announced China is set to become the studio's largest market this year. That title was previously held by Germany.

Spy Shots: Supercharged Jaguar F-Type R spotted testing?

Our spy photographers appear to have grabbed the first glimpse at Jaguar's upcoming F-Type R. Judging by the not-so-subtle "F" camouflage and quad exhaust outlets, odds are this is the more high-strung version of the next convertible from Jaguar. What exactly is under the hood? That remains to be seen, though early reports suggest its something other than the tried-and-true blown 5.0-liter V8 we've come to know and love. The base F-Type will get along with a turbocharged V6, and the brawnier R model will likely bow with something packing eight cylinders and power figures in the neighborhood of 500 horsepower.

So, when can we get our hands on this creation? A final launch date is murky at best, though there is some indication Jaguar could hold onto the V8 F-Type until later in the model's lifecycle, but doesn't quite dovetail with the fact that Jaguar is already road-testing the machine. Chances are we'll see the F-Type R earlier than expected.

Official: Toyota GT 86, Lexus LFA racers ready for N"urburgring 24 Hours

Toyota and Lexus are gearing up for this year's Nüburgring 24 Hours. The two companies plan to take to the track with a total of five entries, including four Toyota GT 86 race cars and one Lexus LFA. Prepped by factory tuner Gazoo Racing, the LFA will compete in the SP8 class while two of the GT 86 models will go fender-to-fender in the SP3 class. Those will be joined by two more GT 86 racers built by Toyota Motorsport and competing under the Toyota Swiss Racing Team banner in the V3 class for production vehicles.

Gazoo Racing has already had a little fun at the Nüburgring this year. While competing at two shorter events at the legendary track, the LFA took home two wins. This year's 24-hour endurance race kicks off this weekend, May 17-20. The even will be streamed online here and here. Scroll down for the quick press release.

Continue reading Toyota GT 86, Lexus LFA racers ready for N"urburgring 24 Hours

Video: Watch Genki Hagata pull off the world's greatest motorcycle save

We officially have a new motorcycle hero. Genki Hagata rolled his Yamaha YZF-R6 out onto the track during the second AMA Pro Supersport qualifying session at Sears Point recently. Partway through his out-lap, the bike lost traction in the rear before abruptly regaining it. We likely don't need to tell you that scenario almost always results in a one-way ticket off of the saddle in a not-so-glorious highside. But not for Hagata. The racer exhibited nothing less than super-human strength by clamping onto the handlebars and holding on for dear life.

Miraculously, it worked. After the bike settled down, Hagata managed to cling to the machine as it rode upright until he was able to fling himself back into the saddle. The guy's efforts kept the Yamaha off of the asphalt, but cost him a spot on the grid. Hagata missed the cut-off by a few tenths of a second. Still, we haven't seen heroics like this in a long spell. Scroll down to check it out for yourself.

Continue reading Watch Genki Hagata pull off the world's greatest motorcycle save

Report: Tata Nano to rub shoulders with priceless iron in Jay Leno's Garage

It looks as if Jay Leno has welcomed a Tata Nano to his Big Dog Garage recently. The comedian even went so far as to don traditional Indian garb and hire a troop of Bollywood dancers to mark the occasion.

Details are scarce at the moment, but judging from the photos that have shown up on Leno's Facebook page, it looks as if we'll see the machine on an episode of "Jay Leno's Garage" sometime soon. The car boasts a white paint scheme with the Indian tri-color laid over the rear doors and hood. Whether or not Leno actually bought the machine remains unclear.

The comedian took the time to bow for the cameras and place his hands together in the "Namaskar" greeting. We look forward to seeing the full episode. In the meantime, check out the behind-the-scenes photos in the gallery.

Video: Canadian motorist hits moose, loses memory, yet makes it to work on time

We will cop to having arrived at work suffering from memory loss, but never from hitting a moose. At least not that we can remember, anyway.

It's a story that verily defines "news of the weird," courtesy of CNN: A Canadian woman not only hit a moose with her car on her way to work, she drove some 25 miles after the collision, unaware that she had struck the beast. But this was no glancing blow. The force of the impact killed the moose, but not before it had shattered the windshield and peeled back the roof of the Michelle Higgins' Chrysler Sebring.

The woman was traveling on the Trans-Canada Highway in Newfoundland, according to the report, when the accident occurred. When Higgins arrived at work - on time, mind you - she had blood streaming down her face and was unaware of what had transpired. Her injuries included two broken bones in her neck, bruises, a hoof print on her forehead... and memory loss. Scroll down to watch the remarkable video report from CNN.

Continue reading Canadian motorist hits moose, loses memory, yet makes it to work on time

Crushed Ferrari makes for world's most tragic coffee table

This post isn't for the weak of stomach or faint of heart. The sad truth of being an automotive enthusiast is that we're all hoarders on some level. We yearn to collect various bits of paraphernalia plucked from our favorite race teams and derelict junkyard hulks. Now Charly Molinelli Design has elevated our pack rat tendencies to high art. Or at least clever interior design. Using the cubed remains of an indistinguishable Ferrari, the designer set about crafting a coffee table that doesn't look like it belongs tucked away in a tacky man cave.

Behold, the Crashed Ferrari Table. The designer calls wedging the squared remains into the glass case "a dead hero placed into a coffin." Sounds fitting to us. There's no word on how much one of these would cost you if you wanted to take it home. Then again, there's something more than a touch depressing about seeing all that red crammed into a pine box. Head over to the Molinelli Design site for a closer look at the table's creation.

Report: Salon columnist asks, "Is it ethical to drive stick?" [w/poll]

Just don't answer. The question is neither relevant, nor is it even the crux of the column. Get past the clicky smelling headline, and what you have here is a combination of two news stories, one new and one old, both of which you've likely already come across.

We're going to play nice here and not knock over Salon columnist David Sirota's house of cards, because this is a good read and he's a talented writer - even if, off the top of our heads, we can name several popular vehicles that offer a fuel economy benefit to those willing to row their own, from the Volkswagen Jetta to the Chevrolet Sonic to the BMW 3 Series. But the guy does have a point that's probably of great benefit to many Salon readers: If a smug sense of superiority is what you're after, opting for a manual transmission is no longer a sure bet. (Locally sourced organic produce and craft beer, for the win!)

In the end, Sirota is smart enough to come to two conclusions that most of us would agree to. The first being that driving a manual is fun, and the second, that it's hard to text while steering, operating all three pedals, and working that stick.

On second thought, maybe you should answer with a simple 'yes' or 'no'. See below for our completely unscientific poll.

View Poll

Report: Salon columnist asks, "Is it ethical to drive stick?"

Just don't answer. The question is neither relevant, nor is it even the crux of the column. Get past the clicky smelling headline, and what you have here is a combination of two news stories, one new and one old, both of which you've likely already come across.

We're going to play nice here and not knock over Salon columnist David Sirota's house of cards, because this is a good read and he's a talented writer - even if, off the top of our heads, we can name several popular vehicles that offer a fuel economy benefit to those willing to row their own, from the Volkswagen Jetta to the Chevrolet Sonic to the BMW 3 Series. But the guy does have a point that's probably of great benefit to many Salon readers: If a smug sense of superiority is what you're after, opting for a manual transmission is no longer a sure bet. (Locally sourced organic produce and craft beer, for the win!)

In the end, Sirota is smart enough to come to two conclusions that most of us would agree to. The first being that driving a manual is fun, and the second, that it's hard to text while steering, operating all three pedals, and working that stick.

On second thought, maybe you should answer with a simple 'yes' or 'no'. See below for our completely unscientific poll.

View Poll