We obsessively cover the auto industry…

The famed 24 hours of Le Mans is not the only endurance race that lasts a full day at the iconic French track. The final round of the Endurance FIM World Championship motorcycle race series took place at Le Mans last weekend with its very own 24-hour race.

The bikers do not race the full Circuit de la Sarthe, but rather battle it out on the Bugatti Circuit, which only incorporates the Dunlop Curve and Dunlop Chicane before turning toward the infield for the next eight turns and rejoining the main track just before the pits.

This explanation is a necessary prompt to the video above. John McGuinness took to the track in a Honda TT Legends CBR1000RR race bike. He has been known for some wild on-board videos, but tearing through Le Mans – any part of Le Mans – at night is worth watching.

McGuinness and the Honda TT Legends team finished fifth at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year and fourth overall for the season. Scroll below for the video of McGuinness on this historic track.

The Peugeot RCZ has received extensive updates just in time to debut at its home ball, the Paris Motor Show. There are no changes to the overall shape, the rainbow greenhouse atop a swept back body still plenty fresh after three years, but details have been added and enhanced throughout.

The front fascia has been redesigned, the upper grille getting horizontal bars in satin chrome, the lower intake reshaped and stretched to incorporate the six outboard LED daytime runnings lights that Peugeot says are "subtly sculpted in the form of claws." Two headlight treatments will be available, either halogens set in "Aluminum" or directional Xenon bulbs set in "Titanium."

One of the most common items being added to manufacturer options lists is more options, and the RCZ is no different. Outside, Matt (no 'e,' curiously) Black joins the two other colors offered for the greenhouse arches, and customers have a choice of eight exterior colors (two of them new), three decal packs, a Matt or Satin finish carbon roof, laquered black grille bars, and ten alloy wheels in 18 or 19 inches, two of them new, in various finishes. Or they can make things easy and opt for the Black Pack, which gives the RCZ an almost comprehensive blackwash from the Matt Black roof arches to the side mirrors and brake calipers.

Inside, Peugeot Connect Navigation migrates from the 508 sedan to an option on the RCZ, bringing a seven-inch screen and all the expected audio and convenience connections as well as the Arkamys sound stage technology. Enthusiasts can choose a Sport Pack that swaps out for a smaller steering wheel, short-throw shifter and a Sound System package devoted specifically to enhancing the engine note inside the cabin.

On that engine note, powerplants in 156-horsepower, 163-hp and 200-hp outputs have carried over, but next year will see the introduction of a 1.6-liter THP four-cylinder with 260 hp. The most powerful engine Peugeot has ever put in a production car, it will debut in the matte black and copper RCZ R Concept at the Paris show, and will go into production with the RCZ R toward the end of next year. You'll find more details on the 2013 coupe in the press release below.

At the same time that Volkswagen is lowering its sales forecast for the year due to Europe's weak economy, Porsche is predicting huge business next year for its Macan.

The Audi Q5-based crossover will give Porsche entry into the same money-pool where compact luxury CUVs like the Range Rover Evoque and the Macan's donor Audi continue to frolic. Earlier, Porsche predicted 45,000 sales for the Macan when it goes on sale next year, but a report in Automotive News Europe says the sales number has been raised all the way up to 75,000.

To up the prediction for its newest model by 66 percent is a sign of massive confidence by Porsche. It's also a gamble on an overall upward trend for markets outside of Europe. Should Porsche actually hit the 75,000 unit mark, the company's global sales would benefit from a percentage gain that would seem remarkable, to say the least. Porsche sold 118,865 vehicles in 2011. Assuming the automaker could increase sales of its other product lines lines by ten percent (not an insignificant jump) both this year and next, adding 75,000 Macans to the mix would indicate a 52-percent boost to the line at the bottom that everyone loves.

If the Porsche purist in you chokes on the idea of a sea of little Porsche crossovers, just remember that each Macan sold helps pay for the return of a 928.

A few months ago, eBay Motors challenged four teams to a build-off contest to be aired on its BUILT web series. The top garages were all tasked with sourcing vehicles and parts only from eBay, transforming each machine into something special and then offering up the finished product for sale through an eBay auction with all proceeds from the sales going to charity.

Without question, each team approached the project differently. At one end of the spectrum is a spectacular Porsche 911 Rally racer, built in the spirit of the famed Rothmans 911. At the other end is a Chevrolet G20 van, inspired by World War II aircraft, complete with a NOS-inhaling V8.

Considering how much work went into each, the current prices are bargain-basement low. Get your bidding in now, as the charity auction only runs through Friday, Sept. 14.

• 1984 Porsche 911, built by GSR Autosport (charity: SEMA Cares)
• 1966 Chevy El Camino, built by Duran's Quality Painting (charity: SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund)
• 1970 Jeep Grand Cherokee Commando, built by Off Road Evolution (charity: California Trail Users Coalition)
• 1968 Chevy G20 Van, built by Mackey's Hot Rods (charity: Injured Marine Semper Fi)

Fans of the Fiat 500, Dodge Dart and Buick Verano should prepare to avert their eyes in the coming year. Those models are among 54 to be crashed, smashed and trashed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the interest of public safety.

The models in line for government testing include 33 passenger cars, 16 crossovers and SUVs, four pickups and a Toyota Sienna. NHTSA says the list covers 85 percent of all 2013 vehicles to be sold in the States. Of note are several alt-fuel Ford models like the C-Max Energi, C-Max Hybrid, the Focus Electric and the Fusion Energi. Other green cars about to hit the wall are the Nissan Leaf, as well as the Toyota Prius C and Prius V. The 2013 Fiat 500 (pictured here undergoing frontal crash testing) will presumably be subjected to its first side-impact tests.

NHTSA will also be testing safety systems like lane departure warning, forward crash warning and electronic stability control in 28 vehicles including the Acura RDX, Toyota RAV4, Chevrolet Volt, BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and A6, Dodge Dart and 21 others.

The agency will post results as they're available throughout the coming year. In the meantime, you can check out the soon-to-be hit list by clicking on the link.

Most states have some sort of "Move Over" law requiring drivers to change lanes or slow down when passing emergency vehicles that are stopped on the side of the road, and the reason for these laws is to prevent what happened to Maryland state trooper David Avila. He had just pulled over a Hyundai Santa Fe when a semi truck veered onto the shoulder, hit the parked police car and clipped Avila, who was standing next to the pulled-over vehicle.

The incident happened on June 14, and it was all captured on the cruiser's dash camera. After being hit by the truck, Avila staggered over to the guard rail before collapsing. There is no audio in the YouTube video, but you can hear what happened in the video on the Today Show by scrolling down. Just seconds before he was hit, you can hear the truck running over the rumble strips, and even after he was injured, Avila remained aware of the situation by telling the motorist to remain in his vehicle. He had injuries to his shoulder, back and leg, and the patrolman remains in physical therapy.

On top of the failure of the semi truck to move over, the motorist in the Hyundai also stopped on a part of the shoulder that was very narrow, making the situation even more dangerous for Avila. As for the truck driver, he has been identified as William Riegel, Jr. of Pennsylvania. Riegel was subsequently fined $100 for negligent driving and failing to obey the move over law.

Scroll down to watch the video and the news report of the incident. Warning: the video is a bit graphic, as it shows the trooper being clipped by the truck.

Every year since the Nissan GT-R was released it has either gotten more powerful or more expensive (or both), and the 2014 model year looks to be more of the same. Some new spy photos have surfaced showing the 2014 GT-R testing around the Nürburgring. While details on the new Nissan are a bit scarce, we can't help but wonder whether this will be the GT-R to break the 600-horsepower mark and the six-figure price tag.

According to the Godzilla fans at the North American GT-R Owners Club forum, this car is performing tire tests. The site also makes mention of numerous interior upgrades for the GT-R, including a two-tone steering wheel and red leather seats.

Based on the black tape found on this tester's front and rear fascias, we see that Nissan may be planning some mild styling and/or aerodynamic changes for the car as well.

Last we heard from Huet Brothers, the Netherlands-based custom automaker had just unveiled the designs for its new HB Coupe. Well, now we can confirm that the Huet Brothers HB Coupe and the HB Coupe Road Racer will both be produced in 2014, with the vehicles available to order now.

Since the initial announcement back in February, Huet Brothers made some changes to the HB Coupe. In place of the 3.0-liter inline-six previously planned, the cars will use a 170-horsepower, 2.0-liter inline-four to propel them from 0-62 miles per hour in under five seconds. Pricing is about where you'd expect a low-production, high-performance coupe, with stickers starting at €67,800 (or about $87,400 USD). Those looking for a bit more power can also opt for the more powerful Cosworth version of the engine that ups the output of the 1,763-pound car to 255 hp, drops the 0-62 mph time to under four seconds and increases the price to €78,500 (just over $101,000 USD).

These prices apply to both the HB Coupe and HB Coupe Road Racer with the main differences between the two being styling and driving dynamics. Both models will feature a six-speed manual gearbox, limited slip differential and rear-wheel drive. Buyers looking for a truly unique car for the track can also opt for the fully customizable HB Coupe Race.

Only 40 of these HB Coupes are being produced in 2014, and the company is also looking into availability of the cars in the U.S. and Canada. There is already a waiting list for customers in North America, but Huet Brothers is unsure if it can deliver its cars here as of this writing.

A New York City Police Department officer has been fired for a ticket-writing scheme after 17 years on the force. According to The New York Post, Paul Pizzuto wrote summonses to drivers he'd ticketed in the past, some of whom had been deceased for years by the time the citations arrived in the mail. Pizzuto says he started writing the fake tickets after command told him he needed to start writing more on top of the 125 to 150 he was already issuing. Colleagues raised concerns when they realized Pizzuto never showed up in court for the additional summonses.

The former officer pled guilty to three counts of falsifying business records earlier this year. The NYPD, meanwhile, denies pushing Pizzuto for more tickets and accuses him of trying to pad his pay with his efforts. Pizzuto claims he was improperly fired because the NYPD didn't give him a hearing over the matter. The police department, meanwhile, says he was let go because the citations were an "oath of office" offense, meaning Pizzuto wasn't entitled to a hearing.

Pizzuto was one of three officers busted in the scandal, and he not only lost his job, he received 150 hours of community service along with a docked pension.

While many gaming fans fawn over Forza and Gran Turismo, those with a thirst for all things Formula One have been quenched by the folks over a Codemasters. The video game maker has announced a demo version of F1 2012 for Xbox Live, Playstation 3 and PC.

To celebrate, Codemasters has released a new video trailer, highlighting more hi-res realistic gameplay. If you are the type of gamer that can master a demo like this in less than a day, the full version of the game will be out on Tuesday, September 18.

Check out the body damage, onboard camera angles, and real-world weather conditions that players will experience in the full version by watching the video below.

We're waiting to see the genuine Mk VII Volkswagen Golf in the steel so that people can decide which side of the fence they're on regarding its design, but we're pretty sure the Golf R will, as usual, improve upon it. A prototype of the hot version of VW's hatch was spotted in a wild camo party dress a few weeks ago, and now the snappers at CarPix have caught it again without the camo and in basic black.

The adjustments we'd expect are there, in unfinished form, such as the larger intakes in front and quad pipes in back, and the cruise-control radar gets a prominent spot in the middle of the lower intake. The all-black low-profile routine certainly ups the stealth quotient, and perhaps it's just our eyes, but the five-door seen here doesn't look as intense as the outgoing model. We'll know for sure when we get a look at it at the Paris Motor Show later this month. In the meantime, there's a high-res gallery of spy shots to enjoy.

For those who are interested in the reworked 2013 GMC Acadia, we now know how much you can look forward to forking over. Base MSRP for the 2013 version of the full-size, three-row crossover has been set at $34,875 (*not including a $825 destination charge). If you are interested in the range-topping Denali trim, be prepared to pay $46,770.

The 2013 Acadia will come standard with a backup camera, leather-wrapped steering wheel, USB port and recycled visuals from the now-dead Saturn Outlook.

Upping to the Denali trim gets you a head-up display, blind spot monitoring system and GMC's new Rear Cross Traffic Alert system. According to GMC, most trims will also receive IntelliLink connectivity as standard equipment. The Acadia will also get the industry's first front-center airbag, an innovation it shares with other Lambda-based crossovers like the refreshed 2013 Buick Enclave. The idea behind the new tube-shaped airbag is that it can provide a buffer between driver and front seat passenger in the event of an impact, or better hold the driver in place if he or she is alone.

The Acadia will continue to be powered by GM's ubiquitous direct-injected 3.6-liter V6, making 288 horsepower and 279 pound feet of torque. With standard front-wheel drive, the Acadia returns 17 miles per gallon city and 24 highway. Opting for all-wheel-drive docks just one mile per gallon from both ratings. For more information on the updated 2013 Acadia, check out the press release below.

Over 50 gas stations across New Jersey and Pennsylvania have raised the price of their fuel to more than eight dollars a gallon. They are all Lukoil stations, and their owners have raised prices in protest of practices by Lukoil North America that they say leave individual gas station owners at a competitive disadvantage.

According to a report by the Huffington Post (full disclosure: HP is also owned by Autoblog parent AOL), the protest is a response to the high prices that Lukoil apparently charges its franchise owners for fuel. The owners of the gas stations contend that they are paying more for delivery than what competing stations are charging to the public.

Sal Risalvato is a member of the New Jersey Gasoline, Convenience, Automotive Association, and is one of the owners frustrated with Lukoil. "They essentially sell the very same gasoline to stations in close proximity of each other at different prices in order to game the market and compete with other gasoline brands," says Risalvato. The result of this practice, he claims, is pricing that may differ by as much as 25 cents a gallon between a given Lukoil station and a nearby competitor. In a business where some people drive miles out of the way for the cheapest gas prices, the effects of that disparity can be massive.

Protesting Lukoil franchise owners have upped their gas prices to eight dollars a gallon and beyond to raise awareness for these practices. Lukoil, Russia's second-largest oil producer, first arrived in the U.S. in 2003. Today there are more than 500 stations throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Kevin Wale, President of General Motors in China, has announced that he is stepping down at the end of this month. Wale (inset) will be succeeded by the man shown above, Bob Socia, who is currently vice president of the company's purchasing and supply chain. The transition will take effect October 1.

Wale, 57, has also been operating as chief country operations officer in the automaker's China, India, and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) regions. Socia will take over these duties as well. Wale started his work with GM back in 1975 at the Holden brand. There, he took on the roles of director of finance as well as director of sales and marketing. He followed that up with a stint with GM's Asia Pacific operations, as the executive responsible for that outfit from 1998 to 2001. Wale took over as chairman and managing director for Vauxhall from 2001 to 2005 when he took the helm of the Asia Pacific branch of GM.

Wale's presence in GM's China outpost will be missed – he presided over a period of great growth for the company in the region. Greater Chinese sales were 560,000 units in 2005 when Wale took over. Contrast that with 2011, when GM China moved 2.5 million units in the rapidly maturing market.

The 58-year-old Socia, who will be taking over for Wale at the end of the month, has spent time in just about every region GM has operations in. He started in Detroit with Cadillac in 1975. From there, he moved on to hold top positions at GM Asia Pacific, GM Europe, GM Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. Despite stepping down, Socia will remain a member of GM's Executive Operations Committee. His successor at his soon-to-be-vacated position has yet to be named.

The GM of China announcement is the latest high-level management change for GM in what has been a tumultuous year. CEO Dan Akerson has pledged to shake up the way the company does business, and there have been substantial head executive changes in the company's power structure. Big changes have come in areas like infotainment and manufacturing, not to mention the controversial ousting of global marketing chief Joel Ewanick in late July.

Read more in the official announcement by scrolling below.