Never let it be said that this generation lacks imagination. Sure, these guys could have simply scrapped their diesel VW Golf when it started showing its age, but where's the innovation? Instead, they did a fairly seamless job of shortening the wheelbase, bolted on a set of steel tube inverted rockers and called it a day.

What more could you ask for in terms of entertainment? Build up a head of steam, stab the brakes and watch as the sky and the ground switch places a few times. It's very possibly the safest way to flip a car without having to answer to the law or your insurance company. And, to answer the inevitable question... why not?

According to the YouTube description, the builder still has a few tweaks to make to the design. We have to wonder exactly the mastermind behind the contraption has planned. If nothing else, it'd be a great way to get past those pesky tire strips on your next low-speed chase. Hit the jump to take a look at the video for yourself.

[Source: YouTube]

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on its website that Honda is recalling 585 2010 Element crossovers equipped with a manual transmission. The vehicles in question may have an improperly set cable that connects the shift lever to the transmission, an issue that could lead to anything from a major inconvenience for owners to the increased risk of an accident.

This defect may cause the gear shift lever to interact improperly with the transmission, leading to the wrong gear being selected. Affected vehicles could also get stuck in neutral, lose the ability to shift into reverse or fail to allow the key to be removed from the ignition.

Owners of the affected vehicles can bring their Element to the local Honda dealership for a free repair. Some owners have already been contacted about this issue, but all 585 will receive a notice from Honda by August 9. Element owners with questions or concerns can contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Hit the jump to read over the NHTSA press release.



[Source: NHTSA]

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We'd heard the rumors and now it's official. Harley-Davidson has announced that it has sold the MV Agusta brand to Claudio Castiglioni and his wholly owned holding company, MV Agusta Motor Holding, S.r.l. For those who aren't exactly up on their boutique Italian motorcycle history, Castiglioni is the same man H-D bought the company from back in 2008 and had been serving as company chairman ever since.

No actual financial data has yet been announced, but rumors from Italy have it that the Italian businessman isn't actually paying anything more than a single symbolic euro for the storied motorcycle manufacturer and may even be getting some additional financial support from Harley-Davidson for the foreseeable future.

Couple those reports with the realization that H-D payed $109 million for MV Agusta just two years ago and subsequently spent big money to revamp the Italian manufacturer's product lineup and it's easy to see that the Milwaukee-based company is coming out the biggest loser in this exchange.

Harley is showing no (official) hard feelings, though. "MV Agusta is a proud brand and we wish Mr. Castiglioni and the company's employees well," Harley-Davidson President and Chief Executive Officer Keith Wandell said in a statement. Feel free to peruse the official press release after the break.



[Source: Harley-Davidson]

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Over the years since its introduction, the Fiat 500 has had no shortage of special editions. But if the fashion-forward Diesel edition wasn't your cup of tea and the Pepto-painted Pink edition didn't tickle your fancy, the Italian automaker has another special in store. And this one's decidedly more sinister.

Called the BlackJack, the special 500 is decked out in matte black with gloss black accents, offset by a splash of red at the center of the black wheels and red brake calipers on the 1.4-liter model. UK buyers can choose between that or the more frugal 1.2-liter engine, both fitted with a stop/start system, with total production limited to just 200 units. And though no details were revealed on interior colors, you can bet it'll be just as black as the exterior.

The question is, when the Fiat 500 finally makes it Stateside, is this how you'd want yours? Follow the jump for the full press release and share your impressions in the comments section below.

[Source: Fiat]

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The current Hyundai Azera is not a bad looking car, but compared to the glut of new models that already are or will soon be populating Hyundai showrooms in the next year, it's starting to look long in the tooth. Hyundai appears to be on the case, as an all-new Azera has just been spotted testing in Europe. Like the current sedan, the new model will slot in between the front-wheel-drive Sonata and rear-wheel-drive Genesis. It will also feature Hyundai's new "fluid sculpture" design language, as evidenced by the characteristic rising crease along the doors that's visible through the camouflage.

The grille and mirrors of this camo'd Azera, which is called the Grandeur in its home market of South Korea, look similar to the new Sonata, but the lower edge of the side glass rises at the back giving the car a more pronounced shoulder. Power is expected to come solely from a V6 like the current model, but we'd be surprised if its displacement doesn't drop to the 3.0-3.3-liter range with direct injection and possibly a turbocharged version. Given CEO John Krafcik's commitment to 50 mpg by 2025, a version of the new hybrid system seen in the Sonata Hybrid seems like a smart bet as well.



[Source: Carpix]

Leave it to the Germans to turn a real-life radio control car, a video camera with a wireless transmitter and an arcade box into the best 3D rendition of the old Playstation game Wipeout we've ever seen. If designer Malte Jehmlich and friends would have stopped after designing a massive multi-level carboard track for their remote control cars, we would have thought it was pretty cool. But the innovative crew attached a plate to their 1/28 scale car and mounted a video camera with a wireless transmitter that sends a video signal to an arcade racing cabinet to make this a truly multi-dimensional video game. The racing cabinet is equipped with a steering wheel and a monitor that displays the r/c car's progress in real time. The whole project took them two months to put together.

Jehmlich and his friends are currently working on integrating force feedback and power-ups using sensors built into the track. Very cool, indeed. Hit the jump to watch video of the Great Room-sized arcade game in action. We're thinking that we'd want one of these in the basement, but we're not sure if our wives would approve.

[Source: Vimeo via Engadget]

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NOTE: Our first drive report of the 2011 Scion tC was originally published at 9am EST when Toyota's embargo lifted. We didn't want you to miss it, so check it out below.


There's no demographic that's targeted more often than young, affluent males. Though these buyers may not have quite as much expendable income to throw at new car purchases than say older, affluent males, automakers are still very keen to cater to the needs of Generation Y with the hope of earning a customer for life.

Toyota is no different than any other automaker in this regard; perhaps even more so as the Japanese giant's customer base is just about as old as that of Buick. To resolve that issue, Toyota created the Scion brand in North America back in 2002 and has been marketing the heck out of its up-and-coming feeder marque ever since.

The ploy has mostly been successful. Toyota merrily points out that Scion has the youngest average customer in the industry and that 71 percent of all 800,000 or so Scions have been sold to buyers who are new to the Toyota family. Interestingly enough, with a median age of 26, it's the tC coupe's 310,000 total sales since 2002 (accounting for 41 percent of all Scion production) that manages to attract the youngest customers of all.

In other words, while the funky xB may be the most recognizable, it's actually the tC that is the brand's most important product. Therefore, Scion absolutely needs the new 2011 tC to be a runaway hit. Especially since the second-generation of the xB has, by many measures, failed to live up to the success of its straight-ruled predecessor.

So does the new tC pass muster? We set out to answer that very question when we grabbed the keys in sunny San Diego. Read on to find out what we learned.



Photos copyright ©2010 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL

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Toyota Europe has confirmed to Autoblog that the automaker's popular Highlander crossover will go on sale in Russia and the Ukraine for the first time ever. Why should Statesiders care? Because the new-look model above will be unveiled at the Moscow Motor Show on August 25, and it's almost certain to be the refreshed CUV that we will receive in North America.

From the looks of things, the 2011 Highlander will retain its strong body lines, but ditch the conservative front fascia of the 2010 model in favor of a leaner, more aggressive nose with angry looking headlamps. With appropriate helpings of chrome in all the right places, the new Highlander is downright handsome. As this is the only shot that we have, we don't know what's going on at the rear, but we would expect redesigned taillamps and perhaps some revamped trim. From what we can see, the Highlander's profile appears unchanged, save perhaps for a new wheel pattern and a very discreet set of turn signal repeaters in the mirrors.

While we have no confirmation that we will receive this same model, European officials believe that it will make it to North America with "more or less the same look." The Highlander is only built in three places at the moment – China, Japan and in Indiana, so it doesn't seem likely that Toyota would bother to develop new sheetmetal for select European markets without disbursing it elsewhere.

Unfortunately, we don't know too much about what's going on under that hood or in the cabin. So far, the only thing that Toyota Europe has confirmed with us is that the hybrid version of the Highlander won't be available in those markets. We'll just have to wait for details from the Moscow Motor Show for more information. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

Just when you thought that hallowed Lamborghini was safe from the threat of a new mega saloon, news like this crops up. While speaking with interviewers, company CEO Stephan Winkelmann said that adding a third model to the Lamborghini lineup would be a good way to shore up diminished sales. The company hasn't quite been able to maintain its pre-recession numbers with sales down 18 percent compared to last year.

What exactly does Winkelmann have in mind? A four door designed to compete with the likes of the Aston Martin Rapide, Porsche Panamera and Maserati Quattroporte. If that means something along the lines of the mighty Estoque Concept, our hearts wouldn't exactly be broken, even if that means diluting the Lamborghini gene pool somewhat.

For now though, the new model is simply Winkelmann's best guess at how to get buyers back behind the wheel of a Raging Bull. Before the company goes dumping cash into development, it will need to see sales of both the Gallardo and Murcielago improve in a big way.



[Source: Bloomberg]

Following the recent news that Chrysler will re-hire 900 workers and add a second shift back at its Sterling Heights, MI assembly plant comes word that the next-generation replacements for the Sebring and Dodge Avenger will be produced there. Supposedly, Fiat had plans to build the cars in Turin, Italy along with the Alfa Romeo Giulia, but could not reach a suitable agreement with its unions on work rules.

The idea of building the mid-size sedans in Italy for export to North America seemed highly implausible anyhow. The family sedan segment is among the most competitive in this market and pricing pressures are tough enough without factoring in exchange rates. Most of the Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai and soon even Volkswagen mid-size models are or will be built locally in order to keep costs down. Regardless of the reasoning, according to Automotive News, it now looks like the new sedans will be built in the plant north of Detroit on Fiat platforms beginning in 2013.



[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]