The last commercial we saw from Lexus was none other than the “Pursuit of Perfection” which featured the LF-A shattering a crystal glass with the use of its “perfect pitch”. And since Lexus is a good display of class and creativity, they have released another commercial that highlights the musical talents of the new IS sedan. The spot is called “Music Track” and features “122 percussion instruments arranged to create a precision-driving course full of angles and straightaways.” Each instrument comes equipped with a lever that is positioned to allow the cruising IS sedan to press it as it passes by. This positioning allows the Ultrasonic Blue 2011 Lexus IS sport sedan to become a master musician with each note it creates.

The commercial highlights the precision of the IS sedan, but the main man behind the wheel of the luxury vehicle is professional stunt driver, Eddie Braun. Together, the car and man duo are successful at playing each note without even coming close to knocking any of the instruments over. Nicely played, Lexus.

Video: Lexus IS – Music Track originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 8 September 2010 11:00 EST.

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If there’s one thing history has taught us, it’s that there will always be turncoats; people who turned their back on allies, friends, and even fans for the allure of chasing their personal goals. Benedict Arnold did it before when he defected to the British Army during the American Revolutionary War and more recently, star athlete LeBron James burned the hearts of Cleveland by “taking his talents” to Miami.

And now, if you ask Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson, you can add Ben Collins’ name to that list.

In a recent taped interview, Clarkson wasted little time in talking about the controversial Collins and how he was felt deeply betrayed by what the masked test driver did. At the same event, although not captured on video, the affable host of Top Gear even went as far as calling the latter “The Greedy Twat” to emphasize what he really felt about the man who outed himself as The Stig, the mysterious and enigmatic test driver of the hit BBC show, and in the process turned his back on the show that, ironically, made him famous.

Check out the entire video interview over at Witney TV and skip all the way to the 27-minute mark to listen to Clarkson talk about Ben Collins in his own words.

Jeremy Clarkson hurt by Ben Collins’ decision to out himself as The Stig originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 8 September 2010 10:00 EST.

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Technically speaking, the 2011 Dodge Charger has yet to be made official by Chrysler, but despite that, the Charger Pursuit police car based on the 2011 Charger has already been released.

We don’t know if this was intentional on Chrysler’s part or if it was just a bad case of wrong timing, but it does come across as weird that the official car hasn’t been introduced yet and the police-ready version of the same car already has a video circulating of its appearance at the annual Police Fleet Expo.

In this video, which appears to have been taken at the Fleet Expo, the Charger Pursuit police car is shown completely unobstructed, giving us the first in-depth look at the new Charger, including that much talked-about rear end that was, apparently, inspired by the Charger’s cousin in the Dodge family tree, the Challenger.

Check out the video to see what the 2011 Dodge Charger should look like, minus all the police-related decals and features, of course.

More videos after the jump.

2011 Dodge Charger caught undisguised at Police Fleet Expo originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 8 September 2010 09:00 EST.

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Despite our lack of love for these machines, they are cars that people love to buy, so we felt we had to rank our favorites, despite not really having a favorite. It’s more like a list from the vehicles we can’t stand to the machines we could tolerate.

In order to rank these crossovers we had to look at them in a few ways. The reason for buying one of these is practicality, safety, style, and comfort. That’s what the public is looking at. We, on other hand, will incorporate those with our own interests, such as speed, driving dynamics, and coolness level. All of these machines will cost under $30,000.

There are plenty to choose from, with options from Ford, General Motors, Honda, and Toyota. Not to mention the smaller companies like Hyundai and Kia who are creating better machines on a monthly basis. So, do these new boys have what it takes to take down the old veterans?

Hit the jump to find out.

TopSpeed’s 10 Best Crossovers originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 8 September 2010 08:00 EST.

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The holiday season is still a few months away, but it’s still worth pointing out that with the ‘BER’ months already in full swing, it might be a good idea to start thinking of gifts to give out when December comes.

BMW seems to think that it’s a good idea and they’re doing their part by releasing a new lifestyle collection that would make for excellent gifts to give when Christmas rolls around.

The new collection is loaded with some pretty cool items including a BMW Snow Racer, a BMW Joy back pack, a BMW Classic ladies’ watch, a BMW M3 GT2 toy car, and a BMW USB stick. They’re not exactly as flashy as say, buying somebody a real BMW, but for those BMW aficionados that enjoy having merchandise stamped with the Beamer logo, these slew of products are about as ideal a present they can get.

The best part is that these presents cover a wide range of gifts for just about everybody. From the M3 GT2 race for the little ones, to the BMW Classic ladies watch for the women; you can have your pick of these gifts and complete your Christmas shopping all in one go.

BMW launches new Lifestyle Collection originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 8 September 2010 07:00 EST.

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A number of days ago, we showed you a video of the making of Cadillac’s new commercial for the CTS-V sedan’s Nurburgring run, which, incidentally enough, occurred a little over two years ago.

Claiming to be the world’s fastest four-door sedan, Cadillac’s time of 7:59.32 may not be anywhere near the neighborhood of some of the world’s most exotic cars, but when it comes to four-doors, the CTS-V sedan is the standard bearer for running the legendary Nurburgring race track. And while the number is impressive given the circumstances, Cadillac doesn’t see it as a competitive time, but as a starting block to which the company aims to push faster and work harder to improve on their time.

Then again, two years is a long time for a record to stand, especially in the auto industry where a technological race to be faster and more powerful is an everyday occurrence. There was even talk that a Porsche Panamera Turbo – another four-door – eclipsed the CTS-V’s record by thee seconds with a time of 7:56. But despite not having the record anymore, Cadillac’s time is impressive nonetheless, especially given the fact that unlike Porsche, the American brand isn’t particularly known for its speed.

Video: The new Cadillac CTS-V "Competition" commercial originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 8 September 2010 06:00 EST.

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Remember just a few days ago we reported Mansory will come with two new models at the Paris Auto Show? Today the tuner uncovered the first of them: the Maserati GranTurismo. The tuning package includes both exterior and interior modifications, but also an engine upgrade.

Lets start with the beginning! For the exterior Mansory is offering a newly designed front spoiler with discreet spoiler lip, a carbon fiber radiator grille, additional air inlets and outlets, drawn-down deep door-sills, a carbon fiber spoiler lip, carbon inlay for the integrated exhaust pipes and of course a new set of wheels wrapped in 255/30 R 20 front tires and 305/30 R 21 tires at the back. Of course do not forget this amazing red exterior color!

The interior gets high quality leather, aluminum pedals and new ergonomically designed sporty steering wheel.

And now the most important part: the engine! Thanks to a performance-optimized ECU, an air filter with increased air throughput and a sports exhaust system with two double-suction tail pipes, the tuner managed to increase the V8’s output by 30 HP and the torque with an addition 40 NM. This upgrade can be applied for both GT and GTS models.

Press release after the jump.

Maserati GranTurismo by Mansory originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 8 September 2010 04:18 EST.

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We haven’t heard from MINI in quite some time so forgive us for being a little worried. As the undisputed kings of unconventional marketing, MINI has a special place in our hearts for being, well, a little on the eccentric side.

And just when we were starting to get worried, MINI jumps right on back with a new out-of-the-box commercial just like old times.

In their new 60-second ad, we see the MINI Countryman – actually, a lot of it – running roughshod on a quaint little town, multiplying to the hundreds like ants chasing a delectable sweet. Of course, a real Countryman isn’t capable of the multiplying act – that’s some supposedly new CGI trick at work – and it surely can’t fly from a cliff and down into a dock and make it in one piece.

But in the fantastical world of MINI, anything is possible. And if these guys can think of zany commercials like this, who are we to argue with that.

Video: MINI Countryman(s) "Getaway" commercial originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 8 September 2010 04:00 EST.

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One of the rarest Ferraris on the face of the planet is up for sale, and those interested in buying it will have to fork over all of their appendages for the chance to bring home this ultra-exclusive Prancing Horse roadster.

The car is the Ferrari 550 GTZ Zagato, one of only five cars to have ever been made and, in the case of this particular model, it’s the only model to have been made as a right hand drive. Based on the Ferrari 550 Barchetta, the car was given a full bodykit courtesy of Zagato and comes with a sticker price of – wait for it – £1 million. Yep, that’s around $1.5 million by current exchange rates.

So, in the remote chance that you’re interested in buying this five-of-a-kind automotive jewel, check out this video of the 550 GTZ Zagato being given a full walk-around, just enough to entice anyone with finances to make such a purchase.

One-of-five Ferrari 550 GTZ Zagatos for sale originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 8 September 2010 02:00 EST.

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This just may very well be the most expensive spare tire cover in the world, and for what it’s worth, this particular tire cover was painted by no less than British contemporary artist, Damien Hirst.

If that name sounds familiar to you, it’s because this isn’t Hurst’s first artistic foray in the automotive world. A few months ago, Hurst painted an Audi A1 that was sold at an auction hosted by Elton John for a jaw-dropping $525,000.

While this particular tire cover won’t cost anywhere near the half-million that the special edition A1 was sold at, it’s still comes with a sticker price of £900 ($1,390). Not exactly chump change when it comes to a car accessory, is it?

On the flip side, the tire cover is still a work of art done by one of the best contemporary artists in the world and if you just happen to be into the arts as much as you are into automobiles, then this piece of work just might be enough for you to purchase it without using it for the purpose of covering up your spare tire. Come to think of it, using it as art and not a tire cover might be a good idea considering the cost of the accessory. We could only imagine that if people found out you have a tire cover that costs over a thousand dollars, you’d be lucky if that tire cover lasts for more than a week before someone attempted to steal it.

Damien Hirst’s spare tire cover will cost you $1,300 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 23:00 EST.

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The sample size isn’t big enough to cause worry across the board, but if the sales figures for hybrid cars this August are an indication of things to come, then the long thought of the hybrid invasion could be held off for the time being.

As a result of stable fuel prices recently – that’s a good thing, though – overall sales for hybrid vehicles nosedived by 40% in August compared to the same time frame a year ago with the segment’s undisputed heavyweight, the Toyota Prius, seeing its sales figures plummet 37.5% compared to its August 2009 figures. Even its month-by-month numbers took a dip by 16.3% from sales figures in July 2010.

While it’s easy to point out the steep drop in sales of hybrid cars in the past month as a sign of the times, it’s also worth pointing out that last year’s numbers shot off the charts mostly because of the US government implementing the Cash for Clunkers program, resulting in an unprecedented number of hybrids being scooped up by customers.

Ultimately, the slowing down of hybrid sales this summer is being attributed to the low prices at the pumps. Whether hybrids rebound or continue their downward turn is a matter based on how fuel prices perform in the next coming months, but there’s no doubt in anybody’s mind that all of us would strongly prefer stable – and cheap – fuel prices, even at the cost of declining sales for hybrid cars.

Hybrid cars take a sales hit in August; drops 40% from last year’s numbers originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 23:00 EST.

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Recently Mazda has unveiled details on their new design language which are seen in the Kodo and a new concept by the name ofShinari. These two models will be the first to utilize the company’s future design, and as part of the remodeled future, Mazda is also currently working on a new rotary engine that will reduce fuel consumption by 50%. This new engine won’t be seen in the production version of the Shinari, but it will appear in the Japanese automakers future models.

Mazda hasn’t revealed any specific details of the new engine, but they have confirmed that it is being called Sky for the time being and its focus will be fuel savings: “Today we cannot name it this, but a Sky rotary engine is under development. We are not aiming for a small improvement. Fuel economy is our handicap, so we must drastically improve otherwise the next generation rotary cannot survive. But there is potentially a very large improvement available therefore it is important that we do this.” We are guessing it is the same engine that will also be out in the future CX-5. If this is the case, then we know that the SKY-G engine is a next-generation direct injection gasoline engine with greatly improved fuel economy and output due to enhanced thermal efficiency. The engine will work with i-stop, regenerative braking, and lighter vehicles to provide the owner with a 30-percent increase in fuel economy.

The current Mazda RX-8 is powered by a 13B twin rotor Renesis engine making 232 HP and has a fuel consumption of 12.9 liter/100km. If we do a little math, we get a fuel consumption of 7 liters/100 km for the next engine. Sounds tempting!

Mazda’s future rotary engine will reduce fuel consumption by almost 50% originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 22:00 EST.

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Audi has spared no expense in thinking up ways of promoting their new premium hatch, the A1. First, they tabbed Justin Timberlake to be on-hand for the car’s official debut. Then, they used the pop icon to star in an oddly unsettling mini-series starring, well, the A1.

This time around, Audi opted to take an even more perplexing route in their A1 promotion by bringing in 22 low-riding classic cars, a slew of cameras, two customized A1s, and two members of the band Tokio Hotel – Tom and Bill Kaulitz – for a nice warehouse photo shoot.

Quite frankly, we don’t really see the point of the whole video other than its supposed to be another marketing promotion for the A1. Whether Audi is banking on the celebrity appeal of Tokio Hotel as much as they did with one Mr. Timberlake is a mystery to us, although we’re pretty certain that, in all fairness to the band, their name doesn’t exactly scream worldwide superstar as much as the former *NSync star.

Then again, Audi’s not really marketing the band as much as they are the car, and in that scenario, they did a pretty good, albeit weird, job doing so.

Video: Audi releases new promo video for the A1 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 22:00 EST.

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From its humble beginnings as the brainchild of then-student Nik Smart, the Ariel Atom has become a childhood fantasy brought to life by speed enthusiasts of all ages. It’s hard to believe that in the ten years that it has been around, the Atom has evolved through three incarnations with the latest one, the Atom 500 V8, being prepared to make its way into production soon.

To commemorate the company’s 10th year anniversary, Ariel took the time to host some Atom owners from all corners of the world at the company’s headquarters in Somerset in the UK. Over forty Atom owners took the company up on their offer and gathered at the headquarters to partake in the festivities, one of which was the building of a live and running Atom 500 V8 that took a little over five hours to build from the ground up.

We would’ve loved to have been part of all the hoopla, but unfortunately, we don’t have an Atom in our garages. But in any case, we do want to send our congratulations to the company for turning 10 years old. It’s a great achievement in itself, but here’s to hoping for more years of success for you boys in the UK.

Ariel Atom turns 10 years old! originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 21:00 EST.

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With 252 HP under the hood and a weight of 1,477 lbs you would say that the Lotus 2-Eleven is not a difficult car to handle. However, on a race track like the Nurburgring, things are a little bit different.

While there are no details on what exactly happened, the video is more than explicit. Apparently, the driver was driving too fast and lost control while trying to take a corner. The car ended in a bulwark, but luckily, the driver was able to get out of the car on his own two feet, and with little injury. The car, on the other hand, saw the short end of this destructive stick.

The 2-Eleven makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 3.6 seconds and can hit a top speed of 155 mph, so it’s apparent that the power under this hood is just too much for some of its owners!

Video: Lotus 2Eleven crashed at Nurburgring originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 20:00 EST.

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We all know that Mitsubishi is having some trouble with their American car line-up and we also know that it’s due to have some serious work done to it. It seems while part of that work is a global small car, the other part is the deletion of a few well known vehicles, at least that’s what Autoweek believes.

The aging machines, the Galant and the Eclipse, won’t be getting any new updates until 2012, as the company looks to create a new global small car. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket. With those models gone, that would leave the Japanese automaker with only the new small car, the Outlander Sport and the i-MiEV to bring to its already small lineup.

We have all known about this small car for a while now and we can guess what it will feature upon its release. Under the hood will probably be a 1.0-liter or a 1.3-liter four-cylinder motor and for the company’s sake, we hope that America loves the small car by its release in 2012 or 2013, because an engine that big won’t sell well in a power obsessed culture.

We’re still not sold on the idea of dropping a few of the core models because what will dealers have to sell to people? The Outlander and the Lancer are good vehicles, but their sales aren’t that impressive, and the small car and the i-MiEV might not be what Americans are looking for.

Mitsubishi To Kill Galant and Eclipse By 2013 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 19:00 EST.

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A few days ago, we showed you a video of a BMW X5 attempting a barrel roll and failing miserably in doing so. There’s something to be said for an amateur trying to pull something like this off, the most important of which is ‘what the hell is he thinking?’

On the flip side, the rally driver of the BMW X5 in this video shows us how to save your ride from rolling over. All it took was the SUV coming perilously close to rolling over before the driver does some amazing steering wheel magic. It looks easy from watching it, but trust us, it’s easier to watch it than it is to do it in the heat of the moment.

The most awesome part is, the driver does it not once, but twice in a matter of seconds. That type of driving requires some serious skills and awareness of your surroundings to pull it off.

We don’t recommend anybody from attempting this stunt with their own cars, but in the event you find yourself in the same predicament, at least you’ll know how save your car from rolling over.

Video: The most awesome BMW X5 roll over save ever originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 18:00 EST.

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Even testing prototypes need fuel, right? And when you just so happen to be the guy at the next pump, the most obvious thing to do is start snapping some pictures! The next generation Porsche Boxster has been caught refueling somewhere in Germany without even a hint of camouflage!

The next Boxster will get a newly styled convertible cockpit and stronger, but also more fuel-efficient engines from 270 hp. There are also rumors saying the next Boxster will get a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the hood. There will also be center-mounted exhaust pipes like the current Boxster and restyled side mirrors.

We also have to remind you that the next Boxster will be longer in order to make room for the next “baby Boxster.” This baby will need to sit on the bottom of the Porsche lineup, so the bigger Boxster will indeed need to become bigger, or longer in this case.

Expect the official debut sometime in 2011.

Next Porsche Boxster caught while refueling originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 17:00 EST.

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Believe it or not, the much-maligned Mitsuoka Orichi can now be rented out in Japan. We don’t want to believe it, but apparently – and unfortunately – it’s true.

The decision was made to rent out the Orichi by its manufacturer Mitsuoka – no surprise there – for anybody looking for a cheap sports car to drive around in Japan. And by cheap, we mean $390 a day.

It’s not as pricey as most rental sports car we’ve seen in the past, but then again, we don’t know anybody who’d shell out $400 a pop per day to be seen in this hideous sports car. There is that other option that we think is a little more palatable. For $177 a day, you can navigate your way around the streets of Osaka in a Himiko, the company’s not-as-powerful-as-the-Orichi-but-definitely-more-pleasing-to-the-eye roadster.

Either way, you could do a lot better than renting out these two cars. But if you’re going to play the ‘I’ll do it for the experience’ card, then, by all means, give it a go.

Mitsuoka to rent out Orichi sports car and Himiko roadster in Japan originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 16:00 EST.

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After 14,152 units built, it’s the end of the road for the BMW M6. The sports car, in both coupe and convertible versions, was officially given the axe by BMW after six years of production for the coupe, and five years for the convertible.

The BMW M6 is powered by a 5.0 liter V10 engine that delivers a total of 500 hp at 7750 rpm and 383 lb-ft. of torque at 6100 rpm. The car sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds for the coupe version, and in just 0.2 seconds longer for the convertible. Their top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.

The BMW M6 Coupé and BMW M6 Convertible received worldwide acclaim as dream cars for automotive enthusiasts with sporting ambitions. Out of the 9,087 coupes sold and 5,065 convertibles sold, a record of 3,528 coupes and 3,247 convertibles were sold on the US market. But the U.S. market shouldn’t mourn the loss for too long; the next generation 6-series will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show at the end of September, and we can only hope to see an M-series spawn from that generation.

Press release after the jump.

End of life for the BMW M6 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 15:00 EST.

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