Thursday, October 27, 2011

SPY SHOTS: New Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake Caught Thinly Disguised


When Mercedes-Benz presented the first generation of the CLS in 2004, nobody expected that it would virtually reestablished the so-called four-door coupe segment and go on to sell some 170,000 examples throughout the world.

Now, the Stuttgart-based automaker is getting ready to bring the shooting brake category into the limelight with a new variant of the second generation of the CLS.

The company not only acknowledged the production of the Shooting Brake model a few months after the presentation of a concept study at the Auto China motorshow in 2010, but even announced that sales will start in 2012.

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Read Why Steve Jobs' Car Never Had a License Plate


Steve Jobs, the charismatic founder of Apple and Pixar, was a man who changed not only the way computers are made and marketed, but also popularized a number of novel products, such as the iPhone and the iPad, which made buyers form long lines outside Apple stores and the competition always play catch-up.

Sadly, Jobs passed away on October 5 at the age of 56. After his death, one of the rumors circulating the web was that of his car’s number plate – or rather its absence.

Some said that he didn’t care about paying the fines, as he surely could afford to, while others claimed that he had somehow obtained a special permit to drive without one.

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Scion xB Reinvented as a Snowboarder's Delight for SEMA Show


It may look like something that popped out of the movie screen and in particular, Pixar's animated Cars franchise, but the funky looking Scion xB is just another one of those wacky project cars that are looking to impress the visitors of next week's 2011 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Called the Scion xB Numeric, the concept is the result of the collaborative work of the following companies: 686, which is a premium snowboarding outerwear brand, Scion Racing –you already know what it does- and Spin Imaging, which specializes in vehicle wraps and graphics.

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Saab Attempts an 11th Hour Rescue Deal Before Friday's Court Hearing


This is your daily news info about the current state of affairs of the ongoing saga that is the Svenska Aeroplan AktieBolaget restructuring story or, more accurately, your second Saab news story of the day.

In this latest chapter, Saab's parent company Swedish Automobile NV [Swan] said that it is “in intense final negotiations” with investors in order to secure its financing and, thus, avoid bankruptcy.

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Scion iQ Loses its Top and Heads Down to the Strip for the SEMA Show


There's no question that the Pit Boss Cartel iQ is the weirdest of all the Scion iQ mini cars heading down to Las Vegas for next week's SEMA aftermarket show.

Created by Cartel, the Pit Boss is a two-seat speedster version of the small Scion supposedly inspired by the world of motorsports but equipped with the latest word in infotainment systems. A strange mix indeed.

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Porsche Offers Drivers First Taste of New 911 through Winter Experience Program


Porsche enthusiasts will be happy to learn that the German sports car maker has launched its new Winter Driving Experience program that offers drivers the opportunity to test-drive the brand-new 911 in extreme conditions.

The company says that regardless of the driver's level of driving skills, instructors will teach them to improve their skills and refine their driving style through a carefully selected mix of theoretical and practical lessons.

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Scion Previews a Trio of iQ Tuned Concept Cars Ahead of SEMA Show


It won't come as much of a surprise to learn that Toyota's Scion brand is planning to bring several souped-up and conceptual versions of its new iQ mini to the 2011 Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas next week.

After being originally revealed around the world with Toyota's badges and later on, with Aston Martin's name on its hood, the iQ reached U.S. shores as a Scion earlier this month, so it's only reasonable that the Japanese carmaker wants to create some buzz around the car.

There's more to come, but for the time being we have pictures and details on three customized iQs: the iQ-MR by Tatsu, the iQ-RX by Jon Sibal (yes, that Jon Sibal) and the iQ-RS by Michael Chang. You can check them all out right after the jump.

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