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With co-branding arrangements in place with an increasing array of luxury labels, Bentley doesn’t limit its brand just to cars these days. But of all the sunglasses, wallets, pens, skis and cashmere scarves licensed by the British purveyor of super-luxury automobiles, few are as well established as its partnership with Breitling.

The Swiss watchmaker has been with Bentley for years, and has celebrated every milestone along the way. So with the introduction of the new V8-powered Continental GT, Breitling wasn’t about to miss the opportunity to dazzle us with another piece of shiny wrist candy.

Limited to just 250 examples, the Breitling for Bentley GMT V8 chronograph features an additional hour hand that displays the time in a second time zone, and a rotating red inner bezel displaying major cities in time zones around the world. It’s powered by a COSC-certified chronometer mechanism with a 30-second sweep, encased in steel and affixed to the wrist with either a metal bracelet or unique rubber strap.

We wouldn’t dare ask how the timepiece sells for, but considering the Bentley customers they’re selling to, we’d expect suitably Bentley-like prices.

Breitling celebrates new Continental GT with GMT V8 chronograph

SRT, the recently formed standalone brand of Chrysler, is determined to reveal the new 2013 Viper nice and slow. After releasing the first teaser image last month and offering a first look at the new ‘Stryker’ Viper logo, SRT has just posted a second teaser image of the 2013 Viper on their official Facebook page. While this second photo is much more clear than the first, what exactly is shown in the image is up to debate. Yes, it looks to be a carbon fiber scoop, but what kind?

While we may not know exactly what’s in the second Viper teaser, here’s what we do know about SRT’s next gen flagship: Traction control will be used for the first time in the model’s history as mandated by federal law, and while the 2013 Viper’s powertrain is still unconfirmed, there are rumors that the V10 could get a bump in displacement to an incredible 8.7 liters.

We’ll have all the details and photos when the 2013 SRT Viper is revealed during April’s New York Auto Show. Until then we’re sure that SRT will have more teasers, which we’ll be sure to pass along. If you think you know what’s being shown in this latest image then let us know in the comments section below.

SRT releases mysterious second teaser for next gen Viper

The ladies and gentlemen at Turn 10, the studio behind Forza Motorsport 4, take their cars just as seriously as their gaming. They’re not the only gamers to invest heaps of time rendering metal into pixels, but you might be surprised just how much travel, how many microphones, how long on the dyno and what kinds of owners go into gathering the selection of rides.

If you’ve wondered what goes into taking a Bugatti Veyron, or even a Honda Civic Si, from the parking lot to the game’s custom Bernese Alps track, then there’s a video just for you after the jump.

Continue reading How Forza Motorsport 4 gets its cars

How Forza Motorsport 4 gets its cars

Mazda hasn’t turned its back on “Zoom-Zoom” in the least, but from now on the double onomatopoeia takes its orders from the company’s SkyActiv technologies. Mazda has been prepping us for the suite of engineering innovations that it plans to use to make its cars, like the 2013 CX-5, more Earth-friendly but just as much fun to drive, and company CEO Takashi Yamanouchi got big into it during the LA Auto Show.

The first commercials to publicize SkyActiv are here, in 30- and 60-second flavors, and you’ll find them along with a press release after the jump.

Continue reading Mazda debuts “Revolution” ad to promote new Skyactiv tech

Mazda debuts “Revolution” ad to promote new Skyactiv tech

The off-season in Formula 1 is not without its typical game of musical chairs: this driver moves there, that one is axed in favor of another, and some are left without a seat when the music starts again. But typically once the cars are launched, the contracts are signed and that’s that. So when Caterham beat its rivals to the punch by unveiling its new car, we figured we’d heard the last of the driver shuffles for the season. But that wasn’t to be the case.

Although the team had Jarno Trulli signed for the coming season, it has announced instead that the F1 veteran has been replaced by Vitaly Petrov, the Russian driver recently axed by Lotus – which is, somewhat ironically, the same team with which Caterham was embroiled in a naming rights dispute. The benefit of adding Petrov – a promising but largely unproven driver – to a small team over the experienced Trulli is that Petrov brings significant sponsorship money with him.

Trulli’s dismissal leaves F1 without any Italian drivers on the grid for the first time since the early 1970s. The 37-year-old former grand prix winner was joined on the grid for much of his 15-year career in F1 by Giancarlo Fisichella until his effective retirement to a role as Ferrari test driver two seasons ago. Trulli insists he will continue racing, whether in F1 or elsewhere. We hear Pirelli might have use for his talents, but wouldn’t be surprised to see him find his way into another racing series altogether. Follow the jump for the official announcement.

In related news, remaining holdout HRT has confirmed that Narain Karthikeyan will join longtime McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa in its line-up for the coming season, sealing the roster for 2012 – that is, assuming no further contracts are canceled at the last minute.

Continue reading Caterham axes Trulli in favor of Petrov before season starts

Caterham axes Trulli in favor of Petrov before season starts

Seasons may change, time may pass, but the internet never forgets. It’s been six years since then-14-year-old Joey drove his father’s brand-new Ford Shelby GT500 through the back wall of the family’s garage. Video of the event and the ensuing carnage has racked up an astonishing 3.6 million views on YouTube on one account alone, and the clip remains a perennial classic. Now it looks like Joey is finally ready for a little redemption courtesy of the good people at Tosh.0. The show routinely features people who are internet stars for all the wrong reasons in the “web redemption” segment.

Daniel Tosh, the show’s host, allows those maligned by the power of the internet one more shot at infamy while reenacting the event that made them infamous to begin with. Joey will explain his side of the GT500 calamity on the newest episode of Tosh.0 airing on February 21. Click past the jump to see the crash one more time. Trust us, it never gets old.

Continue reading GT500-crashing kid to get Tosh.0 web redemption [w/video]

GT500-crashing kid to get Tosh.0 web redemption [w/video]

Introduced five years ago, we wouldn’t go so far as to say the Maserati GranTurismo is old, but it is getting up there. The Modenese automaker is said to be planning a replacement once the pair of new Quattroportes are ready, but for now, the aggressively curvaceous coupe is to soldier on. And so to tide it over, Maserati is releasing the tempting new version you see here.

Called the GranTurismo Sport, the newest addition to the family replaces the GranTurismo S, slotting in between the base GranTurismo and the more hardcore GranTurismo MC.

The biggest upgrade is found under the engine, where the 4.7-liter V8 has been boosted from 434 horsepower to 460 – sixteen more horses than found in the MC and GranCabrio Sport, which we’d expect to be upgraded in due course, as well.

A revised fascia also follows the lead of the more aggressive MC, with larger air apertures on either side of the front grille, complemented by LED headlamps with darkened taillights to match. Meanwhile, the interior has also been retrofitted with new seats front and rear and a new steering wheel.

The GranTurismo Sport will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in just a couple of weeks from now, but in the meantime you can check out the pair of high-resolution images below and the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Maserati releases new GranTurismo Sport ahead of Geneva debut

Maserati releases new GranTurismo Sport ahead of Geneva debut

If you’ve ever had occasion to see a Radical in person – or for that matter, in photos – you likely couldn’t avoid thinking it looked like a miniature version of a Le Mans Prototype. The ground-hugging ride height, the aerodynamically-optimized bodywork, the open cockpit… but wait a second, don’t most LMPs these days have closed cockpits? Why yes, yes they do.

The Audi R18, the Toyota TS030, even the aborted Peugeot 908 all have fixed roofs and windshields. So if Radical really is going to follow the form of the front-running endurance prototypes, it’s going to need a closed canopy, too. And that, according to the latest reports, is exactly what it is developing.

Called the RXC Coupe, the new Radical appears to still be in the design phase, but is tipped to arrive in time for 2014. The body is expected to be wider than the existing open models, with a completely new aerodynamic shape. Both race and road versions are reportedly in the cards, with a V8 powering a seven-speed sequential transmission in the former good for around 650 horsepower.

All that and roadworthiness, too, stands to make the Radical RXC Coupe one very serious performance machine, whether on the street or on the track. And we’re looking forward to seeing how it shapes up. Follow the jump and skip ahead to around the 4:30 mark in the video to see footage of the 3D model from all angles.

Continue reading Radical working on all-new RXC Coupe [w/video]

Radical working on all-new RXC Coupe [w/video]

It was only a matter of time before someone took a crack at parodying the most recent Super Bowl commercial from Chrysler. Saturday Night Live has stepped up to the plate with a new skit featuring none other than Bill Hader in Clint Eastwood’s shoes and scowl. The spot pokes fun at the unintentionally political ad, with Hader scowling his way through a third-quarter speech. We won’t ruin the ending for you, but we will say the skit features the phrase “tiny little chicken legs.” Comedy gold.

Chrysler came under fire shortly after the company’s game-day spot aired. The commercial featured Clint Eastwood drawing parallels between the fall and resurrection of Detroit and the rest of America. Critics complained the spot was a thinly veiled argument for a second term for the Obama Administration. Eastwood, a republican who was vocally against the auto bailout, quickly denied those claims. Hit the jump for both the SNL skit and the original ad.

Continue reading Saturday Night Live mocks Chrysler’s Clint Eastwood Super Bowl ad

Saturday Night Live mocks Chrysler’s Clint Eastwood Super Bowl ad

In a chilling story, of which details are still emerging, a 45-year-old Swedish man has been found alive after being stranded in his snow-covered car near the Arctic Circle for a reported two months. He survived without food, but was apparently able to melt snow for water.

According to authorities, men on snowmobiles were traveling through the forest in Sweden’s northern town of Umeå when they came across a vehicle buried in the snow. Being nearly a mile from the main road, they cleared the windows to peer inside and were shocked to see a man huddled in a sleeping bag on the back seat. Rescue services soon arrived, in tracked vehicles, to bring the seriously emaciated man to the hospital.

Since the rescued man is barely able to speak, the medical staff has estimated that he was trapped in the vehicle for about two months - about as long as a human can survive without food. Despite temperatures plunging a low as -22 degrees Fahrenheit, the vehicle and its thick layer of snow apparently helped to protect him from the extreme weather. The man is currently recovering in an intensive care unit at Umeå University Hospital.

Swedish man found alive after snow buries him in car for two months

All things being equal, we’d generally rather have more cylinders than fewer. But Bentley upset that particular applecart with the latest Continental GT. Not only is the 500-horsepower V8 version less expensive than the 567-hp W12, it also boasts better handling (thanks to less weight in the nose) and better fuel economy, too – all with a scant 67 less horsepower.

So why would anyone want the twelve-cylinder version? That’s a good question, and one which Bentley is apparently not afraid to ask itself.

Some customers will likely opt for the W12 for snobbery’s sake or because their last Conti had one, but the crew at Crewe aren’t about to let that stand at the extent of it. So word has it that the British automaker is gearing up to substantially improve its W12 engine in due course.

So what will those improvements encompass? Hard to say, but sources in the UK suggest a similar process that brought the Audi-sourced V8 up to Bentley specifications. The speculation is also that an eight-speed automatic is in the cards to replace the current six, and that hybrid technology is under consideration, too.

Aside from the fuel economy aspect, however, we ought to be looking at around 600 horsepower from the updated W12 – and that’s just in base trim, with the Speed model and maybe even a new Supersport version to pack even more.

Bentley improving W12 to justify over V8 Continental

Inside Line is reporting that Ferrari has promised to show the replacement for the 599 GTB Fiorano at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. Currently dubbed the 620 GT, the new coupe will be powered by a more powerful version of Ferrari’s 6.3-liter V12 and have a seven-speed dual clutch transmission, according to the report. The last time we heard rumors to this effect, power output was pegged at more than 700 horsepower.

No doubt the new model will help boost Ferrari sales even further. The company reported record sales last year, some 7,195 cars, according to the report – a 9.5 percent increase from 2010. Revenue was up over 17 percent, to nearly three billion dollars, while Ferrari turned a $210 million profit.

Ferrari rings in record profits, promises 599 successor for Geneva

It used to be that we couldn’t even find a picture of the U.S. Army’s Clandestine Extended Range Vehicle (CERV), but times have changed.

At the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, the Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) displayed the CERV, which uses a diesel-hybrid “Q-Force” powertrain from Quantum that Quantum says, “saves taxpayer dollars and – most importantly – saves Soldiers’ lives.”

With a top speed of 80 miles per hour and a “run-silent” range of eight miles (we assume this means all-electric range), the CERV prototype can produce over 5,000 pound-feet of torque and go up hills with up to 60-percent grades. It does all this while using 25 percent less fuel, which is critical when you have to pay up to $400 a gallon to use the stuff in theater.

The Army says that today’s soldier uses an average of 22 gallons of gasoline a day. In World War II, it was one gallon a day.

Continue reading U.S. Army’s CERV puts a machine gun on a “green” military vehicle

U.S. Army’s CERV puts a machine gun on a “green” military vehicle

Honda took it on the chin for its boring redesign of the Civic, but here’s one thing it got right: Reducing the use of toxic chemicals in the manufacturing process for its interior. According to the Ecology Center’s new report on HealthyStuff.org, the 2012 Civic uses the least off-gassing plastics, materials that can lead to volatile organic compound emissions. VOC’s have been linked to health problems including cancer and birth defects, according to the report.

“Research shows that vehicle interiors contain a unique cocktail of hundreds of toxic chemicals that off-gas in small, confined spaces,” said Jeff Gearhart, Research Director at the Ecology Center, in a statement. “Since these chemicals are not regulated, consumers have no way of knowing the dangers they face. Our testing is intended to expose those dangers and encourage manufacturers to use safer alternatives.”

Honda does not use bromine-based flame retardants in the Civic and specs PVC-free interior fabrics and trim, while also eliminating most heavy metals from the interior.

The worst vehicle tested, the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, “contained bromine and antimony-based flame retardants in the seating and center console; chromium treated leather on several components; and over 400 ppm lead in seating materials,” according to the report.

The good news is that PVC use is declining overall, with 17 percent of new models boasting PVC-free interiors, up from none in 2006, according to HealthyStuff.org. Some 60 percent of new vehicles do not contain bromine flame retardants. It seems that automakers are backing efforts to eliminate these hazardous chemicals from vehicle interiors, with HealthyStuff.org pointing out that Ford and Volvo have adopted voluntary third-party eco labels for some of their vehicles. The average ratings for Ford’s vehicles showed a 30-percent improvement from the 2009/2010 study.

Click past the jump for a video and the full press release, including the 10 best and worst vehicles in the study.

Continue reading Honda Civic interior rated least toxic, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport worst [w/video]

Honda Civic interior rated least toxic, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport worst [w/video]

It’s a Mini. It’s a van. But it’s not a minivan. That’s because the sort of van we’re talking about here is a panel van – think of the Ford Transit Connect or recently departed Chevrolet HHR Panel – a vehicle with two seats up front, a partitian behind the cockpit and nothing but a flat load floor in back. These little workaday runabouts are immensely popular in Europe, and Mini has decided to get in on the action with its latest concept, the Clubvan, which will officially debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Seeing this concept confirms earlier rumors about a potential Clubman-based panel van, and aside from the removal of the rear seats and the addition of a stainless steel honeycomb partitian, there isn’t much else to separate the Clubvan concept from its passenger-friendly Clubman kin. That makes us think this concept could rather easily make it to production.

But unlike more work-focused vans, the side walls and load floor of the Clubvan are lined with anthracite-colored cloth rather than a durable plastic compound. Then again, Mini is touting the Clubvan as the perfect fleet vehicle for fashion designers and gallery owners rather than drywall contractors or heating and cooling repairmen. The Clubman’s five-door layout (that’s a driver’s door, passenger door, passenger-side suicide door, and dual barn doors out back) remains intact, and Mini has added six attachment loops throughout the rear cargo area to secure goods while they’re being transported.

So, why a panel van? The company states that the Clubvan “combines the driving fun for that Mini is renowned with increased load-carrying capability,” and that, “The Mini experience will therefore find its way into new areas of life, the brand’s distinctive character gaining new popularity among target groups not previously on the Mini radar.” We’ll definitely be checking this one out in Geneva in a few weeks, but in the meantime, hit the jump for the official press release and scroll through our attached image gallery to see the Clubvan concept inside and out.

Continue reading Mini reveals Clubvan Concept ahead of Geneva debut

Mini reveals Clubvan Concept ahead of Geneva debut

Despite tight budgets at all levels of government, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is still giving local law enforcement agencies military vehicles. According to a report in The Huffington Post, a small town in New Hampshire was set to receive an armored personnel vehicle before one local resident launched a petition drive to block the acquisition.

The Keene, NH, police department was going to get its own Lenco BearCat, a vehicle the town’s mayor reportedly described as a “tank.” However, citizens in the town of 23,000 revolted, according to the article, with nearly 100 of them packing a city council meeting in opposition. Critics said the vehicle promoted violence, and cited a promotional video for the BearCat that shows gun-wielding cops using one of the armored trucks to knock down the door of a house and spray tear gas inside. The issue is scheduled to come up again at next month’s meeting.

A $285,933 grant from DHS would pay for the eight-ton military truck. The Huffington Post cites a report from the Center for Investigative Reporting stating that $34 billion of similar grants have been issued since Sept. 11, 2001.

A Lenco spokesman criticized some of the citizens who spoke out against his firm’s vehicle, calling them “crazy” and saying, “When a Lenco Bearcat shows up at a crime scene where a suicidal killer is holding hostages, it doesn’t show up with a cannon. It shows up with a negotiator. Our trucks save lives,” according to the article.

Click past the jump to watch the Lenco BearCat promotional video, featuring AC-DC’s “Thunderstruck.”

Continue reading Small town up in arms over armored transport vehicle purchase [w/video]

Small town up in arms over armored transport vehicle purchase [w/video]

Chevrolet’s fire-breathing, Nürburgring-shredding Camaro ZL1 can now be custom configured for your very own garage – at least your virtual one.

The 580-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8-powered Chevrolet won’t come cheaply, starting at $54,995, and choices are limited. Major options include paint (we’re kind of fond of the $325 Rally Yellow scheme shown above, though perhaps it’s a little too Transformersque), transmission choice (six-speed manual or automatic), wheel finish, sunroof and faux suede interior bits. Given that this is a small-volume model with serious performance intentions, we’re not bothered by the limited decision tree offered by the configurator, and it helps tamp the bottom line down.

Build your own by checking out the link below, or compare and contrast builds against the ZL1’s nemesis, the Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 by checking out the latter’s configurator here.

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 configurator burns up the internet

Apparently, being the Official Automotive Marketing partner of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit property was just the excuse Lexus needed to get in touch with swimsuit model Tori Praver. And we can hardly blame them.

But what could Praver’s statuesque body and perfectly feminine features have to do with cars, you ask? That’s a very good question, and it’s one we’re sure the Lexus marketing team spent hours considering. The answer, interestingly enough, is all in the curves.

Following up on the video Lexus brought us showing two racers drifting a 2013 Lexus GS F Sport around a makeshift track drawn around the gigantor-size body of Ms. Praver, the luxury wing of the Toyota conglomerate has delivered a video game of similar intent for Apple’s ever-popular range of iDevices.

The TORI 500 racing app allows players to pilot GS sedans around digitized 3D renderings of Praver’s body. Sounds… curvy. Check out the official press release after the break, where we’ve also reposted the video of Praver and the (real-life) racing drivers.

Continue reading Lexus launches TORI 500 iPhone app racing game [w/video]

Lexus launches TORI 500 iPhone app racing game [w/video]

This past December we reported that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had found traffic fatalities in 2010 were at their lowest level since 1949. Unfortunately, another study released yesterday by the Governors Highway Safety Association reveals that the number of 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths is headed in the opposite direction.

While NHTSA has yet to release overall numbers for motor vehicle deaths in 2011, projections for the first six months have overall fatalities declining 0.9 percent. The number of teen driver deaths during that time, however, increased 11 percent from 190 the year before to 211, according to the report. The study is based on preliminary data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia that counts the number of drivers in this age group who died behind the wheel during the first six months of 2011. The states with the highest increase in teen driver deaths during that time were Florida, Texas and North Carolina.

While data for the last half of 2011 wasn’t included in the report, if the trend continued through New Year’s, it would mark the end of eight straight years of decline fatalities for this age group. As for why it’s happening, the researchers behind the study specifically cite the benefits of Graduate Driver Licensing laws, which have been around in many states since the ’90s, finally leveling off.

Teen driver deaths increase despite decrease in overall fatalities

We’ll be honest: We miss drifting. Not the polished, sponsor-laden, energy-drink soaked Formula D. We miss the seedy internet shaky-hand cam videos of Japanese drivers slinging their hand-built machines up the mountain side in the middle of the night. Poland, of all places, has sought to marry the worlds of professional, sanctioned drifting with the thrill of taking on a public road. The pairing of a hill climb with drifting may seem odd, but trust us when we say it works. With fans lining the course and drivers all new to improvised track, anything can happen.

Disrespect the mountain, and you’ll wind up on your roof. That didn’t stop drivers from giving it all they had, however. Fortunately for those of us who aren’t within a train ride of Eastern Europe, camera crews documented all the action for the world to see. Hit the jump to check out the high-definition video antics for yourself.

Continue reading Drifting returns to its mountain roots… in Poland

Drifting returns to its mountain roots… in Poland