1967 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replicated Out of a Chevrolet Optra / Daewoo Lacetti

The clone-happy tuners of India's BigDaddyCustoms, which we came to know from their efforts to replicate the Range Rover Evoque SUV with a Tata-based model, have struck again.

Their next automotive victim is the 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 'Eleanor' from the 2000 Hollywood blockbuster 'Gone in 60 Seconds' starring Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie.

The Indian custom shop chose the domestic market Chevrolet Optra, also known as the Chevrolet and Daewoo Lacetti, as a base for the creation of the half-sized Eleanor Mustang with the overconfident sticker at the back that reads 'Muscle Always Wins'.

BigDaddyCustoms doesn't mention any other details about the replica.

If the Indian clone of the Eleanor piqued your interest, you may want to check some of the replicas of the 1967 Shelby GT500 movie car that we have posted over the years including the Smart ForTwo-, Toyota Supra- and Toyota MR2 - based models.

Story References: BigDaddyCustoms via Indianautosblog

Read More

Canadian Chevrolet Aveo wants to be a Jaguar Vanden Plas when it Grows Up

We understand that in the minds of most drivers, some car brands and models are more respected and have a higher cache than others, but trying to pose as something you are clearly not usually doesn't end well.

Like this first generation Chevrolet Aveo, itself a rebadged Daewoo Kalos, which was snagged on camera by Carscoop reader 'MiniMania' in Canada.

Our reader tells us: "A Chevrolet Aveo disguised into a Jaguar…. Love its attention to detail… Look at the decoration on its door."

We can’t see what's going inside, but on the outside, the car sports a miniature version of Jaguar's chrome grille and leaping-cat hood ornament, the XF's side blades and several badges on the tail gate including a Vanden Plas moniker (once a brand of its own, but in later years used as a designation for higher-end models).

Thanks to 'MiniMania' for sending in the photos!

Read More

Mercedes GL-Faced Ford Excursion will Make Limo Drivers "Twice as Much" as Regular Model

As many premium and wannabe-premium carmakers found out over the years, the BMW roundel and Mercedes-Benz star are highly regarded by consumers, even if their products aren't always the best.

A limousine maker is a firm believer of the power that lies behind the Mercedes-Benz logo, despite the fact that the car has nothing to do with the Stuttgart-based company's models.

Case in point, a Ford Excursion stretch limo dressed on the outside like a Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, and we quote the seller:

"With this conversion you will make twice as much per hour than with your regular Excursion. Everybody knows the Excursion runs for ever best SUV Limo never breaks down, it just looks old style. This conversion gives you the opportunity to be on to of your competition!"

If these words touched your heart, you can buy the Mercedes-Benz-faced Ford Excursion for $29,500 on eBay.

Read More

China's Shanxi Victory Likes Itself Some Cadillac, Perhaps too Much…

Cadillac's "Art and Science" design language, which was first seen on a production model on the original CTS sedan before it spread to the entire range, has been a success bringing the Detroit company's styling to the 21st century.

In fact, it's so successful that an unknown state-run company from China named Shanxi Victory has decided to borrow the crispy and edgy design forms and apply them to its vehicle lineup.

There's a 0.00001 percent chance we're wrong, but we're willing to take the risk and say that Shanxi Victory did not ask General Motors' permission to use Cadillac's fascia...

And mind you, it's not only the Cadillac Escalade lookalike pickup truck found by the folks from CarNewsChina on Sohu, as we dug a bit further and discovered two more minivans that like what the wreath and crest brand has done to its 21st century models.

Scroll down for more images and then head over to the comments to voice your thoughts.

Read More

Indian Tuner Transforms Tata Safari Into the Moon Rover Evoque Replica

Custom shops from India rarely make headlines, but when they do, they definitely do it in style (or so to speak…).

After last year's Toyota Corolla-based Ferrari F430 supercar clone from ExecutiveModcarTrends, we are now blessed with a Tata Safari that has been converted into a Land Rover Range Rover Evoque.

Coincidentally (or not), Tata Motors is the owner of Land Rover having acquired the British automaker along with Jaguar from the Ford Group in 2008.

The builder of this replica, which is named Moon Rover Evoque [sic], is a New Delhi-based company called BigDaddyCustoms.

The transformation entails a thorough exterior makeover with several new components such as the Evoque-like fascia complete with LED daytime running lamps, a new rear-end with quad tailpipes and custom pain(t) job that mimics the Range Rover's styling theme, while the interior is dressed in red leather.

Story References: BigDaddyCustoms via Indiasautosblog

Hat tip to Kaustubh S.!

Read More

Audi-Faced, BMW-Tailed Subaru Impreza WRX is the Definition of Overkill

We understand that some Subaru owners love their cars for what they are and hate them for what they look like and will try anything to improve their styling, but the British owner of 1993 Impreza WRX may have taken things a bit too far.

The modified Japanese sports car's front end is borrowed from a mid-to-late 2000s Audi A4 (B7) while the rear was made out of bits and pieces from the previous generation, Bangle-styled BMW 5-Series (codenamed E60).

The blistered wheel arches, side skirts, black alloy wheels and the shaved doors are bonus parts.

The mix-and-match of German car components is certainly not to everyone's taste, but we are going to agree with the crew from GTSpirit that everything seems to have been crafted on prudently from a styling point of view.

The Japanese-German WRX is said to be powered by Subaru's 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four with 240-ponnies.

The car is listed for auction on eBay UK with the highest bid the last time we checked being £4,000 or about US$6,200 / €5,100.

Read More

It Came from eBay Hell: Oldsmobile Poses as a 1990s Bentley Continental R

The Continental R coupe built from 1991 to 2003 in just a little over 1,200 units is one of the last old school Bentleys before the Volkswagen Group took over shop and began churning out a contemporary lineup of models like the Continental series.

And as with any other rare and moderately expensive vehicle these days, the Continental R has its own fan club of…doppelgangers.

The one you see pictured here is based on a 1991 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Coupe, which we admit, is a rather unusual choice for a donor car, whichever way you see it.

The styling transformation is rather extensive covering both the exterior and interior of the car, with the tuner keeping the stock Oldsmobile's 3.1-liter V6 engine linked to an automatic transmission.

The Continental R coupe clone is currently listed for sale on eBay with 16 people having placed a bid at the time we posted this article, with the highest one reaching $6,360.

If you scroll down, you will find a full gallery of images and a video of a one 'Erl' driving the car.

Read More

New Mitsubishi Proudia and Dignity Luxury Sedans Are…Proud Doppelgangers of the Infiniti M

After many years of absence from the luxury car segment, Mitsubishi is going to give it another try with the revival of the Proudia and Dignity nameplates for the Japanese market.

In a strange turn of fate, whereas the original Proudia and Dignity from the late 1990s - early 2000s were designed by Mitsubishi and co-manufactured with Hyundai, which marketed its own versions as the rebadged Centennial and Equus (not to be confused with the current Equus), Mitsubishi is now the one to rebrand the two models.

To explain, the Proudia and the more luxurious, long wheelbase Dignity are the products of an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) deal with the Nissan Group and are based on the Infiniti M and the China-market Infiniti M35hL LWB (sold as the new Nissan Cima in Japan) respectively.

Mitsubishi tells us that the Proudia moniker is coined from the English words "Proud" and "Diamond" (referring to the company's logo), while the Dignity took its name from "the English word that describes the peerless grandeur and majestic stateliness of the model".

Mitsubishi's contributions to the Proudia and Dignity are limited to the waterfall front grille, the re-sculptured front bumper and the addition of badges.

The Proudia is offered with a choice of two engines, a 3.7-liter V6 delivering 328hp (333PS) in RWD or AWD versions and a 2.5-liter V6 with 222hp (225PS) exclusively with RWD.

The longer wheelbase (+ 5.9-inches or 150mm) and more luxuriously equipped Dignity features the same gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain found on the Infiniti M35h, which links a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine to an electric motor for a total system output of 359hp (364PS).

Both models are available for order in Japan with prices ranging from 4,022,000 Yen (US$50,400 or €40,700) for the Proudia 250 to 8,400,000 Yen (US$105,200 or €85,000) for the single-trim level Dignity VIP.

Read More

This Rolls-Royced Nissan Patrol is So Wrong in So Many Levels…

When you think about Dubai and cars, you probably imagine exotic Italian coupes and über-luxurious limousines and crossovers, some of which possibly draped in shiny chrome foil wraps and tuned by some of Europe's most unapologetic tuning brands.

But there's also another side to Dubai's automotive scene, one less ritzy but equally gaudy at times.

Found for sale on the Dubai Dubizzle site by the crew from GT Spirit, is this pretentious creation trying to apply the looks of a Rolls-Royce Phantom limousine to the body of a 1993 Nissan Patrol SUV.

Moving away from the front we also see that this replica of sorts also gets widened wheel arches, possibly suicide doors (or at least that's what the re-positioning of the rear door handles suggest), a set of tail lamps from a Range Rover Sport and a fully wood-trimmed interior.

The "Rolls-Royced" Nissan Patrol is listed for sale at AED 58,000, which is equal to about US$15,800 or €12,600 at the current exchange rates.

Read More

After the BMW X1, China's Zhonghua Looks for Inspiration in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta

We cannot keep up with all the production and concept models that are coming out from China and the design of which either bluntly copies or is directly inspired from a Western automaker's model(s).

Just recently, a Chinese website caught hold of some pictures of a new prototype model from Brilliance Auto's Zhonghua brand.

You don't have to live in Milan to see that the design of the unnamed compact crossover takes its inspiration from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, be that in the shape of the lights, the hidden rear door handles or the sharp lines on the front and rear fenders.

Zhonghua is one of many brands under the umbrella of Brilliance Auto, which operates a car-making joint venture with BMW and a minibus-making joint venture with Toyota.

The relationship with BMW, however, hasn't deterred Zhonghua from producing a compact SUV like the V5, which borrows its exterior styling from the BMW X1 and its interior design from Audi.

Prototype Photo Credits: Sohu Auto

Read More

Poor Man's Lamborghini Reventon Filmed Cruising Down the Road…

Unless one of the 20 owners of the real $2 million Lamborghini Reventon had a change of heart regarding the Italian exotic's mid opaque grey color, something we humorously doubt, this is a replica based on an unknown donor car.

Nevertheless, it was special enough for one camera phone equipped by-stander to waste 11 seconds to film it passing by. Feel free to do the same by watching the video right after the jump.

Read More

Google Maps Gone Wrong? Street View Car Found Wrecked in India

It's not every day that you stumble upon an abandoned Google StreetView Camera Car in the middle of nowhere. And since you are bound to ask, by 'nowhere' we mean down a rocky hill in the Leh district of northern India.

An unidentified man who sounds like he has an American or a Canadian accent captured a film of the aftermath. The video shows the high standing camera-equipped Opel Astra hatchback(previous generation) facing down the hill with its front smashed up on the rocks.
Another young man in the video is shown throwing rocks on the German model. We don't know if these men discovered the car by accident or if they were actually the drivers.
What we did find is additional photos of the crash on a one Pit Kellers' Flickr account, which you can check out here: Link1, Link2 and Link3.
As always, if any of you happen to have more details surrounding the incident, shoot us an email or head over to the comments area.

Read More

Man Builds Real-Life Working Version of WALL-E for Kids with Cancer

You no doubt remember WALL-E, the love-stricken robot from the successful Pixar movie that bears his name.

Now, some four years after the film hit theaters, WALL-E has come to life, no thanks to the efforts of California robotics enthusiast Mike Senna, who some of you may remember for building a life-sized, working R2-D2 from the Star Wars saga.

Blastr reports that Senna decided to work on WALL-E after he begun taking R2-D2 to events for City of Hope, a pediatric cancer charity, and saw the reactions of the kids to the robot. He says that he then wanted to create something with a little "more emotion".

The California resident estimates that it took him between 3,200 and 3,800 hours to complete the project from scratch working an average of 25 hours a week for more than two years. Did we mention that he paid everything from his own pocket and that he has a regular job?

Senna says that his reward comes from the look on kids' faces when they see the remote-controlled robot come to life.

For more photos of WALL-E, check out Senna's blog here.

Read More

See Anything Wrong with this Picture?

We're all for driving your car to the ground in order to save on the cash but this owner seems to have taken it to the extreme.

Even though the yellow sedan of unknown origins still has a working engine, a driver's seat and four wheels, the rest of the car is in shreds.
The word on YouTube is that the vehicle was filmed on Iraqi roads, though this is something we cannot confirm at the time. Head past the jump to watch the full video and leave your comments.

Read More

Vermont Farmer Goes Berserk After Marijuana Charges and Crushes 7 Police Cars with a Tractor!Vermont Farmer Goes Berserk After Marijuana Charges and Crushes 7 Police Cars with a Tractor!

We've said it before, we'll say it again; just because a significant number of Russian drivers fit their cars with dashboard cameras offering us an omniscient view of what's going on in the country, doesn't mean the rest of the world is immune.

From crazy Brazilian drivers attacking motorcyclists to annoyed Greek motorists tipping over double-parked cars, the world can be a crazy place - the United States included.
On Thursday, August 2, Vermont farmer Roger Pion decided to show his displeasure for being arrested on marijuana charges last month by driving his tractor to the Orleans County Sheriff's Department and flattening down seven cop cars, including five marked cruisers, an unmarked vehicle and van used for transporting prisoners!
Strangely, it wasn't the Orleans County Sheriff's Department that had previously arrested the 34-year-old man but the neighboring agency of Newport.
"It’s more than half our fleet. We have 11 cars," Chief Deputy Sheriff Phil Brooks told theBurlington Free Press adding that the police estimated the damages to be around $250,000 (€203,000).
The 34-year old man is said to have used a big tractor with four six-foot tandem wheels on the back. "It's pretty much the biggest tractor you can get," Police Chief Seth DiSanto told reporters.
After completing the demolition derby, Pion took off and even though the Orleans County Sheriff's Department didn't have any cars available to chase him, the Newport city police soon arrested the man two miles from the crime scene.
State Police Detective Trooper Lyle Decker told the Burlington Free Press that Pion faces several charges including seven counts of felony unlawful mischief and one misdemeanor count of unlawful mischief on suspicion of damaging the cars.
A video of the aftermath at the police station follows below.

Read More

Meanwhile in Russia #11: Butt-Close J-Turn, Accident Waiting to Happen, Scream and Bimmer Alert

Our daily roundup of Russian road madnessbegins with the driver of a Lada Classic sedan performing the so-called J-Turn maneuver, which calls for a 180-degree turn while in reverse. Somehow, we don't remember pedestrians being part of the stunt…

A slow moving tractor pulling a tanker-like trailer without any lights or reflectors at night is an accident just waiting to happen and guess what; it did but it wasn't the tractor that received the bad news.
Quick quiz: What is more terrifying and surely more annoying than a relatively minor car crash? We will give a couple of hints; it walks on two feet and stars in the third video clip.
We don't know why, but there's an increasing number of Russian drivers in BMWs crossing lanes and smashing into motorcycles, as seen in this clip as well as in the fourth video of today's countdown.

Read More

That's One Way to Show a Girl a Good Time

One thing we can tell you for sure about this video is that the young man you see sitting in front of the young lady at the back of the electric bus wasn't driving - at least not the trolley…

What these two youngsters were doing with the paper bags in their hands is also another mystery (perhaps not if you have a vivid imagination…), but then again, so is just about everything we see on Russian dashcams.

Hop over the break to check out the short video.

Read More

A drunken degenerate returning from a party at the SUV "Prado"

If you happen to be intoxicated, it's never a good idea to step inside a car and take a seat behind the wheel, since all sorts of things can go wrong.

As for this gentlemen who was allegedly buzzed off the wagon after a late night party in theRussian town of Yasnogorsk, we'll just tell you that despite his alcohol-induced groove, he did manage to get his Toyota Land Cruiser Prado SUV off the grass.

To see where that landed him, hop over the break for the video.

Read More

You Know it’s a Bad Time to Take a Picture When…

When it comes to most forms of motor racing, speed is everything, be that on the track or in the pit area, meaning there is no room for fooling around and wasting time.

That said, standing in front of a car during a pit stop to take touristy pictures while drivers swap places and the pit crew is scrambling to perform a multi-service operation as swiftly and efficiently as possible, is something you should avoid.

Yet, a lady was caught on camera doing precisely that at the recent Indianapolis Grand AM.

YouTube poster 'f1fanindy' notes: "After the pit boss gave fair warning...a lady walks right out in front of the pit crew...look what happens next."

A short clip of the incident follows below.

Thanks go to Greg for the tip! 

Read More

Too Fast for his Own Good Mercedes-Benz CL Driver Smashes into Four Cars

No intelligent system in the world can help a foolish driver without a drop of common sense to avoid getting into an accident.

A too fast, too furious motorist behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz CL went on to unleash some of the many ponies hiding under the hood of the German coupe on a fairly tight city road and overtake a car in front of him.

The result? After crashing into an oncomingLexus RX crossover, the Mercedes was pushed onto an Audi A8 sedan (judging by the chrome strip on the bumper), a black saloon (possibly a Skoda) before completing the strike with an SUV.

We could be wrong, but the license plates on the cars and the music background suggest that this video was shot in Russia.

Hat tip to Ray!

Read More

Meanwhile in Russia: Passing Through the Eye of the Needle x 2, Timber! and Motorcycle Fail

For our time-waster of the day, we bring you four videos from the land that never ceases to amaze.

While traveling on his lane on the freeway, the protagonist of our first clip was suddenly confronted with an Audi Q5 that was trying to overtake a large truck carrying timber. Fortunately, he was able to squeeze in between the two vehicles and save his head.

Our next driver tried to make a legal but reckless pass of several vehicles at the same time that was Land Cruiser was heading his (or her) way. While avoiding a deadly head-on collision, the driver wasn't able to control the car that tumbled over on the side of the road.

In the next video, not only did the tree cutting crews neglects to secure their surroundings, but they also managed to drop the tree on the side of the road…

And last but not least, we have a motorcycle rider who somehow managed to trip on his bike and fall right in front of an oncoming car the driver of which, was luckily alert, swerving and avoiding a collision that would have likely turned fatal for the biker.

Read More

Honda Unleashes New Civic WTCC Racer with 1.6-liter Turbocharged Inline-Four

The new 2012 Honda Civic WTCC has officially entered its final development stages as the Japanese carmaker presented the final exterior and began track testing of its FIA World Touring Car Championship racecar at the Vallelunga circuit, near Rome, Italy, following the car's ‘shakedown' on July 27 at the Vairano circuit near the J.A.S. Motorsport factory in Milan. The Japanese carmaker's WTCC contender is based on the European market Civic hatchback and features a special aero package with an extended front and rear skirt and other additional aerodynamic elements such as the large rear wing.
But what makes this Civic really stand out from its production brethren is the bespoke 1.6-liter 4 cylinder direct injection turbocharged HR-412E petrol engine.
Honda has not released output numbers nor did it say if it has any plans to offer a turbocharged engine on its production models in the near future.
However, during the presentation of the turbocharged unit last week, Daisuke Horiuchi, WTCC Development Project Leader at Honda R&D said that, "We believe the innovations that have led to this revolutionary engine will also lead to benefits beyond the race track, helping us to further increase the efficiency of our road car engines."
Back to the racing model, Honda noted that testing would continue throughout the year with 2009 WTCC champion Gabriele Tarquini sitting behind the wheel.
"Although I'd never driven the new Civic before, funnily, when I sat in the seat for the first time I immediately felt I was in a Honda," said Tarquini.
"The body work is precise and the engine feels great. But this is just the first track test, so there is so much more for us to work on. The car looks beautiful too and will, I'm sure, wow all the WTCC fans around the world when it makes its debut in Suzuka later this year," he added.
Beginning at Suzuka in October this year, Honda will enter three races of the 2012 FIA World Touring Car Championship with one car, driven by Tiago Monteiro, as it prepares for full entry in 2013.

Read More

Ferrari Confirms 1,000 Cars Registered for Record Breaking Meet at Silverstone Circuit

It was 1,000 cars Ferrari North Europe wanted and that's what it secured as the company confirmed the number of participants for the Ferrari Racing Days at Silverstone Circuit on Saturday, September 15. If everybody shows up, Ferrari's Northern European division will break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Parade of Ferrari Cars which it set in 2007 with 385 vehicles, but lost in 2008 after 490 supercars gathered at the Fuji Speedway Circuit in Shizuoka, Japan.
"Registrations remain open as we anticipate the recently extended Silverstone Grand Prix circuit can accommodate more than 1000 cars on track," Ferrari said in a statement.
The Italian company has said that it will be donating £5 for every car entered into the world record attempt to BEN, the automotive industry’s own charity.
Aside from the 1,000 car spectacle, visitors to the racing event will be able to see ultra-exclusive FXX and 599XX development cars on track and a wide range of historic Ferrari F1 cars from the F1 Clienti department.
Ticket prices for the event are set at £15 per person, with children aged 15 years and under entering free of charge.

 

Read More

Hyundai Veloster Secures a Window Seat at London's Harrods

With all eyes on London these days due to the Summer Olympics, Hyundai has secured a front seat at the famous Harrods department store in Knightsbridge. The automaker parked its 1+2 door Veloster compact model that will remain on display at the store until August 25.
Hyundai is the main sponsor of the ‘Korea Loves London – Innovation and Technology 2012’ exhibition at Harrods, organized by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (Kotra) to promote and established Korean companies in Britain.
"We are very proud to be part of the ‘Korea Loves London – Innovation and Technology 2012’ activity in such an iconic location," commented Hyundai Motors UK President and CEO, Tony Whitehorn. "Like everything in Harrods, the Veloster has been designed to be stylish, great value and of the highest quality."
Besides the Veloster, the window display includes the robots, interactive screens and automated home appliances. 

Read More

Lexus Unleashes the LFA Offering One Fan the Opportunity to Drive the V10 Sportscar on the Track

A few days back, Lexus had teased us with a video entitled "Unleash the LFA," a preview to which some (including myself) believed to be a new special edition track spec LFA after some recent aqua colored LFA spy photos had emerged the weeks before. Sadly, we were all wrong. What Lexus is really doing is, well taking a note from Audi's #WantAnR8 Twitter campaign.
Lexus is letting one of their lucky fans take hold of the 552bhp V10 supercar for a day of high-speed driving instruction at Skip Barber Racing school, finished off with a speed run at the infamous Laguna Seca racetrack.
Mind you, Lexus isn't skimping out either. Included is the cost of lodging and airfare for you and a friend, and a $300 spending spree.
The contest runs on Lexus' official Facebook page from August 1 to 21 and is only open to U.S. residents.
By Jeff Perez

Read More

Renault to Boost Engine Production Capacity in Brazil by 25 Percent

French carmaker Renault today announced plans to expand its engine manufacturing facility at the Ayrton Senna production site in Curitiba, Brazil, by 5,000 square meters (53,820 Sq. ft.) in order to boost annual output from 400,000 to 500,000 engines by early 2013. Since the opening of the Ayrton Senna Complex in 1999, Renault has manufactured some 2.5 million engines, including 335,813 in 2011, of which more than 1.2 million units were exported to other South American markets.
Besides the engine manufacturing facility, the complex also includes passenger-car and light-commercial-vehicle plants. Renault said that annual capacity is over 280,000 vehicles, which will be increased to 380,000 units starting in early 2013.
Brazil is currently the Renault's Group's number two market, with the French automaker achieving a record market share of 6.8 percent in the first half of 2012. Renault said it is aiming for an 8 percent share of the Brazilian market by 2016.

Read More