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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

 

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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. 

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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

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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.

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