VIDEO: Ferrari F430 Crashes and Goes up in Flames in Romania

A Ferrari F430 went from supercar to 'hotrod' and eventually to an unsalvageable wreck when a driver in Romania lost control of the Prancing Horse model colliding with two oncoming cars and ending up in a ditch. Luckily, the driver and the passenger managed to get out of the F430 before the supercar went up in flames. Shock aside, the passengers of the two other cars were not hurt in the accident. According to the Romanian media reports, the driver of the F430 was fined 180 Leu which comes to around $59 or €43 at today's exchange rates. Watch the video after the jump.

Top Gear Destroys Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VII with the help of the British Army

In a couple of weeks, on June 21st, the chaps from Top Gear will return on the small screen for the 13th season of the series. And even though the widespread financial turmoil has affected the TV series' budget in a negative way, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are getting ready to pull some stunts that will certainly stir some controversy, laughter, debates (you get the picture) and generally draw attraction to their show.

These photos that come to us from the Lancer Register message board, were shot during the filming of one of the Season 13 episodes. They show a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VII reportedly being destroyed with the help of the British Army. We don't know the details but we gather that it won't be long before we find out - that is if you care..

VIDEO: $2Million McLaren F1 Spontaneously Combusts in California

Picture this: it's a beautiful day, the sun is shining and you decide to take your prized McLaren F1 for a spin after six months of storage. All is great until you notice smoke coming out of the engine bay that houses the 627HP 6.1-liter BMW-derived V12. You pull over to take a looks and the next thing you know, the car is up in flames. This story actually happened yesterday, June 1, 2009, to Irv Kessler, 53, of Minnesota, as he was driving on Airport Boulevard in Santa Rosa California. .

As you can see in the video below, the McLaren F1, which was worth an estimated $2 million but was allegedly insured for $3 million (we know what you're thinking...), was a complete loss.

Pretty sad if you consider that from a total of 100 McLaren F1s, only 72 were road cars (including five F1 LM versions and three street-legal F1 GTs). The remaining 28 were race cars built for private customers competing in the FIA GT series and the 24 hours of Le Mans.

BMW 3-Series Touring vs Estonian Tram: Driver Made it Out Unharmed!

Looking at the above picture, it's hard to believe that the driver of this black BMW 3-Series Touring actually managed to escape unscathed from this extremely tight fit between a tram and a traffic pole in the city of Tallinn in Estonia. And even though most of the photos were taken while the firefighters were trying to rip the car apart in order to free the tram, still, this driver should consider him extremely fortunate. And in case you're wondering, he's the guy with the long hair sitting at the rear bench of the bimmer fiddling around with his cell phone and laptop - any humorous captions are more than welcome.

VIDEO: Lexus LF-A V10 Supercar Proves Too Hot for the Nurburgring...

Damn that Youtube; you can't have an unfortunate moment these days without someone uploading a video and circulating it around the web for the entire world to see. Lexus' "Moment of Zen" came during this past weekend's Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race when one of the two participating V10-powered LF-A sportscars caught on fire. If you dying to see what happened out of pure interest (or boredom, doesn't matter) hit the jump to watch the video.

Supercar Duel: Audi R8 Crashes Into Ferrari 599GTB

Not that it's entirely impossible, but two supercars getting into an accident on a public road is a rarity. This incident that involved an Audi R8 rear-ending a Ferrari 599GTB occurred on May 25th in Fu Zhou, China. According to reports, the driver of the Ferrari slammed onto his brakes after a taxi in front of him came to a sudden halt in order to pick up a passenger. As is common in these type of accidents, the Audi R8 suffered much more damage than the Ferrari 599 GTB.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Top Tips for Safe Winter Driving in the Snow and Ice

Every year, as snowfall begins, YouTube gets flooded with videos showing cars out of control crashing into everything and people trying to stop their runaway vehicles by pulling them with their hands - not a very a smart idea. While there are moments when Mother Nature is simply unstoppable, a few winter driving tips can make your life much more easier. The British Driving Instructors Association (DIA) compiled a list and we've also added a few tips of our own.

According to DIA, drivers give too much emphasis on the actual skidding, instead of taking precautionary measures, which can help them to avoid the problem in the first place.

For starters, make sure you leave on time from home and prepare your vehicle for the journey. There's nothing worse than a stressed out driver in a rush, constantly tempted to floor the gas pedal on slippery roads.

It's also very important to prepare your car. In winter, windows will gather frost (minus these) and there's a good chance that the entire car will be covered in snow. If you don't clear the windows and the car, which by the way, is an offence in many countries, you'll be endangering yourself due to the lack of visibility as well as those around you by blinding them with the snow falling off your car.

We consider that letting the engine idle for a few minutes in freezing temperatures is a good idea as well, because it's going to extend its lifecycle. Madly revving a cold powertrain just to clear the driveway can cause damages.

Don't forget to check the fuel, antifreeze and windscreen washer levels, and consider pulling the wipers away from the windshield if the car remains stationary for longer periods of time to prevent the rubber from freezing onto the glass.

If you have done all this, you're ready to go, unless of course you don't have winter tires,. Most people tend to neglect this aspect, but it's a big mistake. Tire companies say that normal rubber will lose grip even at 7 degrees Celsius (44.6 F), not to mention below zero (33 F) temperatures. If that's the case, you won't be better off with four-wheel drive either. You might get a bit further than two-wheel drive vehicles, but that's about it without a good set of tires.

But let's say you have winter tires and you're on the road. You should keep a safe distance from other vehicles that have not been cleared, to avoid flying snow and ice that can blind you or even shatter your windscreen.

If there's a steep street ahead, wait for the other cars to reach the top before continuing your drive. Should they slip back, you will be a sitting duck if there's not enough distance between vehicles.

Use a higher (third instead of second, for instance) and if your car has an automatic transmission, check if it has a winter mode. Always accelerate progressively and plan ahead when braking. Use engine braking if possible and avoid locking the brakes. As long as the wheels are turning you can still change the direction of the car, while with locked wheels you'll spin around uncontrollably.

Pay attention to road surfaces. On bridges and flyovers the cold wind can cause the surface to freeze. Sheltered areas can also be hazardous: if the sun doesn't reach them for a few hours you might end up driving on "black ice". Road markings might not be visible, so think twice about stopping in certain spots.

If you live in areas with severe snowfalls, it's a good idea to keep some supplies in your car (drinks, food, blankets, waterproof clothing etc.) and consider buying a shovel and chains in case you get stuck. In extreme conditions, your survival can depend on them, so every penny will be well spent.

Foremost, use common sense. If something feels wrong, don't do it. Once, I saw a sticker on a Land Rover Defender that said, "Caution! This machine has no brain. Use your own". How true is that?

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Landwind CV9 MPV receives Two Stars in Euro NCAP's First Chinese Vehicle Rating

Euro NCAP has released its latest crash test results, including the data sheet for the first Chinese vehicle it has ever tested, the Landwind CV9. Although the Chinese maker claims it has revamped the car to meet "the strictest European safety standards", the mid-sized MPV only managed a two star rating. However, Euro NCAP noted that the CV9 came close to meeting the three star threshold for adult protection, so there's still hope for the Chinese maker.

Dr. Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP's Secretary General, commented:

"It is clear that vehicles from China, India and other emerging countries will in the next few years become commonplace on European roads. Euro NCAP will ensure that consumers know what levels of safety are offered by these vehicles. By highlighting differences in safety performance, we aim to drive the safety of all cars towards and beyond the high levels we see from more well established manufacturers. We are confident that Landwind and others will rise to this challenge".

This is not Lanwind's first foray into the European market. In 2005 they tried to attract buyers with the X6 SUV, based on Isuzu Rodeo/Opel Frontera underpinnings, but failed miserably after ADAC conducted a crash test and rated it with zero stars.

The MPV fared better, but it's still considered to be poorly equipped. Euro NCAP pointed out that side airbags, increased head protection and electronic stability control would have helped it achieve a better score. The test vehicles were early examples of Euro-spec models, as Lanwind plans to officially launch the CV9 in early 2011.

You can read the official Euro NCAP assessment below.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Adult occupant

Inspection of the vehicle after the frontal impact, and examination of its performance during the test itself, revealed that structures surrounding the passenger compartment were at the limit of their load-bearing capacity. As a result, the passenger compartment was deemed to be unstable as an impact at a higher speed was expected to lead to significantly greater collapse. Protection of the driver's chest was rated as marginal. Dummy readings indicated good protection of the front seat occupants' knees and femurs. However, structures in the dashboard presented a risk of injury to occupants of different sizes and to those sat in different positions, and protection was rated as marginal. The steering rack was pushed rearwards during the frontal test, heavily distorting the driver's footwell and tearing the metal. This represented a risk of injury to the driver's feet and ankles and the car was penalised. The CV9 has no side protection airbags and, in the side barrier test, protection of the chest area was rated as weak and that of the abdomen as marginal. In that test, three doors were seen to have opened during the impact. Landwind have attributed this to weak springs in the door latches and intend to fit stiffer springs to try to overcome the problem in future vehicles. As the car has no head protection device, no side pole test was performed. The seats supplied for whiplash tests were not consistent with the ones in the test vehicles. As the seats in the test cars were damaged from the full scale tests, no valid assessment could be made of the whiplash protection offered by the CV9.

Child occupant

In the frontal impact, forward movement of the head of the 3 year dummy, sat in a forward facing restraint, exceeded recommended limits. However, in the side barrier test, both the 3 year and the 18 month dummies were properly contained within the protective shells of their restraints. The passenger airbag cannot be disabled to allow a rearward facing restraint to be used in that seating position and the label warning of the dangers of doing so was unclear and not permanently attached. Markings on the restraints of both dummies were not permanently attached and points were lost.

Pedestrian

The protection offered by the bumper to pedestrians' legs was good in places and poor in others. The front edge of the bonnet offered poor protection and scored no points in Euro NCAP's tests. Tests in some areas at the centre of the bonnet indicated good protection for a child's head but was poor elsewhere. The protection offered to the head of a struck adult was also predominantly poor.

Safety assist

A seatbelt reminder system is standard equipment for the driver and front passenger seats. Electronic stability control is not currently available on the CV9.

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Not In My Town: America’s Resistance to the Roundabout

I want to be upfront about something: I'm not an American, I'm an Australian. And as such, I don't really understand NASCAR or baseball, and my daily driver is from a country that the Americans were at war with seventy years ago. Heck, I sometimes even eat croissants.

So what gives me the right to chide American drivers for resisting such a basic piece of road design as the humble roundabout? Well, that's simple: in Australia we've been using roundabouts for years.

The New York Times reports that, for some oddball reason (probably because the French are so fond of them), Americans are actively resisting the introduction of the roundabout across their great, proud nation. This comes despite the fact that roundabouts have long proven to be safer, more efficient and better for the environment than that other piece of road design: the intersection.

Eugene R. Russell Sr, a civil engineering professor at Kansas State and the chairman of a national task force on roundabouts, elaborates:

"There's a lot of what I call irrational opposition. People don't understand. They just don't understand roundabouts."

What's to understand? It's a big concrete circle that you drive around counter-clockwise, turning off on the exit that you want. If you're turning left or making a U-turn, you keep to the inside lane, if you're turning right, you keep to the outside lane. You give way to the left like you would at an intersection, and to any vehicles already transversing the roundabout. That's it.

So why don't Americans like roundabouts?

Well, there are a few potential reasons. First, there's the resistance to change: intersections have been a staple of American towns for at least sixty years. There's also some confusion between what a roundabout actually is: traffic circles, like Dupont Circle in Washington D.C., are not roundabouts. Roundabouts are typically smaller, traffic moves more slowly and do not feature traffic lights.

There are, however, signs that attitudes are changing. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety interviewed 1,802 drivers across six communities and found that just 34% support roundabouts before construction, but that this generally increases to 57% shortly after construction was finished and 69% after more than a year had passed.

There are roughly 2,000 roundabouts across the United States, most of which were built in the last ten years according to Edward Myers, the senior principal at transport engineering firm Kittelson and Associates. Hundreds more are planned for the immediate future, so it seems American drivers will have no choice but to go accustomed to, and learn how to use, these rotary roadways.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

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VIDEO: Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Burns to the Ground in Moscow

The unrecognizable mass of metal you see pictured above used to be a new Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. If we are to believe the reports coming in from Russia, the owner of the Prancing Horse model was driving somewhere in Moscow when he noticed smoke coming out from the engine bay. The driver is said to have stopped on the side of the road in an attempt to extinguish the fire himself - obviously his efforts went down the drain. The corpse of the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti was towed away in a rather unfashionably (some may say ironic) way by a local dump truck. Click through to watch the scorching videos.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

VIDEO: Pensioner Takes the (Parking) Law(s) Into his own Hands

In what looks like a low budget recreation of Marvin Heemeyer's notorious bulldozer rampage through a small Colorado town, an 83yo pensioner in the UK has been caught on CCTV ramming two other vehicles out of the way with his Peugeot after their driver's imprudently parked them in front of his garage.

The Telegraph newspaper reports that the Bristol resident, Ronald Pemberton, was taken to court over the matter and found guilty by the Bristol Magistrates Court. Nicholas Rowland, the Court Recorder, banned Pemberton from driving for 12 months and order he pay over £1,900 in fines, court costs and compensation.

Recorder Rowland had this to say to Mr. Pemberton after delivering his verdict:

"It is an expensive lesson for you. I hope you will think long and hard before you do anything like this again. No doubt you were severely irritated with the long-existing parking problem. It's very sad to see somebody of your age in court at all but I'm afraid you can't go taking the law into your own hands."

Sarah Regan, the prosecuting lawyer, added:

"The way you deal with it is to leave a note on the windscreen and have a word when [the drivers] come back. You don't use your car to move it."

Mr. Pemberton had rented the garage, located near his home and across from a local school, for the past twenty years. His lawyer argued that he had never had problems with the police, and it was only after he grew increasingly frustrated by people parking in front of his garage that he took this drastic course of action.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com