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Modified supercars at SEMA 2013 in pictures

The SEMA tuning and modified car show held in that centre of American excess, Las Vegas, is a melting pot for all things automotive. From trucks and busses to family saloons and hatchbacks, aftermarket tuning companies go to work making the wackiest modified versions of every type of vehicle around, showing off their wares at SEMA. Not even supercars are off limits.

Mercedes Weighs Into Super Saloon Market With Potent AMG-Tuned S-Class

WHEN eight cylinders just isn’t enough for your high performance luxury saloon, Mercedes has unveiled the solution to your problem: and S-Class boasting twelve cylinders, twin-turbocharging, 630 horsepower and a whopping 737lb ft of torque. As a flagship to trump even its own S 63 AMG model, the German firm claims its S 65 AMG monster is the most powerful vehicle in its market segment. Packing a 6.0-litre V12 petrol motor, this third generation of S 65 can deliver a zero to 62mph sprint time of 4.3 seconds and carry on to an electronically limited 155mph.

Driverless Car Project Launched In Land Of The Concrete Cows

MILTON Keynes might already be famous for its concrete cows and numerous roundabouts, but soon it’ll also be known for its driverless cars. In a project aimed at boosting green technologies, a fleet of 20 driver-operated ‘pods’ will run on designated pathways separated from pedestrians. By mid-2017 it is planned that 100 fully autonomous vehicles will run on pathways alongside people, using sensors to avoid collisions with obstacles.

Nissan BladeGlider concept: in pictures

Petrolheads! Nissan has launched a concept that shows cars of the future can be entertaining to drive – even if it’s an electric vehicle. It’s the lightweight, aircraft-inspired, Deltawing-shaped Nissan BladeGlider.

Nissan reinvents its Popular Qashqai Crossover

FANS of the school run can rejoice as Nissan has given one of the nation’s most popular SUVs a makeover. The firm has unveiled its latest generation Qashqai, and you’ll be able to get your hands on one from February 2014. With bold claims of having reinvented its crossover model, Nissan is boasting of low emissions and fuel consumption figures plus the inclusion of high levels of safety-related technology for its new car.

Nissan could leave UK if Britain leaves EU

Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn has warned that Nissan could leave the UK if the public vote ‘yes’ in the EU referendum promised by the Conservatives should they win the 2015 General Election. Ghosn gave the warning to the BBC while he was in London to launch the new British built Nissan Qashqai. New 2014 Nissan Qashqai revealed in pictures UK to become second biggest car maker in EU “If anything has to change, we [would] need to reconsider our strategy and our investments for the future,” he told a reporter.

Chris Evans reveals CarFest 2014 dates

Want to indulge your passion for cars and have a great family weekend – with all money raised going to charity? Then circle the 2014 CarFest dates in your diary – Radio 2 presenter Chris Evans has just announced the fast-growing event will take place in August, with tickets going on sale on next week. The Chris Evans car collection Chris Evans’ Ferraris at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed As usual, there will be two events, CarFest North and CarFest South.

Super modified saloons at SEMA 2013: in pictures

SEMA stands for Specialty Equipment Market Association, and every year it holds a big event in Las Vegas to showcase the very best in weird and wonderful modified car creations. But unlike certain other modified car shows we could mention, the emphasis is very much on premium quality and good taste. Let us guide you through some of the very best super saloons on show at the 2013 SEMA Car Show.

Mercedes S65 AMG (2013) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 08 November 2013 08:01 Bring on the ‘too much is never enough’ comments: this is the new Mercedes S65 AMG – the top dog of the S-class range. Set to be more than twice as expensive as an entry-level S350 BlueTec, which starts at £62k, the S65 AMG borrows its powerplant from the SL65 AMG, and comes close to embarrassing the SLS supercar in a drag race. Whereas the new S63 makes do with a piffling 5.5-litre biturbo V8 developing 577bhp, the S65 squeezes in a twin-blown V12 good for 621bhp – that’s only one horse fewer than the Mercedes SLS Black Series manages.

Nissan BladeGlider (2013) shown

By Damion Smy First Official Pictures 08 November 2013 09:53 Is the Nissan Qashqai a little too practical for you? Nissan has the answer: the wacky-looking BladeGlider, inspired by its Zeod racer that began sportscar racing in 2012 as the Nissan DeltaWing. The BladeGlider is a Nissan showpiece for its future sportscars, which will see hybrid and EV tech end up in its flagship GT-R.

Two-Wheeler Casualties On The Rise

PROVISIONAL Government figures relating to spring 2013 show an increase in deaths on the road, with motorbike and pedal cyclist casualty rates in particular on the rise. The estimates showed that there were 450 deaths in reported road accidents in Britain between April and June) - a 12% rise on the figure of 402 in the same period last year. Car user and pedestrian casualties - those killed or seriously or slightly injured - fell in spring 2013, but pedal cyclist casualties rose 12%, while motorcyclist casualties were up 4%.

Taxi To The Stars To Shine At Auction

CLASSIC car auctioneer, Historics at Brooklands, will be selling a very special London taxi at the end of November. This particular example of a 1935 12/4 Austin Taxi is no ordinary cab though, having transported the rich and famous as part of its role as gust transport for boutique hotel, Blakes, in London’s South Kensington. Plucked from its more humble street life in the 70’s by the hotel’s creator - film star and actress turned hotelier and interior designer - Anouska Hempel (now Lady Weinberg) - the 1935 Austin Taxi Low Loading became the exclusive hotel transport soon after the hotel’s opening, for Blakes’s many famous guests including Ali McGraw, Neil Diamond, Robert Redford, Bob Dylan and Jane Russell.

Calling All Original Mustang Owners

If you've had your 1964 Mustang under your name and in your possession since it was new (i.e. all 49 years) then let Kathy Miller know. So far she's found 11 people who have had their 'Stangs all 49 years.

Drayson B12 electric race car hits the track

Chris Harris of "Drive" got behind the wheel of the 850-hp, Drayson B12 electric race car in his latest online feature. Drayson will be one of the teams competing for the Formula E World Championship. Harris first talks to Lord Drayson about the car that he created.

Toyota to premiere five concepts in Tokyo

Toyota is the latest carmaker to announce the contents of its show stand for the upcoming Tokyo motor show, with five new concepts being unveiled. The latest development of the Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) Concept will make its debut – previewing a production model that could launch next year – alongside concepts exploring the future of taxis and compact MPVs. We'll also see the introduction of the FV2 (Fun Vehicle 2) concept, which Toyota says is designed to capture its ‘fun-to-drive' philosophy, and the Aqua G Sports concept.

Nissan's second-generation Qashqai unveiled in London

The second-generation Nissan Qashqai has been revealed at an event in London. Check out the gallery for the first images of the car ahead of the full story tomorrow morning, featuring exclusive interviews with Nissan head of design Shiro Nakamura and Darryl Scriven, design manager, Nissan Design Europe.

Kia sounds off at SEMA show with five loud Souls

James Brown may have passed on, but the Soul puns live. Kia's SEMA show assault this year includes five examples of the 2014 Soul, designed through collaborations with Vans, Popular Mechanics, RIDES (two of them), and NBC's "The Voice." There's a mobile DJ booth. One filled with stuff from Jimi Hendrix and John Legend.

McLaren 12C GT Sprint appears at Auto Zurich

McLaren confirmed earlier this month that the 12C GT Sprint would cost $316,000, converted from British pounds. On Thursday, we were sent a selection of photos of the new track car by photographer David Kaiser, from a car show in Zurich, Switzerland. According to a McLaren representative at the booth, the 12C GT Sprint pictured is the first production car.

Petrol cars twice as likely to fail MOT on emissions

The latest MOT test data shows that 26.2% of all cars tested fail on excess exhaust emissions – and surprisingly petrol cars fail more than twice as often as diesels in this part of the annual roadworthiness test. According to the official Vehicle Operator and Standard Agency (VOSA) figures, which cover all of 2010 and the first nine months of 2011, 9.7% of petrol cars failed to meet MOT emissions standards compared to just 3.9% of diesels. On Bing: see pictures of the MOT test Find out how much a used car with 12 months MOT costs on Auto Trader The analysis has been carried out by fuel additive “provider” Redex, which naturally has an interest in the findings, since its products are designed to breakdown engine deposits and improve efficiency.

New Lotus Elise S Cup R track car

Seems everyone is building non-road legal track day cars right now, and Lotus most definitely wants a piece of that action. Its latest effort is the startling bright and bewinged Elise S Cup R, pictured above. Based on the 1.8-litre supercharged Elise S road car, Lotus has done a lot more than simply lose the number plate here.

UK new car registrations: 20 months of growth

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has once again increased its new car forecast for 2013. The news comes off the back of the 20th consecutive month of growth, with new car registrations up 4% in October. Last month’s total of 157,314 registrations brings the total to 1,952,238 in 2013 so far, leading the SMMT to up its forecast from 2.22 million to 2.25 million.

Tokyo Motor Show 2013: The Debutants

This year we've seen some great concepts and production models debut at shows across the world, but as the days get shorter and the nights get colder, it's a signal the year is nearly at an end. For CDN, a typically hectic event schedule is concluded with a trip to Tokyo for the forty-third edition of its annual show. Ahead of its opening, the carmakers have begun to announce what we can expect to see sitting pride of place on their stands.

Nissan Qashqai (2014) revealed

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 07 November 2013 15:55 This is the new Nissan Qashqai, which will be built in Sunderland, UK, and goes on sale in January 2014. It's priced slightly higher than the outgoing Qashqai: the range will cover a £17-28k price range.To justify the price increase, the new Qashqai wears a sharper, more stylish body, and boasts more generous on-board kit levels across the line-up. With two million Qashqais sold worldwide since 2006, it is, in Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn's own words, ‘The most important Nissan of the decade’.

As Winter Approaches 4x4 Values Are On The Rise

YOU know winter is here when the forecast is for rising 4x4 prices in the used market. Just like in summer when you can guarantee convertible premiums will rise faster than an electric roof, the prospect of rain, wind and snow is said to be driving up the values of sought after SUVs. According to data from British Car Auctions (BCA) the trend is already well advanced, with values in October showing a 7.3 per cent increase over September.

Don’t Expect Toyota’s New Cab To Go South Of The River

LOOK familiar? Toyota certainly hopes so. The Japanese firm has unveiled, in concept form, an interpretation of the iconic London black cab.

Super modified saloons at SEMA 2013: in pictures

SEMA stands for Specialty Equipment Market Association, and every year it holds a big event in Las Vegas to showcase the very best in weird and wonderful modified car creations. But unlike certain other modified car shows we could mention, the emphasis is very much on premium quality and good taste. Let us guide you through some of the very best super saloons on show at the 2013 SEMA Car Show.

Citizens Advice receives 84,000 used car complaints

With over seven million secondhand cars purchased in 2012, you’d expect one or two to develop a problem soon after purchase. But the Citizens Advice Bureau in fact received over 84,000 complaints about used cars during this period. Half of these faults developed within a month of purchase.

Range Rover: why it is already battling Bentley

Land Rover is already planning for the 2016 arrival of Bentley’s new SUV – and intends to make the Range Rover even more exclusive and expensive in order to do battle. “We are benchmarking Bentley quite closely,” admitted Range Rover vehicle integration manager Lynfel Owen. “The gap to the (expected £150,000) Bentley and today’s Range Rover (£71,310-£98,430) leaves lots of margin.” Why Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin and Jaguar are going SUV crazy Bentley SUV production confirmed Already, Land Rover has rolled out the new Long Wheelbase Range Rover and, next year, will launch a super-exclusive Autobiography Black trim line, with twin rear massaging captain’s chairs, electric business tables and champagne chiller.

MotoGP champ Valentino Rossi creates special Vauxhall Adam

Nine-time motorcycling Grand Prix World Champion Valentino Rossi has teamed up with Opel to create a special version of its Adam city car. The Italian two-wheel demon collaborated with famous motorcycle helmet designer Aldo Drudi to create the one-off Adam (sold by Opel’s sister company Vauxhall here in the UK) – and boy, is it bright. On Bing: see pictures of the Vauxhall Adam Find out how much a used Vauxhall Adam costs on Auto Trader The car has been created with charity in mind, and will be donated to the not-for-profit Meyer Children’s Hospital Foundation – the unique Adam will go up for auction at a fundraiser this December, with all proceeds going to the organisation.

Jaguar Reveals Hot Cat With A Tin Roof

WITH interest still high regarding all thing F-Type, Jaguar is doing its upmost to keep the excitement at fever pitch with the release of an image of its hotly anticipated coupe variant. Expected to make its public debut at the forthcoming Los Angeles Motor Show, the tin-top version of Jaguar compact sports model promises to be as equally dramatic in the metal as its convertible cousin. Details are scarce ahead of its show launch, however it’s expected that the coupe will be available with the same three engines as the drop-top model.