Mercedes introduce blind spot assistance

Mercedes has introduced "Blind Spot Assist," a radar-based system — similar to that offered by Volvo — that, like the name implies, warns the driver when a vehicle is present in the car's blind spot.

The system uses six radar sensors to to detect vehicles lurking in blind spots.Once a car is detected by the system, a red light appears on the side view mirror to warn the driver. If the driver puts on a turn signal while there is a car in a blind spot, the system further alerts the driver with an audible warning as well as switching the red light to flash mode.

Blind Spot Assist adds to Mercedes long list of radar-based safety systems — including PRE-SAFE and DISTRONIC PLUS — and is further proof that the future of automotive safety will focus on crash-avoidance.

Nissan drop Skyline prefix for the GT-R

Nissan isn't going to launch the new GT-R quietly, the production car due to be unveiled at the Toyko show next month, Nissan has launched a website to remind us of its Skyline's glorious 40-year heritage.

Only, it's not the Skyline any more. Nissan has today announced that the car will just be known as the GT-R - the 'Skyline' prefix having been dropped for all world markets.

Nissan are keeping the specification of the car secret until October 24th and will release details on its website Nissan website. The picture was taken at Goodwood festival of speed.

The only bad news is that we won't see the GT-R in the UK until late next year.

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€1 million Lamborghini

There will only be 20 of them made - the new Lamborghini Reventon and it is expected to cost over €1 million , putting into Bugatti Veyron territory.

Looking at the specifications for this car it looks like Reventon is basically a restyled LP640. Mechanically, it is all but identical with the existing model, but features a heavily restyled body and a radical new interior.

The Lamborghini packs a twelve-cylinder engine (6.5-liter putting out 650 horsepower) which can propel the car from 0 to 62mph in just 3.4 seconds and has a top speed of 211 mph.

Only 20 examples will be made, and one presumes Lamborghini has already lined up the customers before launch

The world's longest Ferrari

This is the world's first-ever Ferrari stretch limo: a 23-foot 360 Modena with eight seats and the biggest electric gullwing doors ever seen.

It's the handiwork of Style Limousines in Manchester, which spent more than £200,000 modifying the rear-engined 360. All eight of the seats are carbon-fibre buckets with five-point race harnesses - which might sound excessive until you discover that the 3.6-litre V8 remains, its 395bhp propelling the mega-Ferrari to 60mph in under six seconds.

Those gullwing doors are nine-foot long and were designed by one of the teams responsible for the Mercedes SLR McLaren.

I'm not sure I would want to ride in this especially when it gets to the first corner!!!!

Ferrari Spy row continues

The FIA is scheduled to meet on the 13 September to consider new evidence in the Ferrari-McLaren spying affair.

McLaren were found guilty of fraudulent conduct in the initial hearing on 26 July but were not penalised. They were found guilty of possessing confidential Ferrari documents, but it was decided the information had not been used to improve their car.

A Court of Appeal hearing set for 13 September following new evidence presented by Ferrari, who refuse to discuss the matter until the hearing. A McLaren statement in response to the FIA read: "McLaren Racing has been made aware that new evidence has been presented to the FIA as part of their ongoing investigation. "

The row blew up when McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan was found to have nearly 800 pages of Ferrari documents in his house.

Coughlan has since been suspended by McLaren.

Ferrari believe Coughlan received the documents from their now-sacked performance director Nigel Stepney, who says he is innocent.

Ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix, McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton leads the world championship by five points from team-mate Fernando Alonso, with Ferrari's Felipe Massa a further 15 points behind.

McLaren are 11 points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' title chase.

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New Mercedes C Class Wagon

This is one of the the first released pictures of the new Mercedes C Class wagon which will debut at the Frankfurt motor show next week before coming to the UK for summer 2008.


After the very successful launch of the saloon version of the C Class earlier this year, the range will consist of SE, Sport and Elegance versions and comes with the broad range of engines on offer with the saloon.


The creme de la creme will be the 450bhp C63 AMG Estate!! a real autobahn cruiser. There's no official word on price yet, but we expect the range to start at around £25k.

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