Autos

For many autophiles, the Nissan Skyline GT-R is up there with the best cars of all time, no matter which era or specification the car may come in. Now, the auction site Bring a Trailer has a clean and tastefully modified example of a 1971 Nissan Skyline GTX KGC10 up for sale, and while it may not be a true 2000GT Hakosuka, it’s about as close as one can get without spending upwards of $200,000 USD. This particular example features plenty of modifications, ranging from an L28 inline-six engine that’s fitted with a Kameari Engine Works 3.0-liter stroker kit and triple Mikuni carburetors that is good for producing 186 HP and 200 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels. While these may not be the Skyline figures we’re used to, these numbers should be good for getting the car going...

German automaker Electricbrands has revealed a new all-in-one modular EV that can be easily transformed to provide a wide range of mobility solutions whether that be for business, casual city driving, road trip adventures, or camping. The base model of the XBUS is shaped like a mini pickup truck, and rear panels can be mounted to transform the vehicle into a pickup truck, transporter, boxcar, camper, Cabrio, or a combination of all the above. The camper has enough space for a mini-kitchen, sink, fridge, and TV socket, while the box offers up to 6000 cubic meters of load volume. The electric transformer features a solar roof that extends its range by up to 200 km and four efficient wheel motors that feed braking energy back into its batteries. As an alternative to lengthy charge times, it&#...

Friedreich Motorsports’ tuning subsidiary FRIEDRICH PERFORMANCE might not be as well known as its other German counterparts, but that doesn’t mean it won’t pull out all the stops when it comes to tuning icons such as the Porsche 911 GT3. For its latest project, the branch has taken the latest-generation GT3 and has given it a considerable visual and technical overhaul, lifting from other Porsche models as well as its own know-how. The result is a GT3 that’s been refined, fine-tuning it to become the perfect example of a road-going race car. Starting with the engine, FRIEDRICH PERFORMANCE has boosted the four-liter flat-six unit from 502 HP to 541 HP, while peak torque measures in at 482 Nm, resulting in a 0-62 MPH time of 3.3 seconds — 0.1 seconds less than th...

In the summer of last year, a 2003 BMW Alpina Roadster V8 sold on Bring a Trailer for $352,500 USD, and now another almost-identical example has landed on BaT with its price edging closer by the minute to that of the previously sold iteration. Aside from the obvious fact that these cars are largely the same, what makes the auction of this iteration special is that, quite simply, it exists. The Alpina Roadster V8 is an incredibly rare German beast, limited to just 555 examples that are rarer than the BMW Z8 that it’s based on. As its name suggests, the Roadster is fitted with an Alpina-tuned 4.8-liter V8 paired with a five-speed Switch-Tronic automatic transmission, which delivers 375 HP and 383 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. Noise comes out of a dual-set-up of tailpipes at the r...

Tesla is now raising the price of its Full Self Driving software once again, bringing the still-in-beta program to $12,000 USD within the U.S. market. According to a tweet from the automaker’s CEO Elon Musk, the $2,000 USD price hike will come into effect on January 17, and the monthly subscription price of $199 USD will also increase, although he didn’t provide any explicit reasons as to why Tesla is charging more. At the same time, Musk also noted that prices for Full Self Driving will continue to increase as the company gets nearer to launching its fully-complete version. The new price marks a significant increase from the original $8,000 USD Tesla charged back in October of 2020 when the software was first launched. It’s also important to note that despite its name, F...

As the world patiently waits for the roll-out of Mercedes-AMG’s SL, it seems that motoring enthusiasts are finding comfort in old Merc’s more than ever before, such as this pristine 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series that’s landed on PCARMARKET. The SL 65 AMG Black Series takes the already hardcore 6.3-liter V8 SL 63 AMG, let alone the beefier SL 65 AMG, and completely reworks these to become the monster that it stands as today. Under the hood is a twin-turbocharged six-liter V12 producing 661 HP and 738 lb-ft of torque, which is good for a 0-60 MPH sprint of just 3.6 seconds, despite all that power being sent to the rear wheels alone. For Mercedes-Benz, the Black Series marked the most hardcore of any of its cars, and today the badge can only be found on its flags...

For the second consecutive year, Toyota has reigned supreme as the world’s most searched car brand. Results were compiled according to Compare the Market‘s annual analysis of Google Trends data which have shown that the Japanese car manufacturer has been the top search term in 47 out of 154 countries in 2021. In the four years that Compare the Market has published the report, Toyota has held the top spot for three out of the four years, in 2018, 2020 and 2021. BMW and Mercedes-Benz remained consistent as podium contenders over the year. While Toyota represented 31% of all searches in 2021, searches, in general, have declined from 35% in 2020 while other brands’ searches gained momentum. In 2019, BMW took the top spot and became the most searched brand in 118 countries, se...

Bring A Trailer has just sold its most expensive car yet. The car in question was a 780-mile 2005 Porsche Carrera GT that was sold for $1,902,000 USD — the previous record for a Carrera GT on BaT was $1.3 million USD. This Type 980 Porsche features a 5.7-liter V10 (605 hp @ 8,000 rpm) mated to a six-speed manual transaxle with an LSD. It is just one of the 1,270 units produced in its four years of production. Other details include forged magnesium wheels, a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic monocoque and subframe built by ATR Group in Italy, Guards Red paint, a high-mounted shifter with laminated beechwood knob, an electronically actuated rear spoiler, and ceramic-composite brakes. Head over to Bring A Trailer to see the full listing. In other automotive news, this Porsche 911 Turbo S ...

Nikola Corp. and Tesla Inc. have been embroiled in a patent lawsuit since 2018. The two companies, who happen to both be named after famed inventor Nikola Tesla. and are both motor companies focusing on reducing carbon emissions, have now decided to drop all claims against each other. Nikola sued Tesla in 2018, accusing the much larger conglomerate of copying its patented designs, including its “wrap-around U-shaped windshield, fuselage and side door,” according to Bloomberg. Tesla denied the accusations and decided to fire back with a counterclaim. However, the case was put to a standstill last year, and now fully dropped, as Nikola’s founder Trevor Milton was alleged to have misled investors about the company’s future and was subsequently charged with securities f...

Of the 500 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione coupe and convertibles built, only 90 cars came to the U.S.A., and now one has sold through the auction site Bring a Trailer. The 8C was first unveiled in 2006 as an homage to Alfa Romeo’s eight-cylinder racing cars of the 1930s, drawing inspiration both in the form of styling and power. Packing a 4.7-liter naturally-aspirated V8 that’s good for 444 HP and 354 lb-ft of torque, the 8C wasn’t a slouch but it was also by no means a competitor to Ferrari‘s offerings — but for Alfa, that wasn’t the point. Positioned more as a lazy V8 grand tourer, the 8C was the driver’s car of choice — after all, as the saying goes, “You can’t be a true petrolhead until you’ve owned an Alfa.” Expect a ...

Alongside the introduction of Digital Art Mode, Color-Changing Paint, and the iX M60 at CES 2022, BMW has now given us a glimpse of a massive 31-inch 8K screen for rear-seat passengers. Labeled by BMW as the “in-car entertainment of the future,” the ultra-wide Theater Screen extends downwards from the roof headliner to fit behind the backrest of the front seats. The screen can show content in 16:9, 21:9, and 32:9 formats, and has 5G connectivity to integrate with Amazon Fire TV. To use the display, drivers can choose My Mode Theatre, in which the screen descends downwards with an epic backing track from Hans Zimmer. In-cabin lighting will switch to soft ambient lighting and blinds will roll up from the side and rear windows. Screen angles and other controls can be adjusted thro...

GM and Chevrolet are continuing to expand its electric vehicles lineup to include not only the Chevy Silverado but the Chevy Blazer and Equinox EV SUVs arriving in the spring and fall of 2023, respectively. The Equinox is set at a more affordable price point and is expected to have a starting price of around $30,000 USD before tax and incentives. Chevrolet VP Steve Hill said, “The Equinox has always played an important role for Chevrolet as the second-highest selling brand nameplate. Providing an affordable EV option in the industry’s highest volume segment proves Chevy is going to make EVs available to everyone.” While GM did not reveal many details, it did highlight that the Equinox model will be available in LT and RS trim levels. In light of GM’s strategy to ele...