Final Edition of Viper ACR-Based Alfa Stradale TZ3s to Debut at Amelia Island Concours

If you had any hopes of getting into one of the Italianized versions of the Nürburgring-record setting Dodge Viper ACR, Zagato's Alfa Romeo Stradale TZ3, you may as well put them to rest as the last of the nine-hand built cars rolled off the brand's assembly line and will be presented by its new owner at the 18th annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance field on Sunday, March 10.

"The Zagato Stradale TZ3 is a gorgeous car and one we feel honored to have debut at the Amelia," stated Bill Warner, Chairman and Co-Founder of the Amelia Island Concours. "The car's American underpinnings and Italian design make it a perfect fit for our field."

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ABT to Debut Four New Models, Including VW Golf Mk7, at the Geneva Motor Show

Widely considered as the world's biggest tuner of VW Group cars, ABT Sportsline will head to next week's Geneva Auto Show with a collection of four new models.

No doubt, one of the highlights at ABT's stand will be the firm's tune for the new seventh generation VW Golf hatchback, previewed here in a rendering, in which we get a taste of the cosmetic applications that include an assortment of aero parts, headlamp and mirror trims, and a new alloy wheel design from the ER-X line.

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Maserati Adds Two-More Seats to GranTurismo MC Stradale

When Maserati launched the GranTurismo MC Stradale back in 2010 at the Paris Motor Show, its goal was to create a more performance-orientated version of the Pininfarina-designed coupe, with more power, less weight and a stiffer suspension, which is why the Italians dropped the rear seats.

Now, Maserati is getting ready to premiere a new sub-version of the GranTurismo MC Stradale that keeps the regular model's four-seat configuration at next week's Geneva Motor Show.

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Swimming on Your Car's Roof Doesn't Really Protect it from Hail…

There are times in life when you just have to admit defeat and understand that saving a little bit of your dignity is probably better than nothing.

It's anybody's guess why this man thought that lying on the roof of his car and imitating a swimmer would save the vehicle from hail damage, but he did it nevertheless and for quite some time.

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Wonky Tank Falls Off Truck Platform in Belarus

It cannot get more embarrassing for a soldier than this; experiencing a mishap while the public is gathered around watching, taking pictures and, of course, videos, which they then distribute to the always hungry for fails internet crowd...

This unusual incident happened in the Belarusian city of Grodno, which is situated close to the borders of Poland and Lithuania, reportedly earlier this week.

The soldiers were trying to drive a tank (it could be a mobile artillery, we're not sure) onto a truck platform, but the armored fighting vehicle slipped and fell onto its side.

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8-Year Old Girl Drive an Audi up to 100km/h (62mph) on the Highway

We're all for teaching yours children how to drive from a young age, but only under the right circumstances and in a safe, and controlled environment, not on a public highway with patches of ice…

If this video of an 8-year old girl driving her father's Audi A6 in Russia at speeds of up to 100km/h (62mph) is true and not some sort of a hoax, then her parents, both of whom were reportedly in the car at the time, need some lessons (of a different kind) themselves.

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Land Rover to Debut New 9-Speed ZF Automatic Transmission in Geneva

Land Rover will be displaying a new 9-speed automatic transmission for use on its passenger cars and SUVs at next week's Geneva International Auto Show. The new ZF 9HP gearbox was developed by transmission specialist ZF with Land Rover being a lead partner in the project – or so the British company says.

Specifically designed for transverse applications, the ZF unit is rather compact in dimensions, as despite sporting three more gears, it is only 6mm (0.23 inches) longer and actually weighs 7.5kg (16.5 pounds) less than the outgoing six-speed transmission it will replace.

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Designer Dreams of Alfa Romeo 6C Sports Coupe Concept to Rival Mustangs and Stingrays

Alfa Romeo's comeback with the 4C coupe at the Geneva Motor Show next month is a welcome move from the Fiat-Chrysler alliance, but it's only a single model and a limited production one at that.

If the Milanese firm is serious about catching up with the rest of the world, and by that, we mean German, Japanese and even American carmakers; its needs to follow up with more proposals, and especially ones that capture the hearts and souls of car enthusiasts.

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Show Us Cars with a Face Only a Mother Could Love

Let's face it (pun intended); looks, beauty and taste are subjective concepts. What one person finds attractive, someone else will view as average or even worse, but there are some things that the majority of people will agree upon.

For example, most people found the Pontiac Aztek's face aesthetically repulsive, while countless words have been written about the BMW 7-Series' (E65) droopy snout.

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Garbage Collector Trashes Impatient Driver

At some point, we've all been stuck behind a car leaving passengers on the road, a van unloading its goods or more frequently on city streets, a garbage truck.

There's really nothing you can or should do about it other than wait, perhaps raise your voice a notch, or if you're running out of time and patience, call the police if there's problem. Getting out of your vehicle to confront a group of garbage workers, doesn't sound like a good idea and it certainly isn't one in practice…

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Macho Infiniti Driver with a Gun Embarrasses Himself

America is not the only place in the world with a gun problem, as we’ve witnessed many times through dash-cam videos shot in Russia and the surrounding countries.

In this episode, an Infiniti FX cuts in front of the car recording the incident and the driver jumps out with a gun in his hand. He then swiftly approaches the other car and quarrels with the passengers, but little does he know that he forgot to pull the handbrake (or shift the FX's gear into park)…

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2014 BMW 2-Series Coupe and Convertible

It's a little late to sing the jingle bells, but oh, what fun is it to slide in a rear wheel drive coupe…eh? We're singing to the tune of a group of BMW engineers who seemed to be enjoying themselves in 2-Series Coupe and Convertible prototypes in Sweden, despite the freezing weather.

The cloth- and hard-top iterations of the new 2-Series will sit right below the recently announced 4-Series models as the most affordable way to get into a two-door sports car from BMW when they arrive in the market in about a year or so from now.

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Drivers Stoned on Marijuana Test Their Driving Skills

With multiple states legalizing marijuana, government agencies are scrambling to research the effect of the drug on drivers. CNN recently took a look at operating a motor vehicle under the influence of pot by subjecting three users in Washington state to a little driving test with the help of a local sheriff's department.

The results are a little surprising, with even casual smokers able to safely operate a car with up to five times the state's new legal limit in their blood stream. At worst, the smokers were actually more cautious on the course than they were before partaking.

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2014 Bentley Flying Spur Bows Ahead of the Geneva Motor Show [Photos & Videos]

The 2014 Bentley Flying Spur was one of two new cars we had the opportunity to show you earlier today before their official unveiling, the other one being the Audi RS Q3.

You probably noticed that we have not used the Continental moniker. That's because Bentley doesn't either, even though the car is essentially a redesign of the outgoing Continental Flying Spur and continues to be a sibling of the Continental GT coupe and Continental GTC convertible models, which have already been updated.

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Lucky Strike for Russian Pedestrians

We've said it once, we'll say it again; Russian sidewalks can be an extremely dangerous place to be during winter time. How do we know? Well, as with anything else that has to do with Russia, automobiles and roads, through the widespread use of dash-cams that tell the world about accidents such as the one featured in this clip.

A group of seven people, including a young kid holding his mother's (?) hand was waiting behind a pedestrian crossing for the light to go green.

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Two Sloppy Accidents in One Stop

How can you rear-end a car that is slowly moving in front of you? Pfff, that's easy; just take your eyes off the road for a split second and keep your foot on the gas pedal, which is exactly what this young Asian lady (she could be from Taiwan, but don't take our word for it) did in her green Nissan sedan.

That's part one of this accident, with part two following only a few seconds later when one of the passengers in the Nissan opened the door on the side of the street knocking down a scooter rider, who…was holding a kid up front.

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World's Coolest Hit and Park Driver is Just Waiting for his Mate

What you're about to watch here is a cop approaching a bashed up blue car that's parked on the grass of a shopping mall, after receiving a call for a hit and run incident.

The police officer walks up to the car and finds a very cool, yet clearly intoxicated, young man in the driver's seat. "What's going?" asks the cop. "I'm just waiting for a mate," the driver replies.

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2014 Chevrolet SS Officially Unveiled, Gets 415HP 6.2-liter LS3 V8 [w/ Video]

It may not have the firepower to worry the latest crop of German über-sedans such as the Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG or the BMW M5 but, nevertheless, the 2014 Chevrolet SS that was unveiled today at the Daytona International Speedway, where its racing version also debuted at the Daytona 500 NASCAR event, is a welcome addition to the Bow Tie’s range.

That’s because the new SS, which is the American version of the new Holden SS V and is built around GM’s global platform that also underpins the Camaro and Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle, marks Chevrolet’s return to rear-wheel drive performance sedans after a long absence.

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2014 Dodge Durango Facelift with 8-Speed Auto Pegged for Production in May

Not that we weren't expecting Dodge to update the Durango SUV after Jeep displayed the facelifted Grand Cherokee at the Detroit Auto Show this year, but Mopar-enthusiast site Allpar says it has the inside scoop.

Citing inside sources, the site said it has been told that the 2014 model year Dodge Durango will enter production in May this year, with first deliveries expected to start in late June. What this means is that we will likely see the facelifted Durango making its world premiere at the New York Auto Show at the end of March.

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Chevrolet SS NASCAR Team and Red Bull Racing do The Harlem Shake

There's no end to The Harlem Shake videos popping up right and left on the internet, and as one would expect, the new viral phenomenon has caught the attention of advertisers and marketing people in the auto industry as well.

Following in the footsteps of so many others, Red Bull Racing Australia and even four-time champion NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon (with the help / push of sponsor Pepsi) and his team who will run the new Chevrolet SS, joined in on the “Harlem Shake” silliness and posted their own videos.

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2014 Chevrolet SS Officially Unveiled, Gets 415HP 6.2-liter LS3 V8

It may not have the firepower to worry the latest crop of German über-sedans such as the Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG or the BMW M5 but, nevertheless, the 2014 Chevrolet SS that was unveiled today at the Daytona International Speedway, where its racing version also debuted at the Daytona 500 NASCAR event, is a welcome addition to the Bow Tie’s range.

That’s because the new SS, which is the American version of the new Holden SS V and is built around GM’s global platform that also underpins the Camaro and Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle, marks Chevrolet’s return to rear-wheel drive performance sedans after a long absence.

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Opel and Nissan SUVs Drown in Ice

Going for an off-road adventure with an SUV or even a more rugged 4x4 vehicle can be a tricky and dangerous task, especially if you're not an experienced driver. Do it during winter time with lots of snow and ice, and the dangers multiply…

In this video, an Opel Frontera and a Nissan Patrol are seen submerged under water and ice, with a group of men trying to get them out using chainsaws, ropes and a tractor.

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A Meteor Falls in Russia's Chelyabinsk Region and It Was Captured by Dashcams!

Many have scoffed at the idea of using dashboard-mounted cameras, but that hasn't deterred hundreds of thousands if not millions of drivers from all over Russia from installing one in their vehicle.

If it wasn't for their love of cameras, the world would have missed out on a rare occasion when a meteorite shot across the sky and exploded over the Chelyabinsk region in central Russia on Friday morning.

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Holden Unwraps New Commodore SS V, Previews 2014 Chevrolet SS [w/Video]

It looks like Holden is trying to grab as much attention as it can with the new generation Commodore VF by spreading out the presentations for each different model of the range.

After the unveiling of the regular Commodore this past weekend, GM's Australian subsidiary announced the performance SS V , which is the closest thing we've seen to the 2014 Chevrolet SS Sports Sedan, which is scheduled to debut this Saturday, February 16 at the Daytona International Speedway.

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Future Cars: Crystal Ball Gazing the New 2014 Subaru WRX

Ladies and Gentlemen, what you see here could potentially be the all new Subaru WRX, but before I elaborate, allow me to take you for a short trip back to the past: Cast your minds back to the early Nineties, when Will Smith's stardom flourished from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and the Ford Taurus was actually America's bestselling car (…and what a distant achievement that was).

It was 1992 when Subaru revealed its newest compact car - the Impreza; a vehicle that I initially described as being a soulless rolling bar of soap. Its dull lines and horrid half-grill (Japanese market) conjured up thoughts that the designers had fallen asleep at a Vanilla Ice Cream conference.

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Flukiest Crash Today

True, you cannot consider yourself lucky if you're involved in an accident, but given the circumstances and how this particular crash played out, we think the driver of the white-colored Volkswagen CC sedan should praise his lucky stars, especially after watching this video.

The footage, filmed from an adjacent vehicle, starts after the driver of the CC lost control of the car, crossing three lanes and passing in between four cars (!) in the process, before he crashed into the metal barrier, which slung the Volkswagen across the other side and into the opposite barrier without touching another vehicle!

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2014 Holden Commodore VF and Consequently, the Chevrolet SS [70 Pics & Videos]

What GM's Holden unit declares as the "most technologically-advanced car ever created in Australia", and we'll add to that, perhaps one of the better-looking to come out from the Land Down Under, the new Commodore VF, was finally unveiled today during an exclusive event in the city of Melbourne.

Ironically, it may also be the last Australian-designed and engineered rear-wheel drive, Commodore as Holden itself has announced that it will replace the car with a new model in 2017.

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Getting on the Tram…

Drivers from Russia and the surrounding countries often receive a lot of flak for not paying attention to pedestrians, but that's not always the case.

Take these two women for example. Not only do they walk on the road instead of the pavement, but also in their hurry to get on a tram that had stopped further down, they completely disregard the cars – and that's something you don't want to do, especially during winter months when ice and snow cover the roads.

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Rally Fighter Flips Over and Keeps on Racing

Well, you know what they say, when you fall down, get back up and keep trying, which is precisely what a driver in a Local Motors Rally Fighter did during the Parker 425 off-road race in Arizona last week.

The Baja-style crossover coupe hit a bump on the course and performed a scary 360-degree flip. However, far from being discouraged, the driver continued the race as if nothing really happened!

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2014 Kia Forte 5-Door Comes in 201HP and 173HP Guises [Photos & Videos]

One of the main attractions of the 2013 Chicago Auto Show is the all-new Kia Forte 5-door. Earlier today, we posted the first images of the 2014 Forte hatchback but now Kia has released all the details – and it’s more than a pretty face.

Designed at Kia’s design studio in Seoul under the direction of the company’s President and global chief designer Peter Schreyer, the Forte 5-door is, like its sedan sibling, sportier and more attractive than its predecessor is.

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Redesigned Toyota 2014 Tundra Pickup Truck wants to be a Ford F-150 when it Grows Up

The most "American" model in Toyota's lineup is without question, the Tundra full-size pickup truck; and how could it not be since it was designed and built here in America specifically for domestic buyers.

Nevertheless, for all its Americanness, the Tundra hasn't really been able to compete against the country's best-selling pickup for 36 years and best-selling vehicle for 31 years, the Ford F-Series, which sold 645,316 units last year, a 10 percent increase over 2011. By comparison, Toyota sold 101,621 examples of the Tundra in 2012, up 22.6 percent from 2011 when it delivered 82,908 units.

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2014 Corvette Convertible Officially Confirmed for Geneva Motor Show

Just last week, there was a rumor going around the internet saying that General Motors may choose the upcoming Geneva International Auto Show in March for the world premiere of the convertible version of its 2014 Corvette Stingray.

On Tuesday, America's biggest automaker made it official and even released a teaser sketch that outlines the shape of the ragtop sports car, though, the previously available renderings that may or may not be sourced from Chevy, give us a much better idea of what the car will look like.

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Toyota Land Cruiser J40(?) Jump Goes Painfully Wrong

One of the things that I just cannot accept or understand is why some people continue to refuse to wear their seat belts. It’s not about obeying the law for its own sake, but purely for your own safety. Period.

Of all people, the last one you would ever imagine to not wear their seat belt would be someone participating in a race or a dangerous stunt, yet this seems to be the case with a passenger (if we're not mistaken, as it looks like a right-hand drive model) of what appears to be an old Toyota Land Cruiser J40 – or so we think.

VIDEO

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First Pictures of Kia's Chicago Auto Show Bound Cross GT Concept

Joining the 2014 Forte hatchback at Kia's stand at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show is a new concept model for an upmarket, mid-size crossover named the Cross GT.

The Korean carmaker said that the study hints at the future of its design language as well as to a "new a premium Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV) that is larger than the new 2014 Sorento" for its North American lineup.

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New Volkswagen Golf R Cabriolet with 265PS is the Last Hurrah for the Mk6

Volkswagen is sending off the sixth generation of its Golf series with a powerful bang in the form of the new Golf R Cabriolet that was officially revealed today after many months of teasing.

At the heart of the first-ever open-top "R" badged model and simultaneously, the fastest-ever production Golf Cabriolet in the history of the series, beats the same 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four petrol as found in the Golf R hatch, albeit slightly de-tuned at 261hp (265PS).

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Chevrolet Unveils 148HP, 42 mpg 2014 Cruze 2.0-liter Turbo Diesel, Priced at $25,695

Rising gasoline prices along with the vast improvements made in diesel engine technology in the past few years mean that car manufacturers are much less reluctant to introduce oil-burning models in the U.S. market that, unlike Europe, clearly isn't too fond of them.

Chevrolet chose the Chicago Auto Show to unveil the Clean Turbo Diesel variant of its best-selling Cruze small sedan. The 2014 model that will be sold in the U.S. and Canada is powered by a 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine that puts out 148HP and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

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New BMW 3-Series Gran Turismo: 130 Photos and Videos

Chris Bangle has long resigned from his role as chief designer of BMW, but the Munich-based brand with the blue-and-white propeller badge continues to cause controversy with the styling of its models.

We'd hardly call the 5 Series Gran Turismo (GT) a commercial success, yet BMW still has faith in the 'tall liftback' recipe, so it applied the same treatment on the smaller 3-Series range as it races to cover every single niche possible in the premium segments.

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First Appearance of All-New 2014 Toyota Corolla Sedan?

Unlike our previous story with the BMW 3-Series GT, there's no question whether these two pictures of the 2014 Toyota Corolla sedan that surfaced on the web are real.

The similarities with Toyota's Corolla Furia Concept car seen at last month's Detroit Auto Show are evident, with the production model dropping the "Fast and Furious" styling bits and gaining a more conservative look all around, including an Auris-like fascia.

There's very little to no information about where and under what circumstances the car was photographed, so we do not know if it's a European or a North American market version (we doubt it's a Japanese model due to the name and the fact that it is a left-hand drive example).

Either way, the styling differences will be limited, with most changes taking place under the hood, as each region will get its own engine range.

According to Toyota, the new Corolla Sedan will put greater focus on younger customers, both in terms of design and equipment features.

Toyota has said it will launch the new Corolla Sedan in the States before the end of the year, while the European market version, which will be manufactured at the brand's factory in Turkey, will either arrive at the same time or early next year.

Story References: GT85Club via Vwvortex

PHOTO GALLERY

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New Subaru Viziv Concept to Make World Premiere in Geneva

Here’s our first look at the new Subaru Viziv Concept that will be fully revealed at the 83rd Geneva International Auto Show in early March.

Subaru tells us that the Viziv is "a future-generation crossover concept" that embodies the brand value of "Enjoyment and Peace of Mind" - if that makes any sense to you…

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U Design: The New Alfa Romeo 4C Spider

If anything else, the community here at CarScoop seems hyped about Alfa's return to its roots with the upcoming 4C series.

After one of our readers who attended an Alfa Romeo dealer meeting in Europe shared detailed information about the 4C, including preliminary pricing, production numbers and even the company's plans to expand the range with Racing, Spider and Stradale versions, another reader, Anton Gjorsev, sent us this rendering of the convertible model.

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Karma Strikes Down a Driver Attempting to Frighten a Pedestrian

Most people are aware that road accidents are an unfortunate part of driving, but in some instances, they may be educational as well.

Take this mindless driver, for example. While traveling on a snow-covered road, the motorist notices a pedestrian crossing the road about 100 or so feet in front of him. What does he do? Believe it or not, instead of slowing down, he slams on the horn and actually accelerates his vehicle!

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Teaser of the New 2014 Toyota Tundra Truck?

The 2013 edition of the Chicago Auto Show is only hours away, and while it won't come close to other events like the NAIAS in Detroit, let alone the Geneva Motor Show, in terms of world premieres, a number of carmakers have chosen the Windy City to present their new products.

One of them is Toyota that will debut the new generation of its Tundra full-size pickup truck. Earlier today, the Japanese company itself dropped a teaser image showing the name of the truck sculpted on the body paneling, but we also found another photo on spy photographer Chris Doane's Facebook page.

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Honda to Debut New Civic Wagon Concept and Updated NSX at Geneva Auto Show

With the 2013 Geneva Auto Show being less than a month away, auto manufacturers are beginning to reveal details about the models they will debut in Switzerland.

Honda today announced that it has three premieres for the event. The first one is the Civic Wagon Concept, which the Japanese company says will provide “strong cues” for the production model that will be added to the European C-segment model’s line-up, likely within the next year or so.

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Scoop: Ferrari F150 Sheds Even More Camo, Sounds Delicious at Fiorano

It was about time Ferrari's people got rid of that ungainly front camouflage on the Enzo replacement test car that made it look like a startled catfish. Moreover, with the company having already teased the front and rear end of the car in its magazine, it was unnecessary...

Less than a month before its Geneva Auto Show debut, it was also time we saw and heard the F150 (the car’s internal code-name) testing. YouTube uploader Marchettino took care of that, as he filmed Maranello’s upcoming hypercar during testing at the Ferrari-owned Fiorano track – and as an added bonus, there was also a red Enzo doing the rounds, too.

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Lamborghini Preparing a Geneva-Bound Supercar that will “Shock and Reward”

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Lamborghini and the Italian company has scheduled many events to celebrate the birthday. Perhaps the most important will be a “special model” that company CEO Stephan Winkelmann has confirmed for the upcoming Geneva Auto Show in March.

Though Winkelmann wouldn’t elaborate, Lamborghini’s head of research and development Maurizio Reggiano was more forthcoming: “We want it to be a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Lamborghini and we want it to shock and reward”, he told Australia's Drive.

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Spied: Did Citroen Just Pull a Nissan Juke-Styling Stunt on the New C4 Picasso?

We've known for a while that Citroen is developing replacements for the five-seat C4 Picasso and the longer, seven-seater C4 Grand Picasso, and that both minivans will feature a new design.

Nevertheless, these scoop pictures of a convoy of C4 Picasso MPVs driving on the streets of the city of Vigo in Spain, and which come to use courtesy of the crew over at Highmotor, caught us completely off guard - not so much by the fact that the cars were completely undisguised as by what is visible…

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Official: New Q50 will be the First Infiniti Model to Share Engines with Mercedes

After its world premiere at the North American International Auto Show in January, the all-new Infiniti Q50 that replaces the G series sedan, will head to Switzerland and the Geneva Motor Show in March for its European debut.

The big news at the Swiss show will be the presentation of the European engine range for the Q50, which will be the first Infiniti model to feature new powertrains sourced from Daimler and its Mercedes-Benz brand.

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Riding a Bicycle Backwards and Playing with Your Phone; What Could Possibly go Wrong?

The verdict on whether this incident was staged or not remains open, but we're going to assume that you will at least have a laugh or two after watching the video of a bicyclist riding backwards while texting on his cell phone.

Naturally, it didn't take long for a scooter (going suspiciously slow…) to appear on the road, and well, what you suspected from the beginning of the clip happened.

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