Euro auto news

Video: Man creates DIY Lexus LS 400 convertible with Sawzall

We love four-door convertibles, reciprocating saws and watching other people make bad decisions, so the video seen here is a bit like our perfect YouTube cocktail. In it, the owner of a slammed Lexus LS decides he's had enough of living under the oppressive shadow of his sedan's roof. While at StanceWars Belgium 2012, he decides to fire up a generator, plug in his trusty sawzall and go to town. Not surprisingly, the sheetmetal on the roof gives up quickly, and the whole extraction takes less than eight minutes from start to finish.

Hilariously enough, it starts raining just as the owner makes the final cut. How's that for a sign from the universe? Scroll down to check out the carnage... just be prepared for the painful sound of shredded metal.

Continue reading Man creates DIY Lexus LS 400 convertible with Sawzall

Report: Arrinera supercar born out of Polish Lamborghini replica? [UPDATE]

If you thought it seemed a little odd that Poland - a country without much of a history of producing exportable cars - would suddenly come out with a high-performance supercar, well... we're afraid you may be right. Because the latest reports out of the Eastern European country suggest that the Arrinera project is nothing more than a reclothed replicar.

Arrinera, as you may recall, is a project to build a supercar in Poland. Specifications recently hit the interwebs, indicating a $160,000 list price and a 6.2-liter V8 with 650 horsepower driving the rear wheels through a Graziano gearbox for a 3.2-second sprint to 62 and a 211 mph top end.

Now reports coming out of Poland - citing a certain Jacek Balkan who seems to be the Slavic version of Jeremy Clarkson - are calling the whole project into question. According to the word on the Warsaw boulevard, the people at Arrinera took a Lamborghini replica made by another Polish outfit called Bojar Tuning and gave it a new skin. Interior components were reportedly borrowed from the Opel Corsa and late-90s Audi A6, all in an effort to raise funds on the stock market.

The question we're left with is, if the project started as a replica but now has its own design and identity, should its humbler beginnings matter? If the specs are right and legendary chassis tuner Lee Noble is involved, the Arrinera could still emerge as a winner. Of course, we'd have to drive it in order to tell for sure, but we've got some openings in our calendar coming up...

UPDATE: Arrinera has hit back with a itemized denial of Jacek Balkan's reported allegations. It insists that its product is not, in fact, based on the Lamborghini replica made by Bojar, and that it does not borrow any more components from production vehicles than you'd expect to find in other supercars made by small companies like Pagani, Wiessmann, Noble, Artega or Gumpert. For a translated version of the full legal document, click here.

Official: Truth in 24 II available as free download on iTunes

Good news, Le Mans fans. Audi has released its "Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts" documentary as a free download on iTunes. As with the first film, this sequel is narrated by none other than Jason Statham and details the Audi battle for its tenth win at the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans. As you may recall, the race was a nail-biter for the race team. After seeing its sister entries removed from competition, the #2 R18 TDI went on to take the checkered flag by fighting off three rival Peugeot entries.

But the story was about more than the drivers and the cars. Team engineer Leena Gade officially became the first female in history to lead a Le Mans team to an overall victory.

Audi also made another documentary about the U.S. Ski Team called "Truth in Motion," and all three films are available for free on iTunes. Check out the full press release below for more information.

Continue reading Truth in 24 II available as free download on iTunes

Report: Arrinera supercar born out of Polish Lamborghini replica?

If you thought it seemed a little odd that Poland - a country without much of a history of producing exportable cars - would suddenly come out with a high-performance supercar, well... we're afraid you may be right. Because the latest reports out of the Eastern European country suggest that the Arrinera project is nothing more than a reclothed replicar.

Arrinera, as you may recall, is a project to build a supercar in Poland. Specifications recently hit the interwebs, indicating a $160,000 list price and a 6.2-liter V8 with 650 horsepower driving the rear wheels through a Graziano gearbox for a 3.2-second sprint to 62 and a 211 mph top end.

Now reports coming out of Poland - citing a certain Jacek Balkan who seems to be the Slavic version of Jeremy Clarkson - are calling the whole project into question. According to the word on the Warsaw boulevard, the people at Arrinera took a Lamborghini replica made by another Polish outfit called Bojar Tuning and gave it a new skin. Interior components were reportedly borrowed from the Opel Corsa and late-90s Audi A6, all in an effort to raise funds on the stock market.

The question we're left with is, if the project started as a replica but now has its own design and identity, should its humbler beginnings matter? If the specs are right and legendary chassis tuner Lee Noble is involved, the Arrinera could still emerge as a winner. Of course, we'd have to drive it in order to tell for sure, but we've got some openings in our calendar coming up...

Official: Volkswagen gives its CrossPolo the Storm Trooper look with Urban White edition

We have to admit we're big fans of the Storm Trooper look. Combining white paint with blacked-out trim, the treatment is one you'd typically find performed in the aftermarket. But in this case Volkswagen is offering it direct from the factory. Or so it is to European customers, anyway.

The treatment is being applied to a special edition of the CrossPolo, the soft-road version of the popular Polo hatchback. The Urban White edition combines a unique shade of white paint with 17-inch alloys painted either white or black, with black roof rails and dark tinted glass aft of the B-pillar. The interior features black and light gray sports seats in cloth and Alcantara, with black headliner and trim and silver top-stitching on the controls.

Overseas buyers can choose between four gasoline and three common-rail diesel engines, with prices starting at €18,975.

Report: Union takes hard stance against German automakers

Anyone considering a German-built car might want to buy it now. It could be a long summer.

Europe's largest industrial union, IG Metall, is taking a tough stance against some job rules German carmakers want to enforce, potentially creating the possibility of a strike, according to TheDetroitBureau.com.

"Talks are resuming, but so far five rounds of negotiations have produced little movement and a round of warning strikes earlier this month at several companies, including Porsche, BMW and Daimler, suggest that the powerful union is gearing up for a confrontation," the Bureau reported earlier this week.

The union wants a 6.5-percent pay raise for its workers and a limit in how many temporary workers the carmakers can use. Around the world, carmakers use temporary workers as way to increase production without increasing union membership and save money.

The union was offered a 3-percent pay raise, but that offer was rejected. Currently, German auto workers are some of the highest paid in the automotive world. And while parts of Europe remain in economic turmoil, Germany has shown signs of slow growth, which might be one reason some government officials are backing IG Metall.

All of this doesn't bode well for General Motors' German-based Opel. GM was hoping to get some concessions from the unions representing its workers as part of its restructuring. But if other carmakers are paying more for its workers, it's unlikely the troubled Opel would be able to squeeze much of its people.

Spy Shots: Next Kia Sorento caught on the 'Ring

Last year, the Kia Sorento took the honor of being the best-selling vehicle in the Korean automaker's stable. That pace has slowed somewhat in 2012, as both the Soul and the Optima push past the CUV for sales dominance, but the company's engineers are already hard at work on the next Sorento facelift.

Our spy photographers spotted the heavily camouflaged version of the tweaked crossover prancing around the Nürburgring. This is the second time we've seen the machine out in open air. As you may recall, the Sorento was last spotted romping around in the snow along with a few friends, including an Audi Q5 and a Mercedes-Benz GLK.

With those kinds of benchmarks, there's a good possibility the next-generation Sorento will offer significant improvements in ride and interior refinement. Word has it the next revision will also bring along a fresh fascia, complete with LED headlights, as well as a freshened rear valance with LED treatments of its own.

Rumormill: Next Ford Transit Connect revealed in new patent filings?

While these supposedly leaked patent images aren't as sexy as those of the Acura NSX convertible we recently spied, they do point to an interesting new look for the homely Ford Transit Connect.

As the pedestrian delivery van in its current form is in need of a massive upgrade in the aesthetics department, adopting more of a "Ford face" like what's found on the Fiesta and forthcoming Fusion seems like a great idea. We're not sure, however, what to make of the buttresses at the base of the pillars, which reminds us a bit too much of the Honda Element.

While we haven't heard much about when a new Transit Connect might be headed to our shores, according to Left Lane News, Ford may show an almost-production-ready concept at the Paris Motor Show in September.

Motorsports: Rally car plows into crowd in France, kills two [w/video]

A rally race in France ended in a tragedy this weekend, when a driver missed his turn and hit a crowd of people. Two deaths were reported, with 17 injured including a race marshall and several children, according to the BBC.

Four of the injuries were deemed "serious," and the scope of the accident overwhelmed rescue services, according to the report. The driver was also injured, and is in the custody of the police, who have launched an investigation, according to iafrica.com.

The Pays des Maures race was being held in Southern France, with the accident occurring on Saturday afternoon near Toulon, according to the BBC.

Scroll down to see a TV report on the accident, in French.

Continue reading Rally car plows into crowd in France, kills two [w/video]

Report: Remember the electric Rolls-Royce Phantom? Forget it

Motor Trend reports Rolls-Royce has pulled the plug (literally) on its electric Phantom. Word has it none of the ultra-luxury automaker's current clients have any interest in an electrified land yacht due to niggling factors like range anxiety and a perceived loss of premiumness. Apparently the world's super wealthy only feel content when their transportation runs on the tears of crushed ecosystems. That's a bit odd considering the 102 EX Concept bowed at the Geneva Motor Show with more torque than the buttery-smooth V12 in the standard Phantom. Still, all the torque in the world is no balm for a range of under 100 miles.

While it's true Rolls-Royce officially quoted a total range of around 120 miles from the 1,452-pound battery pack in the machine's nose, we're more than a little skeptical of that figure. Then there's the issue of keeping the electric Phantom charged. We can imagine the typical Phantom owner isn't accustomed to waiting for anything, let alone twiddling their thumbs for eight hours while their cripplingly expensive sedan charges. With all that compromise, Rolls-Royce says it just doesn't make sense to produce the 102 EX.