World Auto News & Reviews

At the recent Geneva Motor Show, Opel (which is General Motors’ brand in Europe) unveiled its GTC Gran Turismo Coupe sports concept car, which uses high-power LEDs from Osram Opto Semiconductors of Regensburg, Germany for all the interior and exterior lighting. Two OSTAR LEDs are used in each headlight for the dipped beam, with three further OSTAR LEDs in each headlight providing the high beam. Each fog light incorporates one OSTAR. Parking and daylight running lights are provided by Golden Dragon LEDs. The four dashboard instruments are lit by red TOPLEDs. *Daytime running lamps based on LEDs have been in production for three years, since first appearing on a high-end Audi model, but in January the Japanese luxury car maker Lexus said that it was introducing the first series production vehicle (the LS 600h L sedan ) to feature LED-based headlamps (in the low beam).

[Via: Semiconductor Today]

A 1978 Pontiac Trans Am burns off a little steam – and a lot of tire tread – on the Bandit Run, a drive of Trans Ams from Texarkana to Atlanta that commemorates the 30th anniversary of Smokey and the Bandit. Read more about the Run in the August 2007 issue of Automobile Magazine, on newsstands in July.

[Via: Automobile]

And today we have some news from England.

All aboard for Fiat’s latest large people carrier. The new Scudo Panorama can seat nine and still has enough room for their luggage.

Despite being based on a van, the model has been developed to give car-like levels of comfort, refinement and performance. Handling and ride have been improved, thanks to a stiffer chassis and self-levelling rear air-suspension. The interior gets higher-quality plastics and soft velour seat trim. Boot space is a class-leading 327 litres.
Equipment includes sat-nav and air-con that uses aircraft-style overhead vents and controls for passengers in the rear. Buyers can choose either 120bhp or 136bhp versions of the firm’s 2.0-litre Multijet diesel, and prices start at ?21,396 for the 120bhp short-wheelbase model. The range is topped by a long-wheelbase version costing ?22,688. The Scudo will be joined in spring 2008 by the Mini Cargo, a Renault Kangoo-style, van-based five-seater, co-developed with Peugeot and Citroen.

[VIA: Auto Express]

The first thing to cross our minds when we clicked the link to WeirdTruck.com sent in by an intrepid tipster was, “Holy crap.” We think it’s a perfectly logical reaction to the white monument to the bizarre you see above. The WeirdTruck folks did it by grafting together the cabs from a pair 1998 Chevy 3500-series trucks, one of which actually contains the 5.7L Vortec V8 that powers this…thing. The rear end is identifiable by its red-lensed “headlights” and the exhaust tip peeking through its lower “front” fascia. The interior is set up limo-style, sporting a big U-shaped bench, boomin’ system, and video projector with 50-inch screen. Outside, a set of dubs and 1st-gen Escalade conversion kits for both front ends complete the look. It’s for sale, and the builders say that it’s a sure-fire attention-getter. No arguments here.

Source: WeirdTruck.com via Autoblog

During the early nineties, some police forces in the US used 5.0L Mustangs and Camaros as pursuit cars. In other parts of the world some cops have been fortunate enough to have access to Lamborghini Gallardos and Ferrari 612s. Now the police in Sydney Australia have a new Lotus Exige to play with. Lotus previously donated an Exige to their hometown force in Norfolk England and have now sent one to the boys in blue Down Under. Apparently, the Sydney police want to use it scare the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon drivers into slowing down. No matter how good the Commodore VXR is, it certainly wouldn’t stand a chance against an Exige.

Source: Top Gear