Lawsuit Over 30 of Paul Walker’s Stolen Cars Settled

After Paul Walker passed away in a tragic accident, a collection of over 30 of his cars were taken from a warehouse within 24 hours. The cars were taken by Richard Taylor, who worked at the warehouse. Last year, Walker’s family filed a lawsuit against Taylor with the intention of having the cars returned or monetary value equal to the value of the cars. Now, The Drive is reporting that the lawsuit has been settled.

According to the drive, an attorney for the Walker family stated that the lawsuit was settled “amicably” with one of the conditions being that they will be “getting things back.” We can assume that these “things” are the cars being held. This seems to be the only information that is available at the moment.

If you aren’t familiar with Walker’s cars, Matt Farah (who is now with The Drive) took a tour of Paul Walker’s collection back in 2012. You can view this video below. The cars include models such as the Saleen S7, Boss 302, C1 Corvette, supercharged, Ford GT, BMW M1, Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, two Porsche GT3 RS’, BMW 2002 Touring Alpina and much more. He didn’t just act like he loved cars, he did in real life as well.

If you were a fan of Walker and would like to help carry on his name for a good cause, be sure to lend your aid to the Paul Walker Foundation. You can learn more at: http://www.paulwalkerfoundation.org/

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Mercedes begins selling like-new classic cars through its official museum

Mercedes-Benz’s official museum has launched a lucrative new business called All-Time Stars that specializes in selling high-quality classic cars.

All-Time Stars’ inventory is divided into three distinct categories called Premium Edition, Collectors Edition, and Drivers Edition, respectively. Premium Edition cars are all-original machines with low miles that have been fully restored in-house by the experts at Mercedes-Benz Classic. Cars that fall in the Collectors Edition category are in excellent condition inside, outside, and under the hood, but they wear more patina than Premium Edition cars because they haven’t been fully restored.

Finally, Mercedes explains cars in the last group are aimed either at buyers who are looking for a vintage daily driver — instead of a better-than-new, concours-ready vehicle — or a small restoration project. Nice enough is as rough as it gets in Stuttgart, and All-Time Stars doesn’t dabble in ran when parked-style rust buckets, full-on projects or parts cars.

The oldest car currently offered for sale by the museum is a 1929 Type 630 Kompressor (pictured) listed at €850,000, a lofty sum that converts to about $912,000. The newest model is a 1999 SL 55 AMG Mille Miglia Edition, a 350-horsepower roadster of which only 10 examples were ever built. Other highlights include a 1979 450 SEL 6.9 with low miles, an ultra-rare 1967 230 S Universal station wagon, and a like-new 1993 280 TE wagon.

All cars regardless of how old they are and what category they slot into are given a thorough, 160-point inspection by an experienced Mercedes mechanic to ensure they’re described as accurately as possible to potential buyers. The inspector also notes what parts are original, what parts aren’t, and what components have been changed over the car’s life cycle.

All-Time Stars’ full inventory can be viewed online, but prospecitve buyers are encouraged to check out the cars in person by visiting the vast Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, Germany.

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Pininfarina Ferrari Sergio production model bows

The first of six custom-built Pininfarina Ferrari Sergio models made its debut at Geneva, kicking off a year-long celebration of the legendary Italian design house's 85th birthday. This special, introduced as a concept two years ago at Geneva to honor of Sergio Pininfarina, son of company founder Batista "Pinin" Farina, is based on the Ferrari 458

Originally shown as an open barchetta without a windscreen, the production Sergio has a conventional windshield while having an open roof design and yellow paint scheme that recall the original Ferrari Dino Berlinetta. Each of the six limited production models will be painted a different color and have unique interiors. The Sergio, with its open top, is meant primarily for track use

Emphasis custom coachbuilding

The launch of the car emphasizes Pininfarina's heritage of building limited run cars, a tradition extending back to the company's earliest days. The latest limited run cars produced by Pininfarina include the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti K, the Ferrari P4/5, the Rolls-Royce Hyperion and the New Stratos

In taking the wraps off its latest model, Chairman Paolo Pininfarina said "I am proud to celebrate the milestone of 85 years presenting the Ferrari Sergio. It's an exclusive car that embodies the excellence of Pininfarina in designing and manufacturing high quality cars and it's a further exercise on the Ferrari brand, to which we are related by a history that has helped define the most beautiful cars of all time

All six of the cars are spoken for and besides the bold exterior looks, the buyers will get the same running gear as a standard Ferrari 458, which features a 562-horsepower mid-mounted V8 engine driving the rear wheels through a 7-speed sequential shift dual-clutch transmission.  Weighing just over 2,800 pounds, the Ferrari Sergio is said to accelerate to 62 mph in less than 3.4 seconds and have a top speed of nearly 200 mph

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The surprising reason more cars broke down in 2015 than ever before

more cars broke down on the side of the road in 2015 than in any other year. In fact, AAA says dead batteries, flat tires and key problems contributed to 32 million drivers needing to pull over and call for assistance.

You might think your high-tech car is better than that old-school Honda sitting in your neighbor’s driveway, but a new AAA study reveals technology in newer cars is one of the main reasons why so many people are left stranded.

The AAA reports that cars five years old and younger experience more key-related issues compared to older cars. The problem is that keyless entry remotes (also known as fobs), continue to transmit signals to the receiver when left in the car. Over time, this can drain your battery, leaving you out of luck the next time you try to start your car. In addition, despite the advances in technology, AAA said they responded to four million calls in 2015 from drivers locked out of their vehicles. 

Another huge issue centers around spare tires. If you have a newer car, you might’ve noticed that it didn’t come with a spare tire. In recent years, standard car features have changed . and many manufactures have nixed the extra tire to reduce vehicle weight and boost fuel economy. Instead,

We can all agree that a car breakdown can a ruin a perfectly fine day, but it doesn’t have to. Follow these tips to avoid a breakdown and all of the costs associated:

1. Make maintenance a priority

Tire pressure and inflation should be checked once a month. Tires should also be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles, but check your car manual for manufacturer suggestions.

2. Invest in a Plan C

It’s OK if you have a tire inflation kit in your car; in many cases it gets you on your way more quickly and with less hassle than changing a spare tire. Still, it doesn’t hurt to invest in a spare tire, especially if you’re going on a long road trip. This way, you have another option if the tire kit fails.

3. Hold on to your keys

Always take your keys when you exit the car. This sounds like a no-brainer, but many people with keyless entry remotes or smart keys leave them in the car for convenience. As stated above, this can drain your battery or lead to a lockout — causing a much bigger headache. 

3. Know your battery power

AAA recommends that drivers have their vehicle’s battery tested when it reaches three years of age and on an annual basis thereafter.  

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1965 PONTIAC GTO

1965 PONTIAC GTO

Current value: $85,500

The early Pontiac GTOs are best known as the original American Muscle Cars, and they are some of the most amazing vintage cars on the market today. The 1965 Pontiac GTO was sold with a racing car option, and can go from zero to 60 MPH in 6.1 seconds which remains respectable compared to equivalent cars from its class from the same timeframe. The original GTO would go on to see six different generations of the car built by Pontiac before the manufacturer discontinued the original car line in 1974. The GTO was sold as both a two-door hardtop as well as a convertible, and featured a number of large V-8 engines to power the vehicle over its production life. All of the GTOs produced from this era were rear-wheel drive cars, and they remain a favorite for car collections.

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Google’s self-driving car has been pulled by police… for driving too slow

If you feared the autonomous era would be marked by self-driving cars hurtling breakneck across cities as their occupants clung helplessly on, think again. Autonomous cars, it seems, are cautious in the extreme.

Google has admitted one of its self-driving cars was stopped on a public road near its Californian campus, not for exceeding the speed limit, but for driving at 24mph in 35mph zone. Google’s self-driving cars are limited to 25mph for ‘safety reasons’.

It’s an offence in California to drive ‘at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic’, so Mountain View traffic officers – presumably with no small measure of confusion – stopped the driverless car for a quick chat.

“The officer […] made contact with the operators to learn more about how the car was choosing speed along certain roadways and to educate the operators about impending traffic,” revealed Mountain View’s police department.

Whether the cop threw in an extra caution for the pod-car ‘looking a bit smug’ remains unclear.

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Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion

While the technology still isn’t road ready, car companies and many industry analysts are convinced that self-driving cars will soon be available to the public.

Taking one of the first guesses at what those future cars will be like is the preposterously-named Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion concept, which debuted at CES earlier this year.

Mercedes seems to think the autonomous car of tomorrow will look like a hot dog wrapped in aluminum, the better to maximize interior space and flexibility.

With manual driving no longer necessary, Mercedes believes owners will use their cars as mobile lounges. In self-driving mode, the steering wheel retracts and the two front seats can rotate 180 degrees to face the two rear seats.

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MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS

Mercedes-Benz C-Class is a German line of compact luxury cars that was introduced in 1993. Although originally sold as sedan and station wagon, the W203 series in 2000 debuted a hatchback coupe version that, when facelifted, became the Mercedes-Benz CLC-Class. The CLC-Class remained in production until 2011 when it was replaced by a new W204-based C-Class coupe for the 2012 model year. It ranks the best in its class: The 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class ranks 1 out of 14 in the upscale small cars category. This ranking is based on many reputable reviews and test drives, as well as safety data and reliability. When it comes to small luxury cars in the U.S., Mercedes-Benz C-Class is one of the most popular.

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Hyundai i10 Price £9,250 - £13,540

Hyundai i10

Price : £9,250 - £13,540

PROS:

• Very comfortable
• Spacious interior
• Fun to drive

CONS:

• Lack of badge appeal
• No diesel engine available
• Interior quality poor in places

Review :

This Hyundai i10 1.2 SE fits our requirements perfectly. When researching potential replacements for our Mazda 2, I was especially influenced by the lack of serious complaints about reliability and design shortcomings for the i10. The car looks stylish to me. I chose sleek silver paint; a £550 option, which I think really suits the shape but white and morning blue are no cost options. The interior is well assembled. There is no soft touch trim inside but the design looks clean and bright with all of the shut lines close fitting and even. There is very good storage; a decent sized glove box, several useful cubby holes, bottle and cup holders, USB and 12v connections, steering wheel controls for entertainment, trip and cruise functions plus 5 doors with 4 fully opening windows which are standard on all model specifications. It is therefore a very practically equipped vehicle for a cheaper price than obtaining all of these features on many other A segment cars. I especially like the driver information display which has the usual trip computer but includes an outside temperature readout, tyre pressure monitor and an ice warning symbol and alarm which bleeps when the outside temp drops to 4C; a shock when it goes off for the first time when cruising at speed. Now with several thousand miles covered, the Hyundai i10 is proving a very likeable little car in its own right but comparing it to the two cars I have recently owned for 7 and 11 years respectively, there are some surprising similarities. The i10 is exactly the same length and width as our Citroen C2 but can seat 4 average sized adults comfortably and still has a boot as big as the larger Mazda 2 it replaces. The 1.2 Kappa engine also has near identical power and torque as the Mazda 1.3 TS2 but like the Mazda it produces it’s maximum torque at quite high revs; 4000rpm in the 1248cc i10 and it does not pull happily up even a gentle gradient at 30mph in 4th so town driving can lead to frequent gear changes; one of the few irritations. Above 3000 rpm it pulls with increasing flexibility and motorway and dual carriageway cruises are quiet, comfortable and economical. The car is stable and well planted at speed, visibility is good and all of the controls have a well judged cohesion that make this a very pleasant car to drive and a relaxing mode of transport for passengers. It handles well if cornered smoothly. It is not as accurate as the Mazda if driven enthusiastically but the ride is far more comfortable. The gearbox is light and precise and I can claim from experience, a close match for the fabled Mazda manual boxes. The average fuel consumption over several thousand miles is shown on the trip computer as 55mpg. This is a pleasing result as many of the journeys have been short. Longer drives at sustained cruising speeds has the trip showing 58mpg. The seats are very supportive. A spacesaver spare wheel and not a near useless can of foam, is now standard on SE models and above but only a £50 option on the S model. In summary this i10 is rather like driving a 5 door version of our Citroen C2 (an ultra reliable, best pal for eleven and a half years, so far) but with the passenger room, boot space and engine of our belated Mazda 2. Yet, it is much more economical on fuel than either. I really like this car and would put it in the top three of the dozen or so cars I have owned over the past 42 years.

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ALFA ROMEO 8C COMPETIZIONE

ALFA ROMEO 8C COMPETIZIONE

Produced by Alfa Romeo, the 8C Competizione is a limited production sports car styled after the Alfa Romeo cars of the 50’s and 60’s. The 8C Competizione has an elongated nose similar to cars of the 50’s, with sleek body lines and curves of more modern day sports cars. Of the 1500 orders made for the Competizione when it was announced, only 500 were fulfilled to keep the vehicle rare. The engine is built on a modified Maserati platform. The V-8 under the hood produces 444 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque, The Competizione is able to reach 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 181 mph. The Competizione was also sold in as a convertible with the “Spider” designation.

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FERRARI LAFERRARI

FERRARI LAFERRARI

The oddly-named LaFerrari is the Italian marque’s latest and greatest flagship hyper car. It follows in the footsteps of such automotive icons as F40, F50 and – most recently – the Enzo. With a base price of well over 1.3 million dollars and a set production of just 500 units, it ranks among the most expensive and exclusive cars available. LaFerrari was developed using the technology and expertise of the company’s successful Formula 1 team. Its carbon fiber body uses the same construction techniques as Ferrari’s F1 cars. Its complex active aerodynamics system is also directly inspired by F1 technology. The LaFerrari’s supplementary electric drivetrain was directly adapted from the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) used in F1 cars beginning in 2009.  LaFerrari was introduced for the 2014 model year.

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The 2016 Mercedes DTM Car and the C63 Edition 1s Are Inspired

by each other. Which came first, the DTM or the Edition 1

After Mercedes released sketches of its new DTM car (based off the new Mercedes C63 coupe), we 
were quite taken with the badassery of the design

Said Ulrich Fritz, head of Mercedes-AMG DTM, the team has "used the unique, sporty design language of the street version of the new C-Class Coupé on the DTM version. Striking features like the dynamic design of the headlights and also the typical AMG twin blade grille of the C 63 AMG Coupé stand out immediately

In fact, it seems that the German carmaker is so taken with their new DTM car, they have also released details on the newest special edition C63 AMG models. Named the Edition 1 specials, they are the road cars inspired by the race car that was inspired by the road cars

The Edition 1s will wear the same gray and yellow paint as the DTM, and will feature many racing gimmicks you typically see on these racing-inspired road cars: AMG-specific side skirts and a rear diffuser, a larger front splitter, and performance seats. While this is all well and good, power still remains the same and we wistfully remember how the very special C63 AMG Black Series was hint: not just a racing spinoff

Both the DTM car and the Edition 1s are set to launch later this month, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, where we'll find out if the Edition 1 will cross the pond

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2015 MINI COOPER S FOUR DOOR REVIEW

The Mini Cooper S is a toy for grownups, and that's a wonderful thing

The Mini Cooper S is a go-kart disguised as a daily driver, with all the fun and impractical implications that come with it

It’s hard to call the Mini Cooper S four-door a car. Sure it looks like a car, with wheels, an engine, and even four(!) seats. The Mini can even do all of the things you might expect a car to do, like transport humans and their various possessions from place to place but calling the Mini a car is missing the point, really. It’s a toy for grownups; and before I am deluged with angry comments, that’s not a bad thing

As with most cars not made by Honda or Toyota, the Mini is about much more than just practicality. The difference is that, where other cars make pretenses that they are practical or dignified, the Mini is all about fun, and remember: this car was made by Germans, so that is really saying something

It’s a me! Mini-Kart

The Mini Cooper S’s power and acceleration figures don’t jump off the page, but that hides some truly sublime qualities

For starters, there is the 2.0-liter turbocharged firecracker under the bonnet. The little four cylinder may push out only a 189 horsepower, but the 207 pound feet of torque in the small Mini feel like they came out of a Dodge Hellcat. Mated to a six-speed automatic, this package will push the Mini Cooper S to sixty in 6.2 seconds

Still, probably the best thing in the Mini’s performance arsenal is the steering. For starters, it is racecar quick, with a mere 2.5 turns to lock. It also has some of the best feedback and loading of any electric power steering systems I have used. The result is that, despite being only marginally smaller than a Golf GTI, the Mini Cooper S feels like a racing go-kart half the VW ‘s size

On back-roads, this makes the Mini more fun than 3.2 barrels of monkeys. The problem is that the Mini just can’t give up on the go-kart impression even on the daily commute. The incredibly stiff suspension and chassis that make the Cooper S take corners flat and level create a bone jarring ride on uneven urban pavement, and the fast steering creates jittery movements and transient responses. In a less-than-practical sports car like the Alfa Romeo 4C, these sorts of flaws would just be a cost of doing business, but in a fashionable city runabout, the sporting character seems frankly a bit extreme

All about that Bass

The interior and styling of the Mini Cooper are as extreme as its driving characteristics. Short of cars made by insane companies like Pagani, the Mini Cooper has just about the most styled interior you can find. There is the standard collection of retro touches, including round gauges and the massive round infotainment cluster, and more toggle switches than you can shake a vintage stick at

There is more than just kitsch to the interior. The designers, seem to have a 1958-inspired mentality when it comes ot the interior LED lighting. Everything in the inside has lights on it – the door sills, the infotainment screen bezel, the footwell – everything. In fact, the interior of the cabin is so bright as to be a hassle during night driving. I found my night vision was instantly cooked if I looked away from the windshield

Still, I can’t say that I dislike the interior. Its aggressive styling may be a turnoff for some, but for a car that is made or broken on how it looks and feels, the cabin had to be extreme. Fortunately, unlike some other extreme vehicles the Mini Cooper’s interior is at least made of quality materials and very well put together

A fact that is highlighted by the earth trembling, bone pulverizing, car alarm activating stereo. The epic Meridian-sourced stereo may be capable of setting off more seismographs than a stadium full of drunk Seahawks fans, but the interior holds up without so much as a rattle or squeak

Don’t think that this means that you will be able to share your massive speakers with more than one of your friends, because any adult with a complete set of limbs will never manage to squeeze in the back seat

No Comparison

Those crowded back seats bring me back to my original point, namely that the Mini Cooper, even in its four door guise isn’t really a car. After all, it is tempting to compare the Mini to something like a Golf GTI and wonder why you are getting less car for significantly more money

This kind of comparison isn’t fair, because the Golf GTI wants to be a car, and the Mini wants to be a fashion item. After all, a reusable grocery bag is larger and more durable than Coach handbag, but we all understand why the handbag costs more.
Like that handbag, the Mini nominally has a practical purpose, but really the reason to buy it is that almost entirely divorced from it. This might limit the people who would consider buying a Mini, but the people who will are going to appreciate every last LED light and vintage line. Looking at it that way, it’s almost a good deal

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