Articles by Karla Pincott

It's not just drive-in car washes getting hit by police for baring skin as part of the service. Following our story about the topless car wash in the Northern Territory, comes news of a nude drive-in coffee spot being busted in the US. The staff of Hillbilly Hotties bikin-clad roadside purveyors of coffee near Seattle, Washington, were arrested for performing striptease dances for customers, according to a report in Reuters. The women, aged 20 and 21, were charged after allegedly performing for the customers sitting in their cars. Another woman, aged 33, who was reportedly also arrested had previously been charged in June with lewd conduct in a case involving sexual acts performed on clients at another coffee stand in the vicinity. The stand has apparently not closed down, with its Facebook page reporting it was open for business shortly after the arrests. Hillbilly Hotties is no stranger to drama, having been robbed in October by a gun-toting 12-year-old on a bicycle. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

The goal is to create the ultimate gymkhana grid course, according to the teaser video for Ken Block's next bit of glorious mayhem, due to be released on November 11. Block has just inked a deal to be racing advisor to Need for Speed, and will have input to their games and coming movie, so we might get a glimpse of that too. Until then, what we have is a short taste giving hints of what might be on the Gymkhana circuit, and the mandatory sequence of Block creating some rubber artwork on a bitumen background. Enjoy.   Watch the desktop version of the Ken Block Gymkhana 6 teaser video here.    This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

No, this isn't another of those hoaxes showing a supposedly diamond-covered car owned by a Middle-East sheik -- which always turn out to be a crystal covered show car created for a US customisation house.These are real diamonds, and the car has been built by Rolls-Royce's in-house special options team. The one-off edition Celestial Phantom was unveiled overnight at Dubai international motor show with a whole new level of bling.The skilled handcrafting team in Rolls-Royce's Bespoke department have set 446 jewelry-grade diamonds in the Phantom's doors, centre console and rear seat privacy divider -- proving there is probably no limit to what can be ordered from Rolls-Royce as a personal modification.Like other Rolls-Royces, the Celestial Phantom has the option of a 'starlight headliner' -- an inner roof set with more than 1000 fibre optic lights to mimic the night sky. But on the Dubai show car, the headliner is a precise sky map of the exact positions of those stars as seen over the brand's British headquarters on January 1, 2003: the date the first Celestial Phantom was handed over to its new owner.Rolls-Royce worked with a UK planetarium to map out the roof, guaranteed to be as astronomically correct as the car's price is guaranteed to be astronomically high. They're not revealing the price tag, but the car is likely to go into a serious collector's garage.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

The next-generation Mitsubishi Pajero is on the way -- perhaps as early as next year -- along with Triton and Lancer. But we could be getting an early look at the SUV's styling with a trio of concept vehicles the manufacturer says point to the direction the brand's development and manufacturing will take in the near future.The Concept GC-PHEV, Concept XR-PHEV and the Concept AR will be unveiled at the Tokyo motor show later this month, revealing new design explorations and technology that could appear on future vehicles.The 'Grand Cruiser' Concept GC-PHEV large SUV hints at the possible direction for the coming Pajero replacement, running the Japanese manufacturer's full-time all-wheel drive set-up and showcasing new safety and communication technology. Under the bonnet is a plug-in hybrid system with an electric motor and high-capacity battery pack plus a 3.0-litre V6 supercharged engine, with an eight-speed auto.The smaller 'Cross Runner' Concept XR-PHEV is a compact SUV with possibilities for the next-generation ASX or Outlander -- both of which would have to wait for the 2014 update to the Lancer on which they're based. The front-wheel drive plug-in is powered by a turbocharged 1.1-litre direct-injected engine, again matched to a small high-efficiency motor and high-capacity battery.The final of the trio, the small hybrid 'Active Runner' Concept AR is a multi-purpose/peoplemover design, also carrying a turbo direct-injected 1.1-litre engine and electric motor.More details on the concepts' specification -- and perhaps future plans for them -- will be revealed around show time, where the concepts will be among the 17 vehicles on the Mitsubishi stand.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Yesterday we brought you spy shots from the United Arab Emirates suggesting that the updated Nissan Patrol would be unveiled in the capital's Dubai international motor show.Today we have further confirmation from Drive Arabia, who have posted official shots of the facelifted Patrol, including a limited run Black Edition, saying the vehicles will be unveiled after the show opens today (this afternoon, Australian time).The images show the exterior features of the Patrol's facelift are largely around the lightly reshaped nose, with redesigned grille and bumper, new LED-integerated headlights and taillights, revised side trim and alloy wheel designs.Drive Arabia suggests the updated interior gets a new tan leather upholstery option and wood-accented steering wheel. The limited-run Black Edition, in a production run of just 200, sports matte black paint, black trims and accents and red leather upholstery.However nothing has changed under the bonnets, with the show cars carrying the same 298kW/560Nm 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine that powers our current model Y62 Patrol.The updated Nissan will roll into overseas showrooms early in 2014, but there's likely no plan for it to arrive here any time soon, with the current model having been launched in Australia only in February this year -- although having been around overseas for nearly four years."There are no product plans for a facelift at this stage," Nissan Australia spokesperson Chris Jordan says. "The new Y62 Patrol has only been in the market for eight months so it's a bit early for facelifts."With the updated Patrol being a mid-life revision overseas, we may not see it at all, and it could make sense for Nissan to wait and bring us the next generation in closer timing to overseas markets.  "It would all depend on what the product lifecycle looks like in terms of facelift vs new models," Jordan says.Nissan's stand at the Dubai show will reportedly also feature the new Pathfinder Hybrid and a GT-R Midnight Opal Edition.Watch the 2014 Nissan Patrol video here. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincottImages courtesy of www.drivearabia.com 

Hyundai's ix35 tops the small SUV sales charts, and the Korean carmaker is keen to keep it ahead of the pack. To that end, it's just been given a mid-life update with revised petrol engines, steering and suspension, and some extra features and cosmetic touches. The 135kW/392Nm 2.0-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder engine continues in the all-wheel drive mid-spec Elite and top-spec Highlander levels with 7.2l/100km fuel economy. But the line-up gets new direct-injected petrol four-cylinders: the 122kW/205Nm 2.0-litre adapted from the i40; and a 136kW/240Nm 2.4-litre. Powering the two-wheel drive versions of the ix35, claimed fuel economy for the 2.0-litre is 8.2L/100km with the six-speed manual (base Active spec only) and 8.4L/100km for the six-speed auto, an improvement of 0.3 and 0.1L. However the all-wheel drive auto-only 2.4-litre has a fuel figure of 9.8L/100km -- a rise of 0.6L. Hyundai says the ix35 has undergone comprehensive local tuning of the suspension and steering to better match them to Australian conditions. Main exterior changes are the revamped headlight clusters, metal-finish roof rails and new 17-inch and 18-inch alloy wheels, while the cabin gets a reclining rear seatback, new cloth upholstery for Active and soft-touch trim for other grades. The drive launch is next week -- check back for our verdict -- however the ix35 Series II is already on sale, with the entry level manual Active two-wheel drive carrying over its $26,990 price tag but increases of $200 to $400 for other spec levels. Hyundai ix35 Series II range Hyundai ix35 Series II 2WD Active 2.0 (man) $26,990 Hyundai ix35 Series II 2WD Active 2.0(auto) $29,190 Hyundai ix35 Series II 2WD Elite 2.0(auto) $33,090 Hyundai ix35 Series II AWD Elite 2.4 (auto) $35,490 Hyundai ix35 Series II AWD Elite CRDi (auto) $38,090 Hyundai ix35 Series II AWD Highlander 2.4 (auto) $38,090 Hyundai ix35 Series II AWD Highlander CRDi (auto) $40,490 Hyundai ix35 Special Edition 2.0 (auto) $30,990 Hyundai ix35 Special Edition CRDi (auto) $35,990 This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

Lexus has updated its LF-NX compact SUV concept for the coming Tokyo motor show, giving it a cosmetic touch-up around the nose and a new turbo engine in the lead-up to its move to production status.Largely unchanged in appearance from the car revealed at Frankfurt motor show in September, the LF-NX has sprouted a front under-lip spoiler integrated into the nose's aggressive styling -- much of which is aerodynamically functional, with styling cues such as the vertical lines performing as an air curtain and helping channel air flow to the front brakes.Under the bonnet it gets a newly developed 2.0-litre turbocharged engine -- likely to morph into a NX200t variant when the new Toyota RAV4-based compact SUV hits production.When that happens, expect it to be joined by a NX300h hybrid, with a new version of the Lexus Hybrid Drive system. Other variants may follow, as Lexus positions the NX to steal some of the success of the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLA Class.The concept will be unveiled at Tokyo motor show on November 20, and more details about the planned progress to production time could be revealed then.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

With the Dubai international motor show opening tomorrow, these spy shots of what appears to be a revised Nissan Patrol on a truck could be a vehicle on its way to the event.The images were posted on the Nissan Arabia forums by an eagle-eyed -- and quick-snapping -- member, who managed to get images of the rear and part of the side profile.The photos show a redesign for the tail-light cluster, refreshed side trims and new alloy wheels. Nissan hasn't confirmed that a Patrol will be at the show. But with the sixth-generation of the popular SUV having already been around for nearly four years overseas -- although we didn't get it here until recently -- it's good timing for a mid-life facelift for left-hand drive markets.The show opens on November 5 (late in the evening for our timing) so we'll keep an eye on what's unveiled there to see if the Patrol is officially revealed.Watch the 2014 Nissan Patrol video here.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

People have been trying to build flying cars since the early 1950s -- when the idea started becoming popular as a harbinger of that predicted Jetsons future that never quite arrived. We've seen several iterations from Terrafugia in the US, with their Transition roadable plane. Now comes another approach, this time from Slovakia. The Aeromobil 2.5 looks far more carlike than the Terrafugia, but is also a roadable plane. The brainchild of Slovak designer Stefan Klein, it has been shown airborne after 20 years of research and development. Klein intends the Aeromobil to drive straight from your carport or parking spot out on the street, keeping its wings folded until it comes to your local airport. There, the wings unfold and it takes to the skies -- very much the lower skies, judging by the video showing the flying car getting to about the height where it would still skim the tops of semi-trailers. "Avoid Slovakian traffic jams like a champ," Klein's website suggests. "The Aeromobil... opens doors to real door-to-door travel. In terms of automobile configuration, it fits to a standard parking space, its engine enables it to tank at any gas station, it is fully accustomed to road traffic and as a plane it could both take off and land at any airport in the world." The two-seater Aeromobil is powered by a Rotax aviation engine that you switch to drive either the propeller or the front wheel, and the whole vehicle is very light, tipping the scales at just under 500kg. The specifications claim a range of 700km in plane mode and 500km on the road, with top speed above 200km/h and 160km/h respectively. Fuel economy is posted at 15L/hour in the air, and 7.5L/100km on the ground. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott See the Aeromobil 2.5 airborne on the desktop version of the site here.  

Motor shows and carmakers routinely announce global debuts ahead of time, but we're a bit doubtful about the claim on a Dubai event's Facebook page that we'll see the Toyota 86 sedan there in a couple of days."Toyota UAE sets to impress the UAE market with new Sedan! The all new "wave design" Toyota stand will witness the regional unveil of Sedan FT 86 at the Motor Show…Don’t miss it," the Facebook post says.So what's making us think this is a dubious announcement? The image they're using of a Toyota 86 sedan is a photoshopped one that Carsguide posted back in 2010, when the car was first rumoured and was still known as the FT-86.That was a rendering based on the then still-concept FT-86 Coupe, and it seems unlikely that Toyota would use that as a teaser for their new sedan -- if indeed it exists at this stage.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott