Articles by Karla Pincott

Take a remote-control version of the new Subaru WRX STI and ... oh, about eleventy thousand paddle pop sticks tightly woven into an exploding strip. Which one is going to win that race? The stick bomb is powered by the tension released when you remove one stick from the construction, unleashing a domino fall of wooden wonderfulness.The Subaru in real life is powered by 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer engine, developing 225kW of power and 407Nm of torque, and getting that to the all-wheel drive system via a six-speed manual transmission. And in real life it would probably beat the stick bomb.But RC model in this video is powered just by a charged battery -- and it's neck-and-neck for what turns out to be one of the most engaging car stunts we've seen. Both face off on a circuit that involves speedy straights, (miniature) G-force inducing corners and some tricky side-by-side action.The video took about three days to create – with the team reportedly working nearly around the clock – and then film with an arsenal of static cameras and 25 GoPros, creating a ‘bullet time’ sequence in the middle of the footage. To see how it was done, have a look at Subaru's making of video here. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott Watch the desktop version of the Subaru WRX STI vs stickbomb video here.  

The young Saudi Arabian illegal street drifter known on the internet as 'The King of Nazeem Neighborhood' was this week given a 10-year prison sentence and an extra penalty of 1000 lashes for reckless driving.A report in the Saudi Gazette said the 23-year-old, whose name was withheld, will also be banned from driving for life. However it seems he at least kept his life, for now, with the three judges voting two to one against giving him the death penalty.The Prosecutor-General has objected to the decision on the death penalty and has indicated there will be a review of the case. There is precedent for the death penalty, with a driver in 2012 executed by beheading after his stunts resulted in the death of two people.The King was prosecuted over drifting stunts that resulted in the death of a man who was riding as a passenger in his car -- which is emblazoned with the 'King's' crown logo on the bonnet.His videos show him speeding into and drifting through traffic, and firing machine guns into the air, the report says, adding that many residents in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, had complained about his driving.Undercover police officers arrested him in 2012 in a house on the Riyadh outskirts, where they also found numerous sets of license plates and false identification.Watch the desktop version of the car drifter gets 10 years video here. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott

Every season of Formula One sees some tweaks to the rules, but in a few instances the changes have been so extreme they essentially transform the race series. This is one of those years.The technical regs are vastly different for this season, driven by the twin aims of making the cars both safer and more fuel efficient. Briefly, there's a new nose, front wing, rear wing, engine, gearbox and revised energy recovery system.The new engine formula ditches the 2.4 litre V8 used since 2006, replacing it with a 1.6 litre turbocharged V6 engine limited to 15,000rpm. The engines now have to last twice as long -- 4000km compared to 2013's 2000km -- before they can be replaced.The ratios in the gearbox are no longer allowed to be changed at every race, with the teams nominating their eight ratios for the entire season, with just one change allowed.There are also new restrictions on fuel use, and there will be new driving styles to match -- and new strategies brought into play to win.In this video, Red Bull's new Australian recruit Daniel Ricciardo and teammate Sebastian Vettel compare the new and old cars -- with the Aussie in the new one. And clever computer animation gives a great break-down of the new cars.Watch the desktop version of the F1 in 2014 video here. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Michael Schumacher's family have issued an optimistic statement saying they're confident the seven-time Formula One champion will wake up. It's the first positive official comment from their camp since his skiing accident on December 29 and the subsequent induced coma and surgery to treat brain haemorrhaging.Doctors in France's Grenoble hospital -- where he remains since the accident are now trying to gradually bring him out of the coma, but the family also says they know the time span for ongoing awakening process, which started three weeks ago, could be extensive.Former teammate Fernando Alonso also said recently he saw encouraging signs when he visited Schumacher's bedside, and spoke to him of preparations for this year's Formula One, saying afterwards he saw Schumacher's mouth moving and that he was a very strong person.SCHUMACHER FAMILY STATEMENT"We are and remain confident that Michael will pull through and will wake up. There sometimes are small, encouraging signs, but we also know that this is the time to be very patient.Michael has suffered severe injuries. It is very hard to comprehend for all of us that Michael, who had overcome a lot of precarious situations in the past, has been hurt so terribly in such a banal situation.It was clear from the start that this will be a long and hard fight for Michael. We are taking this fight on together with the team of doctors, whom we fully trust. The length of the process is not the important part for us.It is heart-warming to see how much sympathy his family is shown and I can say that the family is extremely grateful for it. However, it should not be forgotten that Michael's family is dealing with an extremely intimate and fragile situation. And I would like to remind all of us that Michael has always actively kept his family out of the public eye and consequently protected their private lives.We try to channel all the energies we have toward Michael and we firmly believe that this will help him. And we believe that he will also win this fight."This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott

Jaguar is preparing to launch the XE -- a completely new sedan -- next year, and until now we've only seen the car testing with body mules based on the XF. But Carsguide's spy photographers have just snapped the XE production prototype during winter testing in Sweden, giving us a first look at the car's proportions. A teaser image issued by Jaguar last week showed just the face, with styling cues echoing the XF, but we now also see the car's proportions, although some of the lumpy rear is likely to be cladding intended to disguise its lines.The XE will be underpinned by Jaguar's new aluminium iQ(A1) platform -- also to be used by the next generation of the XF -- and will feature a more compact body and shorter front and rear overhangs.The new sedan will be powered by a choice of turbocharged four-cylinder engines dubbed Ingenium in both petrol and diesel, with a strong focus on fuel efficiency while still offering performance. But the newcomer is also a candidate for the 250kW/450Nm 3.0-litre V6 that powers the F-Type, to make for a range-topping variant.The transmission across all models is likely to be an eight-speed auto, driving the rear wheels as standard but with an all-wheel drive option -- choices to arm it against key German rivals: the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3-Series and Audi A4.The XE is tipped for a debut later this year, followed by a roll-out into overseas showrooms early in 2015 and arrival here later that year. Expect it to be strategically priced against the rivals, which have entry points starting as low as $53,000.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

The global prestige field is a hotly-fought battleground, and Audi has won an early skirmish by a narrow margin, notching up 383 more February sales than BMW, which has held the title for nine years running since taking it from Mercedes-Benz in 2005.That margin looks even slimmer when you factor in it being just 0.015 per cent of Audi's 242,400, but the brand's sales were up 9.3 per cent overall -- helped by a 43 per cent rise on the A3 and 32 per cent Q7 -- while BMW is up 8.9 per cent. Mercedes-Benz, while in third place, saw a 17 per cent global rise in sales.While announcing the results, Audi also confirmed it will launch 17 new or revised models this year, including the new TT, A3 and an electric version of the R8 that will directly target BMW's hybrid i8 in the plug-in supercar class.The model wave is part of Audi's five-year plan to seed growth, which will see it invest around €22 billion ($34 billion) in new technology and production expansion, and follows on from 15 new models and variants being launched last year.“2013 was an extraordinary year and we also remain on course for success in 2014," Audi boss Rupert Stadler said in a statement. "The past twelve months have seen us embark on a huge globalisation drive in opening new plants in Hungary and China, as well as preparing for local production operations in Mexico and Brazil. The new A3 family is proving very popular with our customers, as are our SUV models in the Q car line.”However the brand's key German rivals are also fielding some extra troops for the battle. BMW recently predicted it will sell a record 2 million cars this year, with growth coming from the new 2 Series and 4 Series families.And Mercedes has a slew of new arrivals on the way, spearheaded by the new S-Class and C-Class sedans and coupes, but with the GLA-Class compact SUV also expected to be a strong fighter in the ranks.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

The future of the Nurburgring circuit in Germany has been in doubt recently with reports that it was on the market after becoming insolvent -- the facility's major owner, the State of Rhineland, had filed for bankruptcy in July 2012. And with a sale looming, there has until now been no indication of whether prospective buyers would maintain it as a performance centre.However for car fans it seems the news is all good. The Nurburgring, including its satellite hotel and other operations, have been bought by car parts brand Capricorn Group for more than 100 million euros ($154 million), who have confirmed they will continue the circuit's current operations.A statement on the Düsseldorf-based company's website confirms they have been the successful bidder for the Nurburgring after a process taking several months, and that they will continue to run the circuit's business operations, including racing and motor events, tourist and test drives, and hotel and holiday facilities.Capricorn Group has about 100 of its total of 350 employees based at the company's Nürburgring chassis tuning test centre, which has been in operation for more than 12 years. "Engines and chassis can be theoretically tested in facilities that artificially simulate natural conditions, but in order to gain a complete impression of the driving behaviour of a vehicle, nothing matches the practical insights that one gains from taking a vehicle onto the racetrack," the company statement says.The company's managing director -- who has a history of track racing and was a winner in the 2000 Ferrrari Challenge -- has confirmed his personal enthusiasm for the circuit. "The Nurburgring has always been a passion of mine. We have identified the enormous potential of this unique race venue and would like to optimise the existing structures, but above all turn the vision of an Automotive Technology Cluster into reality," Dr Robertino Wild said in an official statement.Capricorn says such a development would give the Nurburgring region an enduring prospects for the future, and also offer high-quality automotive employment.However to achieve their plans, Capricorn has already signalled that after it takes over on January 1, 2015, it will shut down the 'ring racer' rollercoaster, and that the Eifeldorf Grune Holle hotel will have to make way for the proposed Auto Tech Cluster.  The 'ring card' payment pass for Nurburgring attractions will also be axed.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott

The Koenigsegg One:1 -- which the Swedish brand dubs a 'megacar' -- is tipped by them to become the world's fastest homologated production car with a top speed of more than 440km/h. So what would you use to catch one in a car chase? A Koenigsegg One:1 police car is the answer for Need For Speed Rivals, the latest edition of the smash hit racing game.And with the One:1 estimated to also cost more than $2 million for each of its limited edition of six cars, the game is likely the closest chance you'll have of driving one. Especially in the way it's shown in the video trailer.The One:1 is named for its power-to-weight ratio, with one metric horsepower for every kilogram of its 1340kg weight, translating to a total of 999kW in our power measurements. The weight has been trimmed with liberal use of carbon-fibre and aluminium, plus a light titanium exhaust system.And that focus on weight could theoretically see the police version at a disadvantage in the chase, by the time it has to factor in the extra kilos of flashing lights, official communications systems and the like. We imagine there's not much left to strip out of the donor car that Koenigsegg hasn't already thought of in its weight-saving strategies.Both cars in the game would be powered by the same twin turbo 5.0-litre V8, and underpinned by the same GPS-controlled predictive active chassis for the best possible stability and dynamics, plus both have the active aerodynamics features that are claimed to generate 610kg of downforce at 260km/h -- although the police might be hampered by the roof lights.But while they're still a close match in the game, the real speed rival for the One:1 is the Bugatti Veyron that holds the world's top speed record -- and which Koenigsegg is hoping to nab.Watch the desktop version of the Koenigsegg One:1 gets sideways video here.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

Toyota has rationalised the line-up for the new Kluger, with the SUV now available only in a seven-seat version across three trim levels. The Kluger kicks off with the GX for $40,990, followed by the $49,990 GX-L and the $63,990 Grande on the top shelf.Prices have shifted in both directions, with the entry level dropping $2200 from the previous cheapest seven-seater and the GXL coming down $1500, but the top-spec Grande asking $3355 more than the outgoing model, although Toyota says it gets more than $7000 worth of extra equipment.All models are powered by the carry-over 3.5-litre petrol V6 that develops 201kW at 6200rpm and 337Nm at 4700rpm, mated to a six-speed auto -- one cog up on the predecessor -- driving the front wheels as standard and all four wheels as a $4000 option across all trim levels.Toyota is claiming fuel economy of 10.2L/100km for the front-drive versions and 10.6L/100km for the all-paw, which are improvements of 7.2 per cent and 8.0 per cent respectively. Towing capacity remains 2000kg braked and 700kg unbraked.Toyota Australia had input into the electronic power steering and suspension set-up -- including a new double-wishbone rear, with localised rear spring rates and recalibrated dampers.DIMENSIONSThe Kluger has grown 80mm longer and 15mm wider, which Toyota says offers more cabin space and easier entry to reach the third row -- where shoulder room has increased by 110mm -- while the luggage area has also expanded 49 litres, to offer 529 litres with the third row folded and 1171 litres with the second row also dropped, pulling back to 195 litres if all seats are up.FEATURESThe GX standard list includes 6.1-inch screen infotainment system, LED daytime running lights, 18-inch alloy wheels and a comprehensive safety list with stability and traction control, hill start, and anti-skid brakes with brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution.The GXL gets all that plus leather-trimmed upholstery, 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, premium steering wheel, three-zone climate control airconditioning, and roof rails.The Grande ups the alloy wheels to 19-inch, the headlights to projector LED clusters with automatic high beam, and the infotainment screen to 8-inch with satnav and digital radio. It also gets a 9-inch rear display with Blu-Ray DVD, moonroof, ventilated front seats and a powered tailgate.The safety arsenal in the top spec is expanded with active cruise control, blind sport monitoring, lane-keeping assist and a pre-collision system.2014 Toyota Kluger Australian prices (plus on-road costs)Kluger GX 2WD - $40,990Kluger GX AWD - $44,990Kluger GXL 2WD – $49,990Kluger GXL AWD - $53,990Kluger Grande 2WD - $63,990Kluger Grande AWD - $67,990This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott

While many drivers might envy emergency services in some regions that have technology allowing them to change traffic lights, we can look forward to a system that will at least allow us to flow better with the lights.Audi is trialling technology in three major pilot cities -- Berlin, Las Vegas and Verona -- that will let drivers anticipate changes in the lights, helping smooth traffic. And possibly letting impatient drivers further back in line pre-load that horn finger for the absolute nanosecond the light turns green.The system monitors the signal from the central traffic computer, and integrating with vehicle positioning, sends information about the next set of lights to a display in the car's instrument panel.The technology can give a countdown of the change from red to green, and also tell the engine's stop-start system to kick back into life five seconds before the change. It can also monitor the countdown back to red of a green light ahead, and let a driver know they're not going to make it across the intersection and should start slowing and braking.The system is aimed at not only improving the flow of city traffic, but also saving fuel by eliminating the jerky brake-accelerate action of most drivers. Audi says the online traffic light recognition system is ready to go into production, but just needs official approval from government agencies.Motor Authority says Audi is closely studying the prospect of a launch in the US, but has not announced timing for a roll-out there or in other markets.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott