A rare matte purple Gemballa Mirage GT on the streets

A rare matte purple Gemballa Mirage GT on the streets: It's a big day for simple people like us when we get to see a Gemballa Mirage GT on the street, but when we do we get amazed by its rarity, personality and looks. People from Hangzhou in China where lucky and got to see this matte purple beauty with their own eyes

Based on the Porsche Carrera GT, the Gemballa Mirage GT is quite possibly the finest and richest tuner car in history. In fact, it goes way beyond an upgrade program and verges on being a coachbuilt car. After all, the body is substantially modified, the looks are altered, and so are the engine and the interior. In fact, someone who doesn’t know the story of the Mirage would have a hard time making the connection between this and the Carrera GT.

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Ontario issuing first permits for autonomous vehicles

Ontario plans to become the first province to allow self-driving vehicles to be tested on public roads. Testing of autonomous or self-driving vehicles can begin as early as Jan. 1, as Ontario seeks to grab a share of the billions of dollars auto makers, parts companies and technology giants are spending to develop cars that drive themselves. The province’s move will create better opportunities for Canadian companies to test components and show automakers their technologies.

The prospect of self-driving cars was believed to be decades away, but tech companies and automakers are in a race to bring such vehicles to market. Many vehicles already carry features that keep them in their lanes, speed them up or slow them down depending on traffic in front of them and enable them to park themselves. The Ontario plan will allow autonomous vehicles to drive on any roads, although it’s likely to be mainly on secondary highways and some city streets. That differs from Virginia, for example, which is establishing what it calls Virginia Automated Corridors on about 110 kilometres of highway, where autonomous vehicles can be tested in real-world conditions. The main benefit of autonomous vehicles is safety – a reduction in the hundreds of thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in damage caused annually by vehicle accidents around the world. 

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Ferrari will auction off a LaFerrari for Italian earthquake relief

It’s no surprise that Ferrari is launching an initiative to help victims of this year’s two major central Italian earthquakes. This weekend, at the Ferrari Finali Modinali event at Daytona International Speedway in Florida, Ferrari will auction off a bespoke LaFerrari with the help of RM Sotheby’s and the National Italian American Foundation’s Earthquake Relief Fund. All proceeds from the auction will go to the reconstruction efforts in central Italy following August’s magnitude 6.2 quake and the string of quakes that hit late last month.

Ferrari will auction off the last LaFerrari supercar ever made. Only 499 coupes were planned, but Ferrari decided to make one more, as a gift to its home country. Of course, this isn’t just a LaFerrari – the one set for the auction block features discreet white graphics, finished off with an Italian flag on the nose. The interior gets similar unique touches, plus a plaque commemorating just how special this LaFerrari really is. Rob Myers, CEO and chairman of RM Sotheby’s, named this auction a historic event, as the generosity of FerrariSpA will change lives in the areas most affected by the natural disaster. 

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Retail demand of autos in U.S. softened this November

Retail demand of autos in U.S. softened this November: Black Friday sales and the start of year-end deals are helping, but can’t quite disguise that in all probability, retail demand for autos actually softened in November. That’s despite a near-record average discount of $3,886 per unit, up 15% from November 2015.

On Thursday, Dec. 1, U.S. automakers are expected to report November sales. The good news is, sales may be softening, but that’s compared with record levels last year. On a pessimistic or realistic note, depending on your point of view, retail auto sales are expected to decline about 2% in November 2016 vs. November 2015.

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U.S. letter reveals details of GM self-driving vehicle system

General Motors unveiled its semi-autonomous “Super Cruise” system to allow drivers on highways to let the vehicle take over driving itself. In case if the road has too many twists and turns or the vehicle detects the driver is not paying attention, it issues a series of alerts. If the human driver does not take over, the vehicle will automatically slow down and then put on the hazard lights. GM, which initially planned to unveil the technology on the CT6 in late 2016, said in January it would not unveil Super Cruise until 2017.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a letter to GM that it was permissible for the automaker to automatically activate hazard lights if a driver fails to respond to alerts by a self-driving vehicle that has brought itself to a stop, but it raised concerns that the system is safe. In March, GM asked NHTSA to confirm it was appropriate for the vehicle to activate the hazard lights if it was brought to a stop. 

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Porsche's all-electric Mission E sedans are done

Porsche's all-electric Mission E sedans are done:

Porsche thinks its all-electric Mission E sedans are going to be a huge hit. The carmaker hopes to sell 20,000 units every year. That’s a whole lot of electric cars. They have the Mission E calculated with a number of items in the order for about 20,000. The goal, is a lofty one, as Porsche sold 31,350 units of the 911 worldwide in 2015.

The Mission E, in concept form, featured two electric motors capable of putting out a total of 590 horsepower. The all-electric sports car is claimed to have a zero-to-62 mile per hour time of less than 3.5 seconds and can travel over 310 miles on one charge, as calculated on the European testing cycle.

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Record U.S. auto sales are predicted due to Thanksgiving holidays!

Record U.S. auto sales are predicted due to Thanksgiving holidays!: It seems like U.S. auto sales are on pace for the strongest November ever, four forecasters say, breaking the industry’s streak of three consecutive monthly declines and keeping open the possibility that 2016 can squeak ahead of last year’s record.

Big promotions over the long Thanksgiving weekend and two extra selling days in the month are expected to push sales up 4 percent from November 2015. Some companies are projecting 5 percent increase, while others estimate a 2.7 percent gain.

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VW previews new Arteon fastback to replace CC

Volkswagen released a sketch of the Arteon, a sedan with fastback styling that VW says previews the next era of VW design. Set to replace the VW CC and the ill-fated Phaeton, the Arteon will serve as a halo for the VW brand, sitting above the Passat in both pricing and equipment. The new model is to debut in March at the Geneva auto show and, according to German press reports, is expected to go on sale next summer in Europe for about 33,000 euros ($35,000).

While the CC drew its name from the acronym for Comfort Coupe, the Arteon is a smooshing together of “Art,” to describe its silhouette, and “Eon,” which is Volkswagen’s new way to define its premium models. While the CC was never a sales leader for Volkswagen, it became a cult car that brought new buyers attracted to its style – despite the sedan’s small rear seat, limited headroom, and compromised luggage space. 

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Which car brands generate the highest profit margins?

Although stores selling the Lexus, Audi, Infiniti and Acura luxury brands are seeing double-digit profit declines this year, profits at Toyota and Honda dealerships are growing. Nissan and Acura dealers experienced the biggest declines. Alan Haig, president of buy-sell advisory firm Haig Partners in Fort Lauderdale, Fla, said that this is the first time such data has been published. 

He claims that this visibility into earnings will give owners, buyers and sellers insight into what they should be doing. He also added that this can also spark conversation between dealers and automakers on ways to improve. Jaguar/Land Rover reported the highest profit per franchise: $3.3 million. Because Land Rover, as a small niche brand, can “make more profits off each car and their expense structure is lower, they can net more profit,” Haig said. Overall, estimated year-over-year profits on luxury brands were down for two reasons: (continue reading)

F1 steering wheels: from simple to sophisticated

If you don’t follow Formula One, you may not know that the world’s premier racing series has influenced the auto industry but we know it. Take steering wheels, for example. Have you ever wondered why the modern steering wheel is filled with buttons or where paddle shifters were first pioneered?

Formula 1 cars are some of the most complicated machines on the planet. The sport thrives on being the most competitive and technically advanced form of racing, and while the debate rages on about strict restrictions stifling innovation and dumbing down the racing, it still takes great talent and concentration to get behind the wheel. Donut Media shows the transition from a traditional wood and aluminum wheel to today’s squared-off, lightweight “wheels” with enough buttons to rival the controls for the Saturn V rocket. Donut Media borrowed the impressive collection of steering wheels from the Racing Hall of Fame. The group has amassed a huge array of authentic parts, from racing suits to turbochargers. 

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Maserati's first electric car will debut in 2020

Maserati's first electric car will debut in 2020: Maserati promised to start selling its first electric car by 2020, and now we know for sure what it's gonna look like. The company said it will build an EV version of its Alfieri, which is gonna be a two-seat concept car which was revealed for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show in 2014.

The Alfieri from the pictures, will also be produced with a V6 engine, and it's designed as a competitor to the 911 but it will be a larger car. The gasoline version will go on sale in 2019, Maserati says, well past its original 2016 launch date. It was originally supposed to be a V8, but the company decided to go with a smaller engine to meet environmental requirements. There are no details yet on the performance or price of the EV model, but we'd expect it to have outstanding performance (and hopefully decent endurance), given its Italian pedigree.

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Bentley Bentayga recalls 88 models

Bentley Bentayga recalls 88 models:
Even though the number of 2017 Bentley Bentaygas which are going to be recalled is low, we still are wondering what was the main issue for such an act. Considering only 378 vehicles were built those 88 vehicles recalled are the fourth part of them, which means there was a reasonable issue for the recall.

In a short term since the cars are on the sale a problem with seat and instrument panel joints which improperly tighten was discovered. Essentially, the big, expensive SUV has a few screws loose. This was discovered when a routine systems check revealed missing torque data for 88 vehicles. The improperly tightened parts can work themselves free over time, increasing the risk of injury.

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             At RepoKar we've got the deals you've been waiting for the whole year! Don't miss them!

Black Friday isn't the best day of the year to buy a car!

Black Friday isn't the best day of the year to buy a car!:
For those who are looking for a good car deal this Black Friday, you need to know that there are also other days which will make you pay the same money on the car you want, so you can skip the crowds and stay in bed. The unofficial consumer holiday is often touted as the best day to get some major discounts, but new data shows Black Friday is only the fifth-best day to get a heavily discounted car.

December 31 is the best day to get a new car. You can expect 8.8 percent off of the normal sales price. Dealers slash car prices to get units off the floor and out the door, boosting year-end sales numbers and making room for the next year's inventory.

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Mercedes-AMG GT R is cheaper than we expected it will be:

Mercedes-AMG GT R is cheaper than we expected it will be

We are pretty sure you love how this Mercedes-AMG GT R looks, and finally we can tell you how much it costs, truly speaking we were expecting a higher price. Stuttgart today revealed that its 577bhp monster will set you back £143,245, which - considering the changes it’s undergone - doesn’t actually sound like a bad deal.

For about £33k more than the GT S, you’re getting a radically different body littered with active and passive carbonfibre aero pieces, rear axle steering, heavily revised suspension with new dampers and a wider rear track, new turbochargers nestling within the 4.0-litre V8’s cylinder banks, and much more besides.

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                                           Have a beautiful Thanksgiving Day

On this special holiday it is important to show our affection and respect to people we love. Happy Thanksgiving Day from RepoKar's team

Getting ready for Black Friday

Getting ready for Black Friday: To clear out bulging inventories of unsold cars and dispel investor doubts about consumer demand, automakers in the United States are ramping up holiday sales promotions ahead of Black Friday.Detroit automakers need a strong year-end sales push. They are sitting on hefty inventories of unsold sedans, compact cars and sports cars as consumers shift to pickup trucks and SUVs. The share prices of General Motors, Ford Motor, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV are flat to down for the year. This reflects investor concerns that a six-year auto sales boom in the United States is reaching an end and that sustaining sales levels will require more aggressive price cutting.

Ford chief executive officer Mark Fields claims that the company is seeing a tougher pricing environment, higher levels of discounts. He predicted November and December sales would be about the same as a year ago, when the annualized sales pace averaged about 17.9 million vehicles a year. Ford kicked off its Black Friday sales promotions in early November, after reporting an 11.7% drop in October sales. Rivals have since followed suit. GM’s GMC truck brand is promoting “Black Friday All Month Long” with discounts of as much as 20% off list prices for pickup trucks. Luxury automakers usually join the fray in December. Toyota Motor’s Lexus brand began touting its annual “December to Remember” deals ahead of Thanksgiving weekend, offering 0.9%, five-year loans or $1,000 off on its compact IS 300 sedan in certain markets.

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U.S. car sales are predicted to rise this November

U.S. car sales are predicted to rise this November: The U.S. auto sales forecast in 2016 remains at 17.4 million vehicles, but with a bias toward the upside. That would allow a new record beyond last year's record of 17.39 million vehicles or 17.47 million vehicles.

Next year is pivotal for the auto industry, due to the chance of an economic stimulus plan under a Donald Trump presidency and the likelihood that attractive consumer discounts, or incentives, are pulling some 2017 sales into the current year. The U.S. economy and auto industry could be facing a boom or bust, depending on which policies are focused on and implemented. The U.S. Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend is expected to account for one-fourth of November  car sales. She also said consumer discounts on new vehicles so far in November were nearly $3,900 per vehicle, up about 15 percent from a year earlier.

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Lotus is back with is fastest car ever: Exige Sport 380

Lotus is back with is fastest car ever: Exige Sport 380: We weren't expecting for a post-Bahar era to come out in the last few years, but it just happened. Another Lotus will get an update in 2017, we're talking about Lotus Exige Sport 380.

The new supercar is gonna be the fastest version of Hethel’s extreme track car ever made. The mid-mounted V6 now puts out 375bhp (a 30bhp bump), getting it from 0-62mph in just 3.5 seconds, on to a top speed of 178mph. To go with the newfound poke, Lotus has festooned the Exige in carbonfibre aero goodies, including a new front splitter, rear spoiler and rear diffuser. Other weight-saving options including forged wheels drop the Exige’s kerb weight to a pithy 1100kg. Downforce at the car’s top speed is 140kg, meanwhile.
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Tesla fans created their own service center in Russia

Tesla fans created their own service center in Russia: LATEST AUTO NEWS

Tesla fans created their own service center in Russia

REPO KAR

It became clear that Tesla fans truly know no bounds, as evidenced by the Moscow Tesla Club. Nowadays Tesla does not sell its cars in Russia, and it has no plans to do so but people have still purchased them, and those cars need support. Speaking at a conference in the US hosted by the Tesla Motors Club, Igor Antarov, the man in charge of the club, explained how the club does this. Tesla lovers decided to create an unofficial service center. This is a big help to the roughly 300 Tesla owners in the club, since they won't have to ship their cars to other European countries for repairs and support.

Antarov hopes that the service center could become official. The club offers more than just service though. It also helps connect owners, hosts and sponsors event, and it sells cars. They also have a few Tesla cars for sale right now, along with a variety of other electric vehicles. It also states that if they don't have the right model and specification of Tesla, they will go to Europe or the US to purchase and import your desired car. The organization's website also highlights the construction of a charging station to allow owners to drive their Teslas from Moscow to Lithuania without having to make an overnight stop.

McLaren's 570S models are ready!

McLaren's 570S models are ready!: The new McLaren 570S will cost you only $10,000 more than the previous model but it promises some clever packaging of styling and design features. McLaren turned to its own designers to pick out colors, trims, wheels and other details for each Design Edition, delivering what it calls packages that make "financial sense." Now, stop laughing about a $10,000 package for a six-figure sports car making financial sense and keep reading, because we're going to explain why McLaren's right. Let's start with Design Edition 1, which is that red beauty up top.

Edition 1 pairs Vermillion Red paint with diamond-cut, five-spoke alloys, a black – or "Stealth" if you insist on McLaren's silly nomenclature – exhaust finish, and red calipers, while the cabin is a mix of black Alcantara and red Nappa leather with Slate Grey contrast stitching. McLaren says that while you could get a car finished the same way, a customer would need to pick each option individually, leading to a premium of far more than the Design Edition's $10,320.

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Auto coalition urges U.S. to adapt regulations for autonomous vehicles

A group of automakers and tech firms advocating for autonomous vehicles has called on U.S. regulators to change federal auto safety standards that effectively prohibit the operation of a car without the presence of a driver. The Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets wants the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to amend certain Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards that it says limit fully autonomous vehicles, the group said in a statement. 

The group, whose founding members are Ford Motor Co., Google, Volvo, Uber and Lyft, also called on Congress to enact legislation to aid self-driving car deployment. It marks the first time that companies developing self-driving car technologies have explicitly called on regulators to issue new rules or amend current ones. The coalition’s goals were outlined in written comments responding to the Transportation Department’s autonomous car policyguidance released in September. The guidance stopped short of issuing new regulations for fear of squelching innovation.

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