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Legendary KISS bassist Gene Simmons and his wife, actress Shannon Tweed, helped unveil a custom 1956 Ford F-100 pickup nicknamed ''Snakebit'' at the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The vehicle will be auctioned off next year by Barrett-Jackson, with proceeds going to help fund a children's hospital in Tweed's hometown of Saskatoon.

Called ''Wheels of Dreams,'' the project was originally conceived by Tom Foster, president of Saskatoon-based customizer Industrial Machine & Manufacturing, as a team-building exercise that could help raise funds for a new children's hospital. It was sponsored by the Ford dealer association in Saskatchewan.

This particular 1956 Ford F-100 houses a Ford Racing supercharged 5.4L V8 breathing through a high-performance exhaust system. A six-speed manual gearbox feeds the estimated 550 horsepower to the 20'' rear wheels (front wheels are 18''). A widened cargo bed and custom headlights round out the exterior changes.

The cabin of this metallic grey beauty features handmade panels and two-tone leather. The leather bench seat, carefully contoured to match the look of a Shelby Mustang interior, is from Glide Engineering.

Photo: Ford

McLaren F1 protégé Stoffel Vandoorne emerged quickest of post-season testing of the GP2 series at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

The final day of post season testing took place Thursday at Yas Marina Circuit with a slightly changed field, some drivers who have been testing on the previous days moving to new teams whilst new drivers joined the action.

Stoffel Vandoorne, DAMS (Photo: GP2 series)

The pit lane opened this morning and all twenty six cars fed onto the track.

Stoffel Vandoorne who switched to DAMS today set the early pace, and the final hour, he set a string of flyers with the best one a 1m48.657 - the best lap time of all three days of testing.

In the dying minutes of the session, Italian Giovanni Venturini found some clean air to move up into second place.

Yesterday's pace setter Rio Haryanto (Trident Racing) ranked third in front of new Euro Formula 3 champion Raffaele Marciello (Racing Engineering), Daniel Abt (Hilmer), Tio Ellinas (MP Motorsport), Johnny Cecotto, Facu Regalia, Stephane Richelmi and Jordan King (Addax).

That's a wrap to the 2013 GP2 Series season. The paddock will gather early in 2014 for the pre-season testing (dates and venues to be announced shortly).

Following last summer's SpongeBob-themed Highlander, Toyota came to the 2013 SEMA Show with another version of its midsize CUV inspired by the popular cartoon character.

Designed by Animal Planet's Tanked co-stars Wayde King and Brett Raymer in partnership with Toyota and Nickelodeon, the 800-gallon aquarium tank inside begins behind the front seats of the Highlander and stretches the length of the vehicle. It contains about 115 individual fish from 32 different species including starfish (like the SpongeBob character, Patrick), squirrelfish, Fiji foxface, flame angel, clownfish, and pilot fish.

“When we talk about the size and versatility of the new 2014 Highlander, we now can add how many fish swam inside one,” said Jack Hollis, vice president of marketing for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “The Tanked designers and Nickelodeon combined the mystery of the ocean and the fun of SpongeBob into a Highlander everyone will be talking about at SEMA.”

Photo: Toyota

From GMM

Christian Horner this week has once again played down reports he is first in line should Bernie Ecclestone step down as F1 supremo.

83-year-old Ecclestone is fighting legal battles on several fronts at present over the Gerhard Gribkowsky bribery scandal.

On Wednesday, he amused reporters as he arrived to testify in London's high court, calling them "lazy bastards" before entering the revolving door and then exiting it on the same side.

He then tried to enter the building through a conventional glass door that wouldn't open, shrugging when the reporters asked if he is confident he will prevail in the multi-million dollar lawsuit brought by a German media company.

While testifying, F1's inimitable chief executive sounded unconcerned about the outcome of his legal troubles, which could ultimately see his long reign over the sport end.

"I don't mind," Ecclestone told Constantin Medien's lawyer, "I've got plenty of things to do."

If the diminutive Briton is forced into retirement, or is jailed, one name constantly mentioned as a potential successor is Christian Horner -- Red Bull's 39-year-old, ultra-successful team boss who is famously allied to Ecclestone.

Christian Horner and Bernie Ecclestone, Nurburgring 2013. (Photo: WRi2)

British newspapers quoted Horner as saying on Wednesday: "Looking at the health that Bernie's in, he's going to outlive all of us! I have no interest in the role that he performs. My focus is in running a team and I think actually to replace Bernie would be impossible, certainly with one person.

"I'm very happy with what I do here. I'm focused and committed to this team," Christian Horner insisted.

However, Horner's attitude might be changed if Red Bull's current team begins to break up.

Designer Adrian Newey has been linked with an America's Cup foray, while Sebastian Vettel is constantly linked with a move to Ferrari.

Indeed, it has been suggested leaving Red Bull might be the only way the new quadruple world champion is accepted both in terms of popularity and greatness.

Alain Prost said: "If he (Vettel) wants to he should move, but not to please someone else -- only if he wants to do it for himself."

Sebastian Vettel, however, said he is committed to Red Bull.

"Even if I go to another team, I will still have people who doubt or don't like who I am and what I do," said the 26-year-old. "At the end of the day you have to be happy with yourself and right now I can assure you I'm very happy with who I am and what I do."

2014 Acura TL

The TL is essentially a carryover model from 2013.

New For 2014

There are no major changes for the 2014 Acura TL. A Special Edition model was added in June 2013 and it is also offered for 2014. It includes ten-spoke, eighteen-inch wheels; keyless entry; push-button start; and special badging.

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2014 Acura TSX

The 2014 Acura TSX continues unchanged this year.

New For 2014

The 2014 Acura TSX continues unchanged this year.

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In September of 1968, Ford's Research and Engineering division yanked this Mustang off the line.

Beware the Bargain BMW

Bob Lutz's plan for Pontiac would have been a disaster.

When Bob Lutz speaks, we listen. How could we not? He’s an octogenarian who looks like a Nordic god and flies fighter jets. He’s also an automotive legend who had a hand in everything from the Dodge Viper to the Chevrolet Volt. And so it was no surprise that Lutz’s comments last week about Pontiac’s plans to introduce a line of rear-wheel-drive, cut-rate BMWs drew so much attention. “Pontiac was on its way back … we were embarked on a strategy of making Pontiac different from the rest of GM in that Pontiac would not get any front wheel drive cars,” the former GM product vice chairman told a forum at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, according to Autoweek. He added that the next G6 was going to share the Cadillac ATS’s Alpha architecture.

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UAW Vice President General Holiefield, 60, who heads the union's Chrysler arm, is retiring in June, the union said today.

Bisimoto Engineering didn't limit itself to Hyundai concepts at the 2013 SEMA Show. It also took a 2014

Volvo is rolling out a broad strategy aimed at reviving the brand in the United States after a decade of shrinking demand while nearly doubling sales globally.

Volvo Cars is rolling out a broad strategy aimed at reviving the brand in the United States after a decade of shrinking demand while nearly doubling sales globally. The plan, shared with U.S.

SEMA executives announced the winners of its New Product Showcase Awards for 2013 on Tuesday. The

Crate engines are usually high-output, high-displacement, domestic motors from Ford, GM and Chrysler. Hyundai said no mas yesterday at

News 6 Nov, 2013

There are plenty of cars at the Dubai Motor show you'll have never heard of, but you may recognise them

News 6 Nov, 2013

We take a look at some of the exotic cars on display at the Dubai motor show

What's the coolest car, truck or SUV from among the 1,500 feature vehicles this year at SEMA? How would you even begin to agree on an answer?

KAR Auction Services, the parent of auction company ADESA, said today that its third-quarter net income rose 19 percent from the year-earlier period to $22.8 million, as revenues increased 12 percent to $533.7 million.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has announced a new mid-term business plan titled New Stage 2016 for the three years from fiscal 2014 to fiscal 2016.

Tesla Motors, Inc. posted a net loss of $38 million on $431 million in revenue during the third quarter -- a steeper loss on slightly higher revenue than in the second quarter.