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Neiman Marcus has released its well-known Christmas Book for 2012, and wrapped up within is a holiday surprise we can cheer about. This holiday, 12 lucky (read: wealthy) gearheads will get a 2013 Neiman Marcus Edition McLaren MP4-12C Spider, a seemingly sunnier pick than last year's Ferrari FF.

Your favorite people in the world will be flabbergasted to receive their Volcano Red Spider with its "stainless-steel, special-edition numbered badge" and matching McLaren luggage set. You'll also get a heartwarming glow knowing that $3,000 of the $354,000 you paid will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

"But," you might be saying, "that's $88,250 above the price of everyone else's Spider! Is the luggage worth that much of a premium?" To that we say, "Yes!" Okay, no. But also included in Neiman Marcus' package are two business-class tickets to London's Heathrow airport, two nights at the Coworth Park Hotel (where rooms are a minimum of $380 a night) with meals and a tour of the McLaren Technology Center. But wait, there's more! You'll also get a private VIP dinner with McLaren Chairman Ron Dennis. Wow.

Surely worth the price to someone, but for our money, we expect a platinum numbered badge. Or at least silver. Pewter?

For anyone who tuned to Speed over the weekend, you may have noticed a new Fox Sports logo looming at the bottom of the screen. According to SB Nation, this could be a bad sign for motorsports fans as it seems to verify rumors that Fox is on the verge of changing Speed into an all-sports network like ESPN.

Although we're thankful that the channel never completely turned into the 24-hour NASCAR channel as was evidently intended when Fox took over in 2001, it has become a go-to channel for all things motorsports from the mainstream to the offbeat. Speed has already expanded its broadcasting to include reality shows like Pass Time, Pinks and Hard Parts: South Bronx, but it is also the only place to find coverage for racing series such as Australian V8 Supercar, Formula One Racing and Grand-Am.

The Wall Street Journal says that converting Speed to a sports network would allow the company to capitalize on a new eight-year deal it just worked out with Major League Baseball that would allow for better distribution of games among cable and satellite companies. Only time will tell what as to what becomes of Speed, but for fans of motorsports coverage, things aren't looking good.

The Acura ZDX hasn't exactly lived a conventional existence, so perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that its death announcement isn't going according to standard industry protocol, either. Parent company Honda has taken the unusual step of trumpeting a refreshed-for-2013 model while simultaneously announcing that this will be the model's last year. According to Acura, the model's cancellation comes as the brand "sharpens its focus on new models and core products" like the forthcoming RLX sedan.

The audaciously styled crossover has been, to be charitable, a very reluctant seller since its 2009 introduction, but for 2013, Acura is jazzing up its concept car for the street with new kit. The changes include a lightly reworked front shield grille along with new power folding side mirrors and new tech features including lane departure and forward collision warning systems.

We'd say that announcing the model's discontinuation at the same time one is presenting a freshened model could hurt sales, but we're not sure there's anyone paying attention. Last year, Acura managed to shift just 1,564 units of the ZDX, giving it the No. 4 spot on our Worst Sellers of 2011 list. Through September, Automotive News reports that only 642 examples have been sold in 2012, making it one of the rarest new cars on the market.

The 2013 ZDX is slated to go on sale on October 19 carrying an MSRP of $50,920 plus $895 in destination charges.

What do you think, will the rare and boldly styled ZDX be a bona fide collector car one day? Vote in our poll below.

Enter Sweepstakes This month's giveaway is a Passport 9500 ix radar and laser detector courtesy of Escort. Not that you would ever break the law by going a few miles per hour over the speed limit, but if you did (by accident, of course), the Passport 9500 ix detector is your best bet for avoiding a ticket.

Its claim to fame is a function called "AutoLearn," which identifies false alarms and uses GPS to remember their location. This virtually eliminates false alarms, the bane of most laser and radar detectors owners. Combined with Escort's excellent laser and radar detection hardware, the ability to update its database of red light and fixed-position speed camera locations over the web and automatically vary the sensitivity of detection based on vehicle speed, the 9500 ix is a true set-it-and-forget-it detector.

The Passport 9500 ix sits atop the Escort line as the best all-around detector offered by this trusted 30-year-old, Cincinnati-based brand. And it can be yours for the low, low price of absolutely nothing. Just enter on our Facebook page between now and 5:00 PM EST on Wednesday, October 17.

When you enter, you'll also get a unique URL to share with friends via Facebook, Twitter and email. If they use it to enter, you get more entries! See below for the rules of the sweepstakes.

The Rules:

• Click here to enter. Requires that you Like the Autoblog Facebook page. Additional entries can be earned if your friends use a unique URL given to you to enter.
• Sweepstakes is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older!
• The winner will be chosen randomly. One winner will win an Escort Passport 9500 ix valued at $499.95.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within five days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
• Entries can be submitted until Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 5:00 PM EST.

Little Daimler Child Finally Nails It With Electrons



Since the official launch of the Smart Fortwo in October 1998, the little company within Daimler has never made a profit. Far from it. Not for lack of trying, certainly. Many of us know well the story of myriad attempts to force the world to adopt the Smart way of living in the automotive sense, only to have the various chapters conclude in a disillusioning crash and financial burn.

Smart is still trying desperately to find its proper path as a global player that sells rather well – and not just in London and a few Italian and German cities. They insist that China is the great frontier nowadays for the Fortwo in all of its trims, and they still want to figure out North America.

Is electricity the only way to force the breakthrough? We drove the previous generation Smart Fortwo Electric Drive a couple of years ago and had an amazingly good time at it. The punch for traffic holeshots was addictive, and the size of the trinket-on-wheels is ideal for big-shouldered cities – this cannot be debated no matter your personal feelings about the car.

But whereas the Germans and Roger Penske firmly believed that crisis-stricken Americans would come in droves to the Smart dealer, begging for a Fortwo of any type given the model's efficiencies, Americans never made the transition of seeing the Fortwo as anything but a purchase for when you have spare change lying around and want a third toy in the garage. And young buyers who can only afford a single vehicle generally want that car to have luggage space and four seats. A more reasonable bang for buck doesn't hurt either.

Seeing as electric vehicles are slowly convincing us (very slowly) that there's some sense in their costing more than traditional-engine cars, Smart sees this as a big opportunity to offer something that still has an inflated price and more premium early adopter lifestyle aura. We have our significant doubts about all of this working, but let's get on with the drive.

Brabus has completed its makeover program for the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake, with resultant menu ranging from a quick spruce to an all-day overhaul good for 619 horsepower, 737 pound-feet of torque and a top speed of 200 miles per hour.

An aero kit is involved, naturally, and if you thought the slippery wagon was finicky looking before, the Brabus tweaks won't change your mind. The front spoiler lip, sport fenders and wraparound skirting have been engineered to fit on any wagon with or without the AMG bodykit. The Bilstein-developed suspension offerings begin with sport springs, or you can grab all the pork with a completely new suspension that lowers the car by 35 millimeters. Wheels range in size from 17- to 20-inches, in six different designs.

Every engine flavor on the Mercedes-Benz stylewagon is looked after; the diesel CLS250 and 350 CDI BlueEfficiency getting modest and easily installed upgrades that also maintain the Shooting Brake's various driving modes. In Sport mode the 350 CDI can get from standstill to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. Gas is where it's at, though, the CLS500 BlueEfficiency getting worked up to 500 hp and 531 lb-ft and a top speed of 186 mph. There are a further two tuning choices for the CLS63 AMG, the top-flight option unleashing 619 ponies, 737 lb-ft, the double-ton terminal velocity and a 0-62 mph run of 4.2 seconds.

The press release below has more information, the high-res gallery above has the star of the show.

We won't hold it against you if you've never hear of the Automobili Turismo e Sport, or ATS. After all, the small Italian automaker made just 12 cars in the 1960s, but it looks like dust is being brushed off this marque after sitting dormant for almost 50 years. Like Lamborghini, ATS was formed following a disagreement with Enzo Ferrari.

Two sports cars are planned to carry the ATS nameplate: a lightweight track car powered by a motorcycle engine called the Sport 1000 and the car pictured above, the 2500GT. Named after ATS's original car, the 2500 GT, built from 1962 through 1964, the new 2500GT mimics the styling of the of its predecessor while simultaneously looking like the result of an awesome one-night-stand between a Ford GT and a Lotus Evora. According to AllCarIndex.com, the interior of the 2500GT will have a retro look inspired by the 1960s, but no interior images of the car have been released.

While the original ATS 2500GT was powered by a 2.5-liter V8 that produced 210 horsepower, the new version of the car uses a rear-mounted 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four that is said to put out 500 hp. If this engine sounds familiar, that's because AllCarIndex says that it is based on a Subaru boxer engine. We'd love to see a WRX STI with this much power, but we digress.

The most impressive detail about this new 2500GT is that it weighs just 2,160 pounds helping to give the car excellent performance. ATS says the car's top speed is with the ability to accelerate from zero to 62 miles per hour in just 3.3 seconds.

There is no indication as to the pricing of the ATS 2500GT reincarnation, when it goes on sale or if it will be sold in the US, but until then, enjoy the images ATS AutoSport has released.

Mini is walking away from the rear bucket seats in its Countryman crossover. MotoringFile.com reports that starting in 2013, the CUV will no longer offer just two seats in the second row. Originally, Mini was forced to offer the buckets due to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rules governing the the minimum vehicle width for the allowance of three-wide seating. That rule was recently changed, which allowed Mini to offer the bench seat. Not surprisingly, few buyers have opted for the awkward bucket-and-rail configuration since. Moving forward, all Countryman models will also come with the vehicle's flat-load rear floor as well.

During our time with our long-term Countryman, we found the middle rail between the two buckets to be a bit gimmicky, especially given the fact that the cup holders were only large enough to accommodate a 12-ounce can.

Spy photographers have sussed up a few images of the next Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG hustling around the Nürburgring. Given the strategic cladding stuck to the performance sedan's nose and tail, odds are buyers will see a facelifted version of the mightiest E-Class show up on dealer lots very soon. When it does, the AMG will feature a new fascia, complete with larger, more gaping air inlets to feed the 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 under the hood.

The new E63 will also benefit from the same updates we've seen crop up on the rest of the E-Class family, including single-piece headlights and a more upright, proud grille. Otherwise, changes appear to be slight. The reworked rear valance should allow for new exhaust exits out back, and the aft sheetmetal has been smoothed by nixing the old pontoon fenders. We can't wait to see this newest fast Benz without the armor.

Toyota has announced a voluntary of around 2.5 million vehicles in the US for faulty window switches. The automaker says the driver's side power window master switch may develop a sticky or notchy feel during operation, and that if owners or technicians apply commercial lubricant, the switch my smoke or catch fire.

The recall covers certain Yaris, RAV4, Tundra, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Sequoia, Corolla and Matrix models as well as Scion xD and xA units. All vehicles fall between the model years 2007 and 2009. Over 200 incidents involving the switches have been reported in the US alone, though the trouble hasn't caused any accidents or injuries.

Toyota technicians will inspect, disassemble and apply special flourine grease to the switches free of charge. Owners can expect to receive a recall notice starting later this month. The 2.5M unit total only covers US vehicles – some 7.4M units will fall under this recall globally. Take a look at the full press release below.

In the battle for luxury car dominance, BMW has managed to hold on to its place at the top of the pile, for now. Global sales rose 14.3 percent last month, to 146,843 units, on strong sales in China and global sales of the 1 Series small car (pictured). That brings BMW's sales through nine months up 8.6 percent, to 1.11 million vehicles.

Meanwhile Audi global sales increased by 12.8 percent, continuing to close in on BMW with 1.10 million vehicles sold through three quarters. Additionally, Mercedes-Benz sales rose two percent to 964,926.

Audi's impressive sales rally was not enough to overcome BMW's Chinese sales, which jumped 59.4 percent to 29,631 vehicles. BMW also benefited from strong sales of the 1 Series, which increased 51.1 percent to 25,583 units worldwide.

China has become the German automaker's largest singular market, with the United States in second. US sales of BMW's rose 3.5 percent to 26,660. Also, despite the German automobile market contracting 11 percent, BMW sales rose 9.3 percent on its home turf, to 26,021.

According to BMW brand sales chief Ian Robertson, "We expect to see further growth in worldwide sales in the fourth quarter." BMW Group sales, including Mini and Rolls-Royce, grew 11.6 percent last month to 177,716. Through nine months, global sales increased 8.3 percent to 1.33 million vehicles sold. As Audi continues to remain in BMW's rear view mirror, these final months of the year will be crucial for both automakers in the battle for the top premium brand.

There are many burning questions these days to which we seek answers: who will win the upcoming presidential election? How does the Tesla Model S Performance stack up against the BMW M5 on a drag strip? And, of course, who put the ram in the rama lama ding dong? While we can't speak to the either the political or metaphysical queries, we now have an answer to the automotive one.

On paper, the answer seems clear. The BMW M5 is said to scoot from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in 4.2 seconds when equipped with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, while Tesla says the Model S Signature Performance edition can do that in 4.4 seconds. What happens beyond that speed is anyone's guess, but it should be kept in mind that the gas guzzler's 4.4-liter V8 puts out 560 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque – maybe more – compared to the battery-operated sedan's 416 hp and 443 lb-ft of sizzle.

But driving doesn't happen on paper and so the similarly-inquisitive folks at Automobile magazine took one of each of these vehicles to Gingerman Raceway for a little head-to-head competition. The result? While it is possible for the somewhat lighter German machine to occasionally edge out the slippery American newcomer, the Tesla seems more adept at translating its potential energy into forward motion. You can watch the smack down for your own electric edification by scrolling below.

We've seen all sorts of clever marketing tricks lately, but we'll admit, this is actually pretty cool. Taking its print advertising campaign one step further, Lexus has employed CinePrint to bring some life to an otherwise static magazine spot for its new 2013 ES sedan in the October 15 issue of Sports Illustrated.

Here's how it works: Download the iPad edition of SI, place the iPad under the actual magazine page displaying the ad, dim the lights and watch it all unfold. The once-lifeless ES ad now dances on the page using technology that, as Lexus says, creates "a tactile and visceral connection that brings one closer to the printed page with a multi-sensory experience that combines sight, sound and touch." In other words, it looks really rad.

You can check it out in person with this month's issue of Sports Illustrated, or simply scroll down to see the CinePrint ad in action.

It's easy to forget just how insane the Lamborghini Countach was when it debuted in 1971. While the rest of the world was still focused on producing sports cars with flowing, organic body lines, Lamborghini pulled back the sheets on fiendishly-low Countach with it's razor-sharp panel creases and plethora of vents and ducts. Very simply, there had never been anything like this car on the road before. Maybe that's why it holds onto our imaginations so rabidly. It's more than having owned the poster. It's knowing that in spite of all the machine's flaws, the Countach is something special.

James Chen, the owner of Axis Wheels, knows that fact all too well. As a life-long fan of the Countach, he finally realized a childhood dream when he bought the machine you see above. The crew from Petrolicious recently caught up with Chen to discuss what it is that sets the Countach apart. With plenty of gorgeous cinematography and a soundtrack punctuated by the V12's exhaust note, the clip is well worth your time. Check it out below.