Hot Wheels are a timeless cool toy, so imagine our happiness when we heard about the latest development coming to these iconic mini cars.

Mattel’s Video Racer lets you recording while you’re racing them. Here’s how it works: the Video Racers are equipped with small video camera that can record 30 to 60 frames per second, capturing the action as in zooms across the floor or the racing track.

After the completion of the race, you can watch it unfold again – just flip the car over and enjoy highlights on the tiny LCD found on the underbelly of the car. You can also watch footage by downloading it to a PC or laptop via USB. Then, paste your footage together to make a best-of compilation.

Watch for the Video Racer coming to stores this fall for about $60 each (it also comes with a USB cable).

[Source: Pocket-Lint]

Check out video of the high-tech toy after the jump:

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Suzuki has been struggling with its car division in North America, and sales in 2010 were particularly poor. However, in its home market of Japan, the brand does quite well, thanks to tiny run-abouts like this new MR wagon.

The MR wagon fits under the kei-class category in Japan, which in English would mean, ultra sub-compact. There are many benefits to owning such vehicles in Japan, as you get plenty of tax cuts for driving economical vehicles. So like all other kei-class cars, the MR wagon features an engine displacing just 660 cc and three-cylinders.

You can either get a normally aspirated engine that produces 54-hp, or a turbo-charged unit that develops a ‘whopping’ 64-hp. You can also choose between a front-wheel drive model and an all-wheel drive model. However, the only transmission on offer is a CVT automatic.

The new MR wagon order book is now open. Prices start at about $14,000.

[Source: Carscoop]

A supercar needs a super watch, and that’s why McLaren has partnered with Swiss luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer to bring us the special edition MP4-12C Chronograph.

Boasting innovative, high-performance and precision manufacturing principles, the TAG Heuer McLaren MP4-12C Chronograph gathers its inspiration from the McLaren MP4-12C, following its lead when it comes to color, materials and design. Its carbon dial is just like the 12C’s carbon fiber MonoCell (an engineering solution that makes the 12C incredibly light) and the watch’s movement can be seen through sapphire inserts on the dial, which reveals the “engine” behind the watch face.

It doesn’t stop there. The MP4-12C Chronograph also features a Flyback function that lets you reset to zero, and immediately restart it by pressing once on the push button. Other extras include a Titanium case that minimizes weight, an Alcantara leather strap, orange super luminescent markers on the hands, and orange stitching on the bracelet.

Only 1000 of these beauties are being made, so be sure to look for them in the later part of 2011.

[Source: Top Speed]

Car companies pay close attention to the Middle-East market, but it’s usually in relation to high-priced exotics and luxury cars.

So it comes as a big surprise to hear that Volkwagen might be launching a concept car at the upcoming Qatar Motor Show that will consume only 1-liter of fuel to travel 100 km. That is equivalent to 235 mpg. Will the Shiekhs be interested and impressed? Time will tell.

In the past, VW has shown concept vehicles with such a fuel-sipping consumption, the latest of which – called the L1 concept, was shown at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Reports suggest that the new version will be powered by a diesel-electric hybrid system, which thanks to new lithium-ion batteries will give this vehicle its magical fuel consumption figure.

All will hopefully be revealed very soon. The Qatar Motor Show will be held Between January 26 – 29.

[Source: AutoBild]

To end your weekend on a good note, here’s a video of the Ferrari FF being wrung out by the engineering crew at Ferrari. Bet you never thought you’d see a Ferrari sliding through a winter wonderland did you?

The FF, as you all now, is Ferrari’s newest flagship, powered by a 6.3-liter V12 engine with 651-hp and 504 ft lbs of torque and equipped with a part-time all-wheel-drive system.  See for yourself below

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Oh, the humanity! Pagani’s Zonda supercar was one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful cars of all time, but a purported spy shot coming from a Spanish language car magazine shows the Pagani Huayra to be a catfish-mouthed monstrosity, with all manner of gills, bulging headlights and a snout that looks like its perpetually open.

Sure, the car will cost over $1 million, be limited to 20 units per year and produce absolutely blistering performance, but…that face! We just can’t get over it. Lesson to supercar makers – different doesn’t have to be ugly. Just look at the Ferrari FF.

[Source: Autoblog]

Following the lead of General Motors, Honda and Nissan, Volkswagen is looking into creating a sub-brand for the Chinese market, which would sell ultra-affordable compact cars in the world’s biggest auto market.

“A local brand is our opportunity to participate in segments where Volkswagen is not represented yet,” said Volkswagen China’s CEO Wolfgang Neumann, in an interview with German newspaper Handelsblatt. With China playing an integral part of Volkswagen’s ambituous target to be the world’s top automaker by 2018, the supposed 11th brand would add much needed volume to Volkswagen’s sales figures.

Reports suggest that FAW or SAIC, two local automakers that have partnerships with Volkswagen, would be responsible for a major part of the car’s development.

[Source: The Truth About Cars]

With 20.3 million vehicles recalled last year, 2010 was a record year for voluntary recalls, according to data released by the National Highway Traffic Saftey Association.

While nearly 31 million vehicles were recalled in 2004 (the peak year on record), 2009 only saw 16.6 million cars recalled. In addition, 3 out of 5 vehicles recalled in 2010 were Japanese, a reversal from the common logic that holds them as being steadfastly reliable. Toyota, General Motors, Honda, Nissan and Chrysler took the top 5 spots respectively. Ford, which is currently mired in a recall of its Windstar minivan, placed 6th.

[Source: New York Times]

While the Hyundai Veloster made its debut at the Detroit Auto Show, the company has quietly been testing a barely disguised Veloster with something a bit more sinister under the hood. The most likely explanation is that Hyundai is testing a more powerful Veloster, likely with a turbocharger.

A turbo Veloster would be the most logical choice, as its GDI engine would be well-paired with a turbo. Horsepower could be boosted well above the current 138-hp figure without a major penalty in fuel economy or curb weight. Since the standard Veloster weighs just under 2600 lbs, the associated turbo hardware would likely bring the car closer to 2700lbs.

Of course, Hyundai can’t make the Veloster too quick. Although the Genesis Coupe is expected to get a boost in power, with a base engine making 274 horsepower, the Veloster can’t step on the toes of the flagship sports car, and we think Hyundai won’t show us the Veloster’s full potential for that reason alone.

[Source: Carscoop]

The EPA will announce Friday that it has approved the use of E15 gasoline for vehicles made after the year 2000. The EPA previously approved the added ethanol content for vehicles made after 2007 – the new regulations would see the amount of vehicles able to use E15 grow exponentially, and directly benefit American corn farmers, whose crop is used in the production of ethanol.

The increased use of ethanol has been roundly criticized for its effect on food prices (more corn used for fuel causes the price of maize, a staple crop for much of the world, to rise), its environmental impact and the simple fact that most small engines are not designed for a such a concentration of ethanol.

Although ethanol is touted as a “green” fuel, the higher blends of ethanol in gasoline can have the effect burning out the catalytic converters, resulting in higher emissions.

[Source: Left Lane News]