“Monster” Tajima’s record-setting Pikes Peak car was heavily sponsored by GoPro Cameras, which is why it’s no surprise that they’re letting us experience the glory of the sub-10-minute run for ourselves.

Tajima’s Suzuki SX4 Hill Climb Special was outfitted with multiple cameras, capturing every angle of the epic run. GoPro’s dedicated team of boffins is editing the footage right now—good luck boys, and I’ll buy you a Red Bull Sugarfree for your efforts—but what we do have right now is the most important angle of all: the front view out the cockpit, shot on the GoPro Hero in full, glorious 1080p HD.

Watch Tajima storm the tarmac after the jump.

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Bruce Wayne’s ride of choice in The Dark Night was a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, but the Murci met an early demise halfway through the movie.

Fortunately, Wayne is fabulously rich, and if it wasn’t for the wrecked Lambo, he’d probably want the newest model anyways (who can bear being seen in last year’s model anyways?). Luckily, there’s a shiny new Aventador waiting for him. One lucky gent managed to spy the Aventador (with Gotham plates) outside what is supposedly Master Wayne’s new digs – quite a step up from his old penthouse, but equally as lavish.

GALLERY: Lamborghini Aventador Batman: The Dark Knight Rises

[Source: Luxury4Play]

Watch some incredible Aventador video after the jump:

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Don Swanson’s racing school is up for grabs on eBay Motors, complete with a full semi, four EJ Honda Civic race cars and a Dodge Grand Caravan.

All four of the EJ Civics are DX models with five-speed manual transmissions and non-VTEC D15 single-overhead cam engines. Each of the race cars come equipped with ample safety equipment, several performance bolt on mods and a tach the size of a school clock. The auction includes all the suits, helmets and gloves and the buy it now price is set at a very reasonable $79,000 or best offer.

Interested? Buy it now or put in a bid here.

GALLERY: Don Swanson Race School

The V6 powered version of the Ford F-150 outsold the V8 variant for the first time in the vehicle’s history, signalling a dramatic shift in consumer tastes that has left Ford rushing to meet demand for the new V6 engines.

Ford’s gamble with offering two V6s – a 3.7L version, and a 3.5L Ecoboost positioned as a V8 alternative – has clearly paid off. Ford didn’t release specific data broken down by engine choice, but a report by the Cleveland Plain Dealer suggests that V6s are becoming the engine of choice for truck buyers, amid rising gas prices and other negative economic factors.

The Brook Park plant in Cleveland has resorted to cutting their summer vacation short to meet demand for the engines. Ford charges a $1,750 premium for Ecoboost engines, while the base 3.7L V6 is fitted as standard equipment.

[Source: Cleveland.com]

With their latest victory at Road America in the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, Kia moves to the top of the team and driver’s standings in the Street Tuner class. Not bad for a team that’s only two years old.

Drivers Michael Galati and Nic Jonsson won in the number 10 Kia Forte Koup at the Road America 200 in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. During the two and a half hour race, the two fended off multiple challengers and stayed in the top five for more than half the time, before moving onto first place and holding onto the lead for the last 30 minutes. The Kia ended the race in a spectacular yellow-flagging accident, but by then its victory had already been sealed.

“We went to Road America knowing the course’s long straights and elevation changes provided a significant challenge, especially against some of our turbocharged competitors, but the Kinetic Motorsports team did an amazing job preparing both Forte Koups,” said Michael Sprague, Kia’s vice president of marketing. “The team’s strategy allowed Nic and Michael to use the braking and cornering portions of the track to their advantage.”

The Road America 200 will be broadcast on SPEED Channel on Sunday, July 3rd at 1pm EST. The next race for Kia will be at Laguna Seca on July 9th.

Rolls Royce has decided to offer its British customers a very special Phantom Drophead Coupe that ”was designed to capture the essence of a perfect weekend get-away, offering drivers and their passengers the ultimate luxurious and relaxing experience in roof-down motoring.”

This ultra exclusive one-off Phantom comes painted in Mazarine Blue, inspired by the Mazarine Blue butterfly, and comes with a special surprise. Accompanying the coupe is a one-off Asprey jewelery box, housed discretely in the glove box compartment. This box allows the owner to store rings, cuff links, earrings or any other jewelery. The interior will also feature luxurious natural-grain leather in a Seahshell color paired with Navy Blue floor and door panels. The headrests will be embroidered with R-R logos and teak wood decking will also run throughout the coupe. White instrument dials, rotary controllers and a clock finished in mother-of-pearl complete the look.

The coupe will use the standard 6.7-liter V12 engine cranking out 453-hp and 531 lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm.

GALLERY: Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe

Do you drive better when there’s someone nagging about your skills behind the wheel? You can now get that backseat commentary even when you’re alone in your car, thanks to Mary On Board.

A fun dash-top gadget, the Mary On Board offers criticism, driving tips and navigational advice in two different languages. The device’s designer, Dan Finkelstein, was inspired by his wife and muse Mary, so she would always be in the car with him, if not in physical form.

The idea came to him one day when he was talking on his cell phone while driving, and his wife was reminding him repeatedly that he needed to move over into the right lane. He developed the idea with help from Utah-based company, Design My Idea.

The Mary On Board will tell you, in English or Spanish, helpful tips and advice such as “Admit it! You’re lost because you wouldn’t ask for directions,” and “Don’t you think you should slow down?” You can buy one on the company’s website for $19.95. For every gadget purchased, $1 will be donated to the National Kidney Foundation.

[Source: Cnet]

BMW has officially initiated a recall of certain diesel X5 vehicles due to a component manufacturing error at the supplier, affecting the welds in the belt tensioner that could have incipient cracks.

These cracks may cause a malfunction of the belt tensioner. If the belt fails, power steering assistance may fail, increasing chances of a crash.

The affected 2012 X5′s include any manufactured from March 31, 2011 to May 19,2011. The recall does not affect any gasoline powered X5′s.

BMW dealers will replace the engine belt tensioner free of charge. The safety recall has already begun. Any BMW owners with questions are encouraged to contact customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.

Stop/Start technology will more than triple in five years as automakers worldwide seek better fuel efficiency. This function allows a car’s engine to shut off when the vehicle is at rest, for example, at a stop light, and the engine restarts when the gas pedal is pressed.

With the engine turned off for short amounts of time like at stop lights, 5 percent to 12 percent of fuel and polluting emissions in conventional gasoline powered vehicles aresaved.

Stop-start technology will be used in 52 percent to 55 percent of new vehicles in 2016, up 8 percent from 2010, according to Johnson Controls analysts. U.S auto parts suppliers expect nearly 25 million vehicles will be built with the advanced batteries allowing start-stop in 2016, up from 7 million vehicles in 2011, also according to Johnson Controls analysts.

Johnson Controls Inc (also known as JCI) power solutions president, Alex Molinaroli, stated that overall start-stop sales will be 35 million within five years.

Companies like Toyota have been working on this technology since the 1970s and when tested, found a 10 percent improvement in fuel efficiency when the test car drove around Tokyo, thirty five years ago.

JCI also announed on Monday that the compnay would spend $138.5 million to convert its battery plant near Toledo in northwest Ohio. The company expects production to to begin on start-stop batteries in spring 2012.

[Source: Reuters]

Rumors of a Chevrolet Cruze 3-door hatchback appear to be just that, after an interview with General Motors North American President Mark Reuss surfaced, stating that the Cruze is too late in its North American product cycle for a hatchback.

On the other hand, reports are emerging that Buick may get a hatchback version of the Opel Astra GTC, which could end up being a variant of the Verano (shown above). The new car is expected to bow in 2014, and hopefully the Verano Turbo’s 2.0L 4-cylinder making 250 horsepower is offered. Buick will have to plan carefully for this product, as GM’s Saturn division has already tried importing a version of the Astra, and was met with an utterly dismal response from consumers.

[Source: GM Inside News]