Robert Kubica, one of Formula One’s most promising young drivers, will sit out the start of the 2012 F1 season as he continues to recover from a crash that partially severed his arm.

While Kubica is making a recovery, the pace is not as rapid as some had hoped for. Kubica can move his arm, but it remains unknown whether he is physically fit enough to drive a Formula One car at this time.

Kubica was driving a Skoda rally car in an Italian race when he crashed into a barrier that penetrated his car and nearly sliced off his arm. Kubica was replaced before the start of the 2011 season by Nick Heidfeld and Bruno Senna. Renault will have to look for a replacement for 2012, but says that Kubica has a test car and a crew of mechanics at his disposal when he is ready to return.

Hit the jump to see the official press release

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BMW and Toyota are in talks for a technology sharing agreement, one that would reportedly see BMW provide Toyota with a diesel engine for its midsize cars in Europe.

Specific timetables and other details were not announced, but Toyota is believed to be pursuing the deal to help offset the increased cost of importing Japanese-built hybrids due to a rising yen. Toyota would likely end up sharing its vaunted hybrid technology with BMW in return.

Toyota and Ford recently signed a similar agreement regarding hybrid SUVs, while BMW and PSA (parent company of Peugeot and Citroen) signed one for hybrid subcompacts.

[Source: Reuters]

Back in October, we told you about the Infiniti G37 Art Car and how it was being auctioned off on November 12, with its proceeds going to support the ONE DROP Foundation. An anonymous bidder placed a winning bid of $55,000 for this very special car, and the proceeds will go towards initiatives in developing countries.

The Masquerave event drew 1,200 people and the Art Car was revealed with a dramatic performance choreographed by Cirque du Soleil (ONE DROP is an initiative of Guy Laliberté, founder of Cirque du Soleil).

“We are thrilled to have the support of Infiniti, and the proceeds from this auction will go toward our clean water projects in the third world,” said Lili-Anna Peresa, executive director, ONE DROP.

Created in 2009 to for Infiniti’s 20th anniversary and Cirque du Soleil 25th anniversary, the G37 Art Car was designed by Montreal artist Heidi Taillefer who spent more than 300 hours hand-painting the exterior of the vehicle.

Another Mercedes-Benz model, another Brabus creation. Brabus unveiled their tuning program for the new M-Class and announced that its official debut will be at the upcoming Essen Motor Show. Brabus modifications for the new M-Class encompasses every facet of the vehicle, outfitting the M-Class with a body kit, engine upgrade and interior changes.

Starting with the aesthetics, Brabus gives the M-Class an all new front spoiler and attachments for the air inlets for the front end. Their new side skirts feature puddle lights and optional door sills with the Brabus logo. For the rear, Brabus offers an all new rear bumper and spoiler that attaches to the tailgate. And best of all, all Brabus body accessories are manufactured in Pur-R-Rim plastics, the same material used by factory Mercedes.

As always, wheel offerings from Brabus range from 18- to 22-inch with a variety of styles. Brabus recommends a 22-inch fitment, with their Monoblock VI, E, Q and G “Platinum Edition” wheels. Brabus will pair up the wheels with your choice of Continental, Pirelli or Yokohama tires with sizing up to 295/30/22 front and back and wheel widths as wide as 10-inch.

Suspension modifications for the new M-Class were designed in collaboration with Bilstein and for M-Classes with standard suspension, components are available that will lower the M-Class as much as 1.2-inch. The M-Classes with airmatic suspension gets a control module that will lower the M-Class 1.2- to 1.6-inch. Braking performance is also enhanced with six-piston calipers in the front and four-piston calipers in the rear – all of which is outfitted with larger, cross-drilled rotors.

Brabus only announced an engine enhancement for the ML 350 BlueTEC 4Matic, upgrading power from 258-hp to 306-hp and torque from 457 lb-ft to 509 lb-ft. Brabus plans to have an engine upgrade for all models of the new M-Class.

Lastly, interior accessories include stainless steel scuff plates with a backlit Brabus logo, matte-anodized aluminum pedals, door-lock pins and foot rest. Seats can be reupholstered with Mastik leather and Alcantara.

No pricing was announced.

GALLERY: Brabus Mercedes-Benz M-Class

We’ve come across several, really awesome collector’s cars over at RK Motors, but this one might be the best yet. And we’re pretty confident that this 1984 Ford LTD is pretty much one-of-a-kind. Why? Well it’s a genuine police car, sirens and all!

The vehicle was originally sold to the Greenville County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Department on June 8th, 1984 and after several years of service and a complete restoration, this unique LTD can be had for just $16,900. That includes the 5.0L Ford Mustang V8 under the hood, giving old-school cops the right to call the LTD LX a four-door Mustang.

Taking a look at the exterior of the vehicle, it’s clear that a very meticulous paint job was applied while all the chrome parts were restored to showroom shine. Inside, the interior looks just as immaculate with gray cloth and a vinyl floor. But what’s awesome inside is the radio and electronic equipment (which still functions), and a vintage cage that holds a correct gun rack.

Act quick if you’re interested, this is definitely one of the coolest collector’s car yet.

Check out a video highlighting this collector’s car after the break.

GALLERY: Greenville SC LTD 5.0 Police Car

[Source: RK Motors]

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If you saw a 2008 Bentley Continental GTC convertible advertised for $13,900 you’d probably think something was up. Andre Souang, who who encountered this situation on Ebay with “a buy it now” incentive no doubt thought the same.

Nonetheless, the experienced Ebay user clicked his mouse and his offer was accepted.

It was then that things started to unravel, fast. The dealership that was selling the car, Bentley Scottsdale in Arizona, started sending him emails after the auction ended ranging from “we need to find a solution” to accusing Souang of trying to damage its business. It turns out that the true listing price for the car should have been $139,900 and the dealer had made a mistake. Nonetheless Souang replied stating he was willing to negotiate a deal on the car or perhaps a settlement.

His offers were declined, followed by a message from Ebay stating the auction had been canceled for “unspecified reasons” and Souang was left nothing. It turns out that automotive EBay auctions unlike those for other items are not legally binding contracts and at any time during the process, so both the buyer and seller can rescind if they so choose.

In this case, having been contacted by the seller, Bentley Scottsdale, Ebay elected to side with the dealership, insisting that proper procedure had been followed; that the car had been listed for an erroneously incorrect amount and the only appropriate thing to do was to remove the listing altogether.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened on Ebay Motors.  Motor Trend magazine has reported several cases where a number of vehicles, advertised way below list, appeared on auctions listings. Buyers made bids and then the dealers selling the vehicles claimed pricing mistakes causing the auctions to be withdrawn.

However, in one instance concerning a Nissan GT-R, the vendor did end up claiming responsiblity and negotiated a deal with a buyer for the vehicle.

In Souang’s case Bentley Scottsdale remains decidedly unapologetic, which has led the Washington State native, who has many years experience buying and selling items on Ebay to become deeply suspicious of EBay’s operating practices when it comes to vehicle auctions.

“Ebay, which describes its job as bringing buyers and sellers together, did not take a neutral position, instead it acted as if it had a stake in the outcome of the car sale, deciding that it’s big client needed to be protected,”  Souang stated.

[Source: USA Today]

BMWs in certain markets may be getting a “Made In China” code in their VIN numbers starting at the end of 2011, as the company plans to export Chinese made 5-Series sedans to certain markets.

The Truth About Cars quotes the CEO of BMW’s Chinese operations as stating “We will find some markets, maybe in the Middle East, somewhere in Asia, or some other markets that welcome the products where we can test this export effort. The main market of course is here (in China), because we can’t even supply enough here.”

The 5-Series is built in China as part of a joint venture with Brilliance. TTAC’s China expert Bertel Schmitt claims that the quality of cars built in Chinese/foreign joint ventures is no worse than vehicles built in Japan, America or any other country (and sometimes better). The 5-Series is a popular vehicle in China, with a long-wheelbase version regarded as a status symbol for wealthy Chinese who can afford a driver.

[Source: The Truth About Cars]

New car reviews are often carefully crafted pieces of prose. They’re well thought out with plenty of reflection by the author about the vehicle’s relevance, its target audience and how it stacks up against segment rivals. What they lack, however, is a sense of authenticity that comes from unfiltered opinion and reaction. Where you can get that, in 140 characters of less, is Twitter.

Recently AutoGuide.com Editor-in-Chief Colum Wood (@ColumWood) had on-loan a Nissan Leaf electric car as a press tester. If you’re a follower then you already know this as he tweeted incessantly on the car. For everyone else, we thought a journalistic experiment might help, compiling all the relevant tweets into a diary of sorts, documenting life with an electric car and running here, on the much more conventional medium of a News Blog.

See below for a look at what really goes on before a review is published and follow @ColumWood for immediate reaction on the latest car news.

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Vladimir Antonov, the Russian “businessman” who attempted to buy Saab earlier in the year, has been arrested in England over charges of involvement in a massive money laundering scheme in Lithuania.

Antonov, owner of Portsmouth F.C. (a British soccer team) and his partner Raimondas Baranauskas, were released on bail and ordered to surrender their passports. Both are due to be extradited to Lithuania, where authorities say the two embezzled hundreds of millions of dollars from Lithuanian bank Snoras.

Antonov previously tried to buy Saab, but his attempts to purchase it were disrupted by creditors and other parties, amid allegations of financial impropriety.

[Source: The Bellingham Herald]

Mercedes-Benz‘s Maybach luxury brand will be axed, much to the consternation of rappers (pictured above), athletes and insipid nouveau riche types everywhere.

While Mercedes had high hopes for the brand, Maybach’s sales have slumped to around 200 units annually, whereas targets called for sales of 1,000 cars per year. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche told German Newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung “It would not be sensible to develop a successor model for the current Maybach.”

Ultra-luxury versions of the next Mercedes-Benz S-Class will replace the Maybach in 2013.

[Source: Automotive News]