Can you handle the curves of this track? Lexus created a track based on the curves of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Tori Praver – va, va, va, vroom!

Photographs were taken of Tori’s body, and using the photos as a guide, a track that was based on a one inch to one hundred foot scale ratio was created. The fun didn’t stop there – in fact, it was just getting started. It was time for the “Tori 500” – two drivers, two laps. And to the winner, the spoils – a victory lap with the inspiration for the track, Tori herself.

Professional race car driver Scott Pruett and professional stunt driver Greg Tracy took to the track in a Lexus GS F Sport. We’re not going to tell you the outcome – you can see for yourself in the making-of video after the jump.

Do you want to try your luck racing the “Tori 500” or take a custom photo of you and this hot model? Download the two new apps for iPhone and iPad from Lexus’s website.

GALLERY: Tori Praver and Lexus

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Buick has launched an app for iOS and Android smartphones to help raise MPG awareness. A trio of eAssist Fuel Efficiency smartphone games are packaged into a single app that’s now available to download for free and offers a fun way to hone your driving techniques in order to maximize fuel economy.

The three games are titled “Regeneration Road”, “Roll and Boost”, and “Wind Tunnel Tester.” Regeneration Road focuses on the regenerative braking featured found on Buick eAssist vehicles which helps capture and store energy when a vehicle is braking in order to recharge the lithium-ion battery. Players must make it through the town without running out of fuel while avoiding pedestrians along the way.

The second game, Roll and Boost, has a focus of distance and not speed with battery management being the main priority. By using the energy stored from braking strategically, an emissions-free boost of acceleration can be had and using that energy at optimal times is key to Roll and Boost.

Lastly, Wind Tunnel Tester allows players to put on their automotive engineering hat. Sit there and tweak the vehicle’s length and width on the screen, understanding how the sleek and modern shapes of Buick vehicles help maximize aerodynamics and ultimately fuel efficiency.

eAssist can be found on the Buick LaCrosse and Regal models and aids the performance of a fuel-efficient 2.4L gas engine to achieve 36-mpg. eAssist also allows the gas engine to turn off completely while the car is sitting idle.

“The driving force behind eAssist’s development was to make great vehicles like the LaCrosse and Regal even better,” said Dan Cottrell, General Motors assistant chief engineer for the eAssist powertrain. “With eAssist we can improve both vehicle performance as well as fuel economy.”

With the Volkswagen Golf R hitting US dealerships this month, the German automaker has decided to release the “Golf R Drivers Forever” app to bring Golf R information to the masses.

The iPad app will provide access to everything anyone would ever want to know about the iconic performance model and features stories told through the perspective of VW enthusiasts and drivers that helped bring the coveted variant to America. It’ll include a mini-documentary about the world of Volkswagen, an exclusive interview with designer Chip Foose and accounts from key members of the Volkswagen of America Product Marketing team.

“The Golf R app was created to celebrate and thank the Volkswagen brand’s community of enthusiasts because they represent what makes the Golf R special,” said Jon Browning, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “The app will help build awareness around the Volkswagen brand heritage and we are excited to offer this innovative approach that illustrates the performance of the Golf R.”

The 2012 Golf R is the most powerful Volkswagen sports performance vehicle ever sold on American soil. It packs 256-hp and 243 lb-ft of torque through a 2.0L TSI engine. The app is free to download.

Check out a video after the break highlighting what the app is all about.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Golf R Drivers Forever App

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There are some great auto magazines available for your Apple iPad, but they can be a little pricey. You’ll be glad to hear about Porsche‘s new magazine called Christophorus, and this iPad app is totally free to download.

And just because it’s free, it doesn’t mean that Porsche scrimped when it comes to what’s in this magazine. You’ll be pleased with the amount of interactive content, impressive photos, cool animation and informative stories. There are also exclusive interviews and technical features from the world of Porsche.

If you’ve got an iPad, download the Porsche Christophorus magazine app for free.

[Source: Top Speed]

Nissan is coming to your iPad with its new Nissan Global app. Available for free download now, the Nissan Global app puts a wealth of news and information right at your fingertips. You’ll get the latest on Nissan from around the world, as well as the company’s history and info about its advanced technologies.

In the Latest News section, you’ll find out what’s going on from the Nissan Global Site, other Nissan sites around the world, and from social media channels that use videos and text. This information is streamed to you on one screen for convenient access.

To get info that’s being released by Nissan from any country around the world, just go to the Map section. Just touch the country on the map and all the information you need from that region will pop up.

To find out what other Nissan customers are talking about, use the Explorer function. Select topics that interest you and they will automatically be displayed one after the other, making it quick and easy to get the information you need.

You can download the Nissan Global app for free at the iTunes Store. And Nissan is working on getting this app ready for iPhone use as well.

It’s not too early to start thinking about Christmas shopping – it is October, after all. And getting a head start on the must-have list for toys this holiday season are Disney-Pixar Cars 2 AppMATes, a line of toys that digitally come to life when used with an iPad.

The brainchild of Disney and Spin Master, AppMATes feature your favorite Disney-Pixar Cars 2 characters. Available in packs of two, these toy cars come equipped with sensors on its base that identifies them to the iPad. To start these toy’s engines, just download the free app and put the cars on the iPad screen. You child is taken to Radiator Springs, where they can explore, race, and perform secret missions as they move their car around.

A pack of two Disney-Pixar Cars 2 AppMATes costs $19.99 and will be on store shelves starting in October (you’ll find them at Apple stores and other major retailers). The toys themselves may be inexpensive, but you’ll have to shell out cash for the iPad. To see how AppMATes works, watch the video after the jump.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

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You can never have enough racing games on your iPhone or iPad, so it’s a good thing the new Mercedes-AMG 0-100-0 Challenge is ready to be downloaded. This app puts you behind the wheel of the Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster, so you can tear up the track and test your mad racing skills.

Available for free on iTunes, the Mercedes-AMG 0-100-0 Challenge game puts you on a closed course and challenges you to go from stop to 100 mph and stop again in the shortest time possible. This game is more than just speed – it’s about control and reaction time. How long will it take you to clamp down on those six piston caliper brakes to bring your Mercedes-AMG to a complete stop?  Your acceleration and deceleration times will be combined with your reaction times to give you a total score and determine your position on the leaderboard. After a few test runs, you can brag to all your friends via Facebook or Twitter by posting your times and see if any of them can beat it.

You can download the Mercedes-AMG 0-100-0 Challenge for free at the iTunes store.

If you loved playing Continental Tire’s ContiTireRace, you’ll want to check out the sequel, ContiTireRace2. Available to play on Facebook or as an app for iPhone and iPad, ContiTireRace2 lets you tear up two new tracks – the Norway and Sunshine State.

The object of the game is to complete the track as quickly as possible, all while collecting “Speed-ups,” a feature that you can collect along the track that will briefly speed up your tires. As you’re racing your ContiSportContact 5 (a high-performance summer tire), you need to complete two laps while avoiding obstacles. To make your way up the leader board, your must take the ideal racing line through the bends wherever you can.

Along with the new game comes a new contest. The ContiTireRace Summer Edition Sweepstakes is on now through September 30, 2011, and two lucky participants will win a set of four brand-new tires from Continental. There’s also a second prize of a 250GB Xbox 360 Kinect Bundle Microsoft Game System. You can register to win by clicking on the “Sweeps” button on the ContiTireRace menu – just enter your first name, last name and email address, and agree to the official rules.

To play the game or enter the contest, visit Continental Tire’s Facebook page or official site, or search for “Continental Tire” in the iTunes App Store.

Everything is coming cartoon with ToyToyota’s Backseat Driver app, made just for kids. Designed to make any road trip go smoothly, Backseat Driver will keep kids occupied and let you keep your sanity.

A new brand from Toyota, ToyToyota’s first offering uses a GPS and accelerometer to match  the game play to what’s going on while you’re driving. Basically, your child is following your vehicle (called the Papa Car) in their own car. The idea is to pick up stuff along the way by driving over them. Let’s just say you pass a restaurant – your child is able to pull over in their virtual car, grab something to eat and get some points.

There’s a social aspect to the game as well – players can post their high scores on Twitter, and can compete with others via the game’s online ranking system. And as you collection more points, you’re able to use them towards pimping out your vitual ride.

If you’ve got an iPhone (3GS and 4), iPod Touch (3rd and 4th generation models), or iPad, you can download Backseat Driver for free at the iTunes store. If you want to see it in action before downloading, you can watch the video after the jump.

[Source: All Car Tech]

The constant bathroom, stops, the sibling fighting, the obligatory wailing of “Are we there yet.” It makes you just want to forgo the summer road trip and stay home. But Road Trip Bingo App may have you packing up the family to head across the country.

If you’ve got an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch, the Road Trip Bingo app may keep you sane this summer. Think of a regular bingo board, but instead of letters and numbers, it features travel icon. And just like regular bingo, the name of the game is to mark off squares until you get five in a row – up, down, across or diagonally.

Road Trip Bingo’s squares feature things you’d typically see on a road trip, so when you see one of the items, you just touch the screen (it marks it off with a purple dot). Just a few of the things to keep an eye out for include cows, trucks, various street signs and bicycles.

If two people are playing, the iPad screen is split into two boards, so you play simultaneously. When you’ve finally reached bingo, the app selects the winner and shuffles though the icons to give you a new board.

The Road Trip Bingo app costs 99 cents in the iTunes App Store (a small price to pay for your sanity, right?).

[Source: Consumer Reports]