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While the Super Bowl is a spectacle of grand proportions, the commercials are what many look forward to just as much as the game itself. Automotive companies have big budgets and often produce some of the most compelling, interesting and talked-about ads that run during the big game. This year was no different. Check out the following videos showing the marketing engines at Hyundai, Kia, Audi and Dodge fast at work.

Jay Leno has been making a lot of waves in the television world lately. Watching him toy with and tease Conan O'Brien has left a sour taste in my mouth, yet the constant stream of videos of Jay behind the wheel of the newest sports cars is something I can't turn away from. This video is no different. On an early December morning, Jay met up with Motor Trend, who handed him the keys to the new and oh-so-sweet Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Jay mosies the car up into the Los Angeles mountains, and takes us on a tour of what he refers to as Los Angeles' hidden race-track.
The top dog is back after a 5 year hiatus. Sliding in at the top of the model lineup, the 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S will up the ante for the entire 997 platform. Any time you see an S at the end of the name for a Porsche model it's a beautiful thing, and even more so when the word Turbo is planted just before.
The twin-turbo flat-six engine gets amped up to 530 hp with 516 ft-lb of torque, and through a bit of automative wizardry, maintains the same fuel economy as the 500-horsepower base model Turbo. Power is delivered to all four wheels via a seven-speed PDF dual clutch gearbox with a torque vectoring system making sure all that might is actually wielded as the driver sees fit.
The special edition craze is now in full effect for the Nissan 370Z. First, Nissan announced the 40th anniversary model for those stateside, which makes its debut at the Chicago Auto Show, and now the "Black Edition" for the European market, which will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. Don't get your hopes up too much - in both cases, the 332-horsepower 3.7-liter dual overhead cam V6 engine remains untouched. That said, 0-62 mph times in the 5.3 second range is nothing to laugh at.
Just like its brethren in the US, the Nissan 370Z Black Edition celebrates the 40th anniversary of the original Datsun 240Z and is nearly identical (to the 40th Anniversary Edition) in every way save one. Both sport "high-luster" smoke Rays wheels, red calipers, red leather and suede interiors, red-stitching on the leather wrapped steering wheel and center stack as well as 40th Anniversary emblems and embossing inside and out. The only real difference is that in addition to the "40th Quartz" dark gray paint that the American version comes with, the European version also can be purchased in - get ready for it - Black.
Unless you live on that island from Castaway, you know what the Nissan GTR is capable of... We all know it goes, stops and turns as well as almost anything on the planet today. Its computer system is so advanced it could probably give you an MRI while taking you around the Nurburghing in under 8 minutes. Well the guys at Motor Trend may have found its achilles heal; drifting. Teamed up with Scion's drift team and Streetfire.net, Motor Trend is pitting Godzilla against purpose-built Formula D cars. The video shows you what happens when the Nissan GTR tries to emulate two of the best purpose-built drift cars around, and how well those cars fair against the GTR in Motor Trend's standard performance tests. Check out the video after the jump...
Even the most dyed-in-the-wool motorcycle enthusiasts may not know the name Vyrus, a small manufacturer based in Rimini, Italy, who has quietly been putting out some of the most refined, visually stunning and best performing bikes in the world. This shop is headed by the likes of Ascanio Rodorigo, a long-time collaborator with Massimo Tamburini of Bimota fame. Vyrus currently has four models in its lineup, any one of which would make a fine addition to our running wish list.
What makes bikes from Vyrus so unique is that they showcase all of their technological advancements right there on the exterior in plain sight, and the result is marvelous. Their bikes have another signature look which is the lack of a front folk. This unit is replaced by a swing arm mounted directly to the frame. Their hand-crafted wonders are meticulously executed and feature highly technical components that they machine and mill in- house.
Many of the world's top brands have their own dedicated museums which run the gamut from glorified gift shops to self-aggrandizing expos halls, making most of them a must-miss for all but the most die-hard enthusiast. It really takes a special mix of a storied history, compelling product evolution and visually stunning space to pull off a museum which appeals to not only strong followers but also the general public. The Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany is definitely the later.