In times as tumultuous as these, we’d be shocked, to say the very least, if the majority of statisticians didn’t report a noticable uptick in bank heist attempts over the past couple years. And while we obviously don’t endorse criminal activity of any variety, we can’t help wondering if there is such a thing as the perfect getaway car for such a task. Thankfully, it turns out we aren’t the only ones suffering from this perverse curiousity. In fact, the German hoons at GRIP were very, very interested in answering this question.

How do we know this? Well, for starters it appears they commendeered a disused military base complete with town-like sections of buildings and streets to test a vehicle’s agility, plus some long, wide runways for high speed running. Secondly, they’ve assembled a superstar collection of getaway vehicles (tuned models from Audi, Dodge and Porsche), plus one very special police car with which to play the game of cops & robbers about which young gearheads can only dream. So grab some poppin’ corn and make the jump for the video and an explanation of what’s going on, since all the dialogue is auf Deutsch. (Our friends who took Spanish instead in high school are totally jealous right now...maybe.)

Summer is almost over which means the chances of having your car washed by hot girls in bikinis is getting smaller by the day. What makes matters worse is that there are literally thousands of attractive women all over the country who own bikinis that could be washing your car right now, but they're too busy being waitresses or working at The Gap. And if someone can please explain to me why there isn't a national bikini car wash chain that serves free chicken wings while you wait, I'd really appreciate it.

In the past the idea of having a track comparison between a BMW M3 and a Ford Mustang GT was about as logical and fair as asking "The Rock" to compete against Jet Li on the Ninja Warrior course. The Rock may be strong, but his agility is lacking. Since its birth the BMW M3 has been known for its handling. It came standard with neautral balance and execellent turn in, with oversteer optional. The Mustang built its name on acceleration. If the muscle car Hall of Fame existed, Ford's pony car would get early admission. But with its live axle, big V8 motor and American upbringing teaching it success lies at the end of a drag strip, it was never seen as a competitor to the Bavarian acrobat. Recently the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 was suggested as a worthy competitor for the M3, but that's a special model that's meant for the track. Surely the plain Jane Mustang GT wouldn't stand a chance.

The good people at Motor Trend beg to differ. They think the 2011 Ford Mustang GT is a very good car. So good, it may have the skills and tools necessary to venture into the ring with a competitor that no one would expect: the 2011 BMW M3. This is a fight that has never happened. Some called MT crazy for even suggesting the Mustang even good enough to park next to an M3. Is the new Mustang that good, or was Motor Trend just trying to sell some paper? Make the jump to watch the video, and see who is left standing.

If there’s one niche of the motorcycling world that has really exploded over the last decade, it’s that of the custom chopper. Whether or not you’re a fan of reality shows like American Chopper or celebs like Brad Pitt, the fact of the matter is that they and their ilk have exponentially grown mainstream awareness and appreciation of thumping, two-wheeled sculputre. So why haven’t the OEMs been as quick to embrace the chopper’s popularity?

Granted, Harley-Davidson and the Japanese offer “custom” versions of their cruisers which feature such touches as fancier exhaust systems, reshaped fenders, gas tanks and lights, and maybe even an extra degree or two of rake on the fork. Cool looking? Certainly. Choppers? Hardly. Rather than asking why no manufacturer has offered something more radical, Honda decided to do something about it. That something is the Fury.

Still not satisfied with your car’s performance after buying an intake kit? Want to make your car feel and sound sportier? Well then a free-flowing exhaust system is the next step you should take, to really wake up the beast inside of your car! This is my second favorite choice when it comes to affordable performance modifications for your car. While I love the roar of a well designed intake, a car's exhaust note always wins me over. Whether a car is slow or fast, if it sounds good, I give it the respect it deserves. Now many will say that they don’t like their car to be obnoxiously loud, and others say that it a car can never be loud enough. I personally like a pretty loud exhaust system. If you buy the proper system, or if you piece the right parts together, then you can make an exhaust set-up that is perfect for your own needs.

The purpose of a car’s exhaust system is to release the heat and exhaust gases created by combustion, away from the engine bay and the cabin of the vehicle. The gases that result from engine combustion are extremely harmful, and must be kept away from the driver and their passengers. For these reasons, most exhaust systems are piped from the engine compartment all the way to the rear of the car. In doing so the gases exit the tailpipe into the open air, and are kept away from the cabin of the vehicle.

Mercedes-Benz’s SL65 AMG Black Series is, let’s face it, already 58 kinds of bat guano. With 670hp, 738 lb.-ft of torque, flared fenders to accommodate larger rolling stock and a fixed roof to improve chassis rigidity, it’s the automotive equivalent of someone who really should be fitted for a straitjacket. But what if that’s not bonkers enough for you? What if you want the automotive equivalent of someone who ought to be strapped in bed and on a slow drip of heavy sedatives?

German tuner MKB may just have something that fits the bill in the form of the P1000. This little number is based on the aforementioned SL65 AMG Black Series, but has been fitted with some enhancements that up the lunacy quotient. The most attention-getting of these upgrades, naturally, lie under the big white hood, and pump the 6.0L twin-turbo V12 up to a just-this-side-of-adequate 1,015hp. How’d they get that kind of number? Make like the readouts on the dyno and jump!

Lately it seems like the hippest new segment into which sportscar makers should be attmepting to break is that of the sedan. Porsche has done it with the Panamera, Lamborghini is considering doing so with a production version of the Estoque, and of course Aston Martin has the hyper-sexy new Rapide. But that seductively stretched DB9 derivative is hardly that iconic British marque’s first dance at the four-door ball. And the most memorable (for reasons of the good and bad varieties) of Aston’s prior saloons is the radical Lagonda of the 1970s and ‘80s. But just how many areas, if any, has the Rapide improved over its decidedly polarizing daddy? Read on and find out.

Performance: The Lagonda used Aston Martin’s 5.3L quad-cam V8 backed by a Chrysler-supplied 3-speed automatic transmission. The most powerful European iterations were rated at 300hp, while U.S. models made do with just 240hp. It reached 60 mph from a standstill in 8.8 seconds, and top speed was in the neighborhood of 140 mph. The Rapide features a 6.0L (technically 5.9L) V12 coupled teamed with a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters. It’s rated at 470hp, sprints to 60 in 5 seconds flat and maxes out at 184 mph.

Introduced in 2004, the Mercedes CLS made a profound statement by telling the world you can have four doors and eat your coupe too. Nowadays the four-door coupe can be found in numerous dealerships, but Mercedes was the first one to plant the flag. Living in Los Angeles there's no shortage of the latest and greatest cars to be seen. In fact, in this city it seems there was a law passed stating if you own a Mercedes, it can only be the latest model. So, rich folks rejoice... Introducing the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS. Watch out Mr. Rapide and Mr. Quattroporte, the Godfather has returned. 

The front of the last CLS was one of the simplest yet more stylish designs out of the Stuttgart in a long time. It was very clean and neat, and oozed power without looking like a robot or a gap-mouthed cat fish. It looked capable of eating both road and travelers alike. But when you call a car a four-door coupe, the most important view is from 90 degrees: the profile. Coupes are known for their long hoods and short, sloping decks, which is hard to replicate without requiring rear-seat passengers to be under 5 feet tall. By using pillar-less windows and slopes that extends from the C-pillar through the trunk, the essence of a coupe is retained. While the old CLS had a great profile, the sheet metal was fairly flat. 2012 is apparently the year of the crease, with several of them running along the CLS' flanks.