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The Silver Lake sand dunes see their fair share of well-built trophy trucks executing impressive jumps. Drivers build insane pieces of machinery for the express purpose of sailing through the air like mad men and women.

Mike Higgins is no stranger to the area. His heavily modified Ford trophy truck has gone flying through the sky on more than one occasion, but he recently bit off more than he could chew. After hitting a particularly lofty dune, Higgins went airborne for a ridiculous 180 feet before becoming intimately familiar with the finer points of gravity.

While Higgins nailed the jump, his landing fell short of wowing the judges. The impact very nearly broke his truck in two. Despite the mechanical mayhem, the driver walked away without a scratch, proving that occasionally miracles really do happen. You can check out the jump and the subsequent destruction below for yourself. Be warned: there's a fair bit of foul language.

Universities are right now trotting out Grade-A commencement speakers to motivate this year's graduating class of collegiates to change the world, or at least vacate their parents' property before the age of 30. Some of the most inspiring commencement speeches of all time include the one Steve Jobs gave at Stanford in 2005, and this year's address du jour is one given by the late David Foster Wallace at Kenyon College in 2008 (watch them both below).

Automaker executives are often invited to the podium to speak as well. Former General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner spoke in 2011 at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne just recently addressed graduates at Walsh College. Over the weekend, current GM CEO Dan Akerson took to the podium to inspire students embarking from the Mendoza School of Business at Notre Dame.

Did Akerson, who graduated from Annapolis in 1970, motivate the next Jobs, Musk or Gates to lead us all into a bright and promising future? We'll let you read the transcript below and judge for yourself. His message had to do with what constitutes a good leader, those qualities being the ability to define reality by setting priorities, allocating capital and resources to meet those priorities, a willingness to serve and leading by example.

Speaking to a room full of business school graduates, Akerson also remarked, "If all you intend to do with this knowledge and influence is see how many points you can score on your personal wealth scorecard... then something is terribly wrong." An interesting, if convenient, revelation from someone whose salary topped $11 million in 2012.

Earlier this year, BMW and Toyota confirmed a four-part joint venture mostly focusing on increasing improving vehicle efficiency using fuel cells, lightweight materials and better battery technology. Also tucked into the announcement was a "feasibility study" for a shared platform to underpin a future midsize "sports vehicle."

In terms of the latter, it seems that things have stepped up from the feasibility stage to the conceptual stage, as Motor Trend reports we could see a pair of new sports car concepts debut later this year in at the Tokyo Motor Show. There isn't much information about the new program, but the article suggests the sports cars could be all-wheel drive hybrids, with electric motors powering the front wheels and a gas engine powering the rear wheels. While a partnership between Toyota and BMW might not lend itself to a catchy portmanteau like "Toyobaru," here's hoping it will bear fruit that is as exciting as the ones produced by the Toyota/Subaru tie up.

When it comes to fleet vehicles, the Chevrolet Impala definitely plays an important role for General Motors, and it looks like GM is hard at work developing the next-gen Impala for bulk-buying businesses. The Motoring Journal recently spotted a handful of Impalas testing in Colorado with minor camouflage, but upon closer inspection, these appear to be test mules for a new compressed natural gas (CNG) model – a powertrain combination far more likely to find favor with fleet buyers than everyday consumers.

Aside from the obvious "CNG" stickers affixed to the decklid, these cars also have different exhaust outlets than what we saw on the V6-equipped Impalas during our first drive of the sedan back in March. Images also show under the hood with a different engine cover and plenty of exposed wiring as the CNG system continues testing. There was also an electrical connector poking out of the front fascia, and at least one of the sedans had a receiver-style trailer hitch.

During the launch of the 2014 Impala, Chevrolet said that it is looking to flip the current fleet-to-retail from 70:30 to a more profitable and resale-friendly 30:70 ratio, and this new CNG Impala could be a good way to retain some of that 30-percent fleet business. We reached out to GM for word on when a CNG Impala might arrive, and received this response:

We do offer a CNG van and a bi-fuel pickup truck, but still studying the demand for CNG powered passenger cars. Infrastructure is a consideration for anyone buying these types of vehicles. Unfortunately, there's nothing to announce today on this front.

Our best guess is that it could debut for the 2015 model year, since the ninth-generation model is carrying over for fleet-only sales as the 2014 Impala Limited.

The Associated Press reports three former Saab executives have been arrested on charges of accounting fraud. Swedish prosecutor Olof Sahlgren has refused to identify the individuals, but says they're suspected of attempting to evade taxes by falsifying Saab accounts between 2010 and 2011 during the Spyker years. Other reports indicate the parties involved include former General Counsel to Saab Kristina Geers (seen to the left of former CEO Victor Muller, above), a 15-year-veteran of the company – her husband, Eric, was the company's communications director for 9 years as well.

Saab filed for bankruptcy in 2011, and was purchased shortly thereafter by National Electric Vehicle Sweden. If convicted, the trio could face up to four years in prison for their crimes under Swedish law.

Start with a Ford F-150 SVT Raptor as your base vehicle for modification, and chances are high that you'll end up with something pretty cool. Now, have those modifications done by professional lunatics Hennessey Performance, make the project turning the pickup into an ultra-long SUV, and the result stands a real chance of being a total kick in the ass. Let us present the Hennessey VelociRaptor then, in all of its awesomeness.

Hennessey has taken care in grafting a "Expedition style" rear cabin onto the Raptor, complete with an optional third row. The pictures we have show a cabin that's up to the fit and finish standards of the original Ford truck, too. The cab added over the bed also makes room for a massive load space out back, accessible via split out-folding doors and long enough for a person to lay down in (see video).

Mechanically, the truck-turned-SUV sticks with Ford's stock 6.2-liter V8, rated at 411 horsepower, or can be had with a supercharger and some 600 hp. Hennessey says the stock-motor VelociRaptor will run from 0-60 miles per hour in 7.5 seconds, while the hi-po version takes just 5.9 seconds. The SUV does take some of the off-road ability away from the Raptor, with the company saying it hasn't yet had the opportunity to test its capabilities. On-roading and "moderate off-road duties" are the current prescription.

Hennessey will build just 30 copies of the VelociRaptor per year, offered at a starting price of $149,500. If that seems like an exorbitant markup over the Raptor's $43,920, well, you're welcome to go out and build your own. Scroll down for a video walk around of the VelociRaptor, and one showing the supercharged version on a dyno.

We're set to record Autoblog Podcast #334 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #334

• 2014 Mercedes Benz S Class
• BMW 2 Series
• People (apparently) trust autonomous cars

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A 20-year-old woman was killed in Edmonton, Canada on Satuday, reports CTV News, in a freak accident resulting from a rollover during a Jeep demonstration. As part of a fundraising enthusiast event called "Jeeps Go Topless," the driver of one Jeep Wrangler drove up and onto the top of the tire of another.

CTV reports that the owner of the topmost Jeep then switched the vehicle off, posed for pictures and then dismounted from his vehicle. His movement off of the Jeep apparently caused it to tip over, crushing a woman who was on top of an adjacent vehicle. Edmonton police are currently investigating more fully what caused the parking lot accident to occur. Scroll below to watch the CTV News video report about this tragic incident.

The leaked facelift images and the Competition Package rumors were accurate: These are the 2014 BMW M5 and M6 models, with exactly three nips and four tucks distinguishing them from their outgoing counterparts, as well as an expected track-day overhaul package. The standard M5 boasts 560 horsepower from its 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8, and the new Competition Package ups that to a preliminary 575 hp, with shifting options remaining the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission or the six-speed manual. Unsurprisingly, the M6 family – including the two-door coupe, convertible and four-door Gran Coupe – get this optional treatment as well.

The go-fast packs make a lot more changes around the cars, though. It lowers them by ten millimeters, recalibrates the steering, differential, front bushings, coil springs, dampers and M chassis control system while adding stiffer anti-sway bars and black chrome exhaust tips. All models sit on 20-inch M light alloy wheels and can be specced with carbon ceramic brakes. For the dragsters among you, the result is a 0-62 mph time that drops by 0.1 second in all models but the M6 convertible.

Inside, on all 2014 M5 and M6 models, there's a new look to the steering wheel, a touchpad for the iDrive controller, more storage and more chrome trim. Two more paint colors and two more leather hues have been announced, with more Frozen paint finishes on the way as well. We're told prices will be announced closer to the models' August on-sale date. For now you read what BMW has to say about them in the press release below.

Our friends at XCAR have taken the time to train their lenses on the iconic Toyota Supra. With Toyota finally back into the performance car game, it seems only logical to remember one of the brand's most legendary sports cars. While we're all busy ladling praise onto the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ twins, it's important to remember that Toyota used to produce all manner of fun-to-drive machinery. The Supra once sat at the top of that list, its most recent iteration giving buyers the option of a ludicrous forced-induction inline six, gorgeous styling and plenty of presence.

Of course, the legend didn't stop once the Supra fell off American order sheets in 1998. Always an aftermarket darling, the Supra has gone on to become a tuner favorite in nearly every corner of grassroots motorsport. From drag racing to road racing and everywhere in between, the Supra is remains a force to be reckoned with nearly 15 years after it last prowled the US auto market. You can catch the tribute from XCAR below.

Automotive News reports the European automotive market has posted first gain in 19 months. Germany and Spain helped push the swell thanks to higher-than-average consumer confidence, though the EU saw registrations jump two percent overall compared to the prior year. In April, buyers took home 1.08 million new vehicles, up from 1.06 million during the same month in 2012. Analysts are hoping the news is the first sign of a legitimate recovery for a region that has suffered some of the slowest auto sales in 20 years. Even so, the market continues to suffer – four-month sales are down 7 percent to 4.18 million units.

Peugeot-Citroen saw its sales fall off by 10 percent last month. Ford and General Motors both posted declines of 0.6 percent and four percent respectively, with Chevrolet suffering through a 28-percent decline last month. There were winners in the region, however. Mercedes-Benz sales increased by 13 percent while Volkswagen registrations jumped by around 9 percent. Sales were particularly strong in the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany.

It's been a while since Chevrolet offered its Corvette with green paint – well over a decade, in fact. We've known for a while that the new C7 Stingray would be available in Lime Rock Green, but haven't seen it up until now in anything but the antiseptic studio shots offered up on the Corvette's configurator. Well, we can now cross it off the list – at least online – as the first production example has been caught on video at the Lone Star Classic Corvette show by the folks at NCM Insurance.

According to CorvetteBlogger, the last production model to feature such verdant paint dates to 2001, when Chevy offered its sports car in Dark Bowling Green Metallic. But when we think of Vettes in this color spectrum, we tend to think of the Polo Green C4, a deep shade this paint reminds us of. This particular Stingray is fitted with the Z51 performance package, along with the 3LT Brownstone interior. As we think Z51-equipped cars tend to look better in darker shades (which better integrate/disguise the package's additional ductwork), this Lime Rock Green looks pretty good to our eyes.

We haven't seen new green sports cars in some time – perhaps cars like this C7 and the British Racing Green Metallic 2014 Jaguar F-Type will kickstart a revival. What do you think, does the C7 look good in green? Check out the video below and then have your say in Comments.

You just never know what your dash cam is going to capture on an average day in Russia. Take these drivers, who were motoring along in the Russian city of Dyatkovo, minding their own business, when out of nowhere, an Opel Zafira took off like a 747 leaving LaGuardia.

Reports stemming from the incident claim that the driver lost control of his vehicle after its front-left tire blew. He then drove into oncoming traffic and crashed into a fence where the vehicle was launched high into the air, a rapidly escalating series of events caught on the video available below.

Unfortunately, we can't tell you that the driver miraculously escaped this remarkable accident with just cuts and bruises. The report translated from Russian tells us the 30-year-old driver died at the scene from his injuries, and his passenger is still being treated for life-threatening injuries at the Central Regional Hospital in Dyatkovo.

Diet Abarth



Try as I might, I just can't bring myself to stick to a routine of drinking diet soda. Nevermind the fact that I'm trying to cut soda out of my life altogether – every now and then, I just want the high-octane stuff, and diet simply won't do. If I'm already going to subject myself to the sweeteners and caffeine, I'm going to take the calories that go along with it.

Some people feel the same way about cars (go big or go home!), but I'm not one of them – I often see the merit in less-potent machines that automakers offer. For example, while I simply adored the Mini John Cooper Works GP that I recently tested, I still said I'd rather have a Cooper S Hardtop every day. And while the Ford Focus ST may have been crowned the winner in my hot hatch comparison test from last year, my experience in the Fiesta ST a couple of months ago reminded me yet again that less can indeed be more.

So when Fiat introduced this 500 Turbo – a sort of Diet Abarth – I was prepared for the possibility of similar conclusions. But with the range-topping Abarth proving to be an incredibly delicious concoction, would this tall glass of diet quench my thirst just the same?