Our spy photographers have just snapped these shots of the next Mercedes-Benz C-Class undergoing winter testing, and these latest shots give us the clearest look yet at the entry-level luxury sedan's updated front and rear. The baby Benz should make its official debut later this year, and these photos clearly show that we can expect some mild yet substantive alterations to their appearance.

So, what's new? Up front, a new front fascia integrates LED daytime running lamps – something that's becoming standard fare on the entire Mercedes-Benz lineup. From there, we see slightly revised headlamps, what appears to be a more upright grille and a new hood. Out back, there's a modified rear bumper and revised LED taillights.

Our spies also suggest that minor interior and mechanical updates could be present in the new C-Class. We aren't expecting giant leaps from the already very good current car, but squeezing a few more miles-per-gallon out of the Merc's mill probably isn't out of the question.



[Source: CarPix]

Ever wonder what would happen if Robbie the Robot had an addled tryst with a photo-radar box? Neither have we. Some possibly addled Europeans, though, have inadvertently created that union's possible love child with their own nocturnal hijinks.

Mocking the roadside photo radar 'Gatso' units, one giggle-prone youth donned a box and fired a strobe at passing automobiles in a taunting fashion. At least they didn't do their impression of a high-pressure car wash, right? Make the jump to see the video.

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If there are two indisputable truths in life, they are that a man is not a camel and a Corvette is not a boat. The gentleman above needs to retrieve the C4 Corvette in the shed behind him. The problem is the pool of water between the Corvette and solid ground. His solution is as comical as it is regrettable... and expensive. It did, however, teach us a new way to use the word "yahoo" as a verb. Follow the jump for the fun.

[Source: YouTube via Tampa Examiner]

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If you're into going too fast on two wheels, chances are the name Terry Vance has crossed your radar a time or two. The pilot of Need-for-Speed Duo Vance & Hines spread the word recently from Daytona International Speedway that a new spec series featuring the Harley Davidson XR-1200 will run this year along with select AMA road racing events.

The Vance & Hines XR-1200 Series, as it is officially being called, will kick off at Road America this June in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, coincidentally, very close to Harley Davidson's headquarters. Hmm. Question: How can one guarantee a Harley clad in Vance & Hines goodies will win races this year? Answer: You guessed it, the above-mentioned series is born. Looking on the bright side, at least the current economic state was taken into account when pricing the race kit.

For a mere $3,500, potential racers will get full exhaust and fuel management systems and race body work that includes a number plate, solo-seat and tail section, as well as the belly-pan valance. But wait, that's not all. A 17-inch front wheel and matching front fender, steering damper, oil cooler relocation package and race graphics is also on the menu. Now that's what we call a deal! Of course it will be available to the public as a street legal kit as well. The claim to fame is that anyone with an XR and a dream can get involved without significant investment.

Fact is, some top talent has made its way through the ranks as the result of spec class racing. Add to that, who doesn't like to watch a good Boxer Cup from time to time? It can be fun when the playing field is leveled a bit. Let's hope the action is strong and the series spreads beyond it's slated current boundaries (east of the Mississippi only) to give everyone a chance to hear the ever pleasant sounds of a big twin bouncing off the rev limiter at race-track near you.

[Source: AMA Pro Racing]

What do you do after hitting success with a trial product? Bring it back and make it bigger, of course. That's just what Mercedes-Benz has done with its AMG Driving Academy, a program that our own Editor Paukert attended the course last fall at Lime Rock to his great amusement and education.

This year's courses will put participants in the Mercedes E63 AMG, SL63 AMG, C63 AMG, SLK55 AMG and, new for this year, the SLS AMG gullwing. After working your way up through Basic and Advanced courses, you're ready for Top Gun testing in the new Pro level course, which means an "intense curriculum" and open lapping at Road Atlanta. Follow the jump for all that goes on this year's academy including dates and locations, and have a look at what you can be doing in the gallery of high-res photos below.



[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

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We were just talking with a friend about his Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI. "How on earth did you afford that?" is the highly sanitized version of the question we posed to him. Answer: He bought used, and then explained to us that he would never buy a new car again, no matter what. A decision that's fine by us, but which buff book is our pal going to read if he's unwilling to ever walk into a new car dealership again?

Meet – or re-meet as the case may be – Motor Trend Classic. The fine folks at Motor Trend tried their hand at this classic car thing a few years back in 2005 but were forced to shutter the magazine in 2006. But that was then (and they were trying to sell 12 issues a year. Correction: Motor Trend Classic launched with two issues in 2005 and then went to six issues for 2006). Motor Trend Classic every three months is now. The cost to entry is a good bit higher than your standard car mag (roughly three times). However, the new magazine is (thankfully) largely free of advertising and it features a unique format and higher quality paper. Hence the high price: $14.95 per issue.

Also of note, Motor Trend will be using this weekend's Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance to relaunch the Classic magazine. In fact, Amelia Island will feature a special "Motor Trend Class" devoted to cars found on the cover of Motor Trend, including the gorgeous streamlined Norman Timbs Special seen above that graced the cover of the October 1948 issue. Pretty nifty, no? Make the jump for the press release and a complete list of the Motor Trend Class cars.



[Source: circsource.com via Media Week]

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For the first time in its history – and considering that the company has been around for over 100 years, that's significant – GMC decided to make an official appearance at the National Truck Equipment Association show in St. Louis. And the Professional Grade brand brought along the heavies... specifically, the 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD.

When the truck hits the market later this year, it will be the first time that GMC has offered a Denali version of its Heavy Duty truck platform. After giving the truck a thorough once (and even twice) over, we have to say that the Denali, even with all of its drilled-out chrome highlights, looks rather subdued and classy in all-black paint. And, though we certainly appreciate the in-your-face attitude of General Motors' two main competitors in the pickup wars, we'd say that understated appearance is a good thing.

Inside, you'll find the expected luxury trimmings, including heated and cooled leather seats and a matching wood-trimmed heated steering wheel, along with some nice details like Denali-specific door sill plates. All that is well and good, but the big news resides under the truck's big black hood: a revised 6.6-liter Duramax V8 diesel engine, which is mated up to a stout Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission.

For those who like to keep track of these thing, which is to say every single person who's actually interested in purchasing one of these earth-moving behemoths, GM's latest Duramax beats out the 2011 Ford Super Duty in the all-important horsepower and torque wars with 397 horsepower and 765 pound-feet. Wanna pull a ten-ton load? No problem. That powerplant is also more fuel efficient (by 11 percent) and cleaner than the unit it replaces.

Interestingly, GM representatives tell us that they had a bit of a back-and-forth with the Feds regarding how best to handle the required refilling of the diesel exhaust fluid tank, which won't run dry for about 5,000 miles between fill-ups. It seems that when the truck gets dangerously low on the exhaust treatment, its speed will be capped at 55 miles per hour. If you run out, the computer nannies will keep you to just a four mph crawl so that you'll never be stranded completely. Want more? Check out our gallery of high-res images below and click here for the rest of the details.

Remember a couple weeks back when we told you about Chrysler's improbable legal battle against little Lake Mary High School in Florida? Chrysler's legal team put the smack down on the school for using the Ram logo as its school insignia, and the law jockeys in Auburn Hills, MI were giving the school until June 15 to remove all instances of the logo at a considerable cost to the school district and neighborhood taxpayers.

It appears cooler heads have prevailed at Chrysler, as Allpar is reporting that the school and automaker have made an agreement that allows the school to keep the admittedly perfect-for-a-football-helmet logo, at least until wear and tear requires their replacement. The reported agreement stipulates that the school must declare its partnership with Chrysler on signs stating "Lake Mary: Proud Partner of Chrysler." We think Chrysler should also sponsor the prom and provide a 300C stretch limousine for every senior. C'mon, think of the good will!

When we originally told you about the legal tussle between Lake Mary HS and Chrysler, we were more than a little critical of Team Pentastar for its legal action against the small school in a town of 15,000. It wasn't because Chrysler didn't have every legal right to protect its trademarks, but rather making a school district pay lots of money to remove a logo when it wasn't really damaging is just bad PR for a company that can ill afford any more bad PR. Compromise can be a very good thing, and it's nice to see that the folks at Chrysler see that. Good people of Lake Mary, Florida: feel free to continue purchasing vehicles from the Chrysler group.

[Source: Allpar]

The Opel/Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer – otherwise known as a wagon or estate – is testing its cold weather chops with minimal camouflage.

Details on the little cargo carrier are slim, but snappers at CarPix tell us that the rear liftgate differs from that on the larger Insignia ST by being separated from the taillights. We are also told that the interior and engine options will be the same as on the five-door hatch, and a spicy GSi model is on the way to fill out the line. It's too bad no one from Buick will tell us in the States, "Yes, you can have it..." You can check it out from various angles in the gallery of high-res photos below.



[Source: CarPix]