We obsessively cover the auto industry…

Given all the money in the world and little else to do with it, we don't doubt that a fair few automotive enthusiasts would spend a big chunk of both traversing the world, and visiting automakers and their museums. And to be sure, there's a lot to be seen, especially when those facilities actually open their doors to visitors. But most of us don't have those resources at our disposal. Fortunately for us, a growing number of those sites have been opening their doors to the Google Street View team.

We've seen Google's cameramen map out Laguna Seca in California, the Lotus test track in England, the Lamborghini museum in Italy and the Honda Collection Hall in Japan. This time they've gotten in to the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. The MTC of course is headquarters to both McLaren Automotive and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team, as it's currently known (but not much longer as the team prepares to part ways with both Vodafone and Mercedes). It's got assembly lines, carbon-fiber kilns, various workshops, a wind tunnel, restaurants, a swimming pool... even a handful of man-mad lakes.

Arguably one of the best parts is the McLaren Boulevard where various racing and road cars are on permanent display. Most of the time, these facilities remain closed to the public and only accessible to authorized personnel, but you can scope it out in Google Street View below.

If you're in the market for a rugged and capable off-road SUV, the redesigned 2014 Range Rover Sport is quickly proving itself worthy of a second look. Although it may have gotten lost among the 22 SUVs vying for the Motor Trend SUV of the Year, the Range Rover Sport has followed up its Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road 4x4 of the Year award with a similar honor, having just been named Four Wheeler magazine's Four Wheeler of the Year. The Land Rover beat out the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel and 2014 Cherokee Trailhawk (in addition to the updated Toyota 4Runner Trail and Dodge Durango, among others.

To qualify as a contender for Four Wheeler of the Year, a new or updated SUV must be on sale before January 15, 2014 with a planned production run of more than 1,500 and an available two-speed transfer case. The five SUVs were tested for a full week before the Range Rover Sport broke Jeep's three-year stranglehold on the award, which won with the Wrangler for the last two years and with the Grand Cherokee in 2011.

No matter the platform, voice commands are kind of awful. Sure, Apple's Siri, Xbox One's voice command and Ford's Sync system are some of the better efforts, but by and large, it's still easier to press a couple of buttons on a controller or make a few swipes on a touchscreen.

Considering the difficulty and sketchiness of voice commands, we imagine this spoof of Apple's Siri system wouldn't work all that well. It's called Steeri, and it seems to have all the same cognition problems as Apple's personal assistant. The video, put together by The Smart Department, is a humorous look at a form of autonomous vehicle technology that remains a really, really bad idea. Take a look below to watch the entire video.

Gran Turismo 6 hits the shelves today, y'all. Unless you're waiting for Santa to stuff a copy in your stocking (or have been embargoed from buying video games until after the holidays by well-meaning loved ones), you should probably go out an pick up a copy of The Real Driving Simulator's latest iteration. We're in the process of reviewing the title right now... stay tuned for more on that next week.

In a particularly cool, and beautifully shot piece of marketing for the launch of GT6, the team at Polyphony Digital has also started this First Love video and live-streaming series. At its heart is the 1948 Hudson you see above, the very first racing car of none other than Mario Andretti.

Gran Turismo is paying tribute to Andretti's amazing career in a couple of very cool ways here. To start, it's restoring the Hudson – live and for all the world to see. You can scroll below to watch the time-lapse video of the first two days of the build, or click through to the live-streaming page to follow along with the project. On December 16, we can expect the long-awaited reunion between the Hudson and its storied driver, too.

Cooler still, from the gaming perspective, the Gran Turismo 6 team will be scanning the Hudson digitally and creating a drivable version of it, available via free download, in the game itself. The Andretti Hudson should prove a welcome diversion, in much the same way driving the Goodwood Revival Hillclimb and in the Lunar Rover have so far... but we're getting ahead of ourselves.

Most of the cars created exclusively for the Gran Turismo video game franchise never make the jump from cyberspace to the real world. The X1 and new X2014 designed by Red Bull's Adrian Newey could scarcely be piloted in real life, and while PSA talked about making a limited run of the otherworldly GTbyCitroën, that never came to be. But the Mercedes AMG Vision Gran Turismo could get such a chance – just not from Mercedes-Benz itself.

J&S World Wide Holdings, an independent Florida outfit led by one Jeff Halverson, was so taken with the static show car displayed at the LA Auto Show that it's committed to building five customer examples. The team plans to use the SLS AMG GT as its base, rebodying it in carbon fiber to resemble the machine in the game.

The 6.3-liter V8 will apparently remain unchanged, with its 583 horsepower driving the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, but with 200 pounds shed off the curb weight thanks to the carbon bodywork, could prove to be even faster. The bodywork will get a custom chrome finish, with a retractable rear spoiler, model-specific exhaust and ADV.1 forged alloys. The interior will be customizable to the buyer's tastes, too.

One is earmarked for the US, two for the Middle East and two for Europe. But given the $1.5 million asking price, we have a feeling its creators will be glad to sell them wherever the orders come from.

When something bad happens, it's easy to resort to scapegoating. At least for some of us, that seems to be exactly what has happened following the tragic death of actor Paul Walker and racer Roger Rodas, who were killed on November 30 in a Porsche Carrera GT. Even though officials have not yet determined the cause of the crash, that isn't stopping many theories from being put for – theories that include blaming the Porsche supercar. Rather predictably, not only is the CGT's difficult nature getting examined, but indeed, the nature of all high-performance cars is being put under the public's microscope, with some wondering what the need for all the power is.

A Google search of "Porsche Carrera GT" will find no shortage of articles about the razor-sharp handling and outright speed of the CGT. Pistonheads' Chris Harris has a different, insightful take on both the Carrera GT and the nature of all fast cars. He reflects on the matter, ironically, en route to drive the successor to the car that killed Walker and Rodas, the 900-horsepower 918 Spyder hybrid supercar.

We think it's well worth a read, as it makes a number of good points about modern high-performance automobiles and the way they're used. Click over and take a look.

I spend a lot of time trying to convince my friends and colleagues that the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is the world's most perfect vehicle. Basically – in my eyes anyway – there is nothing it cannot do, and do well. And that point figures to be more true now that Daimler has introduced this all-wheel-drive Sprinter 4x4 model.

As you'll recall, the majestic Sprinter received a host of updates for the 2014 model year, including some minor styling tweaks and a new four-cylinder, Bluetec diesel engine. The Sprinter 4x4 can be fitted with a 129- or 163-horsepower version of that new inline-four, or a more powerful, 190-hp 3.0-liter Bluetec V6.

Unlike Mercedes' passenger car models, the Sprinter's all-wheel-drive system is not an always-on affair. Drivers need to press a button to engage AWD, at which point the 4ETS (electronic traction system) takes over. All-wheel drive can be activated when the vehicle is stationary, or at speeds up to 10 kilometers per hour (just over 6 miles per hour, you speed demons). When AWD is engaged, the Sprinter defaults to a 35/65 fore/aft power split. There's even an optional low range reduction gear, for low-speed, off-road conditions, as well as Downhill Speed Regulation that holds the vehicle at a consistent speed when driving down hills (self-explanatory, right?). The 4x4 Sprinter's body has also been raised by 4.3 inches up front and 3.1 inches in the rear – you know, for when the going gets extra tough.

Mercedes-Benz will offer the Sprinter 4x4 in a variety of bodystyles, with ether a medium- or long-wheelbase, as well as the normal, high and extra-high roofs. As for North American availability, that's unclear as of this writing, but stay tuned to this space for an update once Merc's US arm officially confirms things for us, one way or the other.

For now, scroll down to read all of the details in Mercedes' press release, and check out two videos of the Sprinter 4x4 in the snow. There's a huge gallery of high-res images up top, too.

Just five months ago, our spy photographers caught what appeared to be a mule for the forthcoming Lexus NX crossover with the body of a CT 200h for disguise. Then the LF-NX Concept CUV debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show (it showed up at the Tokyo Motor Show as well) with a massive spindle grille and an extreme version of Lexus' sharp-edged new styling language on full display. Now Auto Express reports that a production version of the LF-NX concept will grace the Geneva Motor Show next March and go on sale next summer. If the names that Lexus trademarked a while back are any indication, it'll come in two trims, NX 200t and NX 300h.

Concept vehicles often look outrageously bold, with more extroverted styling than what eventually makes it into the production version. But Lexus reportedly will leave much of the LF-NX concept's styling alone for the production version, citing its customers' changing tastes.

"What we're finding is that these days customers want to be more expressive, so a lot of the concept's inherent design will come out in the finished car," says Paul Van der Burgh, Lexus' European director. "Why would you want something that looked like everything else in the segment?"

Rumors of a brand-new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine have been floating around since those first test mules were spotted, and they were seemingly confirmed when the LF-NX concept was displayed at the Tokyo Motor Show with the new engine. That'll be the NX 200t model, and the NX 300h model is expected to be a hybrid model with the 2.5-liter four and electric motor found in the IS300h and GS300h.

CarMD has released its third annual Vehicle Health Index, which for the 2013 tracked the frequency and cost of repairs for "check engine" problems of 119-million vehicles built between the 2003 and 2013 model years. For the first two years of the index, Toyota ranked at the top of the list, but this year's results see Hyundai moved to number one, pushing Toyota down a spot.

The Korean automaker's rise to the top has been "fueled by its low repair frequency," according to CarMD. Toyota is second to Hyundai in lowest repair frequency, but Toyotas also have the highest average cost of repair. (Interestingly, General Motors vehicles have the lowest average.) Both Toyota's and Hyundai's manufacturer "health" ratings suffered this year, but Toyota took a bigger hit, which also is what helped Hyundai achieve the top ranking.

While Hyundai is the top manufacturer in the index, the 2012 Toyota Camry is the top vehicle. The best-ranking Hyundai was the 2010 Elantra (behind three Nissan models and four Toyotas), which took the number eight spot. Hyundai has six other vehicles in the top 100.

The top-ten manufacturers with the best overall vehicle "health" rankings are Hyundai (No. 1), Toyota (No. 2), GM (No. 3), Chrysler (No. 4), Honda (No. 5), Ford (No. 6), Nissan (No. 7), Kia (No. 8), Volkswagen (No. 9) and Mitsubishi (No. 10).

Check out CarMD's study (Warning: PDF file) to check out all sorts of data related to car health – there's a ton of information to peruse.

Maybe you've heard of Bitcoin by now, but if you haven't, here's what you need to know: it's a decentralized, electronic currency contained in the world's first completely open financial network (for a better understanding, visit this informative Washington Post article). Bitcoin can be used to buy all sorts of products through the growing list of vendors who accept the currency, and Lamborghini Newport Beach now can be added to that list.

On Wednesday, the Lamborghini dealership sold a Tesla Model S to a customer who paid for the car in Bitcoin, which were converted by an exchange service into US dollars. In an announcement on its website, Lamborghini Newport Beach says it's "fully capable of accepting Bitcoin as payment for vehicles." The electronic currency's value has increased greatly since it started catching on in early 2011, and, as of this writing, one Bitcoin is worth around $900.

If we'd only bought 100 of them for around $100 a couple of years ago...

On December 1, Zydrunas Savickas, a five-time World's Strongest Man champion, pulled 12 Nissan Notes (the equivalent to our Versa Note) weighing 28,530 pounds over 16.4 feet in 32.9 seconds. The feat, performed in Lithuania at the end of the country's Car of the Year test camp, was enough to secure him the Guinness world record for "Most Cars Pulled By One Man."

"Once I got into my stride pulling the 12 Nissan Notes, [it] was fine," Savickas said after the pull. "Obviously, a big thank you to Nissan for helping me set the record and making it all happen."

"We at Nissan like setting records and are always aiming high," said Taina Erkkilä, Communication Director of Nissan Nordic Europe. "Today we are delighted to have been able to help Zydrunas set another world record and see so many people turn out to support him."

The Nissan Note launched earlier this year in the European market. The little five-door hatchback is built at the automaker's Sunderland plant in the UK and features a supercharged 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine. Head below to see the press release and the video of Savickas pulling the 12 Notes and being awarded the world record.

The 2014 Soul has come on strong since its introduction, going so far as to become the Korean automaker's top-selling model last month, but Kia isn't wasting any time in creating a little extra excitement for its boxy hatchback. Although the name is a little wonky, the Kia Soul Red Zone marks the first special-edition model for the second-gen Soul, and its styling is meant to mimic the 2012 Track'ster Concept, the showcar that inspired the design of the 2014 Soul.

While there's no pigskin or AstroTurf (or any other football-related references) to be found on this car, the Red Zone package consists of a distinctive white paint scheme with bright red accents. The red theme continues on the inside with contrast stitching and piping acting as highlights to the otherwise all-black interior. The 2014 Soul Red Zone goes on sale early next year, and while official pricing has not been announced, production will be limited to just 2,000 units.

We've written about approximately 187,000 rumors about a return of the Toyota Supra to the land of living cars. There are a couple of good reasons for this: first, Toyota won't stop dropping hints about a new halo sports car. Late this summer, Toyota sales guru Kazuo Ohara called a Supra successor "one of the options we have" – a comment followed by a hint that there would be "better news" on the subject in the future.

The second reason for all the Toyota tales is, of course, that we all have missed the Supra since its departure from the US market in 1998. So, when a member of the Autoblog team is party to a nudge-and-wink-filled conversation about a new Supra concept headed to January's Detroit Auto Show, we tend to listen up.

A 400+ horsepower hybrid sports car would match up pretty well with the upcoming NSX.

Recently, a few very well-placed members of the Toyota team indicated to us, in not-so-cryptic terms, that the Japanese automaker is ready to shock the world with a Supra concept car for this year's shindig in the Motor City. Further, the indications we've been given are that this "concept car" will signal broadly about a production version still to follow.

In 2007, the FT-HS concept (pictured) seemed like a perfectly promising Supra replacement, right before the economy fell off a cliff and everyone in the business shelved all non-essential product plans. This year, however, there'll be about 16 million cars sold in the US and a 400+ horsepower hybrid sports car would match up pretty well with the upcoming Acura NSX from rival Honda, not to mention president Akio Toyoda's mandate to shed his company's staid image.

Of course, on the record, Toyota is still staying perfectly mum – not only on the topic of the previously rumored gas-electric powertrain, but on the existence of the concept itself. Our requests for any official confirmation have been met with firm retorts of approximately "no comment" from our friendly Toyota PR staffers.

Still, the pattern of executive-dropped clues about a new sports car follows that which composed the achingly long lead up to the eventual Toyota GT86/Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ. We'll have to wait about a month to see just what Toyota has under the sheets in Cobo this year, but we're crossing our fingers and hoping the new year brings with it a new Supra, at long last.

Alan Mulally isn't going anywhere... at least not just yet. The CEO who helped turn around Ford Motor Company has been linked to the top job at tech behemoth Microsoft, leading to a flurry of rumors about potential successors. Those rumors, though, may have just been put to rest – at least for a little while.

Speaking to Edsel Ford II (great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford) at the unveiling of the new Mustang, Automotive News Europe confirmed that Mulally would stick around until the end of next year. "Alan is staying through the end of 2014 and that's all I know," said Ford. "Frankly, he has told us that his plan is to stay with Ford through the end of 2014."

Presuming that Edsel Ford is correct and that Microsoft isn't so hot on Mulally that it saves the position for him, it seems increasingly likely that the 68-year-old exec is more interested in continuing to work in Dearborn rather than in Redmond.