US woman sues car pound for Dh1.8 trillion
A woman in the US is seeking damages of US$500 billion because her car - a 2002 Saturn SC2 - was impounded while she was in hospital. Michelle Mathis, of Ohio, says Columbus Department of Public Safety's impound unit owes her the Dh1.8 trillion amount after she was treated in hospital following a car accident in January. She says the unit had it in for her due to past run-ins and impounded and sold her car while she was in hospital. She says the unit then refused to give her information on the car, according to TheNewspaper.com. The city says she disregarded mail it sent to her in hospital in relation to the car while Mathis says the city violated her rights. The case has yet to be heard.
Chevy owner drives in to GM HQ - twice
A man drove his Chevrolet Monte Carlo into General Motors' headquarters in Detroit last week, causing damage to the Renaissance Center and raising laughs for his reasoning. The 26-year-old man was apparently trying to turn around in the Ren Cen's circular driveway when he touched the glass-fronted building, causing the glass to crack. As he waited for police to arrive he was becoming agitated and, according to a local blogger, "a witness said the man said that if he was going to jail for hitting the building that he may as well drive right through it". The Chevy driver is then said to have rammed into the revolving door, breaking its frame and shattering glass, reports Jalopnik. Needless to say, the confused young man was taken into police custody.
McLaren reveals upgrade to MP4-12C
McLaren has announced that improvements will be made to its MP4-12C for 2013 and existing owners will be offered a free upgrade. The supercar will be boosted with an extra 25hp, meaning its twin-turbocharged 3.8L V8 will now produce a whopping 616hp. The company this week said it has made modifications to the 12C's engine and transmission to increase responsiveness, among a raft of other improvements including a wider variety of paint options. McLaren MD Antony Sheriff said it was in the firm's "nature to seek improvements ... that will better customers' experience".
Hoax claims fuel tanks will explode in heat
UAE residents are being warned about email hoaxes that say not to fill your car's fuel tank in case it explodes in the summer heat. Chain emails have been warning all car owners not to fill their tanks as "the heat can cause the tank to burst". But the emails are hoaxes as the auto ignition temperature of petrol is 400°C, so there's no chance of an explosion. However, high temperatures will affect mileage as it makes the fuel expand and the engine uses more fuel to make itself run.
Lotus sacks Bahar amid expenses allegations
Dany Bahar has been sacked as chief executive of Lotus after a two-week investigation into his "conduct". The 41-year-old was fired by the British marque's Malaysian parent company, DRB-Hicom, last week amid reports he was misusing company funds. He has been replaced by Aslam Farikullah, 51, who was head of vehicle manufacturing for DRB-Hicom. The company failed to comment on the reasons behind Bahar's dismissal.