Custom Urban Ram with 392 HEMI V8 Heading to SEMA Show

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For the upcoming SEMA show in Las Vegas, the Chrysler Group's Mopar division has prepared the Urban Ram study based on the revised 2013 Ram 1500.

Chrysler's in-house tuner dropped a 392 (6.4-liter) HEMI V8 engine into the Ram but it didn't stop there performing a series of go-fast and styling upgrades to the customized pickup truck.

The aggressive performance tune includes new headers, a cold-air intake, performance dual exhaust with chrome tips, a performance handling kit and SRT rotors and brake calipers.

Mopar won't say yet how many ponies are stuffed under the vented hood, simply informing us that it packs "plenty of muscle".

The customized Ram's exterior sports a "Modern Blue" paint scheme accented with a blue stripe and a "Mopar" logo emblazoned on the rear side panel on the driver’s side along with a performance hood, body kit and new 22-inch R/T wheels painted, of course, in black.

Rounding out the changes is a fiberglass tonneau cover that matches the body color, and a bed rug, bed ambient light kit and Mopar design badge.

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Mopar to Trick Out New 2013 SRT Viper and Wrangler Hemi V8 4x4 for SEMA

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The performance crew over at Mopar may have revealed a selection of customized cars such as the V10-powered Dodge Charger Juiced, the Fiat 500 Beach Cruiser and the Urban Ram concepts in the flesh and in advance of the SEMA Show on October 30, but the Chrysler Group's tuning arm is keeping several more projects under wraps.

Among the dozen or so SEMA show-bound Chrysler cars that have no yet been unveiled in the flesh are the "Moparized" 2013 SRT Viper and the Jeep Wrangler Sand Trooper, both of which were teased through renderings.

Needless to explain why, the 2013 SRT Viper is the "king" of the pack. Mopar says it has fitted SRT's flagship model with a variety of accessories and performance parts.

Finished in a yellow shade, Mopar's Snake adopts many lightweight carbon fiber parts, including an underhood with an exposed carbon fiber performance cross X-Brace featuring a decal-cut Viper “Stryker” logo in the center, and which the company claims is 50 percent lighter than the factory version.

The prototype also gets an engine cover constructed from carbon fiber and aluminum, an aluminum oil filler cap, a carbon fiber aero package and special coil springs.

Inside, Mopar uses the same color theme but in reverse, with full black interior featuring yellow accents on the edgings and the rear part of the Sabelt hard-shell seats.

Other accessories include the billet aluminum shift knob and HVAC bezels and controls, a bright pedal kit with the Viper logo etched in the pedals and polished chrome door-sill guards, just to mention a few.

The second "Moparized" model teased via a sketch is the Jeep Wrangler Sand Trooper, which is said to serve as a showpiece for the company's hard-core performance parts.

Like many other SEMA show Wranglers, the Sand Trooper adopts a 5.7-liter HEMI V8 crate engine, which in this application, pumps out 375-horses and 410 lb-ft. of peak torque.

The two-door model features new front and rear portal axles that provide an extra 5 inches of lift while rolling on gargantuan 42-inch Super Swamper Bogger tires and matte-black bead lock wheels.

The tune continues with a full-length underbody skid plate and numerous other prototype and production parts from Mopar such as matte-black front and rear off-road bumpers, grille, fuel-filler door, tail lamp guards and door-sill guards, a vented hood, a Warn winch, LED off-road lights, and trailer-tow hitch receiver.

The interior of the rugged 4x4 is upgraded with Katzkin Leather seats, a rearview camera, Mopar prototype CB radio and all-weather slush mats.

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Top Gear Promotes New Limited Edition Lego Stig Keyring with Stop-Motion Ad

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Some say Tog Gear is the coolest TV show on planet Earth bar none and the best thing to happen to humanity since sliced bread.

Some also say that JC (Jeremy Clarkson's initials) is an overrated, grossly overpaid and obnoxious bloke who has insulted almost every ethnicity and minority one can think of, and then some, but in spite of all this, he has made a fortune out of being… well, obnoxious (and, obviously, very smart).

All we know is that the man in the white racing overalls and matching Simpson helmet, aka the Stig, is the one who drives the show's supercars to their limits on TG’s test track and is always introduced by the BBC host with the “some say” tagline.

Said intro speech has become, along with the Stig and, let’s face it, JC’s controversial remarks, one of the show’s best known trademarks.

Well, some say that making a stop-motion film out of a Lego Stig and posting it on YouTube is quite funny. And some say that turning it into a limited edition keyring to promote the latest issue may be good, but a limited edition JC punching bag would probably result in waiting lines surpassing those formed for the latest iPhone and increase sales of the magazine tenfold.

All we know is that you can watch the "Lego Stig" promo film right after the jump. As for the punching bag, maybe it’s something that will eventually catch up with BBC’s marketing department…

By Andrew Tsaousis

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LFA Turned Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness; Lexus Asks if You Like the Color

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True, we have seen sports and luxury cars go pink before, sometimes for noble purposes and other times for vanity, but a limited run supercar in this flushing shade is bound to capture our attention, which is what its inventors intended in the first place.

Lexus of Brisbane Group (that would be in Australia) introduced the pink-wrapped LFA in support of the "Faingaa Twins" for their role as ambassadors for the National Breast Cancer Foundation during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

After posting the two pictures of the pink LFA, the Australian distributor asked its Facebook and Twitter users if they liked the color, with most commentators being positive about the look.

You can also weigh in your thoughts on the shade in our comments section after the break.

Photo Credits: Lexus , Story References: Autoblog.nl

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Here's Why You Shouldn’t Give a Truck Driver the Finger…

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We've already shown you the painful consequences of flipping off a Russian driving instructor, so how about we see what happens when you perform the same gesture to a truck driver in the world's largest country that covers more than an eighth of the Earth's inhabited land area?

The incident begins with an obnoxious driver of an older Audi A6 sedan illegally and dangerously overtaking a truck and then being a -insert whatever word works for you here- constantly slamming on the brakes.

After doing the same thing a few times and in response to the truck driver's use of the horn, the middle-age driver of the Audi shows him the ring on his finger – if you catch our drift…

See how the man sitting behind the wheel of the lorry responded in the video below.

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Poster for Sony's Popeye

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With Hotel Transylvania now in cinemas in the US, and arriving in UK cinemas on the 12th, both director Genndy Tartakovsky and Sony Pictures Animation begin to look to the future, and that's this. Sony and the Dexter's Lab creator are working on a CG adaptation of Popeye!

The most well known version of the character being the Fleischers' shorts, Genndy and Sony are going to have an uphill battle adapting it for the big screen. But, given how wonderfully cartoony Hotel T looks, it might well be just the right pairing to make it happen.

Check out a poster that Cartoon Brew's Jerry Beck snapped at SPA's HQ last week. It's a good start! No release date as of yet.

Brand New Trailers: The Croods and The Lone Ranger

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Yesterday we showed you some brand new images from Gore Verbinski's The Lone Ranger, and told you to expect the debut trailers for that and DreamWorks' The Croods today. They're online now, and they're fantastic - and you can check them out after the jump break!

Below, check out the first trailer for DreamWorks' first film under their distribution deal with 20th Century Fox, The Croods. Directed by Kirk DeMicco (Space Chimps) and Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon) The Croods follows a caveman family venturing out of their safe zone, and into the world, much to the chagrin of the dad, Grug (Nicolas Cage). The trailer comes via iTunes Movie Trailers.



Now this wasn't what I was expecting at all! I've been looking forward to The Croods, but have been fully expecting it to be firmly a comedy; there's little comedy or slapstick to be seen here though. In its place, we get a great family dynamic, a strong story - resemblant of Ice Age, and also Sanders' other films; he has a skill for showing the young rebelling against old, outdated traditions - and gorgeous animation! UPDATE: 21:29 (GMT), 04/10/2012: DreamWorks have now uploaded the trailer prefaced by comments by the film's directors, Sanders and DeMicco. It's embedded in place of the original trailer above.

Though I'm not that big a fan of the character designs for the people, the creatures and animals' designs are fantastic! The backgrounds too are stunning. Imaginative, bright and vibrant - with what looks like a great heartfelt story - DreamWorks look set to continue on the path through their Golden Age!

The Croods will be distributed by 20th Century Fox and is released on 22nd March, 2013.


Secondly, we also get the fantastic first teaser trailer for Disney/DreamWorks Classics' Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) directed, Jerry Bruckheimer (also Pirates) produced, The Lone Ranger. The action-packed, quarter-billion dollar western epic, starring Armie Hammer and Johnny Dopp as the Ranger and Tonto respectively, is one of Disney's biggest, if not the biggest, releases of next year, and it sure looks as though it's going to be great!


Packed with the same intensity and absorbing atmosphere that made the filmmaking team's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise so phenomenally successful, this is going to be something very special. The teaser (above) sets the scene with the introduction of the steam engine, the vast setting, and the two polar-opposite characters. Another great trailer, again, via iTunes Movie Trailers.
The Lone Ranger is due out on 3rd July, 2013 in the US, and 9th August, 2013 here in the UK.
2013's going to be a pretty damn good year for movie-goers. Be sure to check out the trailers in HD too.

ParaNorman Blu Ray and DVD Release Date Announced (For the US)

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Universal Studios Home Entertainment, who are in charge of the home media distribution of ParaNorman, have announced the (US) DVD and Blu Ray release date for Laika's second feature: 27th November.

The marvellous stop-motion film from the studio behind Coraline will be released with the following great bonus features (via redOrbit):

• PRELIMINARY ANIMATIC SEQUENCES: With commentary from Director Sam Fell and Writer/Director Chris Butler.
• PEERING THROUGH THE VEIL: A special behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creation of the weird and wonderful world of ParaNorman from building the characters to voicing them.
• FEATURETTES: Seven short segments showcasing Norman and his extraordinarily unusual co-stars.
• FEATURE COMMENTARY: With Director Sam Fell and Writer/Director Chris Butler.

Not an awful lot of bonus features, but it promises to be an enlightening look at the wonderful film anyway! However, the 27th November release date is for the US and Canada only, as for when the rest of the world can expect it, Laika/house's Twitter says "TBD." Although, that same Twitter feed also Tweeted this:

Digital downloads will be out Nov. 27, too. RT @jimparkyn: when do we brits get our hands on it?!
— LAIKA/house (@LAIKAhouse) October 3, 2012

So, it sounds like we'll be able to nab it on iTunes on the 27th anyway! There's lots of great animated releases in November!

Be sure to check out our review of ParaNorman here.

Via THR.

New International Wreck-It Ralph Trailer

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Walt Disney Studios UK have released an international trailer for Disney's Wreck-It Ralph. Directed by Rich Moore (The Simpsons, Futurama), Wreck-It Ralph is set inside the world of arcade games, and is looking pretty good... Hell, who am I kidding? It's looking fantastic! A great film, with great marketing and another great trailer; Disney, you're doing it right.

The last few bits of advertising have really played up the relationship between Ralph (John C. Reilly) and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman), and it has grown on me. Good to see it's got heart behind that awesomeness! In fact, the only thing I don't like about the trailer is the line "This February"... Come on, Disney, it doesn't take 3 months to ship a film across the Atlantic!


But check out that awesome 8-bit Disney castle! This looks like it could be this generation's Toy Story! Well... I suppose Toy Story 3 is this generation's Toy Story, but you get my point. Be sure to check out the two previous trailers, and TV spot, too.

For US fans, Wreck-It Ralph hits cinemas on 2nd November, but us poor UK guys'll have to wait until 15th February, 2013.

Frankenweenie European Premiere Coverage

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Frankenweenie is out in the US, and the countdown is now on to its UK release this coming Wednesday. So, a couple of days ago, the film had its European premiere at the 56th BFI London Film Festival, a star-studded event featuring appearances from director Tim Burton, wife Helena Bonham-Carter, producer Allison Abbate and more!

Director Tim Burton at the European premiere of Frankenweenie at the Odeon Leicester Square on 10th October.
Walt Disney Studios UK's YouTube channel brings us the above video of the evening's events prior to the film, and the film's UK Facebook page uploaded some pictures from the red carpet by the Odeon Leicester Square in London.

There's been an outpouring of reviews from the premiere too. The Telegraph's Robbie Collin awarded the film 4/5 stars, writing:

"Frankenweenie is a marvellously macabre stop-motion animation, and Tim Burton's sweetest, most disarming work since 1990’s Edward Scissorhands" - Read the full review.
Mail Online's Chris Tookey also gave Frankenweenie four stars, saying:
"Frankenweenie, the Opening Night gala movie at the BFI London Film Festival, is a return to form for Tim Burton and his most entertaining venture yet into stop-motion animation.

It shares a similar visual style to The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride, but contains better jokes and a more winning storyline. It also makes effectively cheesy use of 3D." - Read the full review.

And The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw is slightly less enthusiastic, but still enjoyed it, giving it three stars and saying:
"[Frankenweenie] is actually a sentimental kind of retro gothic lite, appearing under the Disney banner: very Tim Burton and also very Steven Spielberg, whose influence was at its most potent when the story was conceived: ET meets The Munsters." Concluding that "it's a likable film, though not a sensational development in Tim Burton's career." - Read the full review.
The strong BFI reviews mean that Frankenweenie now sits at a very respectable 87% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes - with a top critic rating of 92% - and consensus reading:
"Frankenweenie is an energetic stop-motion horror movie spoof with lovingly crafted visuals and a heartfelt, oddball story."
And if that didn't whet your appetite enough, check out this great little TV spot for the film, which is open now in the US and on 17th here in the UK.

Apply to Monsters University Now! No, Really.

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Damn Pixar, you know how to market a film.

Pixar have gone viral with the marketing of their next feature film, the prequel to 2001's Monsters, Inc., Monsters University. The studio have launched a super clever, super cool and - oddly - super believable website for Monsters University - the place, not the film. It has an admissions page, a list of clubs, professors (that presumably will feature in the film), a map (below), a student portal and even a functioning MU store! Pixar have really gone the whole hog on this one!

Check out more awesomeness after the jump break!



Check out the history of the University that the website provides:

"Established in 1313 following a land grant from the city of Monstropolis, Monsters University has grown from a small local center of learning to a leading global institution of higher education. Upon this hallowed ground, some of the most fabled academic buildings in the world have been built, serving the hundreds of thousands of alumni that have walked the halls and grounds of MU."
This is almost too much awesome to handle, and has just increased my interest in the film from super-excited to frenzied. Excitingly too, we also get some images, characters and locales (presumably) from the film! Check them out below.


Check out the website (repeatedly) here, and gear up for the next year of Pixar hype season. Man, I love those guys.
Monsters University is directed by Dan Scanlon, produced by Kori Rae, stars the returning voice talent of Billy Crystal, John Goodman and Steve Buscemi, alongside new additions Dave Foley and Peter Sohn, and is due for release on 21st June 2013 in the US, and 12th July, 2013 in the UK - by which point MU will be 700 years old! Go MU! Go MU!

Blue Sky Bringing Us a Peanuts Film in 2015!

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Exciting news from Blue Sky Studios today. The studio who most recently brought us Ice Age 4: Continental Drift have just announced that they'll be bringing us a feature adaptation of Peanuts in November 2015!

The beloved creations of Charles Schulz, including Charlie Brown and Snoopy, were announced to be part of Blue Sky's line-up on Twitter today. The official press release (on Blue Sky's cool new website!) says that the "agreement is the culmination of over two years of discussions – focused on the film’s creative direction – between the Studio and members of the Schulz family."

Exciting news to say the least, and following the brilliant looking Epic next year (24th May), and the foreseeable Rio 2 in 2014 (11th April), the as of yet untitled Peanuts film will make a fine addition to Blue Sky's line-up - now that they're in friendly competition with fellow Fox-distributed animation juggernaut, DreamWorks. Although it does pose the question: will this be a CG film? Because Blue Sky have, up until now, only made CG animated features, but Peanuts would definitely look a bit weird not hand-drawn.

Fox will currently release the Peanuts film, directed by Steve Martino (Horton Hears a Who!, Ice Age 4) on 25th November, 2015 - to coincide with the 65th anniversary of the debut of the Peanuts comic strip, and the 50th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Wreck-It Ralph Clip and Viral Ads

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Disney's stellar advertising for their 52nd animated feature film continues inexorably towards its 2nd November US release date. Today, Yahoo! Movies bring us our first extended clip from Wreck-It Ralph, showing us a scene we've seen in previous trailers: Ralph's first meeting with Vanellope von Schweetz.

Yeah, she is kinda irritating... but the last few trailers and TV spots have showed a touching brother-sister dynamic between her and Ralph, so I'll happily wait until the film to judge.



Like Pixar did yesterday, Disney have also gone viral with their advertising, releasing retro-feel ads for Litwak's Arcade - the Arcade which houses the world of Wreck-It Ralph - check them out above and below.


I'm really getting a Toy Story vibe from Wreck-It Ralph - and that's definitely not a bad thing! Particularly with these viral ads, oddly reminiscent of Pizza Planet in Toy Story

Via Big Screen Animation and Buzz Feed.

Watch: Partysaurus Rex

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It recently showed before Finding Nemo 3D in the States (which is still to come for us UK Pixar fans), it has also premiered on Disney Channel and been released digitally on iTunes, and now Pixar's third Toy Story Toon, Partysaurus Rex, is available to watch online!



The HD Disney stream of the short is as of now only available in the US, but there's always a way to beat the system. Daily Motion user Dr. Malo has uploaded the wonderful short in glorious low-definition, check it out above!

Also be sure to check out our review of Partysaurus Rex and our interview with the short's wonderful director, Mark Walsh.

Billy Crystal on Monsters U: Voicing Mike Again and the Ending

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Billy Crystal has always been vocal in his love of Monsters, Inc., specifically his own character in the film, Mike Wazoswki. And in a recent interview with THR, the When Harry Met Sally... star gushed about being back in Monstropolis for the prequel, Monsters University.

"He’s my favorite character I’ve ever played" the co-vocal lead says of Mike, while also singing the praises of co-star, John Goodman, and the chemistry the two have created on-screen, saying:

"We do it together and he’s a genius. That’s why I think there’s a lot of affection between Mike and Sulley on the screen -- the relationship between the two of us is so real. We really love working with each other."
Crystal (pictured, top, with Monsters U director, Dan Scanlon) also speaks about the film's ending so avert your eyes now if you want to avoid spoilers - that said, it's pretty tame given that it's a prequel:
"The movie ends with us walking into Monsters, Inc. and working in the mail room."
Monsters University looks every bit as great as the original, and the anticipation only grows and grows with every detail we're drip-fed. The film will be released almost 12 years after the original, on 21st June, 2013 (US) and 12th July, 2013 (UK).
Related news: Apply to Monsters University Now! No, Really. and Monsters University Plot Details Emerge
Via The Pixar Post.

Spy Shots: Swanky Rolls Royce Ghost Coupe Visits the 'Ring for Some High Speed Laps

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The Nürburgring track is one of the last places you would expect to see a Rolls Royce, but if the rumors turn out to be true, the new Ghost-based Coupe may feel at home even here.

You see, the new two-door model, the name of which remains a mystery for now, is said to be the sportiest, fastest and best handling model ever to wear the "Spirit of Ecstasy" ornament on its hood.

While utilizing the platform and mechanical hardware of the Ghost sedan, itself related to the BMW 7-Series, the new Coupe will benefit from a shorter chassis with several upgrades including sportier suspension, brake and steering systems as well as a tuned version of the saloon's 6.6-liter twin turbo V12 engine believed to produce 600-horses or more.

The shortening of the platform together with a series of other measures should also reduce the Coupe's weight over its saloon counterpart that tips the scales at a hefty 2,360 kg / 5,203 lbs.

The styling of the Coupe is not yet clear from these photos due to the extensive use of swirly wraps, but it is evident that the car sports a low and sleekly shaped roofline, most likely front suicide-style doors (two of the three door handles on the prototype are surely fake…), and a similar face to the Ghost sedan.

The new Rolls Royce model should debut next year, possibly as early as the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, either in pre- or final-production form.

Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoop

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