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One of the few problems with being the purveyors of a highly desired commodity is that people will do anything to get their hands on it, sometimes before you're willing to give it to them. Such is the case with Nissan and people importing GT-R's into Australia through the "grey-market."

A supposedly leaked memo from Nissan Australia to dealers Down Under requests that they keep an eye out for grey-market GT-Rs and to send in a tip to Nissan HQ reporting the "potential damage" and "stolen customers" that the vehicles are apparently causing. While we understand that Nissan is trying to protect sales, the fact remains that if the GT-R was obtained through legal means, there's not much they can do about it. And we highly doubt that many of Nissan's potential customers are going to go through the hassle of importing a GT-R when sales are expected to being in the early part of 2009.

As some of you might have already heard by now. The Hyundai Genesis Coupe has been unceremoniously de-cloaked courtesy of MyRide.com and the New Tiburon forums and is now making the rounds online. The consumer-grade version of the concept shown last year in Los Angeles simply looks fantastic, and with both turbo-four and V6 power on tap, it's ready to make some noise. Unfortunately, we can't tell you the specifics just yet (but rest assured, there's plenty to tell -- and it is good).

Barring any additional unforeseen surprises, we'll have the complete story for you when the car makes its debut this week in New York. But since the cat is out of the bag regarding this particular sampling of fourteen official photos, here they are for your enjoyment. Just hit up the high-res gallery below.

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This may come as a bit of a surprise to anyone who's been following the agonizing bit-by-bit release of a number of concept cars in advance of the Geneva Motor Show, but one Italian design studio has chosen to forgo the teasing and release all the details of its show car all at once. In fact, we hadn't heard anything about Zagato's coachbuilt Bentley since the initial report from last December, but the famed Milanese carrozzeria has revealed that it will be unveiling the car at the show now only days away.



Called the Bentley Continental GTZ, following the familiar nomenclature last seen on the 2006 Ferrari 575 GTZ, Zagato's interpretation on the stately grand tourer manages to be instantly recognizable as both a Bentley and a Zagato design. Based on the effortlessly fast Continental GT Speed, the latest Zagato retains, to the best of our knowledge at this point, the donor car's considerable mechanics, over which the Zagato Atelier has fitted unique two-tone coachwork in classic British racing green with Zagato's signature subtle double-bubble contrasting roof in medium silver. Other typically Zagato touches include the sharply-creased fenders, elegant tail and curvy rear window. We have a feeling this is going to be one of those cars that looks even better in person than it does in images, which you can see for yourself in the gallery below, and we're looking forward to getting up close and personal with this custom Anglo-Italian creation on the show floor.

Source: autoblog.com

Have teenagers gone nuts? The Federal Highway Administration is reporting that the percentage of teenagers with driver's licenses is going down. Yeah, decreasing! What is up with that?

When I was growing up, my teenage years focused on just one objective... driving. All I wanted was to get my driver's license. That little card with your picture on it was the golden ticket. You could borrow your parent's car, fill the tank (and grab a candy bar) for $20, and nobody could reach you until you returned. We didn't have cell phones, text messaging or GPS tracking. A driver's license represented freedom.

So, what happened? Experts aren't blaming unmotivated teenagers. Instead, they point the finger at the environment in which we are raising our kids. In today's world, parents are much more likely to chauffeur their teenagers from place to place. Tighter state laws govern when kids can drive, and in many cases legislation has pushed the driving age limit higher. Fewer high schools are offering driver's education classes, forcing parents to pay for more expensive private instruction, and steeper rates are making insurance cost-prohibitive for the high-risk teen-age category. Top it all off with gasoline at more than three-dollars per gallon, and maybe a driver's license just doesn't represent what it used to.

Source: autoblog.com