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Watch a Lamborghini get torn apart by the Taiwanese government

We've all heard tales of the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R that somehow made it to American roads with questionable registration, only to be confiscated and crushed by officials for being illegally imported. The United States isn't alone in strictly punishing regulation-skirting importers. Just ask the Taiwanese owner of this matte-black Lamborghini Murcielago, or what remains of this Murcielago after it was mauled by a industrial-strength claw. The description on the video gives no clues as to what specific import infraction this Murcielago violated. What's clear is that the government wanted to make an example of its owner, so rather than simply confiscating and crushing the car, they set up shop in the middle of a street, gathered a crowd, and set about tearing the car to bits. The video shows every bit of the destruction, which is at once both rushed and meticulous. The non-stop onslaught reaches every panel, leaving an open, matte-black and Italian tricolore husk. Hopefully the point was made and we won't have to watch anymore beautiful and innocent cars suffer the same fate. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Performance cars old and new are headed to auction at Las Vegas Grand Prix

Auction house RM Sotheby's is hosting a sale ahead of the 2023 Las Vegas Formula One Grand Prix, and most of the lots that will cross the block were designed with performance in mind. Whether you want a supercar or a Formula One car, there's a chance you'll find it in Sin City. One of the highlights from the sale in terms of rarity and price is the Mercedes-AMG Petronas W04 that Lewis Hamilton drove in the 2013 F1 season. Assigned chassis number F1W04-04, it's the team's last car powered by a naturally-aspirated V8 engine, and you're on the wrong track if you're thinking of the 4.0-liter unit that powers AMG's road cars. The engine in question is a 2.4-liter unit that develops 750 horsepower and is capable of revving to a screaming 18,000 rpm. The KERS system injects 80 additional horses into the driveline. Hamilton drove F1W04-04 in 14 of the 2013 season's 19 races, and he won that year's Hungarian Grand Prix in the car. RM Sotheby's notes that F1W04-04 is "the sole example to be sold outside of the Mercedes-Benz organization," which explains why it expects the car will sell for anywhere between $10 million and $15 million excluding the buyer's fee and a 2.5% import duty that applies to American residents. That's a lot of money, but modern Formula One cars rarely come up for sale. Several other cars are expected to sell above the $1 million mark, including a 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR ($8 million to $9 million), a 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort ($1,650,000 to $1,850,000), and a 1996 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport ($2,500,000 to $3,250,000). The 1990 Ferrari F40 GT (one of 21 units built) could bring up to $4 million. You can take home a rare, high-end classic even if you cap your budget at $1 million. How about a 1984 Lamborghini Countach 5000 S that was delivered new to Ralph Lauren and that has been in the hands of its second owner since 1986? RM expects the coupe will sell for up to $900,000. The auction house is also giving enthusiasts two distinctly different ways to spend a six-digit sum on a 30-something-year-old Mercedes-Benz. There's a 1990 190E 2.5-16 Evolution with about 3,400 original miles that could fetch up to $700,000. That's a lot to pay for a W201, but this isn't a run-of-the-mill Baby Benz: It's one of 502 examples built for homologation purposes. Alternatively, the 1989 560SEC AMG 6.0 Wide-Body could sell for up to $900,000. It's one of the most emblematic cars designed by AMG before it joined Mercedes-Benz.

Lamborghini owner parks Countach near London Tower Bridge, everyone freaks

With its razor-sharp wedge shape, high performance and minuscule ride height, the Lamborghini Countach has always been a supercar made to be gawked at and grab attention. Even the model's name supposedly comes from an Italian exclamation. But not all recognition is positive, as is the case with this Lamborghini illegally parked within sight of London's famed Tower Bridge.
According to The Telegraph, this white Countach was reportedly abandoned after running out of fuel, blocking a lane in the process. In that time, someone apparently attempted to scratch off part of its no-parking sticker. In the end, the supercar was hooked up and lifted onto a flatbed truck to be towed away, drawing a sizable crowd in the process. Those interviewed seemed pretty upset and mystified that someone would illegally park the car there.
According to The Telegraph, the owner was traced via license plate, whereupon it was discovered there was a warrant out for his arrest on harassment charges. He was subsequently arrested in London and later released on bail. Sadly, there's no word yet on whether the classic Lamborghini was released with its owner or if its angular self is sitting in an impound lockup somewhere.