'Jackass' star Ryan Dunn dies in high-speed car crash

A co-star of the "Jackass" movie franchise was killed on Monday when a Porsche he was driving careered off a highway in Pennsylvania and burst into flames.

Ryan Dunn was driving his 2007 Porsche, which police found "fully engulfed in flames" in a wooded area in outer Philadelphia, police in the West Goshen Township said.

An unidentified passenger also died in the crash.

The daredevil personality, 34, part of the crew in the hugely successful "Jackass" movie franchise that specialised in risky pranks and stomach-churning stunts, lived in nearby West Chester, Pennsylvania.

In the hit MTV show and films, Mr Dunn performed a variety of stunts alongside co-stars Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera and Steve-O.

Knoxville wrote on Twitter: "Today I lost my brother Ryan Dunn. My heart goes out to his family and his beloved Angie."

A police statement said a "preliminary investigation revealed that speed may have been a contributing factor to the accident."

Ohio-born Mr Dunn posted a photo to his Twitter account shortly before the crash which seemed to show him drinking with friends.

On his Twitter account he described himself as a "TV personality, movie star, automotive enthusiast."
In 2005, Dunn was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and entered a first offender's program that allowed him to clear his record after a certain period of good behaviour, said Patrick Carmody, Assistant District Attorney in Chester County.

Besides the Jackass movie franchise that has grossed more than $330 million worldwide, Mr Dunn also starred in "Haggard: The Movie," an indie comedy in which the tattooed, bearded, daredevil played himself.

We don't touch luxury cars, say traffic cops

The theft of Audi Q7 car in February has now put the surveillance of state highways under a cloud. The accused, Anupsinh Padhiyar, drove around extensively between Gandhinagar and north Gujarat in his dream car, but neither the state highway police nor any other police agency thought it fit to question the man driving the Rs 80-lakh car with only 'Applied For Registration' written on the number plate.

City crime branch officials tracked down Padhiyar and recovered the car on Thursday. Investigating officials suspect that Padhiyar was trying to contact prospective buyers for the car. That a stolen car, without a registration number could ply in the state without raising an eye-brow has caught the state police red-faced, especially since Gujarat is high on various terrorist organizations' hit list.

The problem is more deep-rooted than just an oversight. Padhiyar's free run in his stolen car is not a surprise to cops. The state police officials say they usually refrain from stopping high-end, luxury cars for security checks at any check posts.

"More often than not, riders of such cars are well-connected and get away after a phone call to senior officials or some influential person. In some cases, constables have been transferred just for stopping such a vehicle," said a city traffic branch constable. Senior police officials also admitted that everyday they receive at least two to three calls requesting their intervention at traffic signals.

V D Vanaar, deputy superintendent of police, state traffic branch, said, "If the car had a number, it would surely have been caught. However, without a registration number, it is difficult to keep a tab on such cars."

As per Padhiyar's statement, he had told his relatives and friends that the car was second-hand. Even then the car did not have any registration number.

The stickers at back and front of the car read 'APPLIDE FOR REGISTRAION' in black. As a routine procedure, the stickers are red and accompanied by provisional registration number for the car. Padhiyar had got such stickers printed specially to pass the stolen car off as a newly purchased vehicle.

Toyota launches new variants of Corolla Altis Sedan

Japanese automobile major Toyota's Indian subsidiary on Thursday launched two new variants of its luxury sedan Corolla Altis which are powered by petrol and diesel engines.

"The new Corolla Altis is aimed at providing newness to the product and offers the latest in technology and design," said Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director, marketing, Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

The new variant of the company's best selling sedan are priced in the range of Rs.1,053,300 and Rs.1,477,400 for petrol variant and Rs.1,146,500 and Rs.1,455,000 for the diesel model (ex-showroom Delhi).

According to the company, the petrol variant of the sedan was upgraded with more powerful engine coupled with a choice of new seven-speed sequential 'shiftmatic' (automatic) transmission or a six-speed manual transmission system.

"The petrol variant will come with an all powerful engine -- 2ZR Dual VVT-i engine 1,798 CC, producing an increased output of 140 PS at the rate of 6,400 rpm and an improved torque of 173 Nm at the rate of 4,000 rpm," the company said in a statement.

The company said that apart from mechanical improvements in the new variants, other luxury interior components have also been added like perforated leather seats, remote boot opener, DVD touchscreen audio with Bluetooth.

The company has sold 70,000 units of the car since its launch in 2003.
The car maker also plans to launch its entry-level hatchback car Etios Liva June 27.
"We will launch the car (Liva) by June 27 in New Delhi," said a company official.

Maruti settles 13-day strike at Manesar plant; stock rises

Maruti Suzuki late on Thursday night settled the 13-day-old strike at its Manesar plant. The plant will start production from Saturday.

According to the agreement, Maruti has agreed to reinstate all 11 sacked employees. The striking staff will lose salary only for a few days and not for the entire duration of the strike. The carmaker has not taken a decision on recognising the new workers union. Production loss at the carmaker so far is estimated to be over . 600 crore, with over 13,200 units less produced.

At 9:25 am, shares of Maruti Suzuki India were trading 2.45% up at Rs 1218.60 on the Bombay Stock Exchange. It touced a high of Rs 1233.35 and a low of Rs 1215.30 in trade so far.
Earlier, All India Trade Union Congress general secretary and CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said "There will be no reference to the management's decision of not allowing trade union activities at the plant," Dasgupta said. AITUC Gurgaon district president Suresh Gaur said other employee unions in the industrial belt will continue their protest.

They will work empty stomach on Friday and hold a two-hour tool-down strike on June 20. About 2,000 workers at the country's largest carmaker began the strike on June 4 demanding the recognition of a new union - Maruti Suzuki Employees Union . The Haryana state government also helped in settling the issue. The strike paralyzed production for Maruti's high selling models - Swift, DZire, Sx4 and A-Star - and extended their waiting period beyond six months.

back to the future!

they are going to start making DeLoreans again! great scott! (click above photo for article)