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Watch the sad, final moments of a crusher-bound heap

Automotive wrecking yards are good places to reflect on the real-world values of heavily depreciated vehicles versus global current scrap-metal prices, and to see which cars have suddenly had the fix-it-versus-total-it line moved by insurance companies (the early-21st-century Subaru Legacy Outback, for example, appeared in large numbers in high-turnover wrecking yards just during the last year, as fairly minor collision damage on these cars is no longer worth fixing). You'll see the things that a car's last owner does in a desperate attempt to sell (or at least live with) an increasingly decrepit heap (as we learned in "Repo Man," you really will find a Little Tree in every car). During a recent trip to a San Jose, Calif., yard, I encountered this sad yet strangely compelling scene.

New Images: Subaru Hybrid Tourer

Subaru has released additional images of its Hybrid Tourer concept, which the company will reveal at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show next week. The environmentally friendly design study is claimed to be a grand touring car with enhanced performance and safety attributes. Click on the link below to see our previous news story, and be sure to check out our forthcoming highlight articles on this and all the other concept cars being unveiled at the show.

Mercworld's first birthday

By Motor Industry 03 December 2007 09:36 Mercedes-Benz World will be celebrating its first birthday this weekend, and you’re invited.  Although officially the anniversary was last week, it’ll be this Saturday and Sunday (3-4 November) that the festivities take place. Stirling Moss will be going down to Surrey to collect the keys to his new Smart and sign autographs, they’ll be a free prize draw to win passenger rides in the SLR or with the Silver Arrows display team, and Mercedes’ AMG and off-road courses will be available for a birthday price of £15.