VIDEO: Top Gear China 15-Minute Pilot Episode Hits the Web, Includes Cadillac vs…Donkey Comparo

We’ve already told you about Top Gear’s plans to export the franchise to China, but today we stumbled upon what is claimed to be the first 15-minute long pilot episode of the TV series. China’s version of the famous car show keeps the familiar format with three male hosts and includes an oddball test where a Cadillac STS is compared to a donkey to see which is better suited to millstone work. If you follow the jump, you can watch the full video while we’ve also added a second clip that contains some English subtitles, though there’s no way of being sure about its accuracy.

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VIDEO: Hennessey’s Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon vs Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911 Turbo

American tuning firm Hennessey has crafted some pretty insane vehicles over the years. One of its most recent tunes is based on the Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon, which leaves GM’s factory with a 556-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 lump, but once Hennessey’s engineers perform their magic under the hood, output is lifted to 650 horsepower.

To show off the tuned CTS-V Sport Wagon’s potential, the Texas-based company brought the Cadillac to the track and drag raced it first against a stock 480HP Porsche 911 Turbo [997] and then a standard 485HP 2011 Nissan GT-R. Watch what happened in the video after the jump.

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Lingenfelter Raises the Bar with 700HP+ Tuning Package for Cadillac CTS-V Models

If there's one company that knows a thing or two about tuning GM's products, it's Lingenfelter. The Indiana-based tuning firm has just announced its latest package for the Cadillac CTS-V series, which covers the sedan, station wagon and coupe models. In stock form, the CTS-V's 6.2-liter supercharged V8 churns out 556HP and 551 lb.-ft of torque.

Lingenfelter's engine tune includes a variety of mods such as ported LSA cylinder heads and the addition of LPE's GT9 ZR1 supercharger camshaft, which help push the V8's output to more than 700-horses at the crankshaft. The long-time GM tuner also tried out a CTS-V Coupe with a manual transmission on the dyno, with the test yielding 623HP and 617 lf-ft at the rear wheels. Follow the jumps for a video and detailed info on the tuning package.

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Meet Louie Mattar and his Fabulous, Record-Setting 1947 Cadillac [with Video]

Some of you may have noticed a special, one-off car among the beauties showcased in our San Diego Automotive Museum gallery piece. It's Louie Mattar's $75,000 1947 custom Cadillac. In 1952, Mattar and two other men drove this one-of-a-kind Caddy from San Diego to New York and back, without a single stop. Their trip totaled 6,320 miles!

To be able to do this, Mr. Mattar worked 5 years on modifying his 1947 Cadillac, which, by the time it was completed, turned into quite a unique car. For examples, the Caddy automatically refills the radiator and changes the oil. Having drilled axles, the wheels could be inflated while turning and, also, hydraulic jacks could raise the car to allow the wheels to be changed while moving.

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In Making the latest Cadillac Escalade More High-Tech, GM Actually Made it Easier to Steal...

According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, the Cadillac Escalade is numero uno when it comes to stolen car claims here in the US. The group says that for the first three years of the third-generation Escalade's production (2007-2009) there have been an average of 10.8 claims - from stealing the rims up to the entire car - for every 1000 insured Escalades. That's approximately five times more claims than the average car.

This surge in Escalade theft isn't just because Cadillac's big SUV is many celebrities' vehicle of choice, however. After 2006, the SUV was actually made easier to steal than most cars because GM did away with the simple yet effective steering wheel lock. Instead, it was replaced by some electronic nannies that were supposed to be "better". Don't worry, the lock's back for 2010, so all you up and coming pimps will have harder-to-jack rides. Watch the report in the video below.

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