Not everything in the automotive industry is newsworthy, but that doesn’t mean that nothing cool is happening. We feel like TGIF is the perfect time to share with you some really awesome stuff that happened during the week. So take a few minutes, kick back and enjoy. You deserve this.

Tiny trucks and tug-of-war: the winner gets a lollipop

What to do with some spare time, a camera and two small trucks? That definitely yells Youtube-destined tug-of-war to me! It’s kind of cute to watch. Japan has a way to do kawaii that us, brute North Americans, won’t ever manage to equal. They do cute stuff even when they’re not trying. The they can also do pretty weird things, but that’s in another chapter. Here’s your daily dose of “d’awww… look at its tiny wheels!”

8-bit GLA

Growing up, the Super Nintendo with the combo Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt cartridge was the very first video game we got to play in the house. And my dad was probably the one who enjoyed it most. But times have changed and Mario got fed up with running everywhere. So he decided to get a set of wheels and opted for a Mercedes-Benz GLA. I mean, it does have some room to store a few mushrooms and to comfortably sit Princess Peach. That is, once he figures out in which castle she is.

Jetman versus the XJ

In the realm of planes versus cars, this is one IFO (Identified Flying Object) that we had yet to see challenge an earth-bound vehicle. Swiss military-trained pilot Yves Rossy made a dream many of us have come true — that is, those who don’t suffer from vertigo. With the help of a jet wing pack, Rossy has taken to the sky. After Porsche versus a jetplane, this time it will be Jaguar versus Jetman. Who will win this epic race? Well I’m not telling you, you’ll want to watch the video to know. I only have one question for Yves: why not Rocketman?

Your fast Exige made even faster

On Thursday, Lotus announced the fastest, lightest version yet of the Exige, dubbed the Sport 350. Lotus is all about lightness, and while this latest Exige variant uses the same supercharged, 345 hp V6 as the rest of the range, Lotus was able to shave 0.1 second off the car’s zero-to-100 km/h sprint by cutting out 51 kg of (apparently excess) weight, allowing it to achieve that feat in 3.9 seconds. A louvered engine cover and redesigned heater pipe system each save three kilos, while a cool exposed gearshift linkage is 1.5 kg lighter, all things contributing to a 1,125 kg curb weight. Lotus says the result is a more performance-focused driving experience further enhanced by a revised suspension. Anyway, enough tech-talk: check out Lotus’ video of the car being flung around the English countryside on the way to a track session. It’s green and fast and shiny.

What else should be in there? This is teamwork, share your favs from the week in the forum thread!

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