Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 smashes records with $400 million sold

Activision Publishing has announced that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has become the biggest entertainment launch ever.

Strictly speaking, in literal terms, the biggest entertainment launch ever was when Rik Waller was first introduced to the Pop Idol crowd in 2001, but we think they mean in terms of sales.

And that's thanks to the astronomical 6.5 million copies shifted in the UK and the US on launch day. $400 million in revenue in just 24 hours - that's some seriously big bucks right there.

The record beats Call of Duty's previous ones. Last year's Call of Duty: Black Ops recorded an estimated day-one sell through of $360 million, beating 2009's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which set what was then a record with sales of over $310 million.

"We believe the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the biggest entertainment launch of all time in any medium, and we achieved this record with sales from only two territories," said Bobby Kotick, CEO, Activision Blizzard, Inc.

"Other than Call of Duty, there has never been another entertainment franchise that has set opening day records three years in a row. Life-to-date sales for the Call of Duty franchise exceed worldwide theatrical box office for Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, two of the most successful entertainment franchises of all time."

Mercedes-Benz Teases New 2012 ML 63 AMG on Facebook

We already knew of Mercedes-Benz's plans to introduce the all-new 2012 ML 63 AMG at next week's Los Angeles Auto Show, but the German brand put up a banner on its Facebook page to further spread out the word.

The cropped image of the AMG version reveals part of the SUV's modified front end that gains a newly designed bumper with larger air vents and a lip spoiler.

The hottest ML will get AMG's new 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine with the same output numbers as in other models.

For example, tn the 2012 CLS 63 AMG sports saloon, the force-fed eight-cylinder unit produces 525HP and 516 lb-ft / 700Nm in normal guise, and 557HP and 590 lb-ft / 800Nm with the optional AMG Performance package.

We expect Mercedes-Benz to fully reveal the new ML 63 AMG within the next few days so stay tuned for more.

Ferrari FF Neiman Marcus Edition Sells Out in Record Time

Less than a month ago, we showed you the Ferrari FF Neiman Marcus Edition, which was this Christmas’ “Fantasy Gift” in the famous catalog, commanding a hefty US$95,000 premium over the stock car’s US$300,000 MSRP.

The close to $400k-price tag got you a unique "Grigio Gallo" paint, semi-aniline leather, a matching luggage set and a numbered interior plaque, plus participation in Ferraris Aspen, Colorado Driving Experience.

You may think that it's a lot to pay for a gray paint, leather luggage, unique trim and a plaque. If you agree, then you probably do not breathe the same rarefied air as the absurdly rich – in fact, considering the current economic situation, you probably think it a huge waste of money.

Yet, while mere mortals try to ride out the waves of the crisis, the 10 FFs offered by Neiman Marcus were sold out in just 50 minutes…

Daihatsu FC Sho Case Fuel Cell Concept

Daihatsu's Tokyo Motor Show lineup of tiny concept models is growing with the addition of the FC Sho Case study seen in these pictures.

The Japanese company says it's an extremely compact and eco-friendly proposal that employs a next-generation unit equipped with liquid fuel cells that contain no precious metals.

The FC Sho Case is built on a new platform with the fuel stack placed underneath the passenger and cargo area to save space.

The…shoe-box-shaped study measures 3,395mm long, 1,475mm wide and 1,900mm high, with a 2,450mm wheelbase, which makes it 151mm shorter but also 415mm taller than a Fiat 500.

Even though it doesn't make much sense unless the vehicle can be controlled remotely or if you plan to use it as a...storage area, Daihatsu says that free space can created with the stowage of the steering wheel and seats.

Mitsubishi ASX Black Special Edition

Porsche has one. Mercedes-Benz has one. Even Mazda and GM Australia's Holden have one. And now Mitsubishi gets its own Black edition model as well – at least for the UK market.

The ASX Black Edition is Mitsubishi's newest offering in Britain, with the crossover being available for order now.

The black designation in the special edition ASX's name is justified on the outside by the satin black styling kit which includes black 17-inch alloy wheels, roof, spoiler, mirrors, grille and fog lamp bezels, and on the inside, by a black leather kit featuring carbon fibre inserts.

Standard equipment features include a Kenwood satellite navigation system, a parking camera, Auto Stop & Go and low rolling resistance tyres.

The Black Edition of the ASX is available in 6 exterior colors including, Kingfisher Blue (metallic), Polar White (solid), Cool Silver (metallic), Amethyst Black (pearlescent), Atlantic Grey (metallic) and Orient Red (metallic).

Buyers can choose between two engines, a 1.6-liter gasoline unit with 115bhp linked to a 5sp manual gearbox, or a 1.8-liter turbodiesel with 147bhp matched to a 6-speed manual transmission, and either FWD or AWD.

Mitsubishi said that the ASX Black will carry a £1,000 premium above the current ASX4 pricing.

Pricing including VAT but excluding metallic paint (£450 including VAT), road fund licence and first registration fee:

• ASX 4 1.6 2wd Manual £21,099 List Price
• ASX 4 1.8 DI-D 2WD Manual £23,299 List Price
• ASX 4 1.8 DI-D 4WD Manual £25,399 List Price

Ferrari into a Patrol Car after No One Wants to Buy it

The Colombian police authorities were recently confronted with this problem: what could they do with a low-mileage Ferrari 348 that was seized from a local drug lord and that no one wanted to buy?

Well, after some deep thought, they came up with a rather simple solution: turn the classic Ferrari into a patrol car painted in the Colombian national police's green and white colors, and tour the country before placing it permanently in a police museum.

The 1991 Ferrari model has only clocked around 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) and has been valued at US$250,000 by Colombian authorities.

The classic sports car was seized back in 2007 from Hernando Gomez Bustamante, also known as “Rasguno” or “Scratchy”, who is currently serving time in prison in the States for drug trafficking, money laundering and other crimes.

Up until recently, the vehicle was in the possession of Colombia's National Drug Office, or DNE, which was supposed to take care of seized assets from the illegal narcotics trade. But some 20 years after it was established, the government decided to shut down the division in September as…far too many drug assets were mysteriously disappearing, according to officials.

Authorities then went on to put the car for sale, but buyers stayed away, most likely due to fears of potential repercussions from drug traffickers related to Bustamante.

You can see more photos of the Ferrari 348 in Colombian Police colors over at Elcolombiano.

Fifth Gear Pits Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe VS Audi RS5

The most powerful versions of premium coupes like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Audi A5 are something like the Swiss Army knives of the automotive world. They can do just about anything aside from going off-road.

These cars can be used every day, making a home to office or school commute as comfortably as their more humble siblings, while they can also seat four or five people and have a decent boot, quality interiors, generous equipment, good looks and a prestigious badge.

But more importantly, when you feel like it, they can make you scream from joy on a twisty road or track or if you find a suitable road to max them out, and perhaps even challenge some supercar drivers along the way.

Fifth Gear has taken two of the latest entries in this class, the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe and the Audi RS5, and did what any car nut in his right mind would do without risking losing his driving license: take them to a racetrack and find out which one is fastest.

So, is it the rear-wheel drive 457HP Merc or the all-wheel drive 450HP Audi? Watch the video below to find out Tiff’s verdict.