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Police arrest 'Fastest Lap Around Manhattan' driver [w/video]

Don't speed. Don't drive recklessly. Don't try to break the unofficial record for a lap of Manhattan. And if you go against this reasonable advice, do not, under any circumstances, record it and post the video on YouTube. If you do, you'll end up like Christopher Adam Tang - under arrest and facing a bevy of charges relating to the video.
Tang posted the video, which showed him lapping Manhattan in 24 minutes last Wednesday, and it quickly went viral. Now Tang, who went by the online moniker AfroDuck, is in cuffs. According to a local CBS affiliate, he was picked up at his home on Wednesday evening by police, who also seized the car used in the video, a 2006 BMW Z4.
What isn't clear is how Tang was caught. His video seems carefully done in that there are no outwardly visible signs that point to him, while the video itself is clearly sped up. While the NYPD hasn't come out and said that Tang was caught due to its extensive surveillance systems around the city, police commissioner Ray Kelly did point out that the new systems "will assist in this type of investigation." Let that serve as a warning to anyone that tries to break the 24-minute barrier. Scroll down to watch the full video.

Audi and Mercedes both outsell BMW in January

There won't be any celebrations in Munich this month, as BMW was outsold by arch-nemeses Audi and Mercedes-Benz. The Bavarian company finished behind Audi in January, which took the top spot for the first time since June of last year, Bloomberg reports. Ingolstadt rode high on a 10-percent bump in sales, while Mercedes saw a larger 14 percent increase. BMW, meanwhile, only saw a modest 6.3-percent sales increase last month, thanks in large part to its struggles in China. The company's sales there increased at about half the rate of its chief competitors, with a 7.9-percent jump to Mercedes and Audi's roughly 15-percent increases. Perhaps more worrying for BMW, though, is that this could become something of a trend for the company. According to Bloomberg, issues with Chinese dealers who cancelled orders over sales targets and bonuses combined with what the publication calls aging models, could spell bad news for the German marque. "This looks like a pretty significant decline in growth compared to Mercedes and Audi," Bankhaus Metzler analyst Juergen Pieper told Bloomberg. "I think this will continue during the next few months." News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Matthias Schrader / AP Earnings/Financials Audi BMW Mercedes-Benz

Recharge Wrap-up: BMW i8 markups declining, Nissan offering discounted Leaf lease buyouts

Zipcar has published the results of an independent study on "Urban Boomers." KRC Research surveyed city-dwelling, healthy adults aged 50 to 69, and found that they are fond of technology and are more active – but drive less – after moving to the city. Many still feel car ownership is important, and often don't get rid of a car they already own, but they find alternative forms of transportation important, too. Even though it is often thought of as a bigger draw for millenials, Zipcar feels that these findings indicate that Urban Boomers are an important demographic for carsharing companies. See the results of the study in the slideshow from Zipcar. Nissan is offering lease buyout credits of up to $5,000 for its Leaf EV. Depending on the region, 2012 and 2013 models get a Leaf Gross Payoff discount of up to $5,000, with 2011 models garnering up to $1,500 off. Some dealers may also offer an additional $1,500 discount. It's possible that Nissan wants to encourage lessees to purchase their Leafs after residual values of the car dropped by about six percent in May. Some potential long-term owners could also be concerned over battery life, or be tempted by the updated Leaf slated for the 2017 model year. Read more at Green Car Reports. Dealership markups for the BMW i8 are dwindling. Actual costs of the attractive plug-in hybrid are nearing sticker prices after high demand and short supply led many dealers to exact a higher price for the car. BMW recently announced it would double production of the i8 to help meet demand, which could be behind the declining markups. The i8 has a base MSRP of $136,500, plus $950 in destination fees. Read more at Green Car Reports. Featured Gallery 2015 BMW i8 in Petoskey, MI Related Gallery 2013 Nissan Leaf: First Drive View 15 Photos News Source: Slideshare, Green Car Reports, Green Car Reports via ZipcarImage Credit: Copyright 2015 AOL Green BMW Nissan Green Automakers Transportation Alternatives Ownership Electric recharge wrapup