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Ford 1.0L takes third-straight International Engine of the Year award

Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost is proving to be The Little Engine That Could, and it continues to acquit itself well, finding favor as one of the best powerplants in the world. To confirm it yet again, the tiny mill just won the International Engine of the Year award for the third year in a row, likewise also nabbing the title in the Sub 1.0-liter category.
Packing 123 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque with overboost (125 lb-ft normally), the tiny engine combines impressive power in a size small enough to be a carry-on item for a commercial flight. US buyers only got a taste of the award winner in the 2014 Fiesta, while the 1.0 EcoBoost has been available throughout the Ford lineup in Europe for a few years now. American sales have reportedly been strong, however, and next up in the US, the mill will find its way into the 2015 Focus.
The panel of 82 jury members from 34 countries also named the Mercedes-AMG 2.0-liter turbo found in the A45, CLA45 and GLA45 AMG models with 355 hp and 332 lb-ft as the best New Engine for 2014. The electric powertrain from Tesla won Green Engine prize, and the 4.5-liter V8 from the Ferrari 458 Italia took home the honor of top Performance Engine yet again. You can check out all the winners below, and scroll down further to read Ford's celebratory announcement of its award.

Tesla says Germany concludes Model S fire probe without further action

It was the perfect storm: three Model S fires in six weeks were enough for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to start an investigation into the two US fires in mid-November, but as it turns out, the German government was paying attention too. According to Tesla, Germany's Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA), or Federal Motor Transport Authority, already has completed an investigation into the two US fires and the one in Mexico, found no manufacturer-related defects and will not take further measures.
According to a statement issued by Tesla, the automaker says it was contacted by the KBA about the post-crash fires, and it "provided the KBA with data and additional information regarding each of these incidents." The KBA subsequently sent a letter in German to Tesla saying the investigation was complete and that no manufacturer-related defects could be found. (Take a look at the letter here.)

CO2 credits: The ultimate rebate?

Time For Buyers To Have Some Skin In The EV Game
Politicians know that $8- or $9-a-gallon gas like in Europe would end their careers.
The back-and-forth between those writing the fuel economy rules and auto manufacturers is designed to see how far the CO2 regulations can be pushed without inconveniencing the general public.