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2015 CLS will be first US Mercedes to get 9-speed

Earlier this week, we heard that Mercedes-Benz will be introducing its nine-speed automatic transmission in Europe, but while this 9G-Tronic will first launch over there in the E-Class, we'll get our first crack at this gearbox in the 2015 CLS-Class. According to Edmunds, the nine-speed CLS will go on sale in the US next fall before eventually spreading to almost all other Mercedes models, but there is no word as to when this would occur.
The current CLS uses a seven-speed automatic, and the 9G-Tronic's extra gears will help improve fuel economy. Looking ahead, Mercedes said in a press release that this transmission is suitable for use in a broad range of models, both rear- and all-wheel drive and even hybrid and plug-in vehicles.

Skoda Octavia vRS is just the thing for your pumped-up neighborhood

Skoda, oh Skoda. You're just so cool. Maybe it's the fact that it's a brand that we don't get in these United States, but Skoda's rebadged Volkswagens, in particular the new Octavia vRS shown here, are just different enough from the hum-drum VWs on our shores that the Czech brand seems strangely desirable. Maybe we're just craving forbidden fruit.
This short, minute-long spot covers the new vRS in a world of excess, where strollers ride on 26-inch wheels, lawnmowers feature V8 engines and ice cream cones are the size of toddlers. As things often go in these ads, the Octavia vRS draws the eyes of passerby that are seemingly use to things far more ridiculous than a reasonably priced Czech sedan. In reality, the Octavia should be fairly familiar to American buyers. It uses the same 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-pot found in the Volkswagen GTI and Jetta GLI, with 217 horsepower, and sits on the same platform as the Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf. Take a look at the full spot, below.

French court lifts registration ban on Mercedes with contested refrigerant

The brief alphanumerics R134a and R1234yf are codes for a growing battle between carmakers, states and the EU. The air-conditioning refrigerant R134a has been banned by the EU for being too damaging to the environment, with R1234yf mandated as its replacement. Daimler and Volkswagen say that in their own studies, though, R1234yf can be more dangerous in an accident, potentially starting fires and releasing poisonous hydrogen fluoride gas.
Daimler received dispensation from the German motoring authority KBA to continue using R124a and has refused to put the new refrigerant in its cars, and took that national approval as a European-wide mandate. That has led to France refusing to register all Mercedes-Benz A-, B- and SL-Class vehicles in France that were manufactured after June 12 and filled with the now-banned refrigerant.
In a small victory for Daimler, Reuters reports that a French court decision has lifted the ban on registrations pending a 10-day reexamination of the order. It gives France's environment ministry a period to decide whether to keep the ban in place and return to court to fight for it; it does not, however, require the French authorities to begin registering Mercedes cars. While Mercedes waits to resume sales in France, which could begin again in ten days if France doesn't fight, the EU is threatening Germany with consequences if it refuses to adhere to the federal mandate.

Is Chevy working on a Prius V, C-Max fighter?

Chevrolet is testing a very peculiar MPV, one that isn't sold in the US but is wearing Michigan plates. On top of that, riveted bodywork aside, it sure looks suspicious with a bunch of Chevy Volts and a Ford Fusion Hybrid buzzing around it like flies. Upon closer inspection, our spy photographers say it's actually a test mule for a yet unannounced hybrid vehicle from General Motors, which will probably end up competing with the Ford C-Max Hybrid and Toyota Prius V.
After the swarm of GM engineers finally left the car alone, our photographers were able to move in and snap some shots up close. What they found was a heavily modified Chevrolet Orlando (which is sold in North America, but not the US) with tons of gas-electric hybrid components and testing gear scattered about the interior. The cargo area, for one, is stuffed with a battery and rudimentary cooling system comprised of tubes, and the battery's casing has a "High-Voltage" warning sticker affixed to it. No plug-in port is visible, leading us to suspect it's a straight-up hybrid. Our spy photographers were wondering if it was the Volt MPV5 concept testbed, which debuted at the Beijing Auto Show in 2010, but they have heard the MPV5 was cancelled to divert resources to the Cadillac ELR. No Voltec powertrain is suspected in this Orlando mule.
One of the telltale signs of a test mule for a new model - and not a new variant of an existing model - is body modification. From the riveted front end with Chevy Spark headlights to the lengthened cargo area, it's clear from the outside that major modifications have been done to the Orlando's body. After analyzing the pieced-together door panels, our spy photographers also believe the front doors were lengthened and the rear doors were shortened.

2014 Nissan 370Z pricing announced, MSRP reduced by $3,000

Nissan is up to something. The company announced pricing for the 2014 Nissan 370Z, 370Z Nismo, and 370Z Roadster, which isn't out of the ordinary. What is, is that the standard, hardtop 370Z has received a $3,130 reduction in price for 2014. The upmarket Touring model, meanwhile, has been dropped $2,550.
That means, excluding the $790 for destination and handling, a base, six-speed manual 370Z is only $29,990. That is an excellent deal. Adding an automatic will bump the price to $31,290, while the Touring model starts at $35,270 for DIY shifters and $36,570 for autos. The top-of-the-range Nismo runs $43,020. The Roadster, meanwhile, starts at $41,470.
So what does this mean in the grand scheme? Automakers don't just slash $3,000 off the price of a desirable sportscar because they're feeling generous.Could this be a move to clear out stock before a replacement to the current Z arrives?

Toyota hangs on to title of world's largest automaker for first half of 2013

General Motors and Ford can have all the success they please, but it doesn't seem like America's two largest manufacturers are going to topple Toyota in the first half of 2013. According to Reuters, Toyota moved 4.91 million vehicles in the first six months of 2013, representing a 1.1-percent drop from the same period in 2012.
GM is on the rise, though, with a four-percent increase in global sales, to 4.85 million. Volkswagen, still sitting in third, saw a 5.5-percent jump to 4.7 million vehicles in the first half of 2013.
If this pace continues for Toyota, it'll finish 2013 in the top sales spot for the second year in a row. The manufacturer fell to third, behind GM and VW, in 2011 after earthquakes and tsunamis ravaged its production capacity.

Are you the 2015 Nissan Versa facelift?

The current-generation Nissan Sunny - the overseas equivalent to the Versa sedan - has been around since 2010, and now it appears that Nissan has some small changes in store for it. Based on these small, dark and grainy photos from Chinese site, Auto Sohu, the Sunny could be set to receive a slight styling refresh.
From what we can tell, the biggest change will be to the headlights with the Sunny getting boomerang-style units similar those on current Nissan sedans in the US. We wouldn't be surprised to see these changes to carry over to our Versa sedan soon. Grille and fascia changes also seem to be in the works, but it's hard to make out any other changes from these images alone.

2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel gets 9,200-pound tow rating

The current-generation Ram 1500 is entering its fifth year on the market, but Ram's half-ton truck is not showing its age whatsoever. While we continue to wait for the fuel economy figures for the all-new EcoDiesel V6, Ram has released towing figures for trucks equipped with this new engine, as well as models fitted with the upgraded gasoline-powered V6.
The EcoDiesel - a $2,850 option - will help the Ram compete with V8-powered trucks with its max towing capacity of 9,200 pounds, which is just 50 pounds shy of the 2013 Ram 1500 with the 5.7-liter V8. The true benefit here is that the diesel should return impressive fuel economy in the process, and even though official estimates have yet to be released, Chrysler has promised that it will achieve more than 25 miles per gallon on the highway.
But even with the Pentastar 3.6-liter V6, upgrades to the eight-speed automatic transmission have resulted in an increase in towing capacity, now up to 7,450 pounds. This number is expected to be best in class for base-engine trucks.

Honda celebrates the life of Ayrton Senna the best way it knows how

Honda is returning to Formula One in 2015 with McLaren, and when that engine maker and that F1 constructor are mentioned together, two other words are never far behind: Ayrton Senna. There are engine suppliers, constructors and drivers that have bigger numbers, but those three form a triumvirate that came close to defining F1 in the eighties.
Honda Japan has produced a commercial called Sound of Honda that celebrates Senna at a race that turned out to be one of the most momentous of his career for good and bad reasons: the 1989 grand prix at Suzuka where he won, then was stripped of, the driver's championship.
The commercial has a terrifically simple premise - there's no CG, no old footage of Senna, no one says a word, it's just sound. And it's pretty damn good. Check it out below.

2014 Roush Stage 3 Mustang

Up until now, it's been some years since I managed to get behind the wheel of the hot Mustangs tuned by the folks at Roush Performance. My memories of those vehicles are fond, as the Roush up-fits usually make for better-driving examples of the iconic Ford pony, with better-tuned suspensions, excellent short-shift kits and, of course, huge additions of power. The wake-your-neighbors aural characteristics of these cars have been nothing short of outstanding, too.
But in the years since my last experience with the Roush formula, Ford's own development team has churned out some pretty potent 'Stangs. We currently live in a world where the Blue Oval will sell you a Mustang with 662 horsepower from the factory, and the recently departed Boss 302 remains one of the best Mustangs - and best sports coupes - the Autoblog crew has ever driven.
So with great-driving and hugely powerful Mustangs coming straight off the line at Ford's Flat Rock Assembly Plant, does the Roush package still offer that extra special something to make it stand out? I spent a week with a Stage 3 coupe to find out.

Gun-rigged car used in assassination attempt in South Africa

As car people, there's a certain degree of delight that comes with watching an old James Bond movie and seeing Desmond Llewelyn describe the accoutrements of an MI6-modded Aston Martin or Lotus, all while saying, "Oh grow up, 007." But in reality, a car with concealed firearms, a hallmark of Bond's rides, is actually a terrifying prospect, as one Czech citizen found out.
The incident occurred in Johannesburg, South Africa, when Radovan Krejcir emerged from his Mercedes-Benz and started hearing popping sounds as he was walking into his pawn shop. A Volkswagen Cross Polo, parked directly across from where Krejcir regularly parks, opened fire with a dozen shotguns concealed behind the license plate, according to The Mirror. Ten rounds his the driver's side window, but the Czech national was clear of his vehicle by that point. After, the VW caught fire. Whether this was intentional in order to destroy evidence, or merely a result of placing 12 hot gun barrels in the back bumper of a car, remains to be seen.
This was not a random act of violence, though. The Associated Press reports that Krejcir is linked to the Johannesburg underground, and that he fled his home country after escaping a police raid in 2005. He popped up in South Africa in 2007 and has been the subject of extradition efforts by the Czech government ever since, who want him to serve an 11-year sentence for tax evasion.

Production of Shelby GT350 is coming to an end

One Autoblog staffer who drove the limited-edition Shelby GT350 wrote it probably was the best Mustang he'd driven, but, at some point, the fun had to come to an end: December 31 is the last day the GT350 will be available to order.
The GT350's option list has evolved much like it did for the original 1965-67 GT350. For 2011, the 45th Anniversary edition only came in coupe form and was painted white with blue stripes, just as with the 1965 car. The 2012 GT350 was offered as a coupe or convertible, and three colors were added to the option list, just like the 1966 model. For 2013, more colors and options were added in addition to equipment and styling updates, which resulted in Wilwood instead of Baer brakes. No major changes were made for the 2014 model. From the first car in 2011, customers have been able to choose between three different configurations for their 5.0-liter V8: naturally aspirated with 440 horsepower, supercharged with 525 hp (with warranty) or supercharged with 624 hp (without warranty).
"When we unveiled this latest version of the Shelby GT350, we promised it would be built for a limited time to preserve its collectability and value," states John Luft, president of Shelby American. He may have a point, because the original GT350, which also had a limited production run, is among the most valuable muscle cars in the world.

Chevy Camaro GS Racecar Concept to be auctioned in Monterey

The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro GS Racecar Concept, built for the SEMA show back in 2008 by Riley Technologies with assistance from GM's High Performance Vehicle Operations, will be offered for sale at the Mecum Auctions during Monterey Car Week next month.
The prototype motorsports Camaro was painted to resemble Mark Donohue's 1969 Camaro Trans-Am racecar, and it had a few performance modifications done to make it eligible to compete in Grand Am's Koni Challenge GS class. The production Camaro body-in-white was seam welded, the fenders, doors, hood and trunk were replaced with carbon-fiber pieces, a three-inch exhaust system with aftermarket mufflers was swapped in and engine, transmission and differential oil coolers were added. The stock Chevrolet LS3 V8 was dropped onto solid engine mounts and paired with a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox, with upgraded brakes completing the package.

2014 Chevy Impala used as recording studio for Detroit band

When the Chevrolet Sonic came out, the YouTube-tastic band OK Go used it in a music video in which they drove the tiny hatch through a bunch of giant instruments to play their song Needing/Wanting. Two years later, the arrival of the 2014 Chevrolet Impala has got another band in a music-making mind, but this time it's Detroit's Gentlemen Mutineers recording their song Detroit Throttle inside the "library quiet" cabin of the sedan.
We could tell you more about it, but Chevrolet tells you all you want to know in the press release below. Besides, a municipal anthem should be allowed to speak for itself, so you can watch it in the video below.

Meet the four horsemen behind Nissan's GT-R engine

"Handbuilt by Takumi Kurosawa," a nameplate you can find on Nissan GT-R engine blocks, describes the actions of one of four takumi who build VR38 engines for the Japanese supercar. Each of Nissan's four artisans ensure that every twin-turbo V6 receives the utmost in care and feeding from the moment each component enters the clean room for assembly.
Takumi Kurosawa is the lead engine builder for Nissan's halo car, and he is joined by three others, Izumi Shioya, Nobumitsu Gozu and Tsunemi Oyama. The men clearly take great pride in their work, and they should, being the only four people at Nissan sanctioned to put their names on a car.
"By putting our nameplates on GT-R engines it gives us pressure in a positive way," says Tsunemi Oyama.

Watch Larry Kosilla resurrect the finish of this barn-find 1966 Porsche 912

Larry Kosilla, the founder of the Ammo NYC line of car cleaning products, has his own show YouTube's Drive network - we saw his work before when he gave a Ferrari 288 GTO a two-day detailing job. On this episode, Kosilla gets called in to do his best with a 1966 Porsche 912, a car that was last registered in 1990 and recently found in a barn in Connecticut.
Among the expected dirt and cobwebs, the Irish Green Porsche is also covered what is assumed to be cat fur and "waste." The car is in such delicate condition, however, that Kosilla can't wash it for fear of getting more water in it than on it, so he has to steam and wipe the entire thing down before he begins the paint correction process. In addition to the thorough knowledge of his work and his ability to explain it simply, the episode is captioned with further information one of Porsche's popular but less regarded models, and how Kosilla does what he does.
You'll find a compelling 29 minute masterclass in the video below.

Mazda Skyactiv-D racer first diesel to run at Indy in 60 years

While it may not be touting the old "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" axiom we all know and love, Mazda recognizes that racing can only improve its cars. And so it's no surprise that the Japanese automaker is testing and refining its Skyactiv-D diesel engine by sending it out on various race tracks around the country - notably being the first diesel ever to compete at Daytona and the first to notch a Grand Am win at Road Atlanta.
Next up? Indy. It has been over 60 years since a diesel-powered machine ran at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the Cummins-powered racer that competed in the 1952 Indy 500 with a 6.6-liter inline-six-cylinder oil-burner was a fast and brutal machine that set a new lap record in qualifying leading up to the race. Though that car was withdrawn with turbocharger failure 71 laps in, its diesel powerplant left an indelible impression on the racing community, and that's something Mazda hopes to accomplish once again.
Mazda says that the diesel engine in its race car is pretty darn close to stock - 51 percent stock by parts count, and 63 percent stock by weight - which means the way it performs in competition is at least a somewhat meaningful way to the stock engine's durability in the real world. Check out the image of the Mazda6 Skyactiv-D racer posing alongside the 1952 Cummins above (click to enlarge) and feel free to peruse the press release below for the rest of the details.

Acura to roll out NSX Prototype for Mid-Ohio IndyCar race

Acura will tease us yet again with its next-gen NSX when it makes an appearance at Mid-Ohio Raceway before the circuit's IndyCar race early next month. To be fair, the car's in-motion debut won't take the form of a production model - that's still a ways off - the vehicle will be a prototype. It'll be sporting custom graphics and an eye-catching paint (wrap?) job to draw the attention of the spectators, but really, we just want to hear this thing rounding the legendary road course at full chat.
The NSX prototype doesn't look to be much different from the various showcars we've seen over the last couple of years, with the same mid-engined, hybrid V6 power and all-wheel drive all present and accounted for.
The display will take place before the Honda Indy 200 IndyCar Series on August 4. The race itself starts at 3:00 pm and will be shown on NBC Sports Network.

Volkswagen GTD ads drive home the power of diesel

The flurry of Mk VII Golf GTD television ads by Volkswagen, which range from funny to hilarious, just make us want one that much more. The focus of these 30-second commercials is on the torque-rich performance of the hatchback's turbocharged 2.0-liter TDI diesel engine, which has a stump-thumping 280 pound-feet of torque on hand. That's enough torque for some harmless mischief, if you're to believe the commercials, and, paired with 184 horsepower, enough for the oil-burning Golf performance model to go from 0-62 miles per hour in about 7.5 seconds.
Volkswagen's performance-first approach in its ads for the economical GTD is refreshing, and it reminds us of another commercial from Chevrolet. Do we see a trend starting here?
The saddest part is that we will likely have to wait a couple more years before the GTD arrives on our shores as a 2016 model, slotted between the petrol-powered GTI and the king of VW hatchbacks, the Golf R. Until then, scroll down and enjoy these amusing commercials.

Callaway developing C7 Corvette for FIA GT3 [w/video]

Since 2006, Callaway Competition has been turning the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 into the Z06.R GT3 race car, and in seven years, it has become the most successful team in the series. It will strive to continue that streak, the firm having just announced that Chevrolet has approved it to develop and homologate the GT3 version of the C7 Corvette Stingray. Right now there are more than ten Callaway-built Z06.Rs contesting three different European championships, each car costing somewhere in the area of 235,000 euros ($310K US).
For a taste of what's to come, you can check out the video below of the engine used in the championship winning Z06.R, an LS7 V8 built by APP Racing on the dyno. There's also a press release with a few more details.

Audi to blitz 1.5M sales goal two years ahead of schedule

Audi doesn't seem to be having any trouble of hitting its relatively audacious sales goal of two million units by 2020 - it's already on pace to eclipse 1.5 million sales two years ahead of schedule. According to Reuters, the Volkswagen-owned brand rode a wave of sales in China and the US to pace the early goal, with 780,500 deliveries at the halfway point of 2013. Particularly hot models include the Q5 crossover seen above and A4 sedan. Unless things go poorly in the second half of the year, 1.5 million sales shouldn't be an issue.
That leaves it trailing BMW by just 24,000 units for the global luxury sales crown. If sales trends keep up, Audi will succeed in hitting its goal of two million units and besting its cross-country rival in Munich. Audi CEO Rupert Stadler smells blood, telling German newspaper Handelsblatt, ''We have overtaken Mercedes-Benz and we are now closer to BMW than ever before."

What will the next Presidential limo look like?

With recent news that the Secret Service has begun soliciting proposals for a new armored limousine, we've been wondering what the next presidential limo might look like. The current machine, nicknamed "The Beast", has a design based on a car that's no longer sold: the Cadillac DTS. If General Motors gets the job again, which wouldn't be a surprise considering the government still owns a chunk of the company, the next limo's shape would likely resemble the new XTS (below, left). But Cadillac hasn't always been the go-to car company for presidential whips.
Lincoln has actually provided far more presidential limousines throughout history than Cadillac. In fact, the first car modified for Commander-in-Chief-carrying duty was a 1939 Lincoln K-Series called "Sunshine Special" used by Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the last Lincoln used by a president was a 1989 Town Car ordered for George H.W. Bush. If President Obama wanted a Lincoln today, it would likely be an amalgam of the MKS sedan and MKT crossover, as illustrated above.
And what about Chrysler? The only record we could find of a President favoring the Pentastar is Nixon, who reportedly ordered two limos from the company during his administration in the '70s, and then another one, known today as the "K-Car limo," in the '80s after he left office. Obama, however, has a personal - if modest - connection to Chryslers, having owned a 300 himself before he took office. A 300-based Beast (above, right) would certainly earn the U.S. some style points.

Mini Vision concept presages next-gen Cooper Hardtop

Mini is preparing to launch the third-generation of its trademark three-door hatch, and while we've already shown you that car mostly devoid of camouflage in spy shots, the BMW-owned brand has still seen fit to release a concept that previews the new design. Called the Mini Vision, it looks broadly similar to the cars we showed you at the beginning of the month, aside from a few concepty styling pieces.
The Vision is a well-balanced blend of the stylish hatch that rebooted the Mini brand in 2002 and the more bloated model that arrived in 2007. It's more rounded than the 2002, but seems decidedly more muscular than the 2007, and features modern accents like full LED headlights inspired by the sadly not-for-production Rocketman concept. Mini's traditional floating roof soldiers on, while the concept wears side grilles that seem borrowed from the Countryman and Paceman. Based on what we've seen in the spy shots, however, that treatment isn't going to make production, at least not on the models we've seen.
It's safe to say that the interior on this concept bears only a slight resemblance to what we'll see on the production car. The integrated Union Jack straps in the door panels are a cool touch, but the Vision's cabin looks like something out of a flying saucer. We'd expect only inspirational traces to arrive on the production model.

Watch MT test the 2014 Chevy Corvette Stingray Z51

We're (patiently) waiting for our first chance to drive the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, but it appears Generous Motors have given some other publications the opportunity to test the new car early, including the fine folks at Motor Trend.
For its latest episode of Ignition, MT puts the new Chevrolet flagship through its paces on the track, including a 0-60 run, figure-eight, quarter-mile sprint, 60-0 braking and lateral acceleration test. Additionally, the Vette is taken out on to public roads and is given the full review treatment in high-definition video glory. We won't spoil all of the details for you - scroll down below to check out this Motor Trend video for yourself.

2013 BMW M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition

Sic Transit Gloria
I like difficult cars. I like turbo "moments," dramatic weight distribution, low-grip, peaky power delivery, and overly quick steering, along with ultra-short wheelbases and any number of other non-racecar-perfect dynamic foibles. I love the newest generation of BMW cars and engines - all turbo'd up with tons of torque and power everywhere in the rev range, too. But what I think the enthusiast community will miss when this 2013 M3 Coupe becomes the 2014 M4 Coupe - replacing its idiosyncratic, small-displacement, revvy V8 for something like a triple-turbo, directly injected, inline six-cylinder powerhouse in the process - is the work it takes to drive the car fast and perfectly. Sometimes small flaws just make things better; my mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun, and all that.
The idea of this E92 M3 going away then, magnified by the loss of the M3 badge for the coupe, is at best bittersweet for me. This generation of M car is already surpassed in terms of raw thrills by the better-than-ever Mercedes-Benz C63, a car that doesn't ask its driver to sacrifice low-end grunt or the very latest in amenities in return for stellar backroad performance. Yet any time I've been lucky enough to lap a track in the M3, it has quickly become clear that the Bimmer is the better on-edge tool. With the freedom to wring the neck of the 4.0-liter V8 and room to exercise the lovely balance of the car, the E92 is hard to match (even six years after its debut).

Next Lexus RX previewed with JDM Toyota Harrier?

Japanese site CarWatch has revealed images of the next-generation Toyota Harrier, known to US and European buyers as the Lexus RX. The new model features a considerably more aggressive fascia in keeping with some of the latest Lexus design trends, while the back features a pair of wide, wraparound taillights.
The profile features a revised greenhouse, with a rather complex rear window treatment, while a subtle character line connects the front and rear taillights. According to the badging, the model shown features a hybrid powertrain, although there's little information on which engine is being used. We'd wager it's an evolution of the same 3.5-liter V6 hybrid found in the current RX450h.
This early look doesn't have a great deal of other info, and there are no images of the interior. We're not yet clear on how closely the North American RX will adhere to the Harrier seen here, but historically the two models have been quite close. That said, we'd expect a more prominent 'spindle' grille on the Lexus version than the baleen strainer on the vehicle shown here.

Citro"en to campaign World Touring Car C-Elys'ee with Sebastian Loeb

Citroën has released the first images of its latest racecar, the C-Elysee, which will be contested by Sebastien Loeb in the World Touring Car Championship next year. Based on the C-Elysee sedan, a model first shown at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, the WTCC variant has been designed for the new regulations set to be imposed by the FIA.
The C-Elysee is offered with a range of low-powered gas and diesel engines, but the WTCC model gets a 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder with 380 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed sequential gearbox from Sadev sends power to the front wheels through a twin-disk, carbon-fiber clutch. Hopefully all this potential won't result in any shenanigans this season.
The roster for next season is far from finalized, although Honda will be contesting the championship with its Civic WTCC.The C-Elysee WTCC will make its race debut with Sebastien Loeb at the wheel when the 2014 FIA World Touring Car Championship starts, likely around the end of March 2014. Citroën will also be showing its new racer at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.

NHTSA gives okay for three automakers to skirt tire-related recalls

BMW, Honda, and Mercedes-Benz are all going to avoid small recalls, after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued petitions for "findings of inconsequential noncompliance" to the three manufacturers, according to Tire Business. Basically, the petitions allow the brands to avoid recalls for some very, very minor issues.
BMW had tire placards on 364 X6 M CUVs that stated the car could only handle four passengers, when in reality it had room for three in the back. Actual plausibility of fitting three real humans in the slope-roofed Bimmer aside, the Munich-based manufacturer argued it was inconsequential, as the placards were correct regardless of the number of passengers.
Honda's case focused on 212 2011 and 2012 Acura TSX sedans equipped with 18-inch wheels. The TPMS systems on these cars were set for 17-inch wheels, rather than the larger hoops, but even with the lower settings, the tires maintain adequate load capacity.

Opel Adam convertible headed for production

The Opel Adam Rocks Concept - a beefed-up, convertible version of the Adam - grabbed our eye earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show, and now reports indicate that the open-top Opel could soon get the green light for production. According to Auto Motor und Sport, General Motors is expected to approve the Adam Cabrio, which would compete against trendy small convertibles like the Fiat 500C and Citroën DS3 Cabrio.
As seen on the concept version and its potential rivals, the Adam Cabrio would use a retractable soft top that is more like a massive glorified sunroof than a typical convertible, leaving the side rails in place. Of course, the big question for US buyers would be whether or not GM plans to bring this open-top Opel across the pond. Last we heard, GM CEO Dan Akerson had voiced his desire to bring both the Adam and the Opel Cascada convertible to Buick showrooms in the US, but we'll just have to wait and see.

VW Beetle Shark Cage made into convertible for this year's Shark Week

As the presenting sponsor of Discovery Channel's Shark Week for the second year in a row, Volkswagen is upping its game when it comes to helping to provide coverage of the man-eating fish. For us car nuts, VW is following up last year's Beetle Shark Cage by removing the top of its marketing masterpiece to create what is surely the least cagey shark cage ever made.
In addition to this "car," Volkswagen will also help create a better social and mobile experience, but the coolest part is the Subaquatic Road Trip, which will give viewers a 360-degree underwater look at what is surrounding the shark cage. Shark Week 2013 starts August 4, and you can read more info about the program and this topless Beetle Shark Cage in the press release posted below.