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2014 Chevy Camaro SS gets video walkaround

The new 2014 Camaro Z/28 may have been Chevrolet's little attention getter during the 2013 New York Auto Show late last month, but we mustn't forget that the rest of the Camaro range also received some pretty substantial updates for the new model year. So for those of you who might not have had the chance to soak in all of the 2014 Camaro SS' goodness, Chevrolet has released this video, in which Camaro marketing manager John Fitzpatrick gives us a proper walkaround of the refreshed coupe.
Fitzpatrick says that with the update, Chevrolet wanted to better differentiate between the V6 and V8 models, as well as giving the RS package a little more flair. Here, he shows us a number of features on a red SS RS coupe, including things like the revised front fascia with functional foglamps and the newly designed rear deck with the RS' exclusive LED taillamps.
Scroll down to watch the video, and be sure to check out our full 2014 Camaro SS coverage, here.

GM Lambda crossovers are the most American Made according to new index

There are plenty of reasons to appreciate the Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia, but it seems that these crossovers have what it takes to wear the title of America's most American vehicle. And who better to determine this than Washington, DC-based American University? Frank DuBois, an associate professor at this university's Kogod School of Business, has come up with a new model for determining which cars have the highest content of US-sourced labor and parts, and he named the General Motors Lambda-platform triplets as the most "American made."
Digging a little deeper than Cars.com did in naming the Toyota Camry at the top of its American-Made Index last year, the Kogod list factors in profit margin (where the automaker is headquartered), research and development, and information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration American Automobile Labeling Act (AALA). Each vehicle was given a percentage score based on seven criteria, and the Traverse, Enclave and Acadia had the top Index Score of 88.5 out of 100.
Unlike the Cars.com top 10 list that had five "import" cars, the university's top 10 (which actually consists of 34 vehicles) only has one, the tenth-place Toyota Avalon. Oddly enough, the six-way tie for tenth place also included the Buick Regal, which was given a full score for research and development despite being derived from a European-designed Opel. Head on over to the Kogod website to see the full list of vehicles on the American Auto Index, and let us know what you think in the comments below.

First Ford Mustang prototype shots caught by legendary spy shooter Jim Dunne

You know how people refer to someone as having "been around the block" to mean they're very experienced? Well, when it comes to automotive spy photography, Jim Dunne actually laid down the concrete slabs of the block's sidewalk. The unforgettable Dunne more or less invented the car spy game - a fact he cemented by writing book called Car Spy - and has been delivering spy shots and reporting on the industry for some 45 years now. (He also once employed this writer as his impromptu personal chauffer on a Volkswagen trip in Germany, while he slept, but that's a story for a different time.)
In any event, Dunne must be on a mission to prove that "elder statesman" doesn't also mean "washed up" as it is his shots of the upcoming new 2014 Ford Mustang that we've been handed by our friends at KGP Photography.
Mr. Dunne has likely spent the last few years obtaining powerful telescopic lenses, as the Ford in question has clearly been photographed from some distance. Nevertheless, what you see here is visual evidence that the sixth-generation Mustang has moved beyond the mule stage, and is now testing in proper prototype form. Sources indicate that there are production-spec body panels under that baggy canvass dress; but the slightly less bulky silhouette of the new car can be just made out. While the car's bumpers have been removed to obfuscate things, we can tell by way of the camo's apertures that the car's taillights have moved upwards and towards the lip of the tail. A fender vent appears to be visible, too, just behind the front wheel.

Project Ugly Horse: Part VII

Devils, Details and Weight Reduction
There are many things I could call this exercise. A party is not one of them.
I've spent three days crammed in the axle well of this 1989 Mustang with nothing to keep me company beyond a trouble light, a DeWalt drill on the very last of its legs and billion razor sharp, red hot slivers of metal with an affinity for my most sensitive of regions. My joints are raw from crawling around on the concrete. I'm half deaf from the shriek of the spot weld cutter and the boom of the cold chisel and hammer.

Ford to build Explorer in Russia to meet demand [w/video]

The current Ford Explorer is sold in more than 64 countries, and this three-row vehicle continues to grow in popularity worldwide. To keep up with demand, Ford began producing the Explorer at Ford Sollers Elabuga Assembly Plant in Tatarstan, Russia, a joint venture facility. This partnership will build Russian-market Explorers only, and production of export vehicles not destined for Russian buyers will continue to be built at Ford's assembly plant in Chicago.
Before this plant went online, Ford would ship Explorers to Russia (and other regions around the world) as partially assembled knock-down units where final assembly would eventually take place. While there is no indication as to how many Explorers Ford Sollers will build for Russia, Ford did add that exports of the SUV were up 65 percent last year (from 2011) accounting for more than 24,000 units.
Scroll down for a press release about the Russian Explorer as well as a video (bad music and all) showing the SUV being produced in Tatarstan.

2014 Audi R8 officially on sale, starting at $114,900*

After skipping the 2013 model year, the Audi R8 is back for 2014 with a new look, added performance and a slightly higher starting price. In V8 coupe form, the 2014 R8 starts at $114,900 (*not including $1,250 for destination and a $3,000 gas-guzzler tax), but looking at that price, which has risen just $5,900 since the performance coupe first debuted in the US for 2008, inflation doesn't seem to have hit the R8 as hard as some other sports coupes - like, say, the Nissan GT-R.
Opting for the S tronic automatic gearbox will cost $9,100 for all models, while R8 V8 and R8 V10 models still offer the drop-top Spyder model for an extra $13,500. Not available in Spyder form, is the all-new 550-horsepower R8 V10 Plus, which starts at $170,545. Scroll down for the full pricing breakdown of the 2014 R8, which went on sale yesterday.

Test drive the Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive with Chris Harris

It's hard to not like the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT. The all-aluminum coupe is fitted with a wonderful naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 delivering 583 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. Not only does the burly combustion engine launch the two-seater to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds, but it does so with one of the world's greatest exhaust soundtracks as it roars, burbles and cackles down the road.
But what happens when Mercedes-Benz takes away the V8 and its accompanying fire-burning song? Stripped of one of its most appealing assets, does the SLS lose its soul?
Chris Harris recently had the opportunity to take the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive for a track spin in Europe. Sans gasoline, but with four electric motors providing a combined 740 horsepower (737 pound-feet of torque), all-electric all-wheel drive coupe uses sophisticated torque vectoring and a multi-mode operating system to put oversteer - drifting! - back into the equation. Fun? You bet. See for yourself, below.

Citro"en bringing Wild Rubis concept to Shanghai

Citroën announced that it will be bringing the "latest expression" of its DS lineup to the Shanghai Motor Show next week, with this aubergine-hued concept called Wild Rubis. For the record, "Rubis" is French for "Ruby" and alludes to that purple/red paint, as far as we can make out.
The French automaker tells us that the Wild Rubis foreshadows an upcoming DS SUV. The concept is going to be "full-hybrid, plug-in technology," beyond that, however, details are quite sparse. We expect that we'll receive a lot more in the way of detail about the Wild Rubis when Citroën rolls it out on the stage in China.
What the press release lacks in detail, however, Citroën has certainly made up for in imagery. It seems that before shipping the concept to Shanghai, the Wild Rubis was photographed extensively at the Cheval Blanc wine-growing estate in the Saint-Emilion area of France. The result is a massive image gallery for you to explore and enjoy.

Kia using quality and technology to increase sales and brand prestige

Kia is a long way from hawking the anonymous lozenge known as the Sephia on our shores. That was only 1994, though, and in less than 20 years the company has gone from judging its aspirations against Japanese budget competition to walking auto show floors checking out the German standard-bearers for tips on how to increase sales and brand prestige. In an interview with Automotive News, Kia executives laid out their plan for carving out a Volkswagen-like niche for the company whereby they could be viewed as the premium pick in a volume segment. Concepts like the Kia Cub, above, would seem to point in this direction.
Kia is keen to make sure its sales targets don't impinge on its quest for better and better quality.
Kia's prime directive is "an unrelenting focus on quality." The Japanese brands earned a reputation for bulletproof reliability, and Kia is keen to make sure its sales targets don't impinge on its quest for better and better quality - neither in-house nor for its suppliers, a trade-off we've seen go wrong before. It has a Pilot Center that studies each new model for potential production problems before being given the approval for manufacture, and it isn't until the quality control department gives the okay that manufacture can begin.

Indian kids joyride in Ferrari F430

Cars and kids. A lot more people out there have both when they should probably have neither, and this is apparent with this latest video coming out of India. While we can't say for sure who these kids and this car beautiful Ferrari F430 belong to, it's at least the worst display of adult supervision we've seen since last month when two Russian parents let their 8-year-old daughter drive an Audi on snow- and ice-slicked roads.
A young boy who can barely reach the pedals drives up and down the public road with an equally young passenger drive the Ferrari while two adults (Dad of the Year behind the camera?) record the whole event. It seems almost silly to point out, but neither of the juveniles appear to have their seat belts on, as well. As bad as this person's decision making skills are to let a kid drive a car under these conditions, though, his video recording abilities are even worse. Scroll down to check out the video for yourself.

Is the Audi R8 E-Tron project back on again?

If you ask Audi about its R8 E-Tron prototype, the all-electric two-seater that was first shown at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the automaker will tell you that its development program is on hold. Yet, as we reported in January, limited production of the combustion-free coupe may be moving forward... information still officially unconfirmed by the automaker.
New images of the electrified R8 undergoing winter testing in Europe have emerged (above and in our gallery), and the car has been spotted running in Spain as well. Both sightings support reports that the E-Tron, with its 150-mile battery range and 8:09 Nürburgring time, may be back in business. Does the program have a green light, or is Audi merely trying to take some of the thunder from the BMW i8?
Whatever the case, if the R8 E-Tron does eventually make it into showrooms - and we are now led to believe it will - expect production volume to be very low. Assuming it doesn't get shelved again, of course.

Ford confirms 1.5-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine for 2014 Fusion

Earlier this week, reports were swirling 'round the internet about the 2014 Ford Fusion getting a new 1.5-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost engine. That was... half correct. Ford today confirmed that the 2014 Fusion is, in fact, getting a new 1.5-liter EcoBoost mill, but it has four cylinders, not three.
The new 1.5-liter engine will be the fifth EcoBoost powerplant from Ford Motor Company. Initially to be built at the automaker's Craiova, Romania plant, it will also be offered in the Fusion's twin, the Mondeo, in other markets. This engine will debut at the Shanghai Motor Show next month, and the 1.5-liter is of particular importance in the Chinese market - there is significant tax relief in the People's Republic for vehicles powered by engines with a capacity of 1.5 liters or less.
At a media briefing Thursday, Ford declined to divulge exact power or fuel economy numbers, though Joe Bakaj, vice president of powertrain engineering, told Autoblog that power output should be similar to that of the current 1.6-liter inline-four, and that overall efficiency will be "better than the 1.6." Our earlier report stated that the 1.5-liter four will produce 177 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque - losses of 1 hp and 7 lb-ft versus the 1.6-liter engine. Ford states that the 1.5-liter four will feature many of the same technologies used on the company's 1.0-liter EcoBoost inline-three, including an integrated exhaust manifold that recaptures much of the engine's heat.

Ferrari F50s duel in world's most improbable tug-of-war

If it wasn't obscene enough to go off-roading in a Rolls-Royce Phantom or rally driving a Ferrari Enzo, the Tax The Rich crew has gotten its hands on a pair of ultra-rare Ferrari F50 models to perform a tug-of-war battle, which we usually see reserved for pickup trucks. Only 349 F50s were ever built, but this video pits two of them against each other by attaching a rope to the front ends, throwing the shifter into reverse and punching the throttle.
As we've come to expect from this video troupe, the action starts off with plenty of gravel-chucking, dirt-road drifting before the two cars finally meet head-to-head. Scroll down to watch the 520-hp V12s screaming in reverse as the tires smoke away.

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse sets world record for fastest open-top car

Bugatti has come back from losing its "World's Fastest Production Car" title with a new superlative to add to the Veyron's trophy case: World's Fastest Open-Top Production Car. That's right, if you can't beat 'em, take the roof off and join them.
The record of 408.84 kilometers per hour, or 254.04 miles per hour, was set by a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse driven by Chinese racing driver Anthony Liu at Volkswagen Group's proving grounds in Ehra-Lessian, Germany. The speed was measured and verified by the German Technical Inspection and Certification Association, or TÜV.
That last point is important to note, as the kerfuffle over the closed-roof Veyron's record involved the Guinness World Records organization, which both sanctioned the car's world record run back in 2010 and then stripped Bugatti of the title after it was learned the car used to set the record had its speed-limited removed. Also, whereas Guinness calculates a car's speed based on the average of two runs in opposite directions, Bugatti doesn't say what criteria TÜV used to verify and calculate the convertible's speed.

People on Elysium drive Bugattis

Product placement in movies is a big business, but is it always necessary? This is the question we asked ourselves when watching the movie trailer for Sony Picture's new film due out this fall called Elysium - a 22nd Century story about the privileged and elite who live in their own separate dwelling while Earth rots away. Toward the end of the trailer, a flying car flashes across the screen, and what familiar logo do we see on this car's rump? Yup, Bugatti.
Now, we're not saying that it's hard to imagine that in a future world - with a private inhabitance for the rich and cancer-curing machines - people would pilot flying Bugattis. It does seem like a questionable move on Bugatti's part, however, since it seems that the people of Elysium aren't exactly painted in a flattering light. We'll hold our official judgment about the movie and Bugatti's role in it, until we've watched the thing. Until then you can check out the official trailer below in which you'll also catch a glimpse of a post-apocalyptic Nissan GT-R (if you have especially sharp eyes).

Dubai police welcome Lamborghini Aventador cop car

There is a long history of law enforcement adding supercars to their police cruiser fleets. The latest comes from a likely place, Dubai, where one-upping the rest of the world in conspicuous consumption has become a national point of pride.
The Dubai police force announced yesterday that they've added a Lamborghini Aventador to their fleet, the Italian supercar capping a broader upgrade to their selection of cruisers that also reportedly includes new examples of the Chevy Camaro.
The 700-horsepower Aventador has a starting price in the US of nearly $400,000 and can reach speeds up to 217 miles per hour. Reports, however, say that the Dubai police force won't be using the car's 0-60 performance of 3.9 seconds to catch any crooks, but rather that the supercar will be used in tourist areas to impress foreign travelers.

BMW i3 EV continues to shed camouflage

As BMW gets closer to introducing the production version of its plug-in i3, we keep seeing the hatchback being tested with lessening degrees of design-obscuring camouflage. Last we heard, BMW is expecting to have the i3 ready by the end of this year, and the swirly, blue camo does little to hide its basic design in these latest spy shots.
We get our first clear look at almost everything above the wavy beltline including the silver roof edges and matching mirror caps, and it can't hide the dip in the beltline behind the B-pillar - matching what we've already seen on the i3 Coupe Concept unveiled at the LA Auto Show last year. Another change we notice is the lower portion of camo removed from the front fascia allowing us to see the air opening and the black, vertical inserts leading up to the fog light bezels. Judging by the "Hybrid Test Vehicle" stickers on the side of this prototype, we can only assume that this is the optional range-extended model.

Toyota, Honda, Mazda and Nissan recall 3.4 million vehicles for faulty airbags

Most vehicle recalls that take place these days are a result of some problem that happens during the manufacturing process by the automaker, but as we see here, parts suppliers can also factor in to problematic safety issues. Automotive News is reporting that a total of 3.4 million vehicles produced by Japanese automakers between 2000 and 2004 are being recalled globally due to faulty airbags produced by an outside supplier, Takata Corp.
According to the report, vehicles from Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda are being recalled because of passenger front airbags that do not inflate properly. Globally, Toyota is said to be recalling around 1.73 million cars including 510,000 in the US composed of Toyota Corolla, Matrix, Sequoia and Tundra as well as the Lexus SC430 for the 2001 through 2003 model years; this is the second time this year the 2003 Corolla and Matrix have been recalled for an airbag problem. Honda is recalling 1.14 million models, Nissan another 480,000 and Mazda 45,463. The article says that Takata supplied faulty airbags to non-Japanese automakers, but it did not specify which ones.
Honda and Toyota have released information on their own websites about the recall, while Nissan and Mazda have not yet commented. Read official press releases from Honda and Toyota, below, and look for updates as we have word from the others.

Wife of VW paterfamilias Pi"ech up for Audi supervisory board

In a move seen as yet another way for the controlling Piech-Porsche family to leverage its muscle over the continent's biggest automaker, Ursula Piech - wife of chairman Ferdinand Piech - is set to join the Audi supervisory board at the annual shareholder's meeting on May 16. Putting Piech's wife, a 56-year-old kindergarten teacher, on the board is seen as just a formality as the Piech and Porsche families already control more than 90 percent of the Porsche SE holding company (owner of a majority of Volkswagen common stock).
Although formally trained to educate young children, this isn't Ursula Piech's first corporate role. In 2010, Piech chose his wife to be deputy head of two Austria-based foundations that control owned stakes in Porsche and VW. She took a seat on the board of Wolfsburg-based VW almost a year ago.
Chairman Piech will turn 76 next week, and his wife is set to take over her husband's interests when he dies.

Fiat 500 Abarth to get automatic transmission option

Boo and hiss all you want, but the truth is that manual transmissions aren't for everybody. When Fiat launched the hot little 500 Abarth last year, it did so with a five-speed manual as the only transmission available, but according to Ward's Auto, that might change.
"We're not opposed to doing it. We just didn't think there would be consumer requests for it, and there is," Fiat's North American president, Tim Kuniskis, told Ward's in regards to an automatic-equipped Abarth.
With the launch of the upcoming droptop 500C Abarth, Kuniskis says that the company is expecting a few more women buyers to opt for the more potent version of the pint-sized cabriolet. "I think when we'll see more women is when we have the automatic, and we're planning to add the automatic in the Abarth at some point, only because we're getting that feedback from customers."

Ex-GM VP LaNeve takes over Lincoln ad agency

Those of you that caught yesterday's op-ed about Lincoln will have heard already, but Mark LaNeve has taken the helm at Team Detroit. Once the North American vice president of sales, service and marketing for General Motors, LaNeve will now head up the agency that handles all of Ford advertising. LaNeve will also run the account for Lincoln. While at GM from 2001 to 2009, the exec oversaw ad campaigns like Cadillac's Breakthrough and sales initiatives like "Employee Pricing for Everyone."
He left in 2009 to join Allstate as chief marketing officer, oversaw the creation of the Mayhem ad spots and was moved into the role of VP of agency operations overseeing Allstate's 10,000 agents. He resigned from the insurer in February 2012 for personal reasons and joined Team Detroit in August 2012 as chief operating officer, in charge of satellite offices in New York and internationally. He replaces ex-CEO Cameron McNaughton, and will continue to hold the title of COO.
Lincoln is trying to get its 2013 back to rights after putting big dollar commercials for the 2013 MKZ on television then having production glitches preventing cars from getting to dealerships. With rumors of a relaunch in the works, it's no surprise LaNeve has been given the reins - and from here it looks like the brand is desperate for the kind of magic he's proved he can marshal. Perhaps he can start by calling a mulligan on the renaming exercise that gave us the hoary "Lincoln Motor Company" and go back to oh, say, "Lincoln." Then he can ask the product folks to get to work on the MKC concept...

Opel getting 5.2 billion dollar investment from GM

Never fear, Opel fans. General Motors isn't sending the brand out to pasture. The European automaker is set to receive a massive $5.2 billion investment from GM between now and 2016 as part of a larger effort to solidify Opel as GM's design and manufacturing backbone in Europe. Opel plans to return to profitability by the middle of this decade under its DRIVE!2022 business plan, and the cash infusion from GM should help make that projection a reality. Even so, it may be some time before Opel is able to turn its fortunes around.
The automaker lost $1.8 billion last year, up from $700 million the year prior. Opel faces numerous challenges compounded by the fact that the European Union continues to be mired in economic slump. Even so, the new investment helps put rumors that GM had plans to sell Opel to bed. You can read the full press release on the funds below.

Petrolicious profiles one of the final Jaguar E-Types

There's no question that David Paddison has got a very lovely 1974 Jaguar E-Type convertible. The rubber bumpers of this late E-Type may distract ever so slightly from the purity of the lines, but that doesn't mean we're still not completely jealous of the latest Petrolicious subject car.
As usual, the team of vintage car videographers has done a fine job capturing a small moment of gear-headness with this latest installment - The Last of the Breed. We do wonder why we don't get to hear a little bit more of that famed Jaguar V12 rumble, however. There's just a whiff of engine and exhaust sound in the middle of the video, while the rest of the piece sounds like it was scored by Amy Grant's rhythm guitarist. See for yourself, below.

Toyota again claims Corolla outsold Focus worldwide

Toyota isn't convinced the Ford Focus was the best-selling nameplate globally last year. Bloomberg reports that for the second time in seven months, both Toyota and Ford are laying claim to the title. Ford cites R.L. Polk & Co. data that says the automaker moved some 1.02 million Focus models in 2012 compared to just 872,774 Toyota Corolla units. But Toyota says the actual figure is closer to 1.16 million Corolla models.
Last year, Ford said it took the sales crown through the fist half of 2012 based on information from IHS Automotive, but Toyota pointed out those numbers left out models like the Corolla-based Matrix and Auris, as well as the Corolla Fielder and Scion xB-based Corolla Rumion. Whether or not Toyota's belief that all these cars should be counted in the Corolla bucket is accurate or not is seemingly up for debate... as is the question of why it matters so much to both parties.
This time around, Ford is holding the line that the Focus is the "best-selling nameplate," with Erich Merkle, a US sales analyst with Ford saying the company's figure is, "a pure number that is verified by a third party." Toyota, meanwhile, has requested clarification from Polk.

Jaguar to expand Jaguar XKR-S GT production run?

According to a report in Autocar, demand for the Jaguar XKR-S GT is such that the English company could nearly double production from 30 to 50 cars. Such inflation can often incense those have already put deposits down, worried that they've both been lied to about the potentially diminished values of their cars, but Jaguar has made the announcement barely a day after the XKR-S GT was revealed and 50 still isn't that many vehicles.
Nothing in the Autocar report indicates the additional examples will not come to America, making the 500-horsepower superfast coupe a treat we can still call all our own. Jaguar didn't add horsepower but instead honed other aspects of the car to produce a GT that can lap the 'Ring nearly as quickly as a Ferrari 458 Italia, and the world should be the beneficiary, the company's brand director saying, "The real beauty of this project has been that it has extended our understanding of the elements involved in making a car go so fast, and that will feed back into all our road car programs." Sounds good to us.

2014 Acura RDX adds new standard features, starts at $34,520*

Coming off a complete redesign for 2013, the second model year the second-generation Acura RDX has received a few tweaks to its equipment packaging and a slight increase in pricing for 2014. With all models receiving a price hike of $200, the 2014 RDX will now have a base price of $34,520 (*not including $895 for destination).
New for the 2014 RDX, Acura has included even more technology to the standard models, including a push-button starter, rear-view camera and an updated audio system that delivers Pandora Internet radio, SMS text messaging and Active Noise Control. Buyers will still be able to add all-wheel drive and the optional Technology Package. Scroll down for a press release breaking down more features of the 2014 RDX and complete model pricing.

2013 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo Convertible

Less Flower, More Power
Pardon our political incorrectness for a moment, but the Volkswagen New Beetle was, undeniably, a "chick car." There was almost nothing that the New Beetle offered to enthusiasts (of either gender), and by the end of its run, VW had even stripped all of the exciting engines from the car's lineup. Looking to resurrect some of the excitement behind the Beetle, the third generation of the iconic car ditched the cuteness when the coupe debuted for 2012, and now the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible aims to show how much fun drivers can have without a top.
Celebrating almost six and a half decades of the Beetle convertible, Volkswagen is offering a trio of distinct special editions that celebrate three of the car's most popular decades (the '50s, '60s and '70s), but as one of the unofficial cars of the 1960s, it would almost be a crime not to test this version, right? Besides, this is also the only special edition to get the turbocharged engine. While our first drive of the 2013 Beetle Convertible was in the fuel-miser TDI variation, our two-week romp in the 2013 Beetle Convertible '60s Edition came just as peak convertible weather was kicking off down in Florida.

Porsche reportedly working on new turbocharged flat-four boxer engine?

These days, we've seen just about every automaker dropping cylinders in an effort to appease tightening fuel economy and emission standards - and Porsche is no exception. Nearly three years after introducing an all-new V6 powerplant under the front hood of its Panamera sedan (launched with a range of V8 engines) comes word that Porsche is working on an all-new turbocharged flat-four boxer to replace the flat-six engines mid-mounted in its Cayman and Boxster models.
Specifics have yet to be learned, but reports say the engine is a derivative of the current 3.8-liter six (shown above) found under the rear decklid of the Carrera S, yet with two fewer cylinders. Fitted with a turbocharger, direct-injection and the automaker's VarioCam Plus, the new all-aluminum 2.5-liter flat-four will likely develop upwards of 350 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque. Redline should be about 7,500 rpm. Initial indications say that Porsche will only offer the new engine with its seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic, tuned to take advantage of the low-end torque, but a traditional six-speed manual gearbox has not been ruled out. Despite the loss of two cylinders, enthusiasts will likely embrace the new engine as it promises to be lighter, more fuel efficient and more powerful than the 2.7-liter and 3.4-liter sixes in the Cayman/Boxster today.
Even though Porsche has been using Volkswagen Group engines for years (e.g., Cayenne V6, Cayenne Diesel and upcoming Macan), all indications are that the new flat-four will not be shared. Instead, it will be kept in-house for the automaker's sports cars and possible future fitment in an entry-level 911.

Volvo S60 Polestar entering limited production in Australia [w/video]

The Volvo S60 Polestar Concept may be entering limited production in Australia and, depending how the Aussies take to this Swedish super sports sedan, could then be made available worldwide. The news comes from Austrlia's GoAuto, which claims to have received early info from its sources inside Volvo and its tuning/motorsport arm, Polestar.
Polestar released a short teaser video this week (watch it below) of what appears to be the S60 Polestar Concept clipping the snowy apex of an ice track's turn. The only information given with the teaser were the words "Limited Edition. Soon in Australia." Unveiled last June, the S60 Polestar concept has since made the rounds at auto shows, visited Jay Leno's Garage, played on the track with its future competition, and even secured a home for itself with a buyer who reportedly is paying Volvo some $300,000 to own it.
The S60 Polestar Concept is about the meanest machine one can imagine making out of Volvo's sports sedan. Packing 508 horsepower and 424 pound-feet of torque from its heavily modified T6 engine, then routing those revolutions through a six-speed manual transmission to all four wheels, the S60 Polestar is said to cover the sprint to 62 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds. A lower and wider body, brakes by Brembo, suspension bits by Ohlins and a diet to delete some weight make this car a serious issue for M3 and C63 AMG owners everywhere. GoAuto's sources say the production version's performance will be dialed back a bit from the concept's, but we'll have to wait until Volvo and Polestar make this sedan's production official to find out by how much.

Chrysler recalling over 200k vehicles across its brands

With more than 200,000 units across six separate recalls and almost all of its brands, it appears that Chrysler has officially jumped headfirst into the recall pool this month. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued three official recalls for the automaker, and The Detroit News is reporting that the automaker itself has announced three more.
The biggest of the recalls applies to about 120,000 Dodge Charger, Dodge Challenger and Chrysler 300 models for 2011 and 2012 due to faulty wiring harnesses for the seat-mounted side airbags, which could lead to these airbags not deploying in the event of a crash. A little more than 60,000 two-wheel-drive versions of the 2007-2008 Dodge Nitro and 2008 Jeep Liberty SUVs are being recalled due to a heat shield that could cause the driveshaft to break, which if that isn't bad on its own, could then hit underneath where the airbag sensor is mounted, causing the airbags to deploy. Wrapping up NHTSA's recall notices, about 20,000 Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass models for 2012 are also being recalled due to a problem with the fuel tank transfer tube that could lead to the vehicle stalling. The LX car recall campaign is going into effect this month, while the other two will start next month - all three notices are posted below.
In addition to the official NHTSA recalls, The Detroit News is also reporting that Chrysler is recalling more than 16,000 Ram trucks and a small number of Dodge Dart sedans. Around 6,500 2013 Ram 1500 trucks will be recalled due to an improper adjustment of the parking brake cable from the factory, while 7,000 Cummins-powered 2013 Ram Heavy Duty trucks are being recalled due to an engine cover that does not have as much heat resistance as it is supposed to. Finally, a total of 46 Dodge Dart sedans are being recalled due to a problem with the brake calipers and/or parking brake.