Mazda outlines weight-loss program

Mazda Motor Corp. will reduce its vehicle weights by at least 220 pounds beginning in 2011, with a combination of lighter-weight materials, smaller vehicle footprints and new engineering processes, a top executive says. The typical Mazda vehicle has gained 80 pounds with each successive redesign, “mostly in larger tires and wheels, and safety equipment,” said Robert Davis, senior vice president of product development and quality for Mazda North American Operations.

Sam Foose-built Alfa Romeo Carabo clone for sale

If Helen of Troy's face launched a thousand ships, Marcello Gandini's Alfa Romeo Carabo concept from 1968 most certainly launched two decades' worth of wedgy, mid-engine machines, a number of them penned by Gandini himself during his tenure at Bertone. This car, however, is not that car. This one was built in California, by legendary car builder (and father of Chip) Sam Foose back in 1972.

Toyota to launch 2 Prius variants in U.S. by 2013, report says

Toyota Motor Corp. reportedly plans to launch two variants of its Prius hybrid in the United States by 2013 as it ramps up plans to leverage its gasoline-electric drivetrain technology to meet stricter emissions standards. One of the new hybrids will be bigger than the Prius, the other smaller, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unidentified dealers who attended this week's national dealer conference in Las Vegas.