10 Pieces, Mounting Clamp 095.51/e2de- on 2040-parts.com

Porsche 911 cabriolet: First official photographs

Porsche has developed an innovative fabric and composite-plastic folding roof for the 911 cabriolet as part of a push to give it a cleaner appearance, improved aerodynamic efficiency and greater levels of refinement than its strong-selling predecessor. Pictured here officially for the first time ahead of its world premiere in January at the Detroit auto show, the new open-top 911 is planned to go on sale in North America in 2012 in Carrera cabriolet and Carrera S models. Eschewing the traditional multilayered fabric structure of the 997 series 911 cabriolet, the next model (991 series) adopts a specially developed lightweight roof that uses two fabric-skinned composite plastic panels for the upper and rear part of the structure, giving it a more uniform shape together with a tauter fit that is claimed to make it more resistant than before to buffeting at high speeds.

BMW X5 M50d (2013) first pictures of the new super-diesel SUV

BMW has created the first high-performance version of its new X5 SUV: the X5 M50d. It’s a triple-turbocharged, six-cylinder diesel-powered model good for 42mpg, apparently. Until the new V8 X5 M sends purist enthusiasts into a froth-mouthed frenzy, this circa-£65k leviathan is the most powerful, fastest X5 you can buy.

Fiat Americanizes its 500, complete with cupholders

The Fiat 500 subcompact might be Italian through and through, but the U.S. version that arrives in dealerships late this year will cater to American tastes. The American car will have a more powerful engine than the European version, a slightly softer ride and--most important--more substantial, American-style cupholders.