VW Beetle Turbo, Jetta GLI get power increase

Volkswagen's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is getting a 10-hp boost; the engine is now rated at 210 hp while torque remains unchanged at 207 lb-ft. The engine will be available on the Volkswagen Beetle Turbo coupe and convertible and the Jetta GLI sport sedan. VW claims the new engine shaves 0.2 seconds off the Beetle Turbo's 0-60 mph time, which is now estimated at 6.6 seconds.

Fiat makes bid to buy Opel

The proposed partnership between Fiat and Chrysler has been thrown into a tailspin with revelations that the Italian carmaker has made a secret offer to purchase a majority stake in Opel. Klaus Franz, chairman of Opel's works council, on Thursday confirmed Fiat's interest in a takeover of General Motors' European subsidiary, suggesting that officials have cleared the way for the signing of a letter of intent as early as April 28. Opel has been in talks with parts supplier Magna International on a possible partnership over the past month.

Mini Cooper Countryman gets New York freshening

The Mini Countryman has undergone a subtle midlife facelift for the New York auto show, four years after it was launched in North America. The lightly reworked range-topping Mini Countryman model is expected to go on sale in July at prices company officials suggest will remain largely unchanged here in the U.S. As this first batch of official photographs reveals, there is very little to distinguish the refreshed Countryman from the existing model.