2001 Polaris Le 800 Carbs on 2040-parts.com

VW to intro Passat BlueMotion Concept at Detroit auto show

While performance heads are anxiously awaiting the North American debut of the hot-heat Mk VII Golf R at the Detroit auto show, Volkswagen's Passat BlueMotion Concept offers never-before technology in the Yank/Canuck family sedan segment: a four-pot motor with cylinder deactivation. Based on the EA211 1.4L turbo motor we sampled last year in the Euro-market Audi A3 sedan, the Passat BlueMotion Concept's engine is capable of shutting down the middle two cylinders during cruise, and features the Jetta Hybrid's gearbox, a twin-clutch unit capable of decoupling from the engine during off-throttle coasting. In the Passat's application, the 1.4 puts out 150 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque; VW suggests its highway fuel economy will stand at 42 mpg.

Changes Coming to the Petersen?

If the idea was to get everyone talking about it, then the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles has succeeded. The Petersen, one of the greatest automotive institutions in the country, is anonymously selling 64 of its cars at a relatively low-key auction, leaving 300 behind in its Wilshire Blvd. home.

Kia KH

These official sketches of the Kia KH preview an all-new flagship sedan that will also be the brand's first rear-wheel drive car, notwithstanding last year's GT concept. The classically proportioned three-box sedan appears to feature a blend of Kia design cues and the influences of other luxury models. The KH sports the Kia tiger-nose grille, framed by large, detailed lamp graphics and contoured hood.