2010+ Mercedes E-class Sedan W212 Factory Style Rear Lip Spoiler (unpainted) on 2040-parts.com

Fisker Automotive lays off some workers as government reworks loan

Work on the Fisker Nina family sedan has temporarily halted at the Fisker Automotive plant in Wilmington, Del., while the carmaker and the federal government hash out details of the company's $529 million Department of Energy loan. The interruption has resulted in the layoff of 26 people at its Delaware plant and a number of contract engineers at Fisker's Anaheim, Calif., headquarters. Fisker Automotive said some of the engineering-staff reductions in Anaheim were already planned to occur in between development of the Karma and the Nina.

Concept Car of the Week: Bizzarrini Manta (1968)

In the latter half of 1965, Giotto Bizzarrini began working on a racing car designed to compete with the Ford GT40, Ferrari 250P and the Porsche 906. The result was the P538, his most sophisticated car to date. The first two examples built were fitted with Lamborghini V12 engines and sold to American buyers to compete in SCCA races, while the third used a highly modified 5.4-liter V8 from the Chevrolet Corvette.

Aston Martin in talks with Mercedes for engine supply

It has seemed for some time that Aston Martin’s wish-list for future engines revolved around Mercedes. They currently use a V12 developed from Ford’s Mondeo V6 and a V8 that’s a development of the 4.2 litre that was in Jaguars (and Range Rovers) until a few years ago, but new engines (and new platforms) are vital if Aston are to remain competitive. Before the recent investment in AML by Investindustrial, there were plans for Aston to use both engines and platforms from Mercedes (the Lagonda SUV was built on the underpinnings of the Mercedes GL) and even the possibility that Aston Martin would design and build the next generation Maybach.