Porsche Macan to get a bolder look before launch

The Porsche Macan – the baby Cayenne – is to get a new, bold look before it launches in 2014, to make it better able to compete against the Range Rover Evoque. The Porsche Macan, Porsche’s baby Cayenne based on the underpinnings of the Audi Q5, is a big deal for Porsche. Having discovered that an SUV could revive their fortunes after they launched the Cayenne a decade ago, the smaller, lower-priced Macan should give both Porsche’s sales and profits a big boost.

McLaren on track to launch MP4 in U.S. in '11

McLaren's plan to launch the 200-mph MP4 supercar in the United States and Canada in mid-2011 are on course, says the newly appointed boss of North American operations. Tony Joseph, McLaren's regional director for North America, says rumors that the North American launch of the MP4 is being delayed are untrue. “There is no validity in that story whatsoever,” he says.

Toyota Prius headlamp troubles could dim brand's reputation

Amid the launch of the third-generation Prius hybrid, Toyota Motor Corp. is taking a beating online and in court by owners who charge that some older models of the popular car have faulty headlights that can cost more than $1,000 to replace. Owners have complained to federal safety officials and in online chats that Prius' upgraded optional lights, known as high-intensity discharge headlamps, have a tendency to fail.