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Volt, Leaf win top safety rating in crash test

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf electric cars won the highest safety ratings in crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, putting them in the top 57 percent of models tested so far this year. About 80 of 140 vehicles tested among 2011-2012 models have received the Institute's "top safety pick," the group's award for state-of-the-art crash protection that exceeds federal safety rules, Institute spokesman Russ Rader said. The Volt and Leaf received a "good" rating -- the highest of four rankings -- on each of four crash tests, said the Institute, which is funded by auto insurers including State Farm, All-State and Geico.

New photos of Tesla Model S show more aggressive style

Tesla dropped some new photos of the Model S Alpha sedan on us on Monday, and the car is looking more like a production vehicle every day. The shots show a Tesla Model S in a shade of black sporting a new front fascia with a lower, sharper, more aggressive look. It includes some vents for possible brake or engine cooling purposes, along with the same 10-spoke fan-blade wheels as the concept car.

EPA calls for lower-sulfur gasoline

The EPA proposed a package of rules Friday that includes cleaner gasoline and stricter limits on pollution from the tailpipes of cars, despite objections from the oil industry. The rules, known as Tier 3, have been supported by car companies because they would bring U.S. standards into alignment with those of California, where gasoline must have a lower sulfur content to help reduce tailpipe emissions.