Civic Si Taillights on 2040-parts.com

Hyundai beefs up its WRC team

Hyundai revealed last year that they’re preparing to take on the World Rally Championship (WRC) from 2014 when a rally car based on the i20 will take to the world rally stage to cast some sport fairy dust on Hyundai’s showroom cars. At that time we had little information about the team, but in January we learnt that Hyundai had appointed Michel Nandan to head up their WRC efforts, a good move as Nandon was the technical director for the Peugeot WRC team until 2005, so he knows his stuff. Now we learn that Hyundai is beefing up its WRC team as it prepares for a full season of WRC in 2014.

Unrestored '56 Porsche Carrera lands a spot at Pebble Beach concours

One Porsche at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance will be making its second appearance. And it will be easy to find--it's the one that looks a bit used. The 1956 Porsche 356 1500 GS Carrera coupe made its Pebble debut in 1956 at the road races.

Toyota cuts 2014 Prius Plug-in hybrid prices

For the 2014 model year the Toyota Prius Plug-in hybrid will get a price cut, with the base Prius Plug-in model starting at $29,990, not including destination. The $2,010 drop in price comes without any changes to the vehicle, and Toyota was keen to point out that "This price repositioning on the base Prius Plug-in Hybrid is not accompanied by any reduction in vehicle content.” This drop in price can be viewed as part of Toyota's effort to keep sales volume of its popular plug-in hybrid model on target -- about the only place where the 2014 model Prius will look different will be the Japanese domestic market, where the Prius will get two-tone paint options, new wheels, and LED lighting. Likewise, the Prius Plug-in Advanced will also get a price cut for the 2014 model year, and will start at $34,905, not including destination.