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Awesome Astons! DB9 enhanced for 2011, pricing details revealed

Messing with near-perfection can be a dangerous proposition, so Aston Martin used a light but deft touch to refashion the DB9 for 2011. The British sports-car maker updated the car with subtle styling and underskin improvements. The DB9 goes on sale in the United States this summer with a starting price of $188,965 for the coupe and $202,465 for the open-air Volante.

Old is new again: Will a floor-hinged throttle pedal be in your future?

If you think that every little nut, bolt, switch, gear or widget in your new car wasn't scrutinized by a team of highly educated, overworked car geeks (read: engineers), think again. A couple of recent conversations with automotive engineers confirmed that virtually nothing that goes into a car today is taken for granted. During the recent Pebble Beach weekend, I had the pleasure of spending time with an engineer for Jaguar, and the subject turned to materials used for various switches in the cabin.

Fisker Surf

Fisker has unveiled its new eco-friendly plug-in hybrid Surf vehicle at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show. The Surf, which the company claims is the world's first electric luxury/sports automobile, follows up the Fisker Karma's electric vehicle with extended range, but has additional cargo capacity and load carrying capabilities. The Surf weighs in at only 66 pounds more than the Karma sedan, despite increased glass and bodywork.