Engine Harmonic Balancer Auto 7 Inc 621-0027 (d42) on 2040-parts.com

GM throttles back on performance cars for 2010

It should not be a surprise, as General Motors scrambles to cut costs and cars sit unsold on dealers' lots, that the automaker is cutting high-performance versions of several vehicles for the 2010 model year. According to information from online ordering guides made available to GM dealers, the 2009 model year is the last for the Chevrolet Impala SS, the Pontiac G6 GXP and the Cadillac STS-V. Also, the SS trim in the Chevy Cobalt lineup will be limited to the coupe body style.

First BMW i8 for US to be auctioned at Pebble Beach

The Frozen Grey BMW i8 for Pebble Beach The other end of the scale from BMW’s i3 City Car is the BMW i8 Supercar and, despite its modest 1.5 litre range-extender engine for its electric propulsion it seems to offer proper borderline supercar performance. With just an estimated 500 BMW i8s heading for the US this year, BMW has decided it would be a bit of a wheeze to produce a one-off i8 for the US market to plonk in Gooding and Co’s auction at Pebble Beach in August to give one lucky American buyer the chance to jump the queue for the i8 and inject some funds in to Pebble. So they’ve created a special i8 for Pebble which comes with a Frozen Grey Metallic paint job and a titivated interior with Dalbergia Brown Leather upholstery that’s been dyed using plant extracts – all very ‘Green’ – with BMW i Blue for the stitching and highlights.

Jaguar sports hatch is inspired by R-D6 concept

Jaguar plans to add a dramatically styled sports-hatch model to its lineup beginning in 2014. To be priced from about $60,000, the sports hatch on the drawing board was inspired by the R-D6 concept first shown at the 2003 Frankfurt motor show. The R-D6 design, which had been considered an ill fit for the brand's traditional sedan/sports-car image, is now gaining support at the highest levels of the company as it forges an independent future under Indian owner Tata.