Engine Harmonic Balancer Dorman 594-006 on 2040-parts.com

VW will build small run of XL1 plug-in hybrid

Volkswagen will begin production of its XL1 plug-in hybrid in two years. "We want to go into series production with this car starting in 2013," VW chairman Ferdinand Piech told Automotive News Europe on Tuesday at an event in Doha, Qatar, ahead of the 2011 Qatar auto show where VW unveiled an XL1 prototype. (a href="http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130221/GENEVA/130229972">Read the latest update here announcing the XL1 hybrid's Geneva Auto Show debut).

New (2013) Lexus IS: Official Photos revealed

Lexus has revealed the first official photos of the new Lexus IS which will debut at the Detroit Auto Show next week. What we see is a much more dynamic looking IS, borrowing visibly from the LF-CC Concept we saw at Frankfurt last year, and promising to be the best effort yet by Lexus to put a dent in the BMW 3 Series. Prominent is the new Lexus spindle grill with a set of mean looking headlights with arrow shape LED running lights, with the cabin looking further back than the current IS, a coupe-like profile and a swoopy crease running back from the sills to the tail.

Green three-wheelers may get Energy Department funding

Aptera Motors, Elio Motors and other companies developing fuel-efficient three-wheeled vehicles got a boost from Congress this week in their quest for federal funding. Legislation to make three-wheeled vehicles eligible for Energy Department loans passed a conference committee of House and Senate leaders Wednesday and then got approval from the full House on Thursday. It is part of an energy spending bill likely to go before the Senate by next week for final congressional passage, a Senate aide said.