Ferrari Brochure 250 Gt Cabriolet Pininfarina Merritt P 193 on 2040-parts.com

McLaren MP4-12C gets 616 bhp

The McLaren MP4-12C is about to get some upgrades – including an extra 25bhp – which will also be offered to existing owners free of charge. On balance, what McLaren has achieved with the MP4-12C is nothing short of remarkable. Yes, there have been a few glitches along the way, but in truth they have been little more than the sort of hiccups almost any new supercar suffers as it escapes in to the wild and has to deal with the real world and real drivers.

BMW 5-series is in line for the company's new triturbo diesel engine

Details leaked from a dealer conference held in Holland this week suggest that BMW's upcoming 550dX will be the first recipient of the German carmaker's new high-tech triturbo 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder diesel engine. The new engine, which also is destined for the new X5 xDrive50d and X6 xDrive50d models, is claimed to produce 376 hp and more than 516 lb-ft of torque--some 70 hp and more than 74 lb-ft more than the most powerful version of BMW's existing twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder diesel engine, as found in the X5 xDrive40d. The radical new engine, which is rumored to use two traditional exhaust-blown turbochargers in combination with an electrically driven turbocharger to add low-end response, is planned to be offered exclusively with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive.

U.S. offers advance peek at 'cash for guzzlers' rules

Dealers participating in the "cash for guzzlers" program must visit www.cars.gov to find a list of facilities that may qualify for scrapping vehicles and then make sure the company can crush or shred trade-ins, according to preliminary rules on the Web site. The government posted the rules today for the program, designed to lift U.S. light-vehicle sales from 27-year lows.