One Lap of the Web: KERS, Klass and autonomous cars

We spend a lot of time on the Internet -- pretty much whenever we're not driving, writing about or working on cars. Since there's more out there than we'd ever be able to cover, here's our daily digest of car stuff on the Web you may not otherwise have heard about. -- KERS, the kinetic-energy-recovery system, was first seen in Formula One a few years back.

VW's wild new 496-hp Golf GTI

UPDATED: Volkswagen has revealed a 496-hp version of the seventh-generation Golf GTI as part of activities at this year's Worthersee fan meet in Austria – and with it, projected the hot hatchback into the same league as some of the world's most celebrated supercars. Dubbed the Design Vision GTI, the radical new concept showcases a twin-turbocharged 3-liter V6 engine developed for use in upcoming models that, like the new Golf GTI, are based around Volkswagen's highly flexible MQB (modular transverse architecture) platform structure. Set to find its way into selected new Volkswagen models in future years, the direct injection engine replaces the Golf GTI's turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four, and is mounted transversely in the engine bay of the Design Vision GTI.

BMW rolls out 2014 2-series, 2015 M3 sedan and 2015 M4 coupe at the Detroit auto show

BMW had a number of debuts at the Detroit auto show this year -- we got our first (official) looks at the 2014 2 Series coupe, 2015 M3 sedan and the 2014 M4 coupe on the show floor. The electric i3 city car and its plug-in hybrid i8 supercar cousin were there as well, along with a massaged 2014 BMW Z4 convertible. But let's take a closer look at the new stuff: 2014 BMW 2-series BMW We should be seeing the 2014 BMW 2-series on dealer lots soon.