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Rolls-Royce Ghost V-Specification dialed up to 593-hp

Just before a refreshed Rolls-Royce Ghost debuts at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the British automaker has rolled out a performance edition of its "entry level" sedan with 593-hp underhood. The standard Ghost sedan wasn't exactly short on power until the announcement of the V-Specification version -- the company's 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine produces 563-hp and 575 lb-ft of stump-pulling torque in standard form. Yes, gone are the days when Rolls-Royce declined to disclose exact power figures and simply listed their powerplants' output as "adequate." Now Rolls-Royce is forced to compete in this cutthroat market with its performance stats, it seems.

Art Center BMW/Exa project

There's a new sponsored project that is just getting under way at Art Center College of Design, the likes of which hasn't been seen in a very long time - if at all. The school's Transportation Design department has helped bring together BMW with Exa Corporation, a Boston-based virtual aerodynamic simulation company, and has tasked the students to re-design the current BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle with the hope of dramatically increasing its aerodynamic efficiency while still retaining the BMW flagship SAV design language. This brief is quite timely in the context of the industry's ongoing focus with sustainability and strikes at the core of the BMW Group's long term energy strategy known as the concept of Efficient Dynamics.

Mazda2 2010 Update?

The Mazda2 from Thailand - featuring a Mazda3 style nose Does this new nose – which follows the theme of the very good Mazda3 – forecast an update for the Mazda2 in the rest of the world that hasn’t happened yet? It seems more than likely. It would be very odd for Mazda to produce the Mazda2 in Thailand with a nose that matches the Mazda3, and then leave it alone for the rest of the world.