Mercury Marine 84-863433a03 on 2040-parts.com

2012 Honda Pilot refined inside and out

Boasting a slight makeover, the 2012 Honda Pilot is ready for showroom floors with a sleeker exterior, an upgraded interior and slightly better fuel efficiency, according to Honda. The Pilot's restyled front end swaps 2011's six-sided grille insert for a horizontal three-bar, chrome-style fascia and new headlights. All trim levels have acoustic windshield glass, which was previously exclusive to the EX-L and Touring models.

174-mph Volkswagen Golf R400 heads for Beijing motor show

Volkswagen has divulged plans to reveal a spectacular new Golf R-based concept car called the Golf R400 at this weekend's Beijing auto show. Said to preview a possible limited production model from Volkswagen's increasingly active R performance car division, the Golf R400 runs a powered-up version of the Golf R's turbocharged 2.0-liter direct-injection gasoline engine aimed at providing it with the sort of firepower to match the current king of the Euro hot hatchback brigade, the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG. VW The VW Golf R400 makes 395 hp from a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

How Fisker fell apart

At last week's politically charged congressional hearing on the troubles of Fisker Automotive, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said that the company had "no business acumen" and that "taxpayers have effectively subsidized luxury novelty vehicles for the likes of Justin Bieber, Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Gore." Ouch. Republicans eager to score points against President Obama had a field day last week with Fisker.