2013 Ford Fusion prototype spied on the street

The Ford Fusion sedan is not that far away from shifting to a global platform that will also spawn a new Mondeo for European markets. Now prototypes of the new 2013 Ford Fusion have been captured running around on public streets. Despite the camouflage, it's easy to see that the 2013 Fusion is getting some significant changes.

Los Angeles Auto Show 2011: Photo roundup

2011 Los Angeles Auto Show Roundup This week saw the start of the Los Angeles Motor Show, so we thought we’d have a quick look at what was on the floor, including some of the stuff we haven’t already looked at. There was the ‘cool in white’ Jaguar stand and the latest Defender DC100 Concept, all prettied up in baby blue. There were Camaros and Mustangs, the new Bentley GTC (but no V8 – that’s for Detroit in January), a hot Beetle R and Volvo’s You Concept that points the way to the next generation of Volvo design.

Carbon-fiber parts and a software fix help create a lighter, faster Fiat

Chrysler Group's Mopar parts brand and Italian supplier Magneti Marelli have teamed up on a design exercise based on the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth that shaved weight and added horsepower. The vehicle, called the Venom, has a number of carbon fiber components -- hood and side mirrors, for example -- that makes it about 200 pounds lighter than the 2,512-pound Abarth. The Venom uses software updates and additional exhaust components to boost the Abarth's standard 160-hp 1.4-liter turbocharged engine's output by as much as 25 percent.