Toyota Passo 2008 Front Left Strut Assy [0350200] on 2040-parts.com

State of Scion: What's next for the original alternative-rock car brand

“This is gonna be awesome!” the spiky-haired guy in the Scion video screams, epitomizing in five words the enthusiasm the youth-oriented brand has tried to stand for over its seven-year history. But now there's competition. It's not enough to make quirky cars and market them to the alt-rock generation.

BMW Vision ConnectedDrive (2011) first pictures

This gorgeous two-seat roadster is the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive, set to be unveiled at the 2011 Geneva motor show. Unlike some of BMW’s other Vision-tagged concept cars, this unfortunately isn’t a thinly disguised production car, but a study designed to highlight the company’s driver assistance systems.  However, although BMW has released no details on the engine or layout under the sexy skin, thankfully the Vision ConnectedDrive’s stunning styling (including the shark nose, wrap-around rear lights and layered body) will find its way onto future production BMWs.  For a start sensors in the headlamps and rear lights monitor the traffic situation and the environment around the car, while instead of wing mirrors there are antennas that receive navigation data and transmit other information. Inside the driver has a 3D head-up display, and the system can project information about the chosen sat-nav route so it appears at the exact point of a possible turn-off. The 3D system also displays information in the foreground or background of the display depending on its relevance.

Suzuki adds 50 Cent to Super Bowl ad

Earlier this week, Suzuki revealed its Super Bowl ad, and on Thursday it released a final version that now includes music by rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. Check out the new version here--it saves you from waiting until Sunday's game to see it. If you can't get enough of Super Bowl car ads, check out our video slideshow of all the automotive Super Bowl commercials released so far at shopautoweek.com.