Toyota Platz 2000 Trunk Panel [8815300] on 2040-parts.com

Subaru launches production of BRZ, Scion FR-S coupes in Japan

Subaru on Friday officially launched production of the rear-drive BRZ sports coupe in its Gunma Main Plant factory in Japan. The plant also builds the Toyota version--which will be sold as the Scion FR-S in the United States--as the Toyota 86 in Japan and as the Toyota GT-86 in Europe. We expect the Subaru BRZ and the Scion FR-S to be in U.S.

Mercedes GLA Concept: OFFICIAL

Aimed at cars like the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, the GLA is a good-looking compact SUV that carries much of what’s good about the new A-Class, raises its ride height, adds a few butch bits and creates a car that will probably have more appeal for owners of the old A-Class than the new A-Class does. The GLA heading for the Shanghai Motor Show sports a 2.0 litre turbo with 208bp, 4MATIC and a 7G-DCT gearbox – which we guess makes it a GLA 250 – and sports something new – laser headlights that function as projectors. The GLA features a pair of cameras on the front of the roof rails that can take 3D HD images and can be removed if you want to use them for mountain biking or jet-skiing or whatever floats your sporty boat.

GM expands brake-override safety feature

General Motors is significantly expanding the use of a brake-override safety feature in its cars through the end of 2012. GM announced on Monday that it will add the software, which it also calls “enhanced smart-pedal technology,” in all of its passenger cars with automatic transmissions and electronic throttle control. The change will reduce power to the engine when both the throttle and brakes are pressed at the same time.