Vintage Hemi Valley Pan on 2040-parts.com

Report: Fiat-Chrysler could cut Dodge

Fiat-Chrysler could move into 2016 without the Dodge brand, according to a report from Wards Automotive. While the company has plans to integrate Fiat platforms into Chrysler, Ram and Jeep products, Wards reports that Dodge’s lineup is thinning. The midsize Dodge Avenger sedan will not be replaced when its production ends early next year, and two other Dodge products are expected to move to the Chrysler brand or be discontinued.

Best 'Popemobile' for Francis

As people welcome Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, we've been wondering what type of vehicle he'll choose to transport himself. Francis probably won't request a new set of wheels -- the bestsellingcarsblog.com, the top-selling cars in Argentina as of the end of February were the Chevrolet Classic, VW Gol Power, Ford EcoSport, Renault Duster, and the Peugot 207 Compact. None of these seemed regal enough for his holiness in our opinion, though.

U.S. seeks 5 percent annual fuel-economy gains through 2016

The Obama administration today proposed gasoline mileage and greenhouse-gas pollution standards for new vehicles for model years 2012 to 2015, filling in the blanks for manufacturers en route to a 35.5 mpg national target in 2016. The Transportation Department and EPA proposal calls for fuel economy to increase by about 5 percent each year, starting from an average of 27.3 mpg for the 2011 model year, the agencies said in a statement. The average car buyer would save more than $3,000 in fuel costs over the life of a vehicle, the statement said.