Vulcan 1500 '88' Exhaust on 2040-parts.com

2013 Volkswagen Beetle diesel starts at $24,065

The diesel-powered 2013 Volkswagen Beetle will carry a sticker price of $24,065 including $770 in destination charges when it arrives in dealerships in August. It will be the first diesel Bug to hit the United States since 2006. The 2.0-liter turbocharged oil burner will join the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine and the 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine in the lineup.

VW to intro Passat BlueMotion Concept at Detroit auto show

While performance heads are anxiously awaiting the North American debut of the hot-heat Mk VII Golf R at the Detroit auto show, Volkswagen's Passat BlueMotion Concept offers never-before technology in the Yank/Canuck family sedan segment: a four-pot motor with cylinder deactivation. Based on the EA211 1.4L turbo motor we sampled last year in the Euro-market Audi A3 sedan, the Passat BlueMotion Concept's engine is capable of shutting down the middle two cylinders during cruise, and features the Jetta Hybrid's gearbox, a twin-clutch unit capable of decoupling from the engine during off-throttle coasting. In the Passat's application, the 1.4 puts out 150 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque; VW suggests its highway fuel economy will stand at 42 mpg.

Dodge Caliber SRT4 dies quick and painless

Dodge is dropping its fastest, most powerful small car for the 2010 model year. The Dodge Caliber SRT4--a turbocharged, muscle-bound version of the Caliber--is being discontinued. "The Dodge Caliber SRT4 was planned for a limited production run in the highly competitive sport compact market segment," Dodge said in a statement.