Warner Standard Speedometer on 2040-parts.com

Lotus not liquidating

When a storied car brand moves only 137 units in a year in the UK and 242 in the US, predictions of said marque's demise carry a certain amount of weight -- 137 is not exactly a number that makes an automaker too big to fail. When the manufacturer in question shows up on a government list of companies to be shut down, brand-enthusiast hearts get heavy; the early stages of mourning kick in. But when the company in question is Lotus, the enthusiast thinks to himself, “Eh, they've been in dire straits before.

BMW offers M Performance Parts for 3- and 5-series

BMW opened up its M Performance Parts catalog to the new 3- and 5-series, the company said on Friday. The German automaker will offer chassis, brakes, aero upgrades and exhaust improvements for the 2012 3-series and the 2011-12 5-series. BMW revealed the line for its diesel cars in Europe in January, but those cars won't be coming here.

BMW X5 M50d (2013) first pictures of the new super-diesel SUV

BMW has created the first high-performance version of its new X5 SUV: the X5 M50d. It’s a triple-turbocharged, six-cylinder diesel-powered model good for 42mpg, apparently. Until the new V8 X5 M sends purist enthusiasts into a froth-mouthed frenzy, this circa-£65k leviathan is the most powerful, fastest X5 you can buy.