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Project Car Hell, 1940s Plutocrat Edition: 1940 Chrysler Imperial or 1946 Lincoln Sedan?

Project Car Hell is back for another matchup of appealing-yet-appalling project choices. Sometimes we like rusty old trucks suitable for fire roads in Idaho or hunting trails in Kenya, but such Hell Project choices always make the Hell Garage Demons itch for something much different. And, really, what could differ more from boxy, half-century-old 4x4s than great big luxury sedans with model years bookending American involvement in the war that blew up all of Detroit's serious global competitors for a good couple of decades?

GM's historic Willow Run plant closes

After 68 years of arming the nation and putting America on wheels, the Willow Run manufacturing plant in southeast Michigan closed on Thursday. The 5-million-square-foot powertrain plant, owned by Motors Liquidation Corp., the remnants of the former General Motors Corp., has fallen victim to GM's 2009 bankruptcy and subsequent restructuring. About 300 workers left at the plant will either “retire, transfer to another campus or go on layoff,” said Chris Lee, a spokesman for the reorganized General Motors Co.

Brabus tunes Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG to 394 hp

It was only a matter of time before German tuning house Brabus looked at the Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG and said: nahh, it's just not powerful enough. Recall that the base CLA 45 AMG already produces 355-hp and 332 lb-ft of torque courtesy of its modestly sized 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four (an impressive feat by itself, yielding the highest output of any production four-cylinder engine), which gives it the ability to get to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. Given its $48,375 price tag for stateside 4Matic all-wheel drive version, many would call that a bargain for the performance stats provided.