Auto Meter 48008 Tachometer Roll Pod on 2040-parts.com

Chrysler races to upgrade its lineup

In a bid to improve its lineup before a fleet of new Fiat-based vehicles arrives in 2012, Chrysler Group is rushing new features and equipment into 15 reworked vehicles. The equipment, such as a Fiat dual-clutch, six-speed transmission and a new Chrysler V6, will boost fuel economy, improve driving dynamics and spiff up drab interiors, all areas in which Chrysler has fared poorly in consumer surveys. All the vehicles will be on sale by the first quarter of next year.

Mercedes and Daimler crush 300SL Gullwing imposter

Mercedes-Benz Classic recently destroyed an ersatz 300 SL after the body was seized by German customs officials. The case began when a German company built a fiberglass copy of the Gullwing's body. According to a court ruling, the shape remains under copyright protection just as it did upon its introduction in the 1950s.

2014 BMW X3 Facelift and more efficient engines

The 2014 BMW X3 (pictured) gets a facelift and new engines The current version of the BMW X3 SUV has been with us for more than three years, so BMW are giving it a bit of a mid-cycle facelift and more frugal engines to keep the X3 on top of its – very successful – game. Engines on offer for the 2014 X3 include the 2.0 litre diesel in the sDrive18d which offers 148bhp and 56.8mpg and the 187bhp in the X3 xDrive20d which returns 52.3mpg, the xDrive30d – which gets the 3.0 litre diesel unit – with 254bhp and 47.9mpg and the X3 xDrive35 which has an impressive 309bhp but still manages official economy of 47.1mpg. When it comes to the cosmetic facelift bits, BMW hasn’t really pushed the boat out, but the new X3 does get a new headlight design which is sleeker, new front and rear bumpers and a new surround for the kidney grill, which all contrive to make the new X3 look even more like a baby X5.