Toyota fails to land 'top safety pick' rating in insurance-group study

For the first time in three years, none of Toyota Motor Corp.'s vehicles received “top safety pick” ratings from an insurance group, as tougher criteria pared the number of selections from 94 last year to 27 this year. Ford Motor Co. led all automakers for the second year in a row with six 2010-model top safety picks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, including four from Volvo, a brand that's being sold.

Fiat 500 Abarth gets automatic transmission option for 2015

If you're a fan of the design (and the performance numbers) of the Fiat 500 Abarth and its cabriolet version but not its manual transmission, you'll want to hear this. Fiat has announced that the 2015 Fiat 500 Abarth and Abarth Cabrio will be offered with an optional six-speed automatic transmission in addition to a slightly redesigned interior. The new models will appear at the New York auto show next week.

Caterham introduces track-focused Supersport R

Caterham Cars in the United Kingdom is adding to its range of open-wheel, extra-light sportscars with the Supersport R. The R model builds on the Supersport trim with more power, interior upgrades and an 1,179-pound curb weight. The Supersport R is motivated by a 2.0-liter Ford Duratec engine making 180 hp and 143 lb-ft of torque.