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Hot Octavia now with diesel power

By Phil McNamara Motor Industry 18 August 2006 09:01 A grunty, 170bhp diesel engine will join Skoda's high performance vRS range in September. The engine will be available in the Octavia hatch and estate, priced at £18,370 and £19,200 respectively. The 2.0-litre TDI kicks out 258lb ft, more twist action than a BMW 330i.

Brabus unveils 850-hp grocery getter

It wouldn't be the Essen Motor Show without German tuning house Brabus introducing its own versions of one or two of Mercedes-Benz cars, with borderline-unbelievable power figures. And this year the Bottrop-based outfit didn't disappoint, rolling out the Brabus 850 6.0 Biturbo based on the 2014 E63 AMG station wagon. For starters, Brabus has increased the V8 engine's displacement from 5,461cc to 5,912cc, installing custom-made forged pistons and a precision balanced billet crankshaft, and replacing the stock turbos with ones of their own design featuring larger compressor units.

Whitacre named General Motors' permanent CEO

Ed Whitacre, General Motors Co.'s chairman, will become the automaker's permanent CEO, it was announced on Monday. In a brief press conference, Whitacre, 68, said GM plans to pay back government loans to the U.S. and Canada by June.