Volkswagen Jetta Engine Brain Box Electronic Control Module; 2.8l, Mt 00 on 2040-parts.com

Report: Gasoline engine has big bang for the fuel-economy buck

A government report says improving the gasoline engine will yield huge gains for the consumer and the environment as automakers consider ways to improve fuel economy over the next 14 years. The Obama administration's technical assessment looked at four technology scenarios by which automakers might attain suggested CAFE goals of 47 to 62 mpg for cars and light trucks by 2025. The scenarios differed by the portion of an automaker's fleet that was accounted for by electrics, hybrid electrics and plug-in hybrid electrics.

Bertone BAT 11

By Guy Bird Motor Shows 10 March 2008 11:43 What’s new on Bertone’s Geneva Motor Show stand? Italian coachbuilder Bertone might be in deep financial trouble – it didn’t have a stand at the Geneva show – but its styling division, Stile Bertone, revealed an incredible one-off car on the night of the first press day instead at Auto Design Night, a special event for car designers held at city centre night club La SIP. The stunningly streamlined BAT 11 doesn’t take its odd name from the bat-like rear wings, but because BAT stands for ‘Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica’ in Italian, the ‘11’ indicating that it is the fourth in a series of one-off Bertone designs for Alfa Romeo following on from the BAT 5, 7 and 9 from the mid-1950s.

Land Rover considers smaller SUV

Land Rover could add a luxury SUV below the compact-sized Range Rover Evoque, the brand's design director said. "Certainly, I think we can go smaller," Gerry McGovern told Automotive News Europe when asked about future plans for the premium Range Rover line. "In a world focusing on sustainability you could argue that smaller and lighter is the way to go." Range Rover is not the only brand considering a subcompact premium SUV.