2007 Yamaha Phazer Gt 500 4-stroke Seat on 2040-parts.com

For new CAFE rules, automakers place high-stakes tech bets

Game-changing 2015 fuel economy rules are forcing vehicle development teams to make high-stakes bets on expensive technologies--bets that will separate the winners from the also-rans. Not only do federal rules target a 2015 fleet average of 35.5 mpg, up from the current 27.5 mpg for cars and 23.1 mpg for light trucks; they force automakers to bet on different technology packages for each vehicle segment. Companies that do best at mixing technologies while keeping down costs will have an advantage when buyers wince at higher stickers.

2015 BMW M4 convertible: First look

Meet the 2015 BMW M4 convertible, the final entry in BMW's revamped M3 and M4 high-performance lineup. The new drop-top will join the M3 sedan and M4 coupe later this month at the New York auto show and is expected to go on sale this summer. The new M4 convertible takes the place of last generation's M3 convertible, and will use the same powerplant as both the new M3 and M4: BMW's TwinPower 3.0-liter inline six will deliver 425 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, redlining at 7,600 rpm.

Renault Laguna Facelift (2011)

The Renault Laguna Facelift 2011 - will; debut at the Paris Motor Show Just like yesterday with the Citroen C4 Picasso Facelift, this Renault Laguna Facelift is about having new product to show to the world at the Paris Motor Show in a few week’s time. After all, the Paris Motor Show is as much Renault’s home show as it is Citroen’s (or Peugeot’s, for that matter) So we get a Renault Laguna tweaked to take it in to 2011, some three years after the Laguna first hit the road. The easiest way to make a car look fresh is a nose job, and that’s exactly what the 2011 Laguna gets.