At50a Transponder on 2040-parts.com

Sebring swap: Chrysler will call its 2011 sedan the 200

The Chrysler Sebring will get a fresh start late this year as it relaunches with a new name, the 200, and considerable upgrades to the engines, sheetmetal and interior. The 200 gets a new grille with a prominent Chrysler badge, new fascia front and rear, projector headlamps and fog lamps and LED taillights. The new engines to be offered are Chrysler's Pentastar V6 that will make 283 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, which is slightly detuned from its uses in the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Charger, and a 2.4-liter four-cylinder from Fiat's global engine bin.

Hearing the call of the auto-show siren

Margery Krevsky walks over to a display case containing several hood-ornament reproductions. “This is probably the most famous hood ornament in the world,” she says, pointing to Rolls-Royce's “The Spirit of Ecstasy.” The story behind it “could be made into a movie,” as she put it. And it would be worth watching for car enthusiasts.

Ford warms up new era of car-guy leaders

A minor temblor shook Dearborn, Mich., today with the announcement that Mark Fields, president of the Americas, climbed the golden corporate ladder to grab the chief operating officer ring, setting him up to succeed Alan Mulally in a couple of years. The move did not come as a shock-it only confirmed the whispers of auto industry Royal Watchers. The biggest news for those who care about cars, however, is two-fold: Jim Farley, Ford's global marketing boss, also takes the helm of Lincoln.