Back To The Future Fans "save The Clock Tower" License Plate Frame on 2040-parts.com

Transmissions gone wild!

If you've been car shopping recently, or just paying attention to Autoweek car reviews, you've noticed that the six-speed automatic -- de rigueur as recently as a year ago -- suddenly has ratio envy. The new hotness? Eight- and nine-speed automatic transmissions.

Porsche Boxster Electric get four wheel-drive or rear wheel-drive

The Electric Porsche Boxster at Michelin Challenge Bibendum We ran a story about the Electric Porsche Boxster back in February, but there really wasn’t a whole heap of information to impart. But now, after Porsche showcased the electric Boxster at Michelin Challenge Bibendum in Berlin, there is a little more flesh to put on the bones of that story. We’d assumed – because there was no reason to assume otherwise – that the three Electric Boxsters Porsche has running around would be all rear wheel-drive, just like the ICE Boxster.

2013 BMW M5 facelift & new M6 get Competition Package

The BMW M5 (left) & M6 with new Competition Packacge But the 2013 BMW M5 – and its coupe sister, the BMW M6 – will also be getting a Competition Package option for 2013, which is probably more interesting than the minor tweaks to the 2013 5 Series. The Competition Package adds more power to both the M5 and M6 – a whole 15bhp, taking it up to 567bhp – enough to improve the 0-62mph by 0.2s on both M5 and M6 as well as re-tuned dampers and springs – which lower ride height on the M5, but not the M6 – stiffer anti-roll bars, new M Diff and an improved Dynamic Mode which should allow you to play a bit more. On the cosmetic front, just like the 5 Series facelift, you’ll have to look quite hard to see what the Competition Package adds, but you do get a black finish on the tail pipes and a slightly different set of 20″ alloys.