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GM to slash global vehicle platforms by more than half, to 14, by 2018

General Motors says it will cut the number of vehicle platforms it uses globally by more than half over the next decade, in a bid to reduce complexity and save on product-development costs. “More of our components will be common, and more of our vehicles will be on global architectures,” GM CEO Dan Akerson told analysts on Tuesday. His remarks came as GM kicked off a series of presentations online, billed as its 2011 Global Business Conference.

Saleen Performance Vehicles reveals new Mustang

Another day, another Saleen Mustang. Saleen Performance Vehicles is unveiling its first version of the 2010 Ford Mustang, the 435S, this week at an enthusiasts' event in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The car is fitted with a Saleen Series VI supercharger and makes 435 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque from its upgraded 4.6-liter V8.

Pagani, Mercedes-AMG say V12s are separate

Italian sports-car maker Pagani and Mercedes-AMG, the high-performance division of Mercedes-Benz, on Thursday said that the engine for the future Pagani C9 supercar is not the same engine used in the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series roadster. The unusual announcement--automakers typically don't comment on future-product programs--refutes reports about the Pagani C9's engine. In January, Road and Track magazine reported that the V12 for the C9 was derived from the V12 in the SL65 Black Series.