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Cadillac ELR comes with free home-charging station

The Chevrolet Volt-based Cadillac ELR has never been associated with a low price of entry, but Cadillac is now offering an extra incentive to those looking to buy one. The company will provide a 240-Volt Level 2 home-charging station including installation with a new ELR. Cadillac hopes this incentive just might sway some buyers who have been thinking about buying the luxury gas-electric hybrid, or those who have been cross-shopping the ELR with the Tesla Model S.

News watch March 2010: today's auto industry news

Tuesday 30 March 2010• Mercedes has dismissed claims that its Maybach brand is for sale, after reports in the Chinese media claimed Chinese car company BYD was considering a bid for the upmarket offshoot. BYD has also denied the claims (Reuters)• Toyota president Akio Toyoda has promised his company will listen more carefully to customers and react faster in a bid to regain credibility after the Japanese car manufacturer was forced to recall millions of vehilces over safety fears (BBC)• The Obama administration is expected to unveil its finalised fuel economy and tailpipe emissions through to 2016 this week, to coincide with the opening of the 2010 New York auto show (Detroit News)  Monday 29 March 2010• Toyota has agreed to licence the hybrid technology in the Prius to Mazda, which will combine the electric system with its next-gen Sky engines. It’s part of Mazda’s plans to increase the average fuel economy of its vehicles by 30% by 2015 (compared to 2008 levels) and it hopes to have its first hybrid vehicle on sale in Japan by 2013 (Mazda)• Ford and Chinese car company Geely have signed a stock purchase agreement that will allow the latter to acquire 100% of Volvo (along with related assets including intellectual property rights).

Dartz improves the G63 AMG 6x6

Half-million-dollar vehicles tend to be polarizing. Why, for example, might one drop extra-large coin on an Aventador Roadster when a Boxster S offers so much usable fun for a fraction of the price? Your average modern sports car is fast enough; why buy a supercar?