Yamaha Xj 550 Maxim Fuse Block Holder on 2040-parts.com

Carbon-fiber parts and a software fix help create a lighter, faster Fiat

Chrysler Group's Mopar parts brand and Italian supplier Magneti Marelli have teamed up on a design exercise based on the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth that shaved weight and added horsepower. The vehicle, called the Venom, has a number of carbon fiber components -- hood and side mirrors, for example -- that makes it about 200 pounds lighter than the 2,512-pound Abarth. The Venom uses software updates and additional exhaust components to boost the Abarth's standard 160-hp 1.4-liter turbocharged engine's output by as much as 25 percent.

Cars & Coffee: Two ingredients to start off your SoCal weekend just right

Cars & Coffee is not yet on the FDA's list of the four basic food groups--but it really should be. It started out as a word-of-mouth gathering of eclectic and cool cars at a spot called Crystal Cove just south of Newport Beach, Calif., but it quickly outgrew that home. “Some of the guys got together, just a spontaneous gathering of, ‘Well, let's bring our cool cars,' ” said Pebble Beach judge, Ferrari collector and well-loved Ford PR guy John Clinard, one of, if not the main driver behind the event.

Subaru BRZ: First official BRZ picture

Subaru BRZ - First Photo Released We’ve had a raft of images of the Toyota FT-86 in the last week or two, but very little on its Subaru sibling – the Subaru BRZ. But now, with the Tokyo Motor Show and the official debut of the BRZ (and the FT-86) looming, we have the first photo of the Subaru offering in the Toybaru project. Developed by Subaru and Toyota – with, it seems, Subaru doing the oily bits and Toyota the styling – the ‘affordable’ sports car from Japan does seem to be a tempting offering.