Filson outfits the AEV Brute

The AEV Brute, a Jeep Wrangler stretched and turned into a four-door pickup by American Expedition Vehicles, already has so much going for it that we could hardly imagine how it could be improved upon. AEV was already famous for offering a wide variety of off-roading equipment before the debut of the well-received Brute double-cab pickup, a bespoke truck in the spirit of the Jeep Gladiator and the Land Rover Defender 130. Filson The Filson version features the 6.4-liter V8 instead of the V6.

Hoon Small! Fiat 500 Abarth to start at $22,000

Fiat's U.S. arm is hoping that the Abarth-tuned antisocial edition of its diminutive 500 will inject some heat into the model's disappointing sales figures. Pricing it starting at $22,000, not including destination charges, should make the heated, tiny Italian more compelling to hot-hatch enthusiasts.

Japan-market Toyota Corolla gets upscale and safety features

Toyota Motor Corp. is packing the redesigned 11th-generation Corolla with new technologies in a bid to give the compact a more upscale feel. Standard or optional on the Japanese version of the Corolla are such features as climate-controlled seats, automatic high-beam headlamp dimmers, safety belts with pre-tensioners and interior lights that turn off automatically.