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Toyota drags down new-vehicle quality average; Ford leads Detroit 3 gains

Dragged down by Toyota Motor Corp., the quality of new cars and trucks sold in the United States slipped slightly this year--the first time since 2007, according to a study released Thursday. But Detroit's automakers--helped by Ford Motor Co. and some of the smoothest new-model launches ever--have matched or surpassed Asian and European rivals in initial vehicle quality for the first time, based on the closely watched J.D.

Suzuki XA Alpha concept

The XA Alpha concept 2012 was unveiled at the New Dehli Auto Expo by Suzuki and its Indian collaborator, Maruti. Although little information has been released, rumors circling the show floor suggest that it is underpinned by the Swift platform. Similar in size to Nissan's Juke, the XA Alpha is pitched at India's youth market, although the show car's suicide doors and highly detailed lamp graphics are unlikely to reach showrooms.

BMW offers new M Performance accessories for M5 and M6

Tuners Alpina and AC Schnitzer aren't the only ones offering just about everything in carbon fiber for BMWs these days, and BMW has introduced performance accessories for their M5 and M6 cars, including the M6 Gran Coupe, Convertible, and Coupe. On the performance front, car owners will be able to purchase and retrofit an exhaust system developed by BMW's M division and engineering company Akrapovič -- one made entirely of titanium. This new exhaust system will be available for the M5, and all versions of the M6 and will result in a weight savings of approximately 22 pounds.