Callies Magnum Crankshaft Bbo42b-mg on 2040-parts.com

Maserati banks on Chrysler to boost global sales

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has bold plans for the automaker's Maserati luxury sports car unit: to boost annual sales almost tenfold to 50,000 units from 5,675 last year. Three new models are key to this midterm goal and all are based on systems and components from Chrysler Group. Maserati will introduce two new sedans to replace its Quattroporte flagship model using technology from Chrysler's large sedans such as the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Avenger.

Audi A3 gets more powerful 2.0 litre TDI & LED lights

The Audi A3 (pictured) gets a new 181bhp TDI and LED headlights It still seems astonishing that car makers can match really quite powerful performance with almost parsimonious fuel consumption, but modern turbo diesels and high pressure fuel injection are delivering seemingly silly combinations of performance and economy. Like the 2.0 litre diesel Audi are now offering in the new A3. The new 2.0 litre diesel, which is now available on the new A3 and Sportback (with the A3 saloon to follow) – gets a very decent 181bhp and 280lb/ft of torque, which is enough to hit 62mph in just 7.3 seconds.

Lexus LFA (w/ Gallery)

Lexus presented the LFA at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show last week, the culmination of four years and two show cars. The new front-mid engined supercar is skinned in carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), which, aside from being both lightweight and strong, also enabled greater freedom to create shapes, curves and edges. Seen in the flesh, however, the white bodycolor did the LFA few favors, though this choice may have more to do with slighting Acura - the last NSX, the Type-R, was also white with a red and black interior.