Ferrari 360 Exhaust Insulation Panel on 2040-parts.com

Mazda diesel delayed again

If you've been waiting for a Mazda 6 diesel, prepare to wait a bit longer. After delaying the US launch until Spring 2014, Mazda now says it won't meet that target date either. Mazda says the engine meets current emissions standards using only a particulate filter, but the resulting blend of performance and fuel economy isn't up to snuff.

2012 Mercedes S Class to spawn a convertible

The n2012 Mercedes S Class will lose its top It’s probably a sign of increasing decrepitude as it seems only five minutes since Mercedes launched the current S Class, but already we’re talking about the 2012 Mercedes S Class – and it’s only a year away. As has always been the case with a new S-Class we can look forward to a raft of new innovations when the new S Class launches late next year; clever stuff that will eventually filter down to the cars of lesser mortals as the technology matures and the cost falls. And that clever stuff will be packaged up in a big saloon car – the normal S-Class – an even bigger car – the LWB S-Class – and a huge two door coupe – the Mercedes CL, which is expected to be renamed the S-Class Coupe when the new S-Class launches.

Pace cadets: At AMG academy, students take their finals with their right feet

Mercedes-Benz USA launched the AMG Challenge in 2002, a program touted as "a chance to experience the thrill of driving the newest Mercedes AMGs on some of America's best racetracks." This year, MBUSA abandoned the Challenge in favor of the AMG Driving Academy, a multistage driver-development program pioneered by AMG in Europe. The difference? According to Greg Clark, AMG manager, "the Challenge was more about the cars, while the Academy is more about the driver." Having participated in both the Challenge and now the Academy, we'd say that difference is subtle, at least as it applies to the one-day program.