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GM's Ed Welburn walks Jay Leno through the Elmiraj concept's design [w/Video]

General Motors' vice president Global Design Ed Welburn stars in the latest of the 'Jay Leno's Garage' YouTube series, running the talk-show host through some of the new Cadillac Elmiraj concept's design features and what it means for the brand's future. We get a look at all the classic Cadillac design cues such as the vertical headlamps and tail lamps as well as the central hard crease that Welburn says is "important in every Cadillac". Leno and Welburn then move onto the Elmiraj's features, such as the large doors' integrated handles and the slimmer A-pillars before a more in-depth look at one of the concept's most striking features – the grille.

McLaren MP4-12 650S hits the Web ahead of official Geneva reveal

Images of the new McLaren MP4-12 650S have leaked to the Internet ahead of a planned unveiling for the British supercar at the Geneva Motor Show in early March. Created in response to customer demand for an edgier version of the McLaren MP4-12C offering greater levels of driver engagement, the 650S runs a more heavily tuned version of McLaren's twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 direct-injection engine producing a claimed 25 hp more than the variant used by standard sibling for a total of 641 hp (as its name suggests 650 ps -- metric hp). Further details remain scarce ahead of the MP4-12C 650S's official public unveiling in Switzerland two weeks from now, although information passed on to prospective customers at a private presentation of the new two-seater held last week suggest it is also in line to receive a series of modifications to its seven-speed dual clutch gearbox, suspension, steering, brakes and aerodynamics -- all aimed at providing it with a more aggressive nature and added racetrack ability.

GM claims 23-mpg average in E-ROD 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air

First introduced in 2009, the GM Performance Parts (GMPP) E-ROD program was born with the mission of creating fuel-efficient, emissions-compliant engine packages for hot-rodders. Now the program is back in the news as GMPP claims that an E-ROD-powered 1955 Bel Air returned 23 mpg on a trip from Michigan to Florida while producing emissions comparable to those of a new Camaro SS. All of that green doesn't come inexpensive--or easy.