Meritor S4497130180 1.8 M Sen Extn (new) on 2040-parts.com

Transmissions gone wild!

If you've been car shopping recently, or just paying attention to Autoweek car reviews, you've noticed that the six-speed automatic -- de rigueur as recently as a year ago -- suddenly has ratio envy. The new hotness? Eight- and nine-speed automatic transmissions.

2014 Audi A8L TDI priced at $83,395

Audi will set the price of the 2014 A8L TDI luxury sedan at $83,395, including an $895 destination charge, the automaker said on Thursday. The addition of this vehicle gives the four-ringed marque a total of five A8 variants. The diesel A8L uses a turbocharged 3.0-liter engine that makes only 240 hp, but kicks out a very diesel-like 406 lb-ft of torque.

New Bentley Continental GT Speed revealed

The 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed has been revealed with 616bhp, new gearbox and improved economy. Arrives October 2012. Regular readers will already know that the new Bentley Continental GT Speed debuts at the Goodwood Festival of Speed at the end of the month, but Bentley has now revealed their new GT Speed ahead of that public debut.