Monroe 72124 Front Oespectrum Strut on 2040-parts.com

New smart fortwo electric drive enters production

Mercedes has announced that the third generation 2012 smart fortwo electric drive has gone in to production. Mercedes may, very sensibly, be pursuing hydrogen fuel cells as the real future of motoring but they still have an eye on electric cars as urban runarounds. That urban EV takes shape as the Smart EV, and the third generation smart fortwo ED (electric drive) debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March and has now gone in to production.

More Power! Get the details on the potent Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0

Porsche has ramped up the already heady performance of the 911 GT3 RS through the adoption of a new, naturally aspirated 4.0-liter version of the company's sturdy, horizontally opposed flat six-cylinder engine. The unit kicks out 50 hp more than the 3.8-liter six-cylinder used in the existing 911 GT3 RS. This mill claims 500 hp at 8,250 rpm, a figure which makes the speedster the most powerful naturally aspirated road-going version of the 911 ever.

New BMW 3-series bows, performance-oriented 335iS joins the lineup

A new performance-oriented 335iS model endowed with an M-sport styling kit and unique chassis settings heads the list of changes BMW brings to its facelifted 2011 3-series coupe and convertible. Set to slot into the lineup between an upgraded 335i and the M3 when it goes on sale in March as an exclusive for North America, the 335iS runs a tuned version of BMW's N54 engine, as found in the recently unveiled Z4 sDrive35iS, coupled to either a standard six-speed manual or an optional Getrag-engineered seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine of the 335iS adds a special software package to bump power to 326 hp and lift torque to 332 lb-ft--or to an even gutsier 369 lb-ft for short periods via an overboost function that unleashes added turbocharger boost pressure.