Yamaha 5vy-2834v-00-00 5vy-2834v-00-00 Protector 1 on 2040-parts.com

VW to intro Passat BlueMotion Concept at Detroit auto show

While performance heads are anxiously awaiting the North American debut of the hot-heat Mk VII Golf R at the Detroit auto show, Volkswagen's Passat BlueMotion Concept offers never-before technology in the Yank/Canuck family sedan segment: a four-pot motor with cylinder deactivation. Based on the EA211 1.4L turbo motor we sampled last year in the Euro-market Audi A3 sedan, the Passat BlueMotion Concept's engine is capable of shutting down the middle two cylinders during cruise, and features the Jetta Hybrid's gearbox, a twin-clutch unit capable of decoupling from the engine during off-throttle coasting. In the Passat's application, the 1.4 puts out 150 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque; VW suggests its highway fuel economy will stand at 42 mpg.

‘Bring a Trailer' exclusive: 1957 Pontiac Star Chief

Our love of Pontiacs is well documented here at Autoweek. So we couldn't resist showing you this lime-green example of a 1957 Pontiac Star Chief from our friends over at Bring a Trailer. It has a buy-it-now price of $23,500 on eBay and a “make offer” price of $22,000 on Craigslist.

Freelander 2 RS200 by Project Khan

The Freelander RS200 by Project Khan - a bit of a bargain I suppose you could say we opened our mouth too soon. It’s only a couple of weeks ago – when we reviewed Land Rover’s latest Freelander 2 HSE – we said in passing that, unlike the Range Rover Sport, you almost never see a pimped out Freelander 2. Wrong.