Road and Driver

Despite the green hype, internal-combustion engines will keep powering vehicles for the foreseeable future.

Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of Nissan and Renault, has proclaimed that battery-powered vehicles will account for 10 percent of global new-car sales by 2020. Mr. Ghosn, of course, is planning to introduce at least four electric cars in the next three years. Independent analysts, however, such as Tim Urquhart of IHS Global Insight, believe that battery-powered vehicles will remain at less than one percent of the new-car mix in 2020.

Keep Reading: The Future of the Internal-Combustion Engine – Feature

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This Italian compact shows the Fiat-Chrysler alliance has promise.

We are sympathetic to the boy who cried wolf. Frankly, we’ve lost track of the number of times we have heralded the return of Alfa Romeo to the United States.

Keep Reading: 2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta – First Drive Review

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We took a look through GM’s 2011 online order guide, which highlights scores of minor equipment changes across the General’s brands. Most of them are boring—do you really care that order codes for certain metallic paints have changed?—so we picked out the interesting and important changes for 2011 vehicles.

Chevrolet Camaro

GM has already announced some of the Camaro’s main changes, notably a fake power increase for V-6 models and the addition of an optional head-up display. Buyers also are now be able to specify factory-installed hood and hockey-stick stripes in black, white, or gray (pictured above) as part of a mid-2010 running change. Bad news for Transformers fans: picking Rally Yellow paint now costs extra.

Chevrolet Corvette

The Z06 Carbon Limited Edition, at right, is new for 2011 and slots between the regular Z06 and ZR1. Among other things, it includes the Z06 Ultimate Performance Package and Z06 Carbon-Fiber Package, which are also available separately on the middle Vette. The new model year also brings improved synchronizers for all manual-transmission Vettes, new five-spoke wheel designs for base Corvettes, and a retuned exhaust for the Z06.

Chevrolet HHR

As we reported last year when GM shut down its High-Performance Vehicle Operations group, the turbocharged HHR SS is dead for 2011, leaving just naturally aspirated engines in its wake. (Chevy’s SS lineup is now limited to just the V-8 Camaro.) HHR buyers also lose the ability to order chrome exterior trim or to delete the rear seat.

Chevrolet Malibu

Six-speed automatic transmissions become standard across the board for the Malibu; a four-speed auto had previously been included with the base LS four-cylinder model.

Cadillac STS

For 2011, the STS V-8 dies, leaving just the V-6 model with either rear- or all-wheel-drive. (It’s really no big loss since the aging 4.6-liter Northstar eight made only 18 hp more than the 3.6-liter V-6.) Adaptive cruise control, four-wheel active steering, real-time adaptive damping, and magnetic ride control were all only offered with a V-8 and thus vanish from the STS order form.

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3. 2009 Chevrolet HHR / HHR SS – Review

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Ferrari has likely sent cynics–and close observers of Formula One in general–into fits of laughter after issuing a statement on its official Web site that categorically denies any correlation between the “bar code” logo used on its Formula One…
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A1GP World Cup champion Adam Carroll has signed a contract to drive for Andretti Autosport in the Izod IndyCar Series.
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COPY EDITOR CYNTHIA L. OROSCO: This is a fine enough car–and maybe that’s a dis for a BMW–but I wasn’t really a fan of it after my overnight in the 335i.
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Four months after its Scottsdale, Ariz., auction was disrupted by severe weather, Russo and Steele is suing tent company Tri-Rentals for damage caused when a tent collapsed on several hundred collector cars.
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For the third year in a row, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart spent the Thursday night before Richmond International Raceway’s spring event competing at a local Virginia bullring.
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Alan Gustafson, crew chief for Mark Martin’s No. 5 Chevrolet at Rick Hendrick Motorsports, signed a contract extension with Hendrick. He said the deal is for four years. Since Kasey Kahne is scheduled to take No.
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Never one to candy-coat his answers, Juan Pablo Montoya was his typical blunt self when he talked to the media on Friday ahead of this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway.
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