Hold on to your sassy, feathered Bavarian caps, Audi fans, because the above video shows a lot (of unedited) footage of the new 450-hp RS5 at the racetrack, with a special guest appearance from the Godhead of the Rings, the Ur-Quattro. (Go directly to the 3-minute mark if you're interested only in the old car).
Apparently, this is the Ferrari 599 Hybrid set to be unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show on March 2. We still know little about this car, other than that it's based on the GTB and likely to use two electric motors, a lithium-ion battery pack and KERS, the kinetic energy recovery system developed for the 2009 F1 season but forsaken for 2010. One of the leaked photos suggests that the electric motor (or motors) are built into the rear transaxle, which is of course a typical layout for a hybrid. We'll know more in a few days. CarSpyShots via Autoblog
Don't know where to begin on this one. The whole concept of a burnout video with a Dodge Neon is a little suspect to begin with. Add a video camera and the situation can only get worse. Then note the mismatched custom wheels and lovely plastic sheet window and you know it's going to turn bad.
Hooniverse via Autoblog
This is a cool video Hyundai place together of its new Sonata kicking Toyota while it's down. We have just one question: Did the guy really have to wear nomex to drag race a couple of four-cylinder sedans?
YouTube via Autoblog
Last week we brought you a partial list of the upgrades in store for the 2011 Shelby GT500 courtesy of an order guide leak. This morning, some crafty members at TeamShelby noticed a video of the upcoming GT500 on one of Ford's media sites. The pictures you see here are screen grabs from that video which has since been taken down.
On another front, the Detroit News reported this morning that in addition to the upgrades detailed in the order guide, the 2011 Shelby GT500 will generate 550 horsepower, a 10 horsepower bump over the previous model. The car will be officially unveiled at a press conference Monday morning and appear at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show later in the week. TeamShelby via Autoblog
In addition to the 2011 Dodge Charger we showed you early today, there's another major refresh headed our way later this year. The 2011 Dodge Durango is also scheduled to return later this year and this image hints at the final design. It's worth noting that this vehicle may emerge as the 2011 Dodge Magnum according to some internal documents. Not sure why Dodge would bother with the switch, it's not like the Magnum helped the previous vehicle much. This time around it won't be a auto though, think more like a three-row crossover SUV. Pretty sure it will get V6 engines and possibly even a Hemi depending on how much leeway Chrysler has in terms of CAFE.
Lexus has been hinting for months that the LF-Ch concept shown in Frankfurt last year could make it to production. Now a loyal Autoblog reader has caught was appears to be a very production looking version of the LF-Ch. Sure, it has two different covers on it, but that rear-end treatment is pretty cushy to spot through the sheets. Expect to see the rest of the car at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show in primeval March. 
When they ordered out their future product plan in a 12-hour press conference in Detroit two months ago, Chrysler-Fiat officials said the alliance would start selling a diesel Jeep Wrangler with an auto start/stop feature in the fourth quarter of 2010. Little did we know they were talking about Europe. Not the U.S. At a press conference in Detroit. Oh, right. Of course not. We should have known.
Kudos to the Toledo Blade (and Autoblog) for getting the clarification on this detail from Michael Manley, president of the Jeep brand.
As compensation, the Wrangler will possibly, apparently get a version of the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 later this summer.
Toledo Blade via Autoblog
One point what went largely unnoticed yesterday in Honda CEO Takanobu Ito's introductory speech for the CR-Z in Detroit was his mention of hybrids. "We will be adding hybrids to the Acura brand," he offered.
Acura is coming off a disastrous 2009 income year. Sales dropped almost 27 percent from 144,504 to 105,723. Some kind of shake-up is needed, and maybe hybrids will stir up some enthusiasm — as Toyota hopes they will for Scion.
Canadian broadcaster CTV reports that the production version of the Cadillac XTS sedan will go into production at GM's Oshawa, Ontario, plant in Jan 2012. The XTS will be unveiled in concept form at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Cadillac officials had previously told us the car would start production in 2011. The source of the CTV's information is apparently a memo from the Canadian Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association (APMA). 
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