Rumors of BMW M launching a diesel model have been circulating for over a year, and confirmation has finally arrived in the form of not one, not two, but four M-fettled oil-burners, each sporting all-wheel drive and the oft-rumored tri-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six. And before you get excited, none of them are slated for sale in the U.S. – this is a Euro-only affair.

So with that unfortunate fact out of the way, let’s get to the details.

The new M models come in the form of the M550d xDrive sedan, M550d xDrive touring, X5 M50d and X6 M50d. Each makes use of a 3.0-liter inline-six common-rail diesel with the aforementioned trio of turbos specifically developed for the M Performance range. Output is rated at 376 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 545 pound-feet of torque available from 2,000 to 3,000 revs. If you’re keeping track at home, that’s a bump of 80 hp and 103 lb-ft over the 535d and 74 hp and 103 lb-ft more than the 3.0-liter mill fitted to the diesel X5 and X6.
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If you think the Chevrolet Sonic sedan looks a bit abbreviated now, you should have seen it before General Motors stretched the vehicle. Take a good look at the spec sheets for the Sonic hatch and Sonic sedan, and you’ll likely notice the four-door is over a foot longer than its twin. According to Automotive News, GM felt that early design attempts at the sedan bodystyle were too stubby looking. While the four-door was always intended to be somewhat longer than the hatch, designers rolled in additional space in the vehicle’s rump to help situate the vehicle’s proportions.
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The National Higway Traffic Safety Administration has officially closed the book on its investigation into the Chevrolet Volt. The result finds that “no discernible defect trend exists” and “Based on the available data, NHTSA does not believe that Chevy Volts or other electric vehicles pose a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles.”
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Jaguar may be in no rush to bring diesel variants to the United States for anything more than a cross-country demo run. But overseas the marque’s oil-burning selection keeps growing. The XF is already available in its home market with a 190-horsepower 2.2-liter diesel four, not to mention a 3.0-liter diesel V6 with 240 or 275 horsepower. But if those weren’t frugal enough, Jaguar has now introduced an even more cost-effective alternative.
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The 2013 Dodge Dart is a big deal for Chrysler, so it makes sense that the majority of the company’s attention at the Detroit Auto Show will be focused around the new C-segment sedan. But since the automaker doesn’t want to blow its whole show presence on just one vehicle, its Mopar tuning arm has stepped in to create two new vehicles for show-goers to ogle – the Chrysler 200 Super S and Dodge Charger Redline.

In its stock form, the Chrysler 200 certainly isn’t going to win any design awards, but we’ll admit it: Based on these pics, the Super S looks good, at least from the front. The Super S Stage One kit adds visual flare in the form of a front chin spoiler, satin chrome fog light trim, satin chrome grille surround and a new mesh grille design. What’s more, there are new side sills, black chrome badges and bespoke 18-inch “S” alloy wheels, a trunk lid spoiler, satin chrome rear light bar and a matte black lower diffuser with integrated exhaust openings.
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Despite major improvements, public perception still lingers that most American luxury sedans don’t quite approach the level of refinement and equipment offered by their imported competitors. And so it follows that Chrysler models fall shy of Lincoln and Cadillac, especially because their pricing is less dear. But the latest announcement from Auburn Hills aims to close that perception – and pricing – gap ever so gently.
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Nissan is recalling just over 14,700 vehicles from the 2011 and 2012 model years over faulty bolts in the engine. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “bolts that connect the engine oil cooler and the engine oil filter to the engine in these vehicles may have been manufactured to below specification strength.”

Affected Nissan vehicles include the 2011-12 Pathfinder, 2011-12 Xterra, 2012 NV and 2012 Frontier. Additionally, the 2011 Infiniti FX and 2012 Infiniti M are being recalled for this issue.
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