With the McLaren-Mercedes SLR set to end production, McLaren wants to build a new supercar of its own (front mid-engine THIS). Auto Motor und Sport reports that Mercedes, which owns some 40 percent of McLaren, reckon the new hot rod would compete with its forthcoming Gullwing super-SL. And? Racing boss Ron Dennis and partner Mansour Ojjeh each own 15 percent of McLaren; the royal family of Bahrain own the other 30 percent. They're all hot for a new McLaren road car. Accordingly, two mid-engined prototypes are currently undergoing track testing, one of which sports a German-built V10 race engine. Mercedes is livid, threatening to cut all payments to McLaren if it doesn't halt development plans. Ultimately, Mercedes is going to have to bite the bullet and buy out the last 11 percent of McLaren if they want to call the shots (outbidding the royal family of Bahrain ain't gonna be easy). Meanwhile everyone has to make nice and work together on the F1 circuit, where McLaren-Mercedes pilot Lewis Hamilton is kicking ass and taking names. So who's writing the novel?

Nothing in Chrysler's dated portfolio needs attention more than its Camcord-fighting D-segment offerings, the Avenger/Sebring. The March departure of the lead on the Avengbring replacement didn't bode well. Motor Trend now reports that Project D is heading for disaster, gobbling-up huge engineering and design resources. Chrysler's in crisis mode. Option one: an all-new platform. No money. No way. Option two: deploy an existing chassis (e.g.  Nissan's Altima) and wrap it in new sheetmetal. Option C: rip off another automaker's work wholesale, a la VW Routan. Needless to say, these cop-out options will do nothing to improve Chrysler's rep for mediocre products. Then again a badge-engineered Altima might be better than what Chrysler can cobble together on a shoestring. Either way, with Project D seemingly doomed to mediocrity, what else can keep Chrysler alive? Hybrid minivans? Cherys? Government bailouts? Not good. 

Autocar UK reports that Fiat's performance brand Abarth is developing a mid-engined sports car. The restyled next gen Lotus Elise will feature a next gen Fiat turbo-charged, direct-injection, air-valve four-cylinder engine with 240hp. So, where are we? Lotus makes several Elise variants, from the Exige (racer) to the Europa (chiropractor's best friend). The Elise also underpins Rinnspeed's sQuba, Tesla's Roadster and Vauxhall/Opel's VX220/Speedster. Meanwhile, Lotus is delaying the release of a new Esprit. Does this mean Hethel's shortchanging its own models to work on its 340 development projects for 147 clients? Hey, you can't argue with $4m profit– especially after years of losses. And with a zingy Italian engine, the Elise-based sportster could ascend from the perfect to the sublime. You know; if you can get in.

We reported earlier that new Jag and Landie owners Tata Motors want to take its once-proud luxury brands back upmarket. According to Auto Motor und Sport, boss Ratan Tata has suggested to investors that Jaguar could revive the Daimler brand to take on Bentley and Rolls. Daimler as in Mercedes? Nein. A little history… Gottlieb Daimler sold his cars in Germany under the Mercedes name. He also licensed the construction of his engine in England. Jaguar bought that company, known as Daimler, in 1960. By the time Ford bought Jaguar in 1989, the Daimler name had become [more or less] a Jaguar trim line, denoting the top level of XJ Sedans in every market but America (where it was called the Vanden Plas to avoid confusion with Daimler-Chrysler). Mercedes-Benz paid Ford $20m for non-exclusive rights to the Daimler name. Ford then sold the Jag, Land Rover and Daimler brands to Tata Motors. Now, for those of you who think think that reviving the storied Daimler name is a no-brainer for Ratan's mob, I have one word: Maybach.  

High gas prices are achieving what thousands of Euro-lusting domestic fanboys couldn't: an influx imported premium European sub-compacts. Automotive News [sub] reports that Mercedes has revived plans to bring its next gen A and B-Class stateside. Expect four-door, coupe and crossover variants to jump the puddle sometime after they make their 2011 European debut. And yes, we'll also get long-awaited, much-anticipated battery-powered versions– provided they escape development Hell. Meanwhile, Daimler's considering another U.S. price increase. "We will continue to go for pricing and lose some volume rather than see our contributions deteriorate," says CEO Dieter "Chrysler What Chrysler" Zetsche. So what's with the mass market A and B, then?

Edmunds (who else?) has pricing info on Porsche's Panamera sedan, under the guise "leaked document." If you read Edmunds (or any other car website), you know this already. You know there will be V6, V8, and twin-turbo V8 versions (the latter north of 500 horsepower). You know there will be a hybrid version, and that transmission options will include Porsche's new seven-speed dual clutch automatic. It's the sticker that's the kicker. For the Volkswagen-sourced 300 horsepower 3.6-liter V6 Panamera, we're talking $127k. If true, Porsche has priced the base Panamera straight into instant classic territory. Before you jump in and say "people said the Cayenne wouldn't sell and they made enough money on that porker to buy Lower Saxony," the Cayenne is very, very different. Porsche's so-not-a-sports-car wasn't $50k more expensive than its competition. And when you drop $130k+ on a Porsche sedan, you don't want to get smoked by an Infiniti G37 coupe at stoplights– let alone a 380 horsepower Mercedes S550. I give it an F-. But it's an epic car of legend and history. Thank you, Porsche.

When it comes to alt power, The General's ADD ways continue. In addition to its BAS "mild" hybrids, two-mode hybrids and Volt plug-in hybrid, GM is working on yet another Hail Mary: a plug-in version of the two-mode system. The result will be a single mode, the Saturn Vue plug-in. Yes folks, just in case the two-mode system isn't complicated enough, GM is adding plug-in capabilities. GM's Fastlane blog worries that we may all be too excited about the eventual release of the Volt,. They want to remind us that the plug-in Vue is undergoing testing in Michigan and Arizona. The program started with NiMh cells, but has switched to more modern Li-Ion batteries, which have now undergone thermal management testing. Apparently, they're now "fully operational and undergoing refinement." Even though the regular two-mode Vue Hybrid is set to go on sale this year, GM is hyping the plug-in version. Based on technology that's undergone more tjhan 800k miles of dynamometer testing, GM expects the PHEV Vue to "set the standard for its combination of fuel economy and performance." For an SUV. Which is to say, not at all. Shouldn't these engineers be working on the Volt, considering that its development is "pushing the time envelope," according to Rick Wagoner? 

Opel/Vauxhall's Insignia sedan debuted this weekend at the London Auto Show. The first Epsilon2-based car in GM's portfolio appears to be off to a great start. The biggest surprise so far: the Insignia looks stunning. Needless to say, there was some suspense when Maximum Bob Lutz was asked to confirm that the Insignia is coming stateside as the next gen Saturn Aura. Which was closely followed by stunned disappointment as the Man Of Maximum revealed that the Insignia IS the new Aura– but only under the skin. "We've researched the Insignia around the world, including the U.S., as an internationally spectacular new design, but the Saturn version will be its own car," says Lutz. So GM builds a mid-sized, front-wheel drive car that even Jeremy Clarkson likes (inside and out), and The General sends it to America to be fitted with (doubtless) tacky American couture. Why is GM spending money to redesign the looks of a perfectly desirable car? 

My local Land Rover dealer is the first car dealer in the country to buy carbon offsets for the first 50k miles of every new and used Landie they sell, in hopes of tempting green types into their Chelsea tractors. Now it seems that Land Rover has decided to offer more, erm, sustainable options for environmentally-minded ute lovers.  LR is showing a new range of diesel hybrid engines at the London Auto Show. Motor Authority reports that Land Rover's new electric rear axle drive (ERAD) consists of a rear-axle mounted 25w electric motor which can power all four wheels in parallel with a four-cylinder diesel engine. The powertrain also includes a Crankshaft Integrated Starter Generator (CISG) mounted in the dual-clutch transmission, which acts as a supplementary motor for adding torque to the driveline and also for starting the main diesel engine. Both the ERAD and CISG can be used for regenerative braking, and together account for a 20 percent reduction in carbon emissions. The ERAD/CISG system is still in early development, and is not expected to debut for several years. In the meantime, Land Rovers are expected to get stop-start technology as early as next year. Which hopefully means that Land Rover of Portland can end its gimmicky greenwashing campaign sooner rather than later.

Auto Motor und Sport reports Volkswagen vants to conquer ze world! The German automaker aims to displace  Ford as world number three automaker this year and then, eventually, take on Toyota. Yes, well, anyway, Wolfsburg can't get there from here without fixing its NorAm ops. To that end, VW is considering bringing a subcompact "similar to its Polo" stateside. The Yaris/Fit fighter would take VW back to its small, fuel-efficient American roots. Bloomberg reports that Vee Dub's also looking to produce a market-specific version of a future Polo in the U.S. of A.. Power could come from one of VW's new low-pollution powerplants, built at a forthcoming engine plant in Puebla, Mexico. Better late than never?

Shelby Supercars (SSC) recently grabbed the title of fastest production car in the world (and the respect of Jay Leno) with its 1k+ hp "Veyron-performance-made- in-the-USA-at-half-the-price" Ultimate Aero. Even so, SSC knows that a world record and fifty-unit-per-year production do not a viable car builder make. And since the Ultimate Aero can plow through a gallon of gas every 15 seconds at full boost, SSC figures a cleaner, greener model is in order. The SSC blog reports that the Ultimate Aero EV replaces the standard 1183hp twin-turbo V8 with a 500hp electric motor. They claim that the watt-guzzler will "feature a revolutionary power source allowing for extended time between charging intervals with the possibility of several years between charging." Huh. Tesla has a bank account full of Silicon Valley venture capital and more media coverage than a panty-free Britney Spears. But they still can't get a transmission to handle their Roadster's low-down EV torque. And SSC expects to waltz in and handle even more 0 rpm torque with its standard carbon clutch and six-speed tranny. Whether it evolves into a Tesla-killing masterpiece or an overly ambitious flameout, this project is just too crazy not to keep an eye on. [Hat Tip to El Jalop]

No, no, not that Auburn Hills automaker. You didn't seriously think Chrysler was hiring, did you? No, Gibbs Technologies, a growing maker of *ahem* amphibious vehicles is opening its North American headquarters near the Pentastar Palace. The makers of the Aquada roadster (pictured), Humdinga SUV and Quadski ATV are bringing their products to the American market, and more amazingly, jobs to Michigan. Gibbs will hire 70 new employees by year's end, with plans for an eventual staff of 250. Further helping the moribund Michigan economy: the 270 workers at local suppliers and businesses required for Gibbs' operations. The company is also seeking locations to manufacture its surf-and-turf rides, and Michigan is reportedly a top contender. The first Gibbs product to go on sale stateside will likely be the Aquada roadster, a three-seater capable of 100mph on land and 40mph in the water. The Aquada could cost as much as $85k when it goes on sale sometime next year. Yes it's true: this whole venture depends on Gibbs selling vehicles. Imagine that.

Can't wait for some good news about Product Revolution 2.0 from GM? Well, surf on over to Edmunds Inside Line for the latest in grainy computer-generated images of the cars that are sure to make you forget that GM was ever in any kind of trouble. Think American automakers can't build an attractive, efficient small car? Um, you were right. The first look at Chevy's Cobalt quasi-replacement, the Cruze, reveal bland baby Malibu styling that even Edmunds calls "over-used and derivative." And while the old Chevy Cruze (Suzuki Ignis) was a tall, flexible wagon, the new model sports a long front overhang and a tight greenhouse. But fear not, wagon lovers because the Caddy CTS sportwagon is coming. And by the looks of it, it will be yet another fashion nugget designed to convince Americans that all station wagons have less luggage capacity than sedans. That's right America, if you want to buy a GM with actual storage space you have no choice but to keep buying thirsty crossovers for at least five more years. For example, take the Caddy SRX, the Saab 9-4X or the Chevy Equinox… no, seriously, take them. They'll just be occupying valuable Volt real estate on GM lots come 2010. Finally, we get a look at a mid-sized Buick, possibly to be named the Invicta. Sure it looks good, but will it be enough to rescue the dead brand walking? Speaking of which, is it a coincidence that GM isn't showing any new Pontiac or GMC product? Probably not. The future is now!

We're talking about Subie-grokking enthusiasts. What brought this to mind: the automaker's announcement [reported by our slack-jawed pals at Autoblog] that the current WRX will become the Impreza GT. The new WRX will be a fanboy's wet dream. She'll be packing 265hp, an upgraded suspension and fancy-schmancy-trim,. And get this: no slushbox. Manual transmission only. Considering Subaru has been ditching stick shift trannies like bad dates, it's a win for pistonheads everywhere. The new Lancer Raillart had a hand in this. And even though Subies aren't the most fuel-efficient vehicles on planet Earth, they're still a hit with that part of the North American continent we call the snow belt. Not to mention various other inclement weather enclaves (so to speak). In a decidedly down U.S. new car market, Subie sales rose 5.3 percent in June, up 4.4 percent year-to-date. Impreza sales rose two percent in June, 12 percent year-to-date. So Subie can well afford to hone for hoons.  

This week General Motors sent out a note saying that full Camaro details would come out on Monday the 21st of July. So I put the Camaro on the mental backburner. Now, in a series of events that so fits the development of the Camaro, pictures have leaked onto the net. Are they intentionally leaked? Is a bear Catholic? Anyway, putting aside the marketing problems, and gas prices, and GM's problems, and Bob Lutz's talking, and the seemingly endless hype, ladies and gentlemen, we have a new four-seat, rear wheel-drive V6 and V8 pony car. Woohoo! The info that accompanied the pictures over at Cartribe.com is spotty and inconsistent with what we've heard before. They claim engine options are the 3.6-liter V6 with direct injection, good for around 300 horses (that's almost definitely true). But they also claim the V8 is the 6.2-liter LS3 V8 out of the Corvette. In this application it would make some 416 horses they say. Unfortunately, I'm doubting it. As an SS, maybe. My money is on the 360 horse V8 as the base V8 engine. The official specs come Monday. But for now enjoy the pics of a hitherto unannounced RS version. Just like last time (early 1970s), the muscle cars are best right before the market implodes. But to quote Joel Goodsen's father in Risky Business, sometimes you just gotta say "What the heck."

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