Announces the Death of SAAB

Just moment ago, General Motors announced that it will be closing down its money-losing SAAB unit after concluding that the sale of the Swedish brand to tiny Dutch supercar maker, Spyker Cars, could not be completed in the time frame that had been set.

Report: No AWD for Subaru version of FT-86 "Toyobaru" (w/poll)

Japan's Best Car (via 7Tune) apparently reports that development costs associated with Subaru's version of the Toyota FT-86 sport coupe have become so high that all-wheel drive is now being dropped from the equation. If true, this would deprive the widely-expected Scooby coupe of the feature the brand's entire marketing platform is built on, likely leaving us with a pair of clones whose only major difference will be styling. To that end, it's also reported that an effort is underway to more substantially differentiate the Subaru coupe's look from the Toyota FT-86 beyond grilles and badges.

Of course, nothing's official until these cars are formally introduced, but yanking AWD from the Subaru effectively leaves us with a Japanese version of GM's old Camaro/Firebird scenario, assuming both cars really do come to market. Frankly, it's hard to see why Subaru would even bother going with this sans all-wheel drive coupe, though the Herculean PR spin they'd have to put on it would likely be hugely entertaining ("This is what we wanted all along...").

So, let's hear what you think. Follow the jump for a poll on how a lack of AWD would impact your interest in the presumed Subaru version of the Toyota FT-86. Thanks to Johnny for the tip!

2010 Kia Sorento SUV Geared up by Cobra Technology & Lifestyle

The new generation Kia Sorento that made its debut earlier this year is the latest object of Cobra Technology & Lifestyle's tuning affections. Not that most Sorento buyers will actually ever need bull bars - that is, unless your parking skills are worse 16-year-old that just got his license, but Cobra offers a variety of front, rear and rocker panel guards including a lower front bar with integrated LED daytime running lights.

Claims Toyota Has Been Keeping a Lid on Potential Safety Problems

In the wake of Toyota's recent recall of a record 4.26 million vehicles in the United States because the gas pedal can get stuck in the floor mats and cause sudden acceleration, the Los Angeles Times has posted an article that portrays the Japanese automaker as a company that has habitually delayed or even covered up safety recalls and tried to put the blame on human error in cases where owners claimed vehicle defects.

2010 Mazda3 MPS - MAZDASPEED3: First Official Photos

Today, Mazda published the first official photos of the all-new Mazda3 MPS - known in the U.S. as the Mazdaspeed3, that will be uncovered at the Geneva Motor Show on March 3. The Japanese firm was tight lipped about the hot hatchback's specifications in its press release, as the only detail revealed was that the Mazda3 MPS will continue to use the outgoing model's turbocharged 2.3-liter direct-injection 4-cylinder engine.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage 510HP Revealed Ahead of Geneva Show

Described by Aston Martin as "the most potent production sports car in the marque's 95-year history," the V12 Vantage is essentially the production version of the 2007 V12 Vantage RS concept car and it will be officially revealed at the Geneva Motorshow on 3rd March. Based on the V8 Vantage, the V12 Vantage features a naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 510HP (517 PS), and 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque. Exclusively available with a six-speed manual transmission, the rear-wheel-drive British sportscar has a top speed of 190 mph (305 km/h) and 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 4.2 seconds.