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Top executives at Volvo have recently told Green Car Reports that the company is planning to launch a plug-in hybrid variant of the new 2015 Volvo XC90 a few months after the latter hits the market in the spring of 2015.

Under the hood would be a 2.0L turbocharged Drive-E engine with direct injection mated to an electric motor and 8-speed automatic transmission. A second electric motor would drive the rear axle to allow either fully electric propulsion or hybrid all-wheel drive.

Look for more details about the 2015 Volvo XC90 Plug-in Hybrid to be revealed in the coming months.

Source : greencarreports.com

Photo: Volvo

For the fourth time in the ten-year history of NASCAR's playoffs, called the Chase for the Sprint Cup, NASCAR has made another change in the rules.

Take a look at these new regulations which are supposed to reward winning, but, ask yourself do these new rules really simplify the Chase (as NASCAR says) or make it complicated?

But first consider the old-old rule (which did award bonus points) - the driver with the points wins.

Now here's the new rule.

First 16 drivers will now qualify instead of the present 12 and initial ten candidates.

The over-arching philosophy is to put more rewards for winning. Although not changing the basic points system, which might pay only a 2.5 per cent premium over second place for a victory, race winners will take priority in qualifying for those 16 spots of the original round.


Other key points announced by Brian Z. France NASCAR's CEO and president are:

• A victory in the first 26 races all but guarantees a berth in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup - a change that will put an unprecedented importance on winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race all season long

• The number of championship drivers in contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship will decrease after every three Chase races, from 16 to start in the Chase Grid; 12 after Chase race No. 3; eight after Chase race No. 6; and four after Chase race No. 9

• The first three races of the Chase (27-29) will be known as the Challenger Round; races 30-32 will be known as the Contender Round; races 33-35 will be the Eliminator Round and race No. 36 will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship

• A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Chase race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next Chase round

• Four drivers will enter the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the prestigious NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

Other important points include the top 15 finishing drivers, with the most wins, ensure a driver a spot in the Chase provide they are within the top-30 in the points. And the points leader after 26-races guaranteed a spot in the Chase.

And there's more rules.

By a mere word count the rule in effect before 2004 was simpler.

So, on one hand this is not simpler - except - and it's a very important exception. At the season closing race NASCAR will declare four drivers eligible for the Championship.

And to this writer the interim eliminations are a distinction without a major difference except that a win will override a bad finish like when Dale Earnhardt Jr. blew an engine in the first Chase Race in 2013 all-but eliminating him from contention.

A driver won't be able to merely finish with minimum points to become the champion. That competitor will have to out-drive the other three qualified drivers to take the title instead of just slowly circulating on an oval, accumulating points.

No driver will be able to clinch the title before the final round is the biggest change in NASCAR history. And this writer likes that.

But I would just prefer a simpler way to get there.

A teaser on YouTube is announcing the arrival of ''another impressive member of the Audi family.'' There's nothing in it that gives clues about the identity of this mystery model, not even an outline or a number, so it's all pure speculation at this point.

The world premiere will take place on February 12th.

After a week behind the wheel of the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage, I am desperate to believe that there's no way Mitsubishi could possibly hope that this little econobox was to be their oasis in a barren desert of sales. Say it ain't so, Mits; say it ain't so.

I'd really hoped to make analogies with salvation-type mirages in barren wastelands; cures for dried up sales numbers; and maybe even a heavens-opening-up type situation in which the Mirage dropped down to save the day... but I just can't when it comes to this particular vehicle.

The real issue with this vehicle? It's a true economy car in every sense of the word (which I have no problem with), but it commands a subcompact price that just puts it leagues beneath its competition in the same bracket.


What is a Mitsubishi Mirage?
The Mirage is essentially a revamped and renewed Mitsubishi Colt. They were reluctant to release the vehicle's name when it first appeared. Rumours circulated that the name “Mirage” would once again be used -- a name that Mits has attached to quite a few of its compact car models since the mid-‘70s.

Built as an affordable, fuel efficient vehicle with a decent amount of space, the Mitsubishi Mirage is not about high-quality, drivability or comfort. At least, not that I can see.

2014 Mitsubishi Mirage Price and Specs
Here's where the Mitsubishi Mirage really fails, in my opinion. Forget about the 74 horsepower and 74 lb-ft of torque from the 1.2L 3-cylinder engine. Forget about the CVT (although there is an available 5-speed manual, thankfully). Where the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage really falls flat is in its price.

A 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage ES base model starts at $12,498. Jump to the SE model and you're looking at $15,398 to start, and that's before you start adding things that actually make the car livable and tolerable. My particular tester edged in on the $17k mark. That's Honda Fit and Fiat 500 territory -- both of which are leaps and bounds ahead in terms of quality and construction.

The Mirage is essentially a revamped and renewed Mitsubishi Colt. They were reluctant to release the vehicle's name when it first appeared. (Photo: Mitsubishi)

Driving the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage
How can I put this delicately? The day I was to pick up the Mitsubishi Mirage my body decided to evacuate a kidney stone on its own. When the excruciating pain had finally stopped and I could focus on the task at hand (driving the Mirage) I wondered if the stone was my body's way of preparing me.

Driving the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage is painful in a different way; it's almost embarrassing, actually. From the moment you turn the key and hear the 1.2L noisily rattle to life, feeling the little car shake and tremble to life, you're aware this isn't the best car you're ever going to drive in your life.

Close the ridiculously cheap and clunky doors, strap yourself in and put the Mirage in “D.” From that moment on you'll either need to turn the radio up to extreme levels to block out the droning, ear-bleeding noise levels created by the CVT and the wind from body-panel gaps or bask in the ridiculousness of it all, and possibly invest in some noise-cancelling earmuffs. The Mirage does move well enough though, but the noise...

And, oh, the body roll. For a car so tiny, this thing has more body roll than a Greyhound bus. It's almost funny, but a little off-putting as well. Of course, college guys will enjoy this feature: take a corner too quickly (once the wheels actually respond to turning input) in the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage and your date will surely end up in your lap (take note).

From the moment you turn the key and hear the 1.2L noisily rattle to life, feeling the little car shake and tremble to life, you're aware this isn't the best car you're ever going to drive in your life. (Photo: Mitsubishi)

Inside and Out the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage
Where to start? I wonder if Mitsubishi decided to try a new “design while blindfolded” trick? If so, they did a bang-up job for being blindfolded. If not, well... that's a shame, really.

From the outside, the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage lacks any sort of discerning character traits or lines. Sure, they slapped a sporty roof spoiler on the SE model, but that's clearly just a sad attempt at attracting buyers who think wings add horsepower (they don't, and neither do racing stripes in case you were wondering).

Inside the “sad” continues. When you realize that felt liner is being used as carpeting throughout, as well as the headliner, and that the door armrests seem to be constructed of pre-production plastics, and the passenger sun visor doesn't even have a mirror, you start to really question the vehicle's price. At least I do.

The 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage's seats are flat and uncomfortable for longer journeys, and the back seat is very upright and not at all cozy. While there is a good deal of headroom for all, legroom can get tight in the back when taller riders are up front. A baby seat fit easily, but I dislike the rear anchor off at an angle in the trunk.

Sure, the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage SE comes with heated front seats (that are actually painful if left on high for too long), fog lamps, and even Bluetooth, and cruise control, but that doesn't justify the rest.

The 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage's seats are flat and uncomfortable for longer journeys. (Photo: Mitsubishi)

Comparing the 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage
Truthfully? A good, fair comparison for the Mits Mirage would be a '07 Hyundai Accent hatch or a Toyota Yaris from the same year. Unfortunately for Mitsubishi, both those cars have stellar new versions that are still in the same category, and so far above the Mirage that it's almost shocking.

From GMM

It had already emerged that the FIA is unhappy with some of the radical nose solutions, with one camp of teams accusing the other of fielding either dangerous designs or too cheekily skirting around the 'spirit' of the rules.

Arguably, however, McLaren's wing-like rear suspension arms are causing the bigger stir.

Italy's Omnicorse claims world champions Red Bull have already sent a request for clarification to the FIA.

But that doesn't mean that, even if the design is ruled categorically legal, the other teams will rush to copy it.

"The design is based upon quite a lot of air resistance (drag); especially the part that bends downward," said Red Bull designer Adrian Newey, according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

McLaren MP4-29. (Photo: WRi2)

Mercedes' Paddy Lowe, however - a former McLaren man - is not so sure.

"McLaren will have determined that it found a way for it to work without major disadvantages," he predicted.

But Williams' Pat Symonds thinks that because of the way the suspension arms have to bend backwards towards the rear, McLaren will have lost some stiffness benefits.

"They may have compensated with more mass, so I would guess that the wishbones are heavier than normal," he said.

Some have said McLaren will retain its potential 2014 advantage for a long time, because it will be so difficult for rival teams to change entire rear suspension layouts.

Symonds is not so sure of that.

"It just wouldn't be as perfect a system as McLaren's, because they have based the whole concept of the car around it," he said.

Mitsubishi will appoint Managing Director Tetsuro Aikawa to replace Osamu Masuko as president. Masuko will become chairman and focus on building partnerships with other automakers, sources said.

Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuko, who led the struggling carmaker to record profits and overhauled its product strategy, plans to hand off control April 1 to Managing Director Tetsuro Aikawa, Japan's Nikkei business daily reported Friday in...

The first 2014 Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake was delivered to the new Shelby Automotive Museum in Southern California on Dec. 26, 2013.

Tom Moorehead, owner of BMW and Mini dealerships in northern Virginia, has acquired a Rolls-Royce store, becoming the first African-American with a franchise to sell the ultraluxury brand in the United States.

We suspect that your initial inclination upon the discovery of a new model's configurator is to throw gobs and gobs of equipment at a car to see just how high the price will go. After all, that's what we tend to do.

Just a few days after the last Tesla Superchargers were in place,

Auto plants in the southeastern United States, where cities were gridlocked by snow and ice this week, canceled some shifts, and parts shortages caused by the storms have slowed production in other regions of the country.

Skoda has just given the Yeti a facelift and a new Haldex 4x4 system. Curious to see how the restyle looks covered in mud, Glenn Brooks took it off-roading.

We weren't even alive when "Ghostbusters" was released in 1984. We honestly didn't realize it was that old -- it's timeless as far as we're concerned. But the Big 3-0 is as good an excuse as any to celebrate the film.

Following a name drop by President Barack Obama during his State of the Union Address Tuesday night, the CEO of a woman-owned Ford parts supplier in Detroit plans to capitalize on the spotlight.

Renault-Nissan will accelerate integration between the carmakers after naming executives to lead efforts to converge manufacturing, research and development and human resources.

Renault-Nissan announced plans to accelerate integration between the carmakers by stepping up joint projects in development, manufacturing, purchasing and human resources.

Pictures See all 8 pictures 26 Feb, 2014

Ford has started built its EcoSport B-crossover at Ford Thailand Manufacturing in Rayong, Thailand.