AutoWeek Daily Drive — Monday, September 20, 2010

HOME   |   CAR NEWS   |   CAR REVIEWS   |   RACING   |   AUTOSHOWS   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   MARKETPLACE Monday, September 20, 2010                  The Lotus Elite has a folding hardtop and a 5.0-liter V8 that drives the rear wheels.... Paris auto show: Lotus Elite hybrid headed for the road in 2014 Lotus Cars is giving us a first look at the Elite--a V8-powered, folding-hardtop grand tourer with an optional hybrid powertrain that Lotus says will go on sale in 2014. The Lotus Elite gets a public debut at this year's Paris motor show. Under the hood of the 2+2 Elite is a 5.0-liter gasoline V8, rated at 612 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque driving the rear wheels. The engine has an 8,500-rpm...   Maserati Mojo: Italian icon unveils lightest, fastest model for Paris Maserati will reveal a competition-inspired GranTurismo later this month at the Paris motor show. Called the GranTurismo MC Stradale, the car will be the fastest, lightest and most powerful in Maserati's lineup. It will make 450 hp and be capable of speeds of greater than 186 mph. The car...   Future products: U.S. model is VW's big news An ambitious plan to increase Volkswagen brand sales in the United States to 800,000 by 2018--up from 213,454 last year--begins with a mid-sized sedan to be built starting early next year in Chattanooga, Tenn. Later, the new factory will add the Polo small car or a mid-sized SUV--possibly both. ...   2011 Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon, an AW Drivers Log NEWS EDITOR GREG MIGLIORE: This is an elegant wagon with sporty handling and a bit of punch, but it's rather pricey. I had limited occasion to use this E350 over the weekend, but it was more than up to the task of chauffeuring people and commuting. The V6 is a solid engine. It's...   Sept. 17: Hey, buddy, can you spare a charge? First, let us commemorate a fellow Mitsubishi i-MiEV that just finished a drive across Canada. Yes, Canada. That's 4,650 miles, a long way to go when you have a listed range of 50 to 70 miles. The car left St. John's, Newfoundland, on Aug. 17 and arrived in Vancouver on Sept. 13 (see www....   Formula One: Gutierrez to be Sauber's third driver in 2011 Mexican teenager Esteban Gutierrez will be the Sauber Formula One team's test and reserve driver for 2011. If he graduates to a race seat for 2012, his presence is likely to be a massive boost for the first U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. Gutierrez, who turned 19 in August, won the... You May Have Missed...   NHRA: Dixon, Pedregon, Anderson hoist Wallys in North Carolina Larry Dixon stayed perfect in Top Fuel finals in 2010, winning for the 11th time in 11 final-round appearances by beating Doug Kalitta in Sunday's NHRA O'Reilly Auto Parts Nationals at zMax Dragway.The victory was Dixon's 59th of his career, six behind all-time leader Tony Schumacher. Dixon also...   Clint Bowyer opens NASCAR Chase with win at New Hampshire Clint Bowyer led more than half of Sunday afternoon's Sylvania 300 in Loudon, N.H., but it took Tony Stewart's failed fuel gamble to send Bowyer to victory lane in the opening race in NASCAR's 10-race Chase for the Championship playoff.Bowyer, winless in the first 26 races this year going into the...   NASCAR: Elliott's son continues racing success It's been a good few weeks for Chase Elliott, son of NASCAR legend Bill Elliott. On Labor Day weekend, the 15-year-old won a 200-lap PASS Late Model race at historic North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. On Saturday, night he won the inaugural George Elliott Memorial 100 at the half-mile...   NASCAR: Mears could remain at Germain Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Casey Mears may have found another home. After driving for seven teams since 2003, he seems settled in with Germain Racing's No. 13 Geico Toyota. He's been there since he replaced Max Papis last month and expects to return next season.Mears raced for Chip Ganassi,...   NASCAR: Scott Speed expects to return to Team Red Bull next season Ex-Formula One driver Scott Speed expects to remain at Team Red Bull next year despite only one top-five and three top-10 finishes in 67 career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts. Some tabbed him as the odd man out when Kasey Kahne arrives in the team next year--especially if Brian Vickers returns...   IndyCar: Castroneves wins, Franchitti closes points gap with Power Helio Castroneves won his third race of the Izod IndyCar Series season on Sunday at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Japan. But the story was what happened to Dario Franchitti and Will Power, the two remaining championship contenders.They finished second and third, respectively, in the Indy Japan...   IndyCar: Who has the inside line to the title? Will Power leads Dario Franchitti by 12 points heading into the final race of the Izod IndyCar Series season on Oct. 2 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.Here's what that means:1. Franchitti will win his third title in four years if he wins the race from the pole (one bonus point) and leads the most laps...   Franchitti clinches A. J. Foyt award In this case, the plan backfired on Izod IndyCar Series officials.The intent was to crown the inaugural A. J. Foyt Oval Track Champion at the penultimate race of the season so as to not have it overshadowed at the season-ending race, when the overall champ was in the spotlight.But in this case,...   IndyCar: Mario Moraes released from Japanese hospital after crash Mario Moraes was released from a Japan hospital Sunday following a frightening crash in the Izod IndyCar Series race at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit.Moraes hit the turn-two wall with the rear of his car after it appeared a suspension piece in the back of the car failed. He was running 17th at the... CLICK HERE TO UNSUBSCRIBE from the AutoWeek Daily Drive E-mail or to sign up for other AutoWeek e-mail products. IMPORTANT: Please add AutoWeek.com to your E-mail Address Book to ensure you will continue to receive our newsletters. Please DO NOT reply to this e-mail. You will not receive a reply if you use this e-mail address. Crain Communications, 1155 Gratiot Ave. Detroit, MI 48207.