2014 BMW M5 facelift shows up online

Is it that time already? Like its predecessors, the current BMW M5 has been endangering US licenses since it first went on sale here in 2012, but its design became a known quantity back at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Apparently that also means that the F10 generation has already grown tired enough to the "Must Have Latest Set" who can afford these sorts of super saloons that a facelift is in order.

If these leaked images sourced from Autocar are anything to go by, BMW stylists have used a predictably light hand to rework their hottest 5 Series, with a revised grille that echoes the M6 along with modestly resculpted headlamps. The rear end appears wholly unaltered. Interior changes gleaned from a look at the cabin photos include an updated touchpad-equipped iDrive controller and a new steering wheel cribbed from the M6.

No new word on changes to the 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 powertrain, but in late April, we heard that BMW was readying new competition packages for the M5 and M6. The packages are said to include 15 more horsepower, revised suspension and steering, along with new wheels and blackened exhaust tips. Given that BMW is known for habitually underrating its cars' horsepower outputs (particularly its M models) we can't help but wonder if its engineers will need to do anything other than wave a magic wand to corral those extra ponies underhood...

Lancia to live on with models built in America

 by: Zach Bowman

Motor Trend reports that Lancia isn't headed for the scrap heap after all. Chris Brown, a spokesperson for Chrysler, told MT the automaker will live on and continue to manufacture its Ypsilon hatchback in Italy. The remainder of the brand's vehicles will be built in America by Chrysler. What's more, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has said future Lancia models will be co-developed with Chrysler. That's a big shift from what we heard last week. As you may recall, the German site Automobilwoche reported the sun was poised to set on the Lancia brand for good, due in part to economic woes in Europe.

Under the rumored plan, Fiat would then push Maserati farther downmarket to help fill the gap. As it turns out, Marchionne was simply talking about further platform sharing between Fiat and its profitable American brand. That means we can likely expect to see more Lancia-badged Chryslers prowling the streets of Europe very soon.

Dodge announces Blacktop packages for 2013 Avenger, Challenger, Charger

 by: Steven J. Ewing

Dodge first introduced the decidedly sinister Blacktop package on the 2012 Charger V6 sedan, but today, the automaker announced that it will be expanding this option group to a few other models for 2013. The Avenger sedan, Challenger R/T coupe and Charger R/T V8 sedan will all be available with the optional darker appearance package beginning in December of this year.

For the Avenger, the Blacktop pack adds a gloss black grille, dark-tinted headlamp bezels, a body-colored rear spoiler and unique 18-inch gloss black aluminum wheels. And if you don't want to go for the full-on murdered out black car approach, Dodge will offer the Blacktop package on Avengers painted in red, white, tungsten and silver, as well. Here on the 2013 Avenger, the Blacktop treatment adds $595 to the car's MSRP, and can even be had with additional options like the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, premium audio system and navigation – for some extra coin.

The Challenger Blacktop starts as an R/T coupe with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and adds unique appearance touches like 20-inch gloss black wheels, a blacked-out grille, blacked-out fuel door and a new matte graphite body stripe with red accents. Blacktop models also come standard with the Challenger's Super Track Pak, adding Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, higher-performance brakes, a better steering ratio, monotube shock absorbers and three-mode stability control. Ticking the Blacktop option will add $1,995 to the Challenger R/T's bottom line.

Finally, Dodge is expanding its Blacktop package to include the Hemi V8-powered Charger sedan, and the same sort of sinister treatment is found therein. Available in a host of colors, the Blacktop option retails for $1,795 on the Charger R/T and includes the same sort of blacked-out treatment as the other models, as well as Beats Audio and a sport mode with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Ford shows updated 2013 Fiesta sedan in Brazil

by: Jeffrey N. Ross

Very few cars showing up at this year's São Paulo Motor Show have relevance to the US market, but the refreshed 2013 Ford Fiesta sedan certainly does. The Paris Motor Show has already given us a look at the global styling of the 2013 Fiesta hatchback, and now we get to see what changes are in store for the four-door version of the car. Although this updated global design is for the 2013 model year, these changes will wait until the 2014 model year for the US-spec Fiesta.

As expected, the 2013 Fiesta gets a healthy dose of Ford's latest design language, the restyled car gets a very similar appearance to the 2013 Fusion starting with the narrowed headlights, powerdome hood and the Aston Martin-inspired grille. Ford also did some cosmetic work to the rear of the Fiesta sedan with reshaped taillights to go along with a new decklid and fascia design. There were no images released for the new sedan, but the 2013 hatchback received minor upgrades including a new gauge cluster, steering wheel and door panels.

Ford also failed to provide any press release for the new Fiesta sedan we can only imagine that it would have similar upgrades of the hatchback we saw in Paris last month. Some of these highlights include the new EcoBoost three-cylinder engine and Active City Stop crash mitigation technology. We would expect to see both versions of the revised US-spec Fiesta to debut early next year.

Chevy to show SS in Vegas in race trim

by: George Kennedy

 A lot of speculation has been made with regards to the SS, the promised new Chevrolet rear-wheel drive performance sedan. The Holden Commodore-based muscle saloon will be prowling the open road as early as next year, while a NASCAR version is set to compete in 2013. Shots of the cars testing in their respective natural habitats have led to endless speculation, and it appears we now know which car will debut first.

Word from Speed is that the 2013 Chevrolet SS NASCAR Sprint Cup car is set to bow on Thursday, November 29 at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel and casino. The car will reportedly be shown in full race trim, sans sponsor graphics for Bounty, Skoal or Taylor Swift.

The Vegas debut will mark the introduction of the final vehicle to enter in the 2013 NASCAR season. Dodge unveiled its Charger racecar in March before leaving the race series. Toyota showed off its V8, RWD Camry NASCAR in May, while Ford debuted its race-spec Fusion in January of this year. The remaining entries are expected to (visually) bear a closer resemblance to their road-going counterparts.

While the SS racecar is debuting next month in Vegas, no mention of the production version SS was made. We are still under the impression that February 21, 2013 will still be the launch date for the road-going version of the rear-wheel drive Holden-based sedan that has GM enthusiasts so worked up.