Subaru has announced plans to discount the entire BRZ lineup for the 2016 model year.

The entry-level model now fetches $26,190 (including $795 freight) with a six-speed manual transmission, representing a savings of $300 compared to the 2015 model year. Prices for the Limited trim are now set at $28,190 with the manual gearbox, or $29,290 with an automatic transmission.

Sales of the BRZ have continued to struggle in 2015, falling by nearly 35 percent to just 2,809 units for the first seven months of the year.

Reports suggest Toyota is working on a redesigned GT86 with a bit more power thanks to engine modifications. If the rumors prove accurate, the update will offer around 10 extra horsepower. It could also bring a major body restyling to help invigorate sluggish sales.

In the meantime, the discounted 2016 BRZ will begin arriving in showrooms this fall.

As expected, Honda today unveiled a refreshed CR-Z in Japan.

The 2016 model features a more aggressive front fascia with a sculpted bumper and a new grille. LED headlights and new fog lights complete the modernized look.

The muscular tweaks can also be found at the back end, with a new bumper matching the front-end styling. The rear track has also been slightly stretched for improved handling and a wider stance.

The company has introduced new 16- and 17-inch wheel designs, along with a new Velvet Purple Pearl exterior color and a two-tone configuration pairing blue metallic paint with a black roof. The wheels house larger brake disks for improved stopping performance, while suspension has been tweaked for better stability.

The 2015 CR-Z’s hybrid powertrain carries over for the refresh, delivering a combined 130 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque from a 1.5-liter gasoline engine and a small electric motor.

On the inside, occupants are greeted with a few changes including an electronic parking brake, a new center console and a modified steering wheel, among other minor tweaks.

Honda has not yet detailed global launch details for the new CR-Z, though additional information could be announced in October at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Spies have captured the interior of the new Hyundai Elantra, showing us the cabin of what appears to be an entry-to-mid-trim model.

The dash and center stack layout follow that of the new Sonata. In this implementation, though, it’s almost reminiscent of recent Mazda designs. Even this model, which lacks a touchscreen interface, appears relatively uncluttered. Upper-trim models are expected to integrate Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the latter of which is already available on the Sonata.

As for the rest of the Elantra, we expect to see Hyundai’s new 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox available alongside more conventional powertrain options.

Outside, it is expected to adopt a more upscale design characterized by elongated headlights with integrated LED daytime running lights, a hexagonal radiator grille and a sculpted hood. Like the bigger Genesis, it will be heavily influenced by Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language.

It should also be more tech-focused than ever. Buyers will be able to order the car with electronic driving aids like blind spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.

The 2017 Hyundai Elantra is expected to debut at the Los Angeles International Auto Show in November and arrive on dealer lots next spring.

Photos by Brian Williams.

General Motors’ Flint Engine Operations factory has reached a significant milestone, building its millionth 1.4-liter powerplant.

The plant is one of GM’s newest, in operation for 13 years. Workers have been building the 1.4-liter engine since 2011, providing supplies for the current Chevrolet Volt, Cruze and Sonic.

“Attaining 1 million engines produced is always an important milestone,” said plant manager Terri Burden. “But this is particularly special because it comes as we prepare to launch an engine that will be a key part of GM’s global engine program for many years to come.”

The factory will stop building the 1.4-liter mill this week, making way for the modern Ecotec engine that will be used for the next-generation Cruze and Volt. The former will receive a turbocharged 1.4-liter variant, good for 153 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of twist, while the latter will be outfitted with a naturally-aspirated 1.5-liter edition that provides 101 ponies when the hybrid system runs of out battery charge.

Flint employees will be installing and testing equipment this week for the new project. The first batch of Ecotec engines will be headed to GM’s Lordstown, Ohio, assembly plant before the end of the year for installation in the new Cruze. Volt production is slated for later in 2016.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles chief executive Sergio Marchionne may take the reins at Ferrari in the coming months, ahead of the division’s initial public offering, according to a Bloomberg report.

Sources claim the Prancing Horse brand is considering appointing Marchionne as its chief executive when the current CEO, Amedeo Felisa, retires before the end of the year.

Marchionne currently serves as Ferrari’s chairman, a position he took after a public dispute with former chairman Luca di Montezemolo. The executives had disagreed over the brand’s future, with di Montezemolo arguing for an annual production cap of 7,000 units to maintain exclusivity.

After taking his post as chairman late last year, Marchionne promised to not “screw up” the brand’s DNA. He argued that output numbers could safely increase to 10,000 units annually, however, without threatening Ferrari’s positioning against segment rivals.

The latest report suggests Marchionne could serve as CEO of both FCA and Ferrari, while Felisa will serve as an advisor following his official departure, though a decision on the new chief executive has not yet been finalized.

Honda has released a teaser image for an open-wheel concept powered by a motorcycle engine.

Borne of a competition between Honda’s global design studios, the ‘Project 2 & 4′ concept was created by a collaboration between the company’s motorcycle design center in Asaka, Japan, and its automobile design headquarters in Wako, Japan.

“The Honda Project 2 & 4 is the result of the company’s continuous effort to create a more exciting user experience,” the company said in a statement. “Honda Project 2 & 4′s cabin-less structure produces an immersive driving environment combining the experience Honda has in providing the freedom of a motorcycle and the maneuverability of a car.”

The open-wheel car is powered by a V4 engine borrowed from Honda’s RC213V race bike for the MotoGP series. The 1,000-cc mill produces more than 215 horsepower and 87 lb-ft of torque, revving all the way up to 13,000 rpm.

Honda’s announcement does not hint at production ambitions for the unique concept, which will be formally unveiled next month in Frankfurt. Buyers looking for a similar car may be able to eventually purchase Volkswagen’s XL Sport, featuring Ducati’s V-Twin engine from the 1199 Superleggera.

Rumors surrounding Ford’s alleged plans for another US-market Ranger have become a bit more interesting, as a fresh report suggests the company is also considering a Bronco resurrection.

The midsize SUV would be built upon the same platform as the Ranger and produced alongside the pickup at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, unnamed sources have told Bloomberg.

Not coincidentally, the unofficial reports have surfaced as Ford continues contract renegotiations with the United Auto Workers. An earlier rumor ahead of talks claimed that Ford was planning to shift Focus and C-Max production from Wayne to Mexico. The Focus leak was viewed as posturing to strengthen the company’s position during negotiations, though the company publicly denied that a final decision had been made.

The original Bronco was introduced in 1966 and kept alive through five generations spanning three decades. Ford presented a futuristic Bronco concept at the 2004 NY Auto Show, however the idea did not immediately move toward production. Later rumors suggested Ford was planning a launch for the 2009 model year, but again the allegations failed to materialize.

A new Bronco is expected to be larger than the Escape, closer in size to the Explorer but more rugged than both existing models. It will likely be presented as a rival to the Jeep Wrangler.

If the new reports prove accurate, the US-market Ranger and Bronco could begin production in Wayne after the Focus and C-Max head elsewhere in 2018.