Volvo has expanded its range of Polestar aftermarket parts for various 40- and 60-series models.

The lineup includes chassis parts, including sportier suspension and strut bars, along with stainless exhaust tips and a sports air filter. Exterior tweaks range from wheels and tires to spoilers and diffusers. On the inside, buyers can add aluminum pedals, logo gear knobs and door sills, among other components.

The parts can be purchased as part of a complete package or discrete components for the S60, V60, XC60 and V40. The company also offers a range of under-the-hood Polestar Performance Optimization upgrades for various models.

“We have received strong feedback over a long period of time from customers all over the world regarding Polestar Performance Parts,” said Polestar COO Niels Möller. “This is a product improving on the already strong base of Volvo cars in terms of performance, handling and driving pleasure.”

The Swedish brand last year purchased Polestar, paving the way for a wider range of Polestar-tuned vehicles and aftermarket accessories.

Tesla is reportedly developing another Model S range topper to slot above the current P90D variant.

Hacker Jason Hughes published a cryptic Twitter post with an SHA256 hash that was decoded by Tesla Motors Club members. The message was a reference to to the term ‘P100D,’ according to Electrek.

Releasing a 100-kilowatt-hour battery for the Model S appears to mesh with Tesla’s previous updates to the sedan. As battery technology has improved, the company has eliminated the 60-kWh edition and introduced the P90D last year to supplant the 85-kWh variants.

The 90-kWh battery represents a six-percent increase in energy storage, with a Tesla-estimated six-percent bump in range from 85 kWh. If the same trend continues with the 100-kWh package, drivers could expect to reach more than 317 miles with a 100D or 298 miles with the P100D.

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk responded to the revelation by noting that “Good hacking is a gift.” He neither confirmed or denied the findings.

Volkswagen has priced its limited-edition Beetle Convertible Denim ahead of arrival in showrooms.

The package starts at $26,815 (including $820 freight), representing a modest $500 premium over the standard Beetle Convertible base price.

Paying tribute to the 1970s Jeans Bug, the 2016 model features a denim color theme and jeans-inspired interior elements. The seat pockets resemble rear pants pockets, complete with small Beetle flags in red.

Production will be limited to just 2,000 units, split between two exterior color options: Stonewashed Blue and Pure White. All feature a dark blue convertible top with a textured fabric that is said to resemble denim.

Aside from the visual tweaks, the Denim edition brings the same powertrain and equipment as the standard Beetle Convertible. VW’s venerable 1.8-liter turbocharged engine provides 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Drivers can also take advantage of the company’s latest MIB II infotainment system, presented on a 5.0-inch touchscreen.

The first examples should be heading to showrooms in the near future.

Live images by Brian Williams.

BMW has revealed the Vision Next 100, a futuristic concept car that celebrates the company’s 100th birthday.

As the name indicates, the concept represents BMW’s glimpse into the next 100 years of automotive innovations. The company envisions a future in which drivers will desire a seamless transition between piloting the vehicle and enjoying autonomous operation.

Combining a coupe-like profile and the spacious interior of a sedan, the Vision Next 100 is designed to enhance both vehicle- and human-controlled operation. ‘Boost’ mode focuses on the driver but uses computers to indicate the ideal driving line, steering point and speed.

‘Ease’ mode transforms the interior, retracting the steering wheel and center console. Headrests turn to the side, while the seats and door merge to form a single unit that allows the driver and front-seat passenger to face each other and converse.

“If, as a designer, you are able to imagine something, there’s a good chance it could one day become reality,” said BMW design head Adrian van Hooydonk. “So our objective with the BMW Vision Next 100 was to develop a future scenario that people would engage with.”

The car’s styling appears to take inspiration from the i8 hybrid, though BMW’s prophecies include no mention of what powertrain could propel such vehicles of the future.

BMW plans to send the Vision Next 100 on a world tour with stops in China, the UK and the US. Additional ‘Vision’ concepts will be unveiled for the MINI and Rolls-Royce brands at an event in London, while a BMW Motorrad motorcycle concept is slated to debut in Los Angeles.

FCA head Sergio Marchionne is still looking for a partner in the rough-and-tumble world of automaking. At the recent Geneva Motor Show, the CEO suggested that Fiat could help get Apple’s autonomous car off the ground.

Bloomberg quoted the outspoken honcho speaking in Geneva: “I would assume that we have the credibility to be one of the players they have looked at… There are parts of us that would be interesting for them.”

This would not be the first time Marchionne has publicly and vociferously sought a partner. In a high profile exchange a year ago, he wanted to merge with GM and Ford, both of whom politely declined the offer. A few months later, it was reported that he had taken a trip to Silicon Valley and met with Apple, Google and Tesla. Around the same time, Marchionne also made statements that he was “intrigued by the notion of having technology disruptors show up” and that they could “fundamentally hurt the industry.”

It almost appears as if Marchionne believes the writing is on the wall, and that if FCA doesn’t make a game-changing move, it will be cast to the side lines when the self-driving cars take over. Marchionne is a self-described “Apple freak” and believes he can speak the tech company’s language. “Usually the industry comes into that dialogue with a high degree of arrogance as we know how to make cars. That’s not very helpful as their syntax is worth more than our ability to build cars.”

In the 2004 movie I, Robot, Will Smith drove a science-fictional 2035 model year Audi with spherical wheels. At the Geneva Motor Show this year, that fantasy took a step closer to reality with the Goodyear Eagle-360.

Goodyear, the Ohio-based tire company, has created a spherical tire. Called the Eagle-360, the tires are actually high tech wheels fully encased in rubber. A hypothetical car using them would hover above the four orbs, never touching them.

Instead, the tires would be “suspended” by electromagnetic force, much in the same way a mag-lev train works. Goodyear believes the benefits are many. With no physical contact between the car and the wheels, the ride would be improved and road noise reduced.

Their spherical shape also allows for a larger contact patch and the ability to rotate or turn in any direction instantaneously. During turns and other evasive maneuvers like passing, the car itself would experience zero body roll, and the nose never needs to point in any direction but straight ahead. The tires would also be able to change their direction of rotation when onboard sensors detect a particular “equator” of tread is running low.

In addition the wheels would be able to turn independently of each other at almost any angle, leading to heretofore unseen handling benefits. Parking, also, would be made significantly easier as cars would be able to slide into much tighter spaces. Goodyear says that parking lots would be able to fit many more cars than existing lots on the same footprint.

Since each tire is computer controlled, they can also automatically send road condition data to other tires. The tread design has a water-sensitive webbing that softens when it encounters moisture, creating a deeper channel for water to pass through. When dry, the webbing stiffens for better roadholding ability.

All of this sounds very impressive, but it appears to be just a concept at this point. We’ll likely have to wait quite a few years for real-world applicability. Watch the video below for a virtual demo of the spherical tire’s benefits.

Ferrari insiders have revealed a topless version of the sold-out LaFerrari is right around the corner.

Tentatively called LaFerrari Spider, the Prancing Horse’s next convertible was reportedly shown recently to a small, carefully-selected group of customers during a private event. Photos haven’t been published yet so it’s too early to tell if the Spider is fitted with a removable hard top or with a more conventional cloth soft top. Either way, it will be a little bit heavier than its hardtop counterpart (pictured), which tips the scale at 2,766 pounds.

The Spider isn’t expected to receive mechanical modifications, meaning it will use a gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain made up of 789-horsepower 6.3-liter V12 engine capable of revving to 9,350 rpm and a 120-kilowatt electric motor. Together, the two power sources generate 949 horsepower and 663 lb-ft. of torque, enough to send the LaFerrari from zero to 60 mph in less than three seconds and on to a top speed of 217 mph.

Ferrari will allegedly build just 150 examples of the LaFerrari Spider, and the model will be markedly more expensive than the coupe. Want one? You could be out of luck, because insiders report the entire production run has already been spoken for.

Swedish boutique car maker Koenigsegg has ruled out taking on the upcoming Lamborghini Urus with a super SUV.

Speaking to Top Gear on the sidelines of the Geneva Auto Show, company founder Christian von Koenigsegg pointed out that his firm has what it takes to build a high-performance SUV. The carbon fiber chassis developed for its supercars can be modified to underpin an off-roader, and a high-riding model would undoubtedly be popular in key markets like the Middle East and China, but Koenigsegg has decided to stay out of the segment for personal reasons.

“It’d be a pretty wild SUV because you’d have a big tunnel in the center, huge sills, bucket seats. I think it could be a thing the market could accept. I’m just not a fan of SUVs. To me they are fundamentally flawed. Sure we could sell them, but I don’t want to,” explained the executive.

Koenigsegg enthusiasts who want to take three friends along for the ride aren’t entirely out of luck because he company has been working on its first-ever four-door model “for quite some time,” though it’s not expected to make its debut for another couple of years. When it lands, it will feature an ultra-light carbon fiber chassis, a sleek-looking body, and an immensely powerful engine.