Lamborghini has promised to reveal an all-new limited-edition model in Geneva, celebrating 100 years since the birth of founder Ferrucio Lamborghini.

The new nameplate will not simply be a lightly modified Aventador or Huracan, nor a one-off design study, but rather an entirely new car. Only 20 examples will roll off the assembly line, matching the production numbers for the Sesto Elemento.

“You are familiar with our one-offs – it will be something like this, a coupe bodystyle,” CEO Stephan Winkelmann told Auto Express in an interview. “The car we will show will be a completely different design from both Huracán and Aventador.”

The company recently submitted trademark filings for the Egoista, a wild one-seater concept, however an unnamed insider suggests the new model, expected to be called the Centenario, will be surprisingly tame.

Unveiled last year in Paris, the Asterion concept (pictured) meshes with the claims of toned-down styling. It was presented as a grand tourer with flowing contours, however Winkelmann flatly rejected production plans for the gasoline-electric hybrid.

Whatever form the body takes, the Centanario is presumed to be powered by the Aventador’s 6.5-liter V12 engine. Horsepower could be bumped up slightly, potentially exceeding the Superveloce‘s 750-pony tune.

Images by Ronan Glon.

US legislators have proposed a five-year highway funding bill that includes several reform provisions for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

If the legislation passes as written (full PDF), it will increase potential penalties for recall-related violations to $105 million. The figure appears to be a compromise between the current cap and the $300 million limit favored by the Obama administration.

Companies currently face a maximum fine of just $35 million for failing to comply with certain guidelines, representing just a few days of profits for many major automakers.

The bill attempts to modernize and improve recall notices, allowing companies to send notification via e-mail. A trial program would also test the feasibility of alerting new or existing owners of unfixed defects during initial vehicle registration or renewals, while rental car companies would be prohibited from offering unfixed vehicles to clients.

Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, pushed to include funding for vehicle-to-infrastructure technology.

“V2I technologies are undoubtedly the future of automotive safety, as evidenced by the automotive industry’s rapid development and incorporation of such safety features,” she said in a statement. “This final bill provides states with the adequate, consistent funding they need to not only improve, but modernize our nation’s highway system.”

The bill must pass votes in both the House and Senate before heading to President Barack Obama’s desk for a final signature.

Volkswagen is reportedly preparing to halt production at its Wolfsburg factory for several weeks, though members of the company’s controlling family have promised to avoid cutting jobs.

Sales in the US market were down by nearly 25 percent in November, while market share at home in Germany slid by 2.3 percent, according to Bloomberg. TDI sales accounted for approximately 23 percent of US sales in August, before the diesel scandal came to light. Many models are currently sitting in inventory until VW implements its refit program to bring the vehicles back into compliance.

To prevent inventory from building up, workers at the Wolfsburg plant will be sent home for more than three weeks from mid-December to early in January. The facility is one of the largest automotive production plants in the world, with annual production capacity in excess of 800,000 units.

“I am of the rock-solid conviction that Volkswagen can weather the situation and emerge even stronger from the crisis,” said Wolfgang Porsche, chairman of the Porsche SE holding company that owns a majority stake in VW shares, in a speech to Wolfsburg employees. “No one here is giving into panic.”

The company has already announced a seemingly simple fix for its Euro-spec vehicles with 1.6- and 2.0-liter TDI engines, which will receive a new ‘flow transformer’ in the air intake to improve measuring accuracy of the air mass flow sensor.

A resolution for US-market vehicles has not been detailed. In any case, the repair program is expected to begin early in 2016 and continue through the year.

Tesla Motors has reportedly ramped up its lobbying efforts in Michigan, one of several states that still bars the company from selling directly to customers.

The company has been successful in gaining the right to sell cars in other states, most of which have some form of dealer franchise laws. Most existing regulations aim to prevent an automaker from competing with its franchisees, however Tesla has argued for an exemption since it does not have a franchise network and consequently does not violate the spirit of the laws.

The debate has been mostly shrugged off by legislators in Michigan, the home state of the Big Three automakers that may view the California-based startup as a potential threat. GM has spoken out against direct sales, arguing that all automakers should operate under “the same rules,” while Ford has called for a “level playing field.”

“There doesn’t seem to be much interest from not only the dealers, but manufacturers like GM that want to continue to shut us out of the market entirely,” said Tesla’s VP of regulatory affairs, Jim Chen, in an interview with The Detroit News. “We’re an American company that is building cars in the United States that is using over 55 Michigan suppliers — that is spending over $120 million in parts and components from Michigan suppliers to build American-made cars. Why shouldn’t we be allowed to sell in Michigan?”

Even the Federal Trade Commission has criticized such restrictions, pointing out that Michigan legislators recently moved to grant a direct-sales exemption for three-wheel vehicles.

“Automobile manufacturers have an economic incentive to respond to consumer preferences by choosing the most effective distribution method for their vehicle brands,” FTC officials wrote in a letter to Michigan State Senator Darwin Booher.

Tesla representatives and lobbyists will be meeting with legislators, offering test drives and arguing their position ahead of next year’s legislative session in Michigan.

Mercedes-Benz finally reported its U.S. November sales Wednesday, announcing a total volume of 30,043 units for the core brand, an additional 2,770 for its commercial vans and 662 for smart.

November’s numbers bring Mercedes-Benz’s 2015 YTD total to 308,885, or nearly 3,000 units behind than BMW for the year, setting up a tight race for the year-end sales crown in the volume luxury segment.

Currently, BMW leads in the segment with 311,398 units sold YTD. Mercedes-Benz is close behind with 308,885 and Lexus brings up the rear with 303,221.

BMW is known for strong retail sales late in the year, but with just ~8,000 units separating first and third place, it would be premature to go all-in on the Bavarian powerhouse.

Photo by Brian Williams.

Volkswagen’s US sales have fallen by nearly 25 percent as many TDI models remain unsaleable.

The company in September halted distribution of vehicles powered by non-compliant four-cylinder TDI engines after the Environmental Protection Agency first announced discrepancies with emissions tests. The agency later found problems with VW Group’s 3.0-liter V6 diesel, prompting a sales interruption of the Touareg TDI earlier this month.

Deliveries of the Golf fell by 64 percent for the month, while the Jetta SportWagen (now Golf SportWagen) lost more than half its sales volume. Passat and Beetle sales were down by 60 percent and 39 percent, respectively.

Despite the diesel troubles, certain models remained in demand. Tiguan sales surged by nearly 88 percent, and GTI numbers were up by almost 14 percent. The e-Golf achieved the biggest gains, tripling sales from 119 units to 472 vehicles for the month. Even the Eos experienced a slight uptick. Perhaps not coincidentally, all four gainers are not available with TDI engines in the US market.

“Volkswagen is working tirelessly on an approved remedy for the affected TDI vehicles,” said VoA COO Mark McNabb. “During this time we would like to thank our dealers and customers for their continued patience and loyalty.”

Sales are expected to remain down until VW puts its offending TDI models back on the market. The company has already outlined a seemingly straightforward fix in Europe, however stricter US regulations are believed to pose more of a technical challenge as engineers attempt to implement a refit that does not affect performance or fuel economy. Many TDI vehicles held on lots will likely be forced to collect dust until sometime next year.

VW last month posted its first quarterly loss in more than 15 years, with revenue $3.9 billion USD in the red. The company quickly launched a compensation program to mollify dealers, as TDI models accounted for approximately 23 percent of US sales before the EPA announced emissions violations.

Mitsubishi has reaffirmed its commitment to focus on crossovers in the US market, promising to launch several plug-in hybrids in the next few years.

The company will offer at least three different crossover models to accommodate customers in the most popular size categories. The refreshed 2016 Outlander and recently-unveiled Outlander Sport are already headed to showrooms, while the quirky i-MiEV will be dropped from the lineup.

“We are strong in SUVs and four-wheel drives,” Mitsubishi chief Osamu Masuko recently told Automotive News. “And that is what we would like to focus on as core models in the US market.”

Coinciding with the i-MiEV’s departure, the company will switch to plug-in hybrid adaptations of its traditional crossovers. The shift will be ushered in by a new coupe-like crossover to slot between the Outlander and Outlander Sport. The XR-PHEV II concept (pictured) promises to demonstrate the design direction for North America, potentially previewing the as-yet-unnamed model.

The sleek crossover will be followed by the next-generation Outlander, due in 2018, while the Outlander Sport is scheduled to be redesigned for 2019. Both models are expected to be quickly offered in plug-in form. Earlier reports suggest the full-size Montero could return to the US market, previewed as the GC-PHEV.

At the other end of the spectrum, Mitsubishi is expected to pull the Lancer from US showrooms and leave the Mirage as its only low-slung nameplate. The company has hinted that the Evo name will live on, albeit as a high-performance crossover rather than a car.

Image by Ronan Glon.

Lamborghini has submitted trademark filings to protect the term ‘Egoista,’ hinting at potential production ambitions for the eccentric one-seater.

The US Patent and Trademark Office submissions, first spotted by AutoGuide, have been filed in several categories ranging from vehicles to branded merchandise.

Unveiled in 2013 as the Raging Bull celebrated its 50th birthday, the Egoista arguably brings an even crazier and more aggressive styling than the earlier Veneno Roadster concept. The project was spearheaded by VW Group design chief Walter de Silva, taking inspiration from Boeing’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

With an Italian name that translates to ‘selfish,’ the car features a single centered seat inside a tiny doorless cockpit. Like some fighter jets, its tinted windshield flips forward to allow entry and exit.

The concept was presented with a 5.2-liter mid-mounted V10 engine, tuned to deliver around 600 horsepower. Weight is kept to a minimum, thanks to extensive carbon-fiber and aluminum construction.

Despite speculation sparked by the USPTO filing, automakers commonly seek trademark protection for vehicles that never see production. Production plans have not been officially confirmed or independently corroborated in unofficial leaks.