General Motors has temporarily filled a void in its executive ranks, hiring former public-relations head Steve Harris to help manage the ongoing recall debacle.

He will rejoin the company as a consultant, arriving just weeks after GM announced the resignation of its senior vice president of global communications, Selim Bingol, who departed as the company faced criticism over its response to the crisis.

“We continue to draw from a variety of expertise to help guide our response to the ignition switch recall,” GM said in a statement.

Harris originally joined GM out of college in the ’60s, later floating around the industry before returning from Chrysler in 1999 to serve as VP of communications.
He held the top PR spot off and on for the next decade, retiring between 2003 and 2006 to run his own company and retiring again in 2009.

The company recently hired a crisis-communications expert, Jeff Eller, to help with its recall response. Former director of media affairs for the Clinton White House, Eller also handled public relations for Bridgestone/Firestone during the Ford Explorer tire controversy.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ decision to roll the SRT brand under the umbrella of Dodge will spell the end of the line for the Chrysler 300 SRT8, a new report finds.

With FCA now aligning Dodge as the company’s performance brand of choice, the SRT badge will exclusively adorn vehicles wearing the cross-hair grille. That leaves the Chrysler 300 on the outside looking in, with the SRT trim line set to be discontinued.

The exact funeral date for the 300 SRT8 is unknown at this time, but the high-performance variant is unlikely to survive the sedan’s impending refresh. Chrysler is expected to debut an updated version of the 300 at this November’s Los Angeles auto show.

Of course the news of the 300 SRT8′s untimely deaths begs one other question – what is to become of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8?

According to Car and Driver, the Grand Cherokee SRT8′s sales are strong enough to warrant a stay of execution. In fact, the Grand Cherokee is SRT’s best-selling vehicle.

However, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 will eventually follow the 300 SRT8 to the automotive grave yard, it’s just a matter of when. The grand Cherokee is due for a refresh in late 2015, so FCA could pull the plug then. If the SRT8 model makes it past 2015, it almost certainly won’t survive the Grand Cherokee’s clean sheet update in 2017.

Fans of super fast SUV won’t be completely out of luck, though. Dodge is planning to introduce an SRT version of its Journey replacement in 2017.

Photo by Mark Elias.

Ford has revealed a one-of-a-kind “Mustang 50 Years” convertible, produced for a raffle that supports multiple sclerosis research.

The Mustang GT that will be raffled is said to be the only 2015 convertible built with a performance pack and certain options from the 50 Year Limited Edition fastback, identified by a “GT 50 Years” badge on the rear decklid and a “0001 of 0001″ plate on the instrument panel.

The one-off build features Wimbledon White exterior paint, spin-finish aluminum instruments, two-tone cashmere and black leather seats, contrasting stitching throughout, and 19-inch Y-spoke wheels inspired by the chrome steel wheels of the original Mustang.

“As pleased as we are to be able to help financially with the [National Multiple Sclerosis Society's] No Opportunity Wasted research project, we also feel it’s important to help raise greater awareness of this terrific program,” said Ford’s global product development head, Raj Nair. “That we’re creating one – and only one – Mustang GT 50 Years convertible for the Society shows how much we respect and support their efforts.”

The automaker has been heavily promoting the Mustang this year to celebrate the nameplate’s 50-year anniversary. The general public will be able to purchase one of 1,964 limited-edition fastbacks, which will arrive next fall for the 2015 model year in Wimbledon White or Kona Blue.

All of the special models are powered by a 5.0-liter V8 mill, producing 420 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. The single charity model features a six-speed manual transmission, while the fastbacks can also be purchased with a six-speed automatic gearbox.

A limited number of $20 raffle tickets are currently on sale through the National MS Society’s Michigan chapter or via Ford, with the drawing scheduled for August 16.

Ford executives have reportedly dropped fresh hints that engineers are developing a performance-tuned Focus RS hatchback.

Rumors surrounding an RS build have grown stronger during the past year, with separate reports pointing to US availability and Ford’s new 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine — borrowed from the 2015 Mustang — as a potential powerplant.

“I can’t give you any confirmation today, but let’s say there’s a strong desire,” Ford’s Europe COO, Barb Samardzich, told Auto Express. “Something like that makes a great halo car.”

The four-cylinder EcoBoost mill produces 305 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque in the Mustang, however the latest RS rumors suggest it could be retuned to produce as much as 350 horsepower. The higher output would match the limited-edition Focus RS500 that was sold in Europe for the 2011 model year.

The company is believed to be working on the RS package for the end of the current generation, suggesting it may arrive in 2016, though specific details remain unclear.

Our spy photographers have sent us an interesting photo set of a mysterious Aston Martin sedan undergoing shakedown testing in the UK.

Although not easily recognizable as an Aston Martin at first blush, our spies did some digging and discovered that the vehicle’s registration belongs to the British supercar maker. The vehicle was also spotted along Aston’s typical testing loop.

That registration also revealed that this prototype is powered by the same 5.9L V12 found under the hood of the Aston Martin Rapide S.

Of course Aston Martin isn’t saying much about the mystery prototype, but the UK’s CAR Magazine speculates that the sedan is being developed by the automaker’s Q division. Typically tasked with customizing Aston Martin’s regular production vehicles, Q has also dabbled in coach building, such as the limited production CC100.

The prototype is believed to be based on a stretched version of the Rapide’s platform. The sedan’s body work is said to be mostly constructed of carbon fiber.

The four-door could be badged as a Lagonda, although it won’t mark the official revival of the brand.

Aston’s plans for the sedan remain unknown, but an extremely limited production run seems likely. Expect a price tag to match its exclusivity.