Volkswagen has expanded its ignition-switch recall for Routan minivans, adding the 2009 model year.

Drawing a parallel to GM’s ignition-switch problems, VW warns that the ignition key can inadvertently flip to the ‘accessory’ or ‘off’ position while driving. The engine will then turn off, disabling the power steering, brake assist and airbags.

A similar recall for the Routan was first announced in 2011, affecting 12,600 vehicles from the 2010 model year. The latest campaign more than doubles the overall total.

VW suggests the defect has not been blamed on any accidents or injuries with the 2009 minivan. Chrysler, which built the Routan, cited at least two crashes from the equivalent problem in its own minivan models.

Vehicles listed in the latest campaign will be outfitted with a new detent ring to prevent the switch from accidentally flipping out of position.

As Tesla Motors completes retooling to support Model X production in the near future, a Morgan Stanley analyst has issued a prediction that the all-electric crossover will quickly dominate the premium SUV segment.

“We’re expecting the X’s main selling point to focus on driving pleasure (acceleration, handling, AWD), cool features (upgraded infotainment system, falcon door feature, interior room and comfort) augmented by first-to-market safety features in the area of autonomous driving and ‘car learning,’” analyst Adam Jonas wrote in an investor note.

He argues that the Model S has already been a success, but the company has learned “many valuable lessons” in developing its first model designed and built entirely in-house. Financial and technical resources have also received a significant boost since the sedan was first introduced.

“We’d be disappointed if the Model X did not sweep every major Car of the Year award on offer by the automotive media,” he added.

The Model X launch has been delayed past initial expectations, but Tesla promises it will be available early next year after final prototype testing begins sometime this fall. It will be a unique offering in the luxury segment at first, though it may quickly face stiffer competition from a handful of new plug-in hybrid crossovers that are expected from German rivals in the next few years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has fined Hyundai $17.5 million for running afoul of recall regulations.

The automaker has been accused of failing to report in a timely manner a 2009-2012 Genesis defect, which had caused corrosion and failure of the brake system components.

The agency opened an investigation last year after receiving dozens of complaints alleging reduced braking performance. The issue was traced to incorrect brake fluid and initially handled via a technical service bulletin, before an NHTSA investigation prompted the company to elevate the status to a safety recall.

“While there have been no fatalities relating to this safety defect, six consumers reported collisions, including two reports of injuries,” the NHTSA said in a statement. “As of January 14, 2014, Hyundai had received 87 consumer complaints with regard to Genesis vehicles, most of which suggest increased difficulty in braking.”

Hyundai has issued a statement acknowledging the fine but avoiding any admission of wrongdoing, noting that no “serious injuries” were caused by the defect. The company claims to have already fixed a majority of the recalled vehicles.

“In order to mitigate a situation like this in the future, Hyundai is instituting new organizational and process improvements, and enhancing the ability of the U.S. leadership team to readily respond to regulatory reporting requirements,” said Hyundai’s US chief, David Zuchowski.

The last time we took a good look at the oil-burning Mercedes-Benz E-Class, it was sporting a couple of extra cylinders along with some extra weight. Well, what a difference a year can make. Following a reshuffling of the deck, the brand is back with a new and compelling four-cylinder diesel engine to motivate Mercedes’ stalwart midsize sedan.

Read along as we have a go-round with the updated version of one of M-B’s most intriguing offerings.

What is it?

The most efficient member of an E-Class lineup that includes numerous varieties of coupes, convertibles, estate wagons and sedans, the E250 BlueTEC is powered by a 2.1-liter inline four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with 195 horsepower at 3,800 rpm and 369 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 to 1,800 rpm. Quite torquey in its own right, the mill is mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shift levers. Power from this small-but-mighty engine gets to the ground through rear-wheel-drive, or as in the case of our test model, Mercedes’ well-received 4Matic permanent all-wheel-drive system.

The E250 BlueTEC rides on M-B’s agility control system of stroke-dependent damping, which is made up of a three-link setup with McPherson struts in front, and a five-link independent kit in the rear. Both ends are tied together with enclosed stabilizer bars. In the case of the E250 BlueTEC, it is calibrated closer to a sport, rather than luxury, setting. Speaking of sport, our tester included the E-class sport styling package with 17-inch sport wheels and 15mm lowered sports suspension and sport body styling. For added emphasis, it also included a rear decklid spoiler.

In addition to the sport package, our tester also included M-B’s Driver Assistant Package, which features eleven assists that have also made their way onto the top of the heap S-Class. The Intelligent Drive protocol now includes DISTRONIC PLUS with steering assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist and PRE-SAFE Brake with Pedestrian Recognition. The brand’s Parking Assist Package with surround-view camera was also along for the ride.

From an entertainment standpoint, it included the Premium 1 Package, with navigation, a Harman/Kardon LOGIC7 surround-sound system, and SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Weather and Nav Traffic. Finally, the Lighting Package included Adaptive Highbeam Assist and full LED front lighting with active curve and corner illumination.

Let’s imagine for a second, that you are not of the diesel persuasion. That’s not a worry in the Mercedes-Benz playbook. In the sedan lineup alone, buyers who are not interested in diesel may select from the petrol-burning E350 4Matic six- and E550 4Matic eight-cylinder sedans, the E400 Hybrid, and the two glimmer twins, the E63 AMG Sedan and E63 AMG Wagon, both with 4Matic permanent all-wheel-drive. And that doesn’t even begin to cover the coupe and convertible models.

What’s it up against?

As a diesel-powered midsize luxury sedan, the E250 BlueTEC is up against the slightly more expensive BMW 535d and Audi A6 TDI. Both rivals feature six-cylinder motors that are more powerful but less efficient than the Benz’ four.

How does it look?

Looking more sleek and elongated due to a recent facelift, E-Class designers have dispensed with the shoulder like flairs that were part of the old model and added an extra sense of bulk to the rear quarters of that car. In its place is a more hunkered-down appearance, that when outfitted with the sport styling package side skirts, as our example was, takes on a new, more expressive appearance. The package also features a twin lamella with tri-pointed star in the center of the grill, in place of the standard hood ornament.

Since our BlueTEC Diesel was equipped with the value added lighting package, it was complete with full LED lighting and adaptive highbeam assist functionality. With this package it extended visibility considerably further, and managed to switch back to low beams when it encountered oncoming headlights. It’s sort of like a modern-day version of the electric eye-equipped Cadillac sedans of the early 1960s.

Still, if we had to sum up E250′s appearance in a word, it would be conservative. An AMG-flavored styling package would be a welcome offering for those seeking a more aggressive look.

And on the inside?

That conservatism continues inside as well. Although very comfortable, our gray leather upholstered front seats offered subtle bolstering which did manage to keep us in place during spirited driving. We enjoyed taking control of the nearly flat-bottomed steering wheel with its combination of wood and leather finery, which became the theme throughout the rest of the interior. A duo-toned black and gray dashboard carried that onward throughout the cabin for an added touch of elegance.

The beautiful black ash wood trim set up a nice contrast to the sports oriented white-faced gauge dials. The Mercedes COMAND system controller is the central focal point on the center console, while more than 44 buttons on the center stack also vie for the driver’s attention. Grown up pieces like aluminum trim and a square face analog clock exist to reinforce that feeling.

The rear seat offered plenty of legroom for those over six feet tall. The E250 offers 16.4 cubic feet of trunk space, and more, when the 60:40 rear seating is in the lowered position.

But does it go?

It most certainly does. With almost 400 lb-ft of torque from this little 2.1-liter four-cylinder turbo Diesel, it represents a much better return on investment than that found with the previous generation six-cylinder oil burner. Although not a rocket off the line with the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, we were still nearly able to match the Mercedes-Benz 0 to 60 mph estimate of 8.1-seconds. And for those who are counting, we managed to exceed the EPA ratings by one mile-per-gallon respectively, hitting 28 city/ 39 highway mpg. The included ECO start/stop function probably had something to do with that.

And to a person, not one of our passengers realized that they were driving in a diesel-powered vehicle. That’s because the new BlueTEC engines from Mercedes-Benz no longer produce the telltale diesel clatter nor the sometimes pungent, yet curiously fragrant fumes of the same. It’s further proof that with the Ad-Blue urea additive to scrub the emissions, today’s modern diesels burn cleaner than ever.

The electromechanical speed-sensitive rack and pinion steering offered direction like some of the best in the business and transmitted good amounts of road surface feedback to the driver. Active lane keeping assist kept us within the lanes with almost no input from our hands on the wheel, bouncing from paint stripe to paint stripe to keep us going in our intended direction. That was until the system flashed a notice on the TFT screen within the gauges to tell us to put our hands back on the wheel.

At speed the interior offered a sense of quiet that again disguised there was an oil-burner under hood. Still, we were jazzed when we heard a subtle roar from the petite-but-powerful four-banger that let us know it was hard at work.

Leftlane’s bottom line:

Mercedes-Benz once again proves that a high-mileage car does not have to exist in a totally funky body shape. So good is its new E250 BlueTEC 4Matic sedan, that the only way some people would really believe it was a diesel was if they followed you to your local filling station to see which pump you fueled from.

2014 Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTEC 4MATIC base price, $53,900. As tested, $68,005.

Sport Styling Package, no charge. Lunar Blue Paint, $720; Gray Leather, $1,620; Split folding rear seat, $440; Wood/Leather steering wheel, $590; Rear deck spoiler, $350; Premium 1 Package, $3,870; Lighting Package, $1,500; Parking Assist Package, $1,290; Driver Assist Package, $2,800; Destination Fee, $925.

Photos by Mark Elias.

Chrysler has expanded its range of Blacktop models, adding the 2014 Durango to the list.

The appearance package aims to provide a sportier, ‘sinister’ look with gloss black accents throughout.

When purchased with the Durango SXT or Limited trim, the Blacktop package brings the dark gloss finish to the unique 20-inch wheels, crosshair grille, side mirrors, exterior badging and headlight bezels, among other elements. Dual rear exhaust with bright silver tips helps complete the look.

Buyers can choose from five different exterior colors, including Billet Silver, Bright White, Brilliant Black, Granite Crystal and Redline Red.

The Backtop packages range from $295 to $1,990 depending on trim level. Similar options are also available for the Charger, Challenger, Dart, Avenger, Journey and Grand Caravan.

Cadillac’s new flagship sedan, currently rumored to be named the LTS, is allegedly receiving final touches ahead of an unveiling at the New York auto show.

Spy images that surfaced early in the year appeared to show progress on the four-door model. It is said to be heavily inspired by the company’s Elmiraj concept and based on the rear-wheel-drive Omega platform, likely with all-wheel-drive as an option.

As an apparent competitor to the Audi A8, BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the LTS is reportedly viewed within Cadillac as a proper rival to the large German sedans, an unnamed insider told Autoblog.

The source dismisses the current XTS as falling short of being a “real” Cadillac, though he admits that the LTS faces tough competition against the redesigned S-Class.

A two-door coupe is believed to be under consideration as a follow-up to the four-door edition. Reports have not yet detailed engine options or other potential packages, such as a V-performance variant.

Dodge’s upcoming Charger Hellcat looks to be poised for a debut next week at the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit.

Although the Charger Hellcat wasn’t specifically named, Dodge sent out an invite for the Woodward Dream Cruise on Thursday that includes “the world premiere of its next ultimate performance vehicle.” The event is scheduled to take place on August 13.

Dodge hasn’t officially confirmed the existence Charger Hellcat, but the high-performance sedan has been outed by an SAE document as well as by our spy photographers. The Charger Hellcat will be powered by the same 707-horsepower, 650 lb-ft of torque supercharged 6.2L V8 found in the Challenger Hellcat, easily qualifying it as an “ultimate performance vehicle.”

The Charger Hellcat will be equipped with Dodge’s latest eight-speed auto, but it remains to be seen if it will be offered with a manual transmission.

Like the rest of the 2015 Charger line, the Hellcat will arrive with revised interior and exterior styling. The 2015 Charger made its world debut in R/T form at the 2014 New York auto show.