After rejecting National Electric Vehicle Sweden’s Thursday request for protection from creditors, a Swedish court has approved a revised filing that gives the Saab owner a bit longer to secure funding.

The company is said to owe creditors approximately 400 million SEK (~$57.5 million USD). Some of the suppliers recently asked the court to force the company into bankruptcy, potentially leading to asset liquidation.

Nevs yesterday claimed progress in negotiations with two companies that may be able to save the company from bankruptcy, providing the necessary investment to restart production of the all-electric Saab 9-3. Previous reports have pointed to Inda’s Mahindra and China’s Dongfeng as potential suitors.

Interestingly, the financial troubles have led Saab Group, the aerospace and defense giant, to withdraw Nevs’ rights to continue using the Saab brand, according to Reuters.

It is unclear if Saab Group will be willing to renegotiate a fresh trademark agreement for the Saab name if Nevs is successful in its quest for new financial backers.

Industry whisperings suggest that the next-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata may offer multiple engine options in addition to a fixed-roof coupe bodystyle.

One of the more hotly anticipated new car debuts in recent memory, the lighter, more focused 2016 MX-5 Miata is less than a week away from its unveiling, but Mazda is keeping a tight lid on details concerning the iconic sports car.

However, rumors have sprung up to fill the information void, with Automotive News reporting that the new Miata will receive a coupe derivative about a year after the convertible launches. Likely to supplement, rather than replace, the existing power folding retractable hardtop option, the coupe will boast fastback styling and should help the Miata cater to a wider range of buyers.

Also helping to expand the customer base is a rumored two-engine powertrain lineup. Whereas the current model makes do with a single motor, Australia’s Go Auto states that the new Miata could offer a choice between 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter SkyActiv four-cylinder mills. A six-speed manual will almost certainly be the standard-issue transmission.

While the authenticity of the rumors is impossible to verify at present, that won’t be the case for long – the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata will be officially unveiled on September 3, and we’ll have the full story along with a full set of photos.

Toyota has announced that it has gained government approval to build and inspect hydrogen tanks that will be installed in the FCV fuel-cell vehicle.

Japan is said to have stringent regulations for production of pressurized gas containers, which must be made available for official safety inspections during the assembly process. Before receiving the recent greenlight, Toyota’s tanks also had to be inspected before installation in prototype vehicles.

“The inspection schedules had a direct impact on inventory control and the manufacturing timetable for Toyota’s FCV prototypes,” the company said in a statement.

Toyota can now self-inspect the tanks, allowing the company to ramp up production and reduce costs.

The hydrogen vessels are built from carbon fiber and designed to withstand pressures of over 700 bar (10,152 psi), requiring extremely robust construction to avoid rupture in an accident. To highlight tank strength, the company early this year claimed a .50-caliber bullet barely made a dent and failed to penetrate the tank wall.

Toyota is competing with Honda to be the first to bring a fuel-cell vehicle to market, with both companies potentially launching their rival models sometime in 2015.

Confirming rumors that surfaced last year, General Motors has announced plans to offer Z71 packages for the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban.

The company has maintained that its body-on-frame SUVs are naturally more off-road capable than unibody alternatives, but the Z71 trim level was initially missing from Chevrolet’s 2015 SUV lineup.

Full details have yet to be announced, but the packages are expected to feature heavy-duty lifted suspension, skid plates, high-profile tires, roof racks and potentially a few body tweaks.

“In 1988, the first official special Z71 package appeared on Chevrolet’s new-generation full-size pickup trucks, and in 2001, Chevrolet added the Z71 package to Tahoe and Suburban,” the company said in a brief statement.

Additional features and production timing will be announced late in September.

Photo by Mark Elias.

Toyota has finally announced pricing information for its largest TRD Pro Series pickup, the Tundra.

The full-size pickup with Toyota Racing Development upgrades fetches $42,385 (including $1,100 freight) in double-cab form, or $45,000 with the extended CrewMax cabin.

Like its smaller counterparts, the Tundra TRD Pro features Bilstein shocks with remote reservoirs for increased oil capacity and suspension travel. Lifted front springs have also been tuned with a lower rate for better ride quality over harsh terrain, while a front skid plate helps protect the undercarriage.

The pickup is easily spotted by its 18-inch all-black TRD alloy wheels with off-road tires, TRD Pro quarter-panel bed stamping and a unique front grille. TRD logos can also be found on the floor mats, shift knobs and instrument panel.

The company is offering a new color for the 2015 model year: Inferno orange. Buyers can also opt for existing black or Super White body paint.

The Tundra TRD Pro is scheduled to arrive in showrooms next month.