The Mini Superleggera Vision has reportedly received an official green light for production.
BMW Group has promised to continue thinning the Mini lineup to focus on high-volume models, discontinuing the Coupe and Roadster variants, but unnamed sources have told CAR that the convertible Superleggera will be added as a halo model to help revitalize the brand.

Jointly designed by Mini and Milan-based coachbuilder Touring Superleggera, the Vision concept diverges from the traditional Mini design with its low profile and long hood.

A patent filing later showed what appeared to be a production-ready design, complete with Mini’s iconic headlights and conventional door handles and mirrors. The unique Union Jack taillights and finned trunk-lid remained in the rendered images, consistent with the concept.

The original concept was previewed with an electric drivetrain, but the Superleggera production car is expected to borrow three- and four-cylinder engines from Mini’s existing lineup. A John Cooper Works range topper is also rumored, powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged mill.

The latest sources claim the convertible will be rolling off assembly lines by 2018.

Louisiana Senator David Vitter has introduced legislation that would regulate three-wheel vehicles that are closer to cars but currently classified as motorcycles.
As the name implies, the Autocycle Safety Act creates the ‘autocycle’ classification for enclosed motor vehicles, standardizing safety rules and other issues at the federal level.

More than half of US states already have laws for three-wheel cars, such as the Polaris Slingshot and Elio Motors’ upcoming made-in-Louisiana trike. In other states, drivers are typically required to follow motorcycle rules with certain provisions, such as mandatory helmets, that make little sense for enclosed occupants.

“Creating this recognition for autocycles will ensure their safety, create jobs, and encourage the same entrepreneurial spirit that created motor vehicles and motor cycles,” Vitter said in a statement.

The legislator has not yet published the bill, leaving specific details unclear.

Maserati has no plans to chase the Porsche Macan with an SUV model smaller than the upcoming Levante, the Italian automaker’s chief executive has revealed.
Compact utility models are all the rage right now, but Maserati CEO Harald Wester says a sub-Levante model isn’t in the cards. Instead, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Maserati’s parent company, will rely on the group’s other brands to fill the needs for smaller SUVs.

“We are an extremely complex multi-brand group and to have everyone doing a little bit of everything is not the right way,” Wester told Autocar. “We have nameplates that cover that ground, or that plan to cover that ground.”

He added: “In this business, you should never say ‘no’ in a dogmatic way, but my personal opinion is that Maserati wouldn’t want to go below the Levante in size.”

Alfa Romeo could fill the gap between FCA’s Jeep and Maserati with an up-scale small SUV of its own.

Despite the decision not to field an SUV in the red-hot compact ranks, Maserati still expects its sales to rise to 75,000 units on the back of the Levante SUV. Seemingly in the making for years, Maserati will formally unveil its first-ever utility model at the 2016 Detroit auto show.

The GM Ignition Switch Compensation Fund has raised the total number of victims eligible for compensation to 180 in its weekly update.
The 180 victims represent 67 fatalities, 11 “Category One” injury victims and 102 “Category Two.” The categories differentiate those victims whose injuries resulted in permanent deformities or brain injuries (Category One) from those who simply required immediate hospitalization and treatment (Category Two).

The deadline to submit claims for potential compensation was January 31st of this year. More than 4,000 claims were submitted, and as many as 3,000 of them were rejected due to ineligibility or poor/inadequate documentation.

Lawmakers attempted to convince GM to extend the deadline a second time, but the automaker rejected the proposal.

While no more claims can be submitted, the total number of eligible victims will continue to rise as fund administrator Kenneth Feinberg’s team continues to review applications and receive follow-up documentation for prior claims.

Lamborghini has announced a price tag for its new range-topping Aventador.
Unveiled in Geneva, the LP 750-4 Superveloce edition will command $489,600 (including gas-guzzler tax) when it arrives in US showrooms, marking a nearly $100,000 premium over the base model.

The extra cash pays for a retuned engine, bringing the 6.5-liter V12′s output up to 750 horsepower. Weight has been reduced by 110 lbs, helping shave a tenth of a second from the standard Aventador’s 2.9-second zero-to-62mph time.

The company has also upgraded the suspension, improving grip at turn-in, while the body has been revamped to increase downforce by 170 percent and improve efficiency by 150 percent.

“The reception this vehicle received at its North American debut at the Amelia Island Concours this weekend matches the level of enthusiasm we saw from the global audience in Geneva,” said Lamborghini chief Stephan Winkelmann.

US buyers will get a chance to pick up an Aventador Superveloce this summer.

Image by Ronan Glon.