Nissan has reportedly moved forward with plans to develop a flagship plug-in hybrid for the Infiniti brand.

Unveiled a year ago in Paris, the Q80 Inspiration concept is expected to serve as a basis for the production model. Engineers are said to have focused on the Mercedes-Benz S500 plug-in hybrid and Porsche’s Panamera S E-Hybrid as performance benchmarks, an unnamed Nissan insider told Automotive News.

Longer than Infiniti’s current Q70 flagship, the Q80 sedan was presented as a bold example of the luxury marque’s future design language. The wild concept features suicide rear doors, a panoramic roof, a plush interior and numerous high-resolution displays for the driver and rear-seat passengers.

The concept is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 and an electric motor, delivering a combined output of 550 horsepower. The setup is said to capable of achieving 42 mpg in a mixed cycle. It is unclear if the production-bound hybrid will share any of the concept’s theoretical powertrain components.

The plug-in S500 integrates an 8.7-kWh battery pack for up to 20 miles of electric range, with a combined output of 436 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. The Panamera E-Hybrid offers a slightly larger battery and 428 ponies when running both the V6 and electric motor.

Infiniti is expected to launch the new flagship plug-in hybrid before the end of the decade, potentially as early as 2018.

Live images by Ronan Glon.

Mercedes-Benz has announced that it will use the upcoming Los Angeles auto show to unveil an updated version of its SL roadster.

Mercedes is keeping most of the SL’s new features under wraps, but we’re expecting a light refresh rather than a major overhaul. The current SL was totally revamped for 2012, so an all-new version of the iconic roadster is probably still a few years out.

The updated car will, however, feature a new front end with styling more in line with the rest of the Mercedes portfolio. That nip and tuck will include new headlights with an LED “brow,” a diamond grille similar to the unit found on the S-Class Coupe and a more aggressive-looking lower bumper. Although not shown in the lone teaser image, we’re expecting a similar update at the rear of the car.

The interior of the SL will likely carryover with minimal changes. A few more color choices could be added to the mix.

Powertrains should carryover as well. That means a 3.0L bi-turbo V6 as the base, with a 4.7L bi-turbo V8 standing as the optional motor. Fire-breathing AMG SL63 and SL65 models should make a return appearance.

Following its LA debut, look for the revised Mercedes-Benz SL to go on sale sometime next year as a 2017 model.

The Mercedes-Benz Museum is hoping to take the guesswork out of buying a classic car with the opening of its own sales division.

Typically known for displaying classic cars, the Mercedes-Benz Museum switched gears earlier this month when it announced that it would begin sales of vintage automobiles. The museum is currently selling classic cars under the ‘All Time Stars’ banner.

All Time Stars’ current inventory ranges from a 1929 Type 630 Kompressor all the way to a 1995 E320 Convertible. All cars sold through the program must undergo a 160-point inspection.

Cars are separated into one of three categories — Premium Edition, Collectors Edition and Drivers Edition. Premium Edition cars are the cream of the crop and are in excellent original condition with very few miles. Collectors Edition cars have some patina, but present well. Drivers Edition offer good mechanics components “but still offer potential for further restoration work.”

Those interest in purchasing a Mercedes Museum-backed classic can check out the current inventory at alltime-stars.com.

Volkswagen confirmed on Tuesday that it has halted production of its Passat TDI diesel model at the company’s Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant.

Although not totally shocking, the announcement is somewhat unexpected. The Chattanooga plant continued to produce Passat diesel models in limited numbers even after it was revealed on September 18 that those car were equipped with an emissions cheating device. The EPA immediately barred the Passat TDI from sales in the U.S., but production of the diesel-powered mid-size sedan continued through at least mid-October.

Scott Wilson, a spokesman for the Chattanooga plant, confirmed to Automotive News on Tuesday that Passat TDI production had stopped, but he couldn’t say when the shutdown officially occurred.

The TDI halt isn’t expected to affect production of the revised 2016 Passat, which is just now entering production in Tennessee. “As we are in the middle of the ramp up of the production volume, it is no problem to adjust the mix to accommodate this change,” Wilson said.

Construction of a new plant on the Chattanooga site is also continuing as planned. That facility will eventually build a three-row crossover utility vehicle.

At this point it remains unknown when or even if TDI production will resume at the Passat plant. So far VW hasn’t outlined a specific fix for the emissions cheat and the company withdrew its request for certification for 2016 2.0L TDI models on October 7.

Photo by Byron Hurd.

Hyundai is looking to revolutionize the century-old owners manual with a new Virtual Guide app. Hyundai claims it is the first mainstream automaker to bring the owner’s manual into the virtual age.

Available via the Apple App store and Google Play, the Hyundai Virtual Guide app puts all pertinent vehicle information in the palm of your hand via a smartphone or tablet. The app contains useful information for vehicle repairs, maintenance and even technical how-to guides.

The app contains 82 how-to videos, but an owner can also scan certain areas of their car, such as the engine bay, to get a virtual 3D overlay. Those overlays can help identify certain objects, such as the location of the air filter for routine maintenance.

“The Virtual Guide is aimed at educating our owners on how to use the functions and features of their vehicle,” said Frank Ferrara, executive vice president, customer satisfaction, Hyundai Motor America. “We modernized the idea of an owner’s manual to provide the highest-quality user experience for the growing population of tech savvy consumers.”

The Virtual Guide app is currently only available for the 2015 Sonata, but Hyundai will eventually roll out the technology to its other vehicle lines.