The Chevrolet Volt is reportedly due to receive a few minor changes for the 2017 model year, truncating the 2016 edition that ushered in the second generation.

The hybrid is finally receiving adaptive cruise control, according to CarsDirect. The feature will complement the existing assistance technology such as available lane-holding assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and automatic emergency braking.

The 2017 Volt is expected to be compliant with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 3 emissions standards. Other automakers will soon be making the same transition, as the tighter regulations go into effect starting with the 2017 model year.

Aside from the cruise-control upgrade and enhanced EPA certification, the Volt adds a new exterior color, Citron Green Metallic, a subtle earthy hue borrowed from the 2016 Impala.

Perhaps most importantly, the 2017 Volt will be distributed to showrooms across the country. The 2016 model was available on a limited basis in 10 states with an established appetite for hybrids, ranging from California to Rhode Island and New York.

Buyers will get the first chance to pick up the modestly revised Volt sometime late this winter or by early spring 2016.

BMW has released two more short documentary films highlighting the M3′s history, including the E36 and E46 generations.

The latest videos provide insight into the evolution of BMW’s design considerations after the first-generation E30 model proved successful both on the track and in showrooms across the globe. For the second generation, the company focused on a compromise between performance and street drivability.

“Here it was important for us to find a combination of racing technology and an increased ability for every-day use,” says E36 chassis development head Gerhard Richter. “The aim was to exploit the limits on both sides.”

BMW is proud of the E36′s “mechanically perfect” inline-six engine, which introduced the company’s VANOS variable timing system. European buyers were offered the most powerful engine variants, surpassing 320 horsepower in later years, however US buyers were limited to a 240-pony powerplant.

As intended, the E36 raised the bar for M3 sales with more than 71,000 units rolling off the assembly line.

The company shifted its focus once again for the E46 chassis, eschewing the understated looks of the E36 and returning to a “purist sports car.” E46 project head Siegfried Friedman suggests engineers also placed a high priority on minimizing weight and creating a high-revving engine, which shared only three minor components with the E36′s mill.

Sales increased once again with the E46, jumping past 85,000 units.

The company will release two additional videos detailing the E90 and current F80 M3 generations.

Nissan has announced pricing details for the new Sentra, revamped for the 2016 model year.

The mid-cycle refresh now starts at $17,615 (including $835 freight), representing a modest increase of just $250 from the 2015 edition. The entry-level Sentra S is equipped with a six-speed manual transmission. Stepping up to Nissan’s Xtronic CVT brings the price up to $18,465.

The 2016 model year features a new exterior design, bringing the compact sedan’s aesthetics closer to that of the latest Maxima and Altima. Nissan’s V-Motion grille centers the front fascia, while new headlights flow into the wheel arches. The hood and lower bumper are also a bit curvier.

The company boasts that the Sentra has achieved ‘tremendous growth’ both in raw sales and market share in recent years. Despite the looming refresh, numbers have remained positive in 2015 with deliveries up by 9.5 percent in the first 11 months of the year.

Aside from the revised design language, the new Sentra adds additional technology features to further sweeten the proposition. SR and SL trim levels are outfitted with LED low-beam headlights and LED accents, while the interior has received a new steering wheel, available power-lumbar driver’s seat, a new center cluster and a new console and shifter knob.

The nameplate is now available with several modern safety systems for the first time. Certain packages include automatic emergency braking, intelligent cruise control, blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert.

Nissan’s fuel-sipping 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine carries over for 2016, though the CVT has been retuned for a ‘crisper’ shift feel. Spring and damper rates have increased 10 percent, complementing a stiffer chassis and available active understeer control system.

The 2016 Sentra is already beginning to arrive in showrooms across the country.

Live images by Brian Williams.

Mazda has previewed four different track-inspired concept cars that will be showcased at the Tokyo Auto Salon.

The racing lineup is based on existing production vehicles including the MX-5 Miata, CX-3, Mazda2 and Mazda6. All are outfitted with racing seats and harnesses, roll cages, unique body kits and special wheels.

The MX-5 and Mazda2 feature a white body color with black and red accents. The CX-3 opts for a darker hue accented by red elements, while the Mazda6 features a blacked-out theme with contrasting silver on the grille, foglight surrounds and mostly-black wheels.

The MX-5 RS Racing concept appears to closely resemble Mazda’s official MX-5 Cup race car, sharing red trim, similar bodywork and towing eyes. The new Tokyo-bound build brings different wheels and adjustable suspension components.

Additional details will likely be released ahead of the event, scheduled to begin January 15. Unfortunately, the company has not signaled any intention to develop the concepts into production vehicles.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has released a short documentary, “Arsenal of Democracy,” that highlights Chrysler’s contributions to the Allies in World War II.

The automaker allocated production resources to help build tanks, aircraft parts, guns, ammunition, rockets, bombs and other goods. The vehicles and goods were quickly put to use overseas before the US began fighting in the war.

The documentary coincides with the 75th anniversary of President Franklin Roosevelt’s initiative to take advantage of America’s mass-production prowess, inviting domestic automakers and other manufacturers to build and supply wartime equipment for the UK’s fight against Nazi Germany.

“Emphatically we must get these weapons to [European allies], get them to them in sufficient volume and quickly enough, so that we and our children will be saved the agony and suffering of war which others have had to endure,” Roosevelt said in one ‘arsenal of democracy’ speech.

Notably, Chrysler’s implements of war may have been used in battle against Axis vehicles and equipment built with help from Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo. The brands have since been absorbed into FCA, which now lists Italy’s Exor as its largest shareholder.