Frank Van Meel, the CEO of BMW’s M division, has revealed the Munich-based car maker is developing a Competition Package for the M3, the M4, and the M4 Cabriolet.

Aimed at buyers who want to hit the track, the Competition Package will bring a long list of speed- and handling-focused features. Notably, it will include a lower and stiffer track-tuned suspension with new springs and bigger sway bars, model-specific alloy wheels, and a sport exhaust system with new tips.

BMW will also make a few mechanical modifications in order to squeeze more power out of the M3/M4′s turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six engine. Technical details haven’t been provided yet, but WorldCarFans speculates the Competition Package will add about 30 ponies to the mill’s 425-horsepower output. The extra grunt will allow a M3 equipped with the Competition Package to reach 60 mph from a stop in less than 3.9 seconds when equipped with a dual-clutch transmission.

The Competition Package for the BMW M3, M4, and M4 Cabriolet will be introduced in March at the Geneva Motor Show. It will be offered as an option on the 2017 models, but we’ll have to wait a few months to see how much it will cost.

Photos by Drew Johnson.

Acura is taking bold steps to differentiate itself in a crowded luxury car market. Among them, a new crossover model will be introduced in China and a reboot of the marque’s controversial styling is in the works.

After revolutionizing the idea of Japanese luxury upon its inception in 1986, Acura quickly earned a stellar reputation amongst critics and consumers alike with models like the Integra and Legend. However, for the last decade its fallen out of critical favor due to polarizing styling and a pull-back from sporty handling.

While the brand is still viewed favorably with consumers, it has struggled to achieve even half the sales of rivals such as Lexus and BMW, even as its mainstream parent company Honda’s cars approach Acura-levels of performance, styling and content. Acura has faced particular hardship cracking the Chinese market where, according to Automotive News, it has sold just 4,000 cars in 2015 (compared to BMW’s 460,000).

To rejuvenate the brand, Acura has announced a new compact crossover in China. The segment is just as hot in the world’s largest market as it is in the US, and Honda thinks it can move 30,000 of them annually. Likely based on the new Honda HR-V and rumored to be debuting at the Beijing Auto Show in April.

The new model could be the first production car to be wrapped in Acura’s new styling language, will debut on the Precision Concept to be unveiled in Detroit next week. According to the company, it will be aggressive, further differentiate the brand from Honda, and ditch the much-maligned robotic parrot beak grille.

The Toyota ViRa is a new sporty crossover concept that will debut at the 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon, Japan’s largest aftermarket showcase.

The ViRA name is derived by combining Vitz, the Japanese name for what is known in the US as the Yaris, and the RAV4 mid-size crossover, even though it doesn’t look anything like either of them.

The ViRA is described as coupe styling with the practicality of an SUV and sports a tall ride height that sits somewhere between car and crossover. It boasts only two doors, a sloping roofline and plenty of curves. Judging by the renderings, it will likely be the size of the Mazda CX-3 compact crossover, a segment that Toyota has been notably absent from. No details about the drivetrain were provided, though TIC will also be showing a turbocharged Vitz.

Curiously, the ViRA built by Toyota Industries Corporation, a manufacturing subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation (the latter is the entity in question when we say Toyota). Toyota Industries Corporation builds the Vitz and RAV4, among other things such as industrial vehicles, engines, and automotive air conditioning compressors. Founded in 1926, it celebrates its 80th anniversary this year.

The ViRA will debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon, which opens January 15.

American builder Callaway has introduced a supercharger kit for the brand new 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS.

The kit consists of a massive 2.3-liter supercharger that bumps the 6.2-liter V8 engine’s output from 455 to over 600 horsepower. Performance figures haven’t been published yet. However, the stock SS reaches 60 mph from a stop in four seconds flat, so the blown model with nearly 150 extra ponies on tap is certainly no slouch.

The supercharger kit was developed to work with both the standard six-speed manual transmission and the optional eight-speed automatic unit, and Callaway promises that it doesn’t sacrifice reliability or drivability. It’s complemented by a cold air intake and a triple intercooler system.

Not content with merely building a more powerful V8, Callaway has also added a carbon fiber engine cover, a sprinkling of specific emblems inside and out, embroidered floor mats, special door sill panels, and specific key fobs. Every supercharged Camaro comes with a certificate of authenticity and a three-year/36,000-mile warranty.

Callaway’s supercharger kit is on sale now for $16,995. The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS carries a base price of $37,295, meaning enthusiasts who want to hop behind the wheel of a 600-horsepower Camaro need to set aside about $55,000 if no other options are ticked.

A Detroit-based tuner called Hoffy Automobiles has published a batch of computer-generated images that preview the Mamba GT3 Street.

Named after a venemous snake, the Mamba GT3 takes the form of an aggressive-looking coupe based on the BMW M4. It gains a completely redesigned front end with numerous air vents and LED lights, fender flares that put even DTM cars to shame, a wide air diffuser with four integrated four exhaust pipes, and a trunk-mounted wing that’s almost as tall as the roof. The only remaining visual connections between the GT3 and the M4 are twin kidney grilles and the shape of the lights.

Hoffy promises the cabin has been upgraded with sport seats for the front passengers, Alcantara upholstery on the seats, the headliner, and the steering wheel, a heads-up display inspired by the world of jet fighters, Bluetooth connectivity, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. It also features a 600-watt sound system.

The M4′s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six engine has been tweaked to deliver 710 horsepower, a 285-pony bump over the M4. The coupe can reach 60 mph from a stop in approximately three seconds, and it goes on to a top speed of 210 mph.

The Mamba GT3 Street Concept will be introduced to the public in February, and it will go on sale shortly after. Pricing information hasn’t been revealed, though that hasn’t stopped a wealthy collector from buying the very first prototype.

Older Mazda6 sedans are the latest vehicles to be affected by the ongoing Takata recall campaigns.

The Japanese supplier has continued to perform internal testing of airbag inflators recovered from vehicles in the field. The investigations recently resulted in a ruptured inflator from a Mazda6.

After consulting with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in December, the company decided to recall all vehicles that were built with the same components that experienced a failure. The expansion includes passenger-side airbags for the 2003-2008 model years, including the 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6. A small batch of 2004 RX-8 vehicles is also included, limited to a single production week in late June 2003.

Like millions of other vehicles recalled for defective Takata airbags, the affected Mazda sedans could increase the chance of occupant injuries from flying shrapnel or airbag failure if the inflator is activated in a crash.

Service technicians will replace the passenger airbag in the affected vehicles. The campaign appears to be implemented on a nationwide basis, rather than focusing on states with high absolute humidity. Moisture has been identified as a likely factor contributing to field failures and deaths.

Toyota has set a production record in North America, building more than two million units on the continent in 2015.

The specific production totals include 2,035,028 vehicles adorned with Toyota, Scion and Lexus badges, along with 1,933,702 engines. The milestone represents a significant increase from 2011, when less than 1.3 million vehicles were built in North America.

The company’s Kentucky facility accounted for the largest number of vehicles, with more than 450,000 vehicles rolling off the assembly line. The plant now builds more than 330,000 Camry sedans each year.

Combining output from Toyota’s Kentucky, Indiana, Mississippi and Texas factories, along with the approximately 80,000 Camry sedans built at Subaru’s Indiana plant, the US accounts for 65 percent of the company’s North American production. Most of the remaining total is produced in Canada, while around 108,000 units rolled off two assembly lines in Mexico.

The Japanese automaker has been building vehicles in Ontario and Kentucky for 30 years. This year also marks 20-year anniversaries in Indiana and West Virginia, a 15-year run in Alabama and five years of assembly in Mississippi.

Following strong demand in 2015, the Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcats are due to get new visual customization options for 2016.

Buyers can now add dual full-length body stripes from the factory. The sporty bands feature a faux carbon-fiber appearance, running the length of the car from the front fascia, across the roof and deck lid and down the rear bumper.

The stripe design has been tailored to emphasize the SRT Hellcat’s signature NACA duct hood vent.

The stripes can be added to any color in Dodge’s Hellcat palette, including 10 hues ranging from Bright White Clear Coat to Maximum Steel Metallic. The company is also extending availability of its limited-edition Plum Crazy color, originally scheduled to end in December.

“But exceptionally strong customer demand, plus the opportunity to pair this legendary high-impact hue with the new SRT Hellcat stripe, means dealers will be able to continue ordering the high-impact, highly popular color through January,” FCA said in a statement.

The stripes can be added to either the Challenger or Charger starting this month for an extra $995.

Rusty fuel lines have prompted a recall for Maserati’s 2016 GranTurismo, including hardtop and convertible variants.

Factory workers recently noticed the issue via routine visual inspections during final assembly. The main fuel lines appeared discolored, indicating a lack of galvanization treatment.

An investigation concluded that a batch of fuel lines had not been galvanized, leaving the lines prone to quick corrosion and eventual leaks. Degradation could be accelerated by exposure to road salt.

“If the leaked fuel comes into contact with an ignition source there is potential for a vehicle fire,” the company warns.

The problem affects a small batch of just 33 vehicles, most of which are still in dealer inventory. Service technicians will install a new fuel line that has been treated with the proper galvanization to resist corrosion.