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.