Volvo has announced that it will be increasing production of the V60 Plug-In Hybrid, in preparation for first customer deliveries of the car, set to begin in early 2013. Production will increase to somewhere under 6,000 units per year, considerably more than the 1,000 cars which have already been built.

 The Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid runs on electricity and diesel fuel, and the choice of three different operating modes puts the driver directly in control of their environmental footprint. Compared to an equivalent V60 the plug-in hybrid version has an additional 300 parts, such as the electric motor, custom cooling system and battery pack (see video above).

According to Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research and Development at Volvo Car Corporation, the 11.2 kWh lithium-ion battery is the most complex system in the vehicle. After the initial batch of 1,000 cars for model year 2013, production of the V60 Plug-in Hybrid will increase to 4,000-6,000 cars as of model year 2014.

 About 30% of total volume will go to Sweden and the other Nordic countries. Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and the UK will have a share of between 5 and 15% each. Volvo Car Corporation expects that 80% of total sales will be in the form of company cars.

READ MORE - Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid Production 2013 Sales Increased

The 2013 Cayenne comes with a 3.0-liter oil-burning powerplant with 240 hp, permanent all-wheel drive (AWD) and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) torque. Despite the less-than-impressive output, this SUV will reach 60 mph in just 7.2 seconds and tops out at 135 mph (220 km/h). That’s faster than a base Cayenne by 0.2 seconds, but slower than the Cayenne Turbo by 2.8 seconds. It can also go for as much as 740 miles on a single tank of fuel. The Cayenne S Diesel comes with the company's Porsche Traction Management (PTM) active all-wheel drive system and can complete the zero to 100km/h (62mph) sprint in just 5.7 seconds and top out at 252km/h (157mph). 

 There's also a special traction management system that only sends torque to the front wheels when it's strictly necessary - the rest of the time, according to Porsche, the Cayenne, "delivers the dynamic qualities of a rear-wheel drive car. The Cayenne Diesel will arrive in Porsche dealer showrooms in September as a 2013 model, and it will be priced from $55,750, not including a $975 destination charge.Other changes to the 2013 Cayenne lineup are very minor and include a new shade of white, a new central locking button on the front door handles, and a new analog clock mounted at the top of the instrument panel.

READ MORE - Porsche Cayenne Diesel Best Cars

Lamborghini has announced the launch of a new roadster that will make you forget your affectionate dreams of the Countach in a heartbeat.The new Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster is the latest "dream machine" from the Italian firm and boasts stats like 0 to 100 km/h in only 3 seconds flat and has a maximum speed of some 350 km/h. As a refresher, this new roadster is a topless version of the 700-horsepower, all-wheel-drive Aventador, and it features a two-piece removable top made of carbon fiber (each weighing in at around 13 pounds) that can be stored in the front trunk. 

Performance figures include a 0-60 time of under three seconds and a top speed of 217 miles per hour. Lamborghini is currently taking orders for the Aventador Roadster with the car set to go on sale next summer. The new Aventador Roadster is being offered with a two-piece roof made entirely from carbon fiber that can be stored in the front luggage compartment.Under the hood you will find the same 6.5 liter aspirated V12 that delivers a total of 700 horsepower and mated to an ISR 7-speed gearbox. The Roadster version will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3 seconds and can hit a top speed of 217 mph.

READ MORE - Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Price List $441,600

The Fiat 500 mini-car is a two-door hatchback coupe (or convertible, designated 500c) that mixes Italian style with a fun-to-drive personality and comes with good gas mileage as a bonus. A high-performance Fiat Abarth model is also part of the 500 model line. Now, while the idea may not be feasible for everybody, there are those who are applying this very principle.

 This German Fiat 500 owner has taken the leap, and in doing so, has turned his car into something which is, dare we say it, far better than the original. It gets far better performance, a higher top speed (though it is limited to 100 km/h for obvious safety reasons), it is considerably smoother, and a much nicer experience overall. Dimensionally between the ForTwo and the Mini Cooper, the 500 appears more substantial and less toy-like than the Smart; being nearly three feet longer than the ForTwo helps. Compared to the Mini Cooper, the 500 is six inches shorter, 2.2 inches narrower and 3.1 inches taller. On the streets of San Diego, the 500 didn't look out of place. As a matter of fact, it fit.

READ MORE - New Fiat 500 concept

While racing in Europe and North and South America throughout the 1950s, Carroll Shelby cherished one dream; building the world's fastest sportscar. By 1956 he had already come up with a name for his car, it would be named Cobra. Soon after his 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans victory for Aston Martin, Shelby was struck by heart problems. Reluctant to do so, he was forced to give up motor racing as a driver. This did give him time to make his dream come true. 

Carroll Shelby is gone, but at least we can remember him by his work. This 1962 Shelby Cobra CSX200 is the epitome of all his motor racing ideas combined, combining big horsepower engines with inspired engineering. Carroll Shelby is gone, but at least we can remember him by his work. This 1962 Shelby Cobra CSX200 is the epitome of all his motor racing ideas combined, combining big horsepower engines with inspired engineering. 

 Cobra was bought by Lloyd 'Lucky' Casner, Comoradi racing, to race at the 1964 Le Mans 24 Hours. With the smaller V8 it did not prove competitive in practice, so it never ran and Casner sold it to Jean-Marie Vincent in France. By then the new 289 FIA cars were out, it was updated with a 289 engine and a rather odd looking one-off hardtop, which has thankfully disappeared. The only Cobra to enter the Tour de France, this Cobra was a very successful race car with many first place wins.

READ MORE - 1962 Shelby Cobra CSX2000 Contest