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With Ford and General Motors both announcing an end to production in Australia, the country's auto industry is in a bad way. With the exit of two big players, there's increased concern that a third Australian manufacturer, Toyota, will be forced out, as well.

"We are saddened to learn of GM Holden's decision. This will place unprecedented pressure on the local supplier network and our ability to build cars in Australia," Toyota Australia said in a statement. The GM closure of Holden production will be the direct end to 2,900 jobs, but will also force a dramatic reduction in the size of the country's supplier network, as there will simply be fewer cars to build.

In the same statement, Toyota Australia said it would work with suppliers and local government to figure out whether continuing production Down Under was even feasible. According to Automotive News, a representative for the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union told reporters it was "highly likely" that Toyota would also close up shop within the next few years.

Mercedes-Benz is recalling 130 SL-Class roadsters built between January 16, 2013 and April 30, 2013 over concerns that the vehicle's airbags won't fire if a very light person is in the passenger seat. The issue rests with what's called the Occupant Classification System.

The OCS is a system that figures out if there's an occupant in a seat based on the amount of weight being exerted on a sensor, and will arm or disarm the airbags accordingly. The affected models – SL550, SL63 AMG and SL65 AMG – might not detect a very light person, which could increase the chance of injury were the car to get in a wreck.

Naturally, Mercedes will be notifying owners and replacing the passenger-side OCS free of charge. Take a look below for the bulletin from NHTSA.

Ever since Gran Turismo 4, Jay Leno has had at least one of his cars included in the popular racing simulator (starting with the Tank Car), and more of his machines appears in Gran Turismo 6. They include this nose-heavy, front-wheel-drive V8-powered muscle car. Yes, that aptly describes a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado - except Leno's is rear-wheel drive. And it has a Cadillac CTS-V race engine modified to pump out 1,070 horsepower.

For the latest Jay Leno's Garage episode, he takes his real Toronado out for a cruise and then drives the virtual one like he stole it, accruing some body damage along the way. Leno also drives the virtual supercar Mercedes-Benz designed for GT6, the AMG Vision Gran Turismo Concept that debuted at the LA Auto Show, along with the real one, which is a 1:1-scale model. The model is radio-controlled and equipped with a small electric motor, sufficient to move it on and off of auto show floors.

Head below to watch the episode, which includes a few words from GT6 creator Kazunori Yamauchi.

There will forever be a soft spot in my heart for the Jeep Wrangler. The last one I owned was red, and, as a 1990 model, had the square headlights derided by Jeep enthusiasts who grew up on the Civilian Jeeps that descended from their General Purpose military ancestors. As a teenager, I couldn't have cared less what shape its headlights happened to be – to me, a Jeep Wrangler represented freedom; a carefree do-it-all machine equally at home with the top stowed away in the summer or with the heater on full blast in the snowy clutches of Old Man Winter. In Dr. Seuss parlance, my square-headlighted Sneetch was just as worthy as any round-headlighted Sneetch.

All that said, I'll be the first person to advise against buying a Jeep Wrangler of any sort for owners who don't plan to use it as its makers intend. There's no good reason to punish yourself with a stiff and springy ride, a loud and somewhat drafty (though generally water-resistant) interior or the poor fuel economy expected of a block-shaped vehicle if you don't enjoy its other, more exciting benefits.

Of course, Jeep has done its darndest over the years to make the Wrangler as civilized as possible while keeping it as capable as federal law will allow. The 2013 Jeep Wrangler Moab edition is one of Jeep's latest attempts to attract attention from the upper reaches of the active lifestyle set, and I spent a week with one to see what makes the Moab special.

Driving Notes

• While the stylized hood that comes as part of the Moab package doesn't have any actual effect on the vehicle's capabilities, it certainly looks good. In fact, it's such a cool design that it might be worth choosing a Moab over the Sahara model that it's based on for truly style-conscious buyers.
• Similarly, the new 17-inch Rubicon alloy wheels look great on the Moab. Plus, their black finish complements all of the other black trim on the Moab, which includes the door handles, side mirrors, wheel flares and running boards.
• Fitted to those wheels are Goodyear Silent Armor off-road tires with Kevlar reinforcement, measuring in at 245/75R17 at all four corners. These treads have a deep, blocky pattern that does a good job of digging in the dirt... or hauling you and your Wrangler up a massive pile of rocks. They proved much quieter on the road than I expected, too.
• While there's simply no comparison to be made between the current Wrangler's soft top versus the medieval torture device that was the factory top in 1990, I'd still opt to pay an extra thousand dollars for the three-piece hardtop. The various zips, sliding wedges and ties that hold the Wrangler's roof to its folding apparatus remain a pain in the butt to fiddle with when all you want to do is hit the road and bask in the sun.
• Included in the Moab package is an anti-spin rear differential, and I'd certainly recommend the optional electronic locking unit for serious Jeeper Creepers.
• New bumpers front and rear featuring integrated tow hooks look pretty cool, and they'd look even better with a proper winch mounted front and center in the slot that Jeep has kindly made available.
• While many Jeep owners bemoan the death of the 4.0-liter High Output inline six-cylinder engine, the reality is that the 3.6L Pentastar is a much more refined and powerful engine. I would, of course, choose the standard six-speed manual transmission, but this test vehicle was fitted with the optional five-speed automatic unit. It shifted through the gears with nary a complaint, but it's a few cogs short of true satisfaction.
• If you want to be noticed, look no further than a Wrangler painted in the hue you see above, known to Jeep buyers as Gecko. If you'd rather be a bit more chameleon, consider black or white and avoid the similarly bright Rock Lobster, Dozer or Crush paint.
• With a base price of $22,395, the Jeep Wrangler is one of the cheapest ways to enjoy open-top motoring in the United States in 2013, at least if you're buying new. Wrangler pricing jumps quickly as you pile on options, though. A 2013 Wrangler Moab lists at $33,095 in two-door guise, and a four-door Unlimited starts at $36,595. A fully loaded Moab can crest $40k.
• As I said in the introduction, there's no reason to drive a Wrangler if you're not going to use it. That applies even more so when you step up the ladder to something like the Moab, which costs more because it can do more and go farther. And if that's your goal, there's no better way to do get to where other people can't than in a Jeep Wrangler.

As Ford celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Mustang with the unveiling of the all-new sixth-gen design, one Chicago women can lay claim to a piece of Mustang history. According to CBS Chicago, Gail Wise was the first person in the US to buy a Mustang in 1964, and she did so two days before the car was even unveiled to the public.

Wise, then a 22-year-old teacher, went into the Chicago Ford dealership wanting to buy a convertible, and a salesperson ushered her over to car covered by a tarp. That car was a baby blue Mustang convertible, which she still owns today – along with the documentation. After sitting for almost 30 years and undergoing a full restoration, the car now looks to be in original condition. The report says that this $3,400 purchase could be worth anywhere between $100,000 and $250,000. While this worked out well for Mrs. Wise, we wouldn't recommend anyone going into a dark, back room of a dealership hoping to get a jump on the purchase of a 2015 Mustang.

Scroll down to watch the video report.

By their very nature, rare classic Ferraris draw big headlines when they're about to cross an auction block. Take, for example, the 1964 Ferrari 250 LM that we wrote about last month or the record-shattering 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 NART Spider that sold for $27.5 million at the 2013 RM Auctions at Pebble Beach. But every so often, a car from the good ole' US of A pops up that looks capable of drawing similarly large bids at auction. Cars like this 1961 Chaparral 1.

For those not in the know, Chaparral Cars was a manufacturer of racecars during the 1960s; cars renowned for their advanced features and cutting-edge technologies. While cars like the 2J - affectionately known as the "sucker car" for its two, rear-mounted 17-inch fans, which were used to create a ground effect that gave it incredible aerodynamic grip at any speed - draw all the attention, it was the Chaparral 1 which started everything off.

Unlike other Chaparrals, the 1 was not particularly cutting edge. It was a pretty racecar, but it lacked the aerodynamic and technological features of later models, instead taking advantage of a 318-cubic-inch Chevrolet V8, a low curb weight and a fully independent suspension. Only five Chaparral 1s were built which adds to the rarity. Of those five cars, two were owned by company founder Jim Hall (no, not this Jim Hall). This is one of those cars.

Chassis 1-003 took a class win in its first outing at the 1962 12 Hours of Sebring, and then captured an overall win at the Road America 500. Its third and final appearance was at Sebring in 163, although it failed to finish. This particular car has had a series of owners since then, and was most recently sold in August 2004 for $1.1 million. It'll cross the block again this January, at RM Auctions' Scottsdale event, where it's expected to bring in anywhere from $2.25 to $2.75 million.

Volvo is in the midst of a three-stage design revolution. The first stage came with the reveal of the Concept Coupe in Frankfurt just this past September. What you see here is our first glimpse at the second stage.

The Volvo Concept XC Coupe previewed here will be unveiled in full on January 8 in advance of the Detroit Auto Show. While the previous concept was all sleek, the Concept XC Coupe takes a more rugged, utilitarian approach with a hatchback roofline, higher ride height, knobbier tires, lower body cladding and a rooftop box. From what we can see, it looks like a cross between the previous concept and an XC70 wagon that could preview a soft-road replacement for the C30 hatchback.

That's about all there is to say at this point, but you can scope out the press release along with the video below and the trio of teaser images in the gallery above.

Images of the overhauled BMW M3 sedan and M4 coupe have leaked ahead of a debut at next month's Detroit Auto Show, along with option sheets and some specs.

Both wear the standard hallmarks of BMW's M division. There's a subtle power dome in the hood, along with the requisite M3/4-branded strakes on the front fenders. The front and rear fascia are more aggressive than what we've seen in the 3/4 Series M Sport package, as well. Split-five-spoke wheels mean the neither car will stand out in the family portrait and those gold calipers, meanwhile, signify what has been rumored for some time - the M3 and M4 will be getting carbon-ceramic brakes.

The cabin is home to the standard suite of M accoutrements, including a new steering wheel and more heavily bolstered seats. Special trim, including carbon fiber, will be available to further set these cars apart from the standard models.

We reported on the M3 and M4's powertrains back in September, but as a quick refresher, both cars will use a 430-horsepower, twin-turbocharged six-cylinder with the owner's choice of a six-speed manual or a dual-clutch transmission.

According to the options sheet provided by BimmerBoost, an adaptive suspension, 19-inch wheels and a head-up display will be available as optional goodies, along with a range of more traditional luxury options like heated and powered seats, a parking assistant, side and top-view cameras and LED lighting.

Finally, the color palette - both cars will be available in eight colors. The M3 you see above is in Yas Marina Blue Metallic, while we're guessing the M4 is Austin Yellow Metallic (which reminds more than one Autoblog editor of the E46's Phoenix Gold).

Take a look up top for M4 images and down below for M3 images, and then let us know what you think of the new sports cars down in Comments.

The US will soon work with China as the world's most populous nation works to draft stricter emissions standards. The two countries certainly know how to put pollution into the air – China is the world's biggest emitter polluter, followed by the US.

The announcement was made during a visit Vice President Joe Biden recently made to China. According to Reuters, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy will work with the Asian nation on its so-called China VI standards. These regulations will, among other things, require cars to have filters that capture particulate matter.

The legislation is slated to follow the China IV standards, which included diesel regulations that reduced engines' maximum-allowable sulfur content by a factor of seven, along with China V, which will bring sulfur content down by another 80 percent by 2017. Once China reaches that level, it will be lower than current US standards.

Just in time, too. Vehicle ownership in China is expected to jump to more than 200 million by the end of the decade, way up from 120 million estimated at the end of 2012. Earlier this year, a number of Chinese government entities pushed for fuel economy standards that would require a fleetwide 34 miles per gallon average by 2015 as part of the country's first-ever fuel-economy mandate.

Cars in the United Kingdom are required to have what's known as a tax disc - a little, circular sticker fitted to the inside of a car's windshield. It signifies that tax has been paid on the car, and is roughly analogous to the registration stickers on some American license plates. In the US, though, we don't really have to worry about anything eating our registration stickers.

A British repair shop did, though, when they found a snail snacking away on the tax disc of a Peugeot van they were repairing. Naturally, they didn't discover the munching mollusk until the local constabulary had left a 100-pound ($164.23) fine for the half-missing sticker. Rather than pass the discless Pug off back to its owner, the men, Jon Roles and his father Steve, set about convincing local police that the only foul play was on the part of the snail.

"As the vehicle was in the care of the garage at the time we felt the liability rested with us so we appealed on the customer's behalf," Roles Senior told The Western Gazette. According to the Roles, police weren't interested in hearing their story. "We explained the situation but they weren't too keen to see the evidence."

Finally, the two got through by sending a letter with pictures of the snail consuming the tax disc, which led Avon and Somerset Police to void the fine. The official letter from the bobbies included advice to "interrogate the offender, preferably with a teaspoon of salt."

The Racers starts off with a quote from legendary racecar driver Sir Stirling Moss: "There are two things no man will admit he cannot do well... Drive and make love." Whether that's true or not, it sets the tone of the video, to be sure, and is fitting for a film that romanticizes Formula One racing, traditionally a male-dominated sport.

Head below to watch the video - a mish-mash of some of the most memorable F1 moments - and read some famous quotes from some of the greatest racers that ever lived.

Every car guy's favorite executive, Bob Lutz has had a long history in top positions at major automakers. Following service as a Marine Corps pilot and a few years as the top sales and marketing exec at BMW, Lutz went on to hold high positions at Ford, Chrysler and most recently General Motors. But he's been keeping busy since leaving GM over three years ago. He's since gone on to chair EV startup Via Motors, start up VL Automotive with Gilbert Villereal to remake the Fisker Karma, and offers the benefit of his experience through his consultancy Lutz Communications. But that's not the end of the road for Maximum Bob.

His latest appointment was just announced by Katzkin, a company known for transforming vehicle interiors. Katzkin retrofits existing vehicles for private customers, but is also often called upon by major automakers and tuners alike to reupholster show cars. In his new capacity, Lutz will serve as Senior Advisor to Katzkin, helping it expand its reach and solidify its position in the $30 billion annual automotive customization market. A far cry from the board rooms of Detroit's Big Three, but at 81 years old and still flying fighter jets for kicks, Lutz deserves to take it a little easy these days. Easy for Bob, anyway.

Change is in the air at General Motors. With the company's stock price rising to new highs, the US government is divesting itself from the last of its holdings in GM. The auto giant also recently announced a complete restructuring of its European operations, as well as its Chinese operations, and – there was something else – oh yeah, the appointment of the industry's first female chief executive. But for our friends Down Under, the biggest news has just been announced.

Following earlier reports, GM has confirmed that it is shutting down all its Australian manufacturing operations by the end of 2017. The move is expected to cost the Aussies some 2,900 jobs over the next four years as manufacturing comes to an end at Holden plants in Elizabeth and Victoria. GM cites as a principal reason for the move the strength of the Australian dollar, which has risen in value against the US dollar from 50 cents in 2001 to as high as $1.10, making it 65 percent more expensive for an American company to manufacture in Australia than it was a decade ago. The decision follows a similar announcement made by Ford earlier this year.

Although Holden's design studio will remain untouched for the time being, its engineering department is being gutted, leaving the division to focus strictly on sales and parts. Just what that means for the future of the Commodore (Holden's only home-grown product in a portfolio of rebadged Chevys) remains to be seen, as does the fate of the Chevy SS which Holden manufactures for export to the US market. But for now you can view the full announcement below.

With winter kicking off, people across the country are coming to grips with that horrible white substance we call snow. And while we, as motorists, might be sick of the stuff already, some college students in Oregon saw it as an opportunity to have some fun, although as things are wont to do in college, matters got out of hand rather quickly.

A giant snowball fight, orchestrated by members of the University of Oregon's football team, quickly escalated into an assault on passing cars, as students and student-athletes pelted vehicles with snow and stopped traffic on one of the university's side streets. A video of the fight has now gone viral, and shows one of the cars, supposedly driven by a professor, getting covered in snow. When the driver gets out to confront the students, he's then drilled with snowballs and has a bucket dumped on him.

Dean of Students Paul Shang: "The behavior exhibited in the video is unacceptable and will not be tolerated on our campus."

"The police department is investigating. They are trying to identify as many of the students that are involved as possible," said Joe Mosely, a spokesman for the university. Meanwhile, the University of Oregon Athletic Department is swinging into action, suspending the Ducks' starting tight end, Pharaoh Brown, for his part in the fracas. He'll now miss Oregon's game against the University of Texas Longhorns at the Alamo Bowl later this month. Other players that took part are being disciplined, as well.

"The behavior exhibited in the video is unacceptable and will not be tolerated on our campus. We will use this incident as an opportunity to remind our campus community of the positive values and quality of character that we as a university hold dear," said Dean of Students Paul Shang, in a statement picked up by ABC News.

We've got video of the fight down below, and we'd like to know what you think – is the university taking things too far with Brown's suspension? Should charges be filed against the participants? Have your say in Comments.