It is only fitting that NASCAR has as history of cheating that's as cunning and varied as the methods of the original, moonshine-running racers skirting the law. Popular Mechanics has detailed 11 great moments in the bending and breaking of NASCAR rules, which include a cheating incident and ejection in the very first series race in 1949, an inflated basketball to circumvent gas tank capacity and frame rails loaded with BBs to get around weight restrictions.

And although a stricter rule book and the Car of Tomorrow might make "rules violations" harder ever year, it certainly hasn't stopped: a site that keeps track of NASCAR penalties shows the series has docked five teams five teams already this year. Perhaps that's because, as Darryl Waltrip said after getting busted in 1976, "If you don't cheat, you look like an idiot."

[Source: Popular Mechanics | Image: Jason Smith/Getty Images]

It's only taken seven filed complaints out of 37,889 vehicles sold, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is taking a close look at the 2009 VW Jetta TDi regarding sudden stalling. Although only a handful of complaints have come into the NHTSA, a greater number of owners in various forums like VW Vortex, TDIclub.com, and VWDiesel.net have reported the same thing: a loss of power and then the engine cuts out.

Suspicions seem to center on the fuel delivery system or the type of diesel used at the moment. Tales of $10,000 repair estimates have been related, but it's too early to say where the gremlins truly reside, so if you've experienced the issue yourself, get on the horn to NHTSA.



Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Detroit News]

The arrival of the A1 abroad means the tuning of Audi's pint-sized hatch begins in earnest. Germany's Senner has taken on the angry-eyed three-door and has beefed up the 1.6 TDI model, boosting output from 103 to 138 horsepower. And just the engine mods alone will run you €899 ($1,146 U.S.).

If you have more needs and more to spend, the comprehensive Senner Tuning Package for €4,999 ($6,373 U.S.) bolts on an adjustable KW suspension, 18-inch Barracuda Voltec T6 wheels, stainless steel sport exhaust and "special painting." For more details, check out the presser after the jump and for a look, hit up the gallery of high-res photos below.



[Source: Senner]

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In case you thought installing SYNC into Ford vehicles was a ho-hum-whatever affair, that's not the case – Ford puts a lot of thought into it. The Blue Oval's latest assembly line advance is to have SYNC's infotainment software installed into the 2011 Ford Edge via WiFi. Made possible by the the latest version of SYNC with WiFi access, the new process allows Ford to save money on parts and inventory by using a common module among vehicles in different cars and made in different plants. After the Edge, the Lincoln MKX and 2011 Explorer will gain the same systems. Follow the jump for the press release.

[Source: Ford]

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BMW's new Joy ad campaign looks to have made it to China with the M3 Tiger – or as one Autoblog commenter called it, "the M3 by Ed Hardy." Part of the continued celebration of a quarter century of M3s and the year of the tiger, the limited edition coupe took part in a photo shoot with a supporting cast so excited about the car they spend most of their time airborne.

On a more mundane note, the Fire Orange Metallic M3 will have black exterior accents and 19-inch wheels, while black Novilla leather will coat the inside and orange tiger heads are embroidered into the headrests. Only 250 M3 Tigers are set for production, and that may be 249 more than the world needs. Hat tip to Ragan!



[Source: Moko]

Saab has already talked up its hopes for entering the forthcoming 9-2 in a future installment of the World Rally Championship. But before it can, the 9-2 needs to exist. And before that can happen, Automotive News reports that Saab needs the technology and money from a partner automaker. A recent rumor surfaced that Saab was talking to BMW about building the 9-2 on the Mini chassis. At the same time, another rumor came to light that Saab was discussing using Mini engines for the next 9-3.

Now word has it that Spyker's Victor Muller is in talks with three companies about getting the help necessary to build the 9-2. Muller hasn't disclosed the companies' names, but we assume one of them is BMW. The hook is that the cost of the 9-2 wasn't included in the turnaround plan, so Saab needs its chosen partner to injects some cash as well. The model has yet to be officially confirmed, of course, so at this point, it isn't even clear that a teardrop Saab will get off the ground at all.



[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

According to the latest reports, Opel will be taking its name, not just its cars, to at least four new markets around the world. Standard practice has been to rebadge Opels as one of General Motor's other brands in countries outside of Europe, but company heads believe it's time to market Opel's European roots, especially in China.

The German automaker sold 4,000 cars in China last year, and to that end, Opel spokesman Andres Kroemer says "We will market Opel as a European designed car in the premium segment. There are a growing number of Chinese who like European cars and have the money to afford them." By comparison, Audi, a luxury darling in China with local production facilities, sold more than 130,000 cars, and it's clear that Opel's launch will eventually be followed up by local production in China for better competitive footing.

In addition to joining the world's largest auto market, the Opel brand will head to Australia and South America in the near-term, as well as other Asian markets after that.

[Source: Deutsche Welle]

The World Motor Sport Council is just catching up to USF1's premature disappearance from Formula 1. The WSMC has reportedly banned the American ex-team forever – which we're guessing means the troika of Ken Anderson, Peter Windsor and Chad Hurley – from competing in F1, and fined it $382,000 as well as legal costs.

USF1 has seven days to appeal, but we wonder how much this really means. If the WSMC couldn't ban Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds for cheating in an actual race, it's unclear whether the USF1 ban will stick. And since it's the team that's banned, not the people, we'd be less than shocked if Windsor or Anderson or Hurley showed up somewhere else on the grid in another guise. Thanks for the tip, Chris

[Source: ESPN]

The product pipeline for Mercedes-Benz is a Horn of Plenty over the next three years, with at least seven new models landing on American shores on top of refreshed and new-generation offerings. We've seen the new CL, CLS, S-Class and R-Class, and spy shots of the coming SLK, SL, SLS Convertible, C-Class Coupe.

Beyond those, it's the next B-Class that could be one of the most intriguing additions to the MBUSA playbook. The redesigned hatch will be made more compelling for American buyers, and will be the first Mercedes to arrive Stateside with front-wheel drive and four-cylinder engines. Recent rumors also suggest it will get a rear-wheel-drive AMG version and be the basis for a CLC Shooting Brake, as well as getting its own coupe, crossover and sedan trims.

Other models in the queue will be brand new, not just new to us. These include a C-Class convertible and potential crossover would give M-B 3 Series convertible and X3 competitors. A 100-strong fleet of F-Cell vehicles will be tested in California, and the SLS E-Cell will come in 2013 with 526 horsepower and a 120-mile range. And just as all of those treats are arriving, the same year will see the arrival of the new S-Class Coupe (replacing the CL nameplate), S-Class, E-Class and GL.

[Source: Autoweek]

File this in the drawer labeled "Only Remotely," but Mazda U.S. VP of product development Robert Davis allowed that the company is considering a diesel engine for the next Mazdaspeed3. Based on the report in Car and Driver, it looks like that's as far as this has gotten: a diesel is on the table. Beyond that, none of the 'pros' mentioned seem to make a case for it, and the 'cons' make a case against it.

The idea is made possible by the fact that whippersnappers getting into a Mazdaspeed3 aren't against diesel engines, being more familiar with modern clean diesels than the particulate monsters of yore. But if Mazda boosted its diesel Sky engine for the purpose of being a high performance engine, the frugality benefits of the engine would be erased. Then there's that whole issue of additional heaps of diesel torque, and the additional heaps of torque steer that Mazda would have to engineer out of the car.

So it is perhaps best to take from this that a diesel engine for the next Mazdaspeed3 is a distant option, which could be seen as another crack in the wall. And while "Only Remotely" doesn't mean impossible, we wouldn't place any wagers on such a thing happening this next go-round.



Photos copyright ©2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Car and Driver]