For the time being, all we get from Bertone are two sketchy renderings that hint at an edgy design, possibly inspired from the Italian company’s wedge-shaped supercars of the 1970s.

The concept sports car is named after the son of the founder of the company, Giuseppe “Nuccio” Bertone, who took the reins from Giovanni Bertone after the end of World War II.

Last year, Bertone had shown a study for a sporty-looking four-door sedan for Jaguar named the B99.

It’s worth noting that Bertone is responsible for some of the most beautiful cars in history including the original Lamborghini Miura, several Alfa Romeos like the production GT Junior, GTA and the BAT Concepts, and the Lancia Stratos, just to mention a few of the company’s famous creations.

The BRZ, which recently went on sale in Japan after its world premiere at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show, is expected to reach European showrooms this summer, with more detailed information including pricing to be released in Geneva.

The rear-wheel drive sports coupe comes with a 2.0-liter boxer engine producing 200-horsepower and a choice of 6-speed manual and automatic transmission.

Following its market launch in North America and more recently in Japan, Subaru’s new Impreza hatchback will soon go on sale Europe where it will be offered with the same engine line up as the XV Crossover, which includes a 114PS 1.6-liter petrol, a 150PS 2.0-litre petrol, and a 2.0-litre turbo diesel producing 147PS and 350Nm.

More than half of this trade deficit is with China, a startling US$295.4 billion. Even though U.S. exports to world’s most populated country rose by 13.1 percent to US$103.9 billion, it was offset by a 9.4 percent increase to a record US$399.3 billion in imports from China.

The auto industry was amongst those sectors that set new deficit records: last December alone marked an increase of US$1.8 billion in imported vehicles, parts and engines.

Leo W. Gerard, president of United Steetworkers (USW), criticized President Obama’s trade policy and claimed that is has led to the loss of more than 400,000 jobs in the U.S. automotive sector since 2000.

“Albert Einstein is credited with saying that ‘insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’”, said Gerard. “It’s time to update and reform our nation’s trade policies and be more aggressive about enforcing our trade laws. Following the same old approach is insane.”

Gerard cited a series of reports released in January by the USW, the UAW and a coalition of manufacturing companies, which shows that in 2011 alone the trade deficit in auto parts with China was US$9.95 billion – and no less than US$62 billion in the last decade.

“Next week, Chinese Vice President Xi, who is widely expected to be his country’s next leader, will be coming to Washington, D.C.”, said Gerard. “Press reports indicate that he wants to address the ‘trust deficit’ between our countries. But America’s workers are more interested in addressing the trade deficit.”

The USW president said that other countries, such as Japan and Brazil, were also part of the problem, but he stressed that the biggest threat the American automotive industry is facing, comes from China. “1.6 million U.S. jobs are at risk unless China’s illegal trading practices are curtailed,” said Gerard.

The bad news is they may not be shiny at all! The latest   the rounds of the world’s major motor shows aren’t metal – and polymer compound cars just don’t seem to gleam like metal.

One of the latest concept cars from Honda displayed at the November 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, for example, is the groundbreaking Micro Commuter Concept car.

The vehicle looks like something you’ve knocked together out of a few lego bricks. The wheels are almost entirely covered and the tiny car – roughly he same length as the smallest Smart Car – seats three people; two in the front and one in the back.

The car has a range of just 37 miles – and top speed to match; just 37 miles per hour. But then it is just a concept car at this stage and it is intended to be only a city commuter car when anything like it is produced for real; so it may well be appropriate for commuters in the city in which it was launched.

Oh yes, and there’s even a Segway-esque electric box-sized bike in the boot to finish off your journey.

This isn’t the future in my opinion, though tomorrow’s hybrid car probably is. But it is also likely to use more electrical power than the hybrid cars of today do. The longer-term future still has the potential for electrical cars to be recharged via solar power.

This remains a long way off at present, but it certainly seems likely that he competing technologies will gradually converge in some way to form cars which are basically electrically-powered, but which don’t need to be recharged, as fuel / solar or another power source does that instead of the grid. Time will tell.

The new Korando Sports, which replaces the Actyon Sports – one of Ssangyong’s “lookers” we told you about, is a four-door SUV with a pickup truck bed described by the Korean company as a leisure utility vehicle (LUV).

While more conventional looking than both the 2002 Musso Sports and the 2006 Actyon Sports, the Korando Sports won’t be winning any beauty contests anytime soon.

Power for the Korando Sports comes courtesy of a 2.0-liter e-XDi200 diesel engine that churns out 155-horses and 36.7kgm of peak torque returning a combined fuel economy of 15.6km/lt (36.7mpg US or 6.4lt/100km). It is available with both rear- and all-wheel drive.

Ssangyong, which was recently acquired by Indian industrial giant Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., said that the diesel engine meets the Euro5 norms.

To mark the final year of production for Europe, Asia and Australia, Tesla introduced a revised version of the Roadster with new options and enhanced features.

All versions get a rear snow cover and tweaked motor and inverter systems for better performance in snow and ice, Xenon headlamps, an improved air conditioning and different front windscreen seals that make the cabin quieter.

Furthermore, there are two new Mobile Connectors for charging in Europe and Japan.

Tesla said the final edition will be available with three additional shades including Cosmic Black, Galactic Gray and Magma Orange, with new, complimentary interior colors.

The two-seater roadster model will arrive in European dealerships in early April with a starting price of €48,291 (US$61,500) in Germany, followed by the U.S. later this summer with prices beginning from US$49,500 (€38,900).

The skinny on the third generation of the Boxster is that it’s longer and wider, but at the same time lighter than the outgoing model, thanks to the new aluminum body and revised chassis, while it launches with a new 265HP 2.7-liter flat-six for the base model and a tweaked 3.4-liter unit with 315HP for the Boxster S.

A cleaner look with styling cues borrowed from the 918 Spyder Concept and an upgraded interior with more space and a more mature design, along with a fully automatic cloth top complete the highlights.

If you scroll down a click or two, you’ll find a new gallery with 80 photos and two videos of the 2013 Boxster and Boxster S. Once you’re done, you may also want to head over to Porsche’s dedicated website and play around with the 2013 Boxster’s configurator.

While Toyota’s U.S. arm released photos of the European specification model, the same styling changes apply for the 2013 Land Cruiser that will be sold here and which we will most likely have the chance to see for the first time at next week’s Detroit Auto Show.

Beginning with the exterior, the Land Cruiser gains an updated front grille and headlamps with HID low-beams and LED Daytime Running Lights, enlarged front and rear fenders, chrome side moldings, and redesigned outer side mirrors and tail lamps.

The revised model rides on newly designed 18-inch alloy wheels with a high-gloss finish that are shod in P285/60 R18 mud-and-snow steel-belted radial tires.

Inside, Toyota refined the interior of its eight-seater model with a higher gloss wood grain finish, brighter silver instrument panel ornamentation, chrome-plated air registers and updated meter-cluster lighting.

New features for the 2013 model include: a Multi-terrain Monitor with front, side or rear selectable views; a redesigned Multi-information Display; an Eco Driving Indicator light and zone display; heated steering wheel; Dynamic Radar Cruise Control; an additional power outlet (DC 12V) at the rear of the center console; and an AC 120V rear cargo deck power outlet.

There’s good news for those that like their vehicles well equipped as the Japanese company decided to make all previously optional safety and convenience features standard.

These include the rear-seat DVD entertainment system, color-keyed rear spoiler, rain-sensing windshield wipers, center-console cooler box, headlamp cleaners, leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift lever, multi-information display, voice and Bluetooth hands-free controls, and heated second row seats plus Toyota’s Premium Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Navigation with Entune multi-media system and JBL audio.

While the Land Cruiser continues with the 5.7-liter V8 engine that produces 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque, linked to a six-speed automatic transmission, the Japanese brand has made changes to the 4×4′s various electronic systems.

New for the 2013MY is a Multi-terrain Select system that dials in wheel slip control to match the conditions of the terrain. For example, in loose terrain such as mud and sand, the system allows for more wheel slip than normal while on solid rock, wheel slip is minimized with the system acting more like a limited slip differential.

Toyota also introduced a new five-speed CRAWL Control with an Off-Road Turn Assist feature.

The CRAW Control system is activated when the transfer case is shifted into low range regulating engine speed and output along with braking force to help the driver on extremely rough level ground or steep grades. As for the Off-Road Turn Assist feature, it pulses the rear corner brakes to help the 4×4 make sharper turns when steering through tight quarters on rugged terrain.

Finally, there’s a new four-wheel multi-terrain anti-lock braking system while Toyota has added a Trailer Sway Control to the standard equipment of the Land Cruiser.

Like its French siblings, this is the second time the Aygo receives a facelift, with the first being at the end of 2008, three years after its initial launch.

For 2012, the Aygo gets a redesigned front end that brings it closer to the family look established by models like the Prius and the new Yaris. Changes include a revised front bumper sporting a larger air intake and LED daytime running lights, darker-tinted rear windows and newly designed wheels.

In the interior, the dashboard has gained a new dark grey finish while Toyota claims to have reduced the noise levels.

There’s also a newly-design steering wheel with paddles for the MultiMode auto transmission-equipped models, new grey, orange or black surrounds for the speedo, tachometer and air vents, plus an optional audio system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity.

The Aygo’s gets the same revised 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine as the two French models. Output remains unchanged at 68HP and 93Nm, but emissions drop from the previous version’s 105 to just 99 g/km while average fuel consumption is also reduced, from 61.3 to 65.7 mpg UK (4.6 to 4.3 lt/100 km).

The Chrysler Group announced today that it would add a diesel version to its Jeep Grand Cherokee lineup in the United States and Canada. The North American diesel model will be manufactured at the firm’s Jefferson North Assembly Plant [JNAP] in Detroit.

In addition, Chrysler revealed that it would add a third crew and 1,100 new jobs at the Jefferson North Assembly Plant next year. Current employment at the plant is approximately 2,890 workers.

“We believe that investing in Detroit is not only the right thing to do, but it is a smart thing to do as we work to write the next chapter in our shared history,” said Chrysler Group Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne.

The automaker did not divulge any more details but there’s a good chance that the North American market Grand Cherokee Diesel will be offered with the same engine as its European counterpart.

The latter is powered by a 3.0-liter V6 CRD common-rail turbo diesel available in two states of tune delivering 190HP at 4,000rpm and 440Nm (324.5 lb-ft) at 1,600-2,800rpm, and 241HP at 4,000rpm and 550Nm (405.7 lb-ft) at 1,800-2,800rpm. Both versions of the V6 are matted to a five-speed automatic transmission.

The 190HP model accelerates from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 10.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 191km/h (119mph) while returning a combined fuel consumption of 8.3 lt/100km (28.4mpg) in the European cycle.

The more potent 241HP variant goes from 0 to 100km/h (62mph) in 8.2 seconds en route to a top speed of 202km/h (126mph) but returns the same fuel economy at 8.3 lt/100km (28.4mpg).