The current Lancer represents the ninth generation of the nameplate - matching that of the Honda Civic as well as equaling its Japanese rival in longevity. But as far as sales are concerned, the Lancer lurks in the shadows of the Civic; for even in a down year like 2011, the Honda model has outsold the Mitsubishi by over 10 to 1.

Earlier today, the Chrysler Group issued a press release which included the announcement that it would be "adding a third crew and 1,100 new jobs at its Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit (JNAP)." But that same missive also included even better news for Jeep enthusiasts looking for improved fuel efficiency and, more importantly, higher torque: that the company would be "expanding the Jeep Grand Cherokee lineup to include a diesel version for North America."

2012 marks the 18th year of WardsAuto World magazine's 10 Best Engines list. Not only is this the only award of its kind in the North American auto industry it is, according to WardsAuto, "considered by many to be the ‘Oscars' for automotive engines." We'll let that comment slide for now.

Much of what we like about the new Ford Fiesta has to do with both its exterior and interior styling. As part of the company's One Ford plan Ford of Europe, with its years of expertise in small cars, is responsible for both the engineering and styling of the Fiesta.

While we thoroughly enjoyed driving it, the SE was equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission. And while many of us here prefer a manual especially in a vehicle with sporting pretensions like the Focus, most buyers on this side of the pond will be equipping theirs with an automatic. Another ulterior reason was the fact that Ford's PowerShift dual dry clutch automatic has drawn criticism from owners and pundits alike and, quite frankly, we wanted to experience for ourselves what all the fuss was about.

The subcompact Kia Rio has been hanging around new car dealer showrooms since 2000, when it was sold as a 2001 model. At the time, it was the least-expensive passenger car sold in the U.S.

What happens if you're a struggling Japanese automaker with a model lineup of just four vehicles - the newest of which came out in 2009, total vehicle sales of less than 27,000 a year with just 246 U.S. dealers, half of whom reportedly sell five or fewer cars per month?

Hyundai Motor America has announced pricing for the new Elantra Coupe, starting at $17,445 for the extraordinarily well-equipped Elantra Coupe GS and $19,745 for the sport-tuned Elantra Coupe SE.

Earlier today, Ford Motor Company announced the official SAE certification for the 5.8-liter supercharged V8 that will appear in the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500.

One of the most recognizable cars in the world is back in one of the most recognizable cities. Fans got a sneak peek before the show aired at http://bit.ly/GUCnwy