It did not take for a while for Porsche to set the insert straight nearly its non&wshyp;existant creation plans for the Cayenne in North America. Speaking amid Autoweek, Porsche spokesman Albrecht Bamler, contested so the automaker calculated to fashion Cayenne’s at Volkswagen’s new factory in the U.S. According to Bamler, there is no look for to build Stuttgart’s uber-ute right here in the States, from the time of European manufacturers end up with features and Porsche is secure against the week dollar by cash hedging in 2013. However, Handelsblatt’s poll argued so creation of the Cayenne in the U.S. wouldn’t embark on until ensuing 2015, two ages once Porsche’s currency hedging expires. Does this signal N.A.-built Cayennes are continue to a possibility? Bamler reports it is too the beginning of to speculate on the consequently Cayenne and Porsche’s generation plans.

 [Source: Autoweek]

Nissan showed off a drive-by-wire concept that wasn’t about touting the technology itself, but the space and features you could get back because of it. By fitting a steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire, and shift-by-wire systems, 11 centimeters of extra space was added to the cabin which allowed for a third row of seats in the rear of this Murano-based concept. The room came from pushing the wheels out to the far corners, which could be safely done without sacrificing vehicle dynamics due to the lack of mechanical linkages.

The small, race-style steering wheel needs less turning input, and the column can be tilted up completely out of the way. The center tunnel has become a beautifully finished control panel that gently arcs up to greet the driver. When you don’t need it, it can also be folded back over itself creating even more space in the front area. When I did, the swath of empty space between the front seats was so inviting I almost wanted to take a nap.

The Nissan R&D engineer with the vehicle said that there were no plans to put the technology into any products right now. But it is being studied, especially one of the main issues — as with all drive-by-wire systems — the implementation of redundant systems.

You can check out the Nissan 360 event site for more details on the EA2 concept and all the vehicles in Nissan’s lineup. In the mean time, be sure to check out the gallery of hi-res photos below.

Dodge’s marketing slogan is “grab life.” Apparently, the message has resonated with the youth demo in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, where a 7-year-old swiped grandma’s car keys and commandeered her Durango while she was unawares. An unplanned demolition derby on the streets of the Florida enclave immediately ensued. His eight-minute joyride saw him take out a pair of mailboxes, hit two parked cars in a Costco parking lot, and then two more moving vehicles at an intersection before he drove into a street sign and broke the right front wheel off the truck, ending his impromptu cruise through the neighborhood. Miraculously, no one was hurt throughout all this. The obvious quote of the day comes from PBG police officer Ellen Lovejoy, who noted that the kid’s actions constituted “unusual behavior for a seven-year old.” Maybe he was just getting himself amped up for this week’s impending Grand Theft Auto IV release.

[Source: Palm Beach Post]