There's a reason we still stand behind the OG Speed Racer. Yes, the animation  was about a half-shade above what we could crank out flip-book style, and yes, to call the plot repetitive would be gracious at best. But the series also featured what we loved most as young auto-obsessed creatures – insane cars doing insane things fender to fender every Saturday morning. That series likely drove some of us to bust our own knuckles and put our first cars through the kind of hell that can only be attributed to a proper learning curve.

It would seem that Fiat head Sergio Marchionne is nothing if not ambitious. Following the seven-hour-long marathon presentation of Chrysler's latest business plan back in November of 2009, the giant Italian automaking alliance has just released its own five-year business plan, which includes Fiat, Maserati  and Ferrari in addition to announcing the long-awaited  return of the Alfa Romeo brand to the United States as a full-range automaker.

In the automotive realm, marketing can sometimes prove just as important as the actual product. Take, for instance, Ford's well regarded EcoBoost technology, which couples turbocharging with direct injection to produce more horsepower and reduce fuel consumption. Would it surprise you to hear that General Motors has had similar technology on the market for over three years?

On our way to Stanford last week, we came across a murdered-out Toyota Prius with an "I♥OPEC" vanity plate. Prime Twitter fodder if we've ever seen it. Unfortunately, even with our smartphone streaming navigation directions and a podcast through the Ford Fusion's SYNC system, we couldn't safely tweet our find. Well, Ford's about to rectify that issue with the introduction of AppLink, a downloadable upgrade to the SYNC infotainment system that allows drivers to control their smartphone apps through voice commands.

According to a report by Automotive News, Toyota is ready to pay the $16.4 million fine levied against the company by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration... on one condition: the company wouldn't be required to admit wrongdoing. If the NHTSA goes for that, apparently it can stuff its coffers; if not, the report suggests there's a chance Toyota could appeal the fine on the day it's due, Monday, April 19.