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.

Remember Jason Vuic's book about the rise and fall of Yugo? Apparently, the inspiration for it came from the fact that an artist was able to buy 39 Yugos for $92 each. Those Yugos were given to students at The School of Visual Arts in New York and they were told to make something useful out of them.

Owners and lovers of classic BMWs  have what to be thankful for. The Bavarian automaker estimates that roughly one in ten units it produced through the 1980s are still on the road, accounting for some 600,000 classic cars and another 70,000 motorbikes... that it knows of. In order to service and repair all those vintage vehicles, BMW has expanded its Classic Center and opened it up to the public.

If there's a silver lining in the rash of unintended acceleration claims that have popped up against Toyota as of late, it's that manufacturers from around the world are beginning to think about incorporating brake override systems in their products. General Motors has just announced that all of its vehicles with automatic transmissions and electronic throttle control will boast an "enhanced smart pedal" by 2012.