Since the earthquake hit Japan on March 11th, the country has been battling strong after-shocks, a tsunami and nuclear power risks forcing Japanese automakers to cease production but starting today, Japan’s largest car companies attempt to get back into the swing of things.

The Porsche 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid may go from zero-to-sixty in around 3.1 seconds, but more importantly, it went from 2010 Geneva Motor Show concept to production-bound supercar in just over a year. Actually hitting the road will take a little longer. The first customer cars will begin arriving in the United States "near the end of 2013," says Porsche.

American Honda and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced a recall of 2011 Honda Odyssey minivans over a concern of damage to the windshield wiper arm control assembly caused by trying to operate the wipers when they are frozen to the windshield.

There's a growing trend in automotive leasing: compact cars and pickups, which until this year were a relatively scant part of the leasing market.

Hawaii Lt. Governor Brian Schatz announced that AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV) has been selected to help lead the way to a cleaner transportation future through an $820,000 contract from the Hawaii EV Ready Grants Program. The contract will fund the deployment of up to 320 AeroVironment 240-volt electric vehicle (EV) charging docks throughout the islands.

Freescale Semiconductor announced it is providing advanced microcontroller (MCU) technology to Chery Automobile, one of China’s largest automotive manufacturers, for the engine control unit (ECU) in future Chery vehicle models.

The new C63 AMG Coupe joins the successful C63 AMG Sedan and makes its U.S. showroom debut in September 2011.

News thus far is surely positive for the Volt. By recharging their Volt regularly, owners are easily surpassing the 93 miles per gallon equivalence, or MPGe, on full electric operation and an overall 60 MPGe composite fuel economy during extended-range operation.

There is that sinking feeling when the latest and greatest version of the car you already own comes out, as owners of 2008 through 2010 Dodge Challengers know all too well. Fortunately, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering has a cure for that and then some. It's the Dodge Challenger Supercharger Package, and installed on the 6.1-liter Hemi, it's good for 500 rear wheel horsepower. Or using the usual estimates, about 590 horsepower at the flywheel, according to Lingenfelter.