A big buzzword at the recently concluded Progressive International Motorcycle Show was "entry-level." Everyone from Suzuki (with its GW250) to Honda (with its CB500 line) to KTM (with the return of its 690 Duke) was talking about bringing new customers to motorcycling -- especially younger riders and female riders -- by offering them stylish, affordable, easy-to-ride bikes.

After several hours on the 2013 Moto Guzzi V7 Special, it occurred to me that the Italian manufacturer might have built a 750cc starter bike.

My first serious street bike was a 1970 Motoguzzi V7 Ambassador, bought through the Recycler from a guy who had Frankensteined it out with a Windjammer windshield and saddlebags designed for a BMW, held together by a shocking number of hose clamps.

PHOTO GALLERY: 2013 Honda Lineup

It was armed with a 750cc engine and a clunky four-speed gearbox, weighed way over 400 pounds and was said to put out 45 hp. Riding it was like wrestling a rhino. It shook and heaved at stoplights...

The nation's top auto-safety regulator has escalated and broadened an investigation into sticking floormats in Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles that could cause sudden unintended acceleration.

This week the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration upgraded the probe, originally launched in May 2010, to an engineering analysis, its highest and most serious grade of investigation. In addition, it expanded the scope to include almost twice as many vehicles as originally being reviewed.

Under review are 2008 through 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ sedans; previously only the 2010 Fusion and Milan were being considered. All told, an estimated 480,000 vehicles could be affected.

According to the safety agency, it has received 52 consumer complaints about the problem, many of which describe sedans accelerating out of control and being extremely difficult to stop as the engine roars. No accidents, injuries or fatalities have been reported, and the agency said that...

After three years on the market, the current generation of the Mercedes-Benz midsize E-Class sedan and wagon will be getting an upgrade, with plans to officially reveal the cars at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show in January.

Hoping to get a jump on the event, the company on Thursday presented a glimpse at what buyers of the 2014 models can expect. In addition to the revised look, Mercedes tossed an all-new diesel powerplant option in the engine bay.

The biggest change is to the cars' front end. In a move to make the E-Class less conservative and stiff, the lines are now softer and the car has a more windswept look. The previous design of two separate headlight clusters on either side of the grille is gone, replaced by a single, more curvaceous piece housing partial LED lights.

Photos: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan and wagon

The move is likely aimed at stealing some buyers (or not losing them to) arch German rivals Audi and BMW, both of whom offer competing cars with a sleeker image....

For decades, Chevrolet's Silverado pickup has carried the load for General Motors Co., most recently providing needed cash and loyal buyers through the automaker's bailout and bankruptcy.

Truck sales remain central to GM's North American strategy, even as it has uncharacteristic success with new car models including the small Cruze sedan and the Chevy Equinox crossover. That's largely because GM makes $9,000 to $11,000 from each pickup sale, compared with about $5,000 for a passenger car, according to Brian Johnson, an analyst with Barclays Research.

But now — as GM gets ready to introduce a new generation of Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks in Detroit on Thursday — the automaker is driving into rugged terrain. The current models, the oldest of the major offerings in the full-size pickup market, have lost market share as rivals from Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group have surpassed GM trucks in fuel economy and other features.

Photos: GM's all-new 2014 truck lineup

GM's truck...

Indianapolis wants to become the first major city to replace its entire fleet with electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Mayor Greg Ballard signed an executive order Wednesday mandating that the city replace its current sedans with electric vehicles. The city will also work with the private sector to phase in snow plows, fire trucks and other heavy vehicles that run on compressed natural gas, and it will ask automakers to develop a plug-in hybrid police car because one doesn't yet exist.

The city hopes to complete the switch by 2025.

Ballard hopes that in making the switch, Indianapolis will help the country reduce its dependence on foreign oil. City spokesman Marc Lotter said the mayor considers it an issue of national security.

"The United States' current transportation energy model, driven by oil, exacts an enormous cost financially and in terms of strategic leverage," Ballard, a retired Marine officer and Gulf War veteran, said in a statement. "Our oil dependence in some cases...

Honda is recalling more than 800,000 minivans and sport utility vehicles in the U.S. for an issue with the vehicles' ignition system.

The company, which has its North American headquarters in Torrance, is recalling 318,000 Honda Odyssey minivans and 259,000 Honda Pilot SUVs made in 2003 and 2004. Also recalled are 230,000 Acura MDX SUVs made from 2003 to 2006.

The vehicles are being recalled for faulty ignition interlock mechanisms. Honda says these can become worn with use, making it possible to remove the key from the ignition without first putting the transmission in park. This can cause the vehicle to roll away and possibly crash.

Honda says this defect has caused several crashes and at least two reported injuries. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration database includes several complaints from Odyssey owners detailing experiences in which they were injured as their vehicles rolled away. One owner says his leg was run over and broken by his Honda when he tried to chase...

What do you get for the holy man who has everything? If he's Pope Benedict XVI, you get him a new Mercedes-Benz Popemobile.

Based on the company's midsize M-Class SUV, the new diamond-white Popemobile replaces an older Mercedes model that had served his holiness since 2002. The automaker has been providing popes their eponymous vehicles since 1930.

Photos: All-new Mercedes-Benz Popemobile

Mercedes says the new model has an upgraded dome for the Pope to ride in. It features easier access for the 85-year-old pontiff, larger bulletproof glass panels for better visibility and lights in the roof to illuminate the subject below. The throne inside the dome is embroidered with the coat of arms of the pontiff.

It rides a bit lower than the previous version, to make it easier to ship to the Pope's destinations. The project took Mercedes about nine months to build, the company said.

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Honda plans new SUV

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All people convicted of drunk driving should have special ignition interlock devices installed on their vehicles that keep them from starting the car if they are intoxicated, federal safety regulators said Tuesday.

The National Transportation Safety Board said such a policy could be a major factor in preventing traffic collision deaths, especially those occurring in accidents caused by a wrong-way driver.

About 60% of wrong-way accidents involve an intoxicated driver, said NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman.

Hersman said the interlock devices should be mandatory for all drunk-driving offenders, including first time convictions.

“The first step to address the number one killer on our roadways is to do what is proven to be effective -- use interlocks for all DWI offenders,” Hersman said.

An alcohol-ignition interlock is a device that prevents the engine from starting until the driver breathes into a device that measures alcohol content to see if it is lower than prescribed limits....

Get ready for Honda to offer a small SUV, pegged below the size and price of the CR-V for the U.S. market,  sometime in the next several years.

Honda Motor Co. put out a brief statement Tuesday saying that an all-new Honda small SUV concept vehicle will make its world debut at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Jan. 14.

The statement said the vehicle is "a global concept model combining a sporty and dynamic SUV profile with a spacious, functional interior" but released no other details or information about the small SUV except for a shaded sketch.

However it is based on the same platform Honda uses for its Fit subcompact and will be built at a factory under construction in Mexico along with the Fit.

Ford said it has developed a fix that stops an engine-overheating and fire problem in some of its newest Escape SUV and Fusion sedan models.

The automaker has recalled about 16,000 Fusions and 73,000 Escape SUVs because of problems that could cause engine fires. The recall involved only 2013 models equipped with a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine, the automaker said. The issue does not affect Escape or Fusion models with other engines, it said.

To fix the condition, Ford said Monday, it will make software updates to the cooling system of the 1.6-liter engine, available in the SE and SEL models of the vehicles.

The software updates will better manage engine temperatures during a unique overheating condition that could occur under unique operating conditions, the company said. The original cooling system design was not able to address a loss of coolant system pressure under certain operating conditions, which could lead to a vehicle fire while the engine was running.

"We remain absolutely...