This sounds like a scene out of A Christmas Carol, but it appears to be real. The resident chaplain for Bentley at Crewe was removed from his post – just days before Christmas. Reverend Francis Cooke had visited Crewe once a week for the last decade, but was relieved of his duties when it was feared by management that his presence at the factory might offend a multi-faith workforce.

According to Rev. Cooke, "The reason I have been given is that there are too many people of different faiths to warrant a Christian chaplain." Cooke pointed out that no complaint had ever been brought against him, and that he helps all faiths at the factory – not just Christians.

Bentley issued a statement, addressing its decision, "We have a wide range of faiths and want to take a multi-faith outlook. It would be very difficult to have somebody from each faith."

The Bentley staff did not take this well, and have launched a petition to restore the reverend to his position of the last ten years. According to one Crewe employee, "Everyone is really angry about it as a few of us have been on courses with him." The unnamed employee continued, "To do this before Christmas is shocking." There is no word yet on the progress of the petition, or the hopes of Rev. Cooke's reinstatement at Crewe.

When it comes to camping, most of us tend to either rough it with tents or go for broke in massive bus-size recreational vehicles. But down in Australia and New Zealand, the caravan reigns supreme. Not to be confused with the Dodge minivan offering, caravans provide humble accommodations for vacationing, but they can be pulled by much smaller vehicles than, say, a fullsize Airstream trailer.

New Zealand-based design house W2 has unveiled a new twist on the caravan with the Romotow, and it is clearly not your ordinary camper trailer. Claimed to be inspired by a USB drive, this trailer folds in and out of itself, providing extra living space. Lightweight materials are used, and the concept also features power-assisted braking, self-leveling pads and shocks and a backup camera. The interior features a bathroom, kitchenette, louvers for cross ventilation, and available features such as deck area and sliding doors.

W2 is currently at the design and testing stage. A fully functional Romotow should be ready by 2015. If you are a camper that's tired of roughing it, or one who enjoys the outdoors but would prefer more domestic confines, the Romotow looks like a solid option for a camping tr- er, caravan.

Check out more on this wild concept in the video below.

If you've heard of upstart boutique supercar maker Mazzanti, we salute you. About a year ago, we brought you news of this small Italian firm, which then was under the name Faralli & Mazzanti. The creation was the Evantra, and as the name of the company has changed, so has the car. The Mazzanti Evantra has been updated, and the previous turbocharged flat-six has been replaced with a 7.0-litre V8. The six-cylinder had two versions, capable of 403 or 603 horsepower. That is kid's stuff compared to the V8, which can put out an astounding 701 horsepower and 624 pound-feet or toque. That power allows it to get from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in just 3.2 seconds.

Other updates include a rear spoiler, reworked styling, and 20-inch OZ wheels wrapped in Continental tires. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a paddle-shift operated direct shift gearbox, developed specifically for the Evantra by transmission producer Sila. The lightweight supercar (curb weight not given for Evantra V8, but original was 2,645 lbs. so we don't suspect its much more than that.) will be brought to a stop by Brembo brakes that are six-piston in the front and four-piston in the rear.

Other kit includes a racing-style instrument closer, Bosch infotainment system and an "infinite" number of cabin material selections. While the swatches may be infinite, the number of Evantra V8's being produced is very small – only five will be made. No pricing has been given, though we suspect the term "if you have to ask, you can't afford it," applies in these five examples.

A Chinese automotive site has snagged the first spy shots of the updated Volvo XC60, completely uncovered. While the overall profile of the vehicle remains intact, the headlights are heavily revised. Gone are the two-piece units, which featured the separate light strip between the main cluster and the grille. In place now are larger lenses, somewhat reminiscent of those found on the S60 sedan. Also updated is the grille, which gets a little wider to meet the new headlights. The grille receives more chrome, while the lower front fascia has been revised with wider openings. A pair of LED fog lights are pushed way out to the corners.

Out back, the license plate holder gets a bold chrome strip above it, and the recessed exhaust is replaced with chromed, dual exhaust outlets that have been integrated into the bottom of the rear bumper.

Inside, the instrument panel has been revised, with a large, centrally mounted speedo, featuring a digital display in the center. According to reports, this is a similar setup to that of the new V40. As such, it appears that the changes are thoughtful efforts to move the XC60 forward by incorporating the most current Volvo design elements.

When it comes to specialty applications of the Smart Fortwo, "off-road motorsports" may seem about as likely as "amphibious assault vehicle." Yet a team has come up with just that (the former, not the latter), creating a rally-ready runabout dubbed the Smart Dakar.

The team used a Fortwo to create a "Smart Buggy 4x4." The creator's website claims that the vehicle is in compliance with FIA regulations, and weighs only 750 kilograms (1,653 pounds). As the name suggests, the intent of this vehicle is to compete in the Dakar Rally, and it looks the part.

It may be the most hard-nosed Smart that you'll ever find, but it has an uphill battle to make it to competition. The race team, headed by Jose Luis "JL" Alvarez, does not have the funds to field a full assortment of vehicles, including two Smarts and a Honda CRF-450, and now all plans have been canceled for this year's Dakar Rally.

JL even appealed to his fans via a YouTube video with the hopes of crowd-funding the project, though it appears that attempt has failed. At any rate, the 2013 Dakar Rally starts January 5 in Lima, Peru, and ends January 20 in Santiago, Chile, and it appears that this team, with its unique ride, will not be attending.

Any time you open up your promotion for a new vehicle with the claim of a "car to end all cars," you better have the goods to back it up. If any automaker has said goods, it is Alfa Romeo. The brand behind the stunning 8C has promised a new car to debut in 2013. We all know that vehicle will be the 4C (a name which has been trademarked in America), which has been running ahead of schedule in development. With this teaser shot, it seems that a production version should be imminent. The report from Motor Authority, suspects that could be as early as the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

We've been enamored with the 4C ever since we saw the first concept for it at Geneva in 2011. Since then, we've heard word of convertible variants and various facts and figures, such as a sub-2000-pound curb weight, and a 1.8-litre mill. The low weight, combined with the claimed 200 horsepower could put the 4C's zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) times below four seconds.

As promising as this teaser is, our hopes of Alfa's tearing up North American roads have been repeatedly dashed by reports from the Italian brand. Time and again, Alfa's supposed entry into our market has been delayed. Let us hope that this new teaser serves as warning that Alfa Romeo's invasion is imminent.

Volkswagen has jilted North American enthusiasts once, by denying them the chance to pilot the Scirocco in Canada and the US. In September, it seemed like the German automaker was going to take the same course of action with the sporty Beetle R-Line. Now, comes word that the R-Line bug may be headed our way after all. This news comes from AskAVWSalesGuy.com. As you may have guessed, it is a blog written by a Volkswagen salesperson. According to the recent post, Volkswagen is now taking orders for the new Beetle R-Line, with delivery set for February or early March.

We've reached out to Volkswagen and it has been confirmed that the R-Line version of the Beetle will he coming to the US, (but still no word on any Canadian plans yet). Although it was brought to our attention that this news first broke back in November, we think it may have been overshadowed by the buzz around the Beetle Convertible at the time.

If you recall, the R-Line is the latest in what is becoming a growing family of Volkswagen Beetle variants. The package includes revised bodywork, 19-inch alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights, LED running lights and LED license plate lights. Inside the R-Line receives leather seating surfaces and a navigation system. In Europe, the exterior package alone will cost 1,290 euros (about CAD$1,600) and both the exterior and interior combined will set you back 1,675 euros (CAD$2,100).

European customers can select this package with either the 1.4 TSI Beetle or the TDI model. North American pricing for this package has not yet been announced, but it is worth noting that the R-Line will be offered only on the Beetle Turbo. To learn more about the sported-up Bug, check out the press release below.

Following news that Toyota has proposed a massive settlement to address the owners of vehicles effected by the unintended acceleration recall, shares for the automaker are up 2.6 per cent. Over the course of this year, Toyota's stock has jumped 51.7 per cent.

"My initiate reaction would be 'that's it'... US$1 billion charge that covers recalls and everything else and you are looking at a US$250 million compensation fund, that's nothing," said a senior trader at a foreign brokerage to Automotive News. This settlement has been set aside to cover class-action lawsuits from 16 million owners of Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles and is separate from other impending lawsuits – including one consumer protection suit in California and another unfair-business-practices case brought on by 28 attorneys general.

In other positive news for investors, the Japanese yen has weakened compared to the US dollar. That likely means improved financial performance from the big Japanese automakers, the largest of which is Toyota.

This... doesn't seem right, but just bear with this report from Wired. It seems as though driving over speed bumps can reveal those who are enduring acute appendicitis. This was a rumoured thing among medical circles based purely on anecdotal data, but now there is an empirical study by the University of Oxford and Stoke Mandeville Hospital in the UK to back it up.

Apparently, when attempting to diagnose appendicitis, some doctors would ask if pain worsened when driving over speed bumps. It was not exact medicine, but according to Dr. Helen Ashdown of Oxford, it has been "as good as many other ways of assessing people with suspected appendicitis."

The Oxford study showed that the speed bump test was more helpful at ruling out appendicitis than confirming its diagnosis since other abdominal issues could also cause pain in those situations. So patients with acute appendicitis would experience pain going over a speed bump, but those who don't feel a jolt can be ruled out entirely as having acute appendicitis.

That said, don't go driving over speed bumps expecting to perform your own diagnosis. Your results may vary!

When it comes to the ingenuity of the automotive aftermarket, a good bit of inspiration often seems to come from the creator's native market. Lifted Jeep Wrangler creations climb out of mountainous regions like Moab, while low-riders flow from the massive urban sprawl of Los Angeles. The vehicle you see above is no different. Dubbed the "Snowareg," it is a creation by Volkswagen of Sweden, and is perfectly suited for harsh Swedish winters. Based on a Touareg V8 TDI, the Snowareg sends 340 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque to a modified set of treads at each wheel.

Very little information is given outside of that, but from what we can tell from these photos, anyone lucky to venture into the elements with the "Snowareg" will be doing so in style. It appears to come with the full bevy of VW options, including Dynaudio stereo, panoramic moonroof, dual-zone climate control and (of course) heated seats. As we said, very little information was given, but it's a fair assumption that this monster isn't foreshadowing any future options packages...

Hit the jump to view the full photo gallery.

Following word that Suzuki is ceasing car sales in America, it appears that demand for the Japanese automaker's wares have increased in the US market. According to The Detroit News, American Suzuki Motor Corp. will import an additional 2,500 vehicles to quench demand that has jumped since the company announced that it was filing for bankruptcy and ending sales in America.

Dealers recently informed their sales personnel that no more vehicles would be produced and that this was the final push. With heavy incentives and a seven-year warranty as value-adds, November sales for Suzuki rose in November some 22 per cent, up to 2,224 vehicles. December sales also rose, but neither month's gains outweigh the long-term losses for the automaker. While Suzuki will sell roughly 22,000 cars this year in the US, it was selling about 120,000 annually before 2008.

As it stands, Suzuki will sell off the rest of its vehicle inventory, including the 2,500 additional units, and dealers will continue to provide parts an warranty work. With all of this negative news for the automaker, it's impressive to see an interest in Suzuki vehicles even with the imminent shuttering of its American car sales. As for Canadian consumers, Suzuki says they will remain open for business in Canada for the foreseeable future!

We're not sure if you heard, but Chrysler likes to celebrate the fact that it's from Detroit. You know, with the whole "Imported from Detroit" campaign featuring Eminem? It seems brand synergy may have reached its peak in the form of the Chrysler 300 Motown. According to Chrysler, this special edition sedan "pays tribute to the Motor City's resurgence and determination through Detroit-born style and world class ingenuity." In real terms, that means extra chrome bits here and there, including a chrome grill and 20-inch polished "heritage" style aluminum wheels, all accented with black Chrysler and "Motown" badges.

Inside, the 300 Motown gets unique Pearl White Nappa leather seating, while the rest of the interior fittings are black. In a nice nod, the Uconnect 8.4 infotainment system's SD card reader has been pre-loaded with 100 tracks from original Motown artists. That collection of music pumps though the 10-speaker Beats Audio system, complete with 12-channel amplifier. The 2013 Chrysler 300 Motown is set to arrive this spring, with an MSRP of US$32,995, but no word on Canadian pricing or availability just yet.

This special edition is no random celebration of Detroit's music, as "Motown: The Musical" is arriving to the Lunt Fontanne Theater in New York City today. To that end, Chrysler has a new television spot, featuring Berry Gordy Jr., founder of Motown Records.

Check out the video and learn more about the new 300 Motown by scrolling below.

Where do concepts go when their auto show circuit life is over? For many, it's off to the scrap heap, while others manage to find their way into various automotive museums and private collections. Yet it is a select few that enjoy the honor of actually being driven on open roads. What you see here is the latter.

In 1988, design house Italdesign brought its wildly futuristic Aztec Barchetta concept to the Turin Motor Show. Visually, there were a lot of things going on here with the design, including spacecraft-styled rear quarter panels, see-through doors and a bold dual cockpit design. The body was constructed out of aluminum, Kevlar and carbon fibre. Additionally, the coupe features an intercom so the driver and passenger can hold conversations at high speed.

While the styling is fit for an auto show floor, the mechanicals are borrowed from some of Europe's rallying greats, including the 250-horsepower five-cylinder of the Audi Quattro and a transmission borrowed from the Lancia Integrale's parts bin.

Yet you'll deduce from the 1992 model year on our headline that this isn't the same car that premiered in Turin in 1988. That's right, this is a street-legal production car. As the story goes, Myakawa, a Japanese industrial corporation, bought the rights to the concept and had German-based Audi tuner, Motoren-Tecknik-Mayer (better known as MTM) produce the Aztec Barchetta in very limited numbers. The first one built performed exhibition laps at the 1992 Monaco Grand Prix, and the originals sold for hundreds of thousands when new.

Very few were made (estimates vary wildly, from 15 to 50), with this model being assembled in UK spec. The seller, Specialized Vehicle Solutions, Ltd. of Manchester, England, is offering this silver example with just 75 miles (120 km) on the odometer, though the listing doesn't disclose how much it's asking to digital tire-kickers.

Hit the jump for a closer look at this futuristic road ready concept.

The latest Petrolicious video, entitled "Napa Valley Roadsters," features high-def footage of Japanese metal rolling though beautiful California hill country. Specifically, the classic two-litre Datsun Roadster.

Like many of the Petrolicious videos that proceeded it, this is a celebration of the personal connection that one has with an automobile. What's more, it's always heartwarming to see how a mutual interest can bring two complete strangers together, who are now close friends. And finally, who doesn't enjoy watching classic machinery mosey through beautiful scenery?

Click here to check it out for yourself in the video below.