Honda keeps rolling along

Honda has never veered from its mission of building fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly cars. As the New York Times recently reported, while some competitors are scrambling to shift their product lineups to build more small vehicles and slash their inventories of trucks, Honda can barely keep up with demand, particularly in the subcompact category. The Japanese automaker reported a record profit of $1.68 billion during its fiscal first quarter that ended in June.

Brand in Brief: Porsche

Big changes are planned for two versions of the German automaker's iconic Porsche 911, specifically the Carrera and Carrera S. As Car and Driver reports, the most important changes are being made to the engines, which will receive adjustments in fuel-injection systems. Without going into great detail, the end result will be more horsepower and performance for the standard 3.6-liter six-cylinder and 3.8-liter S version engines. These models will also include a new, larger touch-screen LCD panel. And what about the rest of Porsche's lineup? The Boxster and Cayman models will also be getting new engines and larger LCD screens that come with an optional navigation system. A new GTS model has been added to the Cayenne SUV line. With a manual transmission connected to the V-8 for the first time, the 405-horsepower GTS will sell for just more than $70,000. For 2009, most of the 911 line will continue, including the Carrera 4 and 4S and Turbo versions of 911. The 911 GT2 and 911 GT3 will be discontinued for 2009. Ultimately, Porsche continues to advance its high-end performance lineup. As Car and Driver commented, "Despite Porsche's grandiose maneuvering to take over Volkswagen, Europe's largest car company, the tiny Stuttgart automaker isn't neglecting its core sports-car business."