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Hot Wheels goes Outlaw with Magnus Walker Porsches

Magnus Walker, of Urban Outlaw fame, insists his story is just like that of any kid. But instead of becoming a fireman or an astronaut, Walker's childhood dream was to have a specific car. A Porsche 911 Turbo just like the one he fell in love with at the 1977 Earls Court Motor Show in London, to be exact. Today, he's famous both for having an eye-catching collection of 911s, as well as a compelling story behind them. Walker collaborated with Hot Wheels so a new generation of kids can find their dream, just like he did with that Porsche. Today, Walker and Hot Wheels will unveil the line of diminutive Porsches he helped to create, starting with the company's beginnings: a Porsche 356A. "There was something about this car, the Porsche," Walker told Autoblog last week in his Downtown Los Angeles garage. "You either had the Ferrari Boxer on the wall, a Lamborghini Countach on the wall, or a Porsche Turbo. There was something that attracted me to this car. That dream never went away." Jun Imai, Design Manager at Hot Wheels, said Walker's story and ties to the Porsche name were a match for the maker of toys that are commonly found on a living room rug. "All Hot Wheels cars have a story, just like all the cars in his collection," Imai said. The partnership with Waker, Imai said, is a product of the way Hot Wheels now gauges the pulse of car culture, with inspiration coming from what's parked out on the streets, printed in magazines and being shared on the internet. There was something that attracted me to this car. That dream never went away. "Up until five years ago, we were a V8 muscle car brand," Imai said. "Now it's, 'What is the modern hot rod?' It could be a Porsche or an E30 BMW. Everyone's into something different, so we take that into consideration." Imai said that Walker's collaboration is just that, rather than slapping his name onto a new series of products. "We're not just doing replicas of his car, that's almost obvious and easy," he said. "We thought, let's have him come in, let's have him actually design graphics for the cars where he's an integral process." For Walker, though, the Hot Wheels cars reflect the growing accessibility of car culture. Despite the modern popularity of video games - Magnus made an appearance in the latest Need for Speed game - Walker says the appeal of Hot Wheels spans from the youngest budding enthusiasts to people older than the original 356.

VW internal investigation finds 'no evidence' against suspended engineers

Volkswagen is still working out the chain of events that led to emissions-evading software being installed in 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide and deciding who was responsible for the treachery. So far, the German automotive giant's internal investigation hasn't publicly named many suspects, and three suspended executive-level engineers have been found not to be culpable in the wrongdoing, according to an anonymous insider speaking to Reuters. VW knows that the software began being installed in the EA 189 engine in 2008. The internal investigation has found that the emissions-evading tech was created because the powerplant was found to fail US standards. Plus, the diesel mill wasn't meeting cost targets, according to Reuters. The automaker responded by suspending over 10 employees, but three top engineers among them might not have been involved. Those put on leave include Heinz-Jakob Neusser from VW, Ulrich Hackenberg from Audi, and Wolfgang Hatz who led Porsche's research and group-wide engine development. The internal detective work hasn't turned up any evidence against these three men. In addition to VW's own inquires, government investigators in both the US and Germany are taking a serious look into the company's actions, too. So far, the automaker is setting aside about $7.3 billion to pay to fix the vehicles with the evasive software. Depending on what authorities find, the costs could grow quickly. Beyond the financial implications, the scandal has led to a serious shakeup in VW's corporate structure. Related Video:

Porsche offers a closer look at the Mission E's design

As Porsche's first fully electric sports sedan to go on sale, the production version of the Mission E concept could revolutionize the company's products. It's vital to get the look just right because of so much riding on the upcoming EV, and a new video from the German sportscar maker offers a glimpse inside the Mission E's design process. When Porsche decided to create a four-seat sports car with an electric drivetrain, the designers started by creating a series of drawings that became clay scale models. While they don't look too different from the final shape, this video gives us a look at several different design sketches for the Mission E. The designers tacked up pictures of the brand's models and took some ideas from them. For example, the smooth nose has a resemblance to the front of the 718 RSK racecar from the late '50s and early '60s, and the Mission E also has cues from the current 919 Hybrid. The interior design process proceeded similarly. The stylists wanted to carry the look of the 911 into the future. For a cutting edge cabin, they also included elements like gesture recognition and holographic displays. In concept form, Porsche claims the Mission E all-wheel drive EV powertrain makes 590 horsepower, and Porsche promised a 311-mile range under the European testing method. Production should begin around 2020 at an updated factory in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany. The company's workers at the plant even agreed to adjust their wages to make sure assembly happened there. Related Video: