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Here are a few of our automotive guilty pleasures

It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway. The world is full of cars, and just about as many of them are bad as are good. It's pretty easy to pick which fall into each category after giving them a thorough walkaround and, more important, driving them. But every once in a while, an automobile straddles the line somehow between good and bad — it may be hideously overpriced and therefore a marketplace failure, it may be stupid quick in a straight line but handles like a drunken noodle, or it may have an interior that looks like it was made of a mess of injection-molded Legos. Heck, maybe all three. Yet there's something special about some bad cars that actually makes them likable. The idea for this list came to me while I was browsing classified ads for cars within a few hundred miles of my house. I ran across a few oddballs and shared them with the rest of the team in our online chat room. It turns out several of us have a few automotive guilty pleasures that we're willing to admit to. We'll call a few of 'em out here. Feel free to share some of your own in the comments below. Dodge Neon SRT4 and Caliber SRT4: The Neon was a passably good and plucky little city car when it debuted for the 1995 model year. The Caliber, which replaced the aging Neon and sought to replace its friendly marketing campaign with something more sinister, was panned from the very outset for its cheap interior furnishings, but at least offered some decent utility with its hatchback shape. What the two little front-wheel-drive Dodge models have in common are their rip-roarin' SRT variants, each powered by turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines. Known for their propensity to light up their front tires under hard acceleration, the duo were legitimately quick and fun to drive with a fantastic turbo whoosh that called to mind the early days of turbo technology. — Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski  Chevrolet HHR SS: Chevy's HHR SS came out early in my automotive journalism career, and I have fond memories of the press launch (and having dinner with Bob Lutz) that included plenty of tire-smoking hard launches and demonstrations of the manual transmission's no-lift shift feature. The 260-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder was and still is a spunky little engine that makes the retro-inspired HHR a fun little hot rod that works quite well as a fun little daily driver.

EPA finally approves sales of 2017 BMW diesels

The Environmental Protection Agency has approved the sale of 2017 BMW diesel vehicles in the US, reports Automotive News. According to Chris Grundler, head of the EPA's Office of Air Quality and Transportation, the vehicles were delayed due to rigorous testing. Following the Volkswagen diesel scandal, the EPA stated that it would review all diesels headed to the US. Last month, the EPA delayed sales of BMW's 2017-model-year diesels due to testing logistics, claimed BMW. Now that the vehicles have been approved, production of the models should begin shortly. While BMW's diesels have been cleared, the report indicates that Mercedes-Benz's 2017 diesel models are still undergoing further testing. "Discussions continue," Grundler stated, but he declined to point to any specifics on why the EPA has not approved those diesel models. Amid the numerous lawsuits against VW, Mercedes has also been involved in suits that claim its diesels use defeat devices, although no major proof has surfaced. Earlier this year, Mercedes confirmed that the US Justice Department, EPA, and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), were investigating its diesel models. The 2016 diesel models from VW haven't been approved for sale yet, and the automaker has not asked for permission from the EPA to sell 2017 diesel models, claims Grundler. At this point in the year, it's not likely VW will sell any 2016 diesels. Last year, BMW's diesels accounted for about four percent of the company's total US sales, so the delay is not likely to have a drastic affect on its bottom line. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News-sub.req.Image Credit: AOL Government/Legal Green BMW Mercedes-Benz Volkswagen Diesel Vehicles vw diesel scandal

VW updates Scirocco with revised styling, new engines

The Scirocco is undoubtedly one of the better-looking models in the Volkswagen lineup, but introduced back in 2008, it's now been on the market - some markets, anyway - for the better part of six years. VW is said to have an all-new replacement in the works, but before that arrives, the German automaker has announced a facelifted version with revised styling and a new engine lineup.
Set to be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show next month, the new Scirocco benefits from updated styling front and rear, high-tech exterior lighting, a revised cabin space with some throwback retro touches, some new technologies and, of course, an array of fresh wheel options ranging from 17 to 19 inches.
The updated Scirocco will be offered with a wide array of engines right from the get-go, including four gasoline options and two diesels, spanning from 125 horsepower all the way up to the 280-hp Scirocco R. The 2014 model hits European showrooms in August, but unfortunately isn't any more likely to make the transatlantic voyage Stateside than the version it replaces. Still interested? There's plenty to see in the high-res image gallery above and details in the press release below.