With our redesign comes the return of Morning Shift, our one-stop daily morning roundup of all the auto news that's actually important to you — right here on Jalopnik every weekday at 9:00 AM. It's all of the most important automotive news on the internet wrapped up neatly with a bow for you every morning.
1st Gear: The Obama administration issues findings from a 10-month investigation into runaway Toyotas today (the same findings partially leaked back in April) that could address whether faulty electronics, electromagnetic interference from cosmic rays or aliens played a role in the Japanese automaker's safety recalls. We're hoping it addresses that whole "beige bites back" phenomenon we've been talking about.
2nd Gear: Sources claim the W-body platform Chevy Impala will get a new engine for 2012 (it'll apparently be the only powertrain option) — a 3.6-liter V6 mated to a six-speed transmission — and then will stay unchanged... forever! Well, or at least until 2014 when the Impala gets slapped atop GM's next-gen global Epsilon platform. Whenever comes first.
3rd Gear: F1 driver Rober Kubica, injured this weekend after a serious rally crash that almost severed his right hand, has awakened from his induced coma on Monday. He reportedly moved his fingers. Always a good sign.
4th Gear: Mark Steyn, a conservative commentator filling in for Rush Limbaugh on Monday, said Chrysler's amazing Super Bowl commercial featuring Eminem wrongly placed Detroit in a positive light. Steyn said: "We're now being told that this [meaning Detroit, Chrylser, maybe even consumerism] is the model for America in the 21st century," he said. "If it is, we're all doomed." With all due respect Mr. Steyn, go fuck yourself.
5th Gear: Volkswagen plans a 100mpg Golf in 2020, in time to meet super-stringent EU fuel economy regulations. But who will make that happen? Will it be engineered by the VW that brought us the impressive Passat CC or the VW that brought us the new beige-bites-back Jetta?
6th Gear: Great news! Here's the first full details and photos of the extensively re-done in "Kinetic Design" 2011 Ford Territory. Built on the Ford Falcon, it'll feature a Jaguar Land Rover-sourced 2.7-liter turbo diesel V6. Say it with us, 'merica — turbo-diesel Ford Falcon.
Reverse:
⏎ Not sure when your parking meeter's up? Don't worry, there's an app for that. It's called ParkingAssistant and it's from BMW. [Translogic]
⏎ Is BMW planning to bring a sub-Z4 convertible concept to Geneva? [The Age]
⏎ Yes, yes, "Imported from Detroit" is good, but sorry, it won't sell vehicles like "Built Ford Tough" or "Like a Rock." [Freep]
⏎ Automobile's Jason Cammisa answers the questions you never knew you wanted to know: "How much does an automotive journalist drive?" and "How much does my frequent flyer account bulge?" [Automobile]
⏎ GM hourly workers are expecting their best bonuses ever. We have no idea why. [Detroit News]
⏎ New Opel Zafira Tourer concept revealed in 3D silliness. [CarScoop]
Today in Automotive History: On February 8, 1985, Sir William Lyons, the founder of the British luxury automaker Jaguar, dies at the age of 84 in Warwickshire, England. [History]
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