Late this summer, the 2010 Lincoln MKZ will receive a luxurious upgrade with the release of the Executive Appearance Package. Looking to project a more austere air, the Executive Appearance Package’s biggest selling point is the addition of genuine walnut appointments, available in either Dark Charcoal or Cashmere color. Other interior accessories also include Scotland’s Bridge of Weir (we’ve never heard of it either, but it was capitalized, so it seemed important) leather upholstery seats leather-trimmed seats, unique tuxedo stitching , unique console armrest insert, Genuine Swirl Walnut wood instrument panel accents, Genuine Swirl Walnut wood console, and premium front and rear floor mats with the Lincoln star. Exterior options also receive the 1% treatment with comically named paint choices, including Sangria Red and Tuxedo Black (among others).

The MINI E UK Research Consortium has won a £25m grant from the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board in order to launch a 12-month field study of the MINI E’s real-world sustainability. Spearheaded by MINI’s parent company, BMW Group, the MINI E UK Research Consortium is comprised of several corporate, academic, and government organizations, including energy provider Scottish and Southern Energy, Oxford Brookes University’s Sustainable Vehicle Engineering Centre, the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), as well as both the Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council.

Joining similar projects already underway in the U.S. and Germany, the UK test project will bring BMW Group one step closer towards achieving Strategy Number ONE: mass-producing the electric plug-in MINI E within the next five years.

Its skill for media whoring rivaled only by the Chief Harem Girl herself, the 2010 Camaro, the GTbyCITROËN GranTurismo 5 concept sports car has finally made its debut in the flesh (erm, carbon fiber?). Initially unveiled back in October at the Paris Motor Show, Citroën went to great lengths to assure the public that the GTbyCITROËN was purely a marketing tool for Sony’s launch of Gran Turismo Prolouge5 and thus never intended for production. Correctly assuming PS3 fanboys everywhere would be just detached enough from reality to take the bait, Citroën then announced they would unveil a production version of the GTbyCITROËN (in “very limited numbers,” of course). Little more was heard of the project until months later when a European TV crew posted a clip of the GT in action on YouTube, generating both our reluctant interest and our begrudging curiosity.

The object of our unabated RideLust, the Audi R8 V10, is expected to be joined by a drop-top variant later this year in the form of the 2011 Audi R8 Spyder V10. Aside from the fact that it will blow the skin off your face, little is known about the turbocharged rag top or when it will finally grace us with its uncamouflaged presence. Sources hint that the Spyder V10 could make an appearance as early as September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, while others suggest a formal debut could be delayed until the NAIAS in January. So until we receive the official word from Herndon, we’ll just have to settle for this footage filmed of the Spyder tearing up the asphalt around the Nürburgring.

Breaking story from our Slow News Day Department, the Transformers franchise has apparently been very, very good to star Megan Fox. Spotted back in September behind the wheel of a hot black Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG, new photos have cropped up of Fox rolling an Arctic White Mercedes-Benz G500. Idle surfing for more pics of the G-wagen revealed some rumormongers are reporting the G500 as belonging to Fox’s on-again/off-again fiance, Brian Austin Green (which is doubtful since he hasn’t had a paying gig since like ‘99), but we don’t care. It’s a G-Wagen, it’s Megan Fox, who wants to split hairs?

Catering to luxury customers who rarely push the speedometer above 25 mph, Buick has announced the 2010 LaCrosse will come equipped with GM’s new direct-inject Ecotec 2.4L 4-cylinder. “Buick LaCrosse customers will have the fuel-efficient option of the Ecotec 2.4L direct injection engine, a four-cylinder that is not available by key competitors, such as the Lincoln MKZ and Acura TL,” said Susan Docherty, Buick-Pontiac-GMC vice president. “Features such as a rear-seat entertainment system and remote starting are other technologies that are segment exclusives, contributing to LaCrosse’s balanced package of design, performance and intelligent technology.”

Mated to what Buick has ambiguously dubbed a “new, fuel-efficient” 6-speed automatic gearbox, the new Ecotec is expected to allow the 2010 LaCrosse to achieve segment-leading fuel economy with an average of 30 mpg highway, 20 mpg city. Since green is the new redline, the 2.4L Ecotec’s performance numbers are predictably lackluster, boasting a mere 182 horsepower (136 kW) and 172 lb-ft. of torque (233 Nm). For Buick customers who want to be at the Bingo Hall yesterday, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse also comes with an optional 255-horsepower 3.0L V6 is offered as well as a faster, beefier 280-hp 3.6L V6.

Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s – in conjunction with Dr. Pepper – is kicking off the “Taste For Speed” giveaway in celebration of the launch of the 2010 Chevy Camaro, and they’d like to unload some of their sweet promotional swag on one lucky RideLust reader. Valued at nearly $200, the grand prize “Taste For Speed” gift pack includes:

• a 2010 remote control Camaro
• Meguiar’s Complete Car Care Kit (includes Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner, Gold Class Wax, tire protectant, and the Quick Interior Detailer kit)
• 8-pack of ShamWow super absorbent, hooker-beating towels.
• Carl’s Jr, Hardee’s, and Dr.Pepper coupons for free food and drinks
• Various other items that can be regifted in a pinch, including a “More than just a piece of meat” t-shirt, insulated coffee mugs, antenna toppers, and baseball caps

To get your hands on the goodies, send us a photo of you and your ride accompanied by a brief, witty paragraph explaining why you and your wheels deserve to win big. Since it’s not what you rock but how you rock it, we encourage fanboys hooning anything from an ‘06 IS300 to a ‘91 Previa to enter. Hell, even if you’re cruising in a rusted-out Schwinn that you’re 80% sure has already infected you with tetanus, you’ve still got a shot at winning – you’ve just gotta really sell us your story.

With Ford now officially the last man standing in the ruins of Detroit, the Blue Oval is looking to expand their domination beyond the U.S. borders – and it looks like they’re succeeding. Today, Ford Canada released their sales statistics for the month of May, posting a mean growth average of 10%, including both Ford and Lincoln combined. Now enjoying their 7th consecutive month of market share increase, Ford can directly attribute their success to their decision to break from industry tradition and produce quality, impressively engineered vehicles. “Amid tough industry conditions, we continue to increase our market share,” explained Ford Canada president and CEO, David Mondragon,”These results are driven mostly by new customers coming in to drive our new products. In fact, nearly 50 per cent of sales come from new models, which is up 15 per cent from last year.”

Forging full-steam ahead with Operation Grab-Your-Ankles, General Motors released the details of its future plant closures today, including a complete list of all the affected facilities. Of the 47 GM plants currently in operation on U.S. soil, 14 of them will be shuttered by 2012 (13 by 2010), as well as 3 service and parts operation warehouses. Attempting to slather some icing on the shit sandwich, GM also announced that one of the plants scheduled for indefinite idle will be reopened sometime in the future to produce GM’s new small car.

In a statement,  GM Group Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Labor Relations Gary Cowger explained, ”Our manufacturing operations, which already are among the most productive in the industry, will emerge even leaner, stronger and more flexible, as part of the New GM. Flexible manufacturing enables us to quickly respond to consumer preferences and changing market conditions.” Which, for those of you less fluent in flowery corporate prose, roughly translates to: “We’re going to be jumping on the compact car bandwagon, which means all of our cars are still going to suck, they’ll just be smaller. Except for the Camaro, which we’ll probably let run for another 5 years or so before we find a way to screw it up and kill it off, again.”

Hit the jump for a complete list of all the affected facilities.

It’s official, another one of the Detroit 3 has bit the dust. This morning, General Motors circulated an official press release confirming they have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Attributable to Kent Kresa, Chairman:

“The General Motors Board of Directors authorized the filing of a chapter 11 case with regret that this path proved necessary despite the best efforts of so many. Today marks a new beginning for General Motors. A court-supervised process and transfer of assets will enable a New GM to emerge as a stronger, healthier, more focused and nimbler company with a determination not to just survive but to excel. The Board concluded that the proposed transformation will maximize the value of the enterprise, and the return to the many stakeholders who have been involved with GM over the years.