Extravagance and opulence and...mud plugging? That's the message telegraphed by the Bentley EXP 9 F concept vehicle introduced at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

Meant to mingle in garages with Mulsannes and Continentals, the EXP's billed as a "luxury performance SUV concept" that clearly has a future in the British brand's lineup. Executives at Volkswagen Group indicate the Bentley, and a similarly sized Lamborghini SUV to be previewed next month at the Beijing auto show, are almost certain to be approved for production.

The why and where are simple: SUVs are still popular and a growing market segment in places like China, Russia, and the Middle East, and it's buyers in those regions that have the most potential for expansion for the super-luxury brands.

New-car sales gained momentum in February, as most automakers reported rising sales volumes for the month.

With numbers still coming in from around the industry today, Chrysler again has turned in some of the best sales numbers, with an increase of 44 percent over the year-ago period. That topped Volkswagen, which had its best month since the Watergate era and posted a 42.5-percent sales increase.

Elsewhere in Detroit, Ford's sales were up by 14 percent, while General Motors watched its sales rise 1.1 percent. Among other big automakers, Nissan posted a 15.5-percent increase.

Consumer Reports regularly ranks cars on factors like reliability and bang for the buck. The company recently crunched all the data collected on 2012 models, and now it's announced a list of ten Top Picks for the year.

In compiling its rankings, Consumer Reports looked at three factors: reliability, safety, and a road test. To keep things fair, each data set came from a different source. Reliability was based on surveys of over 1,000,000 vehicles, provided by the magazine's subscribers. Safety data came from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and government sources. And of course, Consumer Reports conducted extensive studies of its own to determine road test scores. 

Online new car configurators are valuable tools for shoppers and curious enthusiasts. Based on the website for the 2013 Dodge Dart, it’s valuable to Chrysler as well.

Automotive News (subscription required) caught the not-so-fine print:

While cruising at 70 mph in the 2012 Hyundai Azera, it's what we didn't have to do that's especially telling.

My co-driver and I didn't have to raise our voices above normal, quiet conversation level to carry on a conversation in front—and the same held true in speaking with our two passengers in the back seat. We all were able to simply chat, without shouting.

In the Azera, passengers in the back seat not only have enough legroom and headroom, but the cabin is quiet enough so that you can carry on a conversation in a normal tone of voice—and you can catch the nuance. For all four of the adults on board, there were no knees mashed against seatbacks, no heads pushing headliners; in those supportive seats, all of us could have been comfortable all day, I'd venture to say. And as a passenger in a low, long luxury sedan, like the Azera, you feel less side-to-side movements than in taller crossovers.

In 2004, Raechel and Jacqueline Houck rented a Chrysler PT Cruiser from Enterprise Rent-A-Car -- a vehicle that had been recalled for a power steering fluid leak. While driving, the leaking fluid caught fire, which caused the sisters to lose control of the car and collide with a big rig. Both women were killed. 

Today, there is a law pending in Congress that would force rental companies to ground recalled vehicles. According to a report in USA Today, it comes in the form of an amendment to a transportation bill that Congress will begin discussing after it reconvenes next week.

UPDATED: See below

In 2004, Raechel and Jacqueline Houck rented a Chrysler PT Cruiser from Enterprise Rent-A-Car -- a vehicle that had been recalled for a power steering fluid leak. While driving, the leaking fluid caught fire, which caused the sisters to lose control of the car and collide with a big rig. Both women were killed. 

Yesterday, J.D. Power confirmed that Detroit is gaining ground on its foreign rivals in terms of vehicle dependability. Today, there's more good news for fans of the Big Three: General Motors has announced stunning financial results from 2011, marking the first time in years that Chrysler, Ford, and GM have all been profitable at the same time.

Now that 2011's beans have been counted, GM says it brought in $150.3 billion over the course of calendar year -- an 11% increase over 2010. After bills were paid, GM was left with $7.6 billion in net revenue, up from $4.7 billion last year.