This Just In: New on the Net

The origin of crop circles has been a mystery for decades, so I found this video pretty enlightening. I’m really glad I know the whole story now. Anyway, here’s the news:

• Yamaha’s new R1 has landed, and it’s coming with crossplane firing order. The MotoGP-derived pattern supposedly gives its inline four the linear power delivery of a twin, and while that sounds really interesting, the true test will be measured on the track, against its arch-rival, Suzuki’s GSXR 1000. Autoblog
• The Las Vegas Hummer dealership is set to close, which probably isn’t going to make the brand easier to unload. Is this the beginning of the end for Hummer? Will any foreign investor bother to swoop in and save it? Only time will tell. Wall Street Journal
• Nobody knows what Ferrari’s rumored Scuderia drop-top will look like, but that hasn’t stopped folks from speculating. And while the results are sure to be sexy, the idea of a convertible track toy just seems wrong. CarScoop
• Toyota is planning to start making Prius batteries in the United States, which is good, I guess. Aren’t batteries like the most poisonous things to manufacture? Motor Authority