U.S. special forces could ride this buggy into battle for the next decade: Motoramic Dash

This is the Motoramic Dash, a daily roundup of the most interesting news in the automotive world.

As the United States relies on its special forces units for increasingly important tasks -- like the killing of Osama bin Laden -- special forces leaders have realized they need a different set of wheels than the bulky Humvee-type jeeps used by other ground troops. Here's the proposal from General Dynamics for what's called Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1, a buggy that can do almost everything but fly.

This test vehicle was handed over to the U.S. Special Operations Command last month, after extensive trials in Arizona and the United Arab Emirates. It would look like a toy if parked next to the three-ton HMMWV, many of which now also sport thick layers of armor to protect against roadside bombs. According to the proposal from USSOC, the Special Forces need a light, go-anywhere vehicle that can roll off a transport plane or Chinook helicopter and haul up to seven soldiers straight into a mission. It also has to go fast, but not burn too much fuel.

General Dynamics says its buggy's engine was mounted in the center of the vehicle to improve stability in transport, and that the erector-set-like back area allows for easy adaptations for any given mission. General Dynamics didn't give many other details, but the tall tube in the front could either be an equipment mount or an air intake for the engine if the buggy gets into deep water.

After a bake-off among competing firms, the USSOC is expected to order 1,300 copies of the winning design through 2020. Whatever its true capabilities, the General Dynamics proposal packs a lot of menace into a small package.

Other stories from around the automotive world this morning:

Audi 1-2 in Le Mans qualifying, but Toyota third: The three fastest vehicles in qualifying for this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans are all hybrids, and Toyota may pressure the dominant Audi team. (AP)

BMW i8 will cost $125,000: BMW has started releasing more details about its upcoming plug-in hybrids and all-electric "i" line of vehicles, noting that the i8 in production form will cost 100,000 Euros, or about $125,000. Will sales be a Mission:Impossible? (Sorry, that's terrible, but it's Friday.) (Electric Vehicle News)

Max Page surgery successful: Volkswagen's seven-year-old Darth Vader came through his open-heart surgery fine, and will rest for several weeks. Good to hear. (People)

Former GM exec Bob Lutz backs Romney after criticism: Bob Lutz had been one of Mitt Romney's more forceful industry critics over Romney's muddled commentary on whether General Motors should have been rescued by the government. But Lutz now says he's backing Romney for president this fall, albeit with an entry for Yahoo News' Tepid Romney Endorsement bracket: "You know, all is forgiven," Lutz said on CNBC. "It depends who [Romney's] opponent is." (Auto News)