Domestic automobile manufacturers have invested millions of dollars into research to develop cards more gasoline-efficient even than presently on the road.

(A) Same
(B) into research for developing even more gasoline-efficient cards on the road than at present
(C) for research for cars to be developed that are more gasoline-efficient than presently the road
(D) in research to develop cards even more gasoline-efficient than those at present on the road
(E) in research for developing cars that are even more gasoline-efficient than presently on the road

(D) is the correct answer but please help me understand the following: -

(A) (B) and (C) are out because Invested in is the better construction. In (E) I understand presently is not parallel to gas-efficient. But in which cases should one prefer the infinitive ('to develop') over participle ('for developing').

Does "VR" refer to the OG Verbal Review supplement? I'll assume it does, but let me know if I'm wrong!

The question you're asking is essentially another idiom, unfortunately - just something you have to memorize (like knowing that it should be "invested in" rather than "into" or "for"). We invest in research to do something (right). We invest in research for doing something (wrong).

Thanks Stacey.