One Lap of the Web: Mock the Week Edition

-- Mazda Europe designer Peter Birthwhistle talks about the future of Mazda: potential hybrid and electric powertrains for the Skyactiv-obsessed company, and how we'll all be driving Mazda-branded pods in the 22nd century. But he also mentions, rather interestingly, how certain Mazdas capture a quintessentially long-hood, RWD look -- and not just the Miata, either, which is RWD. No, it's the exhaust systems on those Skyactiv engines that force a longer, larger hood compartment, and the "long, flowing looks" not usually found on FWD engines.

Peugeot RCZ Magnetic Limited Edition – it’s a black or white RCZ

The RCZ Magnetic gets based on the RCZ Sport but gets extra goodies added to make a special edition which costs less, say Peugeot, than if you specced a regular RCZ up to the same level. Extra equipment includes parking aids (front and back), interior sports kit (that’s a soft touch leather steering wheel and short shift gear lever), Peugeot Connect Nav (that’s sound and CD with Nav), Connect SOS and Assistance, 19″ Sortilege alloys with a matt black finish, Black Pack (which gives you a black finish on the roof arches, grill, mirrors and brake callipers) and Sports front seats. You only have the choice of two paint jobs – black and white – with the black RCZ Magnetic getting Metallic Nera black paint with red flame leather interior and the white RCZ Pearlescent Pearl white with black leather.

'Talking cars' in US safety drive

NEW CARS and light trucks may be fitted with technology that lets vehicles communicate with each other in a bid to avoid deadly crashes. A radio beacon would continually transmit a vehicle's position, heading, speed and other information. Cars would receive the same information back from other vehicles, and a vehicle's computer would alert the driver to an impending collision.