David Brown’s Speedback is an Aston Martin DB5 for 2014 (video)

The David Brown Automotive Speedback (pictured) revaled ahead of Monaco debut Last month we revealed that the David Brown Automotive’s take on a classic, luxury British Sports Car would be based on the underpinnings of the Jaguar XKR, and we’d expected another classic E-type creation like the Lyonheart K being built by Envisage (as is the David Brown car). In fact, the David Brown Speedback – for that is what David Brown is calling his company’s creation – looks instead like a classic Aston Martin from the 1960s – think DB5 or DB6 – with perhaps a few hints of Maserati and Ferrari from the same era too. And it looks great.

Buy a hydrogen-powered car in 2015…at least in California

At the Consumers Electronics Show this week Toyota claimed that a production version of its four-door midsize FCV concept fuel cell sedan will hit showrooms some time in 2015. Toyota has been investing in fuel-cell technology for the past 20 years, and since 2002 it has been testing and developing prototypes primarily in North America. Toyota claims that it has reduced the cost of producing a fuel-cell powertrain, and has estimated a 95 percent cost reduction in the powertrain and fuel tanks for the 2015 production model versus the 2002 prototype.

Designing the sound of tomorrow's electric cars

By 2019, the European parliament has ordered that all new electric cars sold in the EU must be fitted with a device that emits noise to make them more audible to pedestrians. With safety legislation in America and elsewhere set to follow, this presents an opportunity to completely rethink the sound electric cars make. It's a chance to take it beyond a warning sound by considering something that harmonizes with its surroundings.