2007 Toyota Prius Hybrid on 2040-parts.com

Check out British classic cars from The Queen's English

Some years, they get real English weather at The Queen's English car show, a gathering of the Empire's best (and few still running) British cars. Even though it's held in Van Nuys, in sunny Southern California, it has been rained out three of the last six or so years, with only a handful of hearty Land Rovers showing up and peeping out of their SUVs beneath bumbershoots. But this year was all glorious sunshine, the likes of which might never have been seen back in Jolly Old.

Honda news at 2009 Tokyo motor show

Honda's press conference begins – and that dastardly clever little swot ASIMO strolls onto stage. I swear his animation gets better every year – he'll be running for prime minister next. He saunters onto stage and introduces Honda CEO Ito-san, but then let’s me down.

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer gets (slightly inappropriate) M Sport Package

The BMW 2 Series active Tourer moves to the butch side with an M Sport Package Purists moan, but the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer MPV is a sensible move by BMW and aimed at BMW lovers who need a BMW equivalent to the Mercedes B Class; a premium family car for shifting kids and stuff around. Using the same platform as the all new MINI, the 2 Series Active Tourer is BMW’s first front wheel drive car, although a 225i Active Tourer will go on sale in November complete with BMW’s 4WD xDrive. But the 2 Series Active Tourer wouldn’t be a BMW offering unless it also came with the option of an M Sport Pack, which is exactly what will be on offer – however unsuited the Active Tourer may seem for such sporty embellishments – when the xDrive Active Tourer arrives in November (although the M Sport Pack will be offered across the whole Active Tourer range).