Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Japan's concept cars - the craziest of the noughties

By Alex Michaelides Motor Shows 19 August 2009 10:00 Here we are, celebrating the best cars that Japan has produced, but what about the ones it hasn’t? At many motor shows – and particularly ones in its back yard – the Japanese industry serves up some wild concept cars which boggle the brain and tickle the ribs. It’s hardly surprising that few of them hit the mainstream.

Range Rover Evoque Red Shoe Shuffle

Range Rover Evoque by Marangoni Now the Range Rover Evoque is out in the wild it’s starting to get attention from the tuners. Like this Evoque from tyre maker Marangoni at the Bologna Motor Show. The Range Rover Evoque is something of a style icon at the moment in the car world, so it’s no surprise that tuners are starting to see if they can tweak Land Rover’s new baby to make it more appealing to a market looking for even more individuality than the Evoque already offers.

Toyota tests chips that improve hybrid efficiency by 10 percent

Toyota announced on Tuesday that it has developed a new semiconductor, claiming it can boost fuel efficiency in hybrid cars by an impressive 10 percent. The semiconductors manage the flow of electricity through the power-control unit that connects the battery to an electric or hybrid car's motor and generator. The newly developed semiconductors are said to consume only a tenth of the energy of today's chips, while allowing the power-control unit to be 80 percent smaller.