New Lexus NX Compact SUV ‘Grows’ on UK debut

The Lexus NX in a flower bed at Hampton Court The new Lexus NX – a compact take on the Lexus RX Hybrid SUV – arrived officially at the Beijing Motor Show in April and will cost from £24,495 when it arrives in the UK in October. Ahead of its official arrival in Lexus UK dealers, the NX has had its first public outing in the UK at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Hampton Court Palace Flower Show – the world’ largest annual flower show – where it was plonked somewhat incongruously in the middle of a flower bed (above). The NX was included in the ‘Inspire’ zone to showcase the NX’s contemporary design and technology and the debut was part of Lexus’s relationship with Quiet Mark, an international seal of approval from the Noise Abatement Society which encourages quiet technology.

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 gets $54,995 base price

The high-performance Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will carry a base sticker price of $54,995 including shipping charges when it goes on sale next spring as a 2012 model. That's more than double the sticker price of a base 2012 Camaro coupe, which starts at $24,100 including shipping charges, and more than a base 2012 Chevrolet Corvette coupe, which starts at $50,500. The 2012 Camaro ZL1 packs a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 rated at 580 hp and 556 lb-ft of torque.

Fiat unveils new 900cc TwinAir two-cylinder engine

Fiats of old used to feature noisy two-cylinders with a fetish for overheating, yet the Italians are at it again, this week releasing details of their new TwinAir two-cylinder 900cc engines. You can see how it works in our video below. The new engines, the first in a series of two-cylinders by the Italians, are designed to trump all other downsizing efforts. Headline figures from the 83bhp twin are 23% more power than the regular 1.2 four-pot and the same as a 1.4 16v - yet with 30% less consumption.