Audi to bring hybrid Q5 to U.S. in 2010

Audi will offer a hybrid version of its Q5 crossover in the United States starting in late 2010, says Wolfgang Hatz, head of powertrain development for the Volkswagen group. In an interview Sunday at the Detroit Auto Show , Hatz said Audi must offer a hybrid model to compete with rival vehicles that already offer the technology, such as the Lexus RX 400H. The BMW X6 will be offered as a hybrid late this year, and Mercedes plans to roll out a hybrid in each of its major models starting with the S400 hybrid this year.

Honda takes to the skies: HondaJet completes first flight

By Tim Pollard Motoring Issues 30 June 2014 16:57 Honda's quest to apply its engineering nous to different modes of transport took another step forward today when the HondaJet completed its first test flight. Honda Aircraft Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Honda division and is based in North Carolina. The executives in charge vow they're following the guiding principles of Soichiro Honda, who founded the car maker, with a laser-like focus on new solutions to age-old problems.

Polestar boosts Volvo power with factory software upgrade

Volvo and its performance arm Polestar have developed tuning software for C30, C70 and S40 cars fitted with the T5 turbocharged engine. It increases power by 23 hp and torque by 29 lb-ft by revising valve and spark timing. The software is compatible with 2008-model-year and newer cars and goes on sale on Nov.