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Concept Car of the Week: Volkswagen Microbus (2001)

The turn of the millennium seemed to induce a feeling of nostalgia among car manufacturers and with it a plethora of heritage/retro designs, including the new Mini, new Ford Mustang and Nissan Z. Following the runaway success of its New Beetle, which probably started the trend, VW asked itself whether it could enjoy the same success with a modern interpretation of the legendary T1 Microbus. Designed at the surf-central design studio in Simi Valley, California, the Microbus Concept took ample inspiration from its distant ancestor, but was modernized in every way.

Porsche 918 infotainment system to be based on HTML5

While some automakers, like Ford and General Motors, are beginning to open up their code to outside developers via application programming interfaces, Porsche's taking a very interesting route for the 918 Spyder's infotainment system. The the hybrid supercar's dashboard interface uses the same code that the modern Internet runs on: HTML5. Germany's AutoBild reports that Porsche cites the ease of programming as part of their rationale for the system; smartphone integration is another.

Honda Vezel Compact SUV goes on sale in Japan

Honda Vezel Compact SUV (pictured) goes on sale in Japan The Honda Vezel – the production version of the Honda Urban Concept – arrived at the Tokyo Motor Show last month as Honda’s take on the Nissan Juke, and it’s now gone on sale in Japan. Honda are claiming to cover allk the bases with the Vezel, stating it offers “the dynamic qualities of an SUV, the elegance of a coupé and the functionality of an MPV”. A car for every man (and woman), no less.