Volvo Flywheel KERS Hybrid cuts fuel consumption by 25%

Two years ago we reported that Volvo were testing a clever hybrid Flywheel KERS system for road cars and hoped it would prove to be a good way to make road cars more economical. And it seems it does. The Hybrid Flywheel KERS system Volvo has developed weighs only 6kg, has a diameter of just 20cm, is made of carbon fibre, sits in a vacuum and is located on the back axle and works by recovering energy under braking which is then stored for use when the car moves off.

Smart For-Us concept unveiled at 2012 Detroit show

Smart made a splash with its world debut at the 2012 Detroit auto show: its For-Us concept car provides a vision of the Smart as an American icon, a pick-up. The diminutive truck - just 3547mm long - is longer than a Fortwo, and is supposed to be based on the running gear of the next-gen Smart Forfour, aka the new Renault Twingo. So if the For-Us doesn't look so much like a Smart any more, from the front at least, that's why.

Honda Civic Type-R MUGEN (2009) first official pictures

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 22 June 2009 18:00 Honda's Mugen Motorsports performance tuning arm has released the first official pictures of the company's stripped-out Civic Type-R hot hatch. Details are still sketchy, but let's start with the visual changes. There's a deeper and wider front spoiler (sans fog lights), a new grille, a vented bonnet, plus vents just behind the front wheels.  At the back the Civic's triangular exhausts have been replaced by two huge bazooka tailpipes, which fit beneath a more angular rear bumper, and there's also a double-decker wing to make rear visibilty even worse.