Honda Odyssey Fl350 Front Rim on 2040-parts.com

We sample Honda's car technology of the future

Ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show 2013 we’ve been to Honda’s research and development facility in Tochigi to see and experience some of the Japanese firm’s new and upcoming products and technology. We’ve covered the new Honda Civic Type R in some detail separately, but among the other cars driven here is the next generation Honda Jazz (known as the Fit in Japan), no less than three different types of Honda hybrid system, including one similar to that fitted in the forthcoming NSX supercar, and an all-carbonfibre CR-Z prototype. On top of which, we’ve also experienced a self-driving car, watched a crazy automatic-parking demonstration and sampled the latest version of the all-electric Micro-Commuter, Honda’s equivalent of the Renault Twizy.

Volkwagen XL1 makes US debut

The Volkswagen XL1 hyper fuel-efficient vehicle debuted in Chattanooga, Tenn. on Thursday at the 23rd Annual Society of Environmental Journalists Conference. At first we wondered why we weren’t invited, and then we realized it was because of our proclivities for V8s and turning rubber into smoke.

Chrysler 300C – 2010 UK models

The Chrysler 300C - revised model linup for 2010 in the UK If things move on as we expect, we could see a new Chrysler 300C before long. But in the meantime Chrysler have had a fiddle with the 300C for the UK market in 2010. Choices from 1st January 2010 are a trio of diesel powered models – 300C SE, SR and SRT – and the slightly bonkers SRT-8.