Kaiser 226 Supersonic Flathead Six Engine Motor Block With Main Caps on 2040-parts.com

Demise of kei cars on the horizon?

The kei car has long been a staple of the Japanese automobile industry and its car culture. Too diminutive for Western markets, the tiny cars and trucks are a strong influencer of design in Japan. Now, as The New York Times reports, the Japanese government has hit kei cars with increases in sales tax, gasoline prices and has reduced the kei car tax break introduced to make the cars popular in the first place by 50 percent.

New Nissan Micra loses ground in Europe over quality issues and no diesel option

Nissan Micra Sales fall in Europe Nissan trumpeted the new Micra as its ‘Global Compact Car’ in the run-up to its reveal at Geneva last year. And by ‘Global’ they meant ‘Produced in Emerging Markets’. Which is a big change from the last generation Micra which was produced in Sunderland, but a move that seemed to make sense in a world where small cars in emerging markets are a priority, and where cost of production is much lower.

Lexus IS 250 Advance & 200d Advance announced

The Lexus IS 200d Advance We should cherish the Lexus IS. No, not because it’s a Lexus – although the Lexus fixtures, fittings and build quality do make it score highly on many a car buyer’s radar – but because it’s NOT got Hobson’s choice on the engine front. You can actually opt for a real ICE engine and – shock, horror – a proper gearbox.