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Honda readies its jet airplane -- for real this time

Honda would like to remind you that while journalists have spent the last few years fretting whether the Big H has "lost its way," the company has quietly launched, shelved, resurrected, and all but waited out its plan to dominate the business-jet skies, which we are to assume are less friendly than United's. The HA-420 HondaJet has been kicking around for more than 10 years now, but the very first production-ready plane just rolled off the assembly line in Greensboro, N.C., this week -- and, Honda promises, the $4.5 million business jet should be delivered in the second quarter of next year. Honda began taking orders for the jet in 2006, but the long recession squashed the market for private jets.

Porsche Panamera Convertible coming

Porsche are planning a 2 door Panamera Convertible That new Porsche 928 now looks an even more likely possibility after Automotive News reported that Porsche are looking to make a convertible Panamera. But it won’t be a four door convertible, but a two door. The report says that is to help with rigidity (we buy that) and to keep weight down (yeah, just like they have on the saloon), but what it does mean is that Porsche could easily engineer a fixed-roof, shortened Panamera to create a high-end GT in the style of the 928.

To Infiniti and beyond at Goodwood

LUXURY Japanese car maker Infiniti gave the UK public something to savour at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, with a high-octane combination of well-known faces and high-speed timed runs up the famous hill-climb. Christian Horner, team principal of Formula One team Red Bull, took turns at the wheel of the 568-horspower Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge prototype, sharing driving duties with professional racer Sébastien Buemi. Members of the public queued for access to the road-going Q50 range, which was also on offer for hill-driving duties, and some were even treated to a turn in the FX Vettel Edition: a chunky SUV with handling and performance tuned with the direct input of four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel.