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Concept Car of the Week: Honda J-VX (1997)

In 1997, in an effort to preserve its sporty image, Honda needed to bring new exciting models in its showrooms, to park alongside its mainstream Civics and the excellent but slow-selling NSX. The 1995 Integra Type-R proved a fun car to drive but lacked in personality compared to older models of the brand such as the bold CR-X. At the Tokyo motor show, Honda unveiled a prototype of what could be the sports car of the 21st century while also capturing the essence of the iconic CR-X.

Hyundai i20

Hyundai's second-generation i20, designed at Hyundai Motor's Design Center Europe in Rüsselsheim, Germany, is the first to feature the firm's new small-car platform. Hyundai claims this allows sufficient flexibility to make the (as-yet unrevealed) interior the most spacious in its class. As for the exterior, the distinction between what is a Kia and what's a Hyundai becomes ever-more blurred.

At GM, the tail fin is back--but now it's a blade

Tail fins are making a comeback at General Motors Co., although they are a far cry from the saillike appendages of the 1950s. And this time the company is calling them blades. The look, pioneered on the Chevrolet Volt to improve aerodynamics, will appear on other models to boost fuel economy, said Ed Welburn, GM's global design chief.