A hybrid version of Honda’s much-loved Jazz will make its world debut at the Paris Motor Show in September, bringing lower emissions and improved fuel economy to the practical supermini.

• Improved emissions and fuel economy for popular supermini
• World’s first B-class hybrid car

The introduction of Honda’s petrol-electric IMA system to the Jazz, makes the car the world’s first B-segment hybrid.

Featuring the practicality and flexibility of the current Jazz, but with reduced CO₂ emissions and improvements to fuel economy, the hybrid version will go on sale in the UK in early 2011.

The car will feature the same engine as the Insight hybrid; a 1.3-litre i-VTEC engine combined with a CVT gearbox, with an electric motor sandwiched between the two to create a parallel hybrid system. The hybrid Jazz – like the Insight and Civic Hybrid models – will be capable of running on the electric motor alone under some medium and low speed conditions.

Much of the Jazz’s practicality is derived from its height, but despite being taller than the current Honda Insight, the hybrid version of Jazz manages to maintain fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions on comparable levels.

Visually, this new, cleaner Jazz is distinguished from the current range by revised headlights with a blue surround, clear rear lights, new front grille, restyled bumpers and a chrome tailgate garnish. The new hybrid will also be available in a range of existing colours plus a bespoke Lime Green metallic.

Inside, the cabin is also given a fresh look, with darker single colour dashboard, which contrasts strongly with the blue lighting of the dials and dashboard instruments. The new hybrid is also available with leather trim, the first time this has been available on a Jazz model in Europe.

MPG and emissions data will be released at the Paris Motor Show in September.

Along with the new hybrid Jazz, Honda will display the 2011 model year Insight, CR-Z, Jazz, CR-V, Accord and Accord Tourer, as well as the sports touring motorcycle VFR1200F equipped with the V4 engine, and a stylish PCX scooter with low emission idle-stop 125cc engine.

Press data & images: Honda

This is the new ‘Get Hot’ commercial and we are a tad bit curious to find out if this leaves an impression or not. After all the Karma comes with 2.0-litre turbocharged direct petrol engine and an electric motor that produces 403 horsepower.

Even though there’s a pretty woman, a soft alluring sound track, ice cubes melting, fast car, donuts, basically the works, it somehow doesn’t touch the cord. But that’s just what we think.

Check it out right here:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Although Alfa Romeo has to date created more than 70 models in its rich 100 year history, it all came down to a battle between just two iconic Alfas in a poll of fans’ favourites, initiated to celebrate the Italian marque’s centenary year.

And it was the Alfa Giulia GTAm that came top of the poll, beating the 8C Competizione supercar to the chequered flag with less than one percent more of the vote.

The Alfa Giulia GTAm, which gained 20.4 per cent of the overall tally, derived from the standard 1750 GT Veloce production model, and secured its place in the Alfa Romeo elite by winning the 1970 European Touring Car Championship in the hands of Dutchman Toine Hezemans. The votes for this poll were collected from admirers and owners – known as Alfisti – who submitted photos of their Alfas to the alfacentenary.co.uk website to create a unique piece of mosaic artwork.

The GTAm and Alfa’s current supercar, the 8C Competizione, led the way against a shortlist of classics including the 2900 B Le Mans, Alfasud and the 156 GTA.

A worthy runner-up with 19.8 per cent, the 8C Competizione – worth more than £123,000 – debuted as a concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003 and went on to be produced in 2008 as a limited edition model of just 500 examples and selling out almost immediately. The car’s name derives from Alfa’s world famous 8 cylinder (8C) engine and the marque’s racing pedigree.

The Alfa Spider Duetto, widely regarded as a design classic, finished in third place with 16.01 per cent of the vote. This car was first launched in 1966 and famously starred in the legendary film The Graduate in 1967, alongside Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft.

Alfa Romeo UK Brand Communications manager, Damien Dally, says: “The Giulia GTAm was a great Alfa and a deserved winner. It’s really interesting to see how people voted in the poll. We all have our favourites which is testament to the fantastic cars Alfa Romeo has produced over the past century.”

The latest five-door Alfa Giulietta model, which takes styling cues from the iconic 8C Competizione, is now on sale in dealerships across the UK.

Press data & images: Alfa Romeo

At this year’s Paris Motor Show, Mazda will be focusing on low fuel consumption and reduced emissions, with three new model introductions.

Mazda’s lightweight, Mazda2 – voted World Car of the Year 2008 – has received an upgrade and will be given its European premiere in Paris, revealing the following key changes:

• New front styling features Mazda’s unique family face
• Upgraded interior
• Upgraded Euro V compliant powertrain line-up
• Upgraded chassis for even better ride comfort
• Automatic transmission version introduced

Joining the upgraded Mazda2 will be the all-new Mazda5 premiering with a new, more economical MZ-CD 1.6 diesel engine.  The Mazda5 C-MAV people carrier is especially economic and family-friendly and offers:

• A frugal and powerful 1.6-litre diesel engine (5.2 l/100km, 115ps)
• A 15 percent CO₂ emissions reductionin comparison to previous 2.0-litre diesel
• New lightweight 6-speed manual transmission
• An eye-catching design that sets it apart in the C-MAV segment
• Enhanced Karakuri interior flexibility for up to seven people plus sliding rear doors

The new Mazda3 with an upgraded MZ-CD 1.6 diesel engine will also be introduced.  Offering more power and torque, while lowering fuel consumption and emissions, the new version features:

• 6ps more maximum power
• 12 percent higher maximum torque
• 4.4 l/100km and 117g/km CO₂
• New lightweight 6-speed manual transmission

Press data & images: Mazda

While pioneering Scandinavian electric vehicle (EV) maker, THINK, continues its warm-up preparations for the forthcoming EV Cup race series, the car-sharing pioneer Move About proved the quality of the THINK City by competing in the E-Miglia 2010, the world’s first international EV rally.

The best performing THINK City of the five entered was driven by Markus Spiekermann of Team Move About Bosch – entered by the German branch of the Scandinavian car-sharing pioneer, Move About.  Spiekermann finished in third position, in what was a great demonstration of the THINK City’s robust performance attributes, developed and proven over 19 years and over 30 million kilometres of real world experience.

The E-Miglia 2010 started in Munich, Germany and concluded in Rovereto, Italy, over four days and 560 kilometers of carbon free competitive rally driving.  Featuring no less than five Alpine passes, the E-Miglia offered ample opportunity to utilise the THINK City’s innovative regenerative braking technology, and in turn maximise battery range against formidable competition from the likes of Tesla, Citroen, Fiat, Tazzari, Smart and Jetcar.  This latest competitive outing follows THINK’s recent class victory, also with a Move About team at the wheel, at this year’s Monte Carlo Rally for Alternative Energy Vehicles

“This is, without question, the most gruelling EV rally in the world,” said Spiekermann, “we were competing against some serious competitors in a variety of weather conditions and the THINK City was more than able to hold its own. Finishing in the top three is a really impressive achievement in a showroom standard urban EV, particularly against so many high performance race rivals.”

The latest generation THINK City is a purpose-built, all-electric and fully air-conditioned urban car that can travel at highway speeds and cover 160 kilometers on a single charge (via conventional household outlet), with zero local emissions. It is the world’s first EV to be granted certification with the European CE conformity mark and EU homologation requirements (M1 certificate). To achieve these exacting standards, the THINK City has successfully completed very thorough testing and validation procedures.

European production of the THINK City continues in Finland with manufacturing partner Valmet Automotive, which also assembles the Boxster and Cayman models for Porsche AG, and deliveries are taking place across Europe in selected key EV markets such as The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Austria and Switzerland.

THINK also recently announced plans to establish a U.S. production facility during 2011 in Elkhart County, Indiana, and is working with Japanese partner Itochu on developing operations in Asia.

Press data & images: THINK

Ford’s new Mondeo Sport special edition goes on sale next month, combining over £2,000 of extra options and elegant style on the road.

The high-spec Ford Mondeo Sport will be limited to just 3,000 customers.  They will enjoy features including satellite navigation system covering Europe, automatic headlamps, rain-sensing wipers and self-dimming rear view mirror.

The equipment list, which also includes 17-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors and solar reflect windscreen to maintain a cool cabin temperature, is valued at over £2,000.  The Ford Mondeo Sport will be available from September 1 at £18,795 for the petrol version and £19,495 for the diesel – or from just £300 over the Zetec series which the new Sport is based on.

Jon Gunn-Smith, Ford large car product manager, said:  “Mondeo Sport represents the outstanding value typical of all vehicles sporting the Blue Oval badge.  It will be on sale for a limited period during the lifetime of the new ‘60′ plate, so interested customers should get in quick.”

Ford Mondeo Sport can be specified with either 1.8-litre 125PS diesel or 2.0 145PS petrol engines.  Available in four colours – Frozen White, Panther Black, Sea Grey, and Moondust Silver – Mondeo Sport will go on sale in five-door and estate bodystyles.

Press data & images: Ford

The American entrepreneur returned to the US after placing third in the GT3 category of the Spa 24 Hours (Jul 31-Aug 1) to compete over two consecutive weekends at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The Californian track played host to the Monterey Pre-Historics (Aug 7-8) and then the four-day Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (Aug 12-15) which saw tens of thousands of spectators attend to view a mouth-watering collection of over 600 historic automobiles racing on the world famous 2.238-mile Laguna circuit just as they did “back in their day.”

Brown raced his ex-John Watson 1979 McLaren MP28 to sixth place after qualifying ninth at the Pre-Historics event. Last weekend Zak qualified 11^th and finished ninth in a quality 36-car field at the Reunion meet for 1966-1983 Formula One machines – the highest-placed McLaren Formula One machine.

Meanwhile “Super Swede” Stefan Johansson, who had placed the “sister” United Autosports Audi R8 LMS GT3 sports car fourth at Spa, qualified in pole-position, led every lap and won the 1981-1989 FIA Mfg. Championship & IMSA GTP Race in Brown’s 1986 Porsche 962 IMSA GTP car.

This particular car won five races in its heyday and was driven mainly by Price Cobb and Rob Dyson. Brown was joined at Laguna by Historic Motorsports Productions LLC (HMP) partner Bobby Rahal who also raced some of his cars. Brown teamed up with Rahal plus Peter Stoneberg earlier this year to welcome in HMP’s new era of vintage motor racing.

“Coming off the back of our incredible Spa achievement, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my last two weekends at Monterey,” confirmed Brown. “It’s always a privilege to get behind the wheel of the McLaren and to be racing it at Laguna doesn’t get much better. Stefan [Johansson] drove brilliantly to dominate his race event while the entire atmosphere last weekend was just awesome.”

While Johansson was winning in the United Autosports entered Porsche at Laguna, its European operation were chalking up win number one in England. Brothers Rob and Matt Bell joined forces for the first time and duly claimed a class victory in a two-hour, two-driver British GT Championship race at Silverstone (August 15).

The Bells scored a comfortable one-lap G4 category win in the 120mins race which marked not only their respective débuts in the British GT series but also the first time either had raced a G4 class Ginetta G50 entered and prepared by United Autosports. Matt, aged 21, co-drives with Zak Brown in the FIA GT3 European Championship at the wheel of an Audi R8 LMS.

Englishman Richard Dean, Brown’s fellow co-owner of United Autosports, remarked: “It’s very pleasing for United Autosports to achieve its first class win in the British GT Championship on only our second outing in the series and our first with the Ginetta. Matt and Rob faced some very experienced Ginetta drivers and we came out on top.”

We have already seen the pictures of the Bugatti Super Sport (remember the black and orange monster), which made its debut at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Now, we bring you the latest images released by the manufacture showing the Super Sport in a blue carbon fiber version. As a reminder, this is the same car that manages to touch 431 kmh (268 mph) on the Ehra-Lessian Volkswagen test track.

As we already know the Bugatti Super Sport is powered by an engine that has been tweaked to develop 1200 hp and a maximum torque of 1,106 pound feet. This unit in return uses the seven-speed twin clutch transmission and sends power to all four wheels. This mammoth also comes with enhanced aerodynamics, a re-engineered chassis and a body structure that uses carbon fiber.

“The Super Sport’s flat, elongated silhouette distinguishes itself from the standard car. Rather than scoops above the engine, the 16-cylinder engine is now fed air from two NACA ducts integrated into the roof. The front air intakes have been expanded and reshaped, with the lower one extending elegantly around the sides to the wheel arch. The revised rear end looks sportier due to the double diffuser and a centrally arranged exhaust system,” a company statement reads.

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport covers the 0 to 100-km/h distance in mere 2.5 seconds, the 0 to 200 stretch in 7.3 seconds and the 0 to 300 distance in around 15 seconds. Whoa!

On the other hand, the production version of the car, which will be available, will have an electronic limitation on top speed at 415 km/h due to tire (and life?) safety reasons.

This Bugatti Veyron Super Sport will be priced at EUR 1,464,000 and will be sold in a limited run of just 5 units in the beginning.

As part of its latest innovative marketing campaign, to build awareness of its new two-seat Wind Roadster, the French marque is hoping to be a breath of fresh air in the clammy weeks ahead withwww.12secondstrip.co.uk. The contest, which has just begun, sees Renault inviting internet users to post video clips of themselves or anyone they know, trying to strip down to just a single layer of clothing in less than 12 seconds, the exact time it takes for the innovative roof to open and close on its latest model.

Of course, a responsible international company like Renault wouldn’t expect entrants to dress up in their birthday suits. So, as far as the competition is concerned, to be eligible to win, entrants need to abide by the rule of ‘stripping down from winter clothing to summer attire’. Contestants are free to interpret this however they wish, whether their initial outfit consists of full British-weather-busting trenchcoat, scarf, gloves and wellies, or simply a woollen hat teamed with a sun-kissed bikini.

Whether contestants film themselves from the comfort of their own homes, hide away in the photocopying room, or take a walk on the wild side by undressing in a public place, within reason, all entries will be accepted. Anyone looking to strip down to the bare essentials in an open-plan office, or in front of the in-laws, might wish to consider the possible ramifications first though. However, roping others in to take part, possibly in a group ‘Flip Video Camcorder’™ party, could increase the likelihood of winning.

To be in with a chance of driving away in the Wind Roadster, Renault’s compact and stylish two-seater coupé-cabriolet, it’s worth bearing in mind a few pointers. Firstly, the more successful entries will stand out from the crowd. They can be outlandish, feature unusual clothes (or a lack of them), interesting people or even an iconic landmark.

Secondly, choice of backdrop could be crucial. The more indecisive, could opt for filming themselves in front of one of the interactive screens which Renault will be using in London and Manchester, to countdown the seconds it takes to open or close Wind Roadster’s innovative electric roof. The screens will show a short clip of the car and its roof opening, followed by the words, “Now it’s your turn”. Entrants might also wish to consider racing the roof in real-life, by going to their nearest dealer and filming in front of one of their display cars.

Clips, unsurprisingly, lasting no longer than 12 seconds, can be uploaded directly into the site,www.12secondstrip.co.uk or through YouTube with the tag “12secondstrip”. The Renault microsite will allow visitors to see rival entries or simply browse for fun. For simple and effective navigation, it will also be split into several sections: clumsy, funny, sexy and the almost now obligatory, outtakes.

Speaking about the imminent launch, Renault UK’s Marketing Director, Phil York, said, “With its clever roof system, Wind Roadster is unique in its class, so we wanted an ad campaign which broke away from the norm, yet mirrored its attention-grabbing style. We hope our latest initiative will capture the imagination of the British public, come rain or shine, and that like driving the car itself, they will have a lot of fun at the same time. We don’t care if you’re wearing granny knickers, a tatty old pair of Calvins, or even if your underwear isn’t whiter than white, so as long as the video is fun and tasteful.”

To drive away in Renault’s latest creation, worth £17,350, wannabe-Wind Roadster owners have until 30 September 2010 to enter. Entries can be recorded on all forms of suitable recording device in any viewable format. The winning entry will be chosen by a UK judging panel, entrants must be UK residents and aged over 18. Only one entry is permitted per email address. Full terms and conditions are available atwww.12secondstrip.co.uk.

Press data & images: Renault

The “driver’s hybrid” from Infiniti, the M35h, will introduce world-first steering and braking technologies when it goes on sale in the USA and Europe in 2011.  The debut systems have been designed to deliver both environmental benefits and enhanced driving feel, reinforcing strengths already central to the Infiniti M35h with its innovative one motor/two clutch system.

Like the drivetrain, which marries a charismatic V6 petrol engine with 50 kW (68 PS) electric motor built in to the 7-speed automatic transmission, simplicity was a key tenet in the development of the steering and brakes of the high performance luxury sedan.

The steering of the Infiniti M35h is an electro-hydraulic system with “on-demand” assistance. It offers the advantages of both types of steering – the natural and smooth feel of hydraulic power steering and the improved fuel efficiency of an electric system – while the motor cuts in only when the wheel is turned, further boosting efficiency. The system is smaller than traditional power steering set-ups, a feat achieved by integrating multiple parts.

The brakes are similarly designed primarily to suit sports sedan buyers’ needs, but at the same time contributing to the lower carbon footprint of the M35h, low CO₂ champion of Infiniti’s all-new M Line sedan line-up.

The engineers looked to the hybrid system itself for the solution. What they came up with – a way to use the vehicle’s electric drive motor to operate the brake cylinders – represents another world-first innovation for the Japanese brand.

The system is called Electric Driven Intelligent Brake. When the driver steps on the brake pedal, the necessary braking force is maintained while the hydraulic pressure of the friction brake is controlled to help maximize the energy regeneration of the hybrid motor. Because of its simple structure, in which the motor directly operates the brake cylinders, the Electric Driven Intelligent Brake system has the potential to be a key part of all future Infiniti Direct Response Hybrid vehicles.

The simplicity of these elegant mechanical solutions, with their emphasis on more compactness, lighter weight and fewer parts, is made possible by advanced computerized control.

Another benefit of both the new steering and braking systems is that they work with the innovative drivetrain to enhance the driving experience rather than dilute it in the manner of some hybrid vehicles. Designed to be fast and responsive with a strong sporting bias to the rear-wheel drive handling, the Infiniti M35h aims to deliver an exhilarating drive in all situations.

Central to this is its one motor/two clutch system. The first clutch is installed between the naturally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 and the electric motor, which is embedded within the automatic transmission. The electronically controlled clutch allows the full decoupling of the V6 when the car is in electric drive and power regeneration modes. Decoupling the V6 reduces mechanical drag and boosts the efficiency of the electric motor.

Aided by an exceptionally fast charge/discharge response from the lithium-ion battery pack, the result is a hybrid that’s electrically powered for more of the time, and at higher speeds, than conventional hybrids.

Yet when the driver demands it the Infiniti M35h responds like a true high performance machine, offering the linear acceleration and unsullied rear-drive handling of a true Infiniti – complete with all the charisma of one of the great V6 petrol engines. Like the 7-speed Adaptive Shift Control (ASC) automatic transmission that blips the throttle on downchanges, the new braking and steering technologies are integral to the M35h’s positioning as the hybrid to please the most demanding of drivers.

Infiniti’s first hybrid, the M35h is the low CO₂ star of the all-new M Line which also includes petrol and diesel models and which is the first M ever to be sold in all of Infiniti’s 34 world markets.

Among the Infiniti M’s many other claims to fame are the world-first Blind Spot Intervention (BSI), state-of-the-art Forest Air climate control and Active Noise Control, while comfort and luxury are taken care of with double-piston dampers and the availability of semi-aniline leather in the spacious cabin.

M35h sales start in spring 2011, depending on market.

Press data & images: Infiniti