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Smart Fortwo Lightshine launches

Yet another Smart Limited Edition - the Smart Fortwo Lightshine You have to hand it to Mercedes – they don’t give up on Smart (or Maybach – another expensive departure). They keep churning out new cars (well, endless new limited editions, anyway) despite sales that seem to keep falling. Last year (2010) saw Smart sales in the UK fall by 8.5% and their sales last month (December 2010) were a woeful 57% down on December 2009.

Spyker at Salon Prive 2013 with B6 Venator & C8 Aileron – and maybe the Venator Spyder

The Spyker B6 Venator (pictured) will be at Salon Prive this year Victor Muller rolled out his new plans for Spyker ahead of the Geneva Motor Show this year with the arrival of the very convincing Spyker B6 Venator and typically grandiose plans to build and sell so many Spyker would be back on top. But Victor’s plans didn’t stop there, and by April it was clear that Spyker were also planning on building a Venator Spyder too as Victor’s plans to take on the £100k plus sports car market grew. So with plans to make Spyker a force to be reckoned with, Spyker are off to this year’s garden party with cars – Salon Prive – in September with not just the B6 Venator but also the C8 Aileron.

Concept Car of the Week: Honda Kiwami (2003)

As part of Honda's exploration into new, clean-performing technologies, the Kiwami concept was created to test public acceptance of the idea of a large, fuel cell-powered luxury sedan.  Unveiled in 2003, the simple yet striking design seemed like a Japanese twist on the Renault Vel Satis concept, which shared a similar wedge profile, wide stance and minimalist approach.  However, the Kiwami found its own interpretation of modern luxury, expressed through elegantly integrated technology rather than with crystal champagne glasses.  Up front, a full-width LED strip headlamp sat flush with the flat bonnet and the rectangular bumper to create a design of primitive beauty.  Further examples of the same simple Japanese aesthetic are found around the car, including the uncluttered body panels and a full-width tail-lamp graphic that matched the front theme.  The dramatic proportions of the interior were closely related to the package of the hydrogen power plant. Unlike other manufacturers at the time, Honda engineers did not create a 'skateboard' fuel cell chassis below the cabin. Instead, a sideways H-shaped layout for the control unit, ultracapacitor, fuel cell stack, hydrogen storage and other components was used, helping to create a lower center of gravity.