Automobile Electrical Manual Haynes 1005 (us) on 2040-parts.com

Hyundai ix-Metro, first hybrid and electric car

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 04 September 2009 00:01 Hyundai is taking aim at Nissan's Qazana with its new ix-Metro concept car at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show. The compact utility vehicle is one of a burgeoning number of small 4x4s in the pipeline – and is set for production within two years. The Hyundai ix-Metro will drop its BL/Rover inspired name and instead adopt the ix-15 or ix-25 moniker when production starts, slotting in neatly under the new, Tucson-replacing ix-35.

Mazda MX-5 gets a spruce up

The Mazda MX-5 is one of our favourite fun cars. It evokes all the joy of the cracking little British Roadsters of the past, like Austin Healeys, Triumph TRs, Lotus Elans and even older Morgans and XK Jags. It does it by being simple, efficient and fun to drive.

Lexus IS 300h promises unrivalled ownership costs

The new Lexus IS - launched at Detroit in January and costing from £26,495 for the IS 250 in the UK – actually offers ownership costs that eclipse diesel offerings from the likes of Jaguar, BMW, Audi and Mercedes, say Lexus. Despite the logical assumption that the complex hybrid powerplant in the IS 300h would cost more to maintain, Lexus say the opposite is true. Because it has no clutch and the starter motor and alternator are integrated they require no servicing or replacement and Lexus has fitted a timing chain instead of a timing belt, so it won’t need regular replacement either.