Yamaha Xj 550 Maxim Shifter Lever Gear Shift Pedal on 2040-parts.com

New 2015 Skoda Fabia revealed – well, sort of

The design sketch of the 2015 Skoda Fabia We’re not entirely sure we can consider the design sketch of the new Skoda Fabia (above) as a reveal of Skoda’s supermini, but it is a clue to what we can expect when the new Fabia arrives in the coming weeks. Skoda tell us that the new Fabia will be taking its design cues from the Vision C Concept we saw at Geneva – and the new Octavia –  and that is a new direction for Skoda  with added width and a flatter body creating, say Skoda, more harmonious proportions. Of course, the design sketch of the new Fabia has the usual artistic license to make it more dynamic than the reality will be, with the end product when it arrives likely to look much like a smaller version of Skoda’s latest efforts.

Mazda may revive the rotary as a hybrid car powerplant

Mazda Motor Corp. has given a new lease on life to its rotary engine in the form of a Mazda 2 hatchback reconfigured as an extended-range hybrid. The prototype runs as an electric vehicle, with an electric motor powering the wheels.

Honda CR-Z Mugen RR – it’s the Japanese version

Honda CR-Z Mugen RR - no power details forthcoming We’ve reported quite a bit on Mugen UK’s efforts to sprinkle fairy dust on the Honda CR-Z Hybrid to turn it in to the sort of hybrid that would appeal to a keen driver. And now it’s the turn of Mugen in Japan who have also built a supposedly one-off CR-Z – the Honda CR-Z Mugen RR. The Euro Mugen CR-Z – which was on show at Goodwood last month – was eventually fettled to deliver 197bhp by bolting on a supercharger.