Honda’s Insight for Europe revealed

  Honda Insight for UK undercuts the Prius [ad#ad-1] Last week at the Detroit Motor Show, Honda revealed its Prius-challenging Insight Hybrid, and has today revealed details on the UK/Euro version. The new Insight, which utilises a 1.3 litre petrol engine with 88bhp, coupled with a 14bhp electric motor to give a 0-60 of just over 12 seconds and 113mph, has very low Co2 of 101-105g/km (which means just £35 VED – but if only they’d shaved that a smidge it would have been a freebie) which is very creditable. Honda has the Prius firmly in its sights with this car, and it aims to comfortably undercut the Prius on price.

Mazda marks end of RX-8 production with Spirit R edition in Japan

Mazda will close out the RX-8 sports car's run in Japan with a Spirit R edition, the same way it brought the curtain down on the RX-7 in 2002. But the RX-8 Spirit R won't make it to U.S. showrooms.

Cadillac CTS

By Ben Oliver Motor Shows 09 January 2007 04:39 New CTS: no mistaking this for anything other than a Cadillac The all-new CTS compact exec saloon is Caddy's big news from the Detroit show, and they were never going to muck about with a distinctive design direction that has won them praise and younger customers since it began in 2001. The new CTS exaggerates it further with yet-more vertical lamps and grille, plus plenty of bling, using chrome for the air vents, window surrounds, the three-inch exhaust tips and 18-inch rims. No high-performance V version of the new car has been announced yet, but until it arrives the range will be led by a new direct-injection, 3.6-litre V6 with variable valve timing putting out 300bhp and 270lb ft.