New Honda Civic Black Edition launches

New Honda Civic Black Edition launches The Honda Civic in normal guise – as opposed to the Type R – might not be the most inspiring car on the market, but it offers a convincing package nonetheless of great quality and decent looks and, in the latest Civic, better ride and better handling. As a Ford Focus and VW Golf competitor, the Civic perhaps suffers from a slightly boring image, which would explain why Honda has launched the Civic Black Edition with a meaner look to entice buyers who want a Civic that looks a bit less an older generation car. There are no power upgrades, suspension tweaks or promise of more dynamism from the Civic Black Edition, but it does get exterior gloss black elements and black side skirts and rear bumper, together with gloss black roof spoiler, integrated covers for the door mirrors and a gloss black fuel filler lid.

Toyota iQ and Urban Cruiser (2008): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 13 February 2008 12:28 Toyota hasn’t bottled it, thank goodness. This first photograph of the iQ shows that the production version of this fascinating mini has kept all the cheeky charm of last year’s show car, which won CAR’s concept car of the year gong. The iQ at 2007’s Frankfurt Motor Show wowed us for its fresh design, its simplicity and its back-to-basics overhaul of how a small car could be engineered.

'Spen' King, father of the Range Rover, dies

Charles Spencer "Spen" King, a British engineer and father of the original Range Rover, died on June 26 at age 85. King passed away as a result of injuries sustained when his bicycle collided with a van earlier this month. King entered the auto business in 1942 as an apprentice for Rolls-Royce before going to work for his uncles, Spencer and Maurice Wilks, at Rover.