08 Kawasaki Ninja Ex650 Ex 650 Engine Motor 45b on 2040-parts.com

Exclusive: Honda to Close European Design Studios

In a surprise announcement, Honda has decided to close design operations in Europe, based in Germany. The decision to shut down both the car design and motorcycle design studios of Honda R&D Europe (HRE-G) in Offenbach, near Frankfurt was taken at the end of September and came as a shock announcement to employees. It represents the latest casualty in cuts for the car design community.

AC Cobra Mk VI to show at Monaco

AC is due to show the AC Cobra MK VI at the Top Marques Show in Monaco Despite being a UK car maker, AC is to build the new Cobra MK VI in Germany, at Gullwing GmbH, which gives a clue to the car’s unique feature – a removable hard top with gullwing doors. The AC Cobra has a long history, and is one of the most sought after replica cars on the market (which is hardly surprising considering the cost of an original Cobra), and is said to be single handedly responsible for the UK’s national 70mph speed limit, which was brought in after some extremely high-speed incidents on the new M1, where AC was testing its cars. Why bother with a test track when you have 100 miles of fresh, straight tarmac courtesy of H.M.

Nissan Mixim concept inside out

By Guy Bird Motor Shows 30 August 2007 05:21 Hold onto your hats, we’re off to 2020! Mixim is Nissan’s futuristic Frankfurt show concept. The firm hopes the fully electric four-wheel drive ‘supermini coupe’ with a radical interior could be just what teenagers today will want to drive in 2020.