Dragy Performance Reader on 2040-parts.com

Driven: Mitsubishi i

We first reviewed the diminutive Mitsubishi 'i' when it was unveiled at the 2005 Tokyo Motor show and, while we were pleased with the overall design of the car, we were disappointed that Mitsubishi had chosen not to export the innovative vehicle to other markets. But with the popularity of this compact urban cruiser soaring in Japan and the recent availability of the vehicle in the UK, we now had a chance to give it a go on the often traffic crippled streets of central London. Congestion in urban milieus is not a new phenomenon, but even with London's congestion charging system extorting money from drivers it doesn't seem to be getting any better.

Honda CR-Z Hybrid – the promo video

Honda has released a promo video (below) for the Honda CR-Z Last month we got the specs and prices for the UK Honda CR-Z Hybrid, Honda’s modern hybrid take on the CR-X – they want us to believe. So having given us the buy price – it starts at £17k – and the specification – the basic gets Climate ,  CD player, heated door mirrors, rear dimming mirror, electric windows, daytime running lights and Shift Indicator Light (SIL) – it’s now time to get the marketing underway. Despite feeling that Honda are barking up the wrong tree by trying to make an underpowered hybrid powertrain seem an appealingly sporty prospect, we have to admire their wish to do so.

Porsche is developing a new four-cylinder engine set to power entry-level model

High-ranking officials at Porsche's Weissach research and development center in Germany have confirmed that engineering work is progressing on a four-cylinder horizontally opposed gasoline engine, details of which were first revealed by Autoweek earlier this year. The new boxer unit--which is earmarked to power a new mid-engine, entry-level model that insiders describe as a spiritual successor to the iconic 550 Spyder--looks set to become an integral part of Porsche's future model plans. Insiders suggest it will also be offered on the third-generation Boxster and the second-generation Cayman later on in their respective model cycles.