Vauxhall Astra (2010) ecoFLEX arrives

Vauxhall has added the ecoFLEX to the Astra range There was a time – not so long ago – when car makers trumpeted the arrival of the range-topping, high-performance model of a new car shortly after the main range launched. But now the fanfares are reserved for the super-eco model. Such are the times in which we live.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars: The Japanese push

Honda Clarity Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car - already in the real world at $600 a month We make no secret of the fact that we consider Hybrid cars a stop-gap solution to reducing reliance on oil. And frankly, unless you drive like a saint you’ll probably find you get inferior performance and poorer fuel consumption out of regular hybrids than you would from a decent eco-diesel. Only when you start to put complex hybrid systems in high-end cars do you start to come up with something that does mitigate fuel use and improve performance.

Bondholders snub GM, bankruptcy filing likely

Nowhere near enough General Motors bondholders agreed to exchange their debt for stock before a midnight Tuesday deadline, making a bankruptcy filing by the automaker highly likely. GM had set a threshold of 90 percent of the $27 billion in bond debt it wanted to exchange for 10 percent of the stock in a reorganized company for the deal to take place. In a statement Wednesday, GM said the amount of notes tendered was substantially less than the 90 percent target.