Puig Racing Windscreen Dark Smoke Kawasaki Zx-6rr 2003-2004 on 2040-parts.com

Next Volvo XC90 to ditch dashboard buttons

VOLVO is looking to the future of in-car technology in next year's new XC90 by doing away with almost all buttons and replacing them with a new combination of a touch-screen, a head-up display and steering wheel-mounted thumb wheels. The system is designed to make better use of the available interior space while reducing distractions for the driver, but it will mean that users will have to start from scratch to learn how to operate even the car's most basic interior functions. To make it worthwhile Volvo is integrating new features like remote 'Park and Pay' applications and the ability to use and mirror Apple iOS apps in the interface.

Concept Car of the Week: Honda HP-X (1984)

20 years after producing its first production car, Honda grew enough confidence to challenge European sports cars on their own turf. Going straight for the jugular, they commissioned the famous Italian carrozeria Pininfarina to design a mid-engined two-seater concept for the 1984 Turin Motor show. The HP-X, standing for Honda Pininfarina eXperimental, had a very clean composition divided in three distinct elements: the matte black lower, the white ribbed body and the completely transparent canopy on top.

Fisker lays off majority of staff

This story originally appeared on Automotive News Fisker Automotive, the plug-in hybrid sports-car maker that has been grappling with financial troubles, laid off about 160 of its more than 200 employees Friday morning. A Fisker source who was among the employees affected said the layoff took place at about 8 a.m. Pacific.