R/c Pilot's Handbook on 2040-parts.com

Honda Accord hybrid unintended-acceleration claim under review

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary investigation into whether some Honda hybrid vehicles are prone to unintended acceleration. The federal auto safety regulator said Monday it had agreed to look into a complaint stemming from a fatal July 2005 crash. The driver of a 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid said she was driving over rumble strips on the side of a freeway when she tried to apply the brakes.

Suzuki Swift gets a tweak for 2013

Suzuki Swift (pictured) gets a tweak for 2013 Suzuki has had a couple of bites at PR for the updated Swift already this week, with news that the Swift can now be had with a 4WD option and that the Swift Sport can be ordered with five doors. So even though it seems a bit back to front to trumpet two new versions of the Swift before revealing the overall tweaks to the range, it’s probably got Suzuki three times the coverage they’d have got if they’d just announced the 2013 tweaks included the 5-door Sport and 4WD option. Who can blame them?

Renault Eolab Concept

Renault has bucked the trend of rather uninspiring Paris Motor Show previews with the Eolab. This B-segment-sized car that has been designed to a brief that states it must return fuel economy of 2l/100km (118mpg US/141mpg UK), and that all of its major technical innovations must be production-feasible by the year 2020. The Eolab is actually two cars – the Eolab prototype, which the engineering team has signed off as capable of 1l/100km (235mpg US/282mpg UK), and the Eolab Concept, which was overseen by the design team.