Honda's totally-redesigned Fit (Jazz to the rest of the world) is set to debut at the 2008 New York International Auto Show. "The current Fit has been a tremendous success for Honda," U.S. exec veep Dick Colliver boasts [via PRNewswire] "The all-new Honda Fit will reconfirm that small can in fact be big." Yes, well the old Civic did that and look how that thing porked-up. Anyway, Honda will also be showing (in the pregnancy sense of the word) a prototype Pilot that "emphasizes authentic SUV styling." NYIAS is going down at the Jacob Javits Convention Center from March 21st through the 30th (full schedule here). TTAC's Robert Farago and Justin Berkowtiz will be confronting the suits on your behalf, only earlier. 

The next BMW 6-series isn't expected to be larger than the E64, and it may even be a bit smaller.  If so, it won't be much smaller but it'll be enough to make room for the announced 4-door coupe (a production version of the CS Concept). Many design elements of this show car are expected to be also seen on future versions of large coupe, tweaked for a lighter and sportier appearance. The weight won't change much, so it would be nice to see the carbon fiber roof now used only on the M6 on the third 6-Series. I'd also like to see the inclined BMW grille of the '80s make a comeback. Here I tried a modern interpretation of the kidneys, inspired by those featured on the E24 and its close relatives. With less weight and without a Bangle-butt the design should be a success.

[For more Avarvarii photochopistry, click here]

Some of you will remember our post concerning the possibility of Infiniti badge-engineering themselves a GT-R. Our stance? Perish the thought! However, we did end the screed by saying it would behoove the Franco-Japanese house that Ghosn built to consider a four-door Godzilla. Turns out we're quite the prognosticators. Ye olde Motor Trend is reporting that a "senior source" buried deep within Nissan has "confirmed" the possibility of "studying" the option of building just such a world-beating hyper-sedan. Easier said than done, maybe. The new GT-R is (kinda) based on Nissan's crowd pleasing Front-Midship (FM) architecture. But it's so 'roided-up that Nissan refers to it as PM (Premiere-Midship). They could stretch it and bolt on two extra doors, but it would cost about $5,000 more than the existing GT-R coupe. C'est rien: a small price to pay for the knowledge that my Infiniti can whip the snot out of your IS-F, M3, RS-Whatever, etc.

In the wake of eco-criticism for daring to offer a cheap car to India's lower classes, Tata Motors has been busy greenwashing. The Economic Times looks in the reportorial mirror and quotes "industry sources" who assure us that Tata really does love green long time. There's talk (talk, and nothing but the talk) of a 47mpg hybrid Indica model (yeah, yuk it up stoners), blended-fuel vehicles and hydrogen fuel cells. As if to confirm the air of desperation surrounding Tata's "green technologies programme," the Financial Times tells us that the Indian automaker has signed an agreement with French firm MDI to develop a car that runs on compressed air. That's right, the world's first zero-emission, zero-fuel car would operate on the same principle as a cereal box balloon car. In theory, MDI's compressed air car would max-out at 30 mph. Tata Managing Director Ravi Kant declared that "it's a very exciting concept, this way of running a car. We hope something will come out of it." Speaking of which, MDI claims the new car's exhaust will be cold enough to double as air conditioning; a guaranteed selling point for subcontinental motorists. Not to mention the fact that it stops us from dismissing the idea as nothing but hot air.

Honda's Insight was America's first hybrid (1999). While the Deco-skirted skinflint's choice was a far more distinctive-looking and fuel efficient machine than the Prius, Toyota's gas – electric model had the edge on practicality (four seats vs. two). When Prius sales caught fire, Honda dumped the Insight in favor of a hybrid Civic, and then Accord. Sensing the new models invisibility (zero green creds), Honda's marketing department wanted to promote them as earth-friendly rocket ships (the Accord Hybrid was the fastest variant). Unfortunately, political correctness ruled (ruined?) the day. After going nowhere fast (saleswise), Honda axed  the gas – electric Accord. And now Honda's ready for another go. The Motor Authority says Honda's opting for a three-pronged hybrid sales strategy. First up: a "global hybrid" that's both smaller and cheaper than the current Civic hybrid, based on the Fit platform. (Barring foreseen internet leakage, it will debut in Paris.) Next, the Civic Hybrid (why not? they already make it). And then a range-topping somethingorother, based on the CR-Z hybrid concept pictured here, unveiled in Tokyo last October. We know Honda's got the engineering chops to give Europe's micro-car owners a decent run for their money. But can Honda hit the design/practicality sweet spot currently occupied by the Prius? As always, you'll be the judge, ASAP.

According to American Honda VP Dan Bonawitz, Honda is the BMOC when it comes to automotive innovation, and that includes hybrids, clean diesels and fuel cells. As EV World reports, just don't put an E in front of Honda (either automotive or pharmaceutical). The Japanese automaker's investigating various electric drive technologies and may still introduce a hybrid-electric CR-Z sports car, BUT Honda isn't impressed enough with current battery technology enough to pursue a true electric vehicle. Bonawitz would rather talk about the new, improved FCX Clarity, in which the fuel cell system and battery pack take-up no more space than a gasoline-electric hybrid power plant. Bonawitz estimates that Honda's hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is three times more efficient than an equivalent conventional gas burner and 2.5 times more efficient than a compact hybrid. He rates the Clarity's EPA combined cycle at 68 mpg with a 60 percent reduction in CO2 emissions. Bonawitz also claims that the Clarity's tank-to-wheel efficiency has been improved to 60 percent. For some reason, he glosses over the hydrogen production inefficiencies. Until that process stops being a net energy loser, the fool cell label sticks.

Actually, UK scribe Steve Wakefield says nothing of the sort. In fact, his review of the new Bentley Brooklands doesn't offer much in the way of literary thrills. But if you're a student of serious horsepower, hand-stitched pampering and tightly focused branding, Wakefield's luxury car liturgy will be music to your ears. For those of you who can't get enough power, the £230k two-door is "powered by the most powerful V8 in the company’s history:" a twin-turbocharged 6.75-liter mill that stumps-up 530bhp @ 4000rpm and 1050Nm of torque at 3200rpm. (No mention of mpgs.) Good thing customers can opt for the largest brakes in the world: 420mm, cross-drilled, carbon/silicon carbide fronts with 356mm rears. And the factoids keep coming! The Brooklands makes the 50 to 70mph "overtaking dash" in just 2.4 seconds, tops-out at 184mph (or more), boasts "the largest rear seat area of any production coupé in the world" and handles well (you know; for a car that weighs more than southern Rhode Island). For some reason, Wakefield feels obliged to end his piece by touting the car's "infinitesimal impact" on global warming. He also advises Brooklands owners to middle finger salute the greens. "It’s a statement, an opportunity for the world’s richest to say, 'This is going to be my car. I’m going to enjoy every minute spent specifying it and driving it.'"  

Edmunds' Inside Line (EIL) is reporting that fewer and fewer consumers are opting for V8 engines. True dat. Despite gains in efficiency and weight, less folks aren't flocking to the fat lady. EIL blames the V8's lower fuel economy. The other, unexplored reason: four and six cylinder engines are larger in displacement than they were ten or fifteen years ago, and they're cranking out levels of power formerly reserved for V8s. (The gearbox revolution– that's taken everybody from four-speed autos to five, six, seven, eight or infinite gears– has certainly helped.) The numbers tell the tale: the 1998 Mercedes E320 had a 3.2-liter engine with 215 horsepower. The larger alternative: a 4.3-liter V8 with 275 horses. For the upcoming model year, the E350 will have 3.5-liters offering a whopping 300+ horsepower. The "our six now makes more than the V8 of a decade ago" philosophy also applies at BMW (305 hp I6 vs. 282 hp V8), Infiniti (330 hp V6 vs. 266 hp V8), GM (304 hp V6, 290 hp I6 vs. 250 hp V8s), and pretty much everyone else. Let's face it: in cars weighing between 3000 to 4000 lbs, the common folks don't have much use for engines with more than about 300 horsepower. Why would they pay to upgrade to a V8 when basic acceleration is so good? Why indeed.

Audi is in a quandary. Just Auto [sub] reports that the German automaker has reached their quota of SUV names starting with "Q." Nissan quarreled over Ingolstadt's use of Q7 for their Toureg/Cayenne-based SUV, claiming it impinged on the quintessence of their Infiniti "Q" model names. Then Nissan quickly reached an agreement to let Audi use Q5 and Q7. But Nissan now wants to quell Audi's plans to add Q3 to their model queue, saying it's time for them to remain quiescent. Audi has no qualms about pressing on, saying they've had quiet discussions about achieving their quest for the Q. Only one question remains unasked: when it comes to increasing the world's quantity of SUV's, why doesn't Audi just quench their plans and call it "Quits?"

Claiming that America's economy is lurching ever more quickly from economic bubble to economic bubble, the founder of iTulip predicts a surge in alternative energy and infrastructure spending – sort of a green bubble. Writing for Harper's [sub], Eric Janszen defined the main economic drivers of "the cleantech bubble:" the need to recover from recession, weakness in the dollar, loss of petrodollar liquidity, loss of energy security and peak cheap oil. As a result, consumers will be faced with a bewildering array of fuels and vehicles: biofuels, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen fuel cells, photovoltaics, wind turbines, ocean wave energy, geothermal energy, clean coal and even nukes. Janszen sees these technologies becoming the hot, overvalued commodities of the new bubble. At the same time, he predicts corporations will plan and (God forbid) implement the new energy infrastructure to power expensive new vehicles and public transit. Responding in the Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas – USA , commentator Dave Cohen notes that venture capitalists (VC) are already looking to invest in what they call “the largest economic opportunity of the 21st century.” Fortunately for cutting edge companies like Tesla Motors, there's a VC born every minute.

According to Wired, Toyota's set to show off the production version of their iQ microcar at next month's Geneva Auto Show. The iQ is as wide and tall as a Yaris and just a bit longer than a smart fortwo. Thanks to innovative design and packaging, the iQ seats four (at least in concept form). Toyota hasn't said what'll motivate their mighty mite, Given its diminutive size, look for a powerplant displacing a liter or less. If the styling stays true to the concept, ToMoCo will have no problem selling every iQ they can screw together. No word on whether they'll bring it to the States. But with gas prices continuing to climb and the smart money on the new smart, it's a good bet Toyota will try to raise America's iQ, or some such pun.

According to EV World, smog-choked Mexico City requires taxi companies to replace their rides by their (the taxi's) tenth birthday. This year alone, some 30k Mexican taxis will become autobanditos. Looking for green creds, Mayor Marcelo Ebrard has mandated that ten percent of the new, replacement taxis must be hybrids, ten percent must be electric vehicles (EVs) and ten percent must run on compressed natural gas. It sounds crazy, but thanks to the $8k hybrid premium, Mexico's warm weather and the average cabbie's 200km daily drive, EVs might just work. Hence a consortium of RUTAS UNIDAS (bus and cab operators), Electro Autos Eficaces de Mexico (EAE) and Azure Dynamics (AZD) is developing the eLECTROTAXI®. Like they had to lower case the "e". And while we're at it, let's call this thing what it is: a Nissan Sentra taxi conversion. In a refreshingly honest statement, consortium spearhead Victor Juarez G. (no relation to Kenny G) cautions against speculative announcements. Sr. G says that premature prognostications by Phoenix and Tesla have been harmful to the EV movement. Amén.

Horsepower fetishists will recall that up until not that long ago, we weren't sure if the next Skyline (a.k.a. GT-R) would be sold in the US at Nissan or Infiniti dealers. Turns out it's Nissan. For now. "An Infiniti version is a future possibility. I have not done a study yet, but we are thinking about it." That's Nissan's global design chief Shiro Nakamura talking to Old Blighty's Car magazine. Nakamura adds that the Infiniti version could be a coupe or convertible. We sorta hope it's a convertible, but mostly hope it's neither. Recently, Nissan has done an admirable job of NOT badge engineering it's luxury brand to death. The RWD G35 is NOT a leathered up Altima. The V8 powered M45 is NOT a Maxima on steroids (No, it's a 350Z on HGH). A Murano is NOT an EX35. Etc. (You could argue that the G37 Coupe is nothing but a 2+2 350Z, but nobody would listen.) Why, then, would Nissan start badge engineering now? What pimply-faced, thumb-calloused Gran Turismo addict sits around Mom's basement thinking, "Man, I'd totally buy a GT-R if only it were MORE expensive?" Short answer, none. A counter-proposal. I like fast, smart handling four-doors, be it RS4, M5/M3, C63 or IS-F. The ability to outrun Corvettes on the bad roads fills my heart with glee. Recently, I spent some seat time in an Infiniti G35xS. That's the AWD version. When my handler asked me what I thought of the car, the first words out of my mouth were, "My mom would love it." So yes, I'm proposing a four-door Skyline. To hunt down the uber-Audis of the world. And kill 'em all.

“We wanted the MKT to be the Lear Jet of the road.” That’s how Ford's director of design for the Americas describes Lincoln’s concept car to the Pittsburg Post-Gazette. Brit-born Peter Horbury says Lincoln is on the mend. “As of now, we have had 14 consecutive months of sales growth at Lincoln. So once we established that the Lincoln brand was alive and kicking, we put together this Lincoln design vision for the future.” Yada X3. Things get more interesting when Horbury talks small. “The Verve is intended to very much indicate around the world where small cars from Ford are heading.” As to the resurgent popularity of small cars in the U.S., Horbury doesn’t see the price of gas or environmental concerns as the primary sales driver. “What changed things for small cars in this country was the popularity of the Mini Cooper. You can spend an awful lot of money optioning out a Mini. But more people want a car like that these days.” Then the capitalization-challenged reporter (MINI) Don Hammonds asks the question on our minds… lately: “What about Jill?” “Mercury will remain a Ford with extras, a new front end and new tail end, and different materials used inside and out. That approach seems to work very well.” Sure, just like anorexia suits the Olsen twins. 

Detroit News scribe Scott Burgess offers a piercing glimpse into the obvious: the muscle car is dead. Burgess reckons "no one could have predicted the dramatic change in consumer tastes, high fuel prices and eco-politics when designers started penning those car's revivals." OK, well, anyway, Burgess isn't quite ready to pronounce the muscle car's TOD. "The Go-Fast gene in men and women will never disappear," he concludes. Frighteningly enough, Burgess' rant includes wistful quotes from GM players who talk about the move away from high horsepower vehicles as if the thought just occurred to them, with a similar lack of closure. "There's going to be a lot of internal pressure to move engineering resources to these other products," opines Tadge Juechter, GM's vehicle chief engineer for the Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac XLR. "That's going to really impact future muscle cars." Going to be? Going to? "The concept of the muscle car will probably evolve into a really fun-to-drive, stylish vehicle," predicts Troy Clarke, GM's president of North America. "As opposed to something that just breathes fire and has more cubic inches than the next guy." Probably? Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reports that the industry shills knows as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have high horsepower vehicles in their premium hoiking sights. Enjoy your Challenger while you can Scott.

[Interview with Scott Burgess about muscle cars below.]