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.

Buried in an AdAge.com interview with Toyota GM Bob Carter: a quote that brings to mind the bon mots of GM Car Czar Bob Lutz. After Mr. Carter lauds Toyota's hybrid domination– an 80 percent U.S. market share with a supply-restricted 67 percent growth rate— the Maximum Moment™ arrives. Carter declares that "it's not our position that the hybrid is [the] solution to the future. We're looking at high-efficiency gasoline, clean diesel, fuel cells and the plug-in hybrid." While it's an ostensibly sensible position, Carter's remark must come (or will come) as something of an eye opener to ToMoCo's Veep for Drivetrain Development. Back in May, Masatami Takimoto told the Motor Authority that hybrids will be the Japanese automaker's standard drivetrain by 2020, 'cause synergy driven vehicles would be "no more expensive to produce than a conventional vehicle." So, does Carter's cautious climb down make him "Minimum Bob?"

Thanks to the rapidly expanding Chinese and Indian automotive markets, iron ore prices are soaring. CNNMoney reports Asia's three largest steelmakers have been hit with a 65 percent increase in iron ore prices from Brazil's Vale (the world's largest ore producer). Unsurprisingly, other large ore producers are expected to follow suit. Even though the trend will increase steel prices and thus production costs, Toyota says prevailing economic conditions (a.k.a. a stagnant Japanese new car market) means they can't hike up prices at home. ToMoCo Prez Katsuaki Watanabe says "It's hard for us to pass on the impact of higher steel material costs to our product prices under current circumstances. We have to cope with increased material costs by reducing our product costs." Translation: either Toyota will have to to cut other operating expenses or use profits from overseas operations to keep the home operations afloat. Sound familiar? [Props to starlightmica for the link]

According to The Los Angeles Times, “Americans are getting serious about using less gasoline.” To wit: one James Eric Freedner. The Sun Valley legal secretary got so fed up with high gasoline prices that he tucked his Toyota Tacoma in the garage, switched to motorcycle commuting, stopped driving to the beach on weekends and began grouping errands. "The price [of gas] was just eating up what I earned,” Freedner kvetched. “This is the best thing I can do to make ends meet." Point taken. "Raise the price high enough, and you will see that there is a lot more that people can do,” says Edward Leamer, an economist at UCLA. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently released study, The Effects of Gasoline Prices on Driving Behavior and Vehicle Markets, asserts rising gas prices has motorists taking fewer trips, driving slower and paying premiums for the most fuel-efficient vehicles. Your tax money hard at work.

As reported by Forbes and many others, Chyrsler CEO Bob Nardelli attended yesterday's 50th anniversary running of the Daytona 500. In a magna-nimous moment, Boot 'em Bob told the teams with Dodge decals on their cars (ostensibly, Dodge Chargers) that if any of them won the race, he'd give the team an extra $1m. After last year's pitiful performance by the Mopar racers, it looked like Cerberus' money was safe. And so it was, until the last lap, when Penske Racing's Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch came from behind and blasted past leader Tony Stewart in his Toyota, grabbing first and second places for Dodge. In fact, Dodges were in six of the top eight places. While the finishes were impressive, you have to wonder how Chrysler can afford to keep pouring money into racing. With all the factories they're closing, all the jobs they're cutting and all the suppliers they owe, you'd think they'd need every spare buck they could find. Still, an execs gotta get out of the office every now and then…

I'm piloting a vehicle with a mid-mounted engine coupled to a close ratio transmission. The steering feel transmitted through the chunky helm is sublime, matching Bimmers of yore. Wearing a maniacal grin, I [hypothetically] pitch my whip into a corner at an [allegedly] injudicious speed, listening to the engine, passengers and tires scream. As I clip the apex, I punch the throttle. The powerplant howls as the chassis adopts hooligan-induced oversteer. I saw at the wheel, maintaining a sideways slide. Audi RS4? Chevrolet Corvette? Nope. I'm driving a tall, skinny, eight-passenger Nissan Urvan.

Hello, thank you to read me. I bring news of glorious nation of US and A. In US and A, everyone is paying big fast car but this they not know in Kyrgyzstan where drive yaks. Is clear they not understanding America way in US of A using credit like we know in Kazakstahn. Here for reading is big article from Kyrgyzstan News about pay for car in America.

US car buyers take out longer loans. Longer loans are being offered to car buyers to counter an anticipated slow down in U.S car sales.Toyota is now offering up to 84 months amortization and GMAC is considering offering a 102 month deal. Financiers say people who take the longer terms are the type who wait until a car is worn out before seeking a replacement or those who are not financially solid and are looking for low monthly instalments. The average car depreciates mostly over the first three years. After 36 months it can normally only be sold for half its purchase price.

You seeing they in Kyrgyzstan not knowing of US in A same good like me. Thanking you to read me.

The Detroit automakers aren't the only ones feeling the cost crunch in Canada. The London Free Press reports our neighbor to the north is also the most expensive place Toyota assembles vehicles– in spite of a distinct lack of Canadian Auto Workers' union members. And yet, in spite of higher operating costs, ToMoCo may be looking to expand their RAV-4-producing Woodstock assembly plant even before it opens next fall. Toyota's playing down the rumored expansion. They're declaring that the plant must first open and perform before they'll consider adding more capacity. When asked why they'd consider spending more on a plant that already costs so much to operate, Toyota Canada's president Yoichi Tomihara replied "Toyota's philosophy is to make the investment in the long term, not the short term." Toyota executives also said they don't let current market conditions sway their strategy; economic conditions can change. Besides, they added, they like making vehicles in Canada. I'm thinking ToMoCo likes it anywhere where they don't have to deal with a labor union.

Bill Reinert was born in coal-miner's daughter country, worked in the engine rooms of Navy subs, survived a $6 pot bust and earned degrees in biopsychology and energy engineering from the University of Colorado. Reinert also serviced telephone towers in the Rockies, harnessing solar panels and windmills to charge batteries to conserve expensive, airlifted diesel fuel. After years of pitching his ideas to his [new] bosses at Toyota, Reinert helped design the Prius hybrid, and continues to work on hybrids for Toyota's US operation. As part of a lengthy "End of the Oil Age" feature on Bloomberg, Reinert reveals himself as a bit of a doomer, with well-worn predictions that we may descend into Mad Max territory. Framing Reinert's work, the Sierra Club complains that Toyota has moved backwards on being green. And the money men say trucks and SUVs are still ToMoCo's core business. "The company earns about $6,000 before taxes in the U.S. on an SUV," David Healy of Burnham Securities insists. "That compares with a $1,000 profit on a Corolla and a small loss on a Prius." Selling 181,221 hybrids may be impressive to outsiders, but if Toyota is losing money on each Prius… Is Reinert's baby still the way forward? That remains to be seen. 

When I bought my second Rex, I nearly bit the bullet and went STI. But I like to haul more than ass. So I sacrificed balls-out speed for cargo capacity and bought the five-door WRX (again). The good news: starting now, Subaru's hottest rally-bred machine is available only as a hatch. The bad news: the new STI costs $14k more than the WRX. Is it worth it?

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.

In his now-infamous RS4 review, Jonny Lieberman declared the uberAudi "sounds and feels like a volcano making love to an avalanche."  Never having witnessed that particular geologic phenomenon, I'll have to take his word for auditory aspects of the experience.  However, at least one filmmaker thinks it sounds like something from outer space, as this spot shows. Hmmm… I wonder how they'd use the sound of a Toyota Yaris at full throttle? You know; other than for pest control purposes.

Recently. We're not talking Mercury, the automaker that's being driving around sans map for (four) decades. No, we want to know who you think most recently has put match to script. Great candidates abound. Could it be Jeep and the brand-slaughtering Compass softroader? Toyota and their new found love of recalls and unreliability? Maybe Porsche, with its embrace of water cooled SUVs and an upcoming four-door sedan. I'm arguing for Subaru. Subaru? Yeah, Subaru. Rewind your mind to 2002. The WRX had just landed on our shores, completely redefining egalitarian performance. Outbacks were everywhere. Forresters will always be the official car of lesbians, but back then they were the smart alternative to the SUV. The 'Camino'd Baja is a bullet they'd like back. But hey, at least they were trying. In fact, the all-AWD brand was the positioned to become the thinking/poor man's Audi. And pistonheads everywhere knew the STi was on its way. Today? The WRX is not only uglier, but softer. The most expensive model in the lineup isn't the sharp dressed Outback, but the formerly pussy-faced Tribeca. A turd of an CUV that few want and no one aspires to. The new STI is indeed meshugga, but sadly, like the whole of Subaru, not meshugga enough. OK, your go.

Canadian Auto Workers president Buzz Hargrove knows what's killing the North American auto industry: imports from South Korea and Japan. He's upset that Canada imports more vehicles from Asia and Europe than Canada ships to those areas. And if the problem continues unchecked, he's predicting GM and Ford will be in bankrupt within 10 years.  His solution? The Globe and Mail reports Buzz wants Canada and the U.S. to ban imports from Japan and South Korea until they open their markets to North-American-built vehicles. Reality to Buzz: they don't want your vehicles. If you've never been to those countries, roads are narrow, city streets are clogged and parking is at a premium. The average GM, Ford or Chrysler product from this side of the globe would fit in there like an orca in a fishbowl. Also, I don't know about Canadian sales, but the majority of Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, and Mitusubishis sold in the U.S. are bolted together in North America, not imported. He needs to put the blame where it belongs: on the auto companies that sat by complacently resting on their laurels and denying the imports were a threat until they lost customers they'll never regain.

Indian car maker Tata has announced plans to export its Nano city car to Europe; albeit in a different form, at a different price, in the future, eventually. Quoted in Germany's Focus Online, Tata's Head Head of Small Car Projects auditioned for the Hindi version of "Promises, promises." "We won't export the current model [unleashed in India this autumn]," Girish Wagh admitted. "But in five years time, we will have developed the second-generation Nano which will be good enough for Europe. The Nano will then meet the Euro 5 emission regulations as well as all crash standards." At the same time, Tata's cheerleader promised to improve on the Nano's fuel consumption, from 47 to 78 mpg. Methinks the Indian automakers' plans for the Nano are a tad… ambitious. The current car's Unique Selling Point is price: $2,500. Add in the safety, comfort and convenience features that the average European economy car driver currently enjoys, throw in the eye-watering sales tax that the average European economy car driver forks over to his government, and Tata's Nano will be bumping-up against the VW Up!, Toyota IQ and other highly accomplished machines, sold from a large number of established dealerships. Good luck with that.