2002 Honda Accord Ex Coupe 2-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

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Honda Vezel is the Fit crossover we've been waiting for

"Vezel" may sound like the latest miracle cure from Big Pharma, but in truth it's the long-awaited Fit-based crossover from Honda. Unfortunate name aside, this four-door CUV looks ready for production, because it is.
Shown here in hybrid guise, the subcompact Vezel looks quite sporty, with boldly upswept sheetmetal contours, an aggressively raked backlight, "hidden" rear doorhandles borrowed from the JDM Civic hatchback, and an expressive face with LED headlamps.
Honda is presently confirming that the Vezel will go on sale in both hybrid and gas-only guise in Japan, but it isn't offering anything in the way of specifications other than to say that both models will make use of a 1.5-liter direct-injected engine, the "Sport Hybrid i-DCD" powertrain of course getting a "high-output motor" of unspecified power and what could be a dual-clutch transmission. Honda has declined to make clear whether this is the new 1.5-liter turbocharged VTEC engine we told you about yesterday, but it's a good bet that it is indeed the same new Earth Dreams powerplant. Critically, there's no mention of whether all-wheel drive will be offered.

McLaren MP4-X concept shows innovation won't die in F1's future [w/video]

Despite things like turbocharging and kinetic-energy recovery, today's Formula One cars look more or less like the ones that lapped the world's race tracks 20 years ago. Sure, they're much more aero intensive, but the basic look is the same. McLaren, which probably had some serious free time this season considering its misfortunes, has imagined a futuristic F1 car that adopts many innovative and somewhat controversial additions. It's called the McLaren MP4-X, and the most obvious change is the closed cockpit. The death of Jules Bianchi, the accidents involving Maria De Villota and Felipe Massa, and even the death of Ayrton Senna could have all potentially been avoided by adopting a strong closed-cockpit design, like the one advocated here by McLaren. It's also worth pointing out that this design is a boon for aerodynamics. Inside that cockpit, drivers would enjoy an augmented reality display system, sort of like that used by F-35 Lightning II fighter pilots. There'd also be an independent head-up display that McLaren claims could be used to transmit info about race position and flag status. So basically, the kind of data you'd get playing Forza Motorsport or Gran Turismo. Speaking of safety, the MP4-X's entire chassis, beyond the closed roof, would be far safer thanks to the use of "negative-stiffness material structures." Essentially, these materials can soak up the force of an impact and then bounce, for lack of a better term, back into shape. And if you're thinking like we are, this sounds like McLaren wants 900-horsepower bumper cars. Of course, 900 hp is speculation on our end. McLaren is deliberately vague on the powertrain of this concept. Advanced hybrid powertrains aren't surprising, although the team's mention of inductive, wireless charging on tracks sounds like the stuff of Formula E's dreams. In a move that McLaren says "tears up the rulebook," the MP4-X would see a return of ground effects. The underbody would feature enormous venturi tunnels to suck the car to the track. Alongside active aerodynamics that tweak the its shape for turns and straights, this concept McLaren would be both more slippery and offer more downforce than today's cars. There's a lot more on the MP4-X concept than we can talk about here, so head over to McLaren Honda's official website for all the nitty gritty details on this car's advanced systems, including solar cells, advanced tire sensors, and even virtual logos. It all sounds very, very cool.

Listen, the Type R and the WRX STI don't look alike. Here's why.

So following the reveal of the new Honda Civic Type R, we've seen quite a few commenters issuing all kinds of accusations about the Type R looking like a WRX STI. And you know what? They're right. Both cars have four wheels, four-passenger doors, big wings, and scoops. In all seriousness, aside from a passing similarity because they're both flashy sport compacts, they really don't look alike. Let's start with the front and the profile. These areas are technically the most similar, since both cars feature high beltlines and have lower fascias defined by large inlets and a deep chin spoiler. And admittedly, the little kick-ups on the lower rear portion of the side windows are reminiscent of each other. But that's where the similarities end. Up front, the grille is by far the clearest indicator that the Honda is most certainly a Honda. The wide "blade" shape that spans the nose from light-to-light is unmistakably from the company that gave us VTEC. After all, just about every Honda today uses some form of that grille. The Subaru, on the other hand, has a traditional grille that is distinctly separated from the lights. It's not a bad thing, Subarus have had rather anonymous designs in the past, and we've still liked them. It's a Subaru thing. Moving to the scoops, we find more differences. For once, the Type R is more restrained, with a small, low-profile inlet far back on the hood. It will not be mistaken for the massive one on the STI, which looks like it could suck up low-flying fowl. View 58 Photos Along the side, the distinctions continue to pile up. The key here is in the fenders. While the STI has proud, pumped-up fenders compared with its distant Impreza cousin, they aren't nearly as pronounced as those on the Type R. The Honda's flares clearly show that they protrude from the standard hatchback's sheetmetal and closely follow the curve of the wheelarches. The STI's fenders proceed along the body's lines more closely and blend in more. Finally, we come to the rear, where no one should ever get these two vehicles confused. Yes, they both have enormous rear wings and diffusers, but that's it. For starters, one car is a hatchback, and the other is a traditional sedan. Not only that, but the Type R's hatch has a distinctive split rear window. I mean, based on the criteria people have used to compare the Type R with the STI, they should've actually been comparing the Honda to a Prius.