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Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Mercedes also under diesel emissions scrutiny

The controversy over Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal isn't limited to the US. In Europe, where diesel engines are far more popular, the issue is shining a harsh light on the NEDC emissions test. As already known, the evaluation does a poor job of reflecting real-world production of NOx, and it appears a significant number of automakers are affected. The Guardian in the UK has been reporting on real-world test results from a company called Emissions Analytics. After the latest round of checks, vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Mazda and Mitsubishi were found to generate far more NOx than they should. The newspaper also published similar results for Renault, Nissan, Hyundai, Fiat, Volvo, Jeep, Citroen, VW, and Audi. On average, the figures are about four times over the limit of producing the pollutant. Unlike VW and its defeat device, these automakers aren't actually breaking the rules. The vehicles perform up to the NEDC lab test for emissions, but those results simply aren't translated to the street. "The VW issue in the US was purely the trigger which threw light on a slightly different problem in the EU - widespread legal over-emissions," Nick Molden from Emissions Analytics said to The Guardian. A big fight to decide the future of this issue appears to be on the horizon. Automakers claim that they can't meet the next round of tightening emissions regulations and are asking for compromises. Although, spokespeople for Mercedes and Honda told The Guardian that the brands would be in favor of the stricter rules. Meanwhile, some European governments began backtracking their support of diesels well before this scandal came to light. The added scrutiny certain hasn't helped the future of the oil-burner. Related Video:

Watch a motorcycle racer nearly rub the wall at Macau's track

Motorcycle racer John McGuinness is no stranger to dangerous racetracks, having scored multiple victories in the frequently deadly Isle of Man TT. In this video, he trades the Snaefell Mountain Course's winding roads for the incredibly tight confines of the Macau Grand Prix circuit. The track is like China's version of the Circuit de Monaco, and it looks barely wide enough for two bikes to fit at some points in this clip. The claustrophobic layout makes the street track famously difficult for racing and occasionally deadly. McGuinness gives viewers a great tour of the track on his Honda Fireblade, and he frequently has his shoulders nearly grazing against the wall. You really get a sense of just how narrow the course gets. The ride looks both terrifying and very fun. If you want to see more of McGuinness' skill, here's a clip of him riding at Le Mans at night. We look forward to watching him at the Isle of Man again this year, too. McGuinness not only set a new electric bike lap record there in 2015 but also won the SES TT Zero Challenge. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

The Honda Crosstour is no more

While hardly the most surprising news in the automotive world, it's with sad hearts that we report the passing of any automotive nameplate... even when it's as generally unloved as the Honda Crosstour. In a statement from American Honda, Executive Vice President John Mendel confirms the quirky, sort-of wagon's demise for the 2016 model year. The Crosstour was introduced in 2010 as a compromise between a crossover and a traditional station wagon. However, unlike the popular Subaru Outback with a similar melding of styles, Honda's was never able to really catch on. Honda America's CEO was disappointed with sales as far back as 2011, and an attempt to make the model look a little more rugged didn't work. In 2014, 11,802 Crosstours were sold, a 29.9-percent drop from the year before. In its announcement for the vehicle's discontinuation, Honda says the new HR-V should "play a more significant role as a gateway model." The company thinks the crossover segment today has changed from when the Crosstour debuted. The capacity at the East Liberty Plant in Ohio previously required for Crosstour production will be used for the more popular CR-V, Acura RDX and, as of early 2017, the MDX. Meanwhile, production of the Honda Accord Hybrid will be moved from the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio to Japan. Statement by John Mendel, Executive Vice President, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Re: North American Production Portfolio Apr 8, 2015 Honda's growth strategy in North America is keyed to aligning our product portfolio and related production around the needs of our customers and growth segments in the marketplace. This includes the fortification of our light truck line-up with the recent introduction of a refreshed version of America's best- selling SUV, the CR-V, as well as the all-new 2016 HR-V, a new 2016 Pilot, and the next generation Ridgeline truck, coming to market next year. The strategy also includes strengthening our leading lineup of passenger cars with the introduction this fall of an all-new Civic lineup that will include more variants than ever before, including a new five-door model. In order to fulfill this customer-focused strategy, we are making several changes to the lineup of vehicles we build in our auto plants in Ohio.