Honda announced today that, as of the end of 2011, its total count of hybrid-powered vehicles has now crested the 800,000 mark.

Honda was one of the first automakers to sell a hybrid vehicle with its first-generation Insight in 1999. It now offers seven different hybrid vehicles worldwide, including the second-generation Insight, CR-Z, and Civic Hybrid, which are all available in the U.S. Honda also offers the FCX Clarity hydrogen-fueled car in select markets and will be releasing the Fit EV to the U.S. market later this year. Additionally, Honda will add the first hybrid Acura vehicle to its lineup this spring with the all-new ILX compact sedan.

While this may be an impressive feat for the Japanese automaker, its competitors from Toyota City bested it long ago. Almost a year ago, Toyota announced that it had already moved over three million Toyota and Lexus units globally; as of February 28, 2011, Toyota has sold north of 3.03 million hybrids.

Toyota has the upper hand to Honda, however, thanks to its two-year lead in the hybrid sales race – the first generation of its Prius hybrid debuted in 1997 – and the fact that it offers more hybrid models around the globe. In the U.S. alone, there are currently 20 Toyota and Lexus hybrids on sale: the Toyota Camry and Highlander Hybrids, Prius, Prius Plug-In, and Prius v and the Lexus HS 250h, CT 200h, RX 400h, GS 450h, and LS 600h L. Toyota will also add the smaller Prius c to its hybrid lineup here in the States in the coming months.

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After making its debut as a production version at the 2012 NAIAS, the new generation of the Ford Fusion, or Mondeo as it will be known in Europe, is getting ready to enter NASCAR, and the prototype will be unveiled on Tuesday afternoon. According to the car manufacturer, the 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR racecar will be presented at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and the model will be seen in NASCAR starting from next season.

The North American based automaker Ford didn’t announce any official details on the NASCAR Fusion racer and it probably won’t say anything about its performance, but as a reminder, the production version revealed in Detroit not too long ago will be coming with a 1.6 liter, four-cylinder engine with the company’s EcoBoost system, to get 37 mpg on highway, while the larger 2.0 liter EcoBoost will be offered in a performance version with paddle-shifted six-speed SelectShift Automatic (TM) transmission, 19 inch wheels and tires and all-wheel drive with the ability of sending addition torque to the rear wheels.

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A specialist car modification firm is to convert an Audi R8 supercar into what is claimed to be the world's fastest limo. The work is being done by Carbonyte UK on behalf of Limo Broker, which will offer the unique design for hire when it is completed.

Forbes notes the machine, which is based on the upgraded V10 5.8 quattro version of the car, will keep the engine that propels the standard auto from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds and offers a top speed of 194 mph.

While the production model has space for just one passenger besides the driver, the stretched version will seat eight people in leather-clad bucket seats. Limo Broker stated that due to the high level of interest in the one-of-a-kind car, they are speeding up production so it is ready for the summer's busy school prom and wedding season. The company already offers the UK's only Ferrari limo - based on the Italian carmaker's 360 Modena - and has also announced this week it is stretching a Fiat 500 supermini.

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Months later than expected, BMW officially opened the order books for the all-electric ActiveE field trial today. The manufacturer was supposed to take reservations last year, but delayed it to streamline the delivery process. The first electric sedan has already been delivered to EV veterans Tom and Meredith Moloughney, who lease an electric MiniE from the manufacturer. If you think you're ready to go electric, don't drag your feet--availability will be on a first-come, first-served basis.Unlike the MiniE, which lost its back seat to accommodate a bulky battery pack, the BMW ActiveE will seat four.

Details on the EV's battery pack are scarce. Rather than a single large battery pack, three lithium ion storage cells are housed in front of the cowl and where the drive train and fuel tank used to be. These liquid-cooled batteries provide a range of approximately 100 miles, depending on how the vehicle is driven. Using a 240-volt charger, the ActiveE has a charging time of approximately 25 miles per hour, or 4 to 5 hours to recharge an empty battery.

It boasts an output of 170 horsepower with 184 lb-ft of torque, and a 0-60 time of under 9 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to approximately 90 mph. Although the performance may not be what most Bimmer fans are used to, the price will be. Like most EVs, the BMW ActiveE doesn't come cheap. You can lease one for $499 per month for a closed 24-month lease and a with a $2,250 down payment. On the upside, you won't be paying for gas.

The BMW ActiveE field trial is open to customers in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Boston, and Connecticut. Feedback from the trial will be used to further refine the upcoming BMW i3 and i8 plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles.

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More than any other time in the history of the Consumer Electronics Show, car manufacturers showed up in full force to last week’s show in Las Vegas — a major sign that cars are going high tech this year.

While CES used to be filled with tech companies showing off car stereos, car manufacturers themselves are now taking up space on the floor to show off all the cool things their vehicles can do. And app vendors are going car heavy too — companies that showed off cool smartphone apps over the last couple of years are now hyping their apps for a car dashboard instead. If the dashboard doesn’t run apps directly, the console will find some sort of crazy way to interact with your apps using the driver’s voice.

For example, Mercedes-Benz head Dieter Zetsche debuted the Mbrace2 console, which connects the dashboard to the cloud for over-the-air software updates and gives the owner access to Facebook, Google, news highlights, and more from the dashboard. The Mbrace2 solution will also have 3G Internet access, but it’s unclear if you’d need to purchase a data plan to use it. The connected system will also include “remote access capabilities” such as remote vehicle health diagnostics, a driving journal, and speed alerts.

Ford, which has keynoted CES the last few years, showed off the latest of its Sync technology. Sync now has more apps for AppLink, a program in the console that interacts directly with iPhone and Android apps when the phone is connected via Bluetooth or USB. AppLink already lets you voice control apps like Pandora, Slacker, iHeartRadio and Stitcher, and now it works with a new NPR app that lets you create on-demand listening of your favorite NPR programs. Sync is installed in 4 million cars in the U.S., and Ford expects 9 million cars worldwide will have Sync installed by the end of 2015.

Chip-maker Nvidia had a tent just outside of the Las Vegas Convention Center at CES to show its own car integration. The company had two cars on display in the tent: a beautiful white Lamborghini Aventador (pictured above), which features an infotainment system with real-time Google Maps data. The other car was a stunning blue Audi A7, with Google-Earth-based 3D maps and night-vision cameras to help you not hit pedestrians. Nvidia also helps power the awesome-looking Tesla Model S sedan, which has a 17-inch touchscreen that controls the media, sunroof, door locks and navigation. All three cars have Nvida Tegra chips inside boosting capabilities.

Streaming media inside cars also took a nice leap forward with Harmon’s Aha console, which will now be available in select models from Subaru and Honda. Streaming services MOG and Rhapsody will work on Aha and provide on-demand music from their extensive catalogs so you’re never disconnected from your favorite songs. The streaming radio service Pandora also used CES to announce that it has partnered with a whopping 23 auto companies to make sure its music can play in their cars.

VentureBeat contributor Rocky Agrawal correctly points out that car and phone interegration has a lot of road for improvement, but we believe these car manufacturers are headed in the right direction.

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The Honda CR-Z sports car took the gong from five other finalists including the latest Ford Focus, the Audi A6, the Skoda Yeti and the Volkswagen Scirocco. The magazine said the Honda was expertly engineered, impressively efficient and had strong safety credentials. It said the car also set new benchmarks for hybrids, which run on a combination of petrol and electric power.

"It's fun to drive and if this is the future it's something worth looking forward to," Wheels editor Bill Thomas said. "And, as our judging panel noted, the CR-Z takes the car where it should be going, smaller, lighter, more efficient, more enjoyable."Wheels said there was nothing quite like the CR-Z on the Australian market.

The range starts at $34,990 for the Sport manual. The Sport CVT sells for $37,290 and the CVT Luxury is $40,790. "Having set out to create a fun-to-drive coupe with good efficiency, Honda has bullseyed its target," Mr Thomas said. The Wheels award has been presented since 1963 and this year involved 3,400km of driving at the Lang Lang Proving Ground, 4000km of road driving and a week of final deliberations from the eight judges.

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Audi is broadening the A1’s appeal with a new five-door Sportback version, expected to account for two-thirds of A1 sales. But this is more than simply an A1 with an extra pair of doors, there’s a more spacious interior with room for five, unique styling cues and a pair of brand-new engines, too.

Although identical in length to the three-door, the A1 Sportback is in fact six millimetres taller and six millimetres wider, so there’s a fraction more rear legroom and head room as a result. Don’t expect acres of space though, six-footers will find it hard to squeeze in the back, although an extra 11cm of headroom makes a difference. Boot space is on a par with the three-door at 270 litres, or 920 litres with the seats down.

Besides the extra doors, there’s a variety of ways you can distinguish the Sportback. A full contrasting roof is available in silver, black or the Daytona grey colour you see here - the Samoa Orange paint is also unique to the Sportback. The good news is despite a roof that’s higher and extends a few millimetres further, there’s no penalty in terms of style.

For such a compact car, there’s a huge range of engines to pick from, all fitted with stop-start. The cleanest is the 104bhp 1.6 TDI diesel with economy of 74.3mpg and emissions of 99g/km. The fastest is the 182bhp 1.4 TFSI, capable of 0-62mph in seven seconds, and the cheapest is the 85bhp 1.2 TFSI costing from £13,980. There’s also a 120bhp 1.4 TFSI and joining the range from the summer will be two brand-new engines - the 141bhp 2.0 TDI and a 138bhp 1.4 TFSI.

We drove the latter, which features a development of the cylinder shutdown technology already seen on the 4.0-litre V8 fitted to the new S6, S7 and S8. On light throttle loads it cuts two of the four cylinders, enough to boost economy by around 5mpg if you drive at a constant 30mph.

With all four-cylinders firing away though, and the turbo on boost, this is a cracking little engine. It revs smoothly and quickly, and the throaty exhaust note sounds great. It feels quick too, with only 1,125kg to haul along. Low weight makes for agile handling, and the Sportback dives into corners with all the enthusiasm of the three-door. The steering doesn’t have the same level of feedback as a MINI, but it rides better, even on the firmer suspension fitted to our Sport model. An electronic differential, which gently brakes the wheel with least grip, works wonders too – helping to resist understeer and maximising grip during cornering.

On our twisting test route, the two-cylinder mode didn’t have a chance to engage very often, but when we encountered a straight or downhill section of road, the switchover was imperceptible. Considering how popular stop-start has become, this fuel saving technology looks like being the next big thing.

Personalising small cars, like the Citroen DS3 and MINI, is big business nowadays, and the A1 Sportback’s interior can be customised in a range of garish colours, ranging from white to lime green. Raid the options list and you can go for wheels in sizes from 15-18 inches, sat-nav with 3D Google maps and upgrade to a 14-speaker Bose stereo. Order the latest MMI 3G system, and it allows you to connect your phone via Bluetooth and turn the entire car into a wi-fi hotspot.

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FOR an auto aficionado, Auto Expo is the Mahakumbh of the Indian automobile industry. The car, no matter how big or small, no matter which make or who makes it, has always been an aspirational object of desire. The car, any car, is beautiful if not gorgeous. It is sensuous, it is exciting, it promises speed, it promises freedom. To satiate this desire, there is a tremendous upsurge of demand for this personal mode of transport. Ironically, the sales figures for the last three months of 2011 were quite dismal.

Despite the not-so-bright scenario, major foreign manufacturers made their announcements, their plans and operations on a very positive and optimistic note. This clearly reflected the future potential of the Indian automobile market.

Skoda, which has completed 10 years of operations in India, recorded a 50 per cent increase in the sales in 2011. The new Rapid Saloon, introduced at Diwali last year, has been a major contributor in accelerating the sales. As a commitment of Skoda’s confidence in the Indian market, Dr Winfried Vahland, Chairman of the board of directors, Skoda auto, said, "We are putting our gas foot down in India and are set to keep on raising our sales here!"

Alan Mullaly, CEO of Ford, US, has ambitious plans for the Eco Sport, an urban SUV, a global car whose Indian avatar is to yet to be finalised. While unveiling the Eco Sport at the Taj Palace, Alan Mullaly said. "India is a key element of Ford’s global strategy.

As soon as the satin cover on the Eco Sport was removed, Alan Mullaly bent down and kissed the Eco Sport! "It was in this very room, two years ago that I launched the Figo!," said Alan emotionally, no doubt hoping for a repeat performance from the Eco Sport. He also promised that Ford would bring out a total of eight models by 2015. The new Ford Fiesta and the Eco Sport SUV being the first two.

Toyota, one of the best-known names and one of the world’s largest automobile manufacturers used Auto Expo to launch their new Camry. It is a Lexus look-alike, very generic.

The new Camry has undergone many changes while retaining its top of the class quietness, superb comfort, spaciousness and safety. The new Camry has dual zone A/c with rear A/c vents, a smart entry system with a stop/start push button. Audio, MID and bluetooth phone controls switches on the staring wheel. HID headlamps with auto-levelling and washers, front and rear parking sensors.

Toyota also introduced a two-wheel drive Fortuner. A two-wheel drive Fortuner? Yes! But if you want a two-wheel drive Fortuner, why not buy an Innova, a much more comfortable vehicle? However, the two-wheel drive Fortuner will offer you a four-speed automatic gear box, which has many advantages if you have to confront Delhi-type traffic on a daily basis.

The new Land Cruiser 200 will also be available at all Toyota dealerships across India, as of now as a CBU import. It has a new V-4 5-litre turbo diesel engine, a six-speed automatic transmission focusing in both low-speed and high-speed driving.

One of the most exciting off-road vehicles is a Quad. A four-wheel motorbike. Sounds crazy, that is because it’s a brand new invention. It is a go-anywhere vehicle but is not street legal. One of the best-known Quad manufacturers is Polaris. It is a true all-terrain vehicle- (ATV). Over the years, it has found favour with the police, fire department, forest rangers, farm purposes, as well as ambulances throughout the world. It is also the perfect recreational and utility toy for big boys.

India’s largest auto manufacturer, Maruti, has jumped onto the MPV band wagon. They launched the Ertiga, a compact and versatile MPV with seven seats in a three-row configuration. Having the style of a sedan, it will be available with a 1.4-litre petrol (new advance K 14 D engine) or diesel 1.3 litre D 13A engine.

Another SUV on show was the RiO. Based on a Daihatsu (Japanese) platform but sourced from Zotye Group (China), it is being marketed by Premier (former Premier Automobiles Ltd.) India! What is it? "It is a segment creation and perfect for those who want a truly different vehicle and driving experience", said Maitreya Doshi, CMD Premier Ltd.

Renault, a recent entry into India, officially launched the Pulse. A 1500-CC diesel engine will be on offer. It is a compact hatchback but has all the attributes of a premier variant. Renault also plans to launch the Duster, an SUV, by Diwali this year.

Hyundai, the country’s largest exporter and second largest manufacturer, launched the sixth-generation Sonata. An extremely good-looking car, the new Sonata is crafted on the principles of fluidic sculpture. It has six airbags, ABS, EBD, ESP, rear new cameras and smart key with a push-button start, cruise control paddle shift, 10-way power adjustable seat for the driver.

The new Elantra is sporty, stylish and also built on the fluidic sculpture. It is available in 1.8-litre petrol dual VTVT and 1.6-litre VGT diesel, in both automatic and manual transmission.

The motor bike manufacturers are looking backwards. Royal Enfield did not have much trouble because the Bullet has changed a lot over the years but still retains its nostalgic character. The latest is the 500-CC, single-cylinder Thunderbird.

Piaggio has introduced their most famous and iconic product, the Vespa. It needs no introduction because the Vespa has been on Indian streets for more than half a century. The new avatar in chrome and sparkling polish is eye- catching and breathtaking. Even though the looks are retro, the technology is contemporary.

Another old timer, Triumph, has introduced some state-of-the-art technology motor bike, the Bonneville and Tiger are from the past whereas the Speed Triple, Street Triple, Storm and Daytona are the new entries.

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If this week's Detroit motor show is anything to go by, then the Japanese are serious this time. Again. What you see here in official pictures is the all-new NSX in concept form wearing Acura, Honda's posh nameplate.

Fans outside the US need not worry because markets where Acura isn't represented will get it as Honda _ like the original model that was built from 1990-2005.

Honda has had quite a tumultuous time with development of its second-generation NSX (as you can read in the accompanying sidebar), despite a glamorous history of motor racing and sporty cars like the S2000, as well.

Just when it planned to roll out the new NSX after the ASC show car's debut in 2006, the world recession was on the horizon which eventually caused Honda to put the project on ice (and withdraw from F1 racing).

During that time, its compatriot rivals took advantage of the NSX's disappearance. Nissan made wild noises with its giant-slaying, price-cutting GT-R, while Toyota played the halo game for Lexus with the LFA.

And last year, Honda was severely hit by the tsunami in Japan and flooding in Thailand, so it had to hold onto its cash tightly.

Today, it appears Honda can't hold its breath anymore, hence the preview of this NSX. Honda's boss says the new NSX will be made at its Ohio plant in the US within three years.

- Great. Has Lotus helped design this prototype?

Oh no, although we understand your sentiments because the NSX looks like those raft of concept cars Lotus created last year when it susceptibly put the brand up for sale at the Paris motor show.

If you remember the small sports car concept of Honda at last December's Tokyo show, there's an affiliation with it in the NSX _ which is quite a good thing to make sporty cars within a brand familiar.

Note the angular design elements of the NSX that makes it far sharper in appearance than the first model. True, this is still a concept car, but we can only hope that Honda will build it just the way it looks here.

No picture of the interior _ is there one? _ has been disclosed. But given Honda's record of making ergonomic-friendly cabins, the new NSX should be a thoroughly easy car to live with and drive.

Let's not forget that the original NSX set a benchmark for others when it comes to driving ease on a daily basis, in spite of the mid-engine layout that's more or less suitable for driving aficionados.

- Will the engine position be the same?

Yup, according to Honda. But apart from the mid-ship configuration, a new feature for the NSX will be an advanced all-wheel-drive system to handle power distribution of the hybrid powertrain.

Honda isn't going into detail about the engine specs yet, but pundits believe that the 3.7-litre V6 could be sourced from the Legend flagship saloon and coupled to an electric system backed up by lithium-ion batteries. So while Nissan is boosting its V6 petrol with twin turbos, Honda will use electricity to lift power instead.

Honda's 2001 Dualnote concept car could be a useful pointer of the hybrid's goals: 400hp and 18kpl. Honda never made a performance claim, but it appears to be quite imperative that the new NSX must crack the 4.0sec time for the 0-100kph run.

That sounds like a good balance between performance and economy. In fact, Honda has repeatedly said that outright performance isn't the ultimate goal in its new flagship sports car; it must also be eco-friendly and possess a lightweight body.

- Hope they won't slot a CVT 'box into the NSX...

We certainly hope Honda wouldn't, too. When Honda came out with the CR-Z _ the modern-day iteration of the CR-X _ it offered comfort-oriented customers with a CVT automatic (a six-speed manual was rightfully available for driving enthusiasts).

OK, it is understandable that automatic transmission in sports cars is now a must these days due to congested roads, but CVTs really work only in easy-going city cars and not performance cars.

Life has learned that Honda is set to embrace dual-clutch technology because so many of the world's finest are using them: Bugatti, Ferrari and Porsche, as such.

Although Honda has been known to be experimenting with twin-clutchers for quite some time already, it is only now that it is taking such gearbox seriously and is set to use it for the first time in the MDX luxury SUV.

It would eventually be stretched down to the third-generation Jazz B-segment hatch _ due in mid-2013 _ after Honda was inspired by Volkswagen's application in its family cars like the Polo, Golf and Passat.

- Whew! What's the price target of the NSX, you reckon?

That's a question everybody wants to know. But we wager that the new NSX should be in the price vicinity of 10 million baht in Thailand (divide that by three for the rest of the developed world).

That puts it into the territory of the BMW M3, Nissan GTR and Porsche 911. Even better, it would be nice if the NSX undercut these by a small margin yet boast performance and green credentials.

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Nissan Motor India has officially unveiled that it will be producing its internationally acclaimed urban minivan NV200 in India. The car will be called the Evalia, and is expected to be launched later this year. The car joins the Micra and the Sunny in Nissan's made-in-India lineup, and it is expected that the Evalia will join its cousins for export too.

Nissan's seven-seater urban minivan has had a long and illustrious history, but in its latest version it has already won an enviable number of international awards and accolades. More recently, the Evalia which is sold in international markets as the NV200, was chosen as the taxi of choice for New York by its city council.

Nissan has been tight lipped about the specifications of the car, but given its flexibility one can expect the 1.5-litre dCi engine as an option for sure. The car will come with smart features such as a rear-view reversing camera and smart key entry. The features are expected to help this car retain a private-vehicle image. The vehicle is expected to go up against the Toyota Innova in the MPV space. The unveiling of the car also brought on stage Bollywood actor and Nissan brand Ambassador Ranbir Kapoor.

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