Chrysler marks 25 years of minivans with special edition

Over at Chrysler, we suppose any good news is worth celebrating, and the production of more than 12 million minivans during the past 25 years is certainly noteworthy. To mark the occasion, Chrysler is introducing the 25th Anniversary Editions of the Chrysler Town & Country and the Dodge Grand Caravan. Both models will feature new interior color combinations, trims, Stow 'n Go seating, UConnect stereo interface and second- and third-row heated seats.

Tokyo Auto Salon pits performance autos against hybrids

The world's other big January auto show, the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, opened its doors to tuner enthusiasts in mid-month with a record 402 exhibitors. The Auto Salon fuses numerous styles, but the overriding theme this year was hybrid cars, with customized Toyota Priuses and Honda Insights at every turn. Good old-fashioned engine tuning is alive and well in Japan, where even new sports cars are being heavily modified, with cars such as the KRL Mitsubishi Evolution X and the HKS Nissan GT-R both boasting in excess of 600 hp.

Bosch, Aston Martin team up on DB9 hybrid

German engineering firm Bosch has teamed with Aston Martin on a plug-in hybrid version of the venerable DB9. It keeps the 6.0-liter V12, thankfully, and is boosted by electric motors, for a total of more than 740 hp, according to Auto Express. Two motors sit at the front wheels, providing power, making this technically the first all-wheel drive Aston.