Ski Doo Tundra 550 Exhaust Pipe Muffler 2010 on 2040-parts.com

Volvo confirms big production increase for V60 Plug-in Hybrid

Volvo has been building around 150 V60 Plug-ins a week at its facility in Torslanda – alongside the regular V60, V70, S80 and XC90 – but that is now set to be upped to 282 cars a week for the rest of 2013, with plans to build at least 10,000 in 2014. The fact is that the V60 is a very appealing estate car already, and bolting a plug-in hybrid setup has turned it in to a big hit in showrooms because the barking mad official economy and emissions system bestows the V60 plug-in with emissions of just 48g/km, making it a real no-brainer in countries where governments blindly tax cars based on their official emissions. That means countries like Holland, where Volvo has received more than 3,000 orders for the V60 Plug-in, and the UK are lapping up the hybrid offering from Volvo as a way to escape big taxes and still have a swift (0-62mph in 6.1 seconds), appealing and stylish car.

Future products: Mitsubishi turns focus to small, global cars

Major updates to Mitsubishi's products are on the back burner as the company concentrates on developing small cars that can be sold around the world. That means the future is uncertain for the Galant, Endeavor and Eclipse and Eclipse Spyder, which Mitsubishi builds in the United States. A top priority is a global small car expected to go on sale here by the end of 2012.

Honda Jazz Hybrid / Honda Fit Hybrid revealed

The Honda Jazz Hybrid will debut at the Paris Motor Show Despite not really believing that Hybrid cars are anything other than a stop-gap (if they’re any use at all in small cars) Honda is pushing forward with its hybrid range by dropping the hybrid bits from the Insight in to the Jazz to make the Honda Jazz Hybrid (in the Americas, China and Japan read that as Honda Fit Hybrid). The Honda Jazz Hybrid – which will be revealed at the Paris Motor Show in just over a month – will be the first B-Segment hybrid to hit the market (supermini in English), and its smaller size may help the Insight’s hybrid bits be a bit more fun. But don’t hold your breath.