With the car show season just over the horizon (the Paris Motor Show kicks off next month), automotive news is slowly starting to trickle in with some new models, fresh takes on older cars, and some incredibly innovative concepts that may not even have working prototypes yet. It’s hard to keep up sometimes, so here is a short summary of the week for the world of cars, trucks, motorcycles, sport utility vehicles, and a variety of other people-movers.


The University of Minnesota has joined forces with Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science, and they’re working on a vehicle that can literally run on water. This technique will mostly be deployed in a fuel cell-powered car to generate hydrogen fuel. The goal is to have a working prototype by 2009.

If high-powered, lightweight roadsters are more your foray, then take a look at the R1 from Javan Sports Cars. The British automaker has put together a 1,430 pound car with 220 horsepower, a 0-60 time of 3.6 seconds, and a 12.2 second quarter mile.

By 2015, Ford predicts that we will no longer be able to buy a car with a four speed automatic transmission, finding continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) and 6-speed auto gearboxes instead. Ford is also working on a gas cap-less solution for the 2008 model year.

We could be the cusp of seeing the official launch of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, because the carmaker has issued the 2006 Lancer Evo SE, the final update to the Evolution IX bodystyle.

It’s far from being official company issue, but I came across a Subaru Impreza STi-powered ATV. Four-wheeling was never so much fun, especially considering the 230hp put out by the turbocharged engine.

Peugeot may not be particularly well known around these parts, but they are a legend in the World Rally Championship. Now, they have a 700hp super sedan known as the 908 RC. It’s classy, but it’s also f&*%ing fast.