DP Motoring: Stepping on the gas

The mighty MG Rover Group is going all-out for cleaner air, and has just announced a liquefied petroleum gas conversion option for new and used Rover and MG 1.8 models.

The conversion, which can switch between petrol and Liquefied petroleum gas at the touch of a button, uses the more widely [...]

Driving a hardy bargain
Cars built in countries with low labour costs used to have an image problem. They were cheap, old- fashioned and badly built, and only people really desperate for a new car bought them.
They still have an image problem, but many cars from the same old manufacturers (Skoda, Lada) and newer ones [...]

Just over a year ago, this was no more than a concept car designed by a team of Honda ‘mavericks’ during their evenings and weekends.

Then code-named the J-WJ, it was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show at the end of 1997 but made its debut in UK showrooms last week.

This is unusually quick. And the [...]

Many manufacturers believe hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) will be the next generation car. At least, that was the feeling at the recent Tokyo Motor Show held in Makuhari Messe in Japan’s Chiba Prefecture. HEVs offer lower exhaust emissions and high fuel efficiency, satisfying both air quality regulations and consumer demands. The next challenge automakers are [...]

There was a time when concept cars at an auto show were just that – concept only. It was rare when even a hint of the concept car ever made it into actual production.

Today, it’s different. It is too expensive for auto manufacturers to build a concept car just for show. There has to be [...]

Alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) are being developed by the US automobile industry to meet the requirements in producing efficient but less-emission vehicles and compete with the AFVs manufactured by Japan. During the Tokyo Motor Show held in Oct 1997, Toyota Motors Corp unveiled the Prius hybrid electric/gasoline vehicle that will eventually be marketed worldwide. General [...]