Toyota has delivered its 400,000th hybrid in Europe, marking a huge milestone for the Japanese automaker. Their entrance into the European hybrid market began back in 2000, and since then there has been three generations of their popular Prius and more recently, the Auris Hybrid in 2010.

MINI has been experiencing tremendous success in America and it appears that the cute British brand has no plans to slow down. There are now reports that MINI is strongly considering bringing its diesel powerplants to the U.S. and could be turning John Cooper Works into a sub-brand tuning division, similar to BMW‘s M models.

Titled “Sled”, Suzuki will be showing off their all-wheel drive 2012 Kizashi sport sedan for this year’s Super Bowl commercial. The Kizashi is also the same vehicle Suzuki showed off in their Super Bowl ad last year, which was the company’s first ever.

The ad was developed by Siltanen & Partners Advertising, and hopes to illustrate the “exhilaration one can receive from upgrading their ordinary daily driver with a more entertaining mode of transportation.” Unfortunately not many of us can relate from having to use a dog sled as a method of transportation, but we think you get the point.

The ad won’t be the only thing Suzuki is kicking off on Super Bowl Sunday. The automaker will also be giving away BARKCODE tags to the first 1,000 consumers to register on www.KizashiKicks.com/sled. Each BARKCODE tag is a personalized pet identification tag with a scannable 2D code, allowing pet owners to be reunited if their furry friends become lost or misplaced during a natural disaster. With each tag ordered, BARKCODE will donate $3.00 on behalf of Suzuki to the American Red Cross.

Watch the commercial after the break.

Of the major Japanese Automakers, Nissan Motors has been one of the least affected by natural disasters and the strengthening yen, effectively minimizing exposure to regional risks by erecting facilities overseas.

While past reports have suggested that the Dodge Avenger is dead, speculation has apparently been a bit premature. Chrysler/ Fiat have plans for a number of new cars in the future including the introduction of new midsize sedans which will update the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger for 2013. The new Avenger and 200 will be based on the Dodge Dart platform. Chrysler/Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne also intends to have a Chrysler premium compact hatchback in the mix, known for now as the “Chrysler 100.” If given the ‘okay’ for production, then the Chrysler hatch will be exported as Fiat European luxury brand Lancia as well.

Hyundai has made incredible gains in the global market, challenging larger automakers in markets they once dominated. While Volkswagen has globally sold a record number of vehicles in 2011, Hyundai Motors and its Kia affiliate have exceeded VW’s numbers in the United States. According to senior analyst of auto website Edmunds.com Jessica Caldwell, “Hyundai offers compelling design at an affordable price– a win-win for must consumers. Brand exposure has long been the problem for Hyundai, but that has certainly eased.” The South Korean automaker has made some smart moves to gain publicity, including ads aired during the Super Bowl as well as the company’s sponsorship of the World Cup.

A showcase of compact, economic, and intelligent cabin design and ergonomics, Volkswagen reveals the 5-door version of its Up! city-car. Other than the addition of two extra doors for easier accessibility and a more conservative side profile that will further enhance rear visibility, the 5-door version is identical in wheelbase and interior dimensions. Power is available either via a 60-horsepower, 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine or a 75 horsepower version. Cargo space within the Up! is nearly 9 cubic feet and can be expanded to 33.6 cubic feet once the rear bench is folded down.  Volkswagen expects to see nearly half of total Up! sales made up of the five-door.

While small cars have had a difficult time catching on in North America, it seems as if cars in the UK market could never be small enough. A group of businessmen in the United Kingdom decided to resurrect the Peel brand and are now taking orders for both the Trident and P50 models.

0-60 times have not been measured as both Peel models are speed limited to 28 mph. The Peel Trident and P50 weigh 130 lbs and 198 lbs respectively, and are powered by either a 49cc two-stroke producing a peppy 3.35 horsepower or by two trims of electric motors. The first electric motor makes 1.6-hp at 2.5 lb-ft of torque while a more powerful 4-hp motor is available. Both electric motors deliver an operating range of approximately 50 miles.

As for the price, a Peel can be yours at prices starting just under $11,000. While this may sound like a lot of money for not a lot of car, it is worth noting that this little machine is one of Jeremy Clarkson’s favorite automobiles, as the video after the jump demonstrates:

Just when an earlier study suggested that teenagers today prefer owning smartphones and electronic devices over owning a car, a local study by news channel Sacramento News10 revealed that there is a resurgence of manual transmission automobiles for young drivers.

GM continued flexing their marketing prowess with a new promotion for the Chevy Sonic, creating the world’s largest claw game on Hollywood Boulevard out in Los Angeles.

The five-story 3D projection of a claw game was created on the side of The Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California and even won itself a spot in the Guiness World Book of Records for being the world’s largest claw game. Passer-bys were able to line up for a chance to use a human-sized joystick to direct the claw – which was essentially a huge projection on the side of the building – and had a chance to win prizes. The top prize of course was a brand new 2012 Chevy Sonic, but other prizes included a $4,000 vacation and a Burton snowboard.

Check out a video after the break showcasing the concept behind the World’s Largest Claw Game and how it all worked.

[Source: Autoblog]

Nissan has a reason to celebrate now that their electric vehicle, the Leaf, has achieved its milestone of 10,000 vehicles sold in the US. The Leaf, which first hit the American market in December 2010, still isn’t available in all 50 states – though Nissan looks to rectify that by March of this year.

Surely the impressive sales figure proves that American consumers are open to the idea of electric vehicles. In fact, we would go so far as to say that the worldwide market is embracing EVs as Nissan has sold 20,000 Leafs globally. The Leaf’s impressive sales figures trump all other OEMs combined sales of electric vehicles throughout the world – though that’s not saying much, considering there isn’t much competition out there as of yet.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Leaf stays strong in the sales category once the Ford Focus Electric and even the Honda Fit EV hit the marketplace.

[Source: AutoBlog Green]

Read AutoGuide’s Nissan Leaf Review here and watch our review below:

Volkswagen has confirmed the development of a production version of the mini hot hatch Up! GT.

At the recent Tokyo Auto Salon, Toyota motorsports partner GRMN worked with the Japanese auto giant to introduce a turbocharged version of the popular Vitz (Yaris) compact. While the car on exhibit may be a one-off, Toyota is reportedly planning to shift its focus to downsized, turbocharged, direct-injection engines rather than focusing only on gas-electric hybrid technology.

Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik recently confirmed that they’ll be supplying Chrysler with the six-speed automatic transmission that will be found in the new Dodge Dart.

The 2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI is set to make its debut at the upcoming Chicago Auto Show. Though there aren’t any confirmed details yet on the diesel-powered Beetle, it’s expected to feature a 2.0L turbocharged, inline-four in its engine bay.

Look, we get it. Everyone wants to be a little optimistic when a new model hits the streets, especially when it’s one of Italy’s most iconic compact cars.

Italian coachbuilder Castagna Milano has their eyes set on the American market, and to lead their entrance is a stretched Fiat 500 limo in three different variants: LimoSun, LimoCity and LimoCity Presidential.

It appears that the Japanese have also embraced Italy’s compact Fiat 500, but this was hardly what we expected from a Japanese tuner. Office-K out in Japan got their hands on a limited edition Fiat Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari and figured it’d look a whole lot better in chrome.

The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari comes in its own Scuderia Red finish, but Office-K didn’t really care for that shade. They wrapped the entire compact in chrome vinyl while applying racing stripes in Italy’s infamous colors. Surprisingly nothing else was done to the vehicle, leaving the upgraded 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder with 180-hp.

Abarth’s 695 Tributo Ferrari features its own aero package, 17-inch wheels, Brembo brakes, carbon mirrors, “Record Monza” dual exhaust and suspension upgrades as well. On the inside, Abarth outfits the Tributo Ferrari with a pair of carbon fiber bucket seats, flat-bottomed leather steering wheel with red inserts, and carbon fiber trim.

Check out a video showing off the shiny, chrome Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari after the break.

[Source: Carscoop]

In a deal eclipsing $410 million, DRB-Hicom purchased a 43 percent stake in Proton, a Malaysian automaker better known for its ownership of the famous British sports car brand, Lotus.

We’ve seen a lot of strange things come out of Japan’s aftermarket over the years, but this might be the most ridiculous thing yet. Relax Cabin, a Japanese aftermarket company, specializes in camper conversions and apparently thought Toyota Prius owners would have a demand for such a thing.

BMW is currently cooperating with NHTSA to recall 88,911 MINI Cooper models that were sold between 2007 to 2011 for fire risk. Affected models include the 2007-2011 MINI Cooper S, 2008-2011 MINI Cooper S Clubman, 2009-2011 MINI Cooper S Convertible and additional variants manufactured between November 2006 to January 2011.

Hyundai might still be under fire by consumers that aren’t having such stellar mpg results with their Elantra, but the Korean automaker had no problems announcing that they’ve achieved the 36-mpg corporate average fuel economy four years ahead of the US government’s rule for 2016.

Finally, after just more than a decade, Ford is bringing out an all-new Escape compact sport utility vehicle, or perhaps we should say, crossover utility vehicle.

At the 2012 Montreal International Auto Show, Scion brought a trio of Release Series vehicles out to display for the Canadian market. This is the first time Scion’s Release Series vehicles have ever been to a Canadian auto show.

One of numerous Mazdas on display at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, the Demio (sold as the Mazda2 in North America) Smart Stylish, delivers as promised with a classy look that adds some luxury appeal to this sub-compact.

Rumors are brewing that Chrysler may be considering dropping their Dodge Avenger within three years in order to focus on the better-selling Chrysler 200 sedan – which is built on the same platform as the Avenger.

The Dodge Dart is being billed as Chrysler– Fiat‘s foray into the increased efficiency market that is growing quickly in the U.S. Now, Dodge customers who are already planning on buying one when they become available in 2013 have a little more to look forward to.

The fuel wars are heating up as automakers search for new ways to squeeze more mileage out of their cars. While some might take this chance to preach doom and gloom for future cars, Chrysler– Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne isn’t ready to call the Road Warrior just yet.

Despite less-than-glowing reviews, Nissan‘s Versa sub-compact continues to dominate its segment. In December, Nissan moved 9,939 Versas, nearly double that of its nearest competitor, while giving the Versa an incredible 24.2 percent market share dominance in a segment that is populated by 13 models.

Honda has announced its lineup of vehicles for the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon, the automotive aftermarket expo of Japan. The Honda exhibit will feature a variety of models including automobiles, motorcycles, power products, racing vehicles and other highlights in order to convey the joy of mobility and motorsport excitement.

Pricing for the Fiat 500 Abarth model has finally been announced, starting at $22,000 making it cheaper than the Volkswagen GTI, MINI Cooper S and (presumably) the Hyundai Veloster Turbo.

It seems that Volkswagen, Europe’s largest automobile manufacturer, has no intention of slowing down. Sales results for 2011 revealed a sales gain of another 14.3 percent from last year. In a single December, Volkswagen completed 650,000 deliveries. However, the most staggering statistic of all is that Volkswagen Group delivered more than 8 million vehicles for the first time in a twelve-month period.

As with all new products, analysts are quick to analyze its success after its first year of sales. When Nissan reported that its Leaf electric vehicle sales tallied 9,674 units last year, industry analysts claimed that the poor sales number proved that a market does not exist for electric propulsion.

The compact car category continues to grow and is increasingly becoming the most important and highest volume segment in America. For years Chrysler hasn’t had a competitive offering, something it is looking to change with the all-new Dodge Dart.

The 2012 Nissan Cube is getting a little more expensive, though not by a significant margin. The company chose to raise the base price $260 to $15,760, which includes a $780 destination charge.

The Chevrolet Volt ended the last month of 2011 with its best month of sales to date. Having sold 1,529 Volts in December, GM ended its full year of Volt sales at a total of 7,671 units for 2011.

Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest auto company, is set to unveil the new XAα concept car at the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo.

The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic is besting the competition for safety ratings, for now. The little sub-compact Sonic scored a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to beat out the Ford Fiesta, which only scored four out of five.

We’ve been hearing rumors of a new “global” B-segment crossover from Ford for some time. Now, the Blue Oval has officially revealed details on its latest EcoSport, unveiled at the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo this week.

2011 marked another year of success for South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate Kia. Having capitalized on its Japanese rivals’ year of challenges, sales for Hyundai and Kia have climbed like a rocket.

The Honda Civic continues to dominate the Canadian market as year after year it is the best selling passenger car in the country. For 14 years now Canadians have sworn by the Civic and rewarded Honda with the number one spot.

Volkswagen‘s popular Passat out in Europe is overdue for a refresh and it appears that one will be coming in 2014. Rumor has it that the 2014 Passat model will be built on the new MQB platform which can also be seen on Audi‘s A3 and Volkswagen’s Golf.

Since Fiat restored Chrysler after its humbling bankruptcy, the third American automaker has been reinvigorated, and boasts industry leading statistics in growth.

While the 2012 Honda Civic has clearly not impressed the staff at Consumer Reports, the same can’t be said for its smaller sibling the Fit.

Japanese automakers have ended 2011 worse for wear as the March 11 Japan earthquake as well as the rising yen exchange rate significantly damaged business. Unfortunately, Honda starts 2012 with new challenges.

We won’t mind if you want to take a second to rub your eyes to make sure you’re not seeing things. This 1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle is quite possibly the cleanest classic Beetle in the world and with 445-miles on the odometer since it was fully rebuilt, it’s more than worth the $21,900 price tag.

Chevy is recalling certain 2012 Sonics, manufactured between June 2, 2011,through November 21, 2011 because of brake system issues.

Russian automaker Yo-Auto is promising to deliver the country’s first hybrid car in 2012. The company, founded by billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, hopes to sell “peoples’ cars” for under $10,000 each for their first models.

Now those vehicles for under $10,000 won’t be hybrids naturally given the price tag, but the pre-orders are allowing customers to choose either standard petrol or CNG and either in two- or four-wheel-drive options. Standard equipment on Yo-Auto’s cars will include touchscreen control panel, GPS navigation system, automatic ICE start/stop while a rearview camera will be optional.

More recently however, Yo-Auto has been racing a hybrid car utilizing a rotary vane engine that works on both petrol and natural gas that’s linked to a pair of electric motors. This hybrid also uses a super capacitor rather than a lithium-ion battery pack.

Not many details surround the potential hybrid Yo-Auto is looking to produce, nor is there many details on their production model. But Yo-Auto’s website shows that a light commercial truck and a passenger CUV are also in the works.

Prokhorov is more well known in America as the owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team and recently announced that he intends to run for the Russian presidency in 2012. Currently Yo-Auto has an annual production capacity of 45,000 vehicles. They intend to double that amount after a second stage of the plant is built.

Check out a video after the break of Yo-Auto’s vehicle that was on display at the Frankfurt Auto Show this year.

[Source: Hybridcars]

Efficiency is the new black for automakers and consumers alike. Even Porsche customers can get their gas guzzling Cayenne fix in a more efficient hybrid now or diesel soon, which is why it might come as a surprise that two new fuel-efficient guppies in the veritable ocean that is the U.S. car market seem to be floundering.

VW calls all their efficient models BlueMotion, and is taking the same approach to their factories. Their “Think Blue Factory” is an initiative they have launched to make all their factories more environmentally friendly by 2018. By way of using less energy and creating fewer wastes, VW hopes to clean their factories by reducing the environmental impact by 25%.

Mitsubishi has achieved decent amounts of success with the i-MiEV electric car in its home land, and also in Europe, where this model is also sold badged as a Peugeot iOn.

Hyundai has launched an inventive social marketing program called the “HYUNDAI RACE” at Times Square, one of the busiest city cross streets in the world. By downloading a controller app from the iTunes app store, participants can enjoy the HYUNDAI RACE featuring the all-new Hyundai Veloster on a prominent billboard via Hyundai WiFi.

South Korean automakers have been on a roll for the past two years and there are no signs of letting off. A radical departure from Hyundais of the past, the new Hyundai Veloster earned  GOOD DESIGN award in the transportation category. Held at the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design, GOOD DESIGN awards are handed annually to the most innovative designers in a broad array of industries– not just automotive.

After the Chevrolet Volt’s battery fire hazard debacle, electric vehicles have received intense scrutiny over the integrity of battery cells. To answer these concerns, Nissan has stepped forward to address the strength of its Leaf electric vehicle without the direct mentioning of controversies.

What started out as a nice recreational drive “with no particular destination” turned into a fight for survival as Arizona State University Senior Lauren Elizabeth Weinberg was found stranded with her Toyota Corolla in a heavy snowstorm in northeastern Arizona for 10 days.

No real surprises here, but Chrysler has finally pulled the plug on the  Dodge Caliber’s production in anticipation to the unveiling of the all-new Dodge Dart next month at the Detroit Auto Show.

Hyundai is slightly increasing the price for their 2012 Sonata Hybrid, bumping the MSRP by $55 to $26,610 compared to the 2011 model. Also new for the 2012 model will be a Leather Package, priced at $1,500, offering leather seats, steering wheel and shift knob.

To make room for expanding model research and development on the home front, Toyota Motor Corp has appointed its European division to lead global product planning for small cars.

Honda is offering an extended 10-year/120,000-mile warranty to 2006-2011 Civic Hybrid owners due to a possible gas leak. And while it’s a little strange that there’s no recall for the 80,000 or so impacted vehicles, we’re pretty sure owners are going to be just fine with such a nice and lengthy warranty from Honda.

Just as Honda announced it’ll be refreshing the Civic for next year, hoping everyone will quickly forget about the 2012 model, Consumer Reports goes and gives the 2012 Honda Civic Si a “Recommended” rating in its latest report.