mazda2

Steam-powered engines have been around for about 300 years, but they've never been known for amazing speeds. Now, a company in Florida and a streamliner designer from Tennessee are building a steam-powered streamliner vehicle.

Cyclone Power Technologies today announced it is working to "complete installation of the engine, gearbox, and fiberglass body" of the Cyclone-Williams LSR streamliner--a steam-powered car that could set a new land speed record.

More traditional land speed record-breaking streamliner vehicles, such as Poteet & Main's Speed Demon, can reach speeds of more than 450 mph, with 1045 hp and 672 pound-feet of … Read more

We look at a real swagger wagon from Toyota, find some cool-looking Honda hybrids, sit in a new supercar from McLaren, and drive the lowest tech car we've seen this year.

• SEMA 2010

• Toyota debuts Swagger Wagon Supreme

• Honda CR-Z concepts and special editions

• Sneak peek: McLaren's most lust-worthy supercar

• Aston Martin transponder watch

OnStar to show up in retail stores, Chrysler backs away from hybrids and electric cars, can technology end crashes in intersections, and we drive the new 2011 Ford Fiesta--was it worth the wait?

? Porsche 918 hybrid gets the green light--bring $500 grand.

? Chrysler scales back on electric cars for now

? OnStar soon coming to retail stores?

? CNET review of the 2011 Ford Fiesta

? CNET drives the production-ready Nissan Leaf

A Japanese town near Tokyo is about to become a test community for cars that run mainly on solar energy, several companies announced Wednesday.

Through a partnership with Mazda, Think Global, EnerDel, and Japanese conglomerate Itochu among others, Tsukuba City will be testing cars that rely on solar-generated electricity for their batteries, which will be rapid-charged at stations at local FamilyMart stores.

Mazda2 vehicles (known as the Mazda Demio in Japan) have been outfitted with all-electric drive trains made by Think containing EnerDel lithium ion batteries.

Solar panels attached to stationary grid-storage units designed by EnerDel will also have rapid-charging … Read more

HIROSHIMA, Japan--Mazda Motor is bumping up the North American launch of the 2011 Mazda2 by about two months to meet dealer demand for the five-door hatchback.

U.S. and Canadian dealers now will get the car in early summer instead of late summer as originally planned, said spokesman Garett Carr. He did not give a specific launch date.

"Since the Mazda2 made its debut at the Los Angeles auto show last December, we have had a tremendous response from consumers and dealers," Mazda Motor Corp. President Takashi Yamanouchi said at the Canadian International Auto Show last month.

The … Read more

Remember when the bottom dropped out of the economy and everyone was screaming for small, inexpensive, and fuel efficient cars? Well, they're here; and they're in Los Angeles.

Small cars ruled the roost at the 2009 LA Auto Show, with marquees such as the Ford Fiesta, the Mazda Mazda2, and the VW Up Lite attracting a lot of attention and stealing the spotlight from bigger more powerful cars.

Check out our gallery of small cars at the 2009 LA Auto Show for a closer look.

The Mazda Mazda2, 2008 World Car of the Year, finally gets its North American debut in U.S. production trim. However, while the diminutive B-segment hatch was certainly on display at the 2009 LA Auto Show, Mazda was surprisingly shy with the details. We weren't even allowed to take interior photos, which doesn't exactly bode well for a vehicle that's scheduled to launch as early as summer 2010.

What we do know is that the Mazda2 will feature a front MacPherson strut and rear torsion-beam axle setup that's similar to the European variant. The subcompact is … Read more

Mazda, EnerDel, Think Global, and others are partnering on a test project that will pair all-electric cars with stationary storage units as charging stations, EnerDel and Mazda announced this past week.

Mazda plans to convert some of its Mazda2 vehicles (known as the Mazda Demios in Japan) to all-electric cars running a Think drivetrain with EnerDel lithium ion batteries.

The cars will be offered to Japanese customers through a rental car program, called the Tsukuba Environmental Style Test Project, which should be up and running by March 2010 in Tsukuba City, Japan, near Tokyo, according to Mazda.

U.S. battery … Read more