The Tokyo Motor Show continues ahead full steam and the latest vehicle on display from Subaru is the Impreza WRX STI Carbon. This vehicle is a tuned version of the regular Impreza WRX STI with a carbon fiber roof, hence its name. Such a light weight roof makes for a lower center of gravity while also reducing its weight making for better handling.

Now, I’m all for the carbon fiber hood but the fact that Subaru plans to ship this vehicle with only a 5-speed automatic transmission makes me a little angry. I mean a rally car really, a rally car without the option for a manual gearbox? What is Subaru thinking?

via wcf

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What you see above is Bentley’s recently announced 2011 Muslanne. If you have to ask the price, then you probably can’t afford it seeing how it is a Bentley and it is brand new.

Anyways, under the hood of this vehicle is an 8 cylinder 6.75 liter twin turbocharged engine capable of 505 horsepower and 752 pounds-per-feet of torque. Transmission wise the Mulsanne is to feature a paddle shifting 8 speed transmission. Futhermore, it will feature carbon ceramic brakes and 20-inch wheels.

Like I said before, if you have to ask the price, you probably can’t afford it. But that doesn’t even matter, because Bentley has yet to announce a price, we’ll keep you posted.

via autoblog

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Groups such as the American Trucking Association have supported the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2009 resulting in safer highways, cleaner air and less costly freight transportation. The bill authorizes states to allow the operation of trucks on the Interstate Highway System with a gross weight of 97,000 pounds. Current law limits the weight of 5-axle trucks traveling on the Interstate System to 80,000 pounds.

The legislation requires that trucks operating above 80,000 pounds must add a sixth axle to compensate for the extra weight. The extra axle adds two more brakes, preventing an increase in stopping distances, and avoids additional pavement damage.

Most importantly, the operation of this new, more efficient vehicle will allow trucking companies to deliver the nation’s freight while making fewer trips. The result will be a reduction in the number of truck-involved crashes, less fuel use — and thus reduced emissions and carbon — and less congestion on our crowded highways. Fewer miles traveled also means less pavement damage, lowering highway maintenance costs.

The bill requires states to report safety and infrastructure cost impacts to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, who is authorized to discontinue operations in a state if safety problems are detected.

(Source) Press

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One car that you can turn to if you are among the motorists looking for a compact fuel-efficient car that adheres to eco-friendly principles has to be the Suzuki Alto. This is a car to soothe any troubled car conscience because it has the lowest officially measured carbon dioxide output of any proper four-seater car that’s powered purely by a petrol engine.

This new Alto, costing from £6,795 to £8,560, fits a well-tried template for a small and frugal car in the spirit of the original Mini. It has a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine, a truncated tail and a necessarily abbreviated boot, and it doesn’t cost much.

The baffling part, though, is that Suzuki already has another smaller than supermini five-door hatchback in the shape of the Hungarian-built Splash, making two cars below the Suzuki Swift which is a standard (and good) modern supermini. This is a product plan in which left hands and right hands aren’t recognisably connected.

(Source) The Independent

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