If rumors are to be believed, it seems that Honda is gearing up to replace the Honda S2000 with a front-wheel drive hybrid. This will come as a shock to those who have come to know and love the S2000 for its iconic RWD design.

Autoblog reports that the car is likely to ditch the F20C engine found in previous model S200s and instead featureHonda’s new hybrid drivetrain that will appear in the new Accord.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of an S2000 replacement but this time the rumors seem to be a bit more solid. We’ll keep you updated as the story unfolds.

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On the heels of the successful launch of the rear-wheel drive Genesis Coupe, Hyundai is focusing on developing a front-wheel drive replacement for the Tiburon sports coupe (or simply Coupe in Europe and other markets). Hyundai Motor America’s CEO John Krafcik revealed some new details in an interview with Inside Line, on the upcoming small coupe which he claimed will look about 70% like the Veloster Concept that was revealed at the 2007 L.A. Show. Krafcik said that the production version of the Veloster will have a surprise bodystyle feature never before seen in the category. “It might be doors or a unique roof or something with the hatch. But it won’t be like anything out there before in the small car segment.”

In terms of size, Krafcik goes on to say that the new model will be quite compact. “It’s Accent-sized. Think of it like a 4-passenger Honda CRX,” he said. “It’ll be a little car you can take out and ring its neck and still get good mileage. Fun and economical, with a great power to weight ratio.  It’ll be powered by a 1.6-liter four cylinder with Direct Injection making 140 hp. And it’ll get over 40 mpg US (5.8lt/100km or 48mpg UK),” he told Iinside Line. We should see this new vehicle in Hyundai’s dealerships before the end of 2011.

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Considered to be more of a production version, the Peugeot is pretty much a rival to Nissan’s successful Qashqai, a family hatch with the height advantage of an SUV. Efficient engines, lightweight and front-wheel-drive keep emissions down to 130g/km. The interior has a new level of plush quality for Peugeot.

The deep bodywork gives a huge boot, which can be subdivided in various ways and is reachable by a handy split tailgate, the lower section is bottom-hinged like a pick-up to give you somewhere to sit for those family picnics where you can’t quite be bothered to walk away from the car park.

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For the potential car buyers on a tight budget, you can turn to the 2010 Ford Fusion and the Mercury Milan for potential vehicles catering to your budget. Aside from that they are fuel-efficient, further sweetening the deal for wise car buying today.

The gas engine-powered and hybrid-electric models leapfrog the competition in every area that counts:

• fuel economy
• power
• technology
• overall value

“We’ve priced Fusion to beat the competition as it does in every area that matters most to customers,” said Chantel Lenard, Ford group marketing manager, Global Small and Medium Cars. “This vehicle does more than compete; it aggressively positions Ford to take back its share of the mid-size car segment and sets the tone for the upcoming Taurus and Fiesta launches.”

The front-wheel-drive Fusion S, with a new fuel-efficient 2.5-liter I-4 engine, has a base price (including $725 destination and delivery) of $19,995; the SE trim level is $20,545; the SEL is $23,975. An optional 3.0-liter V-6 engine also is available on SE and SEL models.

Performance-minded buyers can opt for the Fusion Sport equipped with a new 3.5-liter V-6 engine that produces 263 horsepower and 249 ft.-lb. of torque. Fusion Sport FWD starts at $25,825; AWD at $27,675.

The Mercury Milan ranges from $21,180 (including destination and delivery) for the FWD model with the I-4 engine and six-speed automatic transmission, to $27,800 for the well-equipped Milan Premier AWD model with a fuel-efficient 3.0-liter V-6 engine.

(Source) Press

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One of the least expensive cars in the sub-compacts category is the Suzuki SX4. Replacing the Aerio sedan, this compact car is only available in front wheel drive. All 2009 SX4 models are equipped with a 2.0-liter, 16-valve, 4-cylinder, 143-horsepower engine with manual or automatic transmissions.

The Suzuki has several qualities that put it at the top of the sub-compact class. It’s the longest (177.6 inches), the second heaviest (2,745 pounds) and has the most rear leg room (35.9 inches) of the 14 vehicles listed in the category in automotive consumer publications.

So if you are in the market for an economical car, chances are that you would best consider the Suzuki SX4. It is priced in the market at $17, 639.00.

(Source) The Weekly Driver

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