Mitsubishi Lancer VR4 Station Wagon

A member of the Dutch ‘Galantfans’ forum came up with this rendering depicting a sporty station wagon version of the new Mitsubishi Lancer (Galant Fortis in Japan). Although it’s apparent that the ‘chop’ was made by mating the body of a… VW Passat Variant (check out the mirrors) to the front-end of the Lancer along with adding a set of tasty alloys that are housed in blown up wheel arches, the overall result looks very promising.

Nissan Raises GT-R MSRP By Нearly $7,000

Nissan announced today a price increase for the 2009 GT-R, raising the MSRP nearly $7,000 from $69,850 to $76,840. The price for the Premium model has been increased even more, going from $71,900 to $79,090 in one fell swoop. Fortunately, the adjusted prices do not affect customers who placed their orders with dealers before September 5. Nissan cited increased material costs as the reason for the adjustment.

Since the GT-R is already one of the best performance bargains on the market today and customers are paying a premium to own one, we doubt that the price increase will have any effect on sales. Still, $7,000 is a serious chunk of change that could go towards aftermarket toys from Cobb Tuning or HKS.

2009 Honda Insight To Be World's Cheapest Hybrid

Honda will debut its Toyota Pirus challenger, the new Honda Insight as a concept car at the 2008 Paris Motor Show next month. Touted as being the least expensive hybrid in the world, the Insight hatchback is going to hit the market in 2009 with a possible base price of $18,500. It will share styling cues with the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle as can be seen from Honda's official pictures for the upcoming concept.

The Insight Concept defines a new stage in the evolution of hybrid technology by utilizing a more cost-efficient version of Honda's Integrated Motor Assist™ (IMA™) hybrid technology. The production Insight will be offered as a five-door, five-passenger hatchback. Numerous technologies, including a function to assist customers in achieving more fuel efficient driving habits, will be applied to achieve a further improvement in real world fuel efficiency.

Along with the Civic Hybrid, the new vehicle will be produced at an expanded hybrid vehicle production line at the Suzuka factory in Japan. The Insight is expected to have annual global sales of 200,000 units per year - approximately 100,000 in North America. Following the launch of the new Insight, Honda also plans to introduce another unique sporty hybrid vehicle based on the CR-Z, first shown at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show.

The original Honda Insight was introduced in December 1999 as America's first gas-electric hybrid car. The first vehicle to break the 70-mpg fuel economy barrier, Insight was designed from the ground up to demonstrate the potential for fuel-economy in a two-seater subcompact automobile.

Source: Hybrid Cars
Read More On: Honda

Photo Gallery: Honda Insight Concept Hybrid High-Res Pictures.