TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co said on Monday its new Insight model became the first hybrid to be crowned Japan's best-selling car last month.

The Insight went on sale in Japan in early February as Honda's first real attempt to challenge Toyota Motor Corp's dominance in the gasoline-electric hybrid segment.

A ranking of Japan's top 30 excluding 660cc minivehicles announced by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association showed the Insight selling 10,481 units in April, catapulting it from 21st place in March.

The car, whose main sell is its affordability with a price tag starting at 1.89 million yen ($19,190), was followed by Honda's Fit subcompact.


Toyota's flagship hybrid, the Prius, came in 21st ahead of the launch of its successor third-generation version on May 18.

Honda was the only domestic brand to see its car sales rise in April from the year before.

SOURCE : http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE54A08I20090511

Average gas prices in Denver have risen nearly 19 cents in the last month, according to the American Automobile Association's Daily Fuel Gauge Report.

The average price of a gallon of regular gas in Denver as of Monday is $2.15 and 8/10ths, AAA said. On the same date in April, the average price was $1.96 and 9/10ths.

Monday's price for mid-grade gas in Denver is $2.30 and 9/10ths a gallon, up from $2.10 and 6/10ths a month ago. For premium, it’s $2.41 and 2/10ths, up from $2.20.

A year ago, regular gas in Denver averaged $3.57 and 7/10ths a gallon. The all-time peak price was $4.00 and 6/10ths on July 17, 2008, AAA said.

In Boulder-Longmont, the average price for regular gas was $2.15 and 7/10th Monday, up from $1.98 and 3/10ths a month ago.

For now, increased demand is pushing up the price investors are willing to pay for a barrel of crude oil, according to the AAA. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude oil closed up $1.22, at $54.42 per barrel, on Monday. Crude oil has been trading around $50 a barrel this spring, up from around $30 over the winter, the AAA said.

The Fuel Gauge Report is compiled for the AAA by the Oil Price Information Service with the help of Wright Express.

SOURCE : http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/05/11/daily13.html

A shared anniversary for a legendary display and BMW led to double the fun at Lake Como, writes Bob Montgomery

A UNIQUE PLATFORM for the most beautiful automobiles from the past as well as some of the boldest concept cars from the present, the 80th annual Concorso d'Eleganza took place in the glorious location of the Grand Hotel Villa d'Este and the Villa Erba in Cernobbio on the shores of Lake Como.

This year's event was a double anniversary, for sponsor BMW Group was also celebrating 80 years since it produced its first automobile, giving rise to several special displays of BMW cars at the event.

Also celebrated at the Concorso D'Eleganza was 100 years of the Bugatti and Morgan marques.

As expected, Bugatti Automobiles SAS displayed a range of examples of this most famous of marques, from the "Tank" Grand Prix car to the last Bugatti Atlantic 57SC built – which is owned by Ralph Lauren.

Four special models of the Bugatti Veyron were also displayed, finished in the racing colours – blue for France, red for Italy, green for Britain and white for Germany.

The four supercars were displayed in front of signs with the names and racing histories of four drivers closely identified with Bugatti's racing success.

One of the surprising aspects of the Concorso d'Eleganza is the very high proportion of cars that have been in the possession of the same family since new.

This sets it apart from that other great Concours d'Elegance event, Pebble Beach in California, where the cars are predominantly in the hands of rich collectors, and reinforces the sense of "old wealth" that predominates the Italian event.

Indeed, speaking to several such owners, the overall impression gained is not so much of a great motoring event as one that marks the commencement of the “season”.

The cars on display were subject to a pre-selection process so that only six examples were displayed in each class.

Very much the crème de la crème – and what a selection! A small number of the most interesting included a Mercedes 500K from 1936, which had until recently been part of the collection of Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, a spectacular yellow Rolls-Royce Phantom 1 Sedanca Town Car from 1933 similar to the model in the film The Yellow Rolls-Royce, and a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso model from 1963, which was for a long time owned by the actor Steve McQueen.

Cars with a competition history were also well represented, and here pride of place must go to a superb Porsche 356 Glöckler from 1952.

Walter Glöckler was a successful Frankfurt motor dealer for whom six examples of a super lightweight Porsche 356 were built.

With an aluminum body and a hard top by the coachbuilder Weidenhausen, six were apparently built – with the example on display believed to be the sole survivor.

Two other cars must be mentioned. First of these is the wacky BMW 2800 from 1969 – a sort of Fiat X1/9 on steroids, also designed by Bertone and based on BMW 2500 running gear and first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1969.

Not part of the competition, but shown for the first time outside the BMW Museum, was the BMW Gina Light study which was undoubtedly the car that drew the greatest crowds and greatest reaction.

The Gina Light pushes the limits of contemporary materials and production processes far into the future.

This is most evident in the practically seamless outer skin, made of an elastic textile material which is stretched over a moveable framework.

While this is the single feature which attracts the most attention – and lots of finger-poking – the Gina Light abounds in clever details such as the wing and central mirror design.

Best of the Show was awarded by the international jury to a sublime Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B (1938). Fittingly, this was the choice of not just the jury but also of the public vote.

The Concorso d’Eleganza is an evocation of the grand era which was the heyday of many of the cars present and provides a magnificent setting in which to view and appreciate the glory of a bygone age of car design. Long may it continue.

SOURCE : http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/motors/2009/0506/1224245988366.html