Fans everywhere have been waiting for the new S2000 for a while. It seemed like the Japanese manufacturer forgot all about it. At the British International Motor Show in London, Honda revealed the Honda S2000 Concept that we all hope will soon go into production. The waiting cannot go on any longer!

The concept car looks like a close relative of the Honda Civic. The interior is also similar to the Civic, with that un-earthly blue lighting in the background. Also, the concept car uses hybrid technology. We’re pretty sure that is not going to be taken serious by the 2 liter, 200 hp, older Honda S2000 drivers looking for an upgrade. The spare space behind the front seats could house two small seats, arriving at the second important change in the S2000 two-seater philosophy.

One more thing to be taken into evaluation is the possibility of the presence of a hard-top. Honda hasn’t mentioned anything about this, or about a normal canvas roof for that matter, leaving a lot of room to speculations.

We have one thing straight though: this is clearly a great looking car and hope much of those lines make it onto the production line.

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Everybody knows that the Bugatti Veyron is a brilliant car and very sought-after, the producer setting a limit of only 300 cars that will be produced, this number including the Pur Sang, Sang Noir and FBG by Hermes versions. Such a limited number has made the specialists wonder about the plans of future models conceived by the France-based manufacturer, these questions are beginning to be answered because reports are emerging that a successor to the Veyron will be coming most probably in 2011 or 2012.

Details about this model are scarce, the performance specs even non-existent. All that is known, from the words of Franz-Josef Paefgen, CEO of Bugatti, is that the car will be a true successor to all the Bugatti models so far, an evolution of the Veyron, and that it will continue the rich history of the manufacturer. He also stated that the direction followed when they conceived the Veyron will be maintained, in layman’s terms, if it works, don’t change it.

One of the key aspects Bugatti need to figure out with the future model, is the new and more strict emission and pollution regulation. The ideea of smaller, more fuel efficient engines is really killing the whole super-car market. Also, another fact stated by Paefgen, is that they will consider taking this new model onto the car racing scene, probably to prestigious events like the LeMans, which would fit the image of a high class super-car of this model.

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Peugeot unveils the new 308 CC. It's not a radical coupe cabriolet, but it's a gentle evolution of the 307 CC blueprint: a four-seater family hatch turned convertible.

The French company invented the first production opening metal roof back in the 1930s, after a few coachbuilders toyed with low-volume concepts, and then brought them to the mainstream with the 206 CC in 2001. The new 308 CC follows the same formula with a metal roof that somersaults into its loadbed in 20 seconds to leave a completely flat (if long) rear deck.

Naturally, the boot shrinks when the roof is lowered, dipping from 465 litres to 266 when it's stowed. But then every folding hard-top car suffers the same problem.

The styling of the 308 CC is hardly a surprise, but there are one or two interesting design details. The rear lights are made up of LEDs and inside Peugeot has poached Mercedes' Airscarf system, with a new option called Airwave to warm front occupants' necks.

There is also the option of a fully leather lined interior (a first in the class, says Peugeot) and there are some clever touches to protect an open-top car: the central locking now bolts all the cubby holes automatically protecting your belongings if you leave the car parked with the roof down; and there are new chest and head airbags built into the front seats.

It's making its show debut at the Paris motor show in October 2008, with UK sales slated for spring 2009. Expect prices from around £18,000 stretching up to £23,000. The usual array of 308 engines will be offered, including a new Euro 5 compliant 2.0-litre diesel mustering 140bhp.

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Mazda will use the August 2008 Moscow motor show to unveil its new crossover concept, the Kazamai. Japanese for ‘swirling crosswinds’, the Kazamai is Mazda’s latest concept car to showcase the company’s Nagare design language.

But alongside the wind-inspired looks, the four-wheel drive Kazamai is also said to showcase Mazda’s ‘sustainable zoom-zoom’ strategy, with the company’s latest-generation engine and transmission.

Agreed. Mazda have so far produced the Nagare, Furai, Taiki, Hakaze and Ryuga concept cars, all inspired by the new design language. But we won’t see a production car inspired by the Nagare design language until spring 2009 when the new 3 makes its debut.

On the Kazamai, the Nagare design touches are the flowing lines, especially the crosswind inspired lines on the doors. Look out also for the Mazda’s five-point grille, massively flared front wheel arches and a low coupe-style roof to emphasise the Kazamai’s sportiness.

Mazda has yet to release details about the eco credentials of the Kazamai, although we do know the concept is apparently very aerodynamic and will feature a next-generation naturally aspirated direction-injection engine. There’s also a new transmission.

We’ll see the Kazamai debut at the Moscow motor show on 26 August 2008, but while the Mazda press release claims the ‘Kazamai gives a good indication of where Mazda is going with a possible future compact crossover’, a source at Mazda UK confirmed to Babes Fast Cars that there are no firm plans yet.

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