Since we can’t do much about the new 2007 Honda CR-V’s quirky D pillar and it’s smiley grille at the front end, we might as well deck it out in some nice kits to see if it does the SUV some good.

Painted in a color called Agile Blue, the Sport Concept CR-V shown at the 2006 SEMA Show features new front and rear bumpers along with a sports suspension which also gives the CR-V a lower ride. Wheel arches are filled up with 19 inch wheels wrapped with 245/45/R19 Bridgestone Potenza tyres.

On the interior, you get new sports fabric seats with blue custom stitching, with the same stitching on the steering wheel and shift knob to match. Is the new 2007 Honda CR-V’s design growing on you yet?

More photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Sport Concept CR-V by Honda at SEMA

Here are somemore previews of the upcoming Alfa Romeo 149, based on the Fiat Group’s Premium platform, basically a shorter wheelbase version of what’s under the Alfa 159. Previous artist’s impressions done by Italian car magazine Quattroruote were based on leaked spyshots of the car - while they didn’t officially show the actual car, the artist’s impression was based on the spyshots.

The photos above however, are supposed to be a clay mock-up of the car, partially covered by a red sheet. While the rear design has stayed true to what we’ve seen recently, this is probably the first time we’re looking at the front. I can’t say I am connecting much with the new retro round lights that the clay model has - similiar to the ones on the Alfa 8c Competizione and the Alfa Romeo Diva Concept.

The Alfa front end lights design has gone from ovalish bulgy lamps seen on the pre-facelift 147 and the current Alfa GT, to sleek and slim ones on the post-facelift Alfa 147, to the current round retro-ish ones. While the lamps can be said to look good on sports cars, I’m not too sure if it will suit a hatch like the new 149. The car might end up looking too stout. What do you think? Click here for a rear 3/4 view of the car so you can have a look at the side profile as well.

Related Posts:
2007/2008 Alfa Romeo 149 Artist’s Impression

If you’re the owner of an Alfa Romeo or a Fiat, here is a list of spare parts available from Sime Darby Auto Italia. Due to platform sharing between the two Italian siblings, some of the parts are universal. Parts are available for the Alfa Romeo 33, 75, 145, 146, 147, 155, 156, 164, 166, Alfa GT, Alfa GTV, and the Alfa Spider. The spare parts are also available for the Fiat Bravo and Punto.

Click the icon to download:

Prices available by calling Mr. Kong Seng Kiat at 03-5569-6680 or Wan Roslan at 03-5569-8978. Parts fitted in the workshop will carry one year warranty.

This is What Car’s artist impression of the upcoming CLS fighter by BMW. What the car is to be called seems to be divided between the 8-series and the X6. Autobild of Germany has also done a similiar concept drawing, click here for my post back in June 2006 with the image. AutoBild’s take looks more original, while this one by What Car looks more like a 4 door adaptation of the 6-series coupe.

Related Posts:
BMW’s CLS Fighter

Volvo and Ford are developing their own version of a dual clutch gearbox, following the footsteps of Porsche and Mitsubishi who are executing similiar plans. Mitsubishi’s upcoming successor to the Evolution line of rally turned tarmac monsters - the Evolution X, will feature a twin clutch automated gearbox, and Porsche has recently filed patents for their 7-speed dual clutch gearbox design.

If all goes through, we’ll see versions of the Ford Focus ST and high performance Volvo C30 hatches with 2.5 liter inline-5 turbocharged engines and dual clutch gearboxes. Click here for a video on DSG gearboxes, where a Volkswagen Golf GTI 6-speed manual goes against it’s DSG brother. DSG has worked so well for Volkswagen that they are going to phase out conventional torque converter automatics for a pure DSG automatic line-up across the range.

Related Posts:
Volkswagen DSG - Direct Shift Gearbox
Porsche patents dual clutch gearbox design
Volkswagen phases out automatics; makes way for DSG

If you want to spice up your USDM Honda Civic but prefer not to be splashing your money on the exclusivity that the MUGEN Honda Civic Si Sedan gives you, perhaps you should take a look at Honda’s HFP Civic Si Sedan. basically a similiar deal - a 2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan kitted out with Honda Factory Performance (HFP) parts.

You get performance springs which lower the car by an inch, larger wheels with the same tyre size as the MUGEN Civic, a chrome sports muffler, and a bodykit. The HFP kit will cost US$3,800 with installation.

BTW, notice that the US market tastes do not particularly favor foglamps on the front bumpers. An example of how cars have to be localized to suit different needs.

Click here to read the rest of Honda Factory Performance (HFP) Civic Si Sedan

This special Honda Civic tuned by MUGEN was displayed at the 2006 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, and is planned to be put into production - 500 units a year, a small amount considering how big the US market is.

The MUGEN Honda Civic Si Sedan is equipped with an improved high performance suspension system, 18 inch MUGEN forged aluminum GP wheels weighing , a MUGEN bodykit, and a sports exhaust system, obviously all MUGEN original parts. Being an official Honda tuner, the car will also come with a factory warranty.

The MUGEN high performance suspension is a track tuned version, tested at the Twin Ring Motegi racing circuit in Japan, lowers the vehicle by 0.6 inches with aggressive spring and damper tuning, which MUGEN says still delivers an acceptable level of comfort. Both bump and rebound front and rear damping force was increased between 8- and 24-percent, depending on condition.

The 18 inch MUGEN forged aluminium wheels are 27 percent lighter than the Civic Si Sedan’s stock 17 inch wheels, at 7.5kg. The wheels are wrapped with BF Goodrich g-Force KDW tyres in 215/40/ZR18 size.

MUGEN’s sports exhaust system reduces backpressure, improving the power curve of the Civic Si Sedan’s high revving K20 i-VTEC engine, which makes 200hp in stock form.

In line with the limited production of the MUGEN Honda Civic Si Sedan, each car will have a serial number located on the instrument panel. More photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of 2007 Honda Civic MUGEN Si Sedan (USDM)

This is a video account of race car driver Joey Hand’s BMW crash - his Matt Connolly Motorsports BMW M3 gets nudged off the track by a Pontiac GTO.R, and somehow ends up getting launched into the air by an elevated piece of land - he then spins around for 8 times before landing on the other end of the track. Click here for the driver’s account. Tip thanks to Shaolin Tiger. Video after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Joey Hand’s BMW M3 Crash

Bling wheels - the craziest thing I’ve seen so far are Dub’s Pimp Star wheels, which can display a picture of your choice on the wheel, or a slideshow of pictures even! This set of wheels take the whole bling wheel concept the other direction - no spokes at all, nothing! A plain clear view of the massive disc brakes you have.

D’Vinci Forgiato Radurra wheels are made from polycarbonate, and comes in either 1.5 inch or 2 inch thick sizes. They cover the whole wheel. Scientifically, polycarbonate is supposed to be able to withstand temperatures of up to 267 celcius, so it would be interesting how it would stack up to the heat generated by heated up brake discs. A solid polycarbonate also doesn’t give the discs much airflow to cool down.

While the small, cheap-ish and cheerful fun roadster market is currently being dominated by the Mazda MX-5 Miata and the Pontiac Solstice, Car and Driver magazine has news of a potential Miata killer by BMW called the Z2. Scheduled to be released by 2010, the new BMW Z2 will have the current Z4’s underpinings, and is expected to cost below US$30,000.

So wait awhile, and you’ll be spoiled for choice if you’re in the market for a fun roadster - an American, a Japanese or a German!