TOKYO (AP) — Honda has developed a new fuel-efficient motorcycle engine that will be showcased in a scooter that goes on sale globally next year.

Honda Motor Co. said Monday that the new engine for 125-cc scooters is 25 percent more fuel efficient than similar conventional ones.

Honda says it targets people who use scooters to commute to work not only in Japan but also in Southeast Asia and other nations.

Honda has a strong motorcycle division that has helped drive growth and profits during tough times for automakers. Rival Japanese automakers including Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. don’t have such businesses.

FRANKLIN, Tenn./PRNewswire/ — Eleven of the world’s most desirable cars lined up side-by-side. Legendary marques and iconic nameplates – Porsche 911, Corvette Z06, Ford Mustang Boss 302, Ferrari 458 Italia and Audi R8 GT, to name just a few – assembled by the editors of Motor Trend for an informal, bragging rights-only drag race as a sidebar to its 2011 Best Driver’s Car award, announced on motortrend.com today, and cover story for the November issue of Motor Trend magazine. Eleven cars, one shot, one winner: the legendary Nissan GT-R.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110912/CL66348)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080506/NISSANBADGELOGO)

In what the magazine bills as the world’s biggest drag race, the competitors featured a combined 82 cylinders and nearly 5,000 horsepower – wrapped in $1.5 million of beautifully sculpted aluminum, fiberglass and carbon fiber skins. And the revised 2012 Nissan GT-R, now featuring 530 horsepower and 448 lb-ft of torque, beat them all.

“We applaud Motor Trend’s editors for pulling off the automotive equivalent of the running of the bulls,” said Brian Carolin, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Nissan North America, Inc. “Win or lose, it’s great fun and a great video – especially since we won.”

The $89,950 Nissan GT-R was followed across the quarter-mile finish line by the $225,325 Ferrari 458 Italia and the $198,600 Audi R8 GT. “In all fairness, if we were running for pink slips, we would have had to bring at least two GT-Rs to match the cost of the competitors,” added Carolin. “We’ll settle for the title of baddest of the bad.”

To check out the full four-minute video, go to http://www.facebook.com/Nissan.

About the Event

Contenders were selected by the editors of Motor Trend as part of their “Best Driver’s Car” (BDC) competition – and one of the biggest, most expensive single stories the magazine has ever executed. The supercars were considered among the best sports cars in the world. Unless all-new or significantly revised, previous entrants were not allowed to participate. Vehicles were run at factory recommended settings, with standard or factory optional equipment. The drag race portion was filmed on a closed course at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in El Toro, California.

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Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today unveiled Nissan LEAF, the world’s first affordable, zero-emission car. Designed specifically for a lithium-ion battery-powered chassis, Nissan LEAF is a medium-size hatchback that comfortably seats five adults and has a range of more than 160km (100 miles) to satisfy real-world consumer requirements.

Slated for launch in late 2010 in Japan, the United States, and Europe, Nissan LEAF ushers in a new era of mobility – the zero-emission era. The car is the embodiment of Nissan’s radical, transformative vision for the future and the culmination of decades of investment and research.

Key characteristics of the LEAF include:

1. Zero-emission power train and platform
2. Affordable pricing
3. Distinctive design
4. Real-world range autonomy – 160km (100 miles)
5. Connected Mobility: Advanced intelligent transportation (IT) system

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