15:14:04

Tiguan Tough: We join Volkswagen for...

Straight off an overnight flight to Africa, were handed the key to one of three production prototypes and pointed down a rugged trail in a vast game park close to the vibrant Namibian capital of Windhoek. Weve traveled to the former German colony, now a thriving tourist destination, to accompany a team of VW engineers at the end of a 24-month development program for the compact sport/ utility vehicle that is due to reach North American showrooms around this time next year. But before we even get a chance to acquaint ourselves properly with Wolfsburgs latest model, were suddenly dodging all sorts of obstacles as we put its off-road prowess to the test.

These are not the conditions for which the Tiguan was conceivedor is expected to excel. Yet despite its on-road bias, the baby brother to the more robust Touareg manages to make surprisingly good progress over the rocky terrain.

19:44:30

Honda's May China vehicle sales up 33 pct

SHANGHAI, June 14 (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co.'s (7267.T: Quote, Profile, Research) China vehicle sales jumped 33.3 percent in May, outperforming 23 percent growth in China's overall passenger car market.

Honda, maker of the Civic, Accord, CR-V and Odyssey models, sold 29,812 vehicles in China during the month, up from 22,364 units in May 2006, it said in a statement on Thursday.

Sales at its venture in central China jumped 194.8 percent to 9,546 units, due to robust demand for its Civic sedan which hit the market in April last year.

Sales at its venture in south China climbed 6 percent to 20,266 vehicles.

In the first five months of the year, Honda, which competes with Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.T: Quote, Profile, Research) and others in the world's second-largest auto market, moved 159,122 vehicles in China, up 38.8 percent from 114,678 units a year earlier.

8:19:45

Asia markets mixed as Europe, US equities see gains

Asia-Pacific equities markets were mixed on the session on Friday. In Australia, the Sydney Ordinaries added 0.46 percent to 6,317.1 and the Hang Seng index gained 0.72 percent to 21,017.05 in Hong Kong. On the other hand the Straits Times index in Singapore dropped 0.06 percent to 3,581.16, while the Sensex fell 0.33 percent to 14,162.71 in India. In Tokyo, meanwhile, the markets were higher as the yen continued to weaken. The Nikkei 225 was 0.7 percent higher to 17,971.49, while the Topix index added 0.9 percent to 1,772.94. Small and mid-cap indexes did even better, with the Mothers market gaining 1.3 percent to 939.29 and the Jasdaq ending 1.7 percent higher to 82.46.

In Tokyo, exporters did well. Toyota Motor (TYO: 7203.T; NSYE: TM; LSE: TYT) gained 1.6 percent to 脗楼7,690.

13:26:46

Honda Civic Type R ready for new asphalt challenge

The Honda Civic Type R run by JAS Motorsport faces a new challenge as it moves onto asphalt for round three of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the Ypres Rally Belgium.

Drivers Dani Sola and Luca Betti made a promising debut with the car on the all-gravel Rally of Turkey last month, but the specialist asphalt roads of Belgium will mark another chapter in the new cars development particularly as the Honda drivers will be up against a wide variety of well-known local experts.

JAS ambitions will be officially supported by Pirelli, providing factory support and custom developed tyres to suit one of the most competitive front wheel drive rally cars.

Engine development will still be incooperation with GIANFA, continuing a long and well established partnership with Carlo and Giuliano Facetti which are the mainactors of the oustanding success of JAS-tuned Honda engines in the last 6 years.