Honda Small Hybrid news - Hy flyer - 2007

Remember the Honda Insight? It was an early attempt at a hybrid sports car.

The only problem was it looked too dumpy and was slower than the milk float that delivers our morning pinta.

Not to be put off by sales of the Insight that matched its sluggish performance, Honda will unveil a new hybrid-powered sports coupe at the Geneva motor show in March.

Called the Small Hybrid Sports Concept, the car has been designed and built in Germany to better suit European tastes in sporty cars.

It also acts as a showcase for Honda's next generation of hybrid power, mating petrol and electric power to work together more efficiently to provide greater performance and economy.

As well as the boldly styled Small Hybrid Sports Concept, Honda is set to have a busy Geneva motor show because it will announce plans to sell three times as many Civic Hybrids in the UK in 2007, taking sales to 3,000 this year.

It will show off the FCX fuel-cell car that has a range of 354 miles and produces nothing more harmful than water from its exhaust.

Rounding off Honda's environmental tour de force at Geneva is a new diesel engine with a clever catalytic converter to reduce nitrous oxide emissions.