Wheelies: The Turbo Honda Edition

A roundup of motoring news from the web:

¦ Honda introduced its new turbocharged engines, as well as an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, at a press conference in Tokyo this week. The engines – a 280-horsepower, 2-liter 4-cylinder, a 1.5 liter, 4-cylinder and a 1 liter 3-cylinder – and the transmission are part of Honda’s Earth Dreams powertrains, which are designed to produce more power without reducing fuel economy. (Automotive News, subscription required)

¦ Lamborghini makes very recognizable cars, some capable of stopping traffic on their own. But one Lambo driver took his noticeability to the next level when he decided to drive around Huntington Beach, Calif., with a pet bear in his car, creating a knot of onlookers. (Jalopnik)

¦ The trucking industry is facing regulatory changes, aimed at making trucking safer and more efficient, that will cost it an estimated $2 billion and alter the way truckers work. At the heart of the new regulations is a type of tracking module called the electronic on-board recorder that monitors a truck’s engine metrics and makes sure drivers aren’t working more than 14 hours a day. (The Atlantic)

¦ According to the British Lung Foundation, more than 430,000 children between the ages of 11 and 15 are subject to second-hand smoke in vehicles in England every week. The organization is pushing legislation in the British parliament to ban smoking in cars when children are present. (The Mirror)

¦ BMW’s i3 electric car, an all-new platform that breaks a number of design conventions, will come with another innovative feature: easier access to solar charging. BMW teamed up with SolarCity, which will offer i3 owners a 10 percent discount on home solar charging packages. (Green Car Reports)

¦ With the biofuel industry unable to meet expectations created by Congress, which in 2007 set production quotas for 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency has reduced the quotas for total biofuel production, lowering next year’s target to 15.1 billion gallons from 18.2 billion. (Quartz)

¦ Economic recovery and incentives in Spain similar to the American Cash for Clunkers program have caused a spike in car sales in Europe. In October, sales across the Eurozone grew by 4.6 percent over the previous year, with a 34-percent rise in Spain. (Bloomberg)

¦ The International Historic Motoring Awards has dubbed the Amelia Island Concours d'Élégance its motoring event of the year. Bill Warner, chairman of the Amelia Island event, said that this is the first international award it has collected. (Hemmings Daily)