Determined to take over the world’s cities with its NV200 taxi, Nissan has officially launched its dustbuster-shaped cab in Hong Kong.

Painted in the red with silver roof (or green with white roof) livery of the city’s traditional cars for hire, the NV200 will hit the streets of one of the world’s most crowded and cab-dependent cities in early 2015.

However, rather than the petrol-powered taxis currently flooding New York City, the Hong Kong taxis will run on a bi-fuel blend of gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas. The LPG standard is already common among taxis in Europe and Asia, and Nissan claims its implementation of the technology will reduce 80 percent of NOx emissions as compared to pure LPG vehicles.

Some of the Hong Kong versions will also be fitted with wheelchair accessible ramps that fold out from the back, an announcement well received by the local association for the disabled. So-called “universal access” vans have an upward opening hatch rather than two cabinet style 60/40-split doors. The passenger seat bench is also mounted further towards the front.

During the first roll-out a fleet of 50 will hit the streets. It’s not as big of a “get” as New York, as Nissan already has a significant share of Hong Kong’s taxi market. The Cedric sedan taxi has already been in widespread use in Hong Kong since the 1970s. Its chief rival is the Toyota Crown.

NV200 taxis have also been in use across Japan, and Nissan has received interest from a number of US cities. There’s even a black cab version proposed for London.

Stellaaaaaaaa! That is the name of the newest Subaru supercompact, which just went on sale in Japan on Friday. The third-generation Stella comes at the same time as the latest Daihatsu Move, on which it is based.

Toyota has been trying to leverage its 20 percent ownership in Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru’s parent company, since it bought the shares GM divested in 2005. Daihatsu is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota and a small car specialist. Together, they hope to snag a bigger share of the lucrative kei car market, which comprises over a third of all new car sales in Japan.

While not as stylized as recent kei offerings from Honda, the Subaru Stella and Daihatsu Move are heavy on content. They are the first kei cars to offer hill holder function (on automatic transmissions), which is sure to come in handy in Japan’s mountainous terrain. They also offer a 4.2-inch multi-function touch screen, independently sliding rear seats, LED head and fog lights, electronic stability control, and low-range collision braking assist.

Power comes from a DOHC 660cc turbocharged 3-cylinder mated to a CVT, limited to 64hp by kei regulations. Both front- and all-wheel-drive configurations are available. Prices start at $8,840 before taxes, and fuel economy is rated at 73 mpg for the 2WD version, 64 for the AWD.

Aston Martin has announced that it will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its Aston Martin Works division by introducing six limited-edition models over the next year.

Presented at Aston Martin Works’ Christmas party, the first Works 60th Anniversary model features a white paint job with contrasting Anniversary Yellow accents on the fender vents, discreet edition-specific badges at the bottom of both front fenders and two-tone 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped by Pirelli P Zero tires.

Inside, the knobs on the center console are made using metal sourced from the pistons of an Aston Martin DB 2/4 Mk II saloon, a historic model built in the 1950s. Other upgrades include two-tone seats with contrasting yellow stitching, an Aston Martin Works logo embroidered in between the rear seats and heavy weave carbon fiber trim on the center console.

Aston Martin has not made any modifications under the hood, meaning the limited-edition Vanquish is powered by a 6.0-liter V12 engine tuned to generate 568 horsepower and 464 lb-ft. of torque. Linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission, the 12-cylinder mill sends the Vanquish from zero to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 200 mph.

The Aston Martin Vanquish Works 60th Anniversary edition is on sale now. Interested buyers need to personally apply in order to find out how much the convertible costs.

Chevrolet has announced that the Impala Blackout concept that was presented last month at the SEMA show in Las Vegas will spawn a limited-edition model in the near future.
“We are trying to get it built for this model year, maybe late this spring. We are calling it ‘Midnight Edition,’” confirmed Steve Majoros, Chevrolet’s marketing director for cars and crossovers, in an interview with Edmunds.

The Midnight Edition is expected to be nearly identical to the sinister-looking concept that previewed it. Built with components sourced from the Chevrolet Accessories parts bin, it will stand out from a stock Impala with model-specific mirror caps, alloy wheels and a rear spoiler all painted black. The dark tinted windows will hide an interior upgraded with black leather upholstery and a sport pedal kit, while stainless steel door sills with the Impala logo will add a contrasting touch to the murdered-out look.

Chevrolet will not make any mechanical modifications to the Impala, meaning the Midnight Edition will boast a stock 3.6-liter V6 engine rated at 305 horsepower and 264 lb-ft. of twist.

The 2015 Chevrolet Impala Midnight Edition could be presented to the public for the first time at next April’s New York Motor Show. Availability and pricing information will be announced closer to the sedan’s unveiling.

Photos by Drew Johnson.