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More head-up displays are coming to a dashboard near you

With the exception of Apple products — $1,000 for a freakin' smartphone? — one great thing about tech is you typically get more for your money with each passing year. This is particularly true with automotive tech: Features like driver assists and surround-view cameras that were once exclusively available in luxury vehicles now come standard even on some economy cars. The same thing is slowly happening with head-up displays (HUD). For example, the 10-inch HUD in the 2018 Toyota Camry is one of the largest and best HUDs I've seen in any car. And a big improvement on the much smaller HUD in the latest Toyota Prius. Mazda is another mainstream brand that offers HUDs in several of its vehicles. But instead of embedding expensive components in the dash and using a special windshield, the HUDs in the Mazda3 and Mazda6 use a thin plastic lens that folds down when not in use. MINI has a similar solution, but this low-cost approach has limits in terms of size and position of the images compared to traditional HUDs that use the windshield as a screen. We're also starting to see similar lens-based aftermarket options that can be added to any car. Last year I tested a portable HUD called Navdy that taps into a car's OBD-II port to provide info on speed and RPM and uses built-in GPS and Google Maps to show the surrounding area, display speed limits and route you to your destination. Navdy also connects to an Android or iOS smartphone via Bluetooth to display data from phone calls, texts and music playing on a connected device, and it's simple to use and easily visible in almost any lighting condition. While Navdy is still available online, late last year the company ran into financial difficulties, and product support has been halted. I recently tested a new portable HUD called Hudly that's not quite fully baked and falls short of Navdy because it doesn't tap into an OBD-II port. Since a companion smartphone app for Hudly isn't scheduled to launch until next month, for now it only mirrors what's on a smartphone. So it can be used for nav and other apps, and its features are very limited. Between automakers adding HUDs in more reasonably priced cars and the aftermarket filling in the gaps for existing vehicle owners with add-ons, the technology is becoming more prevalent and affordable. And it's also getting better.

Forza Horizon G-Shock Car Pack brings Nissan IDx, Subaru Brat [w/video]

With winter's icy grip around much of the nation, now may be the perfect time to sit inside at night and enjoy some video games. The latest six-car G-Shock pack for Forza Horizon 2 on the Xbox One is now here, and it gives players a very eclectic group of vehicles to race around the game's open world. This month's group of vehicles spans the decades ranging from 2015 back to 1953. The newest and only concept of the group is the 2015 Nissan IDX Nismo. Since the production chances for this retro coupe look increasingly slim, this game might be your only chance to get behind the concept's wheel. However, if you prefer driving something a bit more classic and Italian, the 1953 Ferrari 500 Mondial is available. To add one more flavor of performance, there is the 2010 Mazda Mazdasped 3 hot hatch, which is also this month's free car for download. In addition to three takes on the sports car, Turn 10 is also offering a trio of off-roaders. The quirkiest among them is the 1980 Subaru Brat GL, which features two jump seats in the back to avoid the dreaded chicken tax. If you prefer something more boxy and American, then the 1975 Ford Bronco is sure to please. Finally, for some real power to get through the mud, there's the 2013 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor as tuned by Shelby with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 making 575 horsepower. As usual, the whole pack costs players $5 to download, or it's free as part of the season pass. Scroll down for a brief video showing all of these virtual rides off and read the press release about them from Turn 10 Studios. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. "Forza Horizon 2" G-Shock Car Pack Now Available Welcome to the New Year! Are you ready to hit the roads of "Forza Horizon 2" for Xbox One in some new rides? You better be because the G-Shock Car Pack is lighting up the new year with some amazing vehicles. Leading off the pack is a "Forza" First: the 2015 Nissan IDx NISMO is making its videogame debut in "Forza Horizon 2." The IDx prototype harkens back to Nissan's storied automotive history, with its compact size and aggressive appearance, and looks to the future with some serious under-the-hood performance. Take a spin in this gem, and you will be startled by its performance and charmed by its presence. The remaining cars of the pack also have "Horizon Festival" written all over them.

Mazda to use rotary engine as a range-extender with its first electric vehicle

There's more news from Mazda at the Tokyo Motor Show, where the brand made a big splash, including new developments in its never-ending rotary engine saga. First, Mazda execs confirmed that the Japanese automaker will bring back the rotary engine as a range-extender and battery juicer for its first electric vehicle in 2019. But secondly, the company won't have a rotary-powered successor to its RX-7 and RX-8 sportscars in time for the company's centennial anniversary in 2020. Autoblog previously confirmed that Mazda is planning to have an EV in 2019 that will be available in both pure electric and range-extending versions. Now, the Australian website Motoring reports that the global EV will feature a powertrain similar to the experimental Japan-only Mazda2 (Demio) EV, which used a single-rotor engine as a generator to power the battery pack and increase its driving range. The publication says Mazda plans to release a series of plug-in hybrids based on existing models around 2020, then a pure electric car co-developed with Toyota and Denso in 2021 as part of the EV Common Architecture Spirit Company joint venture. A Mazda spokesman tells Autoblog the company couldn't confirm any details about future products. Meanwhile, enthusiasts shouldn't wait for a rotary-based production version of Mazda's RX-Vision concept from 2015. Motoring cites two executives who explain that the company simply lacks the capital necessary to invest in developing the new model in time for its 2020 centennial. Mazda debuted its rotary engine 50 years ago in the Cosmo Sport in part as a way to stand out from its larger Japanese competitors. The engine, which uses a spinning three-tipped rotor in place of pistons, is smaller and lighter than conventional piston engines, with a greater power-to-weight ratio and quieter, smoother operation. But it delivers less fuel economy and higher emissions — two weaknesses that could be improved via a stop-start system Mazda has developed, based on a pair of U.S. patents. The company has also been hard at work developing its next-generation Skyactiv-X engine, which uses highly precise combustion ignition technology to deliver significant gains in fuel economy and power.Related Video: