Microsoft and Chevrolet team up on Xbox 360

(All rights reserved - Microsoft Game Studios)

The upcoming Xbox 360 game Kinect Joy Ride will feature an unlockable electric hybrid vehichle, the Chevrolet Volt, thanks to a new partnership between the motoring manufacturer and Microsoft.

The racing game, which works in conjunction with the Kinect hands-free controller as well as normal Xbox 360 gamepads, will give players the chance to cruise round its arcade environment in a Volt after viewing a video advertisement.

The two-way agreement means that Microsoft will be kitting out Chevrolet showrooms with Kinect kiosks so that potential buyers (or their children) can play the game while deliberating over a purchase, while Chevrolet is able to leverage Microsoft's search engine, calendar tools, and mobile phone platforms to broaden their reach.

Both the Volt and Kinect are due to launch in November 2010.

Microsoft's competitor Sony has its own movement-based controllers due for release in October, entitled PlayStation Move for its PlayStation 3, while Nintendo's Wii has been on the market since 2006.

Other automotive manufacturers are also looking to bring out new consumer-grade electric and hybrid vehicles early in 2011, such as the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i MiEV.