japanese cars
Toyota Prius Race Car Gets V6 Hybrid Drive
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We were first to bring you pictures of the incredible Prius race car from the Tokyo Auto Salon and now we’ve tracked down info on the too-cool-to-be-green racer. Set to complete in the Super GT series in Japan, the vehicle was built by the APR racing team – a long time competitor in the series,…
How Not to Drift a Lexus IS-F [Video]
Toyota motorsports partner Gazoo Racing is known for its Super GT teams and Nurburgring race cars. How do they stack up when it comes to the sport art of drifting? Not too well, judging from this video. As part of a demonstration event held at the Tokyo Auto Salon each year, automakers, tuners and racing…
The World’s Fastest Hybrid Is? [Video]
And the world’s fastest hybrid is? The Porsche Panamera Hybrid S? Sure… that sounds believable, especially after watching the teaser video below. But wait… The hybrid Porsche sedan isn’t the only car in the clip below. Watch carefully at the 0:15 mark and you’ll see the reflection of another car in the Porsche’s shiny paint….
Toyota Prius v Out-Sells Chevy Volt in Just 10 Weeks
Earlier this month a new reports noted that Chevrolet Volt sales were more successful in its first year than the sales numbers of the Toyota Prius hybrid on its first year back in 2000. What little optimism Chevrolet might have had on the Volt’s sales performance were quickly silenced when data revealed that Toyota dealt…
Mitsubishi Teases New Model Ahead of Geneva Motor Show Debut
Mitsubishi has released a lone teaser image of an all-new model it plans to debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. No specifics were given about the new vehicle, but in a release the company did say it will be a, “strategic and innovative premium vehicle”. It will also showcase the brand’s new design direction….
2013 Mazda 6 to Debut at 2012 Paris Auto Show
According to reports, the all-new Mazda 6 will be unveiled at the upcoming 2012 Paris Auto Show. We have already seen a solid hint at the styling of the new Mazda 6, with the Takeri concept (pictured above) which the automaker revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show this past December. The new production version of…
Toyota Hybrid Le Mans Race Car Revealed
The dominating diesels will have a fuel economy foe at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, thanks to a new hybrid race car from Toyota. Set to compete in the top-tier LMP1 class later this year, the first photos of the hybrid electric drive prototype have hit the net, thanks to a tweet by…
NISMO Tuned March, Juke and Leaf Concepts On Display at Tokyo Auto Salon
Hinting at a possible tuner version of the new March/Micra sub-compact, Nissan has revealed a NISMO concept model at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Standing alongside similar NISMO-tuned versions of the Leaf and Juke, the March NISMO Concept gets the expected goodies. Included in the package are lighter forged wheels and an upgraded (and lowered) suspension,…
Toyota NS4 Plug-in Hybrid Concept Video – First Look: 2012 Detroit Auto Show
It’s a look into the future says Toyota. Unveiled last week at the Detroit Auto Show, the NS4 plug-in hybrid concept was built to showcase a new plug-in hybrid model Toyota is planning that will sit separate from the Prius in its lineup. The car will get a next-generation hybrid drivetrain and also features several…
Toyota Prius Tuner Cars of the Tokyo Auto Salon [Gallery]
To say there’s a strong tuner car culture for hybrids in Japan might be a bit too generous. Oh, there’s no doubt the Japanese love to modify the cars, but perhaps the term “customization” is more accurate. At this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon there was the usual selection of Prius model with wild bodykits and…
Nissan GT-Rs of the Tokyo Auto Salon [Gallery]
Love Nissan GT-Rs? Then you most certainly would love the Tokyo Auto Salon. Featuring the latest tuning trends and most amazing race cars, much of the content on the show floor was GT-R related this year – although to be honest, the show is GT-R heavy every year. On display were plenty of modified GT-Rs…
Lexus Product Plan Includes Coupes, Crossovers and a New CT
Looking to reclaim its spot as America’s number one luxury automaker by sales, Lexus is planning an extensive product rollout in 2012 that will include nine new or updated models, plus three F-Sport cars. On the list are the new GS350 and GS450h, while later in the year we’ll see updated versions of the ES350,…
Subaru Impreza WRX STI S206 Nurburgring Race Car on Display: 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon
Subaru recently launched the limited edition WRX STI S206 Challenge Package model in Japan, a higher performance version of the already impressive STI. It’s existence, however, is directly related to this car, the S206 racer. On display for the first time (as far as we know) since winning the SP3T class at last year’s Nurburgring…
Mugen CR-Z Promotes Honda Hybrid Race Program: 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon
With the launch of the CR-Z, Honda wanted to emphasize that hybrids can in fact be sporty, now the automaker is continuing to promote the idea in its home market with the Honda Sports & Eco Program. Essentially an amateur racing series it lets drivers compete using spec CR-Zs (outfitted with Mugen wheels and an…
Race Cars of the Tokyo Auto Salon [Gallery]
The automotive aftermarket and motorsports have a lot in common, so it’s no surprise to see both celebrated together at venues like the Tokyo Auto Salon. On hand to cover the latest tuning trends from Japan, AutoGuide decided a closer look at the numerous race cars on display, from Formula cars to custom machines and…
Takeros Honda Fit Turbo Gets Wide and Wild: 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon
Known for modifying wagons like the Honda Odyssey and Nisaan Stegea, Japanese tuner Takero’s recently expanded its product offering to include the Honda Fit – with impressive results. First came aerodynamic components, followed by suspension parts, now Takero’s has revealed a wide body kit for the Fit at the Tokyo Auto Salon, plus a turbocharger…
Wacky Tuner Cars of the Tokyo Auto Salon [Gallery]
At Japan’s annual Tokyo Auto Salon, they’d call our list of the Top 10 Worst Cars of SEMA tame. Sure we documented some atrocities during our time at North America’s largest aftermarket expo, but it’s hard to compete with a diorama of an army soldier apparently shooting baby dolls on the tonneau cover of a…
NHTSA To Take Crash-Assessment Testing High Tech
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is considering at length the changes that could be made to its 5-star crash-assessment testing. Rather than concentrate only on crash-worthiness, the NHTSA is looking into new technologies that put an emphasis on accident-avoidance. NHTSA Administrator David Strickland says, “Crash-worthiness has been the guiding star for NHTSA. But…
Nissan Micra Gets Nismo Touch: 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon
Nismo is hard at work building concept cars to show off. Their latest endeavor is a souped up version of Nissan‘s baby car, the Micra, set to debut at the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon. Nissan is no stranger to franken-cars, one of the most notable in recently memory was the Juke-R, a twisted combination of…
Mazda Demio Smart Stylish Looks, Well, Smart and Stylish: 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon
One of numerous Mazdas on display at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, the Demio (sold as the Mazda2 in North America) Smart Stylish, delivers as promised with a classy look that adds some luxury appeal to this sub-compact. Based on the new ultra-efficient Skyactiv 1.3-liter model, the Smart Stylish gets a complete aerodynamic overhaul, with…
GRMN Toyota iQ Supercharger Heading to Production: 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon
Build by Toyota motorsports partner Gazoo Racing, the GRMN iQ Supercharger is just the sort of concept car that’s too wild to ever become a reality. Right? Wrong! To the surprise of, well, everyone, Toyota has announced it will offer a limited production of the car, which was unveiled in its second-generation prototype stage today…
Toyota Prius GT300 Race Car is Mean and Green: 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon
Racing a Prius might sound like the start of a joke, until you see this. Unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon in Japan, this Toyota Prius is fully prepped and sporting its race livery. Significantly wider and lower than a factor model, this Prius is designed to compete in Japan’s Super GT racing series starting…
Lexus LFA by TWS Forged Sports Viper ACR Sized Spoiler: 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon
Aftermarket wheel manufacturer TWS Forged obviously liked what they saw when Toyota unveiled the Nurburgring Edition Lexus LFA. Sporting a more track-oriented aerodynamic kit and a functional rear spoiler, that package (even in its shocking orange paint scheme) now looks tame compared to the modified LFA on display at the TWS booth at the Tokyo…
Toyota Prius c Gets Tuner Treatment: 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon
If you’re looking to make 53 mpg look a little cooler then Toyota in-house tuning division Modelista has you covered. The style-oriented arm of Toyota has just announced a new lineup of accessories for the Prius c, which is sold as the Aqua in Japan. Already looking like a slightly-cooler Yaris, the Prius c gets…
