japanese cars
2013 Lexus ES to Make Buick LaCrosse “Laughable” Says Exec
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Praised as a true rival to the Lexus ES when it first debuted (though not by us), the Buick LaCrosse will soon be “laughable” as a competitor says one auto industry executive. The unnamed individual dished the goods to the folks at the GMAuthority blog, commenting that the new ES will make significant strides in…
Honda Scraps 1,055 Vehicles Damaged in Thai Floods
Japanese automakers have ended 2011 worse for wear as the March 11 Japan earthquake as well as the rising yen exchange rate significantly damaged business. Unfortunately, Honda starts 2012 with new challenges. October floods in Thailand have caused major losses to Honda’s plant in the central province of Ayutthaya. To reassure customers that no vehicles…
Massive Honda Airbag Recall Expanded Further
Honda‘s latest addition to its airbag recall affecting older Accords, Civics, Odyssey’s, Pilots and Acuras bumps the total number of recalled vehicles to more than 3.7 million. The issue came to light three years ago, and has already caused one death and at least a dozen injuries due to airbags in some vehicles deploying with too…
Chris-Craft Builds An Infiniti V8 Powered Mahogany Speedboat
Infiniti‘s brawny 5.6 liter V8 proves to not only motivate land yachts but actual maritime yachts as well. Students at the Tennessee Technical Center-Nashville and Nashville State Community College have removed the titanic power plant from a donor Infiniti QX56 to ready it for maritime duty in an iconic 1962 Chris-Craft “Holiday” mahogany speedboat. The…
Nissan Assures the Integrity of its Battery Cell In the Nissan Leaf
After the Chevrolet Volt’s battery fire hazard debacle, electric vehicles have received intense scrutiny over the integrity of battery cells. To answer these concerns, Nissan has stepped forward to address the strength of its Leaf electric vehicle without the direct mentioning of controversies. Nissan reported that while approximately 20 Nissan Leafs were damaged during the…
Toyota Prius c Gets the TRD Treatment
From the Toyota GT86 to the Tacoma, TRD has been hard at work developing performance accessories for Toyota’s line-up. In its latest project, TRD introduces a number of tuning upgrades for the new Toyota Aqua, known as the Toyota Prius c in markets outside Japan. Available performance mods include a sport exhaust system with chrome…
Car Review Videos, Monthly Wrap-Up: Scion FR-S, Mercedes SLK350, Dodge Charger R/T
Easily the highlight of this month’s video car reviews is our test drive of the Scion FR-S, the U.S.-spec version of the highly anticipated Toyota GT 86. In addition, we reviewed the V8-powered Dodge Charger R/T, as well as the Mercedes SLK350. Read the AutoGuide new car reviews here and see all our video reviews…
Toyota Europe To Lead Small Car Development Duties
To make room for expanding model research and development on the home front, Toyota Motor Corp has appointed its European division to lead global product planning for small cars. Vested with this major responsibility, extensive reorganization in Toyota Europe’s sales and marketing operations were put to effect in hopes to best approach the new mission….
Toyota Aims to Regain Top Automaker Spot in 2012
Toyota has announced new sales and production targets for 2012, which, if met, could place it back on top as the world’s largest automaker by volume. According to a just-released sales and production plan outline, the Japanese auto giant aims to manufacture 8.48 million Toyota, Lexus and Scion models in 2012, a significant 20 percent…
2012 Honda Crosstour 4-Cylinder Announced
The Honda Crosstour struggled to take hold in North America since its 2010 release. It could be partially due to the original marketing as a version of the Accord, or maybe that people just don’t like it. One way or another, Honda refuses to give up with its CUV attempt. The company announced today that…
Mazda MX-5 ‘Jimba-Ittai’ to Bow at Tokyo Auto Salon
The Tokyo Motor Show is behind us, but the Tokyo Auto Salon is coming up in the next few weeks. One of the manufacturers that is using this venue to showcase its new performance products is Mazda. The highlight on Mazda’s stand will be the MX-5 NR-A ‘Jimba-Ittai’ (translates to: rider and horse as one)…
Lexus LF-LC Hybrid Super Coupe Confirmed: Detroit Auto Show Preview
Hours after photos of the upcoming Lexus super coupe concept leaked onto the net, the Toyota luxury brand has released a full photo of the car, confirming it will be called the LF-LC. “Crafted from a clean sheet of paper at the request of Lexus headquarters in Japan, the LF-LC blends both high technology and…
Nissan Shows Off 10 Car Tokyo Auto Salon Lineup
Nissan has announced an extensive 10-car lineup for the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon including everything from modified minivans to GT-R race car. Following roughly a month after the Tokyo Motor Show, the salon is in many ways Japan’s version of SEMA, giving aftermarket tuners and race shops a chance to show their wares. In the…
Lexus LF-Lc Leaked as Stunning New Luxury Super Coupe
Photos of the new Lexus concept car have leaked online, revealing a stunning luxury coupe that is certain to put the Japanese luxury brand back in the spotlight. Called the LF-Lc, it can be seen as a successor to the much-maligned SC model. Styling cues clearly come from both the LFA supercar and the new…
Next Generation Nissan Titan Delayed
However those plans, which reportedly would have seen a revamped Titan rolled out in 2013 have now been pushed back at least a year.
2012 Honda CR-V Priced from $22,295
Honda has finally released the pricing for their new 2012 CR-V, keeping it consistent with the outgoing model despite adding a ton of new, innovative features to their SUV. Recently named a finalist for 2012 North American Truck of the Year, the 2012 CR-V LX 2WD will start at $22,295 (without $810 destination fee) while…
Record Number of IIHS Top Safety Picks For 2012
In a display of continuing safety advancements in automobiles, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that more vehicles have earned the “top safety pick” this year after manufacturers have strengthened the roofs of their vehicles to improve its rollover safety. Sixty-nine cars, thirty-eight SUVs, five minivans, and three pickups made the “top safety pick”…
Nissan Pathfinder Concept to Bow at Detroit Auto Show
Along with plans to showcase its electric vehicle technology, including a new EV van, Nissan has announced it will reveal a new Pathfinder concept at the Detroit Auto Show in January. In a release, the company says the concept vehicle will preview “the all-new look, style and attitude that Nissan will bring to the…
How the Scion FR-S Almost Never Happened and Why Subaru Thought it Was a Bad Idea
The Scion FR-S might be the most exciting sports car in years and it might also be the most important project Toyota has ever launched, helping change perceptions about an automaker that has become known for building appliances. But the back-to-basics enthusiast sports car almost never happened, according to Chief Engineer Tetsuya Tada, speaking at…
Toyota Supra Hybrid In Development
After stunning the world with a Lexus super car, and surprising us with the pure driving experience of the Scion FRS, Toyota R&D is now rumored to be working on the return of the most legendary Toyota of all– the Supra. While the Mark IV Supra was discontinued amid a struggling Japanese economy, its popularity…
Acura To Unveil RL Successor, Drop TL Or TSX
The Honda Motor Company is working hard to restore Acura‘s reputation after the latest design direction of Honda’s premier brand were negatively received. According to Car and Driver, Acura will not only introduce its NSX concept at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show, but will also reveal plans for an RL replacement in April’s New York Auto…
Lexus Tops on Twitter Thanks to Interaction, Innovation
German automakers like BMW and Audi aren’t shy about tooting their own horn when it comes to Facebook followers. BMW has long lead the pack and currently lists almost seven million fans on the “social network”. But Facebook isn’t the only social media in town and increasingly Twitter is attracting new users. Here’s it’s not…
2013 Honda Accord Coupe Concept to Bow at Detroit Auto Show
Honda has announced it will debut an all-new Accord Coupe concept at the Detroit Auto Show in January and if past concepts (above) are any guess it will bear a close resemblance to the production model. In a press release Honda calls the concept “dynamic and aggressive”. The concept foreshadows a production version of the…
Acura NSX Concept Confirmed for Detroit Auto Show Debut with New RDX, ILX Small Sedan
Acura has officially confirmed it will reveal what it is calling a concept version of the next-generation NSX at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show in January. A brand that’s lineup has been in serious need of some fresh new product and exciting new models will get just that with the debut of this new sports…
