japanese cars
2012 Honda Civic Spied Fully Exposed While Testing in Dubai [video]
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![2012 Honda Civic Spied Fully Exposed While Testing in Dubai [video]](/img/spacer.gif)
For the first time the 2012 Honda Civic has been spied completely undisguised, with both photos and video showing the new compact sedan undergoing hot weather testing in Dubai. Looking not all that different from the current model, Honda seems to be moving away from its more provocative design language to a style that’s intended…
Subaru XT-S Edition Concept Debuts at Australian Auto Show With WRX Power
Unveiled at the Australian International Auto Show, the Subaru XT-S Edition gets a long list of upgrades, including WRX-like power, to transform Suby’s compact crossover into a performance-minded machine. While the current top-trip XT model develops roughly 225-hp, the XT-S makes a total of 260-hp and 256 ft-lbs of torque. Sadly, there is no manual…
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Gets Updates For 2011
Mitsubishi‘s Lancer Evolution is the major bright spot in a pretty dowdy lineup, and for 2011, the company is making it an even more enticing package. Mitsubishi’s new FUSE system, featuring voice activation, a Bluetooth integration for cellphones and a way to connect your music player. The navigation will also get real time traffic information,…
Lexus CT200h F-Sport Debuts at Australian International Auto Show
Lexus has just revealed a new F-Sport performance version of its new CT200h hybrid hatchback. The CT200h F-Sport gets more aggressive front and rear styling, light-weight alloy wheels, plus an F-sport suspension that includes lowering springs and sway bars. Inside the car also gets some extra toys, like an F-Sport steering wheel, sport pedals, scuff…
Prius MPV to Debut at Detroit Auto Show
Toyota seems to be catching on to this whole social media thing. Last week the automaker teased us with the Prius MPV on its Facebook page and now the folks in the PR department have used Twitter to announce that the second Prius model will debut at the Detroit Auto Show this January. The vehicle…
Mercedes SL55 AMG Inspires Lexus SC300 Project Car
Truth be told, those Japanese builders make some crazy, crazy creations. And with the rising trend of Japanese-influenced European-tuned vehicles, we guess it was just a matter of time before something like this popped up. Taking center stage for today is a previous generation Lexus SC300 (Soarer in Japan) that has been overhauled from bumper…
Lexus Driving Simulator On Display In New Commercial
Lexus‘ giant egg-like monolith isn’t some weird monument to quality control or reduced NVH. The big white orb is actually a very advanced driving simulator, complete with an LS460 that can rotate 360 degrees. Giant screens can simulate a wide variety of conditions so Lexus test drivers can perform tests in a safe environment with…
2012 Toyota Yaris/Vitz Revealed in Leaked Dealer Brochure
Thanks to a few scans of an internal Toyota dealer brochure, we have our first look at what the 2012 Yaris will look like. Toyota is planning a new Yaris model in a bid to keep up with the likes of the Honda Fit and an onslaught of new subcompact products from Chevy, Ford and…
Suzuki Swift R Concept Revealed Ahead of Beijing Auto Show
With the launch of the all-new Swift in other markets, we’ve heard rumors that Suzuki will eventually bring the small hatchback back to North America, and if this concept makes it to production, we’ll really be crossing our fingers. Revealed well ahead of its planned official debut at the upcoming Beijing Auto Show, the Suzuki…
Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS and Sport SLS Trim Levels Added for 2011
Having debuted back at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, Suzuki has finally released official details on the new Kizashi Sport model. Available in Sport GTS and Sport SLS trim levels, all Sport models come equipped with a more dramatic front fascia with chrome accents and a lower grille, along with side skirts…
Lexus LC600h to Succeed SC430 With Hybrid Power, AWD
Lexus is planning a successor to the retired SC430 model that should put it back in contention with the Mercedes SL. The new car is rumored to wear the LC600h badge and that name says a lot. Using a shortened version of the next generation LS platform the LC would be AWD and use an…
Nissan May Offer Free Car Loans To Leaf Buyers For Long Trips
If you’re one of the many who signed up for a 2011 Nissan Leaf, you may be suffering from “range anxiety” (the fear of running out of power in the middle of nowhere). To help you overcome this, Nissan is coming up with a program that would give Leaf buyers a longer-range alternative. This program…
Infiniti Still Considering Halo Model
Infiniti hasn’t written-off a halo-model luxury sports car and is still hoping to bring such a vehicle to market. In a recent interview with AutoCar, Infiniti boss Toru Saito admitted as much, but made no confirmation that the Essence Concept could see production. Currently Infiniti has put its branding focus on electric and hybrid vehicles,…
2012 Nissan Versa Teased in New Design Sketch
Nissan has just released a single teaser sketch of the next-generation Versa subcompact with should make it to market next year as a 2012 model year car. Ranging from mundane to unattractive, Nissan looks to revamp the Versa with its more vocative styling language from some of its larger sedans and sports cars. This move…
Prius MPV Teased as Original Prepares to Celebrate 10th Anniversary
As the original Prius prepares to celebrate its 10th birthday, Toyota is planning to finally expand the hybrid lineup, adding an MPV model. While not common in North America, MPVs are a hit in other parts of the world where our minivans are seen as gargantuan. A single photo showing the Prius MPV peaking out…
Toyota FT-86/FR-S Will be Badged as a Scion; Priced at $25,000
Toyota‘s FT-86 Concept will make it to market as a Scion in North America, likely sporting the name FR-S. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Toyota dealers were made aware of the decision by the corporate brass at a recent meeting in Las Vegas. The decision help build-up the Scion brand, with…
Anime Themed Rides Show Up At Japanese Dream Party
A lot of Japanese tuning fads have become popular in North American, but here’s an interesting trend that we find a hard time believing it will catch on here. For those not in the geek world, Dream Party is a gathering in Tokyo and Osaka for game developers. Taking place twice a year, many well-known…
Scion xD Release Series 3.0 Priced from $16,905
Scion‘s xD RS 3.0 is yet another special edition that lacks any real substance, but evidently that’s not stopping the folks at Scion from releasing it to the public. Much like the Ford Mustang and Porsche 911 variants that have been flooding the marketplace, the highlight here seems to be a cool paintjob and carbon-fiber…
Toyota Issues Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) for Tundra ‘Bed Bounce’
Although this characteristic is common among all pickup trucks, the Tundra seems to have received more complaints than most.
 for Tundra ‘Bed Bounce’. For more, click https://autoguide.dev.vscopedev.cloud/auto-news/2010/10/toyota-issues-technical-service-bulletin-tsb-for-tundra-bed-bounce.html "Pin It")
Smart to Sell Small Nissan Model in the U.S. Next Year: The Smart forfive
Struggling with diminished sales, Daimler’s Smart Car division will expand its lineup in the U.S. with a new Nissan-made small car. The subcompact five-door will be powered by a gasoline engine and go on sale late next year. As a B-segment car, this subcompact fits in a class with models like the Honda Fit, Ford…
Discount Tire Lexus IS350 Drift Car Turned Into Wall Art
So what do you do with a drift car that struggled to find its rightful way to the podium? You cut it up and hang it on the wall of course. Discount Tire has taken the now defunct Lexus IS350 drift car that they built in collaboration with Falken Tire for Formula Drift, cut it…
Subaru Mocks Competitors With 2011 Mediocrity Campaign
It may sound a lot like Volkswagen’s new corporate strategy for success in America, but this is an ad for the all-new 2011 Mediocrity. OK, no such car exists. Instead, this is a tongue-in-cheek marketing effort by the folks at Subaru, directing folks to the automaker’s website, drumming up some viral interest in the brand…
Acura TSX Coupe Under Consideration; CSX Could See U.S. Market
Acura might just be starting to get its act together. After several years of passable products, the lack of a true top-tier luxury sedan, the elimination of the RSX and cancellation of the next-generation NSX, comes word of some good products news from Honda’s luxury division. According to a report by AutoWeek, Acura is looking…
Toyota Tacoma RTR Set for SEMA Debut With Tundra V8 Power
n what perhaps respresents a modern take on the original muscle truck concept – stuffing a big engine in a smaller vehicle, the RTR (which stands for Ready To Race) features a iForce 5.7-liter V-8 dropped between the frame rails of a current Tacoma.
