japanese cars
Report: Mazda Considering Diesels for U.S. Market
Mazda is examining whether or not to bring diesel powered cars to North America. Seita Kanai, the company’s R&D boss, recently told Automotive News that diesel Mazdas are already being tested in the U.S. With certain emissions regulations standing in the way, the biggest holdup that Mazda faces is if it can make a concrete…
Report: Subaru Planning STI Version of FT-86
Earlier this week at the Tokyo Auto Show, Toyota drew back the covers on its new compact sports car concept, the FT-86. Using a Subaru engine, it has long been rumored that the rear drive car would also be sold as a Subaru, with with an all-wheel drive layout. Now word comes that Suabru’s high-performance…
Tokyo 2009: 552 Horsepower Lexus LFA World Premiere
After quite literally years of anticipation, Lexus has officially revealed its latest flagship, the LFA. As the automaker’s first supercar, so far, the LFA does not disappoint. The car’s functional exterior is artfully designed and we’d go so far as to say it looks more impressive than vehicles it rivals – like the Ferrari 599….
Tokyo 2009: Toyota FT-86 Concept Officially Debuts
Toyota has officially unveiled the FT-86, a concept car that is set to inspire an upcoming compact sports car. The name FT-86 brings together Toyota’s past and future, with the “FT” coming from the FT-HS hybrid concept from a few years back, while the “86″ is donated from the AE-86, a small rear-drive, two-door Corolla-based…
Report: Mazda Design Boss Pushing for New RX-7
Mazda’s design boss is working hard to convince company executives to build a successor to the RX-7. He has even gone so far as to create design sketches for the next generation sports car. In an interview wit the U.K.’s AutoCar, Ikuo Maeda said that the car would be a two-seater and like it’s predecessors,…
SEMA Preview: Hot Rod Brooks and Dunn Toyota Tundra Headed to Aftermarket Expo
Thanks to the folks at PickupTrucks.com we have our first glimpse at what the Brooks and Dunn Toyota Tundra SEMA Show truck will look like. Interestingly, the theme of the pickup isn’t so much country music, as it is the Hot Rod car craze. Built to look like a 1950s-style hot rod, the truck will…
Report: Honda CEO Wants to Build Green Sports Car, Slams Lexus LFA
Speaking to reporters at the Tokyo Auto Show, Honda CEO Takanobu Ito suggested that when the time is right he would like to build a “green” sports car. The Japanese automaker faces two big hurdles first, however: a lack of cash as well as insufficient technology. “Once we have that technology and once we have…
Report: Mitsubishi to Offer Smaller Outlander Sport Crossover in 2010
With Mitsubishi’s Outlander crossover a relative behemoth in the compact crossover category, the company has announced plans to bring a smaller CUV to market. Like the Outlander, it will be based on the Lancers chassis and its design will follow along the lines of the Concet cX (above), that was first shown at the Frankfurt…
Breaking: Lexus LFA to Make North American Debut at SEMA Show
Officially unveiled today at the Tokyo Auto Show, the first showing of the Lexus LFA supercar in North American will be at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association) Show, which runs from November 3rd to 7th is not a public event, however, and so the first public showing of…
Tokyo 2009: Honda CR-Z Hybrid Coming to North America Next Year
Honda announced a production version of its CR-Z hybrid concept will be introduced to North America in the second half of 2010. As the second version of the CR-Z concept was unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Show, Honda announced the production version will be a sporty 2-seat hybrid, the first hybrid car set up with…
Tokyo 2009: Infiniti to Get Stylish, High Performance Electric Car Says Comany President
Nissan President Carlos Ghosn has confirmed that the automaker is getting ready to bring several electric vehicles to market, including one sold under the Infiniti brand. Ghosn made the announcement at the Tokyo Auto Show, where the brand officially unveiled the Nissan Leaf electric car as well as the strange Land Glider concept, which is…
Tokyo 2009: Lexus Officially Unveils $375,000 LFA Supercar
It is undeniably the most expensive Lexus, the company has ever created. The LFA supercar, priced at $375,000 is aimed at raising Lexus from a German imitator to an Italian rival. Aimed at cars like the Ferrari 599, the LFA is powered by a 4.8-liter V10 engine with 560 PS (552hp) and 354 ft-lbs of…
Leaked: Breathtaking Lexus LFA Supercar Photos and Details Emerge Ahead of Official Debut
Official images and specs of the Lexus LFA supercar have just emerged prior to the car’s debut at the Tokyo Auto Show and it’s as impressive. Not only does it look spectacular, but it has an engine to back up all that angular sheetmetal – or should we say carbon fiber. In total 65 percent…
Video: Lexus LF-A Revealed With Wild Nürburgring Driving
This video has just been released on YouTube showing for the first time the undisguised production version of Lexus’s LF-A in a photo montage that includes production images of the car as well as some wild driving on the Nürburgring. The car has yet to be officially unveiled but it is expected shortly as the…
Tokyo Preview: Toyota Sai Hybrid Debuts in Japan
If the all-new Toyota Sai Hybrid looks familiar – it should. The new Toyota hybrid model is based very closely on the new Lexus HS platform. Sold as a premium Lexus luxury car in North America, the same car will be down-graded somewhat for sale in its home market. Even the design is almost identical…
Report: Nissan Planning New Small Car to Slot in Under Versa
Nissan is working towards building a new global small car that will be sold in North America under the Versa. In many ways a successor to the Micra, which Nissan does not offer in the U.S., this new small vehicle platform will spawn a small sedan, hatchback and a multi-purpose vehicle. Nissan is aiming to…
Report: Honda May Move Fit Production to U.S.
Honda is reportedly considering moving production of the sub-compact Fit to the U.S. Company president Takanobu Ito said the move is a “highly likely possibility.” The move makes good economic sense as the poor exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and Japanese Yen means that profit margins on the Fit are extremely slim. Moving production…
Tokyo Preview: New Rear-Drive Toyota Mark X Debuts
You probably haven’t heard of the Toyota Mark X and that’s not surprising considering it isn’t sold in North America. Its also a shame, however, as the largish car is based on the same platform as the Lexus GS, meaning it is rear-wheel drive – with an all-wheel drive option available. It has a lot…
Video: Toyobaru Runs the Nürburgring
Some video of the Toyobaru spots car lapping the Nürburgring in Germany has found its way on to YouTube. Considering the heavy use of camo used to cover the car up, there’s reason to believe this is the Subaru version of the small sports car, rather than the Toyota model. Toyota has already released numerous…
Tokyo Preview: Nissan Qazana Concept to Inspire Future Compact Crossover
Nissan is continuing to gauge interest in a new design for an upcoming compact crossover by showing the Qazana Concept at the Tokyo Auto Show. First unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show last March, the Qazana may be a bit on the bizarre side but Nissan insists it will eventually lead to a pproduction crossover…
Report: Mitsubishi Lancer EVO XI Could Get Plug-In Hybrid Option Borrowed from PX-MiEV Concept
The next iteration of the amazing Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution could be offered as a plug-in hybrid. Due out in 2013, the EVO XI model could use the all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid setup that will officially be unveiled on Wednesday October 21st at the Tokyo Auto Show, reports the U.K.’s AutoCar. For the show, however, Mitsubishi…
Report: Acura Headed to 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010
An Acura will run at the 24 Hours of Le Mans next year. British Strakka Racing intends to compete with the car, in the Europe Le Mans Series, including at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans, with an Acura ARX-01b prototype that it is currently in the process of buying from the Lowe’s Fernandez…
Report: Suzuki Kizashi Sedan to Get V6 Option
With Suzuki’s new mid-sized Kizashi sedan about ready to hit dealerships, the Japanese automaker has announced plans to build a V6 powered version of the car. Initially, the Kizashi will only be offered with a 185-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder, but the 260hp GM-sourced 3.6-liter V6 motor will follow shortly thereafter. Suzuki has big hopes that the…
Report: New Toyota FT-86 Photos Give Detailed Look at Upcoming Sports Car
The official reveal of Toyota’s FT-86 Concept is just a few days away but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a better look at the company’s latest sports car right now. The folks at FT86Club have dug up a large selection of studio shots that show the concept in much greater detail. For starters, the…
