Straightline
Tokyo Motor Show
May 28, 2009
Photo courtesy of Gazoo Racing
A source has told Inside Line news that the latest version of the Lexus LF-A production car is now capable of hitting 220mph. Toyota engineers has previously expressed disappointment with the top speed of the earlier LF-A prototypes.
Changes to the car's aerodynamics and a few engine upgrades were largely responsible for the increased speeds. The same source also said that the final production car is expected to arrive at the Tokyo auto show in October with a price tag between $220,000 and $250,000.
Inside Line News: Lexus LF-A Finds Its Feet and a New Top Speed
May 22, 2009
The Associated Press is reporting that both BMW and General Motors intend to skip this fall's Tokyo auto show. Both companies said they made the decision to save money.
"It is unprecedented to see such a large number of carmakers not coming to the motor show. It's disappointing," said Kazusa Yoshino, a spokeswoman for the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, which sponsors the biennial auto event in October.
There are only 4 foreign automakers committed to the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show at this point: Ferrari, Hyundai, Kia and Lotus.
Detroit News: 22 foreign automakes to skip Tokyo Motor Show
April 24, 2009
Earlier this week, Volkswagen announced that it would build its new minicar lineup in Slovakia starting in 2011. The new vehicles would be the production versions of the Up! minicars shown at the 2007 Frankfurt and Tokyo shows.
Today, Volkswagen of America told Inside Line News that this lineup was definitely headed to America. Which models and what they would be called are still being determined.
Inside Line News: Volkswagen New Small Family Bound for U.S. Market
- Permalink | Comments (0)
- Posted by: Ed Hellwig April 24, 2009, 3:46 PM
- Categories: Auto Industry, Concept Vehicles, Coupes, Frankfurt Auto Show, Future Vehicles, Hatchbacks, Tokyo Motor Show, Trends, Volkswagen
March 24, 2009
Not only is the Tokyo show still on, but Toyota is gearing up to make it worthwhile with a couple big debuts. Sources have told Inside Line that a final production version of the LF-A supercar will finally make an appearance along with the long-rumored collaboration with Subaru.
Inside Line News
- Permalink | Comments (8)
-
- Posted by: Ed Hellwig March 24, 2009, 9:48 AM
- Categories: Coupes, Luxury Cars, Sedans, Subaru, Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota
January 16, 2009
Ever since Honda announced that it was canceling its revival of the Acura NSX, product forecasters have been watching to see if the Lexus LF-A would suffer the same fate.
Not so says a source in Japan. The LF-A is still on track and should arrive in the first half of 2010 with a price around $340,000.
The continued existence of the LF-A program has been helped along by the fact that Akido Toyoda, Executive Vice President and grandson of Toyota's founder, has pushed for its development. Toyoda is expected to take over as President of Toyota this spring.
Inside Line News
- Permalink | Comments (5)
-
- Posted by: Ed Hellwig January 16, 2009, 10:46 AM
- Categories: Acura, Coupes, Lexus, Luxury Cars, Sports Cars, Tokyo Motor Show
January 14, 2009
Representatives from both General Motors and Chrysler have told trade journal Automotive News that neither company will have any official presence at the Tokyo Motor Show, even if there is a Tokyo Motor Show.
"If you're going to the Tokyo Motor Show to raise the corporate flag or just to it for corporate presence, I think those days are gone," GM's Asia Pacific President Rick Brown told the trade journal. "It's not a good business decision."
A written statement from Chrysler Japan said that the company would pull out of the show "in order to secure limited resources."
And Ford? According to Japan's Yomiuri newspaper, Ford missed last year's deadline to register for the show.
- Permalink | Comments (1)
-
- Posted by: Daniel Pund January 14, 2009, 12:26 PM
- Categories: Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Tokyo Motor Show
According to Automotive News the Tokyo Motor Show, currently scheduled for October 23rd through November 8th, might be cancelled due to lack of manufacturer interest.
This might say all sorts of things about the current state of the car world, the current state of the world economy or the current state of other big, important things. What it says to us however, is that we might be deprived of the one of our favorite auto shows.
What will the world be without Tokyo-show concept cars that glow-in-the-dark, are powered by mutant squirrels and can be folded up to fit in a suit case? We do not want to consider such a fate. And who will step in to provide replacements the world's greatest car names such as D-Bone, Fuya-jo and Begin Funkybox? Nobody, that's who.
A decision on whether to go ahead with the show is expected within a month. In the meantime we've gathered some examples of what will be lost should this come to pass.
- Permalink | Comments (2)
-
- Posted by: Daniel Pund January 14, 2009, 9:37 AM
- Categories: Daihatsu, Honda, Nissan, Suzuki, Tokyo Motor Show
September 11, 2008
The one thing that's predictable about the Paris auto show is that the vehicles that will debut will be unpredictable. Only the Tokyo auto show is wackier than the Paris show.
Among French automakers, Renault is sure to hold up this unpredictable theme, as they and others have been fine-tuning their art for decades. This year is no exception, as they will show the Ondelios, which is a luxury CUV hybrid. So they've covered all the buzz-word segments here, and have added the expected unexpectedness in terms of design.
For starters, the vehicle has gullwing doors, a feature usually reserved for Benz and Benz wannabes. It seats six, with six individual chairs. It's powered by a 2.0 dCi turbo diesel engine, with two 20kW electric motors at the front and rear that use a brake and boost system, recovering energy during braking then delivering it to the engine to boost acceleration. The crossover is also equipped with a lithium-ion battery that can deliver power of up to 4kW/h.
Renault claims a 0-62 mph in 7.8 seconds, as well as 53.2 US mpg.
Full story here.
Here's Inside Line's take: 2008 Paris Auto Show Preview: Renault Ondelios
November 3, 2007
We've reported on the Subaru G4e concept that was recently shown at the Tokyo auto show several times. However, I suspect, because of all the show hoopla at the time, that the main feature of this car may have been lost; and that being the huge improvement in plug-in battery technology that this car displays.
The 65-kilowatt, high energy-density lithium-ion batteries that power the vehicle gives the G4e a 200km range from a charge, which more than doubles the previous R1e’s range. By using a quick-charger, the battery can be brought up to 80% charge in only 15 minutes...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (1)
-
- Posted by: Bob Holland November 3, 2007, 6:54 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Green Tech, Subaru, Tokyo Motor Show
October 29, 2007
Honda announced at the Tokyo auto show that there will be a US-spec Accord diesel for 2009. The engine displaces 2.2L, and is expected to produce 150 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Unique to the Honda diesel is the fact that is will not need a urea injection system like Mercedes and VW, but rather will have a NOx converter that produces its own ammonia through a chemical reaction that reacts with the NOx to produce harmless nitrogen and water. The advantage this has over the Mercedes/VW urea unit is that it will not need to be replenished with AdBlue liquid, which is needed for the urea system to work...
Continue reading...
October 26, 2007
Tokyo's Shinjuku district is not especially convenient for getting to the Makuhari Messe for the auto show, but it's still a good place to stay -- plenty of fine hotels, lots of neon lights, a varied selection of nightlife, and an Alfa Romeo dealership built under a Denny's. The last time I visited it was BMW of Tokyo, which was even funnier.
The menu at the Denny's is about half American favorites and half Japanese cuisine, meaning you can order a Grand Slam with a starter course of miso soup. --Erin Riches, Senior Content Editor
- Permalink | Comments (0)
-
- Posted by: Erin Riches October 26, 2007, 8:12 AM
- Categories: Alfa Romeo, Tokyo Motor Show
We've made much of the Taiki's crazy rear wheels in previous stories about the concept. And, after seeing them in person here at the Tokyo show, we still think they're crazy. But we will not go there again. Besides we've run out of silly comparisons (shopping-cart casters, training wheels, etc, etc)...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (5)
-
- Posted by: Daniel Pund October 24, 2007, 10:55 PM
- Categories: Future Vehicles, Mazda, Tokyo Motor Show
I just spent 30 minutes with Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of Renault and Nissan. The man is a sound bite machine. Here are some highlights.
On the immediate success of the GT-R: "We're receiving bulk orders for the GT-R from the Middle East...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (2)
-
- Posted by: Scott Oldham October 24, 2007, 8:11 PM
- Categories: Nissan, Tokyo Motor Show
Hometown superstar Toyota Motor Corp. stuck Chief Executive Katsuaki Watanabe in its i-Real personal mobility pod concept -- a three-wheeler that looks like the love child of a Segway and a Jetsons-inspired wheelchair -- and had him roll around the stage for a few minutes before launching into his presentation at the company's Tokyo auto show press conference (that's not him in the picture).
Toyota, he said, is all about sustainability -- a catchword that either means "we've got to do something to make sure the planet endures," or "whatever we do has to be able to pay for itself."
Anyhow, the company is going to be focusing in the future on environmental, safety and energy issues. And while the electric i-Real is an idea whose time might not have come yet, the concept -- step in, sit down and go, without taking up much space or spewing out many pollutants -- is intriguing...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (3)
-
- Posted by: Ed Hellwig October 24, 2007, 8:10 PM
- Categories: Green Tech, Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota
Nissan's Executive Vice President Carlos Tavares has become the latest big-name exec to predict a big future for diesel in the U.S. Nissan will introduce a Renault-made V6 diesel in the Maxima in 2010, and although Tavares admits that he's "just guessing about the volumes," he believes that "when customers understand what a clean diesel means, we will change the image."
Tavares admitted that a U.S. customer's "reference point is far away" in terms of their expectations of diesel performance. "We shouldn't talk about diesel; we should let them drive the car," he said...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (3)
-
- Posted by: Ed Hellwig October 24, 2007, 8:01 PM
- Categories: Green Tech, Nissan, Tokyo Motor Show, Trends
It's official, there will be a 2010 Nissan GT-R Spec V and it will be sold in America. A Nissan source has confirmed that a lightweight, more powerful version of the new supercar is nearly complete and will arrive in America about a year after the GT-R hits U.S. dealers early next summer. -- Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief
- Permalink | Comments (8)
-
- Posted by: Scott Oldham October 24, 2007, 8:01 PM
- Categories: Nissan, Tokyo Motor Show
Or maybe it's the Mitsubishi Evolution X. Or it could be the Mitsubishi Evo. Or it could be the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. But it's not the Mitsubishi Galant Fortis, even though that is actually a Lancer...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (2)
-
- Posted by: Daniel Pund October 24, 2007, 7:28 PM
- Categories: Mitsubishi, Sedans, Tokyo Motor Show
The award for the coolest pre-reveal car cover goes to BMW. It's got racing stripes for plum sake and not just racing stripes, but racing stripes in the traditional M Division colors. The reason for that is what's underneath. It's the 2008 BMW M3 Sedan...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (5)
-
- Posted by: Scott Oldham October 24, 2007, 5:44 PM
- Categories: BMW, Tokyo Motor Show
Just as the cute and cuddly concept cars of the Tokyo auto show were about to eat us alive, we saw a racecar, a dirty one with tire scuff marks that no one had bothered to detail, and most unbelievable of all, it was a Honda Accord. Actually, to us, it was an Acura TSX. And instead of an 800,000-rpm VTEC motor under the hood, this car had an oil burner... Honda's 2.2-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder.
The interior of this right-hand-drive car has been fitted with a roll cage and stripped of every seat except the driver's, which is a full-on racing seat with a five-point harness. Honda has been using the car for endurance racing at the Twin Ring Motegi facility in Japan, and as you can see from this strip of tape, drivers kept track of how many laps they were able to get out of the car after each fill-up.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (0)
-
- Posted by: Erin Riches October 24, 2007, 8:49 AM
- Categories: Acura, Diesels, Honda, Motorsports, Tokyo Motor Show
Ikuo Mori, president and CEO of Fuji Heavy Industries, gave only passing mention to the Subaru Exiga at the company's Tokyo press conference. He never used the word "minivan," but that's exactly what the Exiga (or whatever name FHI settles on) will be when the production version goes on sale.
It should do well in a market where, based on our extensive observation during long bus rides to and from Makuhari Messe, buyers prefer hinged rear doors instead of sliders, and four-cylinder engines instead of thirsty sixes, while insisting upon a minimum of one entertainment screen per row of seating. -- Erin Riches, Senior Content Editor
- Permalink | Comments (0)
-
- Posted by: Erin Riches October 24, 2007, 8:29 AM
- Categories: Minivans, Subaru, Tokyo Motor Show, Wagons
Most likely no one will remember anything but the STI from Subaru's press conference today in Tokyo... mainly because the other two cars will never inspire philosophical debates on steering feedback or the proper use of the word fugly. One of them was the Subaru G4e Concept, an electric car with a lithium-ion battery pack mounted under its floor. In our full story, we were underwhelmed by its scant 200-km driving range, which is exactly the sentiment you'd expect from California-based writers.
However, after examining the car in the metal, we came away with a slightly higher opinion of the G4e. First, Subaru has obviously given some thought to how one might compensate for the massive amount of weight battery packs add to a car. In addition to mounting the pack low, the company designed an aluminum chassis for the G4e, which is unheard of in a subcompact.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (0)
-
- Posted by: Erin Riches October 24, 2007, 7:44 AM
- Categories: Green Tech, Subaru, Tokyo Motor Show
You expect to see a little bit of everything at the Tokyo auto show, but not necessarily at one conference. Suzuki managed to squeeze five world premieres into a single, 20-minute press intro. Now that's efficiency in action.
The biggest news, in every sense of the word, was the Concept Kizashi 2 (shown above)...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (1)
-
- Posted by: Karl Brauer October 24, 2007, 2:30 AM
- Categories: Suzuki, Tokyo Motor Show
Word on the Tokyo auto show floor is that the Lexus LF-A supercar is a no show because it's not fast enough. Lexus wants it to reach 350 kp/h but it'll only touch 330 kp/h. That's 205 mph. Seems fast enough to us, but Lexus wants the LF-A to be faster than all its rivals...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (8)
-
- Posted by: Scott Oldham October 24, 2007, 12:17 AM
- Categories: Lexus, Tokyo Motor Show
October 23, 2007
We'd like to tell you what happened at the official press conference for the 2009 Nissan GT-R, but we couldn't get in. People wall to wall. Looked like a prison riot. When it was over, however, we did grab this snazzy snap of the car on stage and a GT-R press kit...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (4)
-
- Posted by: Scott Oldham October 23, 2007, 11:51 PM
- Categories: Nissan, Tokyo Motor Show
The prize for the most surreal pre-show show went to Nissan, which unveiled the new GT-R in a hastily modified underground car park. So much has already been said and written about this car that the unveil was hardly a shock, but Project Chief Kazutoshi Mizuno still had some interesting nuggets to share. Plus, we got to see the supercar in red.
Much is being made of the car's lap time at the famous Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (2)
-
- Posted by: Scott Oldham October 23, 2007, 11:42 PM
- Categories: Nissan, Tokyo Motor Show
We didn't learn many new facts about the 2008 Subaru WRX STI today in Tokyo, but somehow, and maybe it's jet lag talking, the car was less unattractive than expected.
Then again, with one unveiled STI at the edge of the display, a veiled STI on the stage and the WRC car presiding over the whole stand, it was hard not to be just a little excited about what this car might be like to drive.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (0)
-
- Posted by: Erin Riches October 23, 2007, 10:29 PM
- Categories: Hatchbacks, Sports Cars, Subaru, Tokyo Motor Show
As at any auto show, there are concept cars and there are "concept cars." Some concepts are there just as eye candy and a workout for designers' oddest fantasies. (Many of this variety of concept are actually edible.) Other concepts exist to prepare the press and public for a production vehicle. The Mitsubishi concept with the really unfortunate name, the ZT, is of the latter variety. It is a styling concept for the next-generation Mitsubishi large sedan...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (2)
-
- Posted by: Daniel Pund October 23, 2007, 10:29 PM
- Categories: Mitsubishi, Sedans, Tokyo Motor Show
Welcome to Tokyo! -- Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit, Inside Line
- Permalink | Comments (2)
-
- Posted by: Daniel Pund October 23, 2007, 9:38 PM
- Categories: Tokyo Motor Show
Should you need any more evidence that the world of cars has become a crazy, mixed-up international world, you should have been at the Tokyo auto show's first press conference this morning. The company displayed more languages at its press conference than it did automobiles. You had German (of course), Japanese, Italian and English. No Esperanto though...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (2)
-
- Posted by: Daniel Pund October 23, 2007, 9:19 PM
- Categories: Auto Industry, Tokyo Motor Show, Volkswagen
Yesterday I was treated to a very extensive tour of the Nissan design studio outside Tokyo. We were there for hours. This was the highlight, a couple of guys scraping away at a clay of the G37 Coupe, a car we've seen since early summer. Actually they showed us the 2008 Murano and the next Maxima, too, but they wouldn't let me take pictures of those...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (1)
-
- Posted by: Scott Oldham October 23, 2007, 9:03 PM
- Categories: Nissan, Tokyo Motor Show
The 2007 Tokyo Auto Show has been open officially for four hours. So far Ferrari wins.
Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief
- Permalink | Comments (8)
-
- Posted by: Scott Oldham October 23, 2007, 8:51 PM
- Categories: Ferrari, Tokyo Motor Show
We thought Audi had exhausted the Bryan Adams card already in Frankfurt. But no, the hair was back again along with another '80s flashback favorite played thanks to Audi's new integrated music player/cell phone. Audi's Chairman of the Board, Rupert Stadler, demonstrated just how easy the device is able to connect to the Metroproject concept after the car's official unveil here in Tokyo.
After contemplating which song he would use for the momentous occasion, he fired up a little "Run to You" and slid behind the wheel...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (1)
-
- Posted by: Ed Hellwig October 23, 2007, 8:11 PM
- Categories: Audi, Coupes, Hybrids, Tokyo Motor Show
October 20, 2007
It looks like Audi is taking a page out of the odd Japanese car naming play book with their Metroproject Quattro concept. Since the vehicle will debut at the Tokyo auto show, maybe it makes sense; who knows...
In any event this is Audi's first attempt at displaying a hybrid, and judging by the "quattro" part of the name, you would assume that it's AWD. The car also has an all-electric mode, which has a range of 62 miles...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (0)
-
- Posted by: Bob Holland October 20, 2007, 4:00 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Audi, Hybrids, Tokyo Motor Show
October 16, 2007
The wait is over. Undisguised 2009 Nissan GT-R photos have now become available prior to the car’s official debut at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show.
Numerous GT-R prototypes have been caught testing around the world, including Germany’s Nurburgring and California’s Laguna Seca Raceway, but this is the first look at the rocket sedan’s completely undisguised sheetmetal.
Official specifications aren’t expected to be announced until Nissan’s Tokyo show press conference on October 24, but months of spy intelligence suggest the all-wheel-drive 2009 GT-R will get a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 that produces approximately 450 horsepower.
Nissan says the GT-R will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, finish the quarter mile in 11.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 192 mph. Base price is expected to be less than $80,000.
If true, the GT-R will be true competition for the Porsche 911 Turbo, which it has been routinely seen testing alongside.
Continue reading...
October 15, 2007
New images of the previously posted Subaru G4e concept (2007 Tokyo Auto Show Preview: Subaru G4e EV concept) have shown up on the Net.
The more I see this car, the more I like it—and I do see a "Subaru look" emerging here. The front hints at what we see in the new Impreza. My feeling is that the front of the new Impreza, while pretty good, is not fully resolved...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (2)
-
- Posted by: Bob Holland October 15, 2007, 4:00 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Daihatsu, Subaru, Tokyo Motor Show
October 12, 2007
Nissan has taken note that the Toyota Avalon has been a hit with the Buick and Mercury crowd, and has therefore decided to also take a shot at that audience with this Intima sedan concept.
Nissan describes the Intima with words like: "attractive design, hospitality, relaxation and high quality with high levels of functionality and advanced technology." Inside Line is a bit more direct, as they describe it as "a nice, comfortable car for old folks."
2007 Tokyo Auto Show Preview: Nissan Intima
- Permalink | Comments (8)
-
- Posted by: Bob Holland October 12, 2007, 4:00 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Nissan, Tokyo Motor Show, Toyota
The Toyota Hi-CT Concept is one of a whole slew of odd concepts that Toyota will be showing at the Tokyo auto show. It's a plug-in hybrid that occupies roughly the same footprint of a Scion.
I like the way the running board is integrated into the bodywork. I'd like to see this type of treatment used on SUVs and trucks, as their running boards, without exception, look like tacked on Pep Boys aftermarket accessories...
Continue reading...
Now this is cool: the Honda CR-Z hybrid concept, which will debut at the Tokyo auto show. It's a re-do of the old long-gone—and long-missed CRX.
"This is something rivals can't offer," Tetsuji Morikawa, a Honda Motor Co. engineer, said of the CR-Z, whose sales date is promised for the "near future."
Looks like another winner for the Honda boys...
Continue reading...
October 8, 2007
It's almost like Nissan's marketing guys have been reading Subaru's marketing guy's minds, in that both companies have issued dark "teaser" shots of their up coming halo cars, the GT-R and STI.
In any event, Car, the UK site (here), has posted this new image for all the world to see and drool over. Interesting to note that they finally dropped the silly "Skyline" moniker. The car will debut at the Tokyo auto show...
Honda will introduce a production-ready version of their radical DN-01 motorcycle at the Tokyo auto show. A concept of the DN-01 had been shown in 2005.
What's so radical, you ask, as it looks like just another bike?
It's the tranny, pure and simple. This bike has a "HFT," which is Honda's all-new automatic transmission with a goofy name (Human Friendly Transmission!). How they arrived at the name, I have no idea; must be just one of those cute Japanese branding "isms" that Westerners find so entertaining.
The engine powers a hydraulic pump, which in turn powers a hydraulic motor. By varying the speed between the two, the transmission can either increase the output torque or the output speed, making for an infinitely variable transmission. Honda believes that the transmission will be the world's first variable hydraulic transmission that features lockup, which should cut down the losses of the hydraulic system for greater efficiency and better fuel mileage.
Essentially it's sort of a hydraulic CVT, if you can imagine such a thing. If you can't there's a diagram after the jump. In addition the Honda press release is included in the link, which further explains the unit.
The obvious question arises: Might we see Honda apply this HFT concept to their 4-wheeled vehicles sometime in the future?
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (5)
-
- Posted by: Bob Holland October 8, 2007, 4:00 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Honda, Tokyo Motor Show
October 7, 2007
Scans of the Japanese-spec Subaru STI brochure have just been posted over at NASIOC (here), one of the leading Subaru fan sites.
For those who have been following the STI saga closely, there's not much new, other than the interior shots and some of the specs, of which we've seen very little of before. The exterior shots shown here are small, so it's still somewhat hard to get a real handle on how it looks. Knowing the poster of these scans, we will likely see larger shots soon.
Some tidbits:
• There appear to be three wheel options, 17" & 18"
• SI-DRIVE works in conjunction with the Multi-mode DCCD and the Multi-mode VDC
• 41:59 front/rear torque split
• 304 hp @ 6400 rpm, 311 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
• (mm) 4415 x 1795 x 1475
• (inch) 173.8 x 70.7 x 58.1
• weight 1480kg/3263lb (1470kg/3241lb for 17" and 18" BBS option)
• New Multi-mode VDC settings: Normal, Traction, Off
Suggested settings:
• Normal driving: SI-DRIVE (SPORT) + Multi-mode DCCD (AUTO) + Multi-mode VDC (NORMAL)
• Spirited/Circuit driving: SI-Drive (SPORT #) + Multi-mode DCCD (AUTO -) + Multi-mode VDC (TRACTION)
• Race/Motosports: SI-Drive (SPORT #) + Multi-mode DCCD (MANUAL) + Multi-mode VDC (OFF)
• Snow: SI-DRIVE (SPORT or INTELLIGENT) + Multi-mode DCCD (AUTO +) + Multi-mode VDC (NORMAL)
UPDATED: More images and new link showing complete vehicle after the jump.
Continue reading...
October 4, 2007
I've long thought that the rear fenders of current pickup trucks are in reality a huge area of wasted real estate, and that it could be put to much better use as a storage area. Suzuki seems to agree, as can be seen by this new image of their X-HEAD concept, of which Straightline reported on earlier this week (2007 Tokyo Auto Show: Suzuki X-HEAD concept). The X-HEAD will debut at the Tokyo auto show this month.
As with most great ideas, the solution to this problem is so simple and so obvious one has to wonder why no one else has come up with it before...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (11)
-
- Posted by: Bob Holland October 4, 2007, 7:03 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Suzuki, Tokyo Motor Show, Trucks
October 3, 2007
Mazda will be displaying this wild looking Taiki concept at the Tokyo Auto Show later this month. Under the skin is reportedly the next-generation rotary engine. The new RENESIS rotary engine dubbed the 16X, a twin rotor unit sending
drive to the rear wheels. It that features a longer stroke and a larger
displacement 1.6L (800cc x 2) design...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (5)
-
- Posted by: Bob Holland October 3, 2007, 4:00 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Mazda, Tokyo Motor Show
October 1, 2007
The Frankfurt Auto Show is long gone, and so now it's off to Tokyo... In the next few weeks expect to see here a bunch of Tokyo-specific new vehicles, both production and concept; here's the first: The Suzuki X-HEAD concept.
Looking like a cross between a conventional pickup and a UniMog, the X-Head is sure to stir up discussions, both pro and con. I, for one, like it...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (4)
-
- Posted by: Bob Holland October 1, 2007, 4:00 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Suzuki, Tokyo Motor Show
September 24, 2007
Nissan is back at the Nurburgring this week with the 2009 GT-R, and according to our shooters on the scene the engineers are once again aiming for new lap records. We heard the initial goal was to beat the current 911 Turbo, but now they're aiming even higher.
While the Turbo laps the Nordschleife in 7:40, the Porsche Carrera GT has reportedly done it in just 7:28 at hands of Walter Roehl. Nissan is supposedly gunning for the GT, but they'll need a perfect lap to beat that time...
Continue reading...
September 21, 2007
There were plenty of enthusiasts who scoffed when Nissan's engineers started dragging a 911 Turbo around with them while testing the 2009 GT-R. It seemed like a lofty benchmark for a car that's expected to cost around $75,000, but the latest word from Germany suggests Nissan may have met its goals.
Prototypes of the 2009 GT-R started circling the Nurburgring yesterday, and according to spy shooters on the scene it was clear that the GT-R was running at full steam. With that in mind, they pulled out their stop watches to get an idea just how fast the GT-R was getting around the Nordschleife...
Continue reading...
September 20, 2007
An appearance on the Nurburgring seems almost required for new models these days, so it was no surprise when these pictures of the 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI surfaced recently. Wearing minimal disguise this STI clearly shows what's in store for the top-of-the-line Impreza. Wider wheel flares, a deeper front air dam, quad exhaust pipes and a sizable rear wing are the most noticeable changes. More power, bigger brakes and a retuned suspension are also on the upgrade list...
Continue reading...
September 18, 2007
More images of a lightly disguised Subaru STI from Japan have found their way to the Internet. As expected, the fender flares appear to be toned down a bit from those seen on the WRC concept shown at Frankfurt. More can be found after the jump.
The wait shouldn't be too much longer, as the STI is to be introduced next month at the Tokyo auto show.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (4)
-
- Posted by: Bob Holland September 18, 2007, 6:14 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Future Vehicles, Subaru, Tokyo Motor Show
July 3, 2007
You may have seen the carefully orchestrated press photos of the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, but these are the first spy photos of the same car on the street sans camouflage. Taken as the car was making some hot laps on the Nurburgring test track, this prototype doesn’t reveal anything new. It still has the nicely chiseled features that give it a more aggressive look than its main rival -- the 2009 Subaru WRX STI. Look for the debut of both vehicles at the Tokyo auto show in Oct...
Continue reading...
June 29, 2007
More spy shots of the all-new Toyota Land Cruiser have shown up on the Net, this time over at Jalopnik. As before, the Land Cruiser is a kissin' cousin of the all-new Lexus LX570. That means expect the same 5.7L V8 found in the Tundra. The vehicle is expected to debut at the Tokyo auto show this fall.
Full story here. More images after the jump.
Continue reading...
May 22, 2007
As we expected, the 2009 Acura NSX test mule spotted in a garage just outside the Nurburgring eventually made its way onto to the test track. Seeing the car out in the open reveals just how different this prototype is from the S2000 shell it's based on. The wheelbase has clearly been stretched out with the driver sitting almost dead center in the chassis. The width doesn't appear to have changed much, but the wheels and tires are definitely bigger than anything seen on an S2000...
Continue reading...
April 19, 2007
We've showed you just about every angle of the 2009 Nissan GT-R. From spy photos to track video, there isn't much left to see when it comes to the exterior styling of this Nissan super coupe. The interior has been a different story. Although we've snagged some decent shots with long lenses, the details have been hard to make out. This latest spy photo, however, finally gives you a pretty good look at the GT-R's cabin...
Continue reading...
February 16, 2007
Finally, the shot we've been waiting for all along. After chasing the 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R for over two weeks our spy shooters managed to get a photo of the GT-R prototype with its hood up in the pits at Laguna Seca. It appears to confirm the expected VQ-Series V6 under the hood fortified with a pair of turbochargers. We also scored a shot of the interior as well, but heavy camouflage kept most of it hidden from view, the barely visible paddle shifters the only notable feature. Our spy team also hand clocked the GT-R's best lap around the 2.2-mile Laguna Seca circuit at 1:39.62 -- about three tenths quicker than the 911 Turbo's best lap. Click the link below to see both cars in action.
Continue reading...
February 14, 2007
Our spy shooters scored again after following the 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R from L.A. to Northern California. Turns out, Nissan was headed to Sears Point raceway for some hot laps giving our guys another opportunity to snag some exclusive spy photos and video. Nissan's engineers were making lots of tire and wheel changes so we expect this excursion to California was a bit of fine tuning before the final specs are locked down for production. And one more thing: According to some hand timed laps taken by our photographers, the GT-R was lapping the 2.5-mile road course within tenths of the Porsche 911 Turbo brought along for comparison. Not bad for a Nissan. -- Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor
Click here to watch a video of the 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R tearing around Sears Point Raceway.
Continue reading...
October 13, 2006
Earlier this week the first spy pictures of the 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R were shot at the Nurburgring. They showed a prototype nearly identical to the concept, but we were left speculating on the some of the specifics. Now we have video of the Nissan Skyline GT-R making hot laps and a few details are now certain. For one, it's not packing a V8 under its long hood...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (3)
-
- Posted by: Ed Hellwig October 13, 2006, 7:36 AM
- Categories: Future Vehicles, Nissan, Spy Photos, Tokyo Motor Show
October 9, 2006
Here it is, the 2008 Nissan Skyline that has been years in the making. Looking much like the concept that debuted in Tokyo last year, this Nurburgring bound prototype looks to be in full production trim. No definite word yet on which engine this Skyline will use, but most speculation pegs the horsepower number around 450. Expect to see more pics later in the week as this prototype makes its way around the 'Ring on the way to an official debut at the Tokyo auto show next fall.
Continue reading...
January 10, 2006
Is it possible to turn out a bad Mini concept? I don't think so, or at least I haven't seen one. The Mini Traveller concept is yet another retro show car. This time based upon the original Mini Traveller of some 40-odd years ago...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (0)
-
- Posted by: Bob Holland January 10, 2006, 6:31 PM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Chicago Auto Show, Detroit Auto Show, Frankfurt Auto Show, Geneva Motor Show, LA Auto Show, MINI, New York Auto Show, Paris Auto Show, SEMA Show, Tokyo Motor Show
January 9, 2006
Despite all their problems, GM is going all out at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, to show that they are far from being dead and buried. They plan to make a big splash with the introduction of new production and concept vehicles.
"They are showcasing their turnaround," said Erich Merkle, director of forecasting for IRN Inc., a Grand Rapids-based automotive consulting firm. "They're saying, 'We're serious about it...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (2)
-
- Posted by: Bob Holland January 9, 2006, 1:00 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Chicago Auto Show, Detroit Auto Show, Frankfurt Auto Show, General Motors, Geneva Motor Show, LA Auto Show, New York Auto Show, Paris Auto Show, SEMA Show, Tokyo Motor Show
October 30, 2005
Honda shows DN-01 automatic-equipped sport motorcycle concept at Tokyo Motor Show. So what's this got to do with cars? Well, nothing really—except that it's from Honda—and anything from Honda should be of some interest to car folks.
Auto-equipped motorcycles are not new...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (3)
-
- Posted by: Bob Holland October 30, 2005, 3:19 PM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Honda, Tokyo Motor Show
October 26, 2005
I've always loved going to Tokyo for the biennial motor show's press-preview days. And not just because it's the only major auto show with a hall full of motorcycles. Tokyo has long been known for the utterly wacky flights of design fancy that its car makers roll out at the show. Weird shapes, crazy features, colors that do not occur in nature . ...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (0)
-
- Posted by: Kevin Smith October 26, 2005, 8:01 PM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Tokyo Motor Show
