You want your iPhone to stay new-looking and shiny so it looks like you just took it out of the box. But in no time at all, your prized possession is scratched up. How do you keep it looking newer longer? Nissan is working on it – the automaker has been experimenting with a self-healing...
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Officially, Toyota will tell you that the future is in hybrid powertrains. But unofficially, well, they’ve built an electric sports car, which was revealed at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon. Based on the chassis of a Toyota Sera (a rare sports car built from 1990-96), the TES-ERA EV shares that car’s gullwing door concept, though...
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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...
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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...
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The team of racers assembled from the Nissan Playstation GT Academy earned themselves a remarkable honor at the Dubai 24 Hour race this weekend, finishing third in their class and 26th overall. All four drivers, Lucas Ordoñez, Jordan Tresson, Bryan Heitkotter and Jann Mardenborough, are GT Academy grads, having started out behind the wheel of virtual...
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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,...
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Ever wonder what the next Toyota Supra will be like? So do we. Could it be some sort of high-tech hybrid, using all-wheel drive with an electric motor for the front wheels and a gasoline or gas-electric hybrid drive for the rear? We suppose so. You know… something like the GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II...
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We’ve seen a lot of strange things come out of Japan’s aftermarket over the years, but this might be the most ridiculous thing yet. Relax Cabin, a Japanese aftermarket company, specializes in camper conversions and apparently thought Toyota Prius owners would have a demand for such a thing. We guess there’s a remote possibility that...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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Recently, Toyota Division Group Vice President and General Manager, Bob Carter, gave everyone a hint of what’s to come from the Japanese automaker. In an interview with War’s Auto he commented on a car that will have “more space than a BMW X5, faster than a Volkswagen TDI and higher MPG than a Fiat 500,”...
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As popular as drifting has become in America, the sport’s home will forever be in Japan and a quick demo out at the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon gave us a reminder why. While we have plenty of fun listening to V8-powered Ford Mustangs and Chevy Camaros go at it sideways, this year’s TAS played host...
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Be warned, this is the most dangerous Infiniti ever built and it has nothing to do with safety ratings or recall notices. No, the real danger here is that once inside, you may never want to leave. In their second, and undeniably remarkable, redesign of the Infiniti EX37 interior, Bulgarian design studio Vilner has our...
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At the 2012 Montreal International Auto Show, Scion brought a trio of Release Series vehicles out to display for the Canadian market. This is the first time Scion’s Release Series vehicles have ever been to a Canadian auto show. Starting with the xB Release Series 9.0, the limited edition xB will only see 200 units...
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Toyota’s motorsports partner Gazoo Racing had several machines to show off at the Tokyo Auto Salon, but none as impressive as this Lexus LFA. Prepped for race duty, the car has already seen competition, with an automotive CEO behind the wheel no less. Akio Toyoda? Nope. Try Dr. Ulrich Bez, the man in charge of...
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Built by Honda‘s Mugen tuning division in Europe, the on-again-off-again CR-Z RR concept is, at last word, off again. So weren’t we shocked then to discover not one, but two of the cars on display at the Tokyo Auto Salon. As much as we’ll miss its good looks of the CR-Z RR with its wide...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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The GT 86 will spawn a new legion of fanboys for the Toyota brand – a result it was purpose-built to achieve. And if there’s one thing die-hard automotive enthusiasts love more than spouting off engine and chassis codes, it’s factory performance parts. In this case: Toyota Racing Development… or TRD for short. With Toyota...
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