Mazda has just announced that starting next year it will begin leasing an all electric versions of its new Mazda2 sub-compact. Few details are available, but the EV will have a driving range of 200 km (124 miles) and the lease program will be offered to government agencies and fleet customers in Japan. This expansion...
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Suzuki has been struggling with its car division in North America, and sales in 2010 were particularly poor. However, in its home market of Japan, the brand does quite well, thanks to tiny run-abouts like this new MR wagon. The MR wagon fits under the kei-class category in Japan, which in English would mean, ultra...
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Following the lead of General Motors, Honda and Nissan, Volkswagen is looking into creating a sub-brand for the Chinese market, which would sell ultra-affordable compact cars in the world’s biggest auto market. “A local brand is our opportunity to participate in segments where Volkswagen is not represented yet,” said Volkswagen China’s CEO Wolfgang Neumann, in...
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With 20.3 million vehicles recalled last year, 2010 was a record year for voluntary recalls, according to data released by the National Highway Traffic Saftey Association. While nearly 31 million vehicles were recalled in 2004 (the peak year on record), 2009 only saw 16.6 million cars recalled. In addition, 3 out of 5 vehicles recalled...
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The Aston Martin Cygnet, the British luxury brand’s take on the Toyota iQ, is almost ready to go on sale, and the ultra-lux city car will start £30,995, or about $50,000 USD. Using the 1.3L Toyota engine and a 6-speed manual or CVT gearbox, the iQ’s 11 second 0-60 sprint is decidedly not Aston-like in...
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Mitsubishi‘s American plant will transition from making less-than-thrilling cars like the Eclipse and Endeavor SUV to producing vehicles for the global market. The transition will occur in 2014 as part of its new business plan. The vehicles will share a common platform with the Lancer compact car and Outlander crossover. Along with the Eclipse and...
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While it doesn’t get a lot of press, Infiniti has climbed up the luxury ladder to become the fourth largest luxury brand in the U.S. And over the past two years, the company has expanded globally as well. But with sales just half those of brands like Lexus, BMW and Mercedes, Infiniti is missing something,...
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Honda‘s previous Civic launches have seen the base models get the star-treatment right out of the gate, with performance and eco variants following later on. But this time will be different, as Honda plans to launch the regular Civic, Civic Si, Civic Hybrid and a natural gas powered Civic within weeks of each other. The...
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Well ahead of it’s planned debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March, Mazda has announced the debut of the Minagi crossover concept. The latest vehicle to take the crossover segment further down-market, the Minagi Concept is rumored to wear the CX-5 badge and will compete in a class of cars popularized by the Nissan...
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Nissan‘s Cube has had a lukewarm reception outside its home market of Japan, and sales have been so poor in Europe that Nissan has decided to axe the vehicle entirely. Nissan is citing exchange rate issues between the yen and the euro as the underlying cause, but the dismal sales are likely an equal culprit...
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The Mitsubishi Colt is one of the oldest nameplates in the compact car market, having been sold across the globe in fairly substantial numbers. While North Americans missed out on the previous incarnation, the Colt was well regarded as a practical and inexpensive subcompact that was also a competent driver’s car. For the next generation...
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[vs-jwplayer movieid=”Woi6jm_nfIA” width=”640″ height=”385″ autoplay=”0″] After 13 years on the market, Toyota has finally decided to expand the Prius name into a complete lineup of vehicles, starting with the Prius V. And why not; the Prius has already grown into a brand, described by Toyota Division VP and General Manager Bob Carter as being synonymous...
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Images leaked on the internet purport to show a new version of the Honda Jazz (sold as the Fit in our markets) that looks somewhat like a stretched-in-all-directions version of the current car. The tall-wagon/”people-mover” segment is a major one in much of the world, and the new car, which may be sold as the...
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While prototype units of the Lexus LF-A have been in production for over a year, the first units destined for retail customers began rolling off the line at the company’s facility in Toyota City, Japan. With 15,000 parts assembled largely by hand, an LF-A requires 170 people to be produced. Every step of the assembly...
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The future of Mitsubishi in America is tied very closely to its production facility in Normal, Ill. Having suffered significantly in the market over the past several years (sales for 2010 were just 55,683 units compared to 345,111 in 2002), the Japanese automaker is planning a shakeup. According to Automotive News, Mitsubishi will build vehicles...
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Due to overwhelming demand, not to mention lackluster sales for the original hybrid version, Honda will bring to market its CR-Z turbo model, possibly as early as this year. Facing new competition from the Hyundai Veloster, and aiming to offer something in line with higher-performance versions of the MINI Cooper, the CR-Z turbo will reportedly...
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In a bid to capitalize on the publicity surrounding this year’s Australia Grand Prix Formula 1 event, Lexus will hold the world’s first hybrid only race. The field will be made up exclusively of CT200h models, just as Lexus introduces the car to the Aussie market. Aiming to change the perception that hybrids are only...
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Hardly the most attractive car on display at the Tokyo Auto Salon, the TES Concept T-Sports might be one of the most exciting for regular folks in search of an affordable sports car. Since the first introduction of Toyota‘s FT-86 Concept, rumors have surfaced that the cost of development of the car has risen and...
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First debuting at the Australian International Auto Show, Lexus rolled out the CT200h F-Sport model as part of its display at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon. Unlike the IS-F Club Performance Accessory or the IS-F CCSR, this F-Sport model is confirmed for production. Taking the new Lexus hybrid hatchback to a more dynamic level, the...
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Looking forward to Subaru‘s version of the Toyota FT-86 Concept? Sure you are! But what if you could get your hands on another STI-tuned Toyota-derived Subie. Um….. maybe not. Unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon, the Trezia STI gets an overhaul by the legendary Subaru Technica Institute. Never heard of the Trezia? We don’t blame...
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If you’re looking for the VIP section at the Tokyo Auto Salon, this is it. The RH9 Club, is a loose network of tuner shops that have built Nissan GT-Rs that can run a 9 second quarter mile or faster. As the legend goes, the shops all meet and discuss tuning ideas and even build...
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A year ago Honda officially announced the introduction of the HSV-010 GT race car, the company’s successor to the NSX in the Japanese Super GT Series. A purpose-built race car with a 500-hp 3.4-liter V8 engine, sadly, no production car will ever be derived from the HSV-010. That new is all the more disappointing when...
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It wouldn’t be the Tokyo Auto Salon without an appearance by a few specific tuners and that list includes Top Secret. Best known for building unmistakably gold high-powered machines – like the Toyota Supra – the Top Secret display in Tokyo this year includes a stunning Nissan GT-R. Sporting a special aero kit (including a...
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Honda‘s CR-Z certainly made a huge splash out at SEMA this year and Japanese tuners have been embracing hybrid-tuning for quite a while now, with plenty of modified Insights and Priuses roaming the streets of Japan. So it’s no surprise that even more have jumped on Honda’s CR-Z and Noblesse now has launched one of...
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