Mazda recently unveiled a diesel version of its CX-7 SUV at the Geneva Auto Show and the company has announced it is looking to expand its diesel offerings with new smaller engines aimed at hybrid competitors. Mazda’s head of research and development has announced that the automaker will tread a different path than its Japanese...
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Toyota has just announced that it is currently developing a hybrid version of the sub-compact Yaris (known at the Vitz in Japan) to take on Honda in the increasingly diminutive hybrid war. Honda’s launch of the Insight Hybrid was the catalyst in this hybrid war, undercutting the Prius in both size and cost. Honda recently...
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The fourth generation Mazda Miata, due out in 2012 is going to be more in line with the original Miata, with a smaller engine and lower curb weight. There is also a strong possibility that Mazda will bring back the soft-top (as well as offer a hard-top) – a move that would easily save a...
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After watching from the shadows for years as Toyota dominated the hybrid market, Nissan is finally preparing to launch it’s own ground-up hybrid vehicle; except it won’t be a Nissan, it will be an Infiniti. According to a report in Japan’s Nikkei, which cites no sources, the hybrid will be based on Infiniti’s mid-level luxury...
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Officially unveiled as the Mazda MPS at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this month, the U.S.-spec MazdaSpeed3 will make it’s North American debut at the New York Auto Show on April 9th. We don’t expect much to change from the Euro version, so don’t plan on any more power from the direct-injection 2.3-liter turbo-four. Power...
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Can a gasoline engine best a diesel one in endurance racing? It can during qualifying, as Acura proved by claiming the pole for the 12 Hours of Sebring race, set to take place tomorrow. Scott Dixon shocked pretty much everyone on Thursday by piloting the de Ferran Motorsports Acura ARX-02a to the pole with a...
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While we all wait patiently for Infiniti to bring news that the Essence Concept car, (unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this month), will go in to production, a small part of it is already scheduled for use in upcoming models. The Essence features a twin-turbocharged direct-injection 3.7-liter V6 and while those turbos aren’t...
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*** UPDATE *** Scion has announced that it will bring a new micro-compact car to the New York Auto Show, which will most likely be a Scion-branded version of the Toyota iQ. Most likely this SMART-sized vehicle will use Toyota’s new 99hp, 1.33-liter four-cylinder engine that made its debut at the Geneva Auto Show. ***...
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Photos: Beyond-Form.com Toyota is planning to bring back the MR2 – this according to AutoExpress. Toyota VP Masatami Takimoto told staff at the U.K. magazine that, “We are aware of the fondness with which the MR2 is held in the UK and Europe, and are developing a small hybrid sportscar.” “We have set a tough...
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According to Japan’s daily Nikkei daily business paper, Toyota will not sit back and watch Honda succeed with its Insight. Nor will Toyota let Honda hold on to the claim of selling the most affordable hybrid in the U.S. for long. A yet-unnamed sub-compact model from Toyota is scheduled to go into production and be...
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Not only will Nissan use the New York Auto Show to debut its new 370Z Roadster, but the automaker will also have a surprise Z on hand. What this Z will be, the folks at Nissan aren’t willing to say, but there’s a good chance it will be a NISMO version of the all-new coupe...
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It’s barely just 2009 and already Nissan is announcing some minor tweaks to the GT-R as a 2010 model. Most notably the twin-turbo V6 gets a slight bump from 480hp to 485hp. Most importantly, however, is that the dual-clutch transmission (the fragility of which has become a running joke in many online communities) will get...
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Ahead of the New York Auto Show, Acura has released just two images of a concept vehicle it will have on display. And thanks to the folks at AcuraZine we have three more (significantly more revealing) photos of the car… or should we say SUV. Stealing a page directly out of the BMW design book,...
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Subaru unveiled its progressive-looking Legacy Concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and now it is expected to use the New York International Auto Show to showcase the production model. The rumor of the N.Y. debut started after a Subaru dealer apparently leaked information on the production model Legacy on the North...
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Nissan has just announced that it will bring a seventh Sentra model to market, one that delivers the looks of a the top-line performance models but without the power – or the price. With an MSRP of $17,760 the new Sentra FE+ 2.0 SR has an identical cost to the less sporty-looking S model. Included...
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It looks like the Nüburgring contest is about to start heating up again. According to an interview with Nissan’s Chief Test Driver Toshio Suzuki on GTRblog.com, the Japnese automaker intends to head back to the Green Hell in search of better times. The tests of both the 2009 GT-R and GT-R SpecV will take place...
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Lexus is reportedly working on a lighter and more powerful version of the IS-F performance sedan. According to a report on 7tune.com, citing Best Car, Lexus is already testing two prototype vehicles. The high-performance IS-F would make slightly more power, with total output at around 430hp – up from 416hp. This would likely be through...
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Honda has just announced that the starting price for a new 2010 Insight hybrid will be $19,800 – making it the lowest-priced hybrid for sale in the U.S. The Insight is set to go on sale March 24th. The $19,800 price is for the LX model, which includes front, front-side and side-curtain airbags; an anti-lock...
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While Suzuki’s Geneva Auto Show press conference concentrated on the launch of the new Alto model, we spotted another premiere that we’d much rather have. It’s no supercar (this is Suzuki after all) but it’s one hot-hatch – the Swift Sport Anniversary Edition. Made to celebrate the company’s 100 years in existence, the Swift Sport...
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Despite all of Nissan’s troubles, the company isn’t shying away from motorsports for 2009, with four factory backed cars running in Japan, as well as several privateer teams running in Japan, China, South Africa and even in Europe. “Motorsports is an important part of Nissan’s strategy for building a strong brand with consumers who share...
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Nissan has just announced that they have begun testing second-generation fuel-cell technology. The new fuel-cell stack is fitted to a Nissan X-Train SUV. Nissan first announced their plans to explore a mode advanced fuel-cell technology in August of 2008. The new fuel cell is 25 percent smaller than the previous generation and provides 1.4 times...
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Despite an overall sales slump, Honda is claiming huge success with its Insight Hybrid in Japan. Slated to go on sale in North America in April, sales orders of the car in Honda’s home market are already triple the expected demand for the vehicle. Honda had initially predicted sales of 60,000 units in Japan for...
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[vs-jwplayer movieid=”pH6ZdXJ5LDY” width=”425″ height=”344″ autoplay=”0″] No, this isn’t a preview for Fast & Furious 5, it’s a little bit of cross promotion between Sports Illustrated and its Swimsuit Edition and Nissan and its new 370Z. According to the voice-over the three models (Damaris Lewis, Jessica Hart, and Melissa Haro) think they are being given a...
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Prodrive, the company behind Subaru’s successful World Rally Car program, has just announced that it is selling off many of its decommissioned race cars, including the very first Impreza WRC car. This 1997 model Impreza WRC car made its debut at the 1997 Rally Monte Carlo and was used that year by Pierro Liatti, Kenneth...
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