The CR-Z that Honda fanboys have been begging for is on its way thanks to Mugen. The European division of the tuner has just released new details on its high-performance version of the sporty hybrid coupe, with the big news being a supercharger under the hood to deliver 200-hp. Mugen Euro hasn’t released exact specs...
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Honda is well aware that it has a strong following of enthusiasts who love to modify their cars and with the launch of the 9th generation Civic expected later this year, the Japanese automaker is catering to its fan base, displaying a few tuner cars at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. Flanking the...
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Lexus is a brand desperate to grow its appeal among younger buyers and while the new CT200h hybrid hatchback might be more of a European-targeted vehicle, apart from the IS series, it’s easily the most attractive car to the Gen-X and Gen-Y crowd from the Toyota luxury brand here in North America. To help convey...
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Modifying hybrids has turned into a solid market out in Japan, and one of the oldest aero kit designers has joined in on the fun. In the late 1990s, C-West had immersed itself into the American market with its popular Honda and Acura body kits but recently the buzz for C-West’s infamous styling had subsided....
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Lexus will use the upcoming Chicago Auto Show to keep the focus on its new CT200h hybrid luxury hatchback. To do so Lexus will have on display a new concept version of the car build by tuning-house and design studio Five Axis. A single teaser sketch of the car has been released, with the CT...
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You know the saying, “as American as apple pie”? Well, in Qatar they say, “as Qatar-ian(?) as a modified SUV.” OK, maybe not, but wealthy Middle-Easterners really know how to blow their oil-soaked money: like on the Invader L60. Japanese tuning house Invader recently unveiled its new L60 truck at the Qatar Motor Show, based...
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Considering how many years the MKIV Toyota Supra has been out of production, it’s amazing that the aftermarket continues to come up with new parts for it. But why not? The Supra remains one of the most versatile vehicles in the world when it comes to customization. Veilside possibly has some of the world’s most...
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The old age debate of imports vs. domestics, four-cylinders vs. V8s, high-revving horsepower vs. low-end torque… the argument continues to rage on despite a whole new era of simple hybrids. And while we won’t see many GM enthusiasts swapping in a Honda S2000 powerplant into their domestic machine, there have been plenty of import enthusiasts...
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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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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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One reason to attend the annual Tokyo Auto Salon tuner show is to see Japanese Domestic Market vehicles extensively modified by some of the best aftermarket companies in the business. A second reason is to have a good laugh. A car culture that can deliver the NSX and GT-R, is also responsible for 1980s-era Transformers-styled...
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Nissan/Infiniti tuner Impul chose the Tokyo Auto Salon to make the public debut of its new 651S tuning package for the new Infiniti M luxury sedan. While some of the aerodynamic modifications aren’t to out taste, thankfully Impul isn’t just some plastic-fantastic shop. They actually offer a full line of modifications. Shown on this car...
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One of the premiere tuners for Honda and Acura vehicles, J’s Racing is known for building parts for those who want to get out on the track. On display at the Tokyo Auto Salon, the J’s Racing team brought along fully modified versions of the Civic Type R and the new CR-Z. Both models feature...
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Hybrids are increasingly becoming the car of choice in Japan and as a result the country that’s responsible for popularizing electrified motoring is also the Mecca for hybrid tuning. Yes, some performance shops are working on adding more power to hybrid systems, but as with the rest of the auto industry, the majority of tuning...
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It’s not even for sale in North America yet, but over in Japan they’re already hard at work modifying the all-new Toyota Vitz – sold here as the Yaris. A marked improvement on the current model in the style department, the G Sports team at Gazoo Racing have customized this little hatch with a selection...
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Love the Nissan Juke? OK, you probably don’t, but that’s most likely because you haven’t driven one. Criticized from Tokyo to Tampa Bay, the Juke is a front-runner for ugliest car ever, but it’s also a seriously fun package with a turbocharged 4-cylinder and a sophisticated AWD system. Targeted at young urbanites, Nissan is looking...
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Ever wonder what would happen if you let a high-performance tuning company run wild on a minivan? Well wonder no longer, as Nissan‘s NISMO division has just debuted a version of the new Elgrand (sold as the Quest in North America) at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon. Already an imposing beast of a van, the...
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While Lexus does already offer a selection of F-Sport branded TRD bits for the IS-F, the automaker now seems poised to deliver a selection of track-focused goodies for those who want to take their 5.0-liter V8 sedan around the track. Looking nearly identical to the IS-F Club Circuit Sport concept from last yea’s Tokyo Auto...
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You’d be forgiven for thinking that Lamborghini’s designers had gotten a hold of the Honda CR-Z. Despite its matte-black paint and wild bodywork the TS-1X Concept has nothing in common with the Reventon supercar. Based on the new hybrid sports car, the TS-1X gets a fighter-jet inspired aero kit that actually seems to work with...
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The Acura (or Honda) NSX has been out of production since 2005, but icons are always worth revisiting. That, apparently, is the thought behind the new Sports Modulo NSX. Unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon in Japan, Honda’s in-house Sports Modulo tuning division has just release a new selection of parts for the legendary Japanese...
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With the Tokyo Auto Salon around the corner, Japanese tuners are working and wrenching around the clock for their 2011 debuts. One of these tuners is Axell Auto, which is currently working on a widebody conversion kit for the infamous Nissan R35 GT-R. And it looks like Axell Auto is looking to claim the title...
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Now here’s something you don’t see every day. And be thankful you don’t. One of Vivid Racing’s customers, Shawn, out in Singapore, sent them over these shots of his Mazda RX-8 sporting a custom widebody conversion and a lot of design cues taken from Lamborghini. In particular there’s a lot of Reventon in the kit,...
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Nissan is set to showcase nine models at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon, with the star certain to be the GT-R RC (Racing Edition). Based on the production GT-R, the Racing Edition is built by NISMO specifically for track duty and will meet FIA standards allowing it to race in different series throughout the world....
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Despite its huge throngs of worshipers, the Nissan GT-R is a rarity at this year’s SEMA Show. The few we did cross paths with were, however, seriously impressive machines, representing some of the biggest GT-R tuners in the world. Among them we count AMS and Switzer as two of the biggest. The AMS Alpha 9...
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