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Tokyo Motor Show: Mitsubishi previews next Galant in the Concept-ZT
2007-10-25 18:46:00
Mitsubishi's star at the show might have been the new Evo X, but the new Concept -ZT is the more important car as it previews the next-generation Galant, which is a big seller for the company. Styled like a large Lancer, the ZT features the same jet-fighter grille but is overall a more stylish and elegant vehicle. We particularly liked some of the small styling touches such as the side mirrors and detailed wheels. Under the hood is Mitsu's 2.2L diesel engine mated to a twin-clutch gearbox, which Mitsubishi seems to be introducing throughout their lineup.By combining a high-powered, fuel-efficient, 2.2-liter clean diesel engine and Twin Clutch SST, and using significant quantities of Green Plastic in the interior, a high level of running and environmental performance is achieved. In addition to advanced active safety technology, Concept-ZT achieves a high level of passive safety. Features include pre-crash safety; a lane-drift warning system; driving assistance technology, including...
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Honda confirms production FCX and car based on CR-Z Concept
2007-10-25 16:46:00
Honda's green concepts on display in Tokyo are destined for showrooms. The automaker has officially confirmed that both the FCX and a car based on the CR-Z that was unveiled just hours ago will make the transition to production. Regarding the FCX, there won't be long to wait, as the automaker will pull the covers off tof he production-spec car at next month's LA Auto Show, with sales to commence sometime in 2008. In 2009, it'll be joined in showrooms by both a production car based on the spiffy CR-Z hybrid and a "global hybrid" family car, the latter of which which we know little about at this time. If the CR-Z makes the trip from concept to road car relatively unscathed (well, except for that aardvark-like schnoz) and lives up to its mission statement of ecologically responsible performance, both green car and sport compact fans should have something to look forward to a couple of years down the line. [Source: Honda, lead photo by TORU YAMANAKA/AFP/Getty]More Eecellen...
More About: Honda , Production , Concept , Firms

2007 Tokyo Motor Show: Live shots of the Nissan GT-R!
2007-10-24 15:25:00
A press event has never been so well attended, or dangerously overcrowded. But we got to the front in time to watch in car footage of a GT-R lapping the Nurburgring in 7:38.5, then out came Carlos to claim that his new baby is the best that Nissan has ever produced – and we're inclined to agree. Unsurprisingly the show car is silver, and, well looks pretty much like it did in the spy shots, but the shock was that Mr. Ghosn committed to Nissan fielding GT-Rs in next year's Super GT Championship. Could this be the start of another R32-like Godzilla race track domination?Deliveries start in next month, and to the rest of the world by the end of 2008. Check out the gallery, we'll have tech specs up soon.More about 2007 Tokyo Motor Show :+ Tokyo Motor Show 2007: Nissan GT-R to Debut in Gran Turismo 5 - Jalopnik+ New Mazda Taiki Concept will debut in the Tokyo Motor Show 2007+ Mugen-tuned Honda Fit To Hit Tokyo+ Tokyo Motor Show: Practical performance with BMW's M3 Sedan+ T...
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Tokyo Motor Show 2007: Subaru WRX STI debut
2007-10-24 15:18:00
We've gone from being disappointed by the new Impreza, to pleasantly surprised by the WRX, to smitten by the STI. It looked OK in silver as the dust sheet came off, but stunning in metallic black on the Subaru stand's floor. The new STI's exterior details that set it apart from lesser siblings do not appear to be afterthoughts tacked on to a standard family car, but rather the way the family car was supposed to look in the first place.The interior, too, is better put together and uses better materials than previous offerings from Subaru Tecnica International, but the dash will look pleasingly familiar to fans of the brand. Click below for a gallery taken at the live launch and view Subaru's official press release with all the specs after the jump.More about 2007 Tokyo Motor Show :+ Tokyo Motor Show 2007: Nissan GT-R to Debut in Gran Turismo 5 - Jalopnik+ New Mazda Taiki Concept will debut in the Tokyo Motor Show 2007+ Mugen-tuned Honda Fit To Hit Tokyo+ Tokyo Motor Show: Prac...

Tokyo Motor Show: Practical performance with BMW's M3 Sedan
2007-10-24 15:08:00
There hasn't been a BMW M3 sedan since the E36 generation, but that doesn't mean BMW has forgotten how to build a fast saloon car. The M3 Sedan takes everything good about the M3 coupe and adds two doors to the mix, allowing you to better justify the purchase with your significant other. BMW has thrown out the standard headlights on the sedan and replaced them with the lights found on the coupe, giving it a more sporting design in the process.The basic specs are all the same as the coupe, but you should check out our previous post on the M3 Sedan to find out more.More about 2007 Tokyo Motor Show :+ Tokyo Motor Show 2007: Nissan GT-R to Debut in Gran Turismo 5 - Jalopnik+ New Mazda Taiki Concept will debut in the Tokyo Motor Show 2007+ Mugen-tuned Honda Fit To Hit Tokyo+ Tokyo Motor Show: Practical performance with BMW's M3 Sedan+ Tokyo Motor Show 2007: Subaru WRX STI debut+ 2007 Tokyo Motor Show: Live shots of the Nissan GT-R!
More About: Performance

Mugen-tuned Honda Fit To Hit Tokyo
2007-10-24 14:53:00
A Fit 'without limits' joins the line-up at the Tokyo Show in the coming days with the premiere of tuning firm Mugen Motorsport's version of Honda 's 2008 model Fit. Engine tuner and parts manufacturer Mugen, the name of which translates to 'without limits', was founded in 1973 by the son of Honda Motor Company's founder Soichiro Honda and remains closely associated with the car maker to this day.Sales of the Fit start this Friday in Japan and so the opportunity to grab the attention of potential bodykit buyers at the Tokyo Show is high, with visitor numbers estimated to be in excess of 1.5 million. Mugen offer the styling enhancements as seperate entities in themselves, but the full works, according to Mugen's Japanese-only website, costs a smidgen under 200,000 yen, equating to some $1,750. There are two Mugen-styled Fits. The first, the RS (painted yellow in photos), does away with the Honda 'boomerang' grille, instead favouring a more slender 'sports grille' design. S...
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Luxury Lexus offers an eco-friendly choice for business high-flyers
2007-10-23 17:02:00
No car maker has embraced hybrid technology quite like Lexus . While rivals moan about high development costs and technical inefficiencies, the Japanese manufacturer is committed to combining petrol and electric power – and the next vehicle in its highly charged line-up is the LS600h.We have already tried the techno­logy in a left-hand drive version of the new car (Issue 958). But how does it work here on the UK’s roads? The first impression with any LS is its vast scale – especially in this long-wheelbase guise. Apart from its subtle badging, the hybrid shares the sombre styling of other variants. Even the twin chrome exhausts remain, hinting at its performance potential.Under the bonnet is a 389bhp 5.0-litre V8. Add to that the thrust of an electric motor, and output is boosted to 439bhp. The final technical flourish is to feed power to all four wheels.The cabin features the familiar LS dashboard with its huge array of buttons. While German rivals have opted for a central...
More About: Business , Luxury , Offers , Choice

Newcomers: 2008 Porsche 911 GT2
2007-10-20 20:26:00
It's not commonly known, but jet lag is cured by high-speed injections of German autobahn, a volksremedium we discovered long ago, at 180 mph in a Porsche 928 S4.And it still works. Better than melatonin, mile-high liaisons, or other familiar folk remedies, there's no surer cure for jet lag than redlining a Porsche on an unrestricted autobahn-as we're about to reaffirm in the 2008 911 GT2, the best Porsche ever unleashed on an undeserving everyman. (Don't even think about owning one if you can't handle full opposite lock or payments on an MSRP of $191,700.)Driving the 530-horsepower two-seater at 180 mph doesn't cure our jet lag as much as expel it violently from the car, but heavy rain means reaching the GT2's top speed of 205 mph is out of the question. Even with double the previous GT2's downforce from the new Le Mans racer-inspired body and rear wing, and excellent grip from the 19-inch Pirellis, the GT2 is too much car for the conditions. We also keep Porsche's spectac...
More About: Porsche 911 , Newcomers

Is the new Mazda 6 2.0 TS2 a viable alternative to Ford's Mondeo
2007-10-20 20:16:00
There’s a revolution on the way in the new car market. Although sales in the large family class are dwind­ling, the quality of the models available has never been better.The latest Mondeo is one of the best cars Ford has ever produced, while the next-generation Vauxhall Vectra – due in dealers in autumn next year – promises to be a big step forward, too. So do the new Citroen C5 and Honda Accord.From January, Mazda will add the new 6 to the mix. Available in hatchback or saloon form (with an est­ate following in March), and priced from £15,500, it’s bigger and better look­ing than before, and also offers more quality and standard equipment.Penned by Youichi Sato, who also des­igned the last-generation RX-7 coupe, the 6 is certainly attractive. The deep, V-shaped grille, angular headlights, pronounced wheelarches and LED tail-lamps are particular highlights.Mazda says it’s trying to develop a design language that’s home-grown, rather than Euro-inspired. A...
More About: Alternative , Native , Alterna

2007 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG
2007-10-20 17:40:00
Los Angeles, California - As the LA morning fog slowly burned away, I wheeled the silver Mercedes -Benz SL roadster away from the swank Beverley Wilshire Hotel and onto Rodeo Drive. With the folding hardtop packed away, the big Merc’s velvety exhaust note bounced back from the houses of Georgio Armani, Michael Kors, Hugo Boss and Harry Winston (sadly, no friends of mine). Riding shotgun was the requisite sun-kissed shade-wearing blond.Nothing to see here, folks. Just a page ripped from the California-cliché handbook. But all was not as it appeared. Impersonating the solvent LA dude was this pasty Canuck journalist. Playing the part of the blond was a nice Mercedes PR lady, and headlining the act was the $248,000 2007 M-B SL65 AMG – a car so adept at concealing its formidable talents that an Oscar for Best Poker Face is in order. Only those in the know would spot the subtleties that distinguish the SL65 from lesser SL-Class cars: the exclusive five-spoke 19-inch alloys, a more ag...
More About: Mercedes Benz , Mercedes-Benz

2007 Los Angeles Auto Show Preview: Acura shows drawings of a future fuel c
2007-10-18 04:48:00
Diesel power is the hot ticket at Le Mans right now after the dominant win by Audi's R10 this year and Peugeot coming next year. But technology always moves on in racing (unless you're talking Nascar, but that's a whole other story). By the middle of the next decade, racers will likely have moved on to something else, and Acura is playing off of parent Honda's fuel cell efforts by showing drawings of a potential fuel cell powered Le Mans racer. It's unlikely a racer will look much like any of these drawings, but some of the technology could make it to the track. More drawings and a press release after the jump.More excellent articles about LA Auto Show + Los Angeles Auto Show 2007 Preview : Quick test drive in BMW 535d+ LA Auto Show 2007: Honda Civic GX quick test drive+ LA Preview: Volkswagen to unveil plug-version of the Up! mini
More About: Drawings , Future

Los Angeles Auto Show 2007 Preview: Quick test drive in BMW 535d
2007-10-18 04:38:00
This is the BMW I wanted to drive, not the hyped-up Hydrogen 7. I first saw a 535d more than a year ago in the back shop of Gale Banks Performance. The car was the diesel-tuner's facility for research and evaluation but wasn't available for a spin around the block during my visit. The guys in the shop, however, were nearly speechless with regards to its performance. Fast-foward to the LA Auto Show and BMW announces it will offer performance diesel engines in North America, starting in 2008. BMW did not reveal which engines or vehicle models will be introduced. One has to expect, however, that the 535d in some form will be one of the first. The move comes as BMW says its Advanced Diesel will meet the strict 50-state emissions standards. Nearly 70 percent of BMW sales in Europe are diesels, so consumers must demand that their BMWs be as fast as they are clean.A 535d was available as part of the Green Car Journal magazine's ride-and-drive of environmentally friendly vehicles during ...
More About: Preview , Los Angeles , Drive

LA Auto Show 2007: Honda Civic GX quick test drive
2007-10-18 04:05:00
I arranged to drive the Honda Civic GX in an extended test after the holidays, but I wanted to offer a capsule review following a short 5-minute drive during the LA Auto Show . I'm a fan of natural gas as a fuel and have been interested in the practical week-to-week possibilities of a CNG-powered car since Honda started promoting Phill, the home-based refueling station.Cost and convenience aside, my first impression of the GX is the lack of snap in the throttle. There is a reduction of power when using natural gas in the 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine. The GX is rated at 113 horsepower while a gas-powered model pumps out 140 horsepower. The GX is also heavier, so the car seems lazy or sluggish at times.But the real values in the GX are fuel costs and peace of mind knowing you're driving perhaps the cleanest production internal combustion engine available. I'll need more seat time in the GX and then some time with a calculator, but in a future report you can expect a full breakdown of...
More About: Drive

LA Preview: Volkswagen to unveil plug-version of the Up! mini
2007-10-18 03:41:00
After unveiling their new Volkswagen up! mini-car at the Frankfurt Motor Show last month, VW is set to show two more variants in the next month and a half. The Tokyo Motor Show at the end of October should see a small five door mini-van based on the up! which would be a spiritual successor to the old Micro-Bus. On this continent we should be getting a plug-in version of the car at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. It's not know at this point if this will be a straight battery electric car or a hybrid, but the former is far more likely because of the small size. An electric motor could be easily packaged in place of the rear engine and a compact lithium ion battery pack could go alongside it. Range would probably be very limited by the small battery size but we'll see soon enough.[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
More About: Preview , Mini , Plug , Version

Audi R8 V10 Proto Returns to the Ring
2007-10-16 16:08:00
After the unfortunate incident of the Audi R8 V10 catching on fire last April, a new anti-reflective matte black prototype has returned to “the Ring ” to complete its testing. With the prototype cost estimated at half million Euros, Audi's sport division, quattro GmbH, has now installed an electronic fire suppression system as indicated by the white “E” (foam based extinguisher) sticker and two red buttons seen next to the driver's side rear view mirror. In case of a fire, the first reaction is for the driver to get out of the vehicle and if risk is minimal, the fire suppression system can be activated from outside the vehicle by pressing the two red buttons.The super high performance R8, which is rumored to be called R10, R8 S or RS8, will use the same V10 engine from the Lamborghini Gallardo but slightly detuned to produce 490 – 500hp. As seen in this prototype completely devoid of camouflage, the R8 V10 gets larger air intake tunnels just behind the front doors, revise...
More About: Proto