TOKYO MOTOR SHOW

Honda CR-Z: The sequel to Civic CRX

Honda CR-Z concept

Honda CR-Z concept





PHOTO GALLERY

Many U.S. Honda fans mourned the day the Civic CRX reached the end of the line. Now Honda is coming to this month's Tokyo motor show with a possible successor.

The CR-Z concept is a lightweight sports car equipped with a Honda's gasoline-electric hybrid system engineered to deliver high performance. The name stands for "Compact Renaissance Zero."

Honda says it is trying to create an affordable sports car that is fun to drive but at the same time environmentally friendly. Lightness and simplicity are the main orders of the day-in both exterior and interior design. The rear hatchback is an obvious styling cue taken from the CRX.

This article was last updated on: 10/09/07, 16:48 et

Mazda continues to write Wankel history

The Mazda Taiki Concept picks up where the Nagare (flow) concept of two years ago left off and shows a possible direction for future rotary engine powered, 2-seater sports car.

While everyone was busy picking their jaws up off the floor in front of the GT-R at the Nissan booth, I made a beeline over to Mazda to check out the new iteration of Felix Wankel's brainchild before the crowd formed for the press conference.

Since the introduction of the second-generation RX-7 in 1986, rotary enthusiasts have lusted for the 13B in a number of forms: naturally aspirated, single-turbocharged, twin-turbocharged in the third generation and, in its current Renesis iteration, naturally aspirated with side exhaust ports for the RX-8. It's not often that we get an entirely new rotary engine, so I wanted to have plenty of time and space to get acquainted.

The new one makes a jump in displacement to 1.6 liters and features larger, skinnier rotors and a different and larger trochoid chamber in the rotor housing. Besides improving thermal efficiency, a rotary weak point, the new dimensions give the engine a longer stroke and shrink the combustion chamber for faster combustion, better fuel economy and increased torque at all engine speeds. Direct injection also makes its first appearance, which helps cut down on carbon build-up on the chamber walls. Even with the increase in size, the engine remains compact and essentially the same weight as the current Renesis, which is good news.

The new engine comes during Mazda's 40th anniversary of rotary engine development and is a perfect way to celebrate the milestone. Here's to 40 more.

Which brings us to the concept car that the 16X is mounted in: the Taiki. Some may see it as a rough idea of what a new RX-7 might look like if the zoom-zoom company decides to produce another version of its fabled sports car. Maybe after seeing the crowds gather in front of the Nissan stand six hours before the GT-R's unveiling, Mazda give serious thought to reviving the RX-7. If that happens, you can bet I'll be one of the poor suckers waiting eagerly at the Mazda stand for six hours beforehand.

Tokyo premiere for 2008 BMW M3 sedan

The 2008 M3 sedan gains two doors, added rear-seat capacity and more trunk space

2008 BMW M3





PHOTO GALLERY

The Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG will get four-door sedan competition next year in the form of BMW's 2008 M3 sedan.

Munich's latest performance hero retains its recently introduced coupe sibling's mechanical package, including 4.0-liter, 414-hp, 300-lb-ft V8 engine, but adds the practicality of two extra doors, greater rear seat accommodation and additional trunk space in a move BMW hopes will further extend the M3's already huge appeal.

Stylistically, the sedan picks up all the characteristic M3 cues, including a deep front bumper, flared front wheel arches, power dome, hood and side fender ducts, chiseled side sills, deck lid spoiler lip, new rear bumper with integrated diffuser, and quad chromed tailpipes.

Further setting the new car apart from its lesser four-door 3 Series siblings is a unique front end appearance featuring the headlamps and kidney grille treatment from the M3 coupe.

BMW puts the new car's curb weight at 3531 lbs, about 25 lbs more than the M3 coupe. Performance remains sharp with 0-60 mph in an estimated 4.7sec (0.1-second slower than the coupe).

Underneath, it's the same as for the coupe; a MacPherson strut (front) and multi-link (rear), with the M3 sedan offering a slightly more compliant ride than the coupe due to the slightly inferior rigidity of its four-door body. BMW's electronic damping control will continue to allow driver's to choose between three different levels of stiffness.

This is not the first time the M3 has been offered as a sedan. Between 1994 and 1998, BMW sold a four-door version of the E36 model. BMW's decision to revive the M3 sedan after one generation can be directly related to the popularity of AMG's four-door C63 and Audi's RS4.

The M3 sedan makes its world debut at the upcoming Tokyo show, followed by a U.S. premiere in Los Angeles in November. The car goes on sale simultaneously with the coupe next spring, priced in the low $60,000 range.

What's next for the M3? BMW will reveal the M3 convertible, with a folding hardtop roof, at the Geneva motor show next March.


Technorati Profile

2009 Nissan GT-R

The Nissan GT-R will go on sale in the United States next year.

DINO DALLE CARBONARE

Additional Resources

Article
Hot-lap heaven

Article
2009 Nissan GT-R

2009 Nissan GT-R





PHOTO GALLERY

Nissan's GT-R super coupe is set to be a star at next week's Tokyo motor show. So far, the best we've seen of the it are spy shots of prototype vehicles getting hammered around places such as Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, and along the famed Nurburgring race track in Germany.

That was then, this is now: Here's the new GT-R in all its un-disguised glory.

The reason you get to see it this week instead of next is simple--the embargo on information was broken by Motor Trend magazine which put the car on its December cover; an image of which was released to promote an award.

The Nissan GT-R will go toe-to-toe with the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and Porsche 911 Turbo. The GT-R's twin-turbo V6 gives it a startling 0 to 60 mph time of near 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 192 mph. That V6 cranks out 473 hp and 433 lb-ft of torque, driving all four wheels through a rear-mounted transaxle. In between is a GR6 dual-clutch six-speed automatic you can operate via paddles on the steering wheel.

Base price is expected to be less than $80,000.

The Other Motor Show

It's not just cars getting the spotlight in Tokyo

Suzuki's Biplane

Roger Hart

The 40th Annual Tokyo Motor Show was not just about cars but motorcycles and commercial vehicles, too. I didn't spend a lot of time looking at dump trucks and buses, but I did spend some time with the motorcycles and am glad I did.

The general feeling from my colleagues who attended the show is that this was a bit of a down year. Sure, Nissan officially launched the GT-R, but we've been seeing that car for several years now. Likewise with Mitsubishi and the Lancer Evo X. Honda's CR-Z was very cool, and concepts from Mitsubishi (Concept LT) and Suzuki (Kizashi 2) were well done.

Plus, there were a few wacky concepts and podlike contraptions, something Tokyo has become known for. But there was not a lot of meat in what was shown or in the information uncovered.

But walking through the North Hall of Makuhari Messe, where the motorcycles are, revealed that there is a lot of forward thinking going on about things on two wheels.

Motorcycle designers would appear to have a much smaller palette with which to work. Two wheels, no roof, not much of an "interior," not to mention a much smaller overall platform.

Take, for instance, Suzuki's Biplane, one of the coolest contraptions at the show. Just to prove that car designers don't have the corner on the market for all things wacky, there was the Yamaha Bobby. Having said that, I wouldn't mind having a Bobby for around town, or maybe at racetracks.

Honda, Kawasaki, Triumph, Ducati and Harley-Davidson all were present on the show floor, with new designs and new technology on display.

Oh, and lest you think the talk of alternative power is the sole domain of the automakers, Suzuki showed a concept motorcycle powered by a fuel cell.

My little tour through the motorcycle hall had me wanting to get my motorcycle endorsement.

Toyota

oyota's Bronco

We drive the torquey TRD FJ Cruiser

By MARK VAUGHN

Toyota's TRD group bolted a supercharger onto the FJ Cruiser's V6 and gets 304 hp.

Driving the TRD-tuned V6-powered Toyota FJ Cruiser, you are immediately reminded of another fine truck, something from way back in the '60s, when displacement was king, something still celebrated regularly on the covers of four-by-four magazines nearly every month. But what was it?

A few more stomps of the throttle, and it comes to you: It's like driving an original early Bronco, one of those V8-powered bruisers built before the government intervened under the hood, when gasoline was practically free, and there was no such thing as stability control. It was the golden age of beefy torque.

The heart of this FJ beast, the thing that takes it from a perfectly stylish, retro-bodied 4x4 SUV to a thing of grunting passion, is TRD's supercharger package. It features an Eaton Roots-type supercharger with a water-to-air intercooler and high-flow injectors. It boosts intake pressure by 6 to 8 psi and throttles horsepower in the 4.0-liter 24-valve V6 up from the stock 236 to 304 at 5400 rpm. Torque, the thing you feel most in this application, jumps from 266 lb-ft to 334 at 3600 revs. Oh, what a feeling.

The kit costs $4,500 plus installation, but, man, you get a return on investment every time you step on the throttle. It's fun! Our truck had the six-speed manual with a big eight-ball shifter knob, which only increased our enjoyment of this powertrain. We also had the $3,345 TRD Sport package, which included a sport suspension with 17-inch alloy wheels, Bilstein shocks, limited-slip differential and a bunch of cosmetics. That adds a bit to the $23,230 starting price of an FJ, but it's worth it at the wheel. Plus, if you get it installed by a Toyota dealer, it comes with a Toyota warranty. Find more info at www.trdusa.com.

2008 Toyota 4Runner Sport

The ride of the Toyota 4Runner Sport is a bit stiff, but it handles snow storms with ease.

As-tested price: $36,062
Drivetrain: 4.0-liter V6; 4wd, five-speed automatic
Output: 236 hp @ 5200 rpm, 266 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm
Curb weight: 4530 lb
Fuel economy (EPA/AW): 18/16.2 mpg
Options: Power tilt/slide moonroof with sunshade ($900); satellite radio ($449); weight-carrying tow hitch and ball mount ($430); alarm system ($359); premium sound ($200); spoiler with high-mounted stop lamp ($200); floor and cargo mats ($199); daytime running lights ($40)

Editor's note: Today's Drive has become Short Stint, but the information is still the same--a brief impression of a vehicle that's been in our test fleet.

OUR TAKE: Our Sport-trim test vehicle, with its upgraded suspension, is quite the handler. While the ride does get a bit rough when encountering big bumps, the 4Runner takes turns nicely with the meaty off-road tires. Steering has a nice weight, and response is good.

The 4.0-liter V6 is plenty potent, with quick pickup and smooth operation mated to the auto gearbox. Unless you tow often, there's little need to upgrade to the V8. The brakes are strong and grabby--almost too grabby, but we'll take that over the mushy pedal feel of many similar midsize utes.

The interior is nice and simple, with plenty of spots to hold belongings, though we find the climate controls a bit annoying, with separate buttons for each fan setting. Note to Toyota: There's nothing wrong with a knob.

We're also reminded of what's so great about having an SUV during a snowstorm. A quick click of the dashboard dial puts the 4Runner into 4wd, and this puppy is unstoppable.

2008 Toyota Camry LE

The Toyota Camry is functional, capable, reasonable--and boring.

As-tested price: $23,883
Drivetrain: 2.4-liter I4; fwd, five-speed automatic
Output: 158 hp @ 6000 rpm, 161 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
Curb weight: 3307 lb
Fuel economy (EPA): 25 mpg
Options: Moonroof package including power tilt/slide moonroof with dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors and rear personal lamps ($940); vehicle stability control with traction control ($650); security system ($359); carpet trunk mat set ($199)

OUR TAKE: This is a perfectly functional, perfectly capable, perfectly reasonable, perfectly boring automobile. The new styling is pleasant enough but already starting to look a little dated, while the interior should have been redone before it even hit the market. Again, all pleasant enough and functional enough, but it's duller than an empty office cubicle.

At the same time, the little four-cylinder is peppy and fun, despite the power-sapping limitations of the automatic transmission. The car drives smoothly and quietly enough up to about 70 mph, and then things turn a little raucous and unsettled, almost as though Toyota engineered the car to the U.S. freeway speed limit, but not a touch beyond.

Toyota has been able to get away with this for years, thanks to its impeccable quality and lack of surprises. But with cars such as the Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu out there--not to mention the new Honda Accord and the hungry Koreans--the competition is a lot tougher these days. For a change, it's Toyota that needs to do better if it wants to keep its position.

2008 Toyota Corolla XRS

The '08 Corolla XRS is a bit more fun to drive than the previous version.

JACOB LINGEMAN

As-tested price: $22,755
Drivetrain: 2.4-liter I4; awd, five-speed manual
Output: 158 hp @ 6000 rpm, 162 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
Curb weight: 2877 lb
Fuel economy (EPA/AW): 25/24.5 mpg
Options: Leather package, including leather seats and headrests, molded-leather door trim, leather-covered center console with sliding arm rest and front seat heaters ($1490); premium sound, with six-disc CD changer with WMA/MP3 playback capability, satellite radio, Bluetooth, eight-speaker system, steering-wheel audio controls ($1060); power package, including power windows with driver's-side one-touch down, remote keyless entry ($635); all-weather package, including heavy-duty heater with rear-seat heater duct, antichip tape and color-keyed heated outside mirrors ($150)

OUR TAKE: Remember the last Corolla? It was about as fun to drive and to look at as waiting in line at the DMV. They are usually steered by people who want reliability and see driving solely as a means to get from one place to another. And their cars are most likely painted in exciting colors such as beige, white and silver.

For the all-new 10th-generation model, the XRS adds a little flavor to the Corolla's bland recipe. The body kit, with front lip, side sills and spoiler, give it some visual flair. The fog lights help, too.

It's not a bad runner, either, and can be entertaining at times. Steering is responsive with the new electronic power system that provides good weight at high speeds but lightens up in low-speed situations. The ride is stable and comfortably during 80-mph jogs down the expressway and exhibits acceptable body roll when maneuvering around town.

The revised 2.4-literis powerful enough in combination with the manual and is very smooth. Brakes are a disappointment, with a mushy pedal feel.

Cabin comfort is high, with a surprisingly quiet environment for this class of car. Seats offer good support, and most surfaces are made of hard but good-looking materials.

The as-tested price, however, made us wince. Lopping off some of the frills to get the sticker closer to $20,000 makes a little more sense to us.

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart

Halfway between a Lancer and an Evo

The Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart rolls with 237 hp and 253 lb-ft of torque.

On Sale: September
Base Price: Less than $30,000 (est)
Drivetrain: 2.0-liter, 237-hp, 253-lb-ft turbocharged I4; awd, six-speed dual-clutch transmission
Curb weight: 4276 lb
0-60 mph: 6.0 sec (est)
Fuel Economy (EPA): 21 mpg

The biggest problem with our drive in the coming Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart was that immediately before it, they had put us in an Evolution GSR.

You just can't go from an Evo anything to a non-Evo anything else and find it nearly as inspiring. It was like dating Pamela Anderson for a while and then going out with Pamela Anderson's lesser-known half-sister, Gladys. Gladys is reliable and roomy, if a little soft. But she's no Pamela.

Maybe if the half-sister, like the Ralliart, was made from parts taken off the higher-end model? That is the case with the Ralliart, which shares parts with both the current Evolution (known as the Evo X to most) and the recent Evo IX.

The Ralliart has the Evo X's aluminum hood and dual exhaust, along with detuned versions of its twin-clutch SST transmission and 2.0-liter 4B11 engine block. Both the Evolution GSR and the coming MR have bigger turbos and bigger intercoolers than the Ralliart, and they give a bigger thrill when stepped on. So the Evolution makes 291 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque, while the Lancer Ralliart makes "only" 237 hp and 253 lb-ft. That's still a good slice more than the 168 hp and 167 lb-ft of the 2.4-liter GTS.

The Ralliart's TC-SST transmission has two modes, normal and sport, calibrated specifically for it, but it does not offer the Evolution's Super Sports mode. Super Sports is a high-performance track mode that goes all the way to redline at shifts, with commensurate shift shocks.

Like the Evolution, the Ralliart is also all-wheel drive, with Active Center Differential (ACD) and mechanical differentials front and rear taken from the Evo IX.

And while the Ralliart's chassis is not as stiff as that of the Evolution, it is considerably stiffer than the Evo IX's, which allows the Ralliart to get the most out of unique tuning of the front struts and rear multilink setup. The Evo's track is almost two inches wider than the Ralliart's, too.

That should mean the Ralliart is at least twice the performer of the regular old Lancer GTS and half that of the Evo X, right? Well, we drove through familiar mountains all day in a number of Lancers, and during the best section with the least traffic, we were in the Ralliart, so we were really able to open it up and toss it around. And while the extra power is appreciated, there seemed to be way too much roll, dive and squat for this to be a serious contender for performance buyers.

The improvements to the engine were markedly better than in the GTS but far off the Evo. Yes, it's obviously halfway between the two, you say, or it "bridges the gap," as Mitsubishi says. That will create a very thin sliver of buyers, no doubt, looking for Evo Lite. But we can't see too many people buying a Ralliart because they didn't have enough credit cards to buy an Evo. We'd save up and get one of the Evos, either GSR or MR. Or save money, get the GTS, and just live in longing. Though probably not suffering too terribly much.

Ralliart sales are expected to start in September, priced somewhere between the $18,640 Lancer GTS and the $33,615 Evolution GSR, probably a little less than $30,000 for a well-equipped example.

BMW hopes

BMW hopes sneak previews to select customers will boost sales of flagship sedan

The new BMW 7 series (shown here as a computer illustration) will have a larger grille than the current model.

BMW is giving selected potential customers a sneak preview of its new 7 series, four months ahead of the redesigned flagship sedan's planned launch.

"We want to create some excitement about this car," BMW spokesman Alexander Bilgeri said.

BMW needs buyers to get excited about the next generation of its top of the line car. Both globally and in Europe, the S class from archrival Mercedes-Benz easily outsells the 7 series.

"BMW needs this model to sell substantially better than its predecessor," said Albrecht Denninghoff, a Frankfurt-based auto analyst at BHF Bank. "BMW is waiting for a hot model that will lift the spirits of the company and catch the imagination of customers."

Denninghoff said BMW design director Chris Bangle's controversial design for the current 7 series might have deterred some customers from buying it.

"It is not uniformly recognized as the most beautiful car in this segment," he said.

The styling of the new 7 series will not change much from the current model. The twin kidney-shaped grilles will be larger than those on the current car. It will also have wraparound headlights, similar on the X5 and X6.

BMW started 7 series previews earlier this month in Frankfurt.

Bilgeri said further showings were planned although he declined to reveal how many or where they would take place.

Sales staff at BMW dealers in key markets in Europe and the United States decide who will be invited to view the new generation of the car.


Paris launch
The 7 series will go on sale in Europe shortly after its debut at the Paris auto show in October.

Consultancy CSM Worldwide expects global sales for the model to peak at 41,289 units in 2010 compared with 44,421 last year. North America will be its biggest market with 20,288 unit sales in 2010, followed by Europe at 14,341.

David Arnold, an auto sales analyst at Credit Suisse in London, estimates that BMW's operating profit margin on the 7 series is 5 percent. That compares with a 7 percent margin for the Audi A8 and a profit margin of 22 percent for the Mercedes-Benz S class.

"The reason for this is that the S class significantly outsells the BMW 7 series and the Audi A8 worldwide," Arnold said.

Walt Madeira, a CSM automotive analyst, said the market for upper-premium sedans is shrinking as some car buyers are becoming wealthier and moving up to brands such as Bentley. Others are choosing crossover vehicles such as the BMW X6.

Motorshow

Running from January 17th-27th, the Brussels Motorshow is probably the first European motorshow of the year. Comparisons with Detroit are perhaps unfair but almost inevitable. There was certainly plenty of glamour with Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche and Lamborghini amongst the exotic participants. Green transport was a major theme and most manufacturers had some offering to convince us that this is a major concern. The Volvo stand included the Recharge Concept. At BMW, the hydrogen-powered 7-series was accompanied by the X6 hybrid. Closer to everyday motoring, Ford showed the Focus Econetic. Crowds were also drawn to the new Renault Laguna and Citroen C5. On the Nissan stand, the Mixim showed off its wild doors and 1+2 seating. These proved to be more than window-dressing as the staff got in and drove it around a runway above the main stand

Porsche details changes to all-wheel-drive 911

Additional Resources

Article
Porsche makes 911 Carrera faster, more expensive

On the heels of detailing changes to the 911 coupe and convertible for the 2009 model year, Porsche piped up on Wednesday with details on the all-wheel-drive versions of the car.

The Carrera 4 and the Carrera 4S get the same upgraded engines as their rear-drive siblings--direct-injection fitted to the 3.6-liter and 3.8-liter six-bangers with ratings of 345 hp and 385 hp, respectively.

The cars also get the option of PDK, Porsche's seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which is supplied by ZF. The PDK replaces the Tiptronic in the 911 lineup.

Porsche has switched the cars' all-wheel-drive system from a viscous multiplate clutch to an electronically controlled system. The rear axle also gets mechanical locking technology as standard.

Other changes include active high-intensity-discharge headlamps and light-emitting diode tail lamps.

The cars go on sale Oct. 25. Porsche said base prices range from $81,700 for the 911 Carrera 4 coupe to $102,900 for the 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet, not including shipping charges.

More Fits for U.S. in fall

To meet demand, Honda boosts output of next generation

The redesigned 2009 Honda Fit arrives in the United States Oct. 1.

Honda Motor Co. is boosting output of its popular Fit small car to meet U.S. demand when the next generation debuts there this fall.

Production allotment now stands at 60,000 units but will increase to 80,000 when the redesigned Fit arrives Oct. 1, says John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda.

"We had planned to sell between 30,000 and 40,000 and figured out very early that wasn't enough, so we increased production to 60,000. That still wasn't enough," Mendel said here last week on the sidelines of a ceremony for Honda's new FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle.

"We've ramped it up closer to 80,000 this year," he said. "That starts in October."

The base sticker of the current 2008 Fit, including the destination charge, is $14,620. The car gets 34 mpg on the highway and 28 in the city.

The expansion was planned before the current surge in gasoline prices spurred a wave of demand for small, fuel-efficient vehicles, Mendel said. But the timing couldn't be better. Dealers are scrambling to get more Fits and Civics, and some are facing waiting lists.

For the first five months of the year, U.S. sales of the Fit were up 64.0 percent to 29,784 vehicles. And that's before the updated model even arrives.

Global capacity for the Fit is more than 500,000 units. All U.S. units are imported from Japan, where the new generation is already in production. Japan is still making the first-generation Fits for the United States but will phase that out before October.

"We compete with the rest of the world for Fit production," Mendel said. "We're continuing to try to increase capacity wherever we can from around the world to bring it in."