Japanese Car News

[Gummybr]

On  different note the Skyline name has been patented in the USA by Ford for vehicles. What happens now?

Is this a way of curbing Japanese imports more than 25years old, or are they making a Skyline?

[Gummybr]

Commercial Electric Coalition is being formed by Toyota with 60% shares owned by them and the rest to be bought by Suzuki, Daihatsu, Hino and Isuzu. And I thought they owned Daihatsu and Hino.

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/toyota-partnership/suzuki-and-daihatsu-join-toyota-ev-joint-venture-idUST9N28909Q

[iRage]

Yes. Toyota is the majority owner of Daihatsu and Hino but the latter two operate as independent companies.

We are fast headed to a landscape with zero brand distinction.

[iRage]

5 hours ago, Gummybr said:

Terrorists and dictators the world over will not in anyway use a big Land Cruiser, will be more happy with the workhorse Hilux and the LC70. Its just that our goons will love the Land Cruiser and will pay top money for it, and this makes me think if some big shots in Sri Lanka has already ordered the Land Cruiser from Japan (through third parties of course).

Has Toyota been hit with the chip shortage as well?

Actually, i mis interpreted. There is a global act xalled the Anti Money laundering something something act. The agreement is supposed to be part of that in order to make sure that the vehicles are not purchased as money laundering by dictators etc...not necessarily for battlefield activity. Now. This act is quite universal. I have to sign an agreement like that with my vanks in SL when  i gave my paychecks deposited by all kinds of agencies. Now. Getting thus signed us perfectly fine. But it us not a requirement for other vehicles that arexequally attractive for these war mongers and supporters nor us thise done in other countries (as das as I kniw of). So it does seem like a bit of a power trip. Also dud some digging around...and saw some sources claiming theC us one of the mist stolen xars and traded in the black market aling with cars kike the G wagon and S class  so apoarently thus us one way terrorists clean their money (Merc got in to ttouble with the UN about a decade ago for something similar that was discovered)

[kmeeg]

7 hours ago, iRage said:

 Toyota is the majority owner of Daihatsu and Hino but the latter two operate as independent companies.

Toyota seems to be using Hino parts in my case.

 

[iRage]

8 hours ago, kmeeg said:

Toyota seems to be using Hino parts in my case.

 and I am sure there are Daihatsus and Hinos with Toyota parts....like I said..everything is getting gobbled up by the high and mighty that technical differenciation of brands is getting rather blurred. Which is not a good thing.

[iRage]

...and we see the JDM spec LC300

Revealed a few hours ago...it really isn't that much different than the global model (which is what Toyota is aiming for)...but the Modelista body kit seems to be slightly different (and apparently some of the GR Sport accessories are different).

Cheapest is the 3.5L Gasoline 5 seater starting at 5.5mil...disel vairants seem to be about 200,000-300,000yen more (but only available in ZX and GR Sport trim levels so costs 7.5mil+).

No...you cannot get your friendly Sri Lankan car dealer to get you a grey impor from Japan...Japanese buyers are required to sign a non-resale agreement when placing the order (but I am sure a few will crack through the contract). As our Sri Lankan auto journalist and petrol head SS reports Toyota themselves have confirmed that they are locking down orders (https://www.carscoops.com/2021/07/toyota-confirms-its-limiting-land-cruiser-resale-to-prioritize-fans-and-prevent-unauthorized-use/?fbclid=IwAR3YAVXRsAZbVclxjAXVUUi6eEpKbcX3E_RV_gECHHZBW1t9mb6GuXaf18M)

Also...waiting time is 1year (at least).

Now...waiting patiently for a test drive

Thank god the 3rd row seats are not hanging on the sides anymore 😃

[iRage]

Farewell NSX 🙁 
....well current generation anyway....when its production will stop in December 2022 after a 6.5 year run.

The NSX will celebrate its bow-out with the NSX Type-S special specification car. 350 will be made...30 for Japan and the rest for export. So far the only special sec we know of is the matte gray paint work (because it can be seen in the pics). Details and prices are to be announced later on.

....Hmmm....still prefer the 2st gen pre-2002 update variants though..

[Gummybr]

1 hour ago, iRage said:

Farewell NSX 🙁 
....well current generation anyway....when its production will stop in December 2022 after a 6.5 year run.

The NSX will celebrate its bow-out with the NSX Type-S special specification car. 350 will be made...30 for Japan and the rest for export. So far the only special sec we know of is the matte gray paint work (because it can be seen in the pics). Details and prices are to be announced later on.

....Hmmm....still prefer the 2st gen pre-2002 update variants though..

Why are they saying farewell to this? New model on the horizon? The final editions should have had some major updates to performance.

Just 6.5 years and then you wonder how long the GTR has been around still trying its best to compete against competition who have moved on.

[iRage]

2 hours ago, Gummybr said:

Why are they saying farewell to this? New model on the horizon? The final editions should have had some major updates to performance.

Just 6.5 years and then you wonder how long the GTR has been around still trying its best to compete against competition who have moved on.

The 1st gen NSX lasted for 11 years with a minor tech and design update in 2002. So yes...this model is relatively short lived and is an infant compared to the GT-R. 

Yes..there wil be a new model (it seems like)...Honda also plugged in the whole "Honda is committed to make future models reflective of Honda's technical advancements in electrification and environmental sustainability". A lot of people are taking this as a hint of the next model being a lot more electrified (or even a pure EV) than the out going model.  Not sure if Honda is set for an EV sports car just yet considering how adamant they are about not joining Formular E after its retirement from F1 this year (or it might be some time away) 

[iRage]

Friday the 13th goodness ❤ ❤ ❤

Acura officially announces the revival of the Integra in 2022 !

This was announced along the announcement/reveal of the Acura NSX Type S (earlier announced by Honda Japan as a teaser and farewell to the NSX).

No news yet as to if the sedan will be released in Japan as well....

https://acuranews.com/en-US/releases/a-legend-returns-new-acura-integra-coming-for-a-new-generation

Image is Acura's teaser image...the light and grill looks a lot like what is found on the new TLX

Could this be the actual sound ? https://www.instagram.com/p/CSgCT5Mlz1C/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Edited August 13, 2021 by iRage

[iRage]

Honda NSX Reveal

169,500 - 182,500 USD...
600hp of goodness
Out of 350 units, 30 are for Japan, 300 for the US market !!

 

[Gummybr]

18 hours ago, iRage said:

Friday the 13th goodness ❤ ❤ ❤

Acura officially announces the revival of the Integra in 2022 !

This was announced along the announcement/reveal of the Acura NSX Type S (earlier announced by Honda Japan as a teaser and farewell to the NSX).

No news yet as to if the sedan will be released in Japan as well....

https://acuranews.com/en-US/releases/a-legend-returns-new-acura-integra-coming-for-a-new-generation

Image is Acura's teaser image...the light and grill looks a lot like what is found on the new TLX

Could this be the actual sound ? https://www.instagram.com/p/CSgCT5Mlz1C/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The old Doc was very interested in this on Social Media, wanted to tease and say that Sri Lanka will never get that.

 

That headlight and grille seems similar to the SEAT range of vehicles, but I like the Integra name engraving on the bumper

[iRage]

1 hour ago, Gummybr said:

The old Doc was very interested in this on Social Media, wanted to tease and say that Sri Lanka will never get that.

 

That headlight and grille seems similar to the SEAT range of vehicles, but I like the Integra name engraving on the bumper

Welll..this very well could be a US markets only vehicle as those markets have been wiating for a ILX replacement. Highly unlikely it will make it to Japan as a sedan considering tourble Honda is having with sedans..if it was a coupe/hatch then it is very liely it will be introduced over here.
As for other export markets....again...span I reckon would be limited considering market trends and buying power.

[iRage]

Nissan Z launch !!!

Nissan launches are not the most exciting nor entertaining...but for once after a long long time the car speaks for itself ❤️

Coming up next...something a bit more realistic for everyone..the Nissan Aura NISMO

 

That blue is stunning ❤️ 

Edited August 18, 2021 by iRage

[iRage]

The Nissan Aura NISMO

Okay..maybe its a Nissan USA thing....the Nissan Japan launch was a bit more entertaining with the car being driven, etc...

 

[iRage]

On a more boring note...the demise of the family mule is being reported....

Toyota dealers are claiming that HQ has informed all dealerships that September 2021 will see the end of the Axio/Fielder, thus ending the Japan exclusive NARROW body Corolla with a lower tax bracket. Therefore, orders for the Axio/Fielder will only be available for the remaining weeks of August. It was supposed to end last year but it was extended for another for business/fleet owners (only fleet models were available). There were rumors that Toyota was trying to come up with an equally sized new car model for fleet operators (for lower tax brackets) but nothing of the sort has emerged so far. Toyota expects to sell low grade specially spec'd new large body Corollas for fleets... Who knows..maybe there will be a Vios like car based on the new Yaris introduced in Japan too in the future...

but isn't that blue Z gorgeous ??

[iRage]

So more on the Z....well...for the keen eyed out there...you will realise that it looks a little stubbier and taller than the ProtoZ...almost like the outgoing 370Z. Well, you are right about that...the production model does have different dimensions and is closer to the 370Z than the ProtoZ, thus, it does not look as sleek as the Proto Z but still pretty.

As for the engine...as many first speculated and later confirmed by Nissan, it is the same power unit from the Q50/Skyline sedan, the VR30DTT. The VR30DTT is a really nice engine, its just that in the Skyline/Q50, it was mated with a elasticky gearbox on a chassis with pudgy suspension and WTH was that steering....so if the chassis and transmissions are as good as Nissan claim it to be it will be a fun little car. 

The video showed a nice revving car...many auto journos are speculating that the final delivered versions in many markets may not have that throaty exhaust (unless Nissan puts in a noise cancelling option).

Here is a comprehensive wrtieup of the launch specs

[MrCat]

Nissan Australia has confirmed the Z will be offered here by 2022.. 

If they can keep the price around 70k that will undercut the Supra by around 15k. Could be the cheapest GT/Sports coupe offered in Aus..!

Chassis and engine is proven old(ish) tech by the looks, so hopefully that Mercedes sourced auto transmission would be good depndable unit... 

 

[Gummybr]

The Z in production form looks good and the specs do help as well. 400hp engine and manual, I'm liking it.

But also to note that they dont hide the fact that it is based on the old model is being truthful, I'm sure most of the new tech features would be available looking at the front of the car although you could do away with them due to the old underpinnings.

@iRage That blue is from the Wangan Midnight Devil Z is it? Will there be a new manga with it?

 

The Aura Nismo with 134hp and aero features seems a good product, but people seem to think in terms of the 134hp in petrol form and not the electrified sense and think its not enough.

[iRage]

Japanese spec Corolla Cross....a different and softer front end. Somewhat reminiscent of the Electric and Fuel Cell RAV4s that were there in the past...
Apart from slight differences in light layout, and body cladding, everything else seems to be the same.
Dealers started pre-ordersi n Japan about 6 weeks ago (?) to which the response had been pretty good....but now apparently people are cancelling their orders and dealers are calling around propective buyers to transfer the pre-order before having to cancel it.
Hmm...is that a new Police Cruiser waiting to be delivered ? Strangely its shape is like a S200 series...

[Gummybr]

Toyota is on the news again, they have tested a prototype with Solid State Batteries. And the Prototype looks futuristic

https://www.thedrive.com/tech/42287/toyota-is-road-testing-a-prototype-solid-state-battery-ev

 

 

[iRage]

40 minutes ago, Gummybr said:

Toyota is on the news again, they have tested a prototype with Solid State Batteries. And the Prototype looks futuristic

https://www.thedrive.com/tech/42287/toyota-is-road-testing-a-prototype-solid-state-battery-ev

 

 

I think the focus here should be the SS battery and not the car. The car was introduced in 2017 and showcased in 2019 at TMS. There has been one running around Tokyo for sometime. In fact they filed some kind of patent and people thought they were actually going to go to market with it. TOMICA even had a minicar of this.

The battery news is that Toyota announced its plans for BEV, HEV, PHEVs based on the SSB. Soe interesting points was there focus.

- Power for HEVs where power is instantaneous

- PHEVs and BEVs the story was arund endurance...

The message also was lined with the message that Toyota wants to do its own thing and not going to be bothered in trying to build Tesla beaters but a hollistic solution that is environmentally friendly, susainable and practical.

In the meantime...here are some pics of the LQ...

[Gummybr]

5 hours ago, iRage said:

I think the focus here should be the SS battery and not the car. The car was introduced in 2017 and showcased in 2019 at TMS. There has been one running around Tokyo for sometime. In fact they filed some kind of patent and people thought they were actually going to go to market with it. TOMICA even had a minicar of this.

The battery news is that Toyota announced its plans for BEV, HEV, PHEVs based on the SSB. Soe interesting points was there focus.

- Power for HEVs where power is instantaneous

- PHEVs and BEVs the story was arund endurance...

The message also was lined with the message that Toyota wants to do its own thing and not going to be bothered in trying to build Tesla beaters but a hollistic solution that is environmentally friendly, susainable and practical.

In the meantime...here are some pics of the LQ...

I think Toyota has signed up with BYD China for battery tech, maybe this is the test bed before the actual models come out.

But I love this concept, hoping that they will build it as it is, imagine how many will buy.

[iRage]

The all new Subaru WRX ! ...and they bought most of the VIZIV concept to life ❤️ 

Last night the world finally got to see the new WRX (WRX S4 in Japan with a STI to follow later on).

With a F24A, the turbo charged engine pushes 271hp (which is lesser than the outgoing model ?); but it seems like Subaru has plans for high output variants. The S4 is available with a 6MT with a center diff and viscous LSD; or a CVT (Subaru Sports transmission) with a variable torque distribution system.

The S4 is supposed to be released in Japan in October and is expected to be priced around 4mil yen.

As always it carries the design elements of the Levorg in sedan form (well the Levorg carries the design of the Impreza in Wagon form). It looks pretty nice…although I am not a fan of the rear (nor the offroady plastic wheel arch cladding)