2013 Toyota Auris Hatchback

Earlier today, we told you about Toyota's plans to debut a pre-production concept of the next generation Auris hatchback (also known as the Corolla hatchback in some markets) at the 2012 Paris Motor Show this September. As it seems, we won't have to wait until the fall to get a glimpse of what the 2013 Auris will look like as images of an alleged brochure for the Japanese domestic-market model have surfaced online.
The first set of brochure scans comes from a Brazilian blog called Noticias Automotivas, which says it got them from a Japanese magazine. We dug a bit further and found a second group of photos, allegedly showing the kitted-out, JDM Modelista variant of the Auris.
We cannot say for sure if these scans are the real deal, but it wouldn't be a first for Toyota as we have seen many of its models being revealed through leaked brochures in the past.
As always, we will keep an eye open and bring you more news on the next Auris as we get it.

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Daihatsu finishing Copen Production with Special 10th Anniversary Edition

One of the smallest convertible models available in the market will soon be part of history, as Daihatsu has decided to cease production of its Copen roadster in August, 10 years after its introduction. Daihatsu says it has sold more than 56,000 examples of the tiny roadster model with the retractable aluminum hardtop.
To mark the approaching end, Daihatsu has revealed the Copen 10th Anniversary Edition that will be available in Japan in limited numbers.
Along with the dedicated badges inside and out, the 10th Anniversary model is finished in white and comes equipped with 15-inch BBS alloy wheels, a chrome front grille, black leather seats with contrasting red stiches and chrome trim details on the handbrake and inner door handles.
Unlike most export market Copens that were equipped with a 1.3-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine producing 86hp, the JDM model is offered with a 63hp (64ps) 660cc turbocharged engine in order to meet Japanese kei car regulations.
The Copen 10th Anniversary Edition is offered with both a 5-speed manual and a 4-speed automatic, with pricing set at 1.82 million (US$22,100 or €16,700) and 1.8 million yen respectively (the manual gearbox model is more expensive).

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A Street Full of Tuned Rolls Royce Phantom Limos, Convertibles and Coupes

How often do you see a street occupied by a plethora of Rolls Royce Phantom models of all sorts including the limo, the Coupe and the Drophead Coupe variants? But wait, did we mention that all Phantoms were custom tuned? Now that's a sight you never forget.
You'd be inclined to believe that such a happening would most likely take place in Dubai, and you'd be partially right. We say partially because the street is named Dubai but it's not located in the United Arab Emirates but on the other side of the world in Tokyo, Japan.
Make your way through the jump to watch the videos.

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Toyota 86 Coupe Drifts Into a Metal Barrier in Japan

Drifting a lightweight, rear-wheel drive coupe like the Toyota 86, which is Japan's version of the North American Scion FR-S and the European Toyota GT 86, on a wet parking lot can be loads of fun just as long as you accept the increased risk of losing control. Which is what happened to one of the drivers trying out the 86 at a parking lot in Odaiba, Japan, last Friday on March 9.
Fortunately for the driver, he didn’t hit the metal barrier hard thus reducing the damages to the car. If you want to see what happened, head past the break for the video.

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2012 Ferrari 599XX Evolution

The crew over at Japan's Car Nifty sent us this video of the new 2012 Ferrari 599XX Evolution performing its first runs on the track at Suzuka following the racing car's world premiere at the Bologna Motor Show last December. The debut took place during the first event of the Ferrari Racing Days that groups together the races for the entrants in the Asia-Pacific series of the Ferrari Challenge Tofeo Pirelli and the track sessions for clients involved in the 599XX and F1 programmes.
The 2012 599XX is an evolution of the original model (hence the name) sporting a more powerful version of the Enzo-sourced V12 engine delivering 750PS (740hp) at 9,000 rpm and 700Nm (516.3 lb-ft) of peak torque.
Other changes include a revised gearbox, tweaked aerodynamics with a modified front splitter and a larger rear diffuser, new Pirelli tires and a weight reduction of 77 pounds (35kg).
According to Ferrari, the 599XX EVO laps the Fiorano race track in just 1’15”.

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Nissan Silvia S14 Looks Ready to Fight

While not the first World War II fighter jet-themed automobile we've shown you, we can't remember seeing the motif applied to a Nissan Silvia S14 (sold as the 240SX in North America as the 200SX in Europe). This one in particular is said to be inspired from German jet fighters and is distinguished by the attention to details, right up to a certain sign of an equilateral cross that appears on the rear bumper and front fenders – more commonly known as the Swastika, the most hated and prominent symbol of Nazi Germany.
Something tells us the owner of the car won't be making a lot of friends…

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Japan Opens New 1.6 Mile-Long “Dinosaur Bridge” to Reduce Traffic Jams

Tokyo was one of the cities bidding for the 2016 Summer Olympics. It eventually lost to Rio de Janeiro, yet the infrastructure that was created in order to boost its chances of hosting the Games is proving worth the investment. One such example is the four-lane, 1.6-mile (2.6 km) Tokyo Gate Bridge. Nicknamed "Dinosaur Bridge" due to its unusual shape, it will open this weekend to vehicles after a decade of construction.
According to Bloomberg News, the so-called Dino Bridge cost 113 billion yen (US$1.45 billion), but the Japanese government expects it to yield 19 billion yen (US$246 million) annually, carrying 32,000 vehicles each day between the capital and a man-made island where a new container terminal is being built.
“The new bridge will ease congestion in the whole waterfront area”, said Shinichi Ishii, senior consultant for public management and strategy at Nomura Research Institute. “There is a premium on the value of time in the area, and the economic impact could be two or three times more than the government estimates.”
Koki Hosaka, a civil engineer, says that the bridge, which weighs 36,000 tons, can withstand an earthquake directly under Tokyo. It had to be wide and high enough for ships to pass underneath, but its overall height had to be limited due to its position near the Haneda airport.
Due to these restrictions, a suspension bridge was not an option. Instead, Kawada Industries spent two years building the dino-shaped trusses, a process that according to project manager Yoshifumi Kodama “was very nerve wracking as we had to do it in one shot”.

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Mazda Records US$1.3 Billion Loss

Last week, Mazda forecast a net loss of 100 billion yen (US$1.29 billion) for the fiscal year that ends March 31 and a 2 percent drop in its global sales, to 1.25 million units. This is the fourth year in a row than Mazda records negative results and it's also the company's second biggest loss in the last 11 years after the US$2.0 billion damage it posted in the previous fiscal year that ended in March 2011.
The tough economic conditions forced Mazda CEO, Takashi Yamanouchi, to admit that the automaker is “actively” seeking partners in order to overcome its financial difficulties. Yamanouchi added that raising capital is essential for Mazda, because if it fails to do so will result in possible downgrade.
One way is through the sale of more shares, which Yamanouchi didn’t rule out since he said that “we are considering every option”.
Among Japanese automakers, Mazda exports the greatest percentage of its vehicles. Therefore, the strength of the yen against the U.S. dollar, the Euro and other currencies has seriously diminished its profits from overseas sales.
In order to deal with this situation, Mazda, which is already producing the Mazda2 compact in Vietnam, is currently building a new plant in Mexico that will assemble the Mazda2 subcompact and Mazda3 compact models for the North and South American markets from 2013.
Most of the US$1.2 billion it received in 2009 by selling some of its shares were invested in developing new technologies such as the Skyactiv range of gasoline and diesel engines.
Yamanouchi hopes that the investment in the Skyactiv units was the right thing to do since the fuel-efficient engines may prove an attractive asset in its company’s bid to attract possible partners.

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New Stripped Down Toyota 86 RC and Subaru BRZ RA

The Toyota 86 and the Subaru BRZ go hand in hand, in whatever they do. The two brands have launched stripped down variants of their respective models in Japan offering a low cost solution for those buyers looking to use the coupes for track racing, as a blank canvas to create their own project or simply to own the most affordable variant. The Toyota 86 RC and the Subaru BRZ RA are very similar, the only main difference being that the Toyota model gets unpainted front and rear bumpers. From there on, on the outside, both models come with unpainted door handles and mirror caps, 16-inch steel wheels, while there are no fog lights up front.
On the inside, the two companies removed most amenities including, but not limited to, the air-condition, audio system and speakers, the aluminum-look trim, alloy pedals and mats, while plastic covers the steering wheel, handbrake and gearshift levers. The Japanese carmakers even went as far as removing the decorative plastic covers in the engine bay.
Furthermore, there's no limited-slip rear differential while the rear brakes are not ventilated any more. What remains untouched is the 2.0-liter boxer engine rated at 200-horsepower. Both the 86 RC and Subaru BRZ RA are offered exclusively with the six-speed manual gearbox.
As a result of these changes, the base Toyota and Subaru coupes are 20kg /44lbs to 60kg/132lbs (depending on the trim-level) lighter than the regular versions.
In Japan, the Toyota 86 RC is priced at 1.99 million Yen (~US$26,000 / €19,900), while the Subaru BRZ RA 2,058,000 Yen (US$26,900 / €20,600).
In both cases, the base Subaru and Toyota coupes cost approximately 500,000 Yen (~US$6,500 /€5,000) less than the next grade level.

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Toyota Yaris Turbo Concept with 180-Horses [Video]

While Toyota has no current plans to develop a performance version of its latest generation Yaris (marketed in Japan as the Vitz), the automaker's tuning and motorsports partner Gazoo Racing introduced an interesting concept model at this past weekend's Tokyo Auto Salon 2012. The Vitz Turbo Concept is based on the three-door Yaris and comes with a raft of performance upgrades that may become available to the public in the very near future.
The highlight of the tune is of course the modified 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that gains a turbocharger to deliver an output of 180PS (178bhp) and a peak torque of 220Nm (162.3 lb-ft). Power continues to be transferred to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission.
To improve handling, Gazoo Racing added a new lowered sports suspension and a high-performance braking system while the supermini now rides on 18-inch wheels shod in low profile tires.
On the outside, the Vitz Turbo Concept sports Gazoo Racing's signature colors along with a new wide body kit that includes a new front grille that extends to the lower part of the redesigned front bumper, a front lip spoiler, widened front and rear fenders, side skirts, a roof spoiler and a new rear bumper with a diffuser.
The darkened HID headlamps and tail lamps complete the look.
As for the interior, the Japanese tuner says it added new sports seats up front along with a different steering wheel while it also modified the instrument panel and changed the trim.

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