Maybe it's because this Z30 Toyota Soarer, otherwise known as the first generation Lexus SC in the U.S., with a Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM-esque front end and SL AMG rear end is so well done. Heck, it's a lot more convincing than those Miata-based replicas we see so often.
For this reason, Toyota launched a mini site teasing the new car through some cropped images and text, which unfortunately, is in Japanese - any help with the translation would be appreciated. From what we understand, the new Vitz / Yaris will either be unveiled or is planned to go on sale in Japan, in December
Crafted to cater the needs of those seeking more exclusivity and luxury, the Egoist combines bits and pieces from the SpecV such as the carbon fiber wing, Rays alloy wheels and titanium exhaust, with premium materials and special equipment inside.
Other than the little tweaks everyone was expecting, the big news for the updated GT-R is the addition of a highly-modifiable "EGOIST" model that sits in the price realm of the Spec V and will offer a very Euro-lux feel, as well as a boost to 530 horsepower and 612 Nm / 451 lb ft (630 Nm / 465 lb ft for the Spec V) across the board thanks to revised engine tuning, larger piping, and a red engine cover. It now returns 20 mpg / 8.5-8.6 km/L and is considered a SU-LEV too, you hippies.
The company's head of domestic sales, Hiroshi Kobayashi said Honda has already received 10,000 orders for the Fit Hybrid, which was given its world premiere at last week's Paris Motor Show.
The newly-added Fit Hybrid will be offered locally at the starting price of 1.59 million yen (about US$19,300 at today's exchange rates), making it the most affordable gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle in Japan.
The makeover includes a new front bumper with added air vents and LED daytime running lights, side skirts, a revised rear bumper with -you-guessed it- air ducts and something that's supposed to resemble a diffuser, nifty quad-pipe exhaust and a rather subtle carbon fiber boot lid spoiler.
*While realistically done (props to me), the above image is just an MS Paintbrush creation[Caution; a sense of humor required beyond this point] According to the great barrier mill, our friends at Toyota are working it out on a four-door coupe variant of the rear-wheel drive FT-86, which was shown in concept form at last year's Tokyo Motor Engine Salon Show, just outside Japan, south west north of India. The four-door sport saloon will most likely be called WTF-86.
Under the program, many Japanese buyers flocked to trade in their 13+ year-old car for a Prius. With the subsidy window coming to a close, there will be a need for dealers to readjust their sales strategy.
Part of that plan includes putting the Swift's US arrival on hold until at least 2011 so that pricing and strategy could be evaluated. Some of the reasoning behind the delay has to do with the rising Japanese yen, which has also dented the company's US marketing division.
