Honda is getting ready to put on its racing suit for the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), in which it will participate with the new European Civic hatchback. �We have made a decision to enter into the WTCC with the European Civic," said Honda CEO, Takanobu Ito, on the announcement. "We will develop a totally new engine for this project and we are all excited about starting this new challenge." The Japanese automaker revealed that its Research and Development division will design a bespoke 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder racing engine with direct-injection in accordance with FIA�s Super 2000 regulations.
Thanks to some leaked brochure shots, we can show you the first pictures of the Japanese domestic market (JDM) version of the subtly refreshed 2011 Lexus IS 250 / 350 sedan.
The most notable exterior changes include the new headlamps that incorporate LED daytime running lights and the redesigned lower part of the front bumper with round foglamps. Though not visible from these photos, the interior is said to benefit from some minor trim upgrades.
You're looking at the refreshed Japanese domestic market [JDM] version of the Nissan X-Trail, a compact SUV model sold in Europe, Japan and other parts of the world but not in the States. For the 2011MY, there's the subtlest of design tweaks, mainly to the front end and the interior, plus a new diesel version and equipment upgrades.
On the outside, the JDM 2011 X-Trail gains a redesigned front grille, front bumper and headlights, along with a reworked rear bumper and new LED tail lamps. There's also a new model called 'X-Tremer' boasting unique bumpers and alloy wheels.
In the interior, the X-Trail is spruced up with a redesigned instrument panel featuring larger dials and a new information display system, fresh colors and additional standard features.
A new member has been added to the JDM Honda Freed family of compact minivans in Japan. Called the Freed Spike, the new model is being pitched by Honda as a "compact multi-wagon" for people with "active lifestyles". We remind you that the Freed is based on Honda's Jazz / Fit architecture. It was introduced in Japan in 2008 and is offered in five-, seven- and eight-seat versions, all of which feature sliding rear doors.
The new Freed Spike is available exclusively with two rows of seats for five passengers that can be arranged in several different configurations. Honda has added new dual-height floor panels in the cargo area and some additional storage areas on the side panels.
A bespoke version of the BMW X6 tweaked with bits and pieces from the shelves of the Bavarian firm's Performance and Individual divisions has been revealed in Japan. The BMW X6 Performance Unlimited is based off a X6 xDrive35i and will be offered in a strictly limited edition of 20 examples.
The Japanese-market-only X6 special is coated in a silver-pearl body color from the automaker's Individual program and comes with a BMW Performance aero-kit that includes a new front bumper, side skirts, rear diffuser and blacked-out kidney grilles. The unique 21-inch alloy wheels shod in chunkier sport tires and darkened windows round off the exterior package.
Following on from the presentation of the 2011 Micra at the Geneva Show earlier this year, Nissan introduced the Japanese domestic market (JDM) version of the all-new supermini called the March, which goes on sale this week.
Unlike its predecessors, the fourth-generation of the JDM March is manufactured in Thailand, marking a new trend for Japanese automakers to move more production out of the country to lower the manufacturing costs.
However, Nissan was quick to point out that it has set up a special inspection process at its Oppama plant in Japan, which produced the previous generation model, to make additional quality checks on the Thai-made March.
The results of Colliers International�s 2011 Parking Rate Survey are in for the U.S., Canada and the rest of the world, and there are few surprises. The U.S. national median monthly parking rate is US$155.22, with the highest being midtown Manhattan at US$541 and Renoa at US$45 the cheapest. In Canada, Calgary topped out at US$486 followed by Toronto at $342 USD and Montreal at $305 USD.
Not too long ago, if someone told you that a South Korean model would challenge America�s best selling sedan, the Toyota Camry, you would have probably laughed in his or her face. Needless to say, a lot has changed over the past few years with Hyundai and in particular its latest Sonata sedan, not only challenging, but this past May even surpassing the Camry in U.S. sales for the first time in history. 
Of course, the fact that Toyota�s production capabilities were seriously affected by the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in Japan, played a significant role in Hyundai�s accomplishment.
If you are a GM diehard or a Chevy Volt fanboy, I suggest you cover your ears and start humming loudly to yourselves. CNN Money recently featured an article from Fortune magazine�s Motorworld declaring the upcoming Toyota Prius Plug-in hybrid a better buy and a better car than Chevy�s range-extended electric vehicle. Shock, gasp, horror, blasphemy etc. To quote Motorworld senior editor Alex Taylor III: �[The Prius Plug-in is] more efficient and less expensive than the Volt, and Toyota actually stands the possibility of making a profit on it -- something General Motors concedes it can't do with the Volt.�
In spite of the earthquake and Tsunami that devastated Japan last March and which deeply affected the country�s automobile production capabilities, Toyota remains confident that US sales of the Prius will outperform those of 2010. The lack of inventory, with many dealers reporting as little as one day�s worth of Prius cars on their lots, led to a whopping 61% drop in July sales in the US, which is the lowest since 2004. And that�s significant because the US accounts for almost half of the all Prius models sold worldwide, which makes it Toyota�s most important market for its compact hybrid.
When the people over at Honda�s tuning partner Mugen aren�t working on more interesting and unique projects like the Civic Type R and even the CR-Z, they are usually kept busy with the brand�s more mundane vehicles such as the newly introduced Fit Shuttle. The Japan market only Fit Shuttle is a slightly taller, longer and more practical version of the Fit (also marketed as the Jazz in certain countries) which itself is a tall five-door subcompact model.
The electric car war rages on and the latest entrant is Mitsubishi�s new model year version of the i-MiEV that was revealed today in Japan. The most important changes that Mitsubishi made to its all-electric city car is the introduction of a new lower-cost base model and improvements to the standard version in order to extend its driving range. The new budget model is called the �M� and its price comes down to 2.6 million Yen (US$32,070 -�22,170) or 1,880,000 Yen (US$23,190 - �16,040) after Japanese government subsidies. It is powered by an electric motor producing 41-horses and has a reduced driving range of 120 kilometers (75 miles).
Mazda announced today that sales of the facelifted Mazda Demio, or Mazda2 as the rest of the world knows it, have begun in Japan. The new Mazda2 is the company�s supermini and the target sales for its home market is 6,000 units per month.
Japanese carmaker Nissan Motor Co. revealed on Monday its new midterm business plan dubbed �Power 88�, with which it aims to boost both its global market share and profit margin to 8 percent within six years � hence the �88� reference in the name. Last year, Nissan, which is 44.3 percent owned by French partner Renault, had a 5.8 percent global market share. The new plan calls for the introduction of 52 new cars for fiscal years 2011 to 2016, or about one new vehicle every six weeks.
America�s second favorite muscle car after the Camaro (in terms of 2011 sales as Chevy�s model has outsold Ford�s pony car by around 33 percent through May, according to the latest data), is being offered in Japan in a limited edition version called the �Mustang V6 Sport Appearance�.
Toyota plans to add another country to the 47 that it already exports the Avensis, which is built exclusively at its UK factory in Burnaston, Derbyshire: its own home market, Japan. The company said demand for European styling and engineering from Japanese customers prompted its decision to bring the mid-size model.
