After its world debut just a few weeks ago at the Tokyo Auto Show, today Lexus gave an audience of media and aftermarket tuners the first look on U.S. soil of the its new LFA supercar.

It is undeniably the most expensive Lexus, the company has ever created. The LFA supercar, priced at $375,000 is aimed at raising Lexus from a German imitator to an Italian rival. Aimed at cars like the Ferrari 599, the LFA is powered by a 4.8-liter V10 engine with 560 PS (552hp) and 354 ft-lbs of torque and thanks to a six-speed sequential transmission and a weight of just 3,263 lbs, the LFA can hit 62 mph in 3.7 seconds and tops out a 202 mph!

Lexus says the V10 engine they have created is both smaller and lighter than most V8 engines. It also uses 10 individual electronic throttle bodies for the best possible throttle response. As the the body of the car it uses carbon fiber, which is joined to the car’s metal pieces in a special process the Japanese automaker has developed.

As rumored, the car does use a carbon fiber cabin structure (often referred to as a monocoque), which is why the vehicle weighs so little. Until now production vehicles with such a setup were limited to even more expensive vehicles, like the upcoming Aston Martin One-77, which is rumored to cost close to $1.7 million.

Inside, the car has plenty of state-of-the-art technology and even has the user-friendly Remote Touch mouse.

Lexus calls the car, “Ultra-responsive and extremely stable even when taken to the edge,” saying that, “the LFA creates a sense of reassurance that opens up a new world of driving emotion, exhilarating the senses to move the driver in more ways than one.” We’ll have to wait until some serious track tests to see if the car performs like it costs.

GALLERY: Lexus LFA in Matte Black

For the SEMA Show, Toyota often calls on the Five Axis tuner shop to create wild and wacky Scions or Lexuses, but for the first time the custom fabricators have been called upon to modify a Prius. Actually, Five Axis has built two versions of the 2010 Prius, the first called the Prius Aerius (Latin for “belonging to the air”), is a SEMA Show car, while the second, called the Prius Aemulus (meaning “envious imitation”), is a street legal replica. The second car will be given to the Environmental Media Association (EMA) and auctioned off for charity.

Both cars get a Five Axis aero kit that has been made using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, to not only ensure it looks cool, but also to maintain the Prius’s amazing 0.25 drag coefficient.

The show car gets Five Axis FIVE:AD S6:F 19-inch wheels with clear covers to reduce drag, along with a set of Yokohama Super E-Spec low rolling resistance tires. The actual street car will get slightly less “bling” with factory rollers.

Outside, both cars get a custom paint job that resembles the color of the sky, while the rear and side glass has been coated in 3M’s Crystalline Automotive Window Film to block 99.9 percent of UV rays.

Inside the Prius Aerius show car has its seat fabric replaced with 100 percent consumer recycled polyester, while the seatbacks are made of Polyurethane produced by Ultrafabrics that produces almost zero pollutants in the production process. The factory seats weren’t just tossed out either, but recycled to make business cards and cosmetics cases.

For more photos of both cars check out AutoGuide’s live SEMA Show coverage here:

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Ahead of its official debut later today at the 2009 SEMA Show, Toyota has revealed a single photo of its Hot Rod Tundra. Build by Phoenix-based motorcycle shop Sucker Punch Sally’s, the Tundra gets a long list of design cues from the hot rods of the 1950s and ’60s.

The Regular Cab 4×2 gets some matte black paint, red flames and Bonneville moon hubcaps, along with a custom 1950′s Toyota logo on the grille. There’s also a classic cherry bomb exhaust.

The interior gets a long list of custom items like a bench seat, while Fender Guitars was sourced to build custom hand-turned brass control knobs, as well as a polished maple wood cargo deck.

For more on this truck, see AutoGuide’s live coverage here:

Official release after the jump:

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Having already been privy to all the info on Scion’s SEMA Show cars, we can now bring you full photos of each custom vehicle ahead of their debut at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Let’s start with the Tuner Challenge cars, which are once again all xB models for 2009. First up is the Bowls entry that will take its design cues from the Japanese El Camino – a 1970 Toyota Crown pickup. Along with a custom trunk conversion, roll cage and special ADF 20-inch wheels, under the hood there are Crower cams, a TRD clutch and limited slip differential, as well as TRD brakes, a front strut tower bar and rear stabilizer bar. Also included is an Air Lift Company digital air ride kit.

As for the Mummbles Marketing car, this xB is getting a 9-piece widebody kit from BRS Autodesign with  shaved door handles and a custom Teal Blue Pearl paint job. Seibon will provide plenty of carbon fiber bits outside, while NRG has outfitted the interior with new seats, harnesses, a steering wheel, shift knob and parking brake lever. Also look for a powerful Descendant turbocharger system.

The final Tuner Challenge car is from designer Eneri Abillar. It also gets a BRS widebody kit but will get added motivation from a Greddy turbocharger. Added goodies include TRD strut tower bars and illuminated door sills, while the interior will feature a hard wood floor.

At the SEMA Show Scion will announce the winner of the Tuner Car Challenge. We have to think the Bowls entry is the most creative, but we’d rather be driving the Eneri Abillar xB.

The additional three vehicles are from Epic Cartel, 0-60 Magazine and Kogi – a Korean/Mexican fusion food truck in LA. Five Axis will also do a modernized version of the DJxB, using the second generation xB. It will come with 3-inch fender flares, a four-piece lip kit, a custom dual exhaust setup and 18-inch Five Axis wheels.  The exterior of the car will be coated in Molten Lava Red paint. Inside, there will be plenty of audio from Pioneer, plus a DJM mixer. But we’ll have to wait for the car’s reveal to see how it all plays out.

Epic Cartel is also looking to play off its past successes. Having already built an xD and xB, this year the company will take on the tC, which will get similar design cues. The car will get a 3-inch chopped top, along with an air bag suspension setup and 22-inch Vellano wheels. Added power will be delivered by a TRD supercharger and a Cartel side exit exhaust setup.

As for the Kogi car, it will be an xD with an MV Designz aero kit. Built with inspiration from the Kogi truck, it will have a BBQ grille, fridge, sink, ice chest, cooking utensils and even condiments.

See AutoGuide’s Live SEMA Coverage Here

GALLERY: Eneri Abillar xB Tuner Challenge Car

GALLERY: Mummbles Marketing xB Tuner Challenge Car

GALLERY: Bowls xB Tuner Challenge Car

GALLERY: Kogi xD

GALLERY: 0-60 Magazine Rally xD

GALLERY: Epic Cartel tC

For the 2009 SEMA Show Mazda is playing it low key, but that doesn’t mean the two vehicles on display are any less cool. Sure there aren’t LCD screens galore, nor is there any 600-hp twin-turbo V8 under the hood, but Mazda’s two modified 3 models are clean and performance oriented – just the way enthusiasts like them.

Both cars get a Crystal White Pearl paint job with some faded gray graphics, reminiscent of the style first shown on the Mazda 787B that won Le Mans in 1991. Many of the remaining exterior details get black paint, including the grille inserts, side mirrors, fog lamp bezels and the roof. The front headlamps also get a black treatment. Then both cars have been outfitted with a set of 19×8-inch forged aluminum wheels straight off the RX-8 with a set of 225/40/19 Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires.

The Mazda3s with the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder was then shipped over to Mazda’s World Challenge racing partner Tri-Point, which installed the company’s turbo kit to boost power to 250-h thanks to a Garrett GT2871R turbo.

The front brakes have been upgraded to those of the MazdaSpeed3, with rear brakes coming from the Mazda5. Suspension duties were outsourced to KW, with a Tri-Point rear stabilizer bar.

With the MazdaSpeed3 already finely tuned from the factory, only an AEM air intake was added for a gain of 20-hp. Along with the same exterior changes and wheels, a KW suspension was also added but with new suspension mounts for camber adjustability. The brakes were also upgraded to Stoptech units – the same used on the World Challenge cars.

We’ll be sure to track these cars down at the SEMA Show and bring you more photos.

See AutoGuide’s live SEMA Coverage here!

GALLERY: Custom Mazda3s and MazdaSpeed3 for SEMA

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Last year Lexus used the SEMA Show to help promote the IS-F, but for SEMA ’09, the IS Convertible is taking the stage. Lexus shipped out three IS Cs to different shops and organizations, letting them be as creative as they liked. A fourth IS C was built by Lexus’s in-house F-sport performance division.

First up is the bright green IS C from Fox Marketing (which we’ve already covered several times over). It gets a widebody conversion, iForged wheels, a Seibon carbon fiber rear spoiler and a ProCharger supercharger to make over 400-hp.

A matte-red IS350C built by the folks at VIP Auto Salon and JTuned.com might just be the nicest looking of the IS Cs at SEMA with a carbon fiber hood and trunk spoiler. Performance mods are minimal with a Joe Z intake pipe and a header back exhaust system. There’s also a TOMS air filter and reprogrammed ECU. And finally, a set of Work Gnosis GS3 MDB wheels.

The 0-60 Magazine is another relatively simple build with a Greddy exhaust and ECU. It’s a full package though with Advan wheels and Continental tires, Brembo brakes, KW coilovers and an Ings+1 body kit to give it the right look.

Finally, Lexus’s TRD F-Sport division used in-house tuning parts that any Lexus owner can buy for his or her car. They include F-Sport 19-inch forged aluminum wheels, an F-Sport big brake upgrade, F-Sport shocks, lowering springs and sway bars. On top of these parts, there’s a Five Axis aero kit and finally a custom PPG Vibrance Orange Glow three-stage candy paint.

See AutoGuide’s live SEMA Coverage here!

GALLERY: Fox Marketing IS350C

GALLERY: VIP Autosalon and JTuned IS350C

GALLERY: 0-60 Magazine & Design Craft Fabrication IS350C

GALLERY: F-Sport by TRD IS350C

Looking more like something we might have seen at SEMA in 2002, Lexus has decided to showcase David Huang’s wild IS300 along with its collection of custom IS Cs, a TRD GS and the new LFA Supercar. Making about as much power as two LFA’s, Huang has dubbed the car the IS1000, due to its supposed 1,000-hp output. The modifications list would no doubt be as long as a dictionary but this gist of it is a 2JZ-GTE engine (from a Supra or Aristo) with just one massive turbo. Other modifications include some stunning 20-inch Work VS-XX wheels, Endless brakes, Zeal coilovers and a selection on Kansai and HKS goodies.

Owner David Huang has poured over $100,000 into this IS300, to transform it into the quintessential SEMA show car.

See AutoGuide’s live SEMA Coverage here!

GALLERY: Lexus IS1000

We were really excited when we started reading Subaru’s latest SEMA press release, as it listed things like a 400-hp WRX STI, the word’s “rally-prepped” and “Ken Block.” That was all well and good, but entirely too normal for a SEMA show car. And that’s what we discovered upon continued reading as we downloaded the solitary photo from Subaru’s media site. Yikes!

Along with all that good stuff, is a truly SEMA-rific TRAX system, provided by Mattracks, which replaces the car’s tires for some even more serious off-roading.

The car was built by Subaru Rally Team USA’s technical partner, Vermont SportsCar, and features a stripped down shell, roll cage, carbon fiber door panels and carbon/Kevlar Recaro racing seats with a HANS device. It makes 400-hp and 400 ft-lbs of torque and uses a KAPS 5-seed gearbox.

Even sillier than the TRAX system is the fact that the car comes with its own sleigh.

Subaru says the WRX STI TRAX is just in time for the holidays. We’re pretty sure this monstrosity just officially marked the start of SEMA.

See AutoGuide’s live SEMA Coverage here!

Official release after the jump:

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Along with a more traditional modified STI and a wild Legacy show car, Subaru is set to debut a stunning Legacy wagon at the 2009 SEMA Show. Called the Legacy GTk, this wagon is designed to be an autocross champ and can also carry your family and an autocross secret weapon. Subaru designed the car so that it would fit a racing go kart in the back and that’s where you’ll find a Coyote Motorsports XP kart.

As for the Suby, it was built by Specialized Vehicles, Inc. (SVI), with several parts like the rear spoiler and HID headlights donated from the Japanese domestic market (JDM) Legacy. SVI then built its own custom parts like a new front bumper, quad-tipped exhaust system and a new vented hood.

Under that hood you’ll find the Legacy GT’s turbo 2.5-liter boxer engine that has been modified with a new exhaust system and a reprogrammed ECU to make 300-hp and 350 ft-lbs of torque – up from 265-hp and 258 ft-lbs. There’s also a six-speed manual transmission – yummy!

Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT) and STI parts were also tossed on, including an STI shift knob and SPT short shifter.

To make it a real autocross champ, the Legacy gets an SPT strut brace, Bilstein shocks, STI “pink” springs, 6-piston Brembo brakes up front and a 4-piston setup in the rear, along with a set of 19-inch HRE Comp wheels and 245/50/19 BF Goodrich Force-KDW 2 tires.

It might just be a SEMA Show car, or could Subaru be using this vehicle to see how interested the U.S. public is in a wagon version of the Legacy? Subaru already offers the Outback, but the Legacy wagon is on sale in Japan and Europe and perhaps there is space in the North American marketplace for Subaru to bring back a sporty Legacy Wagon. Please do!

See AutoGuide’s live SEMA Coverage here!

Official release after the jump:

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The Locus Plethore has no trouble standing out in a crowd. In fact, we couldn’t help but be drawn towards its oversized backside, hardly noticing a bright green Lamborghini Murciélago on one side and a pristine white twin-turbo Gallardo on the other.

Built by HTT Technologies, the Plethore is a Canadian supercar and is manufactured at a facility at the S. Eustache Raceway in the province of Quebec. Debuting at the 2007 Montreal International Auto Show, the car is powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that makes 750-hp and 655 ft-lbs of torque. An optional 1,100-hp engine is also offered.

Both the chassis and the body are made entirely of carbon fiber, allowing the car to weigh just 2,400 lbs.

As for the car’s layout, it is similar in design to the McLaren F1 with a three-seat cockpit with the driver situated in the middle of the car, just ahead of two passenger seats that flank the driver’s chair on each side.

Pricing is set at just under $400,000 Canadian.

See AutoGuide’s live SEMA Coverage here!

GALLERY: Locus Plethore