It’s a distinct possibility. On November 29th in Japan, Nissan introduced its latest hybrid driveline, which consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, teamed with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack.

What sets this one apart from other technologies is that  the gas engine employs a positive displacement supercharger, which helps the powertrain deliver comparable numbers to Nissan’s VQ35 3.5-liter V6 while offering significant gains in fuel economy.

Nissan engineers also claim that the torque curve on this new drivetrain is almost identical to the V6, which means plenty of low and mid-range grunt; something a number of Nissan’s North American offerings have been known for over the last decade.

Although there’s been no official word yet, given the similarities in performance and power delivery, it is very likely this system could supplement or even replace the VQ35 in cars such as the Altima and possibly even the Maxima as well as some of its SUV offerings.

The Yokohama based company also said that it plans to introduce more forced-induction hybrid powertrains in the coming years, both for it’s Nissan and Infiniti brands, possibly with Plug-In technology. Exciting stuff.

[Source: Autoblog]

As expected, Subaru has debuted the production 2013 BRZ at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show and it looks as good in the flesh as it does in the photos. With all the previews and reveals ahead of its official debut, there were no real surprises once the 2013 Subaru BRZ was seen on the show floor.

The joint sports car between Subaru and Toyota showed off its 2.0L Horizontally-Opposed Boxer engine packing 200-hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. The 17-inch wheels look fitting on the sports coupe, while the overall stance of the vehicle is definitely attractive to the eye. Obviously its styling doesn’t exactly scream Subaru out to us, but its flared fenders and rear wheel arches do remind us of typical Subaru.

On the inside, the smaller steering wheel is comfortable to hold and seems fitting for the coupe, while the seats were surprisingly more comfortable than we originally anticipated them to be.

Unfortunately we weren’t able to experience whether or not this BRZ is truly a “Pure Handling Delight”, at least not yet.

GALLERY: 2013 Subaru BRZ Official Photos

See video of the car from its world debut below:

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The star attraction of Honda’s Tokyo Motor Show press conference is an all-new electric sports car concept. Initially billed as the Small Sports EV Concept, at it’s debut Honda is now referring to the car as the EV-STER.

The rear wheel drive two seater looks like a spiritual successor to the Beat sporty car. Measuring 3,570 mm or 140 inches it’s about two feet shorter than the Honda S2000. With a max electric output of 58 kW (or 78 hp) Honda claims a 0-60 time in 5.0 seconds. Sound too good to be true? It is. That’s 0-60 km/h, not miles.

Honda claims a 160 km (100 mile) range, roughly equivalent to its new Fit EV, with a 6 hour charge using a conventional plug and a 3 hour charge time with a 200 volt outlet.

GALLERY: Honda EV-STER

See video of the car below:

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Lexus asked four fashion designers for their take on automotive design that would be the basis of a new advertising campaign to appear in Vogue magazine. Known as the Lexus Fashion Workshop, these designers took the some of the more than 2,000 individual parts of a completely dismantled Lexus CT hybrid and repurposed them into wearable works of art.

Each of the innovative fashion designers bring something different to the table with their take on the beauty of recyclying. Moss Lipow used a transmission starter and exhaust manifold gasket for his head-turning creation, “Environmental Crown of Virtue.” Jewelry designer Eddie Borgo used valve lifters, crank bearings and hose clamps for “The Valve Collection,” while John Patrick used floor mats, leather seat covers and cargo covers for a sleek trench coat, shorts and clutch ensemble titled “Nomadic Sanctuary.” And putting his best foot forward, Alejandro Ingelmo used armrest leather trim and clear plastic tubing for “The Luna Shoe.”

“Merging the worlds of luxury automobiles, art and fashion is another example of how Lexus is ‘Engineering Amazing’ or maybe more appropriately, ‘Engineering Unexpected’,” said Brian Smith, vice president of marketing for Lexus. “We were able to challenge four designers to turn one of our most progressive hybrid vehicles into innovative fashion pieces, inspiring the designers, and the world, to see things differently.”

You can see the results in a six-page advertisement found in Vogue’s January 2012 issue. The Lexus Fashion Workshop will be on display December 1 and 2 at Art Basel Miami Beach. You can purchase any of these pieces through a private auction at the event, and proceeds will benefit the Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund (CFDA).

After the jump, watch the making-of video where you’ll get a sneak peek at what the designers are creating at the Lexus Fashion Workshop.

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Known for its technology innovations, Honda’s R&D efforts have been somewhat lackluster as of late. The Japanese automaker appears to have turned a corner, however, announcing a long list of new engines and technologies.

Easily the most revolutionary is an electric SH-AWD system that will be paired with a new V6 hybrid powertrain and 7-speed dual clutch transmission. Essentially an evolution of the current mechanical Super Handling all-wheel drive found in models like the Acura RL and TL it uses two independent electric motors at the rear wheels, each producing 20 kW, operating independently of the front gasoline engine and hybrid system. Like the current SH-AWD system it can deliver more power to the outside wheel in a corner for maximum cornering performance – but there’s more. Rather than simply limit the power sent to the inside wheel in a corner, the system actually generates electricity at that wheel, sending it to the outside wheel. A car fitted with this new two-mode hybrid system would also be capable of an electric only acceleration at speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph).

Honda claims this setup delivers V8-like power and acceleration at fuel economy levels as good as or better than current four-cylinder engines. When questioned, engineers on hand at a demonstration event at Twin Ring Motegi commented that we should expect fuel economy to be roughly 30 percent better than a similar V6. Taking the Honda Accord as an example, the current model achieves a 20/30 mpg city/highway rating, so we can expect a a future product equipped with this system to deliver roughly 26/39 mpg – although that number is likely optimistic as a future product would most certainly weigh more than an Accord (this technology is destined for an Acura model), plus there’s the all-wheel drive factor.

The real focus, however, is on delivering performance with reduced fuel economy, a hybrid philosophy similar to that of Lexus. To emphasize this fact, Honda has developed it’s own 7-speed dual clutch transmission. Prototype models available to drive were absent of any self-shifting feature (be it with the gearshift or paddle shifters) but the use of such setups in a production model is highly likely.

So where will we see this impressive new technology? As usual, Honda was coy on specifics, but representatives present did indicate that the new E SH-AWD will arrive in a future Acura model – with the next-generation RL an obvious choice.

GALLERY: Electric SH-AWD Prototype

Much has been said about the new Honda Civic receiving a list of early updates in a bid to silence critics while restoring the car’s class-leading fuel economy. This has all but been confirmed, with the Japanese automaker revealing an entire new lineup of engines and transmissions at a press briefing held at the Twin Ring Motegi Racing Circuit on the eve of the Tokyo Motor Show.

In total, Honda unveiled five all-new engines, ranging from a new Kei car 660 cc motor, to a flagship 3.5-liter V6 powertrain. With these engines Honda has said it is committed to being both a leader in fuel economy and engine output.

Engines destined for North America include a new 1.5-liter, 1.8-liter and 2.4-liter 4-cylinder, as well as a 3.5-liter V6. Across the board, all will receive direct-injection technology. The 4-cylinder engines gain a new VTEC arrangement with an Atkinson cycle lower load cam plus extensive friction reduction technologies. The result on a car like the Civic will be a 10 percent improvement in fuel economy, plus a 5 percent increase in power over the current model. The same goes for the 2.4-liter, which one Honda representative told us the new 2012 CR-V just missed out on receiving.

As for the V6 engine, it will replace both the current 3.5-liter and 3.7-liter engines, combining the best technologies of both, including a cylinder deactivation system while gaining direct injection. Honda provided a preliminary, and conservative, estimated power output with 310-hp and 265 lb-ft of torque, with a much stronger torque band.

Of note, all of the engines included a start-stop function, although no decision has been made by Honda as to whether we’ll see this technology in North America.

Apart from the new dual-clutch 7-speed transmission (integrated into a new SH-AW, discussion of automatics at the Honda event was non-existent. Instead, Honda revealed several new CVTs (and yes, they can hear you groaning in Motegi). Of note is a new CVT designed for compact cars, as well as another for mid-size, meaning you should look for CVTs to find their way into cars like the Civic, Accord and CR-V soon. As terrible as all this may sound for Honda owners dreading the thought of a CVT, the good news is what Honda is calling “G-Design Shift”, which was created to help deliver more immediate throttle response. We did have the change to test out the new CVT in a 2.4-liter direct-injection TSX but we can’t tell you about it until the embargo lifts next week. Stay tuned.

One of Honda‘s numerous reveals today at the Tokyo Motor Show is a wild little concept car referred to as the “Micro Commuter Concept.” An EV designed for personal transportation it is a half-foot shorter in length than a Smart fortwo, but offers room for three thanks to a central diving position with a passenger bench area located behind.

The interior space can also be used to fit the Honda Motor Compo, an almost briefcase-sized box with wheels and handlebars that essentially works as an electric bicycle. It’s more than just that, however, also functioning as an electric power source.

Other features of the Micro Commuter Concept include a large heads-up display, with driver information projected onto the lower section of the windshield. As for operation, Honda has designed what it calls “twin lever steering” that is says uses natural arm movements to control direction. The body of the car covers over the wheels, both for safety and aerodynamics, while colorful panels can easily be swapped with others to help personalize the car.

GALLERY: Honda Micro Commuter Car Concept

Along with a new lineup of direct-injection gasoline engines and a performance-oriented electric SH-AWD equipped V6 hybrid model, Honda has announced a new two-mode hybrid system that will come paired with a 4-cylinder engine. Replacing the brand’s out-dated Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) single-mode hybrid system it will allow for an electric-only range at low speeds, as well as a full gasoline mode and a combination hybrid mode.

Using an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack mated to a new 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine Honda is promising it will be the world’s most efficient hybrid drivetrain, while also making the bold statement that it will deliver “enhanced driving performance.” Whether or not that means it is capable of topping the Prius’ 50-mpg rating and offer reasonable power remains to be seen.

Regardless, we’re not likely to see the system used in a small hybrid with Honda creating the two-mode hybrid to first be used in mid-sized vehicles. We saw the first example of this with the new two-mode hybrid (a plug-in version) being used in an Accord model (above) during a technical presentation and driving event held at the company’s Twin Ring Motegi race facility.

A new Honda hybrid system has been rumored and reported on for quite some time, but now the wait is over – almost. Honda has announced a car using the new plug-in hybrid powertrain will begin production next year, with a non plug-in version arriving 12 months later in 2013.

With photos of Subaru‘s new BRZ sports car already floating around the net, perhaps the real star of the Subaru booth at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show is the BRZ Super GT race car. Built to compete in Japan’s Super GT series, in which cars often have little to do with their production versions, the car will compete in the GT300 class replacing the current STI Legacy race car.

As the name suggests, the class horsepower rating sits right around the 300 mark, a 50 percent increase over the production BRZ 2.0-liter 4-cylinder boxer engine.

GALLERY: Subaru BRZ Super GT Race Car

Discuss this story at SubaruBRZForum.com and see video of the car below:

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Toyota is banking on its plug-in Prius hybrid and other new models to help bring their sales numbers back to pre-2008 status, where Toyota had no trouble grabbing the global sales crown each year. Currently Toyota is poised to lose that trophy to General Motors, undoubtedly due to the earthquake in March in Japan and the floods in Thailand hampering production.

But Toyota has a bright future ahead of them with their abundance of gasoline-electric vehicles on the horizon. There’s no doubt the Prius has enjoyed immense success worldwide and the Prius PHV hybrid will be introduced to the Japanese market on January 30th, with a starting price around $41,000. Toyota is aiming to sell 35,000 to 40,000 plug-in Priuses a year in Japan alone.

The new Prius PHV has a cruising range of 16.4-miles on its lithium-ion battery and can be charged using a household electricity outlet. Toyota hopes that the PHV will be able to compete with the electric car market while enticing consumers that are hesitant to buy an all-electric car.

[Source: Automotive News]