About two months ago we reported a collection of luxurious and exotic machines that were involved in a bizarre accident in Japan that claimed at least eight Ferraris, three Mercedes-Benzes, a Lamborghini, a Nissan Skyline and a Toyota Prius.

The exotic car crash occurred on the Chugoku Expressway out in the Yamaguchi Prefecture and fortunately only ten people were hospitalized with just minor injuries.

Now a video of the aftermath from that accident has surfaced and it appears that Japan is now home to at least two parking lots full of fine machines just sitting and rotting. This accident is now being dubbed “the world’s most expensive car pileup” with an estimated combined cost of $4-million in damage.

Take a closer look at the Italian carnage after the break.

[Source: Carscoop]

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When we think of tuners and enthusiasts shoehorning engines into other vehicles, the thought of Honda‘s F20C S2000 powerplant making its way into a Toyota Pickup isn’t exactly on our list… at all.

Honda’s high-revving 2.0L naturally aspirated engine found in the original S2000s is one of the world’s most potent and beloved engines and many enthusiasts have utilized it in other vehicles. But seeing it in a Toyota Pickup is totally awesome and totally novel. The Pickup was spotted out in Odaiba in Japan at a Truck Masters show, and along with its body dropped to the ground it features a nice set of Advan Model 5 wheels with big brakes peeking behind the classic wheels.

We’ll be the first to admit, we’re really curious on how it drives and performs.

GALLERY: S2000-Powered Toyota Pickup

[Source: Auto Otaku]

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General Motors is taking steps to make carbon fiber a major component in their future production vehicles by working with Teijin Ltd. of Japan.

Carbon fiber is a labor-intensive product, meaning it is expensive to implement in production vehicles. That expense generally restricts its use to low-production models like the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. That will all change in the future thanks to a new process that allows Teijiin to make carbon fiber products much faster than previously possible.

“Our relationship with Teijin provides the opportunity to revolutionize the way carbon fiber is used in the automotive industry,” GM Vice Chairman Steve Girsky said in a statement. “This technology holds the potential to be an industry game changer and demonstrates GM’s long-standing commitment to innovation.”

Teijin’s new technology uses thermoplastic material to allow carbon fiber parts to be molded in less than a minute instead of the traditional method, thermoset, that takes ten minutes or more per piece.

“It’s easier to handle and quicker to mold,” Jim Hentschel, GM’s executive director for body and exterior, said in an interview. “That’s what allows us to be able to introduce this technology into more mainstream, high-volume vehicles.”

Carbon fiber is stronger and ligher than aluminum and steel, making it a valuable asset for GM as it tries to increase fuel efficiency in new models.

The specifics behind the deal aren’t available yet, but neither company is exchanging equity in the process. Teijin will, however, be opening a U.S. techincal center to handle their business with GM.

[Source: Automotive News]

For nearly two decades, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (more commonly known as just the ‘Evo’) has been the benchmark sports sedan around the world. It might have arrived a bit late in the American market, only going on sale in 2003 with the Evo VIII model, but it has well-established itself as a giant killer in the industry and is currently the only Mitsubishi product with an enthusiasts following.

However, earlier in the year there were rumors that the Evo might get killed off. Thankfully, those are not true but according to company insiders, a plug-in hybrid Evo will be launched within three-years time.

It is believed that the hybrid Evo will make do with a diesel-electric combination to further cut down on its environmental footprint. But since diesel is not very popular in markets like Japan and America, it might also very well be available with a gasoline-electric system. So the next Evo might offer different mechanical specifications for different markets.

The new Evo will also get an updated version of Mitsubishi’s S-WAC all-wheel drive system for even better handling, and like the current model, will be the halo model for the company.

[Source: WhatCar?]

An bizarre accident over the weekend in Japan severely damaged 14 cars, eight of which were Ferraris. The other vehicles involved in the smash-up include three Mercedes-Benzes, a Lamborghini, a Nissan Skyline and a poor little Toyota Prius. According to the news report, a caravan of foreign car enthusiasts were heading from Hiroshima to Kyushu when one of the Ferrari drivers hit the median while trying to overtake a car on the wet, curved road.

Fortunately no one was seriously hurt in the crash, but it’s a sad sight to see all these exotics demolished the way they are. From what we can tell in the video, there were multiple F355s, F430s, an F360 and some form of an F512. Even worse, the accident shut down the road for six long hours as officials tried to determine exactly what happened.

Check out the news report from Japan below:

[Source: Jalopnik]

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Suzuki is working closely with Fiat to increase their supply of diesel-powered cars in India.

The two have been working together since 2003 when Suzuki started offering a Fiat-sourced 2.0-liter diesel in their Sedici/SX4 duo. That partnership flew in the face of another deal between Suzuki and Volkswagen that has since imploded.

Recently rising gas prices in India, where Maruti-Suzuki  has a commanding grasp of the auto market, have meant that demand for diesels is outstripping supply. Consequently, a new deal between Suzuki and Fiat will ramp up production from the previous 280,000 Swifts per year to 380,000.

The Swift is the best-selling car in India, and will likely take an even bigger share in January when the increased production will take effect. The diesel version is so popular that Maruti-Suzuki actually raised the price to encourage consumers to opt for the less popular gasoline powered version.

[Source: Left Lane News]

The electric mobility pod from Chevrolet called EN-V will be shown in its latest form at the Tokyo Motor Show from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

The EN-V, which stands for Electric Networked – Vehicle, made its world debut in 2010 at the World Expo Shanghai, and is designed to solve congestion in heavily populated city centers. The idea is that a small personal vehicle will take up less space on the road, will be easy to park and won’t pollute the environment either.

The EN-V will be part of the “Smart Mobility City 2011″ display, which will highlight other mobility solution vehicles from around the world.

So far, there are no plans on putting the EN-V into production.

Believe it or not, hybrids are safer in a crash than their gasoline-only counterparts, according to a new study by the Highway Loss Data Institute.

“Hybrids on average are 10 percent heavier than their standard counterparts,” Moore said in a statement today. “This extra mass gives them an advantage in crashes that their conventional twins don’t have,” said Matt Moore, Data Institute President and author of the study.

The study didn’t include cars like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight, which are only available as a hybrid. The study also counted other factors like who drives hybrids and how they generally behave on the road.

While the drivers and hybrids themselves may be contributing to improved safety inside the car, a separate study also conducted by Highway Loss Data Institute suggests that these cars are 20 percent more likely to hit a pedestrian.

The reason, they say, is that while running in electric-only mode they are too quiet, making them less noticeable to someone crossing the street.

Earlier this year, Congress gave the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration three years to decide on a standard for equipping hybrids and electric vehicles with a sound device to alert pedestrians.

Japan is the only country to currently enforce such a standard, according to a CNN article Moore sighted.

Despite that, it seems Nissan has already equipped their Leaf with a system to catch pedestrian attention. Toyota started including the feature on the 2010 Prius in Japan, and will add it to the 2012 North American Prius V.

[Source: Automotive News]

While Thailand is mostly known for sandy beaches, fake watches and other pleasures that need to be paid for in cash, Thailand has a strong manufacturing base, with many automakers producing vehicles and components in the developing nation.

October’s flooding, which ravaged the Southeast Asian country, made a major dent in the production figures of Japanese automakers in particular. Toyota estimates that it lost 87,000 vehicles alone due to the flooding. Other automakers, like Nissan, Mazda and Mitsubishi are just re-starting production as well.

Honda was impacted fairly strongly, although their power products and motorcycles seem to have been hit the hardest. Honda’s CBR250R motorcycle, a popular entry-level bike, is built in Thailand, though the flood’s effect on their automobiles (like the Brio city car) has not been fully discovered.

[Source: Automotive News]

The Tokyo Motor Show, held only once every two years, marks its return for 2011. After the nation suffered severe destruction from earthquake and tsunami, Japan intends to show the world the resilience of Japanese industry and manufacturing. Moreover, as previous shows were held at Makuhari Messe, a convention center located in the Mihami-ku ward of Chiba City just outside Tokyo, the Tokyo Big Sight in Ariake, Koto-ku, marks the return of the Tokyo Motor Show to the city of Tokyo for the first time in 24 years.

Held from December 2 to December 11, the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show 2011 will feature a total of 176 exhibitors from 12 different countries, which is a significant 36 percent increase than the previous 2009 Motor Show’s 129 exhibitors. Moreover, exhibition space has grown from 35,151 sq. meters from 21,823 sq. meters of 2009, a whopping 61 percent increase. Of note, all 14 of Japan’s automakers will be exhibiting, with 20 foreign brands, a big increase from just 9 foreign brands at the last show.

As Asia is experiencing a rapidly growing China and India market, there has been a sharp spike in interest for motor shows held in Beijing, Shanghai, and New Delhi. However, as a symbol of Japan’s technological powerhouse, the city of Tokyo strives to remain the foremost leader and demonstrator in technological innovation.

The theme of this year’s Tokyo Motor Show is “SMART MOBILITY CITY 2011.” The project focuses its attention to “next-generation automobiles and the social systems with which they interact,” highlighting the role of innovators of the car industry as they tackle the growing concerns over matters of global environment and energy conservation.

Notable debuts at this year’s show include the Toyota FT-86, Subaru BRZ and Mazda Takeri Concept. See AutoGuide’s complete 2011 Tokyo Motor Show preview here, with coverage starting November 30th.