#JapaneseCar

An alert reader spotted a lightly disguised Subaru BRZ on what appears to be a California freeway. Clad in only a tiny bit of camo, the spy photos don’t reveal much more than we’ve already seen, but are a neat look at the hotly anticipated Subaru sports car.

While the Chevrolet Volt has struggled a bit to get traction in the marketplace, Nissan‘s all-electric Leaf is well on pace to sell 10,000 units in the United States, meeting its initial sales targets.

Toyota has announced that starting in 2013, it will sell Lexus vehicles in India. No specific products were announced for sale, but likely contenders include the LS and GS sedans, as well as the RX crossover. Given India’s less than perfect roads, the LX and GX SUVs (based on the popular Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs) may also make it over.

BMW and Toyota are in talks for a technology sharing agreement, one that would reportedly see BMW provide Toyota with a diesel engine for its midsize cars in Europe.

The North American version of the rear-wheel drive Subaru BRZ sports car will bow at the North American International Auto Show in January, 2012, but what exactly that means is anyone’s guess.

While automakers and outside research firms publish sales figures and earnings reports on a regular basis, one metric we rarely get a glimpse of is how profitable each vehicle is. In an era of re-badging and platform sharing, one would think that the most profitable vehicles are those with a large number of derivatives to spread the cost around. But a new report from Bernstein Research suggests that two factors – price point and volume – are the keys to making big bucks off vehicles. And judging by the list, longevity seems to help as well.

Although we had the chance to drive the 2012 Honda CR-V back in October, Honda has kept a tight lid on both photos and driving impressions. The car got its official reveal Wednesday at the Los Angeles Auto Show, just as Ford took the wraps off its all-new Escape.

Mazda unveiled their latest entry into the compact crossover market at the Los Angeles Auto Show Wednesday, with the 2013 CX-5.  The CX-5 will be the first vehicle to use a full suite of Mazda’s SKYACTIV technologies, designed to reduce weight and increase fuel economy without compromising the sporty character of Mazda’s offerings.