#ModifiedToyota

To say there’s a strong tuner car culture for hybrids in Japan might be a bit too generous. Oh, there’s no doubt the Japanese love to modify the cars, but perhaps the term “customization” is more accurate.

At this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon there was the usual selection of Prius model with wild bodykits and big wheels. And while most take a step towards the extreme, the Lumiere Prius Hybrid Interceptor police car still looks pretty mean. At the opposite end of the we’d-drive-it spectrum is the DAD Prius v, complete with oversized wheels blinged out with Swarovski crystals.

Along with conventional Prius models, the aftermarket has expanded to include the new additions to the Prius family, like the Prius v wagon and even the smaller Prius c.

See all the cars below:

Built as a SEMA 2010 project, Toyota has been prepping their Tacoma X-Runner RTR and did some baseline test runs out at Pomona this past Tuesday. For those unaware of this project, Toyota was basically looking at producing a “ready to race” Toyota Tacoma X-Runner with the Tundra’s 5.7-liter V8 powerplant. But the fun doesn’t stop there – because a Tundra motor alone isn’t ready to race – TRD steps in with their supercharger and intake kit, pushing the V8 to 504-hp with 550 ft-lbs of torque.

We were huge fans of G Sports’ Mark X Sports Concept back at Tokyo Auto Salon and are glad that those lucky photographers and writers out in Japan got a chance to see it up close and personal. Dino Dalle Carbonare is no stranger to AutoGuide, having worked with us back in the Modified Mag days and has reported on the Toyota Mark X from G Sports’ over at SpeedHunters.

There’s a saying we use often when we see projects come to life: “Great concept, poor execution.” Very rarely do we run into a situation where a project is a poor concept with great execution. But that’s exactly what this Toyota Celica is.

The world of tuning hybrids has really evolved in a short period of time. The good looks of the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius have really captured the Japanese aftermarket. We saw it first hand at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, where the overwhelming amount of customized hybrids caught us by surprise.

A big part of the SEMA Show each year (both in terms of quantity and, well, size) is the truck and off-road industry. Some trucks get lowered suspensions and some lifted, some run on supercharged 4-cylinders, while others rely on massive turbocharged diesel units. Yet despite all that divides some truck lovers from others, they all seem to equally love to modify their rigs – often to the extreme.

Toyota actually bothers to spell out in its press release on the Hard Kandy Yaris, that it is aimed at attracting the attention of female buyers. We kind of thought the pink and white interior and exterior was a bit of a give away, but…. whatever….

Built as a tribute to country music duo Brooks and Dunn, Toyota unveiled the Midnight Rider Tundra Tailgater at the 2009 SEMA Show. Out back, the truck’s bed folds out to reveal a complete tailgating station with countertops, a BBQ, an ice chest and even a draft beer tap. Oh, and let’s not forget an external audio system and a 42-inch flat screen TV.

Toyota and the Hot Rod movement aren’t two things you’d normally associate with each other, which is why a Hot Rod Toyota Tundra is the perfect concept vehicle for the SEMA Show. Built 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.

Thanks to tuner Five Axis, the Toyota Prius has never looked this cool. Now in its third generation, the 2010 Prius has gotten considerably better looking over the years, but the two modified versions on display this week at the 2009 SEMA Show take green motoring to a stylish new level.

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.