Wednesday, 28 October 2015

Mitsubishi eX Concept Hints at Three-Crossover Lineup

Mitsubishi eX Concept Hints at Three-Crossover Lineup

Mitsubishi eX Concept Hints at Three-Crossover Lineup

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Mitsubishi has revealed another all-electric crossover concept, the eX, at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. 

The concept previews a new compact crossover that is meant to slot in between the Outlander and Outlander Sport. A dual-motor all-wheel drive electric drivetrain powers this crossover, showing Mitsubishi's commitment to electrification and the brand's plans to grow its crossover portfolio.

"We are building the strength of Mitsubishi on a global scale, focusing on SUVs and electric power vehicles on which we excel," Mitsubishi President Tetsuro Aikawa said during the brand's press conference.

Tokyo Motor Show Coverage

The positioning of the new crossover in between the Outlander and Outlander Sport suggests that those two crossovers will also change size, with the Outlander growing and the Sport shrinking to accommodate their new stablemate.

A redesigned Mitsubishi Outlander was recently revealed while a new Outlander Sport is expected to debut at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show.

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Toyota S-FR Previews a Mazda MX-5 Miata Fighter

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Toyota unveiled its adorable S-FR concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, previewing a sporty little Mazda MX-5 Miata fighter.

A diminutive 2+2, the S-FR has a front-engine and rear-wheel-drive layout and will be slightly smaller than the Toyota GT86/Scion FR-S with a 3,990-mm length, 1,695-mm width and 2,480-mm wheelbase. No power/engine details have been released yet, but expect the car to weigh about 2,000 lbs and output about 130 hp from a four-cylinder engine.

ALSO SEE: Full Coverage from the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show

Promising a back-to-basics sporty drive, expect the S-FR to be a raw, lightweight car that isn't that fast, but is fun to drive quickly, just like the Miata it will compete against. And there's more good news: It will come with a six-speed manual transmission and an all-round independent suspension.

This amazing little car is right up enthusiast alley and is sure to become a hit if it was put into production. Sadly, there is no official word yet on if the S-FR will see real roads.

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Yamaha Wants to Sell You A Sports Car

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Yamaha's latest machine has four wheels, but it's definitely not an ATV.

Looking more like a tiny supercar, it foreshadows a possible new venture by the motorcycle maker into the real of automobiles.

Called the Sports Ride concept, it's based on the iStream process developed by Gordon Murray; the man who created the McLaren F1. This isn't the first time Yamaha and Murray have teamed up either, debuting the Motiv city car at the same show two years ago.

As such, it's designed to use light weight materials and use technologies from Formula 1.

Nearly identical in length and width to the MAzda MX-5, it's roughly 2.5-inches lower overall.

Weighing just 1,654 lbs there's no word on an engine, though the possibilities are endless. Not only is Yamaha entirely capable of making high-revving powerplant for small machines, they even created the spectacular 4.8-liter V10 in the Lexus LFA.

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Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Promises to be as Easy to Own as a Gas-Powered Car

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Honda took the wraps off its Clarity Fuel Cell sedan at the Tokyo Motor Show, a hydrogen-powered car that Honda promises will be as easy to drive and operate as a regular gas car.

As a production car and not a concept, the Clarity signals Honda's commitment to alternative powertrains. The five-seat sedan is powered by a fuel cell stack that is 33 percent smaller, but has a 60 percent higher output density. Honda says this fuel cell stack is about the same size as a typical V6 engine, meaning it could be stored under the hood of a car and not under the passenger seats or in the trunk.

ALSO SEE: Full Coverage from the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show

Honda says the zero-emissions Clarity can travel up to 435 miles on a single tank of hydrogen and that the car can be fully refulled in about three minutes. Honda promises a "highly responsive and exhilarating driving experience and excellent quietness at the same time." The car can also generate electricity and be used as a generator in times of disaster.

The Honda Clarity Fuel Cell will be available for lease in Japan starting in March 2016. There is no word yet on if it will make its way over to North America.

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Lexus LF-FC Concept is the Fuel-Cell Flagship of the Future

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The course of the Lexus flagship sedan is about to take a dramatic turn.

Debuting at the Tokyo Motor Show, the LF-FC concept previews the next-generation of Lexus LS with a low-slung coupe-profile and a hydrogen fuel-cell powerplant.

Lexus calls it a, "visionary new vehicle that offers a peek into the design and technology direction of the brand's future flagship sedan."

In fact, the Toyota luxury division says the plan for the car is to push boundaries. "Lexus wants to surprise and evoke emotion with its distinctive design and forward-thinking technology. For us, it is more than just a car, and we should exceed conventional imagination.  The LF-FC expresses our progressive luxury and high-tech vision of a not so distant future," said Tokuo Fukuichi, Lexus International President.

Not only does the LF-FC look entirely new, with a long slant-nose front, new mesh grill design and 21-inch carbon fiber wheels, it also comes with an entirely unique powertrain. Rather than a conventional V8 or hybrid, the LF-FC makes use of a fuel cell system that not only powers the rear wheels, but also sends torque to in-wheel electric motors in the front, making the LF-FC all-wheel drive.

More future-forward technologies lie inside the car, with a vehicle interface that's controlled by hand gestures. Lexus also claims the car is equipped with the latest autonomous driving technologies and is designed for a world absent of traffic accidents.

If the concept is any indication, the new LS will be roughly a six-inches longer than the current car when it arrives on the market in roughly a year's time.

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Ken Block Goes Rear-Wheel Drive for Latest Gymkhana Machine

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Believe it or not, Ken Block has never done a Gymkhana video with a rear-wheel drive vehicle.

All that is going to change now that the driver and Hoonigan Industries has unveiled their latest creation, a custom 1978 Ford Escort MK2 RS sporting a Rocket Bunny widebody kit and a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with 333 horsepower. Best of all, the powerplant has a redline of 9,000 rpm with all the power being sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox.

SEE ALSO: Watch Ken Block Hoon the new Ford Focus RS

Along with the wider stance, Block and Hoonigan decided on a flat black paint job with white star-spangled graphics and wheels to contrast the look. On all four corners are custom two-piece fifteen52 wheels paired to Pirelli rubber. To demonstrate what the Escort is capable of, Block and Hoonigan have released a video of it undergoing a shakedown at the Hoonigan Donut Garage. They are working on a bigger video project that will showcase the vehicle for 2016.

"This Escort Mk2 is special to me, it's actually my first Ford rally car," said Block. "I purchased it in 2008. It was designed to compete in tarmac events, but unfortunately those are quite lacking now stateside, so instead of converting it into a gravel machine, I had my team at Hoonigan Racing Division extend on its tarmac capabilities and develop it into the ultimate rear wheel-drive Gymkhana car."

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