Lexus released this teaser image of their upcoming BMW M3 competitor, the Lexus IS-F, which will be the first model in it’s new F range of performance tuned vehicles. The Lexus IS-F is expected to have either a 4.6 liter V8 or a new 5.0 liter V8 making close to 400 horsepower.

I like the color that they used for the teaser images, it’s a very nice hue of blue like the ones we get as an option on the Toyota Avanza locally, but the vertically stacked exhaust pipes are just too weird for my tastes. Though only one side of the rear is shown, it’s probably going to be quad exhaust pipes, with a similiar design mirrored on the other side. How strange for conservative Toyota/Lexus to pull off design stunts of this sort.

You can also see how they are positioning the new F logo of their performance division, placed next to the IS logo on the rear boot, styled in a nice chrome. More updates as Lexus releases more information on the new Lexus IS-F. Word is that there will be a real life show of the car at the 2007 Detroit Motor Show.

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Lexus M3 competitor to be called Lexus IS-F
Lexus IS500 Preview

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Honda has released one preview teaser image of the new Honda Accord Coupe Concept that will be unvealed to the public in January 2007 at the 2007 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

We’ve seen the Honda Sports 4 Concept which might show the future design direction of the Honda Accord Sedan, but this is Honda’s sneak peak on the design direction of the new Honda Accord Coupe.

More photos to come soon as Honda releases them.

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Honda Sports 4 Concept

Peugeot’s 206CC revolutionalised the convertible market, bringing the coupe-cabriolet concept not just to the high-end luxury market, but in a price range that was comfortable for everyone, well, almost everyone anyway. It achieved sales figures of 500,000 units worldwide in the past 6 years since it’s introduction in 2001. It’s successor, the Peugeot 207CC was first shown to us as a preview in the form of the Peugeot 207 EPURE Concept, which was basically a 207CC body with an electric powertrain. Today Peugeot announces details and specifications of the new Peugeot 207CC.

More details after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Peugeot 207CC announced

Here’s Proton’s plans to increase market share in Indonesia. For the moment, PT Proton Edar Indonesia will sell CBU (fully imported from Malaysia) sedans in the 1.3 liter to 1.8 liter capacity range, which is liable for 5% duty. Even with the duty slapped on, prices of Proton cars there is still cheaper than Japanese imports.

Apparently CKD assembly operations in Proton’s Cikarang plant will start when there is enough demand for Proton cars in Indonesia. But the question is, shouldn’t the purchase/building of a plant only come after volume justifying CKD operations has been reached?

Source

The new 2007 Honda CR-V received a 5-star crash test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration across the board - which means frontal crash passenger, frontal crash driver, side crash passenger and side crash driver test results were excellent. Similar good results were obtained from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Two videos of the frontal and side crash tests as well as links to the results pages for the two institutes’ findings after the jump. The new 2007 Honda CR-V is expected to reach our local shores soon next year, so if safety for your family is your top priority and you’re looking for an SUV in that range, you might want to hold out for the new CR-V. While the CR-V tested by the two American institutes are the 2.4 liter version that will likely not make it to our market, crash test performance of the R20A engined model that we will probably get should be similar.

Click here to read the rest of 2007 Honda CR-V Crash Test

Tesla Motors, who sent shockwaves through the industry with the introduction of the Elise-based electric sportscar the Tesla Roadster (shown above) has announced that it will be making a new 4-seater sedan aimed at the BMW 5-series, to be released by the end of the decade.

The luxury electric sedan is set to be available globally in two variants, one with a similiar engine to the Tesla Roadster (248 horsepower) with a 320 kilometer range on a single charge, and another more powerful variant with a higher range - about 480 kilometers. The sedan will be built with lightweight steel, and production is expected to be 10,000 to 20,000 units annually.

This is likely the first manufacturer to come up with a fully electric powered sedan for mass production, while other manufacturers have gone different paths - Lexus is focusing on hybrids while BMW is investing in hydrogen and turbodiesel technology. Don’t expect anything funky like in-wheel motors though, the motor and battery pack will be positioned traditionally in the front, and power will be sent through the rear wheels.

In order to compete with Mercedes’ AMG and BMW’s M divisions, Lexus has decided to develop a performance branding badge for it’s top of the line sports-oriented cars, and it’s decided to tag them with an “F” badge. Trademarks have been filed for the model name IS-F, as well as the F logo shown above.

Looks like some kind of shoe manufacturer logo to me, but anyway, while previously it was rumoured that the BMW M3-competitor Lexus IS-F (IS500) would be powered by a new 2UR-FSE 5.0 liter V8 based on the 1UR-FSE, it is also possible that there will be no new engine and the 4.6 liter V8 1UR-FSE would be used instead. The 1UR-FSE, a 4.6 liter DOHC V8 with Dual VVT-i and direct injection with a high 11.8:1 compression ratio makes 380hp at 6,400rpm and 498Nm of torque at 4,100rpm. The 1UR-FSE also comes with an 8-speed automatic transmission, that’s right - EIGHT ratios!

While Lexus is keeping mum on the issue for the moment, the new F-line of cars is expected to be announced at the Detroit Motor Show 2007. I can just see the advertisement taglines now - “You’ve been F-ed!”

Related Posts:
Lexus IS500 Preview

Ford recently unveiled to the new Ford Ranger Double Cab to the Thai market at the Thailand 23rd International Motor Expo 2006. Along with it’s 7-seater brother the Everest, this new generation of the Ford Ranger features Ford’s new Duratorq TDCi common rail direct injection turbodiesel engine. And while the Ford Focus in our local market goes around with only a 4 gear auto, the new Ford Ranger gets a new 5-speed automatic transmission - allowing better use of the diesel’s short torque band.

The 2.5 liter Duratorq engine is a DOHC 16-valve turbodiesel unit, featuring Bosch common rail direct fuel injection and a variable geometry turbocharger. It makes 141hp at 3,500rpm and 330Nm of torque at 1,800rpm, up from our market’s current Ranger’s 2.5 liter SOHC indirect injection turbodiesel which makes 121hp and 262Nm of torque.

With Mitsubishi recently bringing in it’s new Storm replacement, the Triton, and the D-MAX being facelifted quite recently, Ford Malaysia should be doing something about it’s aging Ranger pickup soon.

Click here to read the rest of New Ford Ranger with 5-speed auto in Thailand

Proton has once again extended it’s three running agreements with Mitsubishi Motors Corp Japan, Chery Automobile Co Ltd and Alado Corporation Sdn Bhd.

The Memorandum of Understanding between Proton and Mitsubishi has been extended for another three months, set to end on 2nd February 2007, while the feasibility study with Chery and it’s local partner Alado Corporation was extended to 28th February 2007.

I’m sure we all eagerly await the outcome, the first could possibly result in a new Mitsubishi-based model while the latter could result in better utilization of Proton’s coveted RM2 billion Tanjung Malim plant.

Source: Bursa Malaysia

The guys at All Japanese Performance in the US have pimped out this Honda Civic Si Coupe where it matters - the engine bay! The K20 engine in this Civic has been bolted on with a turbokit, and has been running without problems since March 2006.

In March, AJP was able to reach 306 horsepower at the wheels at 0.3 bar and as time progressed with the help of Hondata (ECU tuning), it was able to achieve 376 horsepower and 315Nm of torque at the wheels at 0.6 bars of boost - very impressive! Basically, this car was an R&D car for AJP to develop it’s production turbokit which currently goes for $4,299.99.

More specs, photos and videos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of AJ Performance Honda Civic Si Coupe