P-NUT stands for Personal-Neo Urban Transport and it is supposed to be a design concept for a futuristic ultra-compact and aggressive-looking coupe. That is what they describe it as, but we’ll have to see what the car actually looks like to see what the boys at LA-based Honda R&D Americas Advanced Design Studio have cooked up.

Last year’s LA show concept was the Honda FC Sport design study, which also so happened to be a two-door coupe of sorts, and as hinted by its name was powered by a fuel cell stack.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Looking at photos are one thing but seeing a concept car in real life is another. The Daihatsu e:S manages to look compact but somehow not excessively cheap at the same time, so you feel like if you bought one, it’s purely because you do not need anything bigger – just two seats and a small boot behind your front seats. The e:S has some really small rear seats though making it somewhat like a 2+2, but you’re better off using that space as a boot instead.

To give you an idea, the e:S Concept’s 2,175mm wheelbase is actually even shorter than the now-”extinct” Kancil’s 2,280mm wheelbase. It’s based on an existing platform but had its wheelbase shortened so it should mean the development cost for a production car would not be excessively high.

Weight loss techniques such as slim and lightweight seats and light materials give the e:S a total weight of 700 kg. As a result, its 660cc engine with auto-start stop can take it as far as 30km on a liter of fuel under the Japan 10-15 drive mode.

Look after the jump for a live photo gallery of the e:S.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

The Honda CR-Z Concept you see here is very, very near to production. In fact, the production car probably already exists somewhere in Honda R&D, since it’s supposed to go into production in February 2010. That’s just a few months away. Honda has been talking about this car for a few years now, and a design concept study was already shown at the motorshow back in 2007.

Since then it has evolved and the result is this concept, with even a proper close-to-production interior. I don’t particularly like its gaping mouthed looks (another manufacturer to go Audi-ized?) but things start to get better towards the rear. I hope they don’t settle on this front end for its next generation of cars – that would ruin the next generation Civic.

Under the hood is a 1.5 liter version of Honda’s IMA system (currently available as a 1.3 liter in the Civic Hybrid and Insight), so we don’t really have any power output numbers yet. What’s interesting is that it will be paired to a 6-speed manual transmission. I can’t recall any other hybrid car with a manual. The motor assist will probably kick in according to road incline, etc as well as a data feed from the throttle position sensor.

Look after the jump for live photos and live videos of the CR-Z.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Apart from unveiling the highly anticipated FT-86 concept, Toyota also revealed the FT-EV II concept at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show. The all-electric concept features a lithium-ion battery that enables the concept to deliver over 90 kilometers with a full charge. It also has a top speed of 100 km/h. The zero emissions vehicle has no steering wheel or foot pedals, instead it has only two control levers which are used to control the car.

There is also an enhanced communications system that enables the linking of the driver’s information to a network, that can allow the vehicle to connect with services beyond car navigation such as recommending information tailored to the driver’s preferences and downloading music and movie content.

The concept can also connect to home networks to help store energy and save large volumes of data. According to the auto maker, “The FT-EV II is not simply an electric vehicle designed for a post-fossil fuel era, but is a sustainable concept car that focuses on the relationship between cars, people and society of the future.” Look for more live images of the FT-EV II after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Perhaps considered as one of the most anticipated reveals at Tokyo 2009, the FT-86 Concept (”86″ pronounced “hachi roku”) is one vehicle many of us are eager to see on our roads. The good news is that the production version is already being developed as it was recently seen lapping around the Nurburgring circuit.

The rear wheel drive FT-86 Concept is powered by a 2.0 liter D-4S boxer engine that is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission. Unfortunately the automaker has yet to release official output figures so your guess is as good as mine. Speculators are looking at a horsepower figure between 160hp and 200hp.

The concept that measures 4,160mm long, 1,760mm wide, and 1,260mm high with a wheelbase of 2,570mm also features ADVICS brakes. Inside, the 2+2 concept features an instrument panel with a gray and white base, gauges with red neon lights and digital displays as well as a navigation system.

Subaru will also produce its own version of the FT-86 and there is also word that an STI version may join the line up as well. The STI variant could produce about 250hp.

Continue reading to more live images.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

With the Honda FR-V (also called the Edix) now gone, many are calling this new Skydeck concept a preview of what could end up being the next generation 6-seater Honda. But in reality while it seats 6, the seating positions are quite different from the Edix.

The Edix was Honda’s take on the Fiat Multipla’s seating configuration – it sat three people each in two rows.

This new Honda Skydeck Concept sits 6, but in three rows of 2 individual seats each. This makes it look more like a Japanese Mercedes-Benz R-Class instead. The seats are quite interesting – it uses a mesh construction for the backrest, much like the ergonomic office chairs that you see on sale very often these days.

The Skydeck’s interior is actually quite bare and devoid of any details, with the dashboard instead just being paneled mostly with a light wood grain. The rest of the cabin also carries a minimalist theme.

I managed to snap up-close shots of the interior. The above knob shows that Honda might be up to a new iDrive-like interface for its cars. What we can see here is a knob flanked by three buttons saying Back, Audio/Navi and Menu. It might just be a funky position for a main audio system control knob though.

Look after the jump for the gallery of Skydeck photos I snapped.

GALLERY: Honda Skydeck Live Photos

GALLERY: Honda Skydeck Official Product Photos

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

The Hybrid Tourer concept vehicle from Subaru with its twin gullwing doors is currently being presented at the Tokyo Motor Show. The new concept that is rumored to spawn a successor to the SVX mid-sized coupe is powered by a hybrid drivetrain that is made up by a 2.0 liter turbocharged boxer engine and two electric motors (one for each axle).

The rear motor can be used at start-up or at extremely low speeds. It will also kick in during acceleration. The front motor normally acts a power generator and it will also assist the entire drivetrain during uphill acceleration. The all wheel drive concept also features Subarus’s Lineartronic automatic transmission. Continue reading for more images.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Want a cheap “landaulet”? Get a Daihatsu Basket Concept when it goes into production. Right now it’s just a concept little lifestyle “K-truck” with a removable soft top over the rear seats. There’s even a little boot deck behind the rear seats for tools and stuff in case the Basket is used to carry stuff, like another tool commonly used by people with the same name, the common basket.

And then we also have this fridge on wheels that’s called the Daihatsu DecaDeca. There is no B-pillar and both the front and rear doors swing outwards towards the front and rear of the van respectively. And like most K-vehicles in Japan, it is powered by a 660cc engine. And it’s nice that both the DecaDeca and the Basket do have a certain family resemblance about them.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

A pretty sharp reader managed to point out that the words found on the Toyota FT-86 boxer engine is actually D-4S Boxer and not C-45 Boxer. Now this makes so much sense, and also gives us an idea of the kind of technology that’s going to be found in the new engine. We can also predict its power output based on other engines that have featured D-4S and high compression in the past, like the 2GR-FSE.

The fact that the production version of the FT-86 coupe will feature D-4S is not new actually. Sometime earlier this year at the Tokyo Auto Salon, Akio Toyoda said that the production car will not be coming very soon because a new boxer engine with Toyota D-4S technology was still being developed. The Subaru version of the FT-86 (if it’s still going to be produced) will also feature its own Subaru D-4S Boxer engine.

D-4S is basically an advanced variant of Toyota’s D-4 direct injection system. You might have noticed D-4D badging on local Toyota Hilux pickups – that’s their diesel direct injection. D-4 is basically gasoline direct injection, and D-4S stands for D-4 Superior. D-4S combines both direct injection and conventional port injection for each cylinder which means two injectors per cylinder, or eight injectors if the engine is a 4-cylinder boxer like the FT-86 production car will have. The system will pick between the two types of injectors according to needs (here’s a good story on how it works).

In the 2GR-FSE 3.5 liter D-4S V6 engine, it allowed Toyota to tune the engine for very impressive torque to liter ratio figures for a normally aspirated engine. 377Nm of torque from a 3.5 liter engine while maintaining good emission, refinement and fuel consumption figures is not easy to get.

It won’t surprise me if the 2.0 liter D-4S Boxer engine in the production Toyota FT-86 coupe may make over 160 to 170 horsepower and around 210 to 215Nm of torque, which exceeds what regular 2.0 liter engines with port injection can do.

Related Posts:
Toyota FT-86 Concept – AE86 spiritual successor finally previewed!
VIDEO: Toyota FT-86 Concept in Gran Turismo

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Want to see the new Toyota FT-86 Concept in action? Well, you can’t see a real one on the roads in action just yet, but thanks to Gran Turismo we have this video that features the FT-86 in motion. The video also lets us have a glimpse into the car’s engine bay. There’s not that much to be seen really but we do get to see a virtual rendering of the engine, called the C-45 Boxer D-4S Boxer.

There’s also something else about the FT-86 that I’ve just noticed that I did not notice before when I was rushing to publish the story. Look closely at the hi-res photo of the interior where you can see abit of the dash (I’ve cropped the relevant bit in the photo above). There’s a small image of the Fuji Speedway!

Is it just decoration, or can the FT-86’s dash display show you where you are on the track so you can anticipate corners just like in a videogame? After all, Fuji definitely means something special to Toyota, it even named its performance Lexus range after the circuit – F in IS-F and F-Sport refers to Fuji.

Watch the video after the jump.

Related Posts:
Toyota FT-86 – AE86 spiritual successor finally previewed! (with image gallery)

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

When the first Toyota FT-EV concept car was displayed at the Detroit show earlier this year, It looked much closer to a production electric Toyota iQ than this new concept car called the Toyota FT-EV II.

The interior has gone completely concept car, while the original FT-EV’s interior looked more like a futuristic iQ’s interior. There are no foot pedals or steering wheel, but only two control levers which you use to drive the car.

But get this – you won’t be driving the car most of the time, as the car is designed to run on auto pilot mode on normal commutes. It can travel up to 90km on a full charge of its lithium ion batteries, and its top speed is limited to over 100km/h which should be more than enough in the city.

Look after the jump for an initial set of four photos that Toyota have released.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

It’s finally here, some kind of glimpse of the new AE86 spiritual successor. It’s even got the numbers 86 in its name. The new Toyota FT-86 Concept will be displayed at the 2009 Tokyo Motorshow and its resemblance to the Toyota FT-HS Concept probably means it’s a more productionised evolution of the FT-HS, or that’s just how new Toyota sportscars are going to look like.

NEW: Watch a video of the Toyota FT-86 Concept in Gran Turismo!

I’m glad to see that Toyota has stayed true to their promise of a rear wheel drive layout, though this has been made easier by the absorption of Subaru into their group. The platform has a 2,570mm wheelbase, which is shorter than the latest generation Impreza but longer than the previous generation’s. Not sure if the chassis is some shortened variant of the Impreza’s but a Toyota engineer claims the platform is unique to this model.

The wheelbase is rather compact actually, slightly shorter than that of a latest model Vios. Other dimensions of the FT-86 include a 4,160mm length, a 1,760mm width and a 1,260mm height, and the FT-86 seats four. It has a 2.0 liter boxer engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission though it’s not mentioned if this is normally aspirated or force inducted. The concept is fitted with brakes from ADVICS, a JV company formed between AISIN SEIKI, DENSO, Sumitomo Electric and Toyota.

Look after the jump for hi-res photos of the new FT-86.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

The plug-in hybrid system in this modified Suzuki Swift features a combustion engine that’s much smaller than its production Swift counterparts – only 658cc producing 54 horsepower (40kW). But what it does have is a 74 horsepower (55kW) electric motor to run the car at all times, powered by lithium ion batteries. The combustion engine kicks in to recharge the batteries, making this a series hybrid system much like Volt. One full charge can take the car about 20km.

Because there is no need for a conventional geared transmission, the lithium ion batteries are positioned in the center console where a car’s transmission would typically be, between the two front seats. The seats are quite funky though – with a design reminding me of expensive ergo office chairs.

Look after the jump for larger photos of the Suzuki

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

As you probably already know from my previous coverage, Honda’s display zone at the Tokyo Motorshow will feature a special section called “HELLO!” (Honda Electric mobility Loop), which will feature electricity-based products, including products that supply electricity, vehicles that run on electricity and other electricity-related products.

Honda EV-MONPAL

Other than the EV-N compact electric car we already covered on this blog, there’s also the EV-Cub electric motorcycle and the EV-MONPAL electric personal mobility device.

There’s also an EVE-Neo electric scooter but for some reason it’s not categorised under the HELLO! display but instead will be shown at the motorcycle display.

The HELLO! display will also include the Honda ENEPO, which is a power generator that’s fuelled by liquefied butane cartridges. The ENEPO is rated to have a power output of 900VA and can be used by appliances that consume 900W and less.

It’s meant to be used as a back-up power supply in case of a power failure, a charger for electric power tools and a power source for gardening tools, amongst other uses. It’s quite compact and can fit in a car’s boot.

GALLERY: Honda ENEPO

GALLERY: Honda EV-MONPAL

GALLERY: Honda EV-Cub

GALLERY: Honda EVE-Neo

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

In Europe you see alot of little hatchbacks like the Peugeot 206 running around as “vans”, so this little car you see above probably makes sense. Mitsubishi took the i-MiEV and converted it into a little zero emissions goods transporter that seats two and has a luggage compartment measuring about 1,350mm wide by 1,180mm deep and 1,100mm tall.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

I’m actually pretty amazed. Here is a concept car that’s quite obviously an SUV, but it has not been given the sloping coupe roofline treatment by its designers. They must have not really bought into that whole tall four door coupe with large wheels thing, which I feel is refreshing. What’s wrong with the traditional SUV shape. I mean, some might argue that everything about it is wrong since it’s an SUV to begin with, but hey there are people who still like and buy SUVs.

A wheelbase of 2,630mm and dimensions of 4,510mm by 1,830mm by 1,65mm makes this about the same size as the first generation Outlander/AirTrek actually. It’s smaller than the current second generation OutLander (which is also sold as a Peugeot 4007 and a Citroen C-Crosser).

So this could be a prototype for a new compact SUV slotted beneath the Outlander. The interior is definitely concept for now but the exterior looks pretty much production-ready. But if that’s the case, where does that leave the old Concept-cX that’s supposedly going into production? Is that some kind of new cross-Colt kind of compact hatch?

The PX-MiEV is powered by a new hybrid powertrain called the Mitsubishi Plug-in Hybrid System. The name’s definitely not as cool as Hybrid Synergy Drive but the system consisting of a petrol engine and electric motors can operate in either EV mode, series hybrid mode, parallel hybrid mode, regenerative mode, charging mode, and finally power supply mode. While driving, the various drive modes are selected using the MiEV OS system according to the data it has access to.

The EV mode is probably the most simple to understand – powered by the vehicle’s batteries, the front motor drives the vehicle. The MiEV OS also has all-wheel drive logic in it so if there is front wheel slip, the rear motor also activates to provide traction. Both front and rear motors can produce a combined 60kW and 200Nm on their own. In terms of EV mode range, you can expect to travel over 50km on the Japanese 10-15 drive cycle.

The petrol engine is a 1.6 liter MIVEC unit making 85kW and 125Nm of torque. It has a generating capacity of 70kW. When the battery energy level falls to a predetermined level, the gasoline engine starts and generates electricity to charge the batteries. This is called the series hybrid mode and the MIVEC engine does not drive the vehicle – it just generates electricity for the motors which drive the vehicle.

The other hybrid mode is the parallel hybrid mode. Probably because of gearing and the fact that Mitsubishi says a combustion engine is more efficient at high engine revolutions, the car runs on parallel hybrid mode at higher speeds such as highway speeds. In this mode, the MIVEC engine drives the wheels, and is assisted by the rear motor whenever the additional traction is required such as during sudden lane changes or other maneuvers. If additional power boost is needed, both the front and rear motors activate to provide peak power.

And then there is of course the regenerative mode, charging mode and power supply modes. The regenerative mode is easy to explain – its basically brake energy regeneration when the car is slowing down or coasting along a long descending slope. The charge mode is when the car is plugged in to the wall to charge. You can define your own schedule to begin charging or to run other functions such as use air conditioning to cool down the vehicle at preset times.

The power supply mode is something interesting. Basically it allows the vehicle to be part of a “Smart Grid” concept. The car can store electricity at night (where in some countries the rates are lower as it is off-peak) and then allow you to use that electricity later during the day via regular connectors. The car’s battery can be used as a power source during natural disasters, or in situations such as powering cooking or lighting equipment when you bring the vehicle to a campsite. If the charge level drops below a certain predetermined level, the MIVEC engine will fire up to maintain the power supply.

As if debuting a new plug-in hybrid system is not enough, there are also a few active safety technologies implemented in the car. It’s equipped for the Driving Safety Support System (DSSS (Level II)) currently being promoted by the Japanese National Police Agency. An on-board receiver picks up signals transmitted by roadside optical beacons and the system urges the driver to take extra care when other vehicles or pedestrians have been detected by roadside sensors and cameras at intersections and pedestrian crossings.

There is also a system that uses wireless technology to know the position of other vehicles and warn the driver if they are in a dangerous distance to the PX-MiEV. This is part of the Advanced Safety Vehicle 4 (ASV4) project being promoted by the Road Transport Bureau of the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

A Driving Monitor System uses a camera mounted facing the driver to monitor eye movements to determine their level of alertness. If the system detects a decrease in their concentration it issues not only audible but visual and vibrational warnings and also emits an aroma to alert him or her to the situation.

The Concept PX-MiEV also has an electronically-controlled air suspension which is user-definable at three heights: auto, high or low. Naturally when set in auto the suspension sets its own height to whatever makes sense such as reducing the height for better aerodynamics and less drag during highway travel.

This is all really not bad for a company that’s not really seen as doing very well. If Mitsubishi was in a strong position right now it would not have had to license the latest Lancer platform to Proton for money.

Look after the jump for hi-res photos of the Concept PX-MiEV.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Wanna know what the latest fad in Japan is when it comes to concept cars? Putting really funky doors on what are essentially very stylish people movers.

The Honda Skydeck had scissor doors in addition to its rear sliding doors, and this new Subaru concept called the Subaru Hybrid Tourer has twin gullwing doors! Apparently the designers penned the concept after imagining “wings of freedom” giving its driver and his family a feeling of freedom and confidence in driving the vehicle.

Taking a cue from the 5-Series GT, the Subaru Hybrid Tourer seats only four. With these new ‘tourer’ vehicles the seats are limited but each seat is supposed to do its job really well – we’re talking about the best padding, legroom and entertainment that money can buy (in whatever pricerange the car is in of course). Subaru takes the driver’s comfort one step ahead by letting the top of the dashboard be movable up and down according to the driver’s wants.

I’ve heard of seats being adjustable infinite ways but never of an adjustable dashboard! Or at least that’s what the press release says as Subaru doesn’t exactly have any videos of how it works. Maybe they’ll release more nearer to the motorshow.

Under the hood is naturally a boxer engine – it’s a real Subaru after all isn;t it? There’s also symmetrical all-wheel drive, another Subaru trademark. The boxer engine is turbocharged and of a 2.0 liter displacement. It also has direct fuel injection. The turbo-boxer is mated to a Lineartronic CVT. But that’s not where it stops – the boxer engine is only one part of a hybrid powertrain that complements the combustion engine with another two motors.

One 10kW power/drive motor is at the front together with the engine while there is another 20kW drive motor at the rear. At start-up and slow speeds, the rear drive motor is used primarily to move the vehicle while the combustion engine stays shut off. Under normal driving, the primary power source is the combustion engine. Then when there is extra power needed, the rear motor kicks in. Finally, at maximum power needs, the front motor kicks in.

At other times the front motor functions primarily as a power generator, charging a lithium ion battery that powers the motors. There’s also auto start-stop and brake energy regeneration.

The styling looks pretty appealing actually, though I can see some hints of Audi at the rear. Look after the jump for the initially released photos of the concept.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

The Honda EV-N Concept is surprisingly retro-styled in a sea of very futuristic Honda concepts being released in the past 2 to 3 years. Like you can probably expect from its name, the EV-N Concept is an electric car, though for the moment Honda has not released any details on its motor and battery specifications. It’s probably got a pretty short range though, designed to be used for short commutes in cities like Tokyo.

After you reach your destination and park but you’re feeling a little lazy, you can take out one of the U3-X Segway-like unicycles which is smartly strapped to the passenger door. At first I thought it was some really big and hardcore speaker system or something.

The EV-N Concept is part of a larger display called the “HELLO!” (Honda Electric mobility Loop) display, where Honda will be showcasing a total “ecosystem” of mobility products. You have products that supply electricity, vehicles that run on electricity and products with innovative electronic technologies.

There will be solar panels that supply electricity and battery electric vehicles that emit zero emissions in use. The HELLO showcase is pretty much a preview of the potential of a low-carbon society of the future of course centered around Honda products. In addition, each HELLO! vehicle features communication technologies that showcase fun ways in which mobility devices can interact with people and society.

Look after the jump more shots of the Honda EV-N Concept.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Honda’s new SKYDECK concept can seat 6 people in a three-row passenger configuration (2+2+2). Honda’s last 6-seater was the Honda Edix which has now been phased out, but that MPV had its 6 seats in a two row configuration, similiar to what Fiat did for their Multipla.

The styling cues are quite obviously inspired by the CR-Z, which leads me to believe this kind of look might become quite commonplace on future Hondas. The front doors have a scissor hinge like a Lamborghini while the rear door is of the rearward-sliding variety. The powertrain is of course a hybrid but no further details have been revealed.

More will probably be disclosed at the Tokyo show next month, so stay tuned, but for now you can look after the jump for hi-res images.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Honda will be showing various automobiles at the Tokyo Motorshow next month. Being their home turf and an Asian country, I must say the concept, near-production and production cars to be shown are definitely more interesting to us as an ASEAN country as they would be the most relevant to production cars that we’ll receive in the future.

The most exciting is probably the new Honda CR-Z Concept 2009, which is the most close-to-production concept version of the upcoming CR-Z sports car so far. No technical details have been revealed on the car so far, but I do have some nice high-resolution photos for you showing a very production-ready exterior and interior.

Word is that the CR-Z will get a 1.5 liter version of Honda’s IMA Hybrid system (the Civic and Insight use 1.3 IMA hybrid systems) and high on the wishlist of speculators so far is a 6-speed manual transmission, which is rare in a typical hybrid car where you usually see CVT and e-CVT transmissions.

Look after the jump for a nice hi-res gallery of the new CR-Z!

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Four motors – two on each axle – take the Audi e-tron from 0 to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds. Collectively, the motors put out 313 horsepower but check out the torque figures – 4,500Nm! That looks like a seriously insane number but remember that the concept of gearing for an electric car is totally different (most only have one gear) so you don’t exactly have multipliers like the first few low gears on a regular stepped transmission.

The torque that each electric motor produces can vary as required to create a torque vectoring effect. Perhaps you can call this e-quattro or something, but Audi doesn’t have a name for it. The car’s water-cooled lithium ion battery pack will allow a maximum range of about 248km but don’t expect that kind of range if you’re really gunning it on the B-roads. The rated range is for the NECD driving cycle.

Yes, it’s an electric R8 and all, that is very interesting. But I feel the most interesting part about this e-tron concept is the car-to-x communications system. It’s basically a wireless communication system where the Audi and various other data feed providers (traffic lights, other cars, etc) around the car are able to help the car make intelligent decisions on various systems. For this to really work, such a system really needs a standardised protocol but it’s very very interesting to hear what can be achieved.

For example – a car has spun out on a slippery road in a blind curve. Other vehicles are approaching quickly. The stuck vehicle uses car-to-x to send out a warning signal reporting the precise location of the hazard (itself). A corresponding warning then appears on the navigation system display of the approaching cars.

Look after the jump for a full press release with full details on the e-tron as well as some very hi-res images which you can use as wallpapers etc.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Here’s yet another concept car in the up! range of cars. We’ve previously seen the up! and the larger space up!. Here comes the 3+1 seater E-Up!, which as you can probably tell is powered by an electric motor. The electric motor is rated at 40kW continuous with a burst power of 60kW, and torque is rated at 210Nm. Although this is a concept car for now, Volkswagen confirmed a production EV version will be launched in 2013. Quite interestingly the 3+1 seating is similiar to the Toyota iQ.

This is how VW’s Martin Winterkorn sees mobility in the near future. Cars with pure petrol and diesel engines – which in the foreseeable future will continue be unbeatable for mid- to long-range distances – will be supplemented by cars like the E-Up! in upcoming years, especially in the city. This can be a reality in 5 years time. But production numbers of an electric car can only match that of a Polo in current times only in 2020, and that’s earliest!

The E-Up! weighs just 1,085kg, and out of that the lithium ion batteries housed in the underbody (protected by a crash-protected tray) alone takes up 240kg. The electric motor is lighter at 140kg. The E-Up! is meant to be charged at home in the owner’s garage, or on the road when a charging infrastructure has been set up.

Volkswagen predicts that quick charging infrastructure could possibly allow the E-Up! to be charged up to 80% of its battery life within an hour’s time. At home, a regular 230V outlet can do the same in 5 hours tops.

So in terms of cost according to European electricity rates, the E-Up! can go 100km for 2 Euros (actual range has not been revealed by Volkswagen). The charging port is hidden behind the Volkswagen logo at the front. The solar panel on the roof can generate a small amount of electricity, enough for some auxiliary electrical systems and to cool the interior by powering the car’s ventilation system.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Remember those Electricity Untamed (what’s with German carmakers and the word untamed for their Frankfurt exhibits) teaser videos that Audi released earlier this month? Still don’t know anything about what kind of electric motor(s) will power the Frankfurt car but an initial set of photos of the Audi e-Tron concept have surfaced.

It’s quite clearly an R8 (though without “side blades”, making it end up looking like a large TT) but likely in the interest of aerodynamics most of the intake openings have been closed off. Perhaps electric motors run much cooler than a regular combustion engine. And check out those radical wheels!

It’s interesting how all three premium German manufacturers are exhibiting very powerful sports cars with alternative combustion engines at the Frankfurt show. Mercedes-Benz will showcase its electric-powered version of the SLS AMG while BMW has its Vision EfficientDynamics concept car.

Look after the jump for the rest of the e-Tron photos.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

If you think the Veyron was exclusive enough, apparently this new Bugatti 16C Galibier Concept (previously teaser to us as the “Bordeaux”) is so exclusive that us mere plebians won’t get a chance to view it at the Frankfurt show coming up in the next few days. Instead, it will get a ‘private unveiling’ at an event in France. The is pretty much the embodiment of the word excessive, but I am really glad that they’ve come up with this and not yet another boring Veyron special edition with a different paint job.

The body of the new 16C Galibier Concept has a two-tone colour scheme that reminds me of the last special edition Veyron – the Grand Sport Sang Bleu. Like the Sang Bleu, most of the car is decked out in a special carbon fiber weave that’s painted dark blue, while the doors and wings are made out of polished aluminium. The Veyron styling has been translated to a larger more stately 4-door form quite well though I must say.

Under the hood mounted up front is a 8.0 liter W16 engine. I don’t see any mention of quad turbos here – instead Bugatti says it uses “two-stage supercharging”, and is flex-fuel capable, which means you can feed it ethanol.

Power is sent to all four wheels via an all-wheel drive system, but although most people are quoting an output of 800 horses and above, we’re not exactly sure how much power we’re talking about as the official press release was more interested in telling us about how this new concept brings back cues from Bugatti’s past glory.

As for the name – it is named after the Col du Galibier, which is the name of a mountain pass in the Swiss Alps. Of course that’s yet another homage to an old Bugatti. They say this is a homage to the old Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic. The Atlantic was just one of the few bodystyles that the 57 had, another one was called the Galibier. This car remains a concept for now and should go into production only by end-2012 or early 2013, giving the millionaires who desire this some time and inspiration to become multi-millionaires.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

A German paper managed to get a scoop on a rather interesting concept car that Volkswagen plans to show at the Frankfurt show that’ll open in just a few days time. This concept car is supposedly called the Volkswagen L1 Concept and guess what its rated fuel consumption is – 1.49 liters per 100km! Most people are calling it a 1 liter car, which it actually is not, but nevertheless a “1.49 liter car” is still impressive.

It’s a small 3,800mm long two seater car and you sit in it in tandem – which means the driver at the front and the passenger behind him or her. The L1 Concept is powered by a twin-cylinder diesel engine mated to a 7-speed twin clutch transmission. It’s only got 29 horsepower but at a kerb weight of 380kg, that’s more than enough. CO2 output is rated at just 39g/km.

UPDATE: We now know more information about the new L1. The official fuel consumption has been rated at 1.38 liters per 100km. The 800cc two-cylinder diesel engine is essentially half of Volkswagen’s BlueMotion 1.6 TDI engine and it makes 27 PS (39 PS in “sports mode”) and 100Nm of torque at 1,900rpm, but is assisted by a 14 hosepower electric motor powered by a lithium ion battery situated at the front of the car. The hybrid unit sends power to the wheels via a 7-speed DSG transmission.

The electric motor sits between the TDI engine and the DSG gearbox. This sounds like a motor assist system but the motor is capable of running on its own as a zero emissions EV with the TDI shut off via decoupling from the TDI with an auxiliary clutch. When its time for the TDI unit to be restarted, this electric motor acts as a start-up generator.

To retain the L1’s aerodynamic shape, door mirrors have been eliminated. While they’re at it, they also took out the rear view mirror though since it is inside the car it doesn’t improve aerodynamics. Instead, functions of both the door and rear view mirrors have been replaced by cameras which send images to OLED displays on the left and right of the instrument panel. There are no doors – the passengers get in from the top.

The L1 is built around a safety cell made out of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, which itself weighs only 124kg. If you add everything else in, the L1 tops out at 380kg kerb weight, which is pretty damn light. The weight is well acounting for – 122kg goes to teh drivetrain, 79kg for the chassis, 35kg for the interior furnishings, and 20kg for the electricals. The L1 measures 1,200mm wide, 3,813mm long and 1,143mm tall, which Volkswagen says is similiar to the length of a Volkswagen Fox and the height of a Lamborghini Murcielago.

Look after the jump for more shots of the L1.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Lexus have revealed full details on their Frankfurt concept car – the new Lexus LF-Ch Concept. Previously only one shot each of the front and rear respectively were revealed, but here comes the full press pack with hi-res photos.

A wheelbase of 2,600mm confirms suspicious that this will most likely be a Lexus-ified Toyota Auris. It’s a full hybrid and coincidentally Toyota is also exhibiting a hybrid version of the Auris at Frankfurt. Even with its Auris roots, design is pure L-finesse, which makes the car share a family resemblance with the IS sedan.

All we know right now is the car’s dimensions and the fact that it’ll be powered by a full hybrid, which means the possibility for a EV mode. The LF-Ch measures 4,300mm long, 1,790mm wide and 1,400 tall. Those large concept car wheels are 20 inches in size, wrapped with 225/35R20 tyres.

Look after the jump for hi-res images of the concept car.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Jaguar’s last wagon was the Jaguar X-Type wagon – remember that Mondeo-based car that was initially offered only in all-wheel drive to distance itself from its front wheel drive plebian heritage? Since then the company has only made sleek sedans.

Yes, the E-Class and 5-Series have wagon versions but Jaguar refuses to be lumped in the same category as those cars, even to the point that they’ve resisted making small-engined versions of the new XF. There will be no E200K or 523i competitor for the XF (for now)… the range starts at the 3.0 liter.

Click for enlarged image

But still, people can dream, and when Theophilus Chin’s imagination runs wild what you get are the two chops you see above, an XF Estate.

Do you think there’s room in the world for a new catwagon?

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

BMW’s MINI division released the video above just a few hours ago and its supposed to be a teaser for the brand’s 2009 Frankfurt show exhibits.

From what we know so far, two cars are going to be exhibited, with one being the MINI Coupe Concept. The other is said to be a MINI SUV that’s much closer to production (or perhaps even a production car) compared to the MINI Crossover Concept from last year.

Anyway, more teaser videos will be coming up, building up momentum towards the actual Frankfurt show. I’ll post other teasers up as they are released.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

Citroen will be exhibiting the car above at the Frankfurt show but other than this photo we don’t know any other details at the moment, not even whether it is a concept or a production model, though by the looks of it, it should be a concept.

It definitely looks like a small car though, something smaller than the C3, perhaps a new C2 or maybe a C1 (current C1 is a badge engineered Peugeot 107/Toyota Aygo from the B-Zero project). It could also be a smaller car in the new DS premium range.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.

We’ve already seen how the rear end of the new Lexus concept hatchback looks like, so here’s a few front shot. It definitely shares a family look with the IS sedan, though unlike the IS it is most likely to be front wheel drive and based on the chassis of the Auris. The production version is very likely to be very much toned down.

Look after the jump and you’ll find a photo of the previously unveiled rear end.


Click for enlarged image

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 19:14:46 +0800.