Nissan Leaf's aerodynamic design

Following the post about the Nissan Leaf's rear aerodynamic design, here is an interesting photo showing the underfloor design at the front.

Exterior of new Suzuki MR Wagon revealed

The exterior design of the new Suzuki MR Wagon (earlier post) has been revealed ahead of its debut, which will take place on January 20. The new MR Wagon will have a fuel efficiency of 25.5 km/L and not 26.5 as previously reported.

A glimpse of the new Japanese models coming in 2011!!!

The latest issue of Best Car magazine has a very interesting cover showing all the important new Japanese models coming in 2011!!!

So, here is what's coming (... I am missing a couple of Nissan sedan models):

• Daihatsu's small car based on the concept e:S (earlier post)

• Honda Fit - aka Jazz - wagon (earlier post)

• Honda Freed Hybrid 

• Honda Insight (facelift with design cues from  FCX Clarity)

• Lexus CT (looks like a spicy version... a CT-F perhaps?) 

• Lexus GS-F (earlier post)

• Mazda CX-5 (Mazda's variant of the Ford Kuga)

• Nissan Tiida - aka Versa - (earlier post)

• Toyota FT-86 / Subaru 216A (related posts)
  

• Toyota Prius V (related posts)

New Mitsuoka Viewt coming in summer 2011

Mag-X has came up with this rendering of the next-gen Mitsuoka Viewt, which will be introduced in summer 2011. For those who are not aware of the Viewt, the current model is the second generation one and it's a model based on Nissan's March (aka Micra). All generations of Viewt are inspired by Jaguar's Mark 2 design.

[Source: Mag-X via Makoto Garage Illustration]

Plug-in tech: Honda vs Toyota

Following the announcement of the second testing program in Japan (earlier post), Honda has disclosed details of the EV and PHV that will be tested.

The PHV is based on the JDM Inspire and it is equipped with a 2.0 L engine using the Atkinson cycle. The powertrain consists also of two motors and a Li-Ion battery. One of the motors has a maximum output of 120 kW and is used to drive the vehicle and regenerate energy. The other is used as a generator that can generate about 100 kW of electricity.

This system is different from Toyota PHV due to the use of two motors, and it can independently operate the engine and the motors. As a result, it becomes possible to drive the vehicle (1) as an EV only by electricity, (2) as a hybrid vehicle by using the engine and the motors and (3) as a gasoline vehicle by using only the engine.

Subaru to showcase three STi concepts at Tokyo Auto Salon

Subaru will showcase at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon not only the Impreza WRX STi tS (earlier post), but also three STi concepts: a Trezia STi concept, an Exiga 2.0GT tS concept, as well as a Legacy 2.5i tS concept.

[Source: Corism]

New Suzuki Landy introduced in Japan

This is basically Suzuki's version of the new Nissan Serena (related posts), called Landy, coming almost one month after the launch of the latter.

グレード	2.0S	2.0G
駆動方式	FF	4WD
トランスミッション	CVT
全長×全幅×全高(mm)	4685×1695×1865	4685×1695×1875
ホイールベース(mm)	2860
車両重量(kg)	1600	1720
乗車定員(人)	8
エンジン種類	直4DOHC
総排気量(cc)	1997
最高出力[ｋＷ(ps)rpm]	108（147）/5600	106（144）/5600
最大トルク[N・m(kg-m)/rpm]	210（21.4）/4400	207（21.1）/4400
10･15モード燃費(km/L)	14.4
ガソリン種類／容量(L)	レギュラー／60
車両本体価格(万円)	222.075	291.9

Toyota takes Hilux across Antarctica!

Toyota took four Hilux vehicles, between November 10 and December 5, across Antarctica proving that its pickup is all but unstoppable. In total, the vehicles covered over 4,600 km with temperatures down to minus 56°C and an altitude of 3,400 m.

The pickups were prepared by Artic Trucks, but the 3.0 L D-4D diesel engines remained entirely unchanged for the expedition. The Hilux proved to have lower fuel consumption and higher average speed than any equivalent Antarctic vehicle. The term low is relatively speaking, since we are talking about a fuel consumption of 50 L/100 km, but this figure is 5 to 8 times lower than that achieved by tracked vehicles. That's important when one barrel of oil in Antarctica can cost up to $10,000…!