Nissan already gave us the honor to “Preview” the Infiniti 2011 M35 Hybrid this summer, and today in Yokohama, Nissan introduce to the world its first commercial version of this Infiniti M35 Hybrid name for the Japanese market the Fuga Hybrid.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Al Ain Japan (Pvt) Ltd
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(SARS) has frozen the imports of Japanese cars from Durban to Botswana
South Africa Revenue Services (SARS) has frozen the imports of Japanese cars from Durban to Botswana since last week Thursday, in what some say is part of the taxman's crackdown on the largely Indian owned 'fong-kong' dealers there who have been dodging tax.
| Others say the freezing of the import cars to Botswana has been on the cards after South Africa froze the sale of cars to Namibia and Zambia last year. Those who say discontinuation of selling of the imports to Botswana was expected point to rumours that were rife in December when some Durban car dealers contemplated relocating to Namibian shores to flee the crack-down by the South African government. | |
| There has also been talk that the South African government has been under pressure from car manufacturers there who complain that the Japanese imports are killing their business in the region. The Japanese cars are not sold in South Africa but South Africans can buy them in Gaborone where there are more than 40 dealers and later drive them in their country with South African number plates, it has been realised. Whatever, the Indian owned garages dealing in imported cars are said to be now stuck with stock of cars they are unable to sell because of the latest stance by the South African tax-man. On the other hand local car dealers have been cashing in on the jittery situation in Durban to hike prices of the imported vehicles as they will no longer be competing with hundreds of middlemen who traditionally drive between South Africa and Botswana to get their clients cars. Car dealers around Mogoditshane, the hub of the imported cars, are painting a gloomy picture of the situation with leading Durban dealers in Japanese imports reported to have been closed down by the taxman in recent weeks, while the remaining ones cannot operate after they were refused clearance certificates by the South African revenue services, making it impossible for Botswana car buyers to continue acquiring cars from Durban. The freezing of Japanese cars to Botswana comes two years since clearance certificates to Zambia and Namibia were discontinued by the South African Revenue Services (SARS). Since then, Namibians and Zambians buying Japanese imports have been beating the system by using Botswana where their cars would be cleared before being driven to their final destinations in Zambia and Namibia, Mmegi has found out. | |
Forester tS comes with Subaru'
Subaru has unveiled the Forester tS model for the Japanese domestic market (JDM in automotive parlance).
The Forester tS seems to have taken at least some inspiration from the S-Edition concept Subaru unveiled at the Australian motor show earlier this month. The tS comes with the same 2.5 liter Boxer engine turbocharged to 263 PS (193 kW) and 347 Nm of torque featured on the S-Edition concept.
Read more: http://www.worldcarfans.com/110102729226/sti-tuned-subaru-forester-ts-announced-for-japan#ixzz13vdhXswD
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Toyota introducing six new hybrids by 2012
Toyota will show an all-electric version of the RAV4 it is developing with Tesla Motors and will introduce a plug-in Prius to the U.S. in May or June 2012, the head of the automaker’s research and development said today.
[Source]
In addition, Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota executive vice president, said Toyota will introduce six new gasoline-electric hybrid models globally by the end of 2012.
The plug-in Prius will compete with the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, both of which go on sale in the U.S. late this year. Uchiyamada said the company expects to sell slightly more than 20,000 a year and expects the price to be between $3,000 and $5,000 higher than the price of a conventional gas-electric
Prius.
Prius.
2010 Nissan Patrol unveiled in Abu Dhabi
automobile premiere in Abu Dhabi last week. Carlos Ghosn’s presence made it clear j
ust how significant the Middle East market is in the ongoing success of the Patrol brand.
“The new Patrol is built with the high level of safety, performance and
quality that characterises the Nissan brand, and we paid special attention to
the needs of GCC drivers and passengers,” sais Ghosn.
Toyota Allion
Toyota Allion
The Toyota Allion is a compact sedan sold in Japan by Toyota.
The name is created based on the phrase “all-in-one”.
Launched December 25, 2001, it replaced the Toyota Carina, a model that first appeared in 1970. The Allion has a emphasis towards younger buyers in comparison to the Toyota Premio sedan, which has a more elegant approach, and both were launched at the same time. The Premio and the Allion share the same engines and interior. The Allion can be customized with front spoilers and rear mounted trunk wings, as well as ground effect body parts to enhance the vehicles appearance specially designed and sold by Toyota. The Allion continues the Toyota tradition by being made for taxi usage, driving school and law enforcement versions.
December 20, 2004, the Allion received a modest restyle with the introduction of LED taillights.
The second generation was introduced June 4, 2007, with Toyota continuing to offer appearance modifications at local dealerships, with AWD being offered on vehicles equipped with the 2ZR-FE 1.8 L direct injection engine.
Friday, October 29, 2010
New 2011 Nissan JUKE Heats Up CUV Market in Japan
A month after unveiling one of its newest models,Nissan announced that
the upcoming 2011 Nissan JUKE has received almost 11,000 orders in its home country,
Japan. It still has yet to be seen how the uniquely styled compact crossover will be
received in the United States, but Japanese buyers have taken a liking to the new
JUKE with initial order estimates of 10,943 eclipsing original expectations of just 1,300.
The Nissan JUKE will be sold in Japan, Europe and the U.S.
the upcoming 2011 Nissan JUKE has received almost 11,000 orders in its home country,
Japan. It still has yet to be seen how the uniquely styled compact crossover will be
received in the United States, but Japanese buyers have taken a liking to the new
JUKE with initial order estimates of 10,943 eclipsing original expectations of just 1,300.
The Nissan JUKE will be sold in Japan, Europe and the U.S.
One of the more promising aspects of this announcement is the fact that these don’t
appear to be just hand raisers requesting information, it is genuine customers that
have made specific orders. This has allowed Nissan to break down the demographics
of its newest model, and the results are probably just as surprising as the amount of orders.
Despite a styling that would seem to be targeting younger buyers, the largest age
group for Japanese orders is the 50 to 59 demographic with 23 percent and the
second most is the over 60 crowd represented 21 percent of all orders. In all,
JUKE orders exceeded Nissan’s expectations eightfold with buyers 40 and over
accounting for 63 percent so far.
appear to be just hand raisers requesting information, it is genuine customers that
have made specific orders. This has allowed Nissan to break down the demographics
of its newest model, and the results are probably just as surprising as the amount of orders.
Despite a styling that would seem to be targeting younger buyers, the largest age
group for Japanese orders is the 50 to 59 demographic with 23 percent and the
second most is the over 60 crowd represented 21 percent of all orders. In all,
JUKE orders exceeded Nissan’s expectations eightfold with buyers 40 and over
accounting for 63 percent so far.
It looks funny, but Nissan Juke is no joke
It's perfect fare for a review on Halloween, a car that resembles a hunchbacked bat or an evil mouse in translucent light. Seeing it for the first time, its squished, puffed and rear-sloped body glistening in a late-evening rain, I didn't know whether to laugh or run
Toyota Is to Recall 2010 Prius Model Cars for Brakes
TOKYO — Toyota plans to recall at least 311,000 of its 2010 Prius hybrid models after receiving a flurry of complaints about the vehicle’s brakes, a person briefed on the decision said Sunday.
The decision is to be announced early this week, this person said. It comes after Toyota’s recall of about 8 million cars worldwide over gas pedals that could stick or get caught in floor mats. The size of the recalls and questions about Toyota’s slow response to safety concerns have stung the automaker, which built its reputation on vehicle quality.
Toyota Estima Hybrid
The Japanese carmakers have a big head start on hybrid technology. They made a serious
commitment to hybrids in the early 1990s, and began releasing hybrid vehicles to Japanese consumers in 1997. The second hybrid launched to the Japanese market (after the Prius) was the Toyota Estima Hybrid Minivan. It launched in Japan in 2001, as the first mass-produced four-wheel drive hybrid. An early article about the Estima Hybrid mentioned a selling price of $27,000.
Six years later, a group—strike that, a mob—of car shoppers wanting the utility of a minivan and the fuel efficiency of a hybrid are airing their demands for a hybrid minivan on the HybridCars.com discussion forum and elsewhere. All together: "We want a hybrid minivan. We want a hybrid minivan."
A larger version of the Estima is marketed in the U.S. and Europe as the Sienna. It’s likely that the Sienna Hybrid will be the first hybrid-power minivan on the American retail market, but Toyota has not announced a date.
American consumers have overwhelmingly stated that they would consider a hybrid powertrain option—if it came in the same size/segment car they currently drive. Minivan drivers are not going to give up their seven or eight passenger vehicles for compact hybrids. However, family-oriented minivan owners might flock to a fuel-efficient eco-friendly hybrid minivan.
The Japanese Toyota Sienna Hybrid Minivan's main features:
- The Japanese Estima Hybrid uses a 2.4 liter, four-cylinder engine. The U.S. Sienna hybrid system will likely be similar to the one being used in this year’s Highlander and Lexus Hybrid SUVs. In the SUVs, the gasoline engine, CVT transmission and electric motor combo will deliver up to 270 hp total for a speedy 0 – 60 acceleration in 8 seconds. The Estima may be a little slower.
- A four-wheel drive system dubbed “E-Four,” which regulates a rear-mounted, rear-wheel propelled electric motor and coordinates electric power distribution to all four wheels.
- ECB (Electronically Controlled Brake system) for efficient wheel-by-wheel brake control and optimum management of the vehicle’s regenerative brake system.
- 1,500 watts of auxiliary 100-volt power available via electrical sockets—enough to power hair-driers, laptops or microwave ovens.
- A highly aerodynamic body design, insulated roof, and an “intuitive” humidity-sensing air-conditioning system—all designed to help decrease fuel consumption.
- Fuel economy numbers targeted to around 40 mpg, and low emissions (the first minivan to meet stringent levels set by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment).
Byron Sigel, a Michigan man who lives in Tokyo and drives an Estima Hybrid minivan, calls it “The best car I’ve ever owned.” Sigel says the minivan “seats eight, gets great gas mileage, good acceleration, is comfortable and has good storage. It is also very reliable.”
Articles have also appeared about a Toyota Alphard Hybrid Minivan, announced in Japan in 2003. Using the conventional versions to compare, the Alphard is larger than the Estima and has more luxury features like larger "business class" seats, and automated doors and curtains that can be opened and closed by the remote control or the driver's panel.
The demand is there. Which carmaker will answer the call for a hybrid minivan?
Toyota iQ 130G Introduced in Japan
While the Toyota iQ is set to receive a facelift that will bring minor modifications at the upcoming Paris Auto Show, the vehicle has just received a special version for the Japanese market. Dubbed the iQ 130G, the new incarnation of the mini vehicle comes with a list of changes that brings it closer to the Scion iQ (the iQ is marketed as a Scion for the U.S. market). The vehicle comes with revised bumpers that feature a more dynamic design, a set of exterior mirrors that use a gray finish and a revised exhaust tip.
Toyota has also brought a series of interior modifications, with the list including new color combinations for the leather finish and piano black trimming. These are aimed at offering a premium feeling that makes the vehicle more refined and also allow the customers to personalize their iQ.
The iQ 130G is only available with the 1.3 liter VVT-i (the unit uses variable valve timing engine), which delivers 95 hp in JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) spec. The unit can be matted to a manual gearbox or to a continuously variable transmission. As a reminder, we’ll tell you that the standard iQ can also be ordered with a 1.0 liter VVT-i petrol powerplant that produces 68 hp, as well as with a 1.4 liter diesel powerplant that develops 88.5 hp.
If you want to know how the Toyota iQ feels to drive in various environments you car read our review of the car by following this link.
More images in the gallery below.
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