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2006 Mitsubishi Evo IX - Simply the Best Car for Its Price

Ever since the Evo IX came out I've been a fan, even like it better then the newest one. This car is extremely fast, talking from experience, handles well, but feels like you are in a aluminum can. But hey, for the price you can buy it, I would rather get it then a Lambo that will lose to it in a race, considering your paying $100k plus for a Lambo. This car for sure is a win in its class.

Image Source ImportTuner

2012 Nissan GT-R Better then Before

Entering its fourth year of production in the North American market, the 2012 Nissan GT-R has a new look, new colors, new wheel design and, most important to the fans of pure power, more horsepower under the hood.

The aerodynamics have been improved for 2012 with down force increased by about 10% and drag reduced to 0.26 (from 0.27). Stability is improved by enlarged fascia and grille openings, which also help reduce air resistance inside the engine compartment. The volume of air that passes through the radiator and cools the front brakes is also increased.

Engine and Transmission
6 Speed Dual-Clutch
Power hp at RPM: 530 hp at 6400 RPM
Torque lb-ft at RPM: 488lb-ft at 3200-6000 RPM

Performance
0-60 mph: 3.0 Seconds
Top Speed: 197 mph
Mpg: 16 city/23 hwy

Image source Nissan

2011 Honda Civic Si Dissapointed

First introduced in 2007 a year after the Civic platform was redesigned, the Civic Si has since received a only a hanful of minor updates, including revised wheels, headlamps, grilles and fog lamps.

Unlike its predecessors, the Si was made available in sedan form rather than only as a coupe. Slightly heavier than the two-door, the sedan shares the bulk of its mechanical and cosmetic features with its cousin.

Visually almost identical(which is not goot) to the standard Civic, the Si receives a special body kit and a rear spoiler, in addition to standard 17-inch alloy wheels (versus 15 or 16-inch wheels on other Civics). Equipped more or less like the Civic EX, the Si comes standard with a full array of power accessories, a moonroof, an AM/FM/CD audio system with an auxiliary input jack and a split-folding rear seat

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The Civic Si's interior also doesn't deviate substantially from the EX, though it adds unique seats and upholstery, a sportier leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, unique gauges and sports pedals. Otherwise, it follows the same space-age dashboard style that characterizes the rest of the Civic lineup.

Performance upgrades start with a sport suspension, a helical limited-slip front differential and uprated four-wheel disc brakes and a six-speed manual (one extra cog over the regular Civic) and top out with an extra 57 horsepower from the enlarged four-cylinder engine.

The 197-horse total approaches the coveted 100 horsepower per liter mark for the 2.0-liter, dual-overhead cam four-cylinder engine. That peak horsepower is achieved at a high 7,800 rpm, meaning drivers can expect to rev the Civic Si heavily to get the most out of its powertrain. Peak torque, at 139 lb-ft., is realized at an also-high 6,100 rpm. Tested performance 0-60mph 7 seconds flat.

No automatic transmission is available on the Civic Si. Only a 6 speed manual.

There are no factory options for the Civic Si; rather, the Japanese automaker offers the Civic in several packages that include high-performance summer tires (in place of all-season treads), a navigation system with Bluetooth capability, or a combination of the two.

image source Edmunds

Subaru 216a, Toyota FT-86 Should Be Out by End Of 2011

The long-awaited Subaru/Toyota sports coupe brethren known as the 216a and the FT-86 appear to be on schedule for a December 2011 arrival, according to an interview with Mori Ikuo, president of Fuji Heavy Industries.

In an interview with "Tokyo Newspaper", Mori reportedly said the Subaru version of the car will debut at the end of the year, concurrently with Toyota’s version of the car. He went on to say that the car’s design and mechanical works are nearly complete, and engineers are currently in the process of tweaking the car for foreign markets. Reportedley the Toyota Ft-86 is able to do 0-60mph at 5.7 seconds.

Mori also said the car should sell for around 2,500,000 yen, which corresponds to a little over $30,000 at today’s exchange rates. But before you explode into vitriol about the price of this “affordable” sports coupe, keep in mind that car prices in Japan are different than they are in the States. In Japan, a new STI goes for 3,560,000 yen, which converts to $43,404—almost ten grand more than the actual STI here in America. If the difference between the U.S. cost and the Japanese price follows the same trend for the 216a/FT-86, it would sell here for around $23,500

JDM Style - 1986 Toyota Corrola GT-S

Featuring a 1986 Toyota Corolla GT-S brought to us by the famous drag racer Stephan Papadakis. This Toyota will feature at the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas this year in November. It has recieved the 2010 Grand Turismo Award for "Best Asian Import".

Here is some info on the car.


1986 Toyota Corolla GT-S

Owner Motegi Racing Wheels
Hometown Cerritos, CA
Occupation Aftermarket wheel manufacturer

Engine 2000 Toyota 2.0L BEAMS 3S-GE; Custom fabricated engine mounts; Jenvey individual throttle-bodies; Custom intake manifold; AEM universal fuel rail; Custom -6 AN fuel lines; After Hours Automotive custom exhaust manifold; XRP radiator hoses; Custom GP Motorsport mil-spec engine harness; Mishimoto radiator

Drivetrain 2000 Toyota Altezza 6-speed manual; Custom driveshaft.

Engine Management AEM 60-1050.

Footwork & Chassis KYB front coilovers; KONI rear coilovers w/Eibach springs; T3 Tuning front camber plate, front lower control arm; Custom three-link rear lower control arms; Manual power-steering rack.

Brakes T3 Wilwood front brake calipers.

Wheels & Tires 17x9.5" -57mm offset Motegi Racing MR124; 255/40-17 Nitto NT01; Muteki SR48 lug nuts; ARP wheel studs.

Exterior AfterHours Composite Works custom JGTC GT-300 style aero kit; APR GT-300 rear spoiler; Seibon carbon-fiber doors, hood, and rear hatch; PPG Custom Red w/Copper Pearl paint; Spin Imaging vinyl graphics.

Interior Custom Rob Miller Race Cars rollcage; Sparco 325 steering wheel, seats, rails, safety harnesses, shift knob, and pedals; RacePak IQ3 digital dash display; Suede-wrapped dashboard; all sound deadening removed.

Props Motegi Racing Wheels; Papadakis Racing; After Hours Composite Works; Robbie Miller Race Cars.

For more info and pics read the whole article here ---> SuperStreet

1989 Toyota Supra - from IMPORT TUNER

Wow, Canadians got style. Duane got this 1989 Toyota Supra, and tuned it to its potential. This is a nice piece of work, a 9 second car. Started out with a dream just to have a 13 second car, but the addiction of fast got him. Does 147mph at 9.9 seconds, props to this guy for making a good looking Japanese car, and not a ricer. Respect. Check out the full details, more pictures and article at ---> Import Tuner.

2009 Lotus Exige Cup 260: Now Even Lighter

Lotus Motor Company released its Exige Cup 260 for the 2008 model year to terrorize much larger and more pricier cars on race tracks around the world. For 2009, the British automaker has spiced things up by adding lightness in the marque's grand tradition. Weight drops by over 80 pounds this year to just under a ton thanks to carbon fiber. Fit with a 257-horsepower 1.8-liter Toyota (Tuned Celica Engine) air force fed through an intercooler by an Eaton M62 supercharger, the '09 Exige Cup 260 should hit 60 mph in less than 4 seconds. Electronic goodies such as launch control combined with variable traction control, plus 40 kilograms of downforce at 100 mph, do their best to keep the car planted on the track.

Nissan GT-R Tuned by PowerHouse Amuse

A few months ago I was told that the Japanese tuner Amuse, broke the 600 hp barrier with the Nissan GT-R but without any extra information. Today, the technical information was revealed by Amus themselves. With a new name, called the GT-R Phantom, the upgrade includes a new ECU software boosting the engine to incredibly satisfying yet ratifying number of 611 hp at 6560 rpm and 775 Nm of torque.

Due to the light materials used, the vehicle also lost some weight, now it is only 1674 kg! The tuner also added a new exhaust system as well as a new adjustable suspension and standard brakes. For the exterior, the GT-R Phantom received a carbon fiber front lip spoiler, new side skirts and a carbon fiber rear wing spoiler. In the interior, everything remains the same, com except the addition of the stylish Recaro sport seats. No info for the price yet.

2009 Bentley Continental by ASI

While most vehicles leaving the Crewe factory in England are bound to spend their whole life without any sort of customizations, there are some owners who wouldn’t mind jazzing up their Bentley. One of the few tuners that specialize purely on Bentley cars is a Japanese firm called ASI which stands for “Accuracy Spirit Imagination”. ASI’s latest proposition concerns a full bodykit for the drop top Continental GTC.

The package is made up of a front bumper spoiler with a carbon fiber lip and LED daytime lights, side skirts, a rear bumper with a carbon fiber lip and exhaust cutter and finally a discreet boot spoiler made out of carbon fiber. The aero kit is complemented by a set of 22-inch alloy rims wrapped in 265/30 tires up front and 295/25 at the rear.
Source and more pictures ---> Carscoop

Nicely Modded Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X

It’s amazing what the right set of rims combined with a lower suspension can do to the appearance of a car. And although the owner of the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X, Ryan Gates, is actually setting the car up for track use and in particular, for the NASA TT-A class and the Street AWD class at select Redline Time Attacks, those absolutely stunning black-colored 18-inch rims could make any EVO X look totally sick.

See the rest of the pics here ---> Car Scoop

Nissan GT-R R35 Convertible Concept

Check out these interesting and unofficial Nissan GT-R R35 Convertible Renderings which recently showed up on AutoJunk.nl and DeviantArt.com. With all the hype surrounding the recently released Nissan GT-R and the sold out level of demand it has endured, it’s hard to fathom that Nissan would contemplate a convertible version.

I know most purist or GT-R cult leaders would drop their jaws if a convertible version would ever make its way out of momma Godzilla’s womb. Either way what do you think of the renderings? I think they are pretty slick, however I wouldn’t be caught dead owning or driving one (unless it was the GF’s).

Source: Zimbio

2009 Subaru Impreza WRX: Sorry About Last Year's 'WRX'

The 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX is a bold statement from the Japanese sport compact maker: We admit our mistakes with the WRX, and we at Subaru are listening to you.

When Subaru unleashed a completely redesigned Impreza and Impreza WRX line for 2008, the reaction from their cult-like following, the Subaru tuner community and the general public was mixed at best. The new Subaru WRX, with its softened suspension, better road manners and smoother power delivery was an attempt to bring in fresh faces to the sport compact scene, those who thought the loud, snarly, outgoing 2007 Impreza WRX was for high school kids only.
Sounds great, right? Not so fast. The die-hard Subaru WRX community gave it a big thumbs down. They did not want a budget BMW, or a glorified Toyota Corolla.

They wanted the evolution of the legendary Impreza line they knew and loved. They saw the old Subaru WRX as much more than the sum of its parts, a ready-and-willing canvass for the thousands of aftermarket parts Subaru AWD sport compacts tend to attract. What they got was a larger, bulkier Impreza chassis that was called all kinds of bad names by the automotive press. The word "Corolla" comes to mind.

The Subaru Impreza sport compact sedan in all its variations, ever in competition with AWD offerings from Mitsubishi and losing market share to the likes of the Mazdaspeed 3 and Volkswagen GTI, needed a shot in the arm. Reaching into the Subaru parts bin, the Japanese company that has become synonomous with all-wheel-drive has given the 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX a larger turbocharger and an entirely redesigned Subaru exhaust system, resulting in a huge boost in horsepower for a total of 265.

The other area of attention is in the handling department. Last year's Subaru WRX couldn't even manage the same skidpad and laptime numbers as its predecessor, so for 2009 the Impreza WRX has received some much-needed handling tweaks. The Subaru parts department has made big increases in the rigidity of the suspension, with spring rates tightning up by large factors. Larger stabilizer bars should give the 2009 WRX better composure on the road and on the track.

An all-new standard Subaru WRX bodykit rounds out the package, and while it still looks a little bloated, the new 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX should do more to please fans of the most respected name in AWD sport compacts.

The official Subaru press release, reprinted in its entirety below, makes countless references to each and every way in which the 2009 Impreza WRX is better than the outgoing model. At least they've learned from their mistakes...

Engine

Power bhp: 265

Torque lb-ft: 244

Type: Turbo Intercooled Engine

Source: Rsports Cars

Mazda Kazamai Concept to Premiere at Moscow International Automobile Salon 2008

Mazda will unveil a sporty, compact crossover concept vehicle, Mazda Kazamai, at the Moscow International Automobile Salon (MIAS) on August 26. Kazamai, which means “swirling crosswinds” in Japanese, expresses the powerful yet nimble image of a stylish and compact crossover. The concept is based on Mazda’s long-term vision for technology development, Sustainable Zoom-Zoom, which aims to provide a unique balance between sporty driving fun and superior environmental and safety performance. Kazamai will be joined at MIAS by the Russian debut of Mazda’s CX-9 SUV, which was crowned 2008 North American Truck of the Year in February.

The Kazamai concept further evolves Mazda’s ‘Nagare’ design language by fusing Nagare’s ‘flow’ design cues with aerodynamic proportions. The design features panel lines inspired by crosswinds in nature which evoke visual lightness. Its bold five-point grille, accentuated front wheel arches and sleek roof line, combined with large 22-inch wheels, lend it high emotional appeal.

Sporty to look at, Kazamai is meant to be spirited and fun to drive, with compact dimensions. Kazamai’s four-wheel drive powertrain will consist of a next-generation direct injection engine and a newly developed transmission. It is also aerodynamic, with an evolved lightweight body structure and enhanced the vehicle safety attributes. Were it to be built, Mazda’s latest show car would deliver exciting driving dynamics, frugal fuel consumption and greatly reduced CO2 emissions.

The Mazda Kazamai promises to be another ground-breaking show car from Mazda Design, winner of this year’s Grand Prix du Design in Paris. Created especially for the Moscow International Automobile Salon, it gives a good indication of where Mazda is going with a possible future compact crossover. And in Russia’s growing automotive market, compact SUVs are the second-largest segment, representing about 13 percent of all new car sales.

Source: Tuning News

Top Gear Finally Test Nissan GT-R

This Sunday, Top Gear will finally get to test the mettle of the Nissan GT-R on the track. Well, "tracks" to be specific. Clarkson's appetite for tail-out antics wasn't satiated by last week's race against the bullet train, so he headed to a track in Japan to get a feel for the GT-R's capabilities at the limit and a chance to wring out Nissan's super coupe past its nanny-imposed 111 mph top speed.

Back in the UK, the Stig finally takes the GT-R around Top Gear's test track and that meant that members of the studio audience got a chance to see the GT-R's lap time. Earlier this morning, we received word that the time had been posted on Wikipedia. We saw it, our jaw dropped and then it disappeared. Wikipedia being, well... Wikipedia, means that we're taking the time with a grain of salt until the show airs on Sunday. While the lap isn't listed any longer, Wikipedia does allow users to view the revisions made to an entry. If you want to spoil it for yourself, feel free, just don't post it in the comments out of respect for the rest of us. We're willing to wait a few more days for confirmation.

Source: Top Gear

2010 Honda S2000 Roadster Rendering

While I still haven’t got any official word on the S2000 replacement, Japanese car magazines are at it again drawing up their own renderings of Honda’s next generation rear-wheel-drive roadster. According to T.L. who sent us this latest scan, the unnamed Japanese magazines says that new S2000 is expected to be unveiled in 2010 with worldwide sales starting in 2011. It is stated that Honda’s S2000 will offer buyers more options in terms of powertrains, including two new engines, a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder V-TEC unit delivering approximately 250Hp and a 3.5-litre V6 V-TEC unit with about 350Hp.

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart: One Less Reason to Look at the WRX

Filling a performance hole left between the ho-hum 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer and the scorching 2009 Lancer Evolution, the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart offers desirable specs in the performance department at a price that fills the sweet spot in Mitsubishi’s lineup and poses the AWD small sports sedan as a direct competitor to the new 2009 Subaru WRX.

The Lancer Ralliart’s engine has quite a pedigree, being the same basic 2.0 liter block and head used in the Lancer Evolution, though detuned, with less boost, for application in the Ralliart. An interesting inclusion at this price point is Mitsubishi’s TC-SST transmission, a paddle shifted, dual clutch sequential manual.

The styling is more Lancer Evolution than Lancer throwaway econobox, and manages to maintain the snarling look of the Evo while staying subdued enough to appeal to compact sports car fans who may be turned off by oversize hood scoops and picnic table rear spoilers.

This is not to say that the Lancer Ralliart is conservative in any way. Think of it as the Lancer Evolution on a diet: plenty of performance, chiseled and eye-catching design, and a price and driving dynamics that anyone can appreciate.

Engine
Power bhp: 237

Torque lb-ft: 253
Type: Turbocharged Inline 4 Cylinder

Performance
Acceleration 0-60 mph: 5.5 Seconds
Fuel Consumption : 17 city /25 highway mpg

2011 Toyota Rear Wheel Drive Coupe Rendering

Earlier this year, Subaru and Toyota officially announced that they will co-develop an all-new rear-wheel drive coupe. While a first batch of scoop images featuring Subaru’s version of the compact sport coupe have already hit the web, we’ve yet to see any spy pictures of Toyota’s variant.

However, one of our readers sent us a scanned image from a Japanese car magazine with an artist’s impression of the forthcoming Toyota RWD coupe. Despite the Lexus-esque styling, we find the rendering quite promising. Hopefully, earlier reports stating that Toyota’s version will only be sold in Japan won’t be confirmed. But even if they prove to be true, here’s a grand idea; how about if Toyota sells its version of the coupe as a Scion in the States?

New Fast and Furious Movie

The Fast and the Furious movie franchise is returning for a fourth instalment, with the stars of the original film making a return.

Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reprise their roles as ex-con Dom Toretto and agent Brian O'Connor respectively, with hotties Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster causing some welcome distraction.

This time, Dom and Brian are forced to confront a shared enemy, thus putting past disagreements behind them and, well, so on...
Apparently it also has lots of screaming tires, sweaty bodies and care bear hugs. "This isn't Shakespeare, so we don't take ourselves too seriously," Paul Walker told USA Today.

The new film is due out next year.

Wald Tunes Lexus IS-F

The extrovert of the entire Lexus lineup, the IS-F isn't light on visual or actual horsepower. Japan's Wald Tuning hasn't let that fact get in their way of releasing the Sports Line Black Bison bodykit. Wald's setup adds some visual aggression through an increase in the number of strakes and vents, as well as a trunklid spoiler. Doubtless, this get-up will add weight, possibly offering contradictory real-world performance from a vehicle that certainly looks like it should be fast. The amped-up visuals also help distract from the controversial fender gills, and the Black Bison package for the IS-F manages tack-on without being overly tacky. Well, maybe just a little tacky.