Japan gets Special Edition Versions of Mazda Demio hatch

Mazda's Japanese division has rolled out two new special edition models, one based on its Demio sub-compact, which is known as the Mazda2 in overseas markets, and the other on the Verisa, a tall hatchback based on the previous generation Demio / Mazda2 that was launched in 2004 and is available exclusively in Japan.

Built to commemorate Mazda selling 2 million units of the Mazda2/Demio worldwide, the Demio '13-SKYACTIV Smart Stylish' is exclusively available with a Clear Water Blue Metallic exterior body and special seat trim with red piping. Other features include dark tinted glass, a keyless entry & start system with two advanced keys.

The Japanese firm's second special edition is the Verisa CLASSY STYLE that is offered in two flavors, front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, both equipped with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine linked to a four-speed automatic transmission

Buyers can choose from three exterior colors Clear Water Blue Metallic (exclusive to this edition), Crystal White Pearl Mica and Radiant Ebony Mica, while the interior is trimmed in bespoke sand beige seats with leather side supports.

Additionally, the exterior is fitted with a special "Dress-up package" that includes chrome trim for the front grille, front bumper, rear bumper, side sills and tail gate, plus a standard Auto-light system, water repellant coating on the front door windows and mirrors, an exhaust pipe finisher and front fog lights with chrome bezels. Finally, the special edition Verisa rides on 15-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 185/55R15 81V tires.

Pricing in Japan is set at 1,470,000 Yen (U$18,995) for the Demio special, 1,640,000 Yen (US$21,150) for Verisa FWD and 1,829,000 Yen (US$23,600) for the Verisa AWD.

MAZDA DEMIO '13-SKYACTIV SMART STYLISH'

MAZDA VERISA VERISA CLASSY STYLE

Toyota GT 86 (2012)

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Toyota GT 86 (2012) first official pictures

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

27 November 2011 15:24

Toyota has a long history of long gestations for its sports cars (remember the Lexus LFA's birth?). But today we can finally bring you the first pictures of the new Toyota GT 86 sports car, ne FT-86 concept car from back in 2009.

We'll see the GT 86 at the Tokyo auto show in the next week, with UK sales due in spring 2012.

What's with the new Toyota GT 86 name?

Pay attention. In Europe this rear-wheel drive sports car will be called GT 86, pronounced 'eight six', not 'eighty six'. In Japan, they'll call it simply 86.

As these first pictures prove, little has changed from the FT-86 concept car. And that's a good thing - this coupe looks taut and lithe, and can only have a positive effect on the Toyota range which has looked a little flair-free since the demise of Celica/MR2 and other sporting models.

The lights front and rear are different, but the overall stance is squat and planted. And check out that rear diffuser.

Toyota GT 86: the engineering story

The GT 86 is of course twinned with the Subaru BRZ, another Tokyo debutant. It shares the horizontally opposed four-cylinder boxer engine.

It's naturally aspirated and the GT 86 adds Toyota's D-4S direct injection to make its 197bhp at a high-ish 7000rpm and 205Nm at an equally raucous 6600rpm.

No performance claims have been issued yet.

Drive is sent to the rear wheels via a limited slip differential. CAR's Ben Barry drove an early prototype and found it a surprisingly sideways tool.

Inside Toyota's GT 86

This is described as a 2+2 and these first interior pictures reveal the interior. Pedals are drilled aluminium effect and Toyota proudly claims the 365mm-diameter steering wheel is the smallest ever fitted to its road cars.

Carbon-effect trim, black rooflining and red stitching transport you straight back to the 1980s. And if that means fun Toyotas you actually aspire to, we say bring it on!

New Subaru BRZ Sports Coupe

After the unveiling of the Toyota 86 (GT 86 in Europe) on Saturday, it's time for Subaru to take center stage with the presentation of its version of the jointly developed rear-wheel drive sports coupe in production guise.

The new BRZ was revealed today less than two weeks after Subaru exhibited the STI-badged concept model at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and just before the sports coupe makes its first public outing under the spotlight at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show on Wednesday, November 30.

To the surprise of no one, the production BRZ loses the concept’s neat aero-kit with the large rear wing and carbon-fiber parts, but no need to worry as it's almost certain that Subaru's STI division will offer either the same or similar components as an option in due time.

Even though we knew from day one that the Subaru BRZ, the Toyota 86 and the upcoming Scion FR-S were all jointly developed by Toyota and Subaru, we had some hope that the cars might differ in appearance and flavor. As you can see for yourself, this never happened – at least with the BRZ and the 86.

From this first set of pictures, we see that the exterior styling changes between the BRZ and 86 are limited only to the re-sculptured front bumper, the alloy wheel designs, the fender trims and the tail lamp graphics (even the shape remains the same). We don't have any photos of the interior yet, but we’re willing to bet that there won't be any noticeable differences between the two cars.

The same goes for the mechanical hardware with the BRZ and the 86 sharing Subaru's 2.0-liter flat-four engine with Toyota’s “D-4S” direct injection and port injection technology, which is rated at 200-horsepower and 205Nm (151 lb-ft) of peak torque.

Power is transferred to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox with a short stroke shift lever or an optional six-speed automatic with paddle shifts on the steering wheel, while the BRZ also gets a specially tuned electronic stability control. The basic model will ride on 17-inch wheels wrapped around 215/45R17 rubber.

We could go on with the dimensions and the suspension setup but we'd be practically repeating what we said about the 86. In fact, come to think of it, we could have just swapped the words "Toyota" with "Subaru" and "86" with "BRZ" and be done with it. Too late now…

By John Halas

NEW SUBARU BRZ

Honda Launches 2012

Japanese buyers will be the first to receive the all-new fourth-generation CR-V, as Honda announced today that the 2012 CR-V would go on sale at dealerships across the country on December 2, approximately two week ahead of its U.S. launch that's slated for December 15 and almost a year before it reaches European showrooms next fall.

The new CR-V, which we first saw at the Los Angeles Auto Show earlier this month, will be offered in Japan in two flavors, the 20G and the 24G.

The base, front-wheel drive only 20G comes with a 2.0-liter gasoline engine producing 150HP at 6,200rpm and 191Nm of peak torque at 4,300 rpm, linked to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

It returns a fuel economy of 14.4km/L (33.9 mpg US or 6.9lt/100km) on Japan's JC08 cycle and 15.4km/L (35.2 mpg US or 6.5 lt/100km) on the 10-15 driving cycle.

The 24G is available only with all-wheel drive and the larger 2.4-liter gasoline unit rated at 190HP at 7,000 rpm and 222Nm at 4,400 rpm, matched to a five-speed automatic transmission. Honda says that the 24G has a fuel efficiency of 11.6km/L (27.3 mpg US or 8.6 lt/100km) on the JC08 test cycle and 12.2km/L (28.7 mpg US or 8.2 lt/100km) on the 10-15.

The 2012 CR-V 20G come with a sticker price of 2,480,000 Yen (about US$31,900) while the all-wheel drive 24G costs 2,750,000 Yen (approx. US$35,350).

Honda said that it expects to sell around 18,000 CR-Vs annually in Japan.

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