Mitsubishi Sketches New Low Cost Global Small Car

A new small car will soon join the ranks of Mitsubish's passenger car lineup. Teased in these renderings for the first time, the "global small" vehicle will be produced in a new factory currently being built in Thailand and will go on sale at the end of next year.


The subcompact hatch will make use of a new platform and will be offered with 1.0-1.2-liter engines. Mitsubishi said that the "global small" will be positioned as an entry-level model in MMC's model lineup, and plans are to export the vehicle from Thailand to markets worldwide, though the Japanese automaker did not get into any details about country-specific availability.
The production version of the low-cost city car will most likely be revealed at the upcoming Geneva Salon in March 2011.

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Toyota and Honda Hold Back as the Rest of Japan’s Automakers Go Electric

The electric vehicle market in Japan is now burgeoning. Once the mainstay of small independents building low speed, short range Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs), major manufacturers including Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru are now hopping on the EV train in the hopes of raking in some greenie revenue.

With its U.S. launch mere weeks away, Nissan already has 6,000 orders in Japan and a further 20,000 in the United States for its lithium-ion powered Leaf EV. The automaker has so many orders, in fact, that they won’t be taking any more.

As you would expect, Nissan Chief Operating Office Toshiyuki Shiga is one happy man: "We believe this will be the beginning of the new era for the world's automobile industry, as well as a sustainable low-carbon society.”


The Leaf follows the 2009 launch of the Subaru plug-in electric Stella and Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV EVs. Heavyweights Toyota and Honda are also planning similar vehicles for 2012.
Shigeru Matsumura, an automotive analyst for Japan’s SMBC Friend Research Center believes that the high price of EVs and the lack of recharging infrastructure are the biggest hurdles to profitability the major automakers face. Lengthy recharge times and limited range are also an continuing issue for many consumers and automakers alike.
Toyota and Honda appear to agree, with both companies keeping their focus on hybrids and fuel cell vehicles until EVs have a greater presence on the market.
Matsumura, however, believes the market is unlikely to flourish unless Toyota and Honda get in on the party:

"Japan's big three all need to join to develop the market. This is the likely scenario which will bring down high EV prices and help EVs become more common.”
Toyota’s Executive Vice President Takeshi Uchiyamada, however, is standing his ground:
"EVs will spread first for short-range runs. We do not expect a fast spread of EVs."

The Nissan Leaf, which will be unleashed onto the U.S. market on the 11th of December, has an effective EPA fuel economy rating of 99 mpg and a range of 117 km. It will go head to head with GM’s locally produced Volt, which launches nine days later on the 20th of the month.

By Tristan Hankins

Via: The Japan Times

Takayanagi Miluira: A Retro-Styled, Pocket EV from Japan

In a world where “grown-up” EVs like the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt are all about numbers and specs, the little open-top Takayanagi Miluira from Japan doesn’t take itself very seriously. Featuring a design that resembles cars from the early 1900s, it measures just 2.18 meters (85.8 inches) in length and can only accommodate the driver.

The interior follows the vintage styling theme of the exterior, though we’re not sure if the material covering the steering column is real wood or plastic, but, in any case, it’s too “loud” as far as color and texture goes.

According to the manufacturer's website, the Miluira has a range of 35 km (22 miles) and can reach a top speed of 60 km/h or 37 mph. Both figures attest that the little EV could be used for short commutes, as long as the weather has no objections.

When the Miluira hits the market in 2011, it will be priced from 6.3 million yen or about $74.768. See, we told you that this car really isn't very serious... Even so, the Japanese EV is quite eye-catching and we wouldn’t mind taking one for a spin.
By Csaba Daradics

Source Takayanagi , Via: Treehugger

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It Came From Japan: Ferrari F40 Stretch Limousine

Pop quiz, hot shot; what’s better than a replica Ferrari F40? If you said an actual Ferrari F40, then you are dead wrong. The correct answer is a replica Ferrari F40 limousine. Fortunately (for us), such things actually exist.
So where would one find such an automotive monstrosity? In Japan, of course! You know, the country that brought us the Mitsuoka Orochi, melon flavored chocolate and a pillow shaped like a kneeling woman’s lap.

With an asking price of just ¥580 (US$6.90) - which is either a misprint or how much confidence the seller has in this vehicle’s worth - this remarkable collision of Japanese underpinnings and European style comes with a CD changer, air conditioning, power steering and windows, keyless entry, sunroof, ABS, an anti-theft system, 19-inch wheels and leather bucket seats. Not to mention the “hearty” 1.6 L powerplant under the hood.

Admittedly, it’s probably nothing more than a Honda Accord or Toyota Corolla under all that new bodywork (the seller says it's a 1989 model), but come on - for US$6.90, what did you expect? As always, take a look at our gallery and let us know your opinion in the comments section below.

By Tristan Hankins

Link: Goo-Net

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Nissan Leaf Debuts in Japan, Prices Start at 3mill Yen or $35k

With the 2011 Car of the Year Award secured, Nissan is rolling out the Leaf EV starting from Japan. The zero-emission electric hatch will go on sale in Japan on December 20th, followed shortly after by the U.S., while European customers will have to wait until later in 2011.
The base price in Japan has been set at 3,764,250 yen (US $45,000 at today’s exchange rates), with the consumption tax included. That’s a lot of money, but, fortunately for the Japanese, the EV is eligible for a 780,000-Yen government incentive, which brings down the cost to 2,984,250 yen or US $35,677.

It’s also fully exempt from the country's automobile acquisition tax and weight tax until fiscal year 2011. And that’s not all: as an EV that complies with the “Automobile Green Tax Scheme”, the Leaf’s automobile tax is reduced by 50% for a period of 12 months.
Nissan prepared a few convenient after-sales services as well. For a monthly rate of 1,500 yen (US $18), the company offers a “zero-emission support program”, which includes, among other things, maintenance, charging at Nissan dealers, discounts for Nissan rent-a-car services and emergency support.
Dealers can also provide a “one-stop service” simplifying the purchasing process and the preparation of a charging environment at the client’s residence.

Nissan says that, thanks to its 2,200-strong dealer network, there’s at least one quick-charge unit available within a 40-kilometer (25-mile) radius throughout the country. With a minimum range that’s at least four times that, the Leaf can be used as any other car, including for cross-country trips.
By Csaba Daradics

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New 2012 Toyota Yaris / Vitz to be Revealed on December 22, Returns 62.3mpg

Toyota Motor Corp. has confirmed the Japanese market launch date of its all-new Vitz supermini, which we will come to know as the Yaris. Seen for the first time through a series of leaked brochure shots that hit the interwebs earlier this year, the 2012 Vitz will be introduced in Japan on December 22. While Toyota did not say when it will blow the covers off the European and North American market Yaris, expect to see a world premiere at a major car show sometime next year.
The Japanese company said that aside from the edgier design language, the new subcompact will shine in terms of fuel efficiency with the 1.3-liter gasoline engine model, which features a start-stop system, returning up to 26.5km/lt, equal to 62.3 mpg US and 3.8lt/100km, with CO2 emissions of just 88g/km.

According to Toyota, the new Vitz will be the one of the most fuel-efficient models in its Japanese market range.

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