An exhibit recognized as the world’s largest display of custom cars, the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon takes place at Makuhari Messe International Convention Complex showing off over 600 vehicles in pure modified trim. Composing as part suppliers of some of those automotive creations come from 300 companies represented at the show. Like many custom car gatherings, even the auto companies themselves realize a presence as these lively events is to a benefit for fostering their reputation. Toyota’s premium car brand Lexus arrived with 5 vehicles at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon serving to generate a new level of performance excitement. Lexus IS F Club Performance Accessory Likely to attract the most eyeball and camera phone glances at the display of Lexus vehicles is the one of two IS F interpretations. The first one of these modified Lexus IS F is the Club Performance Accessory model. Created for Toyota Racing Development (TRD), the IS F Club Performance Accessory provides an even more aggressive take on the thrilling V-8 powered sport sedan. Featuring exterior enhancements such as a carbon fiber hood and a more proactive front air dam, a new diffuser is added under the rear bumper. Magnesium wheels, limited-slip differential and titanium exhaust is also well-presented on the Lexus IS F Club Performance Accessory sedan. Inside, the theme of extensive carbon fiber continues to set the heightened performance mood presented as paneling. Sport seats topped in a bright orange serves as the saddle for which a sport sedan adventure seeker rides. Lexus IS F Club Circuit Sport Racer (CCS-R) The second of the Lexus IS F sedans is the CCS-R (Club Circuit Sport Racer) edition. Geared specifically for the weekend gentleman or lady racer, the Lexus IS F CCS-R takes street comfort completely out of the equation. Framed with carbon fiber body panels including the hood, truck and spoilers, specialized racing suspension carries all the handling equipment needed for challenging closed road course corners. Riding on stick tires, the Lexus IS F CCS-R incorporates braking, engine cooling, equipment and a mechanical limited-slip differential. Windows on the sport sedan has been replaced with clear polycarbonate while the cabin structure involves a frameless roll cage. Secured...

Since Alan Mulally took the helm of Ford Motor Company, the United States-based automaker’s commitment to improving their car business has been the chief objective for business revitalization. Highlighted by continuing strong 2010 sales of the Ford Fusion and Taurus as well as the eagerly awaited arrival of the new Ford Focus, that mission could be deemed a success on many fronts. Great designs and innovative technology is found throughout Ford’s car lineup. Strategically fighting to prevent neglect to their once dominating truck business, Ford appears to be balancing the scale of their vehicle lineup as late. While development of the trusty F-150 pickup is maintained at peak levels in the ultra-competitive full-sized truck class, other truck-like vehicles such as the Ford Escape is running 4 years without a major cosmetic address. Fortunate class with the compact sport utility Escape, the benchmark set the current vehicle is still top in the industry. Good for the current vehicle, Ford engineers are presented with a problem attempting to develop a replacement design better than the current Ford Escape. At the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Vertrek concept vehicle is strongly hinted as the forward look at the new Escape. Receiving declaration across the industry over the past year for their production vehicles such as the Ford Fiesta, the Vertrek’s debut in Detroit resulted in a 2011 North American award for Best Concept at the auto show. A creation of what Ford describes as a kinetic design philosophy, the Vertrek concept angles towards being an aerodynamically-conscious body. A much more car-based shape, front end styling and even the roof of the Ford sport utility vehicle (SUV) concept draws unmistakable similarities to that of the new Ford Focus. This should not be so surprising since the Vertrek Concept is crafted on the same C-Segment platform as the upcoming Focus. Though derivative, the SUV does expel its own sense of ruggedness with a tall stance and large wheel arches. Blatant in their intentions to give future buyers and auto enthusiasts a peak at the future Ford Escape (or the European Ford Kuga) form, production-readiness is apparent in the Vertrek exterior as well as interior styling. A sign...

Today, at the 2011 Montreal Auto Show, BMW introduced the X1 into the North American market. Rumor mill at Detroit Auto Show churned that the entry-level SAV will be delayed till Fall in the U.S., but it will be introduced in Canada this summer. BMW X1 is produced at the Leipzig plant in Germany and within the last twelve months, the sales have increased substantially and demand remains strong. The X1 is shaping up to be a successful model for BMW and it is interesting to see how it inserts itself onto the US market where BMW is already selling the premium X3 SAV and now the MINI Countryman. For the US, BMW is likely to introduce the 28i and 35i models, in a rear-wheel drive and xDrive configuration. While there is no confirmation on a diesel engine, we certainly expect to see one of the award winning diesel turbos coming across the ocean, most likely, the 2.0 liter turbo diesel that powers the xDrive23d model in Europe or the 123d. In Canada, most likely a 25i model will be offered. With the launch of the X1, BMW opened a new premium small SUV segment. First rivals are scheduled to appear in 2011 when Audi will unveil their Q3 model, followed shortly by Saab and its 9-4x. The other premium automakers, Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti, are also expected to launch similar models in the near future. [Source: 123Auto ] Go here to see the original:  Video: BMW X1 debuted at 2011 Montreal Auto Show

As an appetizer to our coverage of the 2011 Detroit auto show, check out highlights from Motown shows gone by. The 2011 Detroit auto show is just around the corner, but before you gorge yourself on today’s latest, greatest debuts, we invite you to digest this appetizer, a quick look back at Detroit auto shows past. Although an automotive exhibition has been held in Detroit since 1899, it wasn’t until 1907 that the Detroit auto dealers (all 16 of them) held their own show. In 1989 it was rechristened the North American International Auto Show and became a blockbuster global affair. Arrayed below are a sampling of vintage Detroit pics we’ve unearthed—many from our very own pages—and you’ll find dozens more in the gallery. Keep Reading: From the Archives: Detroit Show Photography – Feature No related posts. Excerpt from: From the Archives: Detroit Show Photography – Feature Here is the original: From the Archives: Detroit Show Photography – Feature

WXYZ reports that a 7 Series belonging to BMW of North America have been stolen in Detroit during the opening days.  Detroit Police are searching for a BMW after it was stolen near the Westin Book Cadillac. The 7 Series, as other BMWs, were used to haul around executives and important figures within the BMW world, and it has New Jersey plates and is dark gray in color. According to WXYZ, it was stolen along Michigan Avenue, across the street from the luxury hotel. For this year’s auto show, the automaker has brought nineteen official cars to be used during the auto show. “The cars were being loaded into a car carrier to head back to New Jersey Wednesday night. Police say a hotel valet brought the BMW out of the garage and handed it over to the transporter. However, the handler stepped away for a second and witnesses say that’s when two car thieves jumped in and took off.” – WXYZ Luckily the 7er comes equipped with BMW Assist and its GPS tracking device, so police believe they will eventually locate it. [Source: WXYZ via Jalopnik ] More: 7 Series Stolen From BMW At Detroit Auto Show

BMW releases a new video from their booth at the 2011 Detroit International Auto Show. Yesterday’s video focused on the new BMW 6 Series Convertible, but today, it’s all about the 1 Series facelift and especially the new 1 Series M Coupe. The 2011 Detroit Auto Show was the host of four world premieres for BMW. One, the new BMW 6 Series Convertible, second, the highly-awaited BMW 1 Series M Coupe, third and forth, the facelifted 1 Series Coupe and Convertible. All of these vehicles go on sale in the US this Spring. Read the original here:  Video: NAIAS 2011. BMW 1 Series Family

As the biggest market outside Germany, the US plays an important role in BMW’s future planning and strategy. In 2010, the automotive market in North America has relatively recovered from the economic crisis and BMW expects the US to become in the coming years one of the largest markets for luxury cars. While China could soon pass the United States in terms of sales, the US market will always remain very important for BMW Group. According to German website FAZ , quoted by our BimmerToday , in order to keep up with the increased demand, BMW is considering to add a 3 and 5 Series production lines to its Spartanburg plant in South Carolina. The information apparently came from Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Group sales and marketing who mentioned to FAZ that “Spartanburg plant still has enough capacity to allow the production of additional models”. At the moment, the Spartanburg plant produces only X-models, the X3, X5 and X6 Sports Activity Coupe, but an X4 model is rumored to appear in the next few years. In the past, the plant used to produce the E36 3 Series and E85/E86 Z4 models. Moving some of its future F30 3 Series production to the U.S. will allow BMW to remain price competitive in a market where Audi has been challenging them in the past years. In addition to lower production costs, avoiding currency volatility is another advantage. Volkswagen, Mercedes and Audi are also considering a production directly in North America or some have already begun. BMW has just completed an investment of 1 billion dollars in the United States. The majority of this investment was for the expansion of our production facilities in Spartanburg for the new BMW X3. “This extra capacity is needed— especially here— because the US remains our largest market outside of Germany”, said Ian Robertson in his opening speech at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. The next generation 3 Series goes on sale in 2012 and will first debut in a sedan variant. Coupe and Convertible models will follow later that year. Here is the original: BMW is considering production of its 3 and 5 series at the U.S. plant in Spartanburg

Last month, we featured a Gearhead Gift Guide featuring OBDII scanners , and a device called the Lemur EconoDriver made the list. It’s a small gadget that attaches to your keychain, wirelessly monitoring and constantly updating you on your car’s fuel economy, “green” driving habits, and an approximation on the cost of the fuel you’ve used. This month, Lemur Monitors is nice enough to provide us with an EconoDriver monitor (MSRP $79.95) and another one of their monitors, the SafeDriver (MSRP $69.95.) The SafeDriver attaches to your OBDII connector just like the EconoDriver, and updates you with information like maximum speed, distance driven, and how many hard brakes have occurred on this trip. It’s a good device for protective parents that want to make sure their kid (or husband) isn’t pushing the limits in your Camry every time he takes it out. It can also tell you if the device has been tampered with, just to make sure nobody is cheating. Take a look at the product descriptions below then keeping reading to learn how to win one! EconoDriver Lemur Vehicle Monitors EconoDriver is a wireless vehicle monitor that provides real-time driving feedback to help drivers save money spent on fuel. Reports cost per trip in dollars and cents. Reports distance traveled. Reports wasted fuel in dollars and cents. Provides a green rating based on your style of driving, the more leaves you get the better driver you are. Also displays your fuel economy in miles per dollar so you know how far you can drive on one dollar. Plus more cool features. Simple self install. Plug and play on any vehicle made since 1996. SafeDriver Provides parents with information on their kid’s driving habits. Lemur Vehicle Monitors SafeDriver is a wireless vehicle monitor intended to provide real time driving feedback for parents of teens. Reports maximum speed to help prevent excessive speeding. Reports distance traveled to help prevent extra vehicle use. Reports any sudden braking to help prevent distracted driving. Only the parent can reset the report using their secret 4 digit pin. Attempts to disable product results in tamper alert on key fob. Simple self install. Plug and play on any vehicle made since 1996. How to Enter the Contest It’s easy!...

Familiar with high-quality B-segment vehicles in Europe and Asia, the drivers of the North American continent is now entering the advent of motoring where we can expect more from less. As Scion, Nissan, and Honda applied themselves to a category that was unexplored through the early 2000s, the B-segment subcompact class became to take on greater importance as the automotive climate adjusted in the United States. Facing increasingly stricter fleet-wide fuel economy requirements from the government, American-based automakers have realized these smaller cars were a necessity as well as a demand. Welcoming the United States to the ‘World Car’ philosophy, Ford brought their widely-raved Fiesta subcompact to the marketplace this past summer while Chrysler’s new partner is supplying the Italian-styled Fiat 500. Sold in the United States since 2004, the Chevrolet Aveo (companioned with the Pontiac Wave in Canada) was General Motors attempt to match B-Segment wits with the Nissan Versa and Honda Fit. For the past 6 years this vehicle (sourced from General Motor’s South Korean partner Daewoo) has made few friends within the media who easily spotted the just passable build quality and performance. For the 2012 model year, a renewed commitment by Chevrolet introduces a new subcompact car officially unveiled to Americans at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. With new, edgier exterior and interior styling, the 2012 Chevrolet enters with a name change from Aveo to Sonic. Shown first at the 2010 Paris Motor Show still named an Aveo , that vehicle gave us a reliable representation to how the Sonic would arrive. However, the 2011 North American International Auto Show was the first time that Chevrolet’s new B-Segment Sedan version was officially brought to life. Dimensionally, the 2012 Chevrolet is more than 2 inches longer in wheelbase than the current Aveo and is a subtle single inch wider in stance. To be offered as a 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback in North America, the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic is given a curvier overall profile that accents the larger front grille and headlights. Optional alloy wheels spanning up to 17 inches joins a range of exterior enhancements owners of the 2012 Sonic can look forward to breaking the economy car appearance. Changing...

Detroit – Mercedes-Benz unveiled the 2012 C-Class at this year’s North American International Auto Show. A face-lift of the existing C-Class, it carries the bulk of the body panels over to the new model year’s cars. There is speculation that a coupe version is to be unveiled at Geneva in March. Being a direct competitor to the BMW 3, the C-Class has three engine offerings for the North American market. A four cylinder turbo-charged direct injected gasoline engine will power the C250. There will be C300 powered by a 3.0L V6 and available as a Luxury or Sport model or with 4Matic (Mercedes-Benz’s all wheel drive). The C300 models will compete against the 328i equivalents and the new C350 direct injected V6 will be roughly equivalent to the 335i. An AMG tweaked C-Class to go head-to-head against the M3, possibly wearing the Black Series label (not to be confused with Black Label which comes from a Scottish firm). The return a four cylinder model to the C-Class lineup may entice younger buyers into the three-pointed star fold. The turbo’d DI four is good for 229 lb-ft of torque which is decent grunt for around town. The peak HP number is 201 and while the C250 won’t win a lot of stoplight races it will be an attractive alternative to the non-premium four cylinder mid-sized sedans from Honda and Toyota. One wonders when a four cylinder BMW 3 series will make its way to the NA market. Mercedes-Benz also has shown an SLS AMG roadster. Complementing the SLS AMG Coupe in the same manner as the 200SL roadster and coupe of the 1950s, Mercedes-Benz completes its offering of high end sports cars. Of further note, the S350 BlueTEC 4Matic was shown. This reintroduces diesel power to the S Class, a much revered segment of the Mercedes-Benz lineup. BMW’s 7 series, in this market, lacks a diesel offering. It will be interesting to see if the S350 BlueTEC rekindles enthusiasts passion for large, high-mileage, highway cruisers. Read more here:  2011 NAIAS: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Detroit – Wandering the floor of the North American International Auto Show is a bit of treat before the crowds show up on the weekend. In addition you get to see some of the heavy hitters in the industry mingling with the hoi polloi of the press. While the intention is to focus on BMW and its competitors there are still a lot of other things that grab your attention. The Chrylser 300 does have a significantly better interior than the previous iteration, however the rubber like feel of the dash covering is still not quite as good as the best. But the 300 is reintroducing ‘tailfins’, subtly but nevertheless . . . The only question is whether or not this will start another tailfin war among stylists. Cadillac is proud of its CTS-V racecar for the SCCA Word Challenge. Sporting a ‘Piet Mondrian’-like paint job the CTS-V carries on a tradition of postwar Cadillac racing that dates back to the 1950s with Briggs Cunningham’s effort at LeMans. Subaru has a WRX STi on display that touts it’s 7:55 Nuerburgring time. Competition for the 1M, with easy access to the back seat. The jewelry looks good on the Bentleys. The flying wing logo adorns the trunk (or should we say boot) and the hood (bonnet?). The Chevrolet display included a lovely old touring cars from the 1920s as well as its optimally sized Cruse. Notice the acetylene lamps on the touring car. Not much light for a lot of effort. Technology is good. And speaking of technology, the Schaeffler group and ZF are in attendance and showcasing the underpinnings that make modern cars possible. For example Schaeffler supplies the bearings for the ZF eight speed transmission. And ZF has a neat cutaway of the power take off on its 8 speed auto for driving the front wheels in AWD applications. Tesla was displaying an ‘exploded’ S chassis. What is truly neat about it is the placement of the batteries. They are in a separate tray slung under the body of the vehicle. Weight placed in the best possible place. The electric drivetrain fits neatly into the space occupied by differential and axles in a conventional car. Originally posted here:  What else is going on at 2011 Detroit Auto Show?

Filed under: Hybrids-Alternative , Ford , Detroit Auto Show , Electric cars , News It’s no surprise that Ford is bringing its rather excellent C-Max to North America this year, as there’s a US version of the next Focus planned too. What is a surprise, is that US buyers will have the choice of two green hybrid versions called the C-Max Energi and C-MAX Hybrid which make their debuts at the show. It certainly looks similar to the European car, with only the awkward Aston Martin-like grille, which debuted on the Focus Electric spoiling the look. Continue reading Ford reveals new C-Max versions in Detroit Permalink | Email this | Comments See the original post: Ford reveals new C-Max versions in Detroit View original post here:  Ford reveals new C-Max versions in Detroit

Breaking from Detroit, BMW has released their new 1M sports car on North American shores. The long awaited BMW 1M features cost effective engineering solutions (ie. part sharing) to provide enthusiasts with the M experience at a more affordable price. BMW’s 1M packs 340 hp spun from the N54 twin-turbo 3 liter inline six. 332 lb-ft of torque is on tap from low in the rev range, and in harmony with the M limited-slip differential, we see this as a recipe for tail out fun. BMW intends to open the M brand up to a larger, younger demographic with the 1M – hoping to capture the M5 buyers of tomorrow. Our editor Hugo Becker shares with us his first impressions of the 1M: “The new 1 Series M in person is a bit more subtle than one feared (boy racer this isn’t). The front and rear fascia show the most distinction from the existing 1 series along with the flying biplane M3 side mirrors. Where the difference between the existing 1 and the 1M really shows is in the wheels and brakes. The brakes have a very serious appearance – the floating calipers showing well even up against the stylish Brembos on the regular 135i. The most striking element of the 1M is the the Valencia Orange paint. It is a polarizing color, more so than the Sedona Red launch color of the 1 Series. Fortunately it is also available in black or white.” Be sure to check out our exclusive photo gallery from Detroit, and stick around for a video walk around of the 1M later today. Here is the original:  2011 NAIAS – BMW 1M World Premiere

Filed under: Porsche , Detroit Auto Show , News Porsche has done the opposite to what we might have expected and instead of trying to keep prying eyes away from its new show car, it has made a video of the new car’s progress to the Detroit Auto Show. Continue reading New Porsche concept car for Detroit Permalink | Email this | Comments Originally posted here:  New Porsche concept car for Detroit Original post:  New Porsche concept car for Detroit

Filed under: Special/Limited Editions , Supercars , Celebrities , Ferrari , News , Buying and Selling He may have attracted automotive fame for his psychedelic Rolls Royce, but John Lennon’s car buying habits were at times a little more conservative. Not by much though, his first car was a Ferrari 330 GT 2+2, which he treated himself to once he passed his test in 1965. Now fans of the legendary Liverpudlian can own that early slice of Lennon motoring memorabilia. Continue reading Imagine no possessions, apart from Ferraris Permalink | Email this | Comments See the rest here: Imagine no possessions, apart from Ferraris Here is the original post:  Imagine no possessions, apart from Ferraris