Articles by Peter Lyon

As Toyota continues to rediscover its long-vanished mojo, we could see the return of another affordable sports car, the Supra. Since the Supra, Celica and MR-2 were culled, Toyota's line-up has  looked pretty drab. The everyman's sports car theme has been only recently rekindled by the Toyota 86, co-developed with Subaru. The FT-HS -- a new, more socially acceptable hybrid sports car that goes back to a 2007 concept -- points the way forward. Stillborn thanks to the GFC, its spirit has survived in the coming Supra successor. On-again, off-again, the Supra project is very much back on the drawing board and will inherit some of the design hints from the FT-HS, especially the edges and sharp angles  in this artist's interpretation. The bodywork of the Supra successor will incorporate some of the FT-HS's design language but it will be dropped on to GRMN's MRS chassis, a working concept car pictured here being tested at Fuji Speedway. GRMN stands for Gazoo Racing Meister of Nurburgring. It takes its name from Nurburgring guru Hiromu Naruse, Toyota's late godfather of sports car development. GRMN races the Lexus LFA and Scion FRS at the fabled German track. Unlike the rear-drive 86, the new coupe will use a 4WD drivetrain and generate more than 300kW from a mid-mounted 3.5-litre V6 hybrid set-up mated to a constantly variable transmission lifted from the new Lexus RX. Tuned for higher performance, the engine drives the rear wheels while in-wheel electric motors power the fronts. This writer tested an early prototype back in 2002. The converted 4WD MR2 was powered by a 3.3-litre V6 from Toyota's Harrier SUV, mated to the company's well-known THS hybrid system. The coupe was exceptionally quick while its 4WD system delivered phenomenal grip in the corners. As we have seen with projects such as the LFA, Toyota can take up to 10 years to bring sports cars to market. It is no secret that company CEO Akio Toyoda -- weekend racer, sports car addict and the driving force behind the $700,000 LFA -- is behind the Supra successor. If Toyoda-san has his way and the economy shows signs of recovery, the new coupe will be on showroom floors by late 2015 for less than $60,000.  

Intent on becoming the world's biggest selling auto brand, Volkswagen has now become the most decorated. In taking the trophy, awarded at the recent  New York International Auto Show, the Up became the third VW to win after the Polo (2010) and the Golf VI (2009) meaning the German juggernaut has won each year with successively smaller cars. Except for the Leaf, which has yet to be released in Australia, WCOTY and Carsguide Car of the Year have reflected the other -- the Polo and Golf also winnig our award. Carsguide -- and Australia -- are represented on the 64-member, 25-nation jury by veteran chief reporter Paul Gover. The Up was chosen from an initial entry list of thirty-four (34) new vehicles from around the world, then short listed of 10, and then whittled down to three finalists: the Volkswagen Up !, the BMW 3 Series and the Porsche 911. Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their professional work. Through their respective outlets they collectively reach an audience of many millions world-wide. Jurors observed: "the little Volkswagen Up has altered what we have come to expect from the city car segment. Of note are the responsive steering, sophisticated suspension setup, new efficient engines and the quality of materials and finish. Never before in this economy segment have owners felt so premium. "Look for every builder of citycars to up its game just to compete with the new VW." To be eligible for the overall World Car award, the candidates must become available for sale on at least two continents during the period beginning January 1, 2011 and ending May 30, 2012. "This award shows once again that in the Up our designers and engineers have created a vehicle that has been thought through in minute detail. A vehicle that sets standards in its class for efficient use of space, safety, motoring fun and environmental compatibility," VW chairman Martin Winterkorn says. The World Performance Car trophy went to the Porsche 911, while the Mercedes Benz S250 CDI BlueEfficiency picked up the World Green Car award.  The World Car Design if the year went to the Range Rover Evoque. ROLL OF HONOUR 2012 VW Up 2011 Nissan Leaf 2010 VW Polo 2009 VW Golf in 2009 2008 Mazda2 2007 Lexus LS460 2006 BMW 3 Series 2005 Audi A6  

The Liberty will be revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show alongside the bold new BRZ sports coupe as Subaru continues the biggest new-model push in its history. But don't be fooled by the name - or the shape. The Liberty is being previewed only as a station wagon and will wear a label as the Advanced Tourer Concept, complete with a hybrid power pack. It is being displayed as a concept so Subaru can tweak some of the small details before dropping the car into showrooms, most likely in the second half of next year, but all the basics are the same as the production model. Since it's being set to tackle the world's best in its class, including everything from the Mazda6 to Volkswagen Passat, the body design is much more aggressive with a pushy nose including the latest Subaru 'face', a high side profile with a muscular beltline, and accentuated wheelarches. To power the new wagon - and the sedan that will follow - Subaru has taken its current lineup of 2.0 and 2.5-litre boxer turbo engines and downsized the cylinder block to create a new, cleaner, and more fuel- efficient 1.6-litre turbo powerplant. But there is more. By adding a unique, Subaru-developed single-motor hybrid system with Li-ion batteries, engineers say they have been able to reduce fuel consumption while maintaining roughly the same power output as the current crop of engines. Working together with a revised version of the company’s well-known symmetrical all-wheel drive system, the new wagon can run in electric-only EV-mode from rest and at low speeds. The design work on the Tourer includes wood, polished aluminium and leather in the cabin, together with a full glass sunroof. Designers have fitted a large TV monitor inside the steering wheel that displays GPS sat-nav directions and has direct access to the internet. It also incorporates the company’s EyeSight crash avoidance system which uses two cameras mounted above the rear-view mirror that monitor traffic conditions and can detect pedestrians and cyclists. Apart from the Tourer Concept and the BRZ, the Subaru stand at the Tokyo Show will include the new Impreza G4 and the latest WRX hotrod, the STI-tuned S206 based on the existing four-door STI.

A major project is underway in Japan that will produce no fewer than 52 new Nissans by 2016, including a car that will revive the idea behind the Silvia coupe, known as the 200SX in Australia. Australians have already had an early look at Nissan's thinking, which is reflected in the Foria concept displayed at the Sydney motor show last year. The baby-blue dream machine is compact and coupe in looks, despite using a four-door body that uses similar 'suicide' rear doors to the Mazda RX-8. But there is much more to come from Japan, including the potential for an electric powertrain. Nissan sources say there is no decision yet on either petrol or electric power for the Silvia. In fact, one insider sees the new Silvia - which might not wear that badge - re-surfacing in around 2013 as a kind of 'bridge' between the last petrol-powered Silvia of 2008 and the electric-powered, rear- drive Esflow concept car which debuted at the Geneva motor show earlier this year. The return to a new Silvia comes as Japanese carmakers crank up development work following the Global Financial Crisis. The Silvia was chopped in 2008, at the same time as Honda binned its V10-powered NSX supercar, even though 70 per cent of the world was done and the exterior design was complete. Three years, with its balance sheet back in order, Nissan has just announced its ambitious 'Power 88' plan intended to boost global sales and profit by eight percent within six years. It could even tap into a new deal with Daimler that will see the brands sharing a mechanical platform flexible enough to house everything from four-cylinder to V8 engines. The Mercedes-Benz platform is already expected to be the building block for the next Skyline and Infiniti G from Japan, but could have other uses including the Silvia. Further into the future, around 2020, there is talk in Japan that Lotus Engineering could also be involved with the Nissan-Daimler deal. This new three-way collaboration could figure into the commercialization of rear-drive electric vehicles, tapping Lotus expertise in lightweight construction with a new 'bathtub' construction to replace the orthodox monocoque car body. But that's further into the future than the Silvia, which tracks its history in Australia back to the 1960s when 49 cars in the CSP311 series made it downunder. The Silvia really got going in Australia in the 1980s, when it was known as the Gazelle with a wheezy 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, before the switch to 200SX badging in the late 1990s. The 180SX was never officially sold in Australia but has been a huge success as a 'grey import' from Japan, especially as the base for highly-power and highly-modified cars used in drift competitions.

THE next member of the Toyota Prius family is just the start of a growing hybrid family including a sports model. The Prius Alpha (Prius V in the US and Prius Plus in Europe) has just landed in Japan's showrooms and almost certainly will come as a wagon, minivan, convertible and even an SUV. But the derivative that stands out most is the American-inspired Prius Sports Coupe project. That's right a sporty Prius. Our source tells us that without the strong push for this car from the US, this project wouldn't have made it past first base. Here you see one artist's impression of how the Sports Coupe will look on debut in late 2014, the same year as the next generation Prius will surface. Our insider explains that with development of the Lexus LFA supercar scaling down and research funds and personnel being moved to future hybrid sports projects, we can expect to see a proliferation of fun-to-drive hybrids over the next three to five years. It seems Toyota chief executive Akio Toyoda, a revhead and would-be racer, is having some influence on the company's car development program. One of the highlights of this coupe will be the option of a manual transmission that Toyota is developing at the Higashi-Fuji proving ground just near Mt Fuji. That stick shift will be bolted to the company's next-generation THS system, which uses a plug-in hybrid, a system that will be completely new and not inherited from the Prius. Our spies tell us that the sports coupe will get a rear-wheel-drive platform from the Lexus GS and IS, and will incorporate the plug-in hybrid unit with lightweight lithium ion batteries that generate significantly more power than the current Prius, but maintain class-leading mileage and CO2 emissions. This is just the beginning. In 2015 the company will create a unique "Prius brand'' from which we can expect all future hybrid models to come, as well as a rumoured FCHV hydrogen-powered sedan. The flagship for the new brand will be the Sports Coupe.

Work is well under way on the RX-9 in Japan, though it must wait its turn behind the next MX-5 and Mazda's mainstream SkyActiv work on cars including Australia's favourite Mazda3. Mazda headquarters in Hiroshima has finally confirmed the RX-9. However, the company plans to build it on the same mechanical platform as the coming MX-5 roadster, perhaps adding a hybrid package from Toyota. The only speed bump, according to Mazda insiders, is the workload on other projects. ”We want to take the RX-9 to the next level but just can't find the man-hours to do it,'' says one Carsguide source. ”We have a guideline. We know what we have to do. But as we must give priority to the next-gen MX-5, we only have a small band of guys working on the RX-9.'' Even so, Carsguide has created a clear picture of the RX-9 based on design work on concept cars including the Shinari. The Mazda source also says a fresh development is under way for the RX-9's engine, most likely with hydrogen in a bi-fuel hybrid, to move it away from regular petrol power. ”If that was the case, we could pop a rotary into a compact lightweight car tomorrow. But there's no merit in that. There'd be no reason to continue using a rotary,'' the source says. Sports car development at Mazda is focused on the MX-5. This means the RX-9 will be smaller than today's RX-8, ruling out the return of the four-door body. ”Do you know why the MX-5 grew so much in size? It's because we had to drop it on to the RX-8 platform,'' explains the Mazda man. Now the roles have been reversed and the RX-9 will use The new MX-5 platform. The roadster's dimensions almost mirror those of the 1989 first-generation model. The final twist is a possible Toyota hybrid system, which Mazda can use after an agreement signed last year. A new Mazda hybrid vehicle, possibly a Mazda3 variant, is expected to use the next Toyota  hybrid module, with a Mazda-built engine. Unlike the Prius hybrid, though, the RX-9 version will act more as a range extender. ”Smaller, lighter, cleaner, more fuel-efficient and more fun to drive -- that's where we want to take the next rotary car,'' says the Mazda source, hinting at a late 2013 debut.

An all-new, bigger and better Toyota Yaris has just been unwrapped in Japan. It promises a much tougher rival in Australia to cars such as the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2, but there are still plenty of questions through the countdown to its planning arrival in September.They include doubts over production at Toyota's Miyagi assembly plant, which is still offline following the Japanese earthquake. Various sources point to a production shutdown until sometime in May because of the difficulty in re-connecting essential services - including natural gas - to the factory.Toyota Australia also says there will be tweaking to the Yaris before it comes here, most notably the replacement of the CVT transmission popular in Japan with a regular four-speed automatic gearbox. The company is also promising a full five-star NCAP ranking for the basic Yaris three-door hatch.VALUEToyota has targeted top-line European rivals including the Volkswagen Polo - the reigning Carsguide Car of the Year - but it is still built to a price and some people will find marginalised features.The price of the Yaris currently starts at $14,990, or $16,590 as an automatic, and Toyota will be aiming to hold the line with the new model. It plans also to continue with its current strategy of using three and five-door hatchback bodies with either 1.3 or 1.5-litre engines. There will be three equipment grades.TECHNOLOGYThe most impressive thing about the new Yaris is the 1.3-litre engine's Smart-Stop Package. Taking just 0.35 seconds to restart after seamlessly cutting the engine at idle, the smart-stop works to improve fuel economy to an excellent 4.59 litres/100km.But, surprisingly, the start-stop is only offered on the 1.3 litre due to its hefty $750 pricetag. And, more strikingly, VSC and TRC traction controls, which are standard on the 1.3 litre, are not even offered as options on other models, although this will not be the situation in Australia with stability control now compulsory on all cars sold here.DESIGN"We need to stand out more. That is one reason why the new Yaris has grown in size and taken on an edgier look compared to it's predecessor," says deputy chief engineer Yoshinari Toyomura.Checking out the new Yaris on Tokyo streets, we immediately see what he means. The new B-segment bigwig is 85mm longer with a wheelbase that gains 50mm. The car does feel bigger, but the company's efforts to minimize costs while improving packaging have met with mixed resultsSAFETYToyota already gets a five-star NCAP rating with the five-door Yaris including the safety pack - with front-side-head airbags - and four stars for the three-door with frontal airbags.It promises better for the new model and Australian buyers can also expect the usual ABS brakes and ESP stability control to satisfy local regulations and consumers.DRIVINGTuned for optimum fuel economy and CO2 emissions, the 1.3-litre Yaris is adequate but not quick. Mated to a revised CVT transmission, it pulls sufficiently from around 2000 revs and stays strong enough through the mid-ranges, we think, because this car did not have a tachometer.Aussie cars will get a five-speed manual, and a tacho. To keep up with rivals, the Yaris has stiffened body rigidity, a more compliant ride and better weighted, more responsive steering. Local specifications will be crucial, really, to the potential success of the car in an incredibly tough sector of the market.The new Yaris is more spacious, does handle better than the old model and looks considerably smarter, but it feels like it's been short-changed on a few interior elements and performance is middling rather than genuinely impressive. It'll need those missing toys if it's to stand out from the crowd when it arrives here later this year.VERDICTBuilt to satisfy the bottom dollar, the new Yaris generates good first impressions, but leaves question marks with its packaging and potential impact in Australia.

The Tokyo Auto Salon is so big it draws major-league displays by most  of Japan's major makers and fills the giant Makuhari Messe centre on  the outskirts of Japan's capital, even though it is now too big for  the mainstream Tokyo Motor Show. The lineup at this year's event is down slightly, but there are still  361 participants with 640 vehicles to draw a crowd of 238,000 visitors just three days. Toyota sets the pace at this year's Tokyo Auto Salon with 17 models, led by the Gazoo Racing concept built on the tiny iQ and the Lexus ISF CCS-R, short for Circuit Club Sport Racer. There is also the Toyota TES Concept T-Sports, a rear-wheel drive coupe voted as the most  popular concept by employees, sitting on the old MR-S mechanical  package. Not surprisingly, Nissan's GT-R gets the most attention from tuners.  At the Nissan stand, the sharp looking Nismo Racing Concept comes standard with a lightweight carbon body and rollcage, as well as  upgraded brakes and slicks. At least a dozen other specialist tuners tackle the GT-R, with the Blitz GT-R topping the power war with a ballistic 745 kiloWatts. The Tommy Kaira GT-R, with jet fighter inspired aeroparts, also weighed in  heavy with around 595kW. Another car to come under Nissan's in-house microscope is the new  electric Leaf, which becomes the Aero Style Concept with drag-reducing  aerodynamic parts and wheels that effectively lengthen its range. Across at Honda, the focus is on the CR-Z based TS-1X with more personality and the 20th anniversary NSX with matt-black paint and a swag of aero and racing parts. The CR-Z is the second-favourite tuner targer, with customizers like Top Secret boosting power to over 220kW. One of the Salon's traditional favorites, the Subaru Impreza STI, came under special scrutiny this year, with a race-bred factory car prepared for the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring. "With a projected lap time of around 9 minutes 10 seconds, we are  confident that we can outclass the Audi TTs and the VW Sciroccos," says STI factory team director, Hideharu Tatsumi, at the car's unveiling. Among the craziness at the Salon is the Nihon Automobile  College booth, where students out-did themselves with the bright yellow "Wamerican" that sits on a Toyota Crown base and "Justice," a  left-hand drive concept inspired by the Batmobile using a Mitsubishi  Eclipse Spyder. Long-time Salon participant RE Amemiya returned with a fully tweaked  450kW Mazda RX-7, while well-known tuner Veilside showed what happens when you tack a mock Bentley front end onto a Nissan GT-R R35. But the prize for the most outrageous body kit went to Value Progress for its Toyota MR-S based DragStar F1 Dragon concept.

... I don’t think we’d get too many arguments. Just take a quick look at their 2010 Legacy and Outback models and you’ll see what we mean. And we don’t think you’d disagree too much if we dared to say that the company hadn’t actually advanced its engineering capabilities that much either over the last two decades. Okay, they switched from twin-turbos to a single turbo setup on the Legacy back in the early part of the century and added their first 6-speed manual gearbox to the Impreza, but that’s about it.Well, all that’s about to change. With an all-new design direction, a brand new boxer engine range and that controversial tie-up with Toyota, expect to see some radical changes in the Subaru camp over the next 2-3 years. The first evidence of this rebirth comes in the form of their “Confidence-in-motion” concept unveiled at the recent L.A. auto show. That sharp looking design study might have been the base for its next Impreza, but those aggressive lines and proportions are what we can actually expect to see across the entire lineup. Just check out our two exclusive sketches, which reveal how one artist sees the Subaru version of the FT-86 due for 2012, as well as the Legacy Hybrid slated to debut in 2013. Ignoring the emotional phrasing (confidence-in-motion!?), we think that these two designs – especially that new signature grille and headlight combination - are right on the money and help transport Subaru out of the ‘dull and boring’ basket, and straight into the ‘time-to-pay-attention-to’ category.And that’s just where company’s rejuvenation starts. For those versed with Subaru’s well-known EJ-type boxer engine, which has powered nearly every model since 1989 (albeit in slightly revised variants), you will no doubt have heard about the brand new FB-type boxer engine, officially launched on September 23. That means that this engine is Subaru’s first all-new horizontally-opposed powerplant in 21 years!  The 1995 cc FB20’s claim to fame is its longer stroke, which means that it’s able to achieve maximum torque at lower revs, in addition to beefier power delivery and 10 percent better fuel consumption.The first model to employ the new FB20 engine will be the Subaru rendition of the ‘FT-86,’ co-developed with Toyota and due in 2012. Using that engine as a base, engineers will revise the head unit “by adding port injection” says one insider, to create a Toyota-like D4-S engine with around 200hp. And mated to a 6-speed manual, expect a 0-60mph sprint time of 7.5 secs.The third piece of Subaru’s next generation jigsaw puzzle is the addition of a hybrid to their Legacy lineup. After bolting on a special Subaru-tweaked Toyota THS II hybrid unit (with Atkinson Cycle technology) to a new FB25 engine, our source tells us that company engineers will then turbocharge it for better performance and fuel economy. By utilizing the most efficient characteristics of the boxer engine – its low center of gravity symmetrical layout – engineers will position lithium ion batteries on either side of the propeller shaft, thus extracting the most out of the Toyota-based hybrid system. Oh, and you can also expect to see all Legacy models employing CVTs in the near future, while automatic gearboxes will be phased out.So with some sleek new lines, a new coupe, a new engine range and a new hybrid, Subaru is reinventing itself. And not a moment too soon.

The Volkswagen Polo led from the start of vote counting at Waseda University Hall in Tokyo, but a late surge by the Honda CR-Z gave the top prize to Japan's new hybrid hero.  The Polo was still named as Import Car of the Year. There are 60 judges on the Japan COTY panel and the Polo was ahead as the scores were read for the first 55, with more maximum 10-point votes -including mine - going to the Volkswagen compact. But then the tide turned and the CR-Z eventually won the count by a 406-397 margin.  As the votes were read for the final five jurors a Honda contingent led by CR-Z chief engineer Norio Tomobe, who had been silent and solemn until that point, began to cheer like soccer fans on the winning side. The final finishing order was Honda CR-Z, Volkswagen Polo, Suzuki Swift and Peugeot RCZ.  Each of the 60 Japan COTY jurors is allocated 25 votes, with 10 for their top-rated car and the rest for their next four in order of preference, something like 10-6-4-3-2. There are only two foreign nationals on the panel, including myself. Japan Car of the Year voting: 1. Honda CR-Z, 4062. Volkwagen Polo, 3973. Suzuki Swift, 2284. Peugeot RCZ, 1905. Nissan March (Micra), 676. BMW 5 Series, 627. Jaguar XJ, 548. Mazda Premacy (Mazda5), 519. Toyota Mark X, 2610. Mercedes E-Class (BlueTec), 19