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Mitsubishi showed off seven outdoor-inspired vehicles at the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon, most of which won’t be available in the United States. The Japanese automaker displayed a mix of all-electric kei cars and large SUVs with Ralliart dealer-installed accessories.An Outlander Vision concept featured a more powerful plug-in-hybrid powertrain with big wheels, brakes, and a wider stance that made the three-row SUV look aggressive and intimidating.While Mitsubishi’s lineup here in the U.S. is barely large enough to rub together to start a fire, its selection of kei cars and Delica minivans available in Japan flourishes. Seven vehicles debuted at the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon, ranging from an all-electric concept to a plug-in-hybrid Outlander with all-terrain tires and a roof-mounted tent canopy. More Stories About the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon and Mitsubishi:The K-EV concept X Style is Mitsubishi’s next-generation all-electric kei car, or compact city car. While it’s not something that’s available here, the K-EV is interesting because of the way its toaster-like shape maximizes space in a small package. The copper-colored roof is meant to honor the complex guts of the electric motor that drives it. The Japanese government regulates the exterior dimensions, horsepower, and displacement of these cute-size kei cars. Think Mitsubishi Mirage, but slightly smaller and better looking. Due to those regulations, this concept uses smaller hardware including 15-inch wheels bolted to hubs with just four lugs. Mitsubishi K-EV Concept X StyleMitsubishiThe Delica, which hasn’t been on sale in the U.S. since the 1990s, is still offered in the Japan market as a compact minivan. The Delica D:5 Tough x Tough for the Tokyo salon is fitted with Ralliart accessories that don’t quite transform it into the Hulk but add a lifted suspension, 16-inch wheels, bumper guards, and a rooftop tent. While it might look more like a lunchbox next to a camp-ready Toyota Tundra, the Delica’s second and third rows can be folded flat to allow for sleeping and essentially turn this minivan into a double-decker tent.Mitsubishi Delica D:5 Tough x ToughMitsubishiOn the especially funky side of Mitsubishi’s exhibit is this Minicab-MiEV B-Leisure kei car. The spirit of self-sustainability is alive in this one-person metal tent, built with a flat load floor, table, and chair for remote work. The Minicab also acts as a power supply to power kitchen appliances such as a kettle or a coffeepot while being able to keep a laptop from running out of juice. Maybe it’s not as impressive as an electric Ford F-150 Lightning that can power an entire home, but it would still be useful for the casual camper. Thanks to its electric drivetrain, the rear-drive Minicab is also especially quiet so as not to wake other campers or disturb the peace around it.Mitsubishi Minicab-MiEV B-Leisure StyleMitsubishiMitsubishi also showed a handful of vehicles that are also available here in the U.S. A Ralliart Outlander plug-in-hybrid SUV and the smaller Eclipse Cross highlighted a subtle appearance package. The Ralliart accessory catalog that provides an homage to the legendary motorsports division offers a fun selection of rally-inspired bits and pieces. Ralliart decals, bright mud flaps, and tailgate spoilers can be added as dealer-installed options—if you’re shopping in Japan, that is.A less dramatic Outlander was also shown in Black Diamond paint with camping accessories from Ogawa, the Japanese outdoor brand. A roof basket, trailer hitch, and additional camping accessories help get this PHEV ready for any neck of the woods, but the white-letter Toyo Open Country all-terrain tires help signify its specialty. If you’ve wondered what the Outlander might look like after taking a creatine supplement for a few months, the Vision Ralliart concept solves that mystery. More ground clearance, massive JDM wheels, and a dramatic rear diffuser attempt to match this sport-tuned SUV’s intentions. Mitsubishi says the Ralliart concept has additional horsepower and larger brake discs clamped by huge six-piston front calipers. The huge 22-inch wheels and wider Yokohama Advan Sport performance tires give the Outlander a more aggressive look and stance. A new front fascia and wider fenders make the Outlander look nearly as intimidating as a Lexus LX F Sport. Open GalleryWe hope some of these accessories and excitement inside Mitsubishi’s exhibit at the Tokyo Auto Salon will translate into something fun on our side of this giant rock. Until then, outdoorsy Outlander enjoyers will be forced to add accessories to their SUV the old-fashioned way: with a couple of self-taping screws and way too many trips to Harbor Freight. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Lexus revealed four concepts at the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon, including modified versions of the RZ, RX, GX, and an updated ROV concept from 2022.The RZ Sport concept brings motorsports-inspired bodywork to Lexus’s first EV, as well as a more powerful rear motor.The RX and GX Outdoor concepts are fitted with rooftop tents and tons of off-road goodies; the repainted ROV rides on airless tires.Lexus has brought four flashy concepts to the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon, which opened today in Japan’s capital city. The concepts use Lexus’s SUV lineup as a canvas, showing off what the company’s high-riding vehicles could look like with an array of aftermarket parts bolted on.LexusLexusThe RZ Sport concept is based on the Japanese brand’s first EV, due to arrive in the United States early this year, and brings exaggerated bodywork. Two carbon-fiber wings protrude from the roof and trunk while the aggressive front end features blue accents and massive vents carved out of the hood and fenders. The RZ has also been lowered by 1.4 inches, with aero blades channeling the airflow behind the black 21-inch Volk Racing wheels shod with 295/35 rubber. The changes are more than skin-deep, with the rear electric motor upgraded to match the 201-hp front motor, boosting combined output from the standard 308 horsepower to 402. Front and rear bucket seats complete the motorsport-inspired changes. LexusLexus also revealed three adventure-ready concepts. The RX Outdoor concept, built off of the new RX 450h+, gains an aluminum skid plate, LED spotlights in the front bumper, and an aluminum roof rack supporting a rooftop tent. The custom black 18-inch Rays wheels wrapped in 265/60 off-road tires are matched with black trim across the crossover’s expressive bodywork. More on LexusThe RX Outdoor is joined by the ROV Concept 2, an updated version of the side-by-side revealed early last year. The ROV is mechanically unchanged, still powered by an innovative 1.0-liter inline-three burning compressed hydrogen gas, but now the buggy has been repainted the same tan “Regolith” color as the RX concept and rides on unique airless tires. LexusFinally, the GX Outdoor concept takes the GX 460 SUV and adds a roof rack carrying a tent, supply containers, and a Rigid light bar. A Warn electrical winch and LED lighting have been fitted to the front bumper, which also adds a skid plate. Rocker panel guards protect the beautiful green paint, and the GX rides on customized suspension by Australian firm Old Man Emu. Off-road-oriented 275/65 Toyo Tires round out the changes for this special GX. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Nissan unveiled the 2024 GT-R at the Tokyo Auto Salon on Thursday, showing off another facelift for the 16-year-old sports coupe. Nissan is bringing back the T-spec, along with Millenium Jade and Midnight Purple paint colors. The 600-hp Nismo gets a new rear wing, which has grown by 10 percent, along with a unique carbon appearance package, it also earns a front limited-slip differential for the first time. Nissan pulled back the cover of the 2024 GT-R at the Tokyo Auto Salon on Thursday, with new (old) paint options, revised aerodynamics, and other minor improvements for the R35 generation that has remained largely unchanged over its 16-year lifespan. The Premium and T-spec have the same 565 horsepower and 467 pound-feet of torque from the hand-assembled twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-6, and the upgraded Nismo variant continues to tune those figures up to 600 horsepower and 487 pound-feet. Power is still sent to all four wheels through the standard ATTESA ET-S all-wheel-drive system which can vary its front-rear torque split depending on driver preference and scenario. Shifting continues to occur via the rear-mounted six-speed dual-clutch transmission.Tales of GodzillaThe front and rear fascias have been redesigned, with the GT-R now using a thinner mesh in the front grille that’s meant to improve cooling and reduce drag. Despite a reported increase in downforce, Nissan was able to keep the GT-R’s coefficient of drag completely unchanged at 0.26.The T-spec trim level returns for 2024. It comes in two exclusive colors. The first, Millenium Jade, was previously only available on the R34 V-Spec II Nür, while the second, Midnight Purple, is a modern take on the Midnight Purple III from the R-34 GT-R V-Spec, according to Nissan. The T-spec also receives carbon-ceramic brakes from the Nismo, as well as wider front fenders, Nismo dynamic vehicle control, and a gold-painted version of the RAYS 20-inch forged Nismo wheels. It has unique T-spec badging inside and out and comes with dark Mori Green upholstery inside.The track-focused Nismo variant of the GT-R once again has wider tires, six-piston front brake calipers, four-piston rear calipers, carbon-ceramic brake rotors, and a host of other carbon goodies. The rear wing of the Nismo is roughly 10 percent larger than before and sits on swan-neck supports. The Nismo team also redesigned the font lip, rear diffuser, and canards in an effort to increase downforce without hampering drag. A new Nismo appearance package is available with exclusive red-accented RAYS forged 20-inch wheels, a carbon-fiber hood, and an exclusive engine cover design. A Stealth Gray paint option is exclusive to the Nismo trim. Nissan is planning to ship the newest Godzilla cars to dealerships in the spring, though if you are after the more focused Nismo, you will have to wait until the summer. There’s no word on pricing yet, but current models start at $115,435 for the Premium and $212,635 for the Nismo. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The Tokyo Auto Salon is not your average auto show. While automakers are no strangers to bringing the same kinds of concepts we might see in Detroit or New York, modified cars and the aftermarket parts they carry are the true stars. Subaru brought its A-game for 2023, trotting out a whole range of neat vehicles that include new models, concept parts, and a whole bunch of motorsports goodies.Residing front and center in Subaru’s Auto Salon display is a modified version of the next-generation Impreza hatchback that made its debut in Los Angeles in November. Rather than just rolling out the same bone-stock car from L.A., Subaru fitted this Japan-market Impreza with several STI accessories under development.Details are light—and we’re waiting for Subaru to get back to us with a more comprehensive list—but a report from Carscoops said the Impreza concept carries STI-specific bumpers and side skirts, as well as a more pronounced roof spoiler. Gloss black paint can be found nearly everywhere the car’s Sunbrace Pearl Orange paint isn’t. But perhaps the coolest part of the whole concept can be found all the way aft, where a pair of center-mounted exhaust tips hang out.More Details and SpecsFurthering the forbidden-fruit vibe is the Levorg STI Sport prototype, a hopped-up wagon with a limited production run and a whole host of upgrades over the Levorg STI Sport R EX on which it’s based. This sharp little longroof picks up a transmission oil cooler, a flexible draw stiffener and other chassis bracing, 19-inch BBS wheels, and Recaro front bucket seats.If a beefcake off-road aesthetic is more your hang, check out the Boost Gear concepts. Essentially, Subaru took a subcompact Rex (below) and a larger Crosstrek and fitted both vehicles with all manner of rough-and-tumble bits like chunkier all-terrain tires and large mud flaps. In Subaru’s own words, these parts “excite a more active and positive adventurous mind,” a line we’re pretty sure we’ve also seen on packaging for those pills you buy at a truck stop.View PhotosSubaru Boost Gear Rex at the Tokyo Auto Salon. SubaruThere’s a little something for motorsports geeks in here too. Subaru’s Tokyo Auto Salon booth will also play host to the WRX Rally Challenge 2023, which is slated to tackle Japanese rallies later this year. Attendees will also be able to check out the BRZ GT300 car that participates in the Super GT racing series, as well as another WRX destined for the Nürburgring 24 Hours. More

Mazda has revealed a plug-in-hybrid version of the MX-30 called the e-Skyactiv R-EV.It adds a small rotary engine that serves as a generator and a 13-gallon fuel tank to extend the car’s driving range.We don’t know yet if or when the R-EV version is coming to the U.S.Mazda has found a unique solution to the MX-30 EV’s short driving range, and it involves the company’s first rotary engine since the RX-8 sports car. The new Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV is a plug-in hybrid with a small single-rotary gasoline engine that serves as a generator to charge the battery pack and allow for longer drives.Mazda reduced the size of the lithium-ion battery pack, as the R-EV has a 17.8 kWh lithium-ion pack compared with the EV version’s approximately 32.0-kWh pack. This allows it to go a measly 53 miles on a charge per the WLTP. But when the battery is depleted, the 830 cc, 74-horsepower rotary engine kicks in to supply charge while on the move. The Mazda’s 13 gallon fuel tank is larger than other such “range-extender” setups including the BMW i3 and Chevy Volt, but Mazda hasn’t provided a longer range estimate that includes the gasoline engine’s range boost.More on the MX-30The R-EV’s electric motor is also more powerful than the EV version’s, with its electric motor providing 167 horsepower to the front wheels. Mazda claims it will get to 62 mph in 9.1 seconds, which would be roughly equivalent to the already sluggish EV version’s acceleration. The 3674-pound MX-30 EV got to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds in our testing, and the R-EV’s extra 24 horsepower would likely be offset by the extra weight of the rotary, as the claimed curb weight is 3920 pounds.Visually, the MX-30 R-EV looks nearly identical to the EV other than its different wheel designs and badging. Mazda is offering a few special color combinations, and there’s a trim level called the Edition R that plays up the rotary theme with embroidered logos inside for the floor mats and seats.It’s unclear whether or not the MX-30 R-EV will be sold in the U.S. For now, Mazda has only released information on the 2023 MX-30 EV, which is unchanged compared and will again be sold only in California in limited quantities. The company had previously said it was bringing the rotary PHEV here, but now says it has “no update to share on U.S. availability,” which makes us think it could be a while—or never—before this new powertrain gets certified on our shores.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

• Here’s a clever 1960s solution to last-mile mobility: A fizzy little 53cc motorbike that folds up into its own carrying case for portability.• Often mistakenly thought to be part of Subaru’s history, this scooter has roots in early Nissan heritage and Hitachi aircraft.• This Bring a Trailer auction ends January 15.There’s a childlike wonder to folding mobility, be it Honda’s Motocompo scooter, the WWII British paratrooper Welbike, or even Mazda’s ill-fated suitcase car. Up for auction this week on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is a combination barstool and minibike, straight out of the 1960s, with some pint-size two-stroke fun that packs up into its own carrying case.Bring a TrailerBring a TrailerIt’s a Go-Devil (not to be confused with the early four-cylinder Jeep engine of the same name). With a bright-red exposed frame, a 53cc two-stroke single-piston engine, and 5-inch wheels, it’s pocket-size hilarity that folds up into a little cube. Store it in your trunk and, when you’re ready to use it, unfold it, pull-start the engine, and go zipping around the paddock or parking lot with the kind of grin you haven’t felt since borrowing a friend’s minibike on your tenth birthday.Bring a TrailerThe Fuji Go-Devil is a not-infrequent listing on Bring A Trailer. This example is the seventh such scooter to cross the BaT block in the past year, but it is a pretty exceptional one, featuring fresh powdercoating, new seat foam, new tires, and new wheel bearings. It’s ready to roll.Go-Devils were exported to North America from Japan from 1964 to 1967. Because the company that manufactured them was called Fuji Motors, there is a tendency to conflate its origins with Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru. Indeed, at the same time the folding Go-Devil was being made, FHI was producing the Fuji Rabbit, one of the first Japanese scooters able to approach 60 mph. The Fuji Rabbit resembles a duck crossed with a Vespa and is unrelated to the Go-Devil.Instead, to dig up the Go-Devil’s parentage, we have to delve back into the primordial soup of Japan’s bubble-car era. As in postwar Germany, many former aircraft manufacturers turned to the production of tiny proto-cars, designed to sip fuel in an era of rationed gasoline.One such manufacturer was the Hitachi aircraft company, which built engines for wartime trainers and bombers. Forced to shift its efforts to peacetime mobility, Hitachi Aviation changed its name to Tokyo Gas and Electric Manufacturing Company, and it started building 60cc engines for various applications, including motorcycles. At the same time, a former subsidiary of Nissan called Fuji Motors had lucrative contracts for refurbishing and repairing the vehicles of the U.S. occupying forces. The two companies merged. Engines were provided to outside motorcycle companies and also used in the in-house brands FMC and Gasuden.Fuji CabinBrendan McAleerFlying FeatherBrendan McAleerOne of the best-known automotive products of Fuji Motors is the wonky little Fuji Cabin, which looks like someone fitted wheels to one of Gru’s Minions. Penned by the oft-overlooked Ryuichi Tomiya, an early Nissan designer sometimes called the “Leonardo da Vinci of Japan,” the Fuji Cabin was tiny and cleverly constructed but not ultimately a success. Consider it a cousin to the BMW Isetta or Messerschmitt Kabinenroller, but one that never got off the ground.Tomiya had designed Nissans before WWII and was a contemporary and friend of Yutaka Katayama, the “Mr. K.” of Datsun 240Z fame. Before the Cabin, the two had collaborated on a very light prototype car called The Flying Feather, considered an early indication of Katayama’s forward thinking.To come back to the Go-Devil, its scooter heritage is thus tied to a thoroughly inventive period in Japanese automotive history, long before the government moved to consolidate a constellation of car companies into a handful of mega-conglomerates. In the mid-1960s, FMC and Gasuden were a household (in Japan, anyway) supplier of small two-stroke engines for chainsaws, scooters, and all manner of applications. FMC/Gasuden was eventually snapped up by the heavy equipment manufacturer Komastu, and the motorcycle engine department was spun out and much later acquired by Husqvarna. So, the Go-Devil has nothing to do with Subaru but is fascinating in its own right. As a product, it is fun to ride, folds away, and is a wonderful conversation piece. It’s also a link to a time in Japanese automotive history when innovators were just throwing things at the wall and seeing what stuck. More

Mercedes-Benz is expected to stop using EQ branding on new EVs by 2024, according to a report today from the German publication Handelsblatt. The paper cites unnamed sources at Mercedes who claim the branding will become redundant with the switch to electric-only models.We reached out to a company spokesperson to confirm the report, but they have yet to respond to our request for comment. It’s currently pretty easy to identify an all-electric Mercedes-Benz model from a gasoline-burning one. Not only does the former feature aerodynamically optimized, albeit blob-like, bodywork, but it also bears a badge with the prefix EQ. By the end of next year, that will no longer be the case for Mercedes’ new EVs, according to a report today by the German daily newspaper Handelsblatt.The scoop, which has now been picked up by numerous media outlets, is based on sources within the company who claim the EQ branding will become redundant once Mercedes switches to an electric-only lineup. It makes sense. For example, there will be no need for an electric version of the S-class to be called the EQS when there is no gas-fed S-class.Of course, Mercedes’s complete adoption of electric models will still take some time, so we don’t expect to see a full eradication of the EQ subbrand for a while. Instead, we believe new electric models will begin adopting traditional nameplates within the next couple of years or so as their existing combustion-powered counterparts finish out their current generations.We reached out to a Mercedes-Benz spokesperson to confirm the report about the company’s plans. We have yet to hear back, but we’ll update this story if we do.The Evolution of Mercedes EQThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Mercedes-AMG revealed a special edition SL63 that it says is meant to mark the end of the 2022 Formula 1 season.Labeled the “Motorsport Collectors Edition,” the Silver Arrows–colored SL takes inspiration from the W13 E Performance racing car that brought Mercedes a third place finish last season. The special edition will have an extremely limited run, with Mercedes-AMG only planning to produce 100 units globally.Mercedes-AMG is breaking out the silver paint buckets for an extremely limited run of special-edition SL63 roadsters called the “Motorsport Collectors Edition.” Mercedes-AMG is planning a run of only 100 units globally of the roadster, which takes inspiration from the 2022 W13 E Performance Formula 1 car, piloted by British driving duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. After two seasons running a black paint livery, the company reverted to its historical Silver Arrows livery. The 2022 season saw the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team struggle to rise to the same levels of success it has become accustomed to in recent years. It did manage to produce a third-place finish, with enough points to end the season well ahead of the fourth-place Alpine and nearly enough points to claim second place from Ferrari. More on the SLMuch like the race car that inspired it, the limited-edition roadster features two-tone paint, graduating from high-tech silver metallic to obsidian black metallic at the rear of the car. The SL63 also features blue Petronas accents along the front apron, side panels, and rear diffuser. As a special touch, Mercedes-AMG added the Mercedes star pattern to the rear of the car in a nod to the engine cover of the Formula 1 car. AMG added an Aerodynamics package that sensationalizes the looks of the car, giving it larger flics on the front and rear apron, a larger rear diffuser, and a reworked underbody to improve aerodynamics. The AMG Night package adds gloss black to the front splitter, side sills, mirror caps, and decorative trim of the rear diffuser. Its twin, the AMG Night package II, adds black chrome for the typography and a Mercedes star at the rear, along with the radiator grille. Mercedes has not released pricing information, but fun fact: an AMG customized indoor car cover comes with each car. That should allay any fears of overpricing. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More