The all-new Beetle, the all-new kid on the block.

Not really new new, but new.  Watch out guys, the new Beetle comes with power (and it ain't the flower kind), attitude and vengeance.

Yeap, no more Mr. Nice Guy :)

The new Porsche 911. The best ever.

The new Porsche 911 was launched in the Tokyo Motorshow, making it the best ever 911.  With about 53,000 Porsches on Japanese road with almost half dedicated to the 911s, obviously Tokyo is one of the most important locations to launch the maker's pride and joy.  The Carrera spews 350hp and Carrera S has 400hp on the tap, going from zero to hundred in just 4s.  FOUR. FREAKING. SECONDS.  Equivalent to a sharp 7 minutes 40 seconds sprint of one lap in Nürburgring circuit.  

It's true when they say there are no Porsche customers.  There are only true Porsche fans.

This is the Panarama S Hybrid.  It isn't just about a supercar anymore.  It's a full package.  When you're in a sports car, it doesn't have to feel like you're rocking in a cave with a roll cage criss-crossing all over.  The interior should give you a sense of luxurious escapism while you throttle on and leave your worries behind.  Best still, with your sleeping baby in the back seat, unperturbed by your speed (though I'm not recommending that you should be an irresponsible parent!  But you get my drift!).

The Panamera GTS - Now THAT'S my kind of family car :)

 

And of course, the icon itself, 911.

Hear it cry.

Watch its birth.  You should know that buying a Porsche is not buying a car.  You're buying a labour of love ;)

And the next time you see an idiot who double parks or dumps his Porsche on the curb side obstructing traffic, you know that he may be rich but he's definitely not worthy of luxury.  Him being rich is of face-value which obviously comes with no substance or whatsoever because he has no respect for not only other road users but more importantly for the engineers who painstakingly created the vehicle with their bare hands and every waking hour.  If I was an engineer, I'd make sure these aspiring owners take an aptitude test to prove that they are worth the Porsche badge.  And not just because he's got a million dough to throw away.  But because he is respectable and an appreciator of sports engineering.  And an appreciator does not dump his car at the roadside. Sigh.

Launch of the new Lexus GS series.

Lexus never seemed to be a really strong competitor to the Germans though it's definitely carved a class on its own.  Maybe it still isn't to the ranks compared to the likes of BMW and Mercedes Benz.  But to Audi, this is increasingly becoming one strong competitor.  Lexus has set its eyes to become a truly global premium brand, appealing to those who are not keen on ra-ra badges but understated, clean, substantial, impeccable craftsmanship.  Appealing to one who has Monocle for breakfast, if you get what I mean.

In order for Lexus to truly be a global premium brand, they truly need to separate itself from Toyota more.  Lexus has always unwillingly inherited its blood relation with Toyota.  How do you position yourself to be premium when you share the same technology as a global mass brand?  Bear in mind, the CT200h has the same engine and drivetrain as the Prius.  To pay premium, you'd expect a premium system as well, no?  A good start is for Lexus to separate itself entirely from Toyota, only to report directly to the President, Akio Toyoda (he is the heir of Toyota - in short - Mr. Owner).  Therefore, we should see a real dynamic change with its separation from the group - marketing, engineering, design and all.

Lexus launched the new GS series in the 42nd Tokyo Motorshow, which blueprint was inspired by its supercar LFA in terms of sweeping designs and agile drivability - I'd surely love to get behind the wheels of the GS350 F Sport and see what a slice of the LFA feels like.

Eat this, Audi ;)



And if you need more inspiration, let's not forget what the LFA could potentially do :)



Now that I got you all sweaty, here're some snapshots I got from Tokyo Motorshow.

New GS450h

LFA Nürburgring Package - emphasizes circuit cruising at a level higher than the standard specifications which is scheduled for production in 2012.  The maximum output has been raised to 571PS (just bout 10 horses extra) via higher compression.  Limited to only 500 units, orders have been closed in January 2010.  Woops.  Sorry dude, better luck next round.  Well next time, if you wanna ride a fast machine, you better be quicker than that :Pp

Beyond the interior, let's investigate it to the bone.  You should know also that the LFA is put together by 10-15 (can't remember how many) Master craftsmen, who are known as 'Takumi' which is equivalent to your 10th 'dan' black belt in automotive.  They painstakingly put your machine together by hand to ensure the highest L-finesse.  Read more about the Lexus 'takumi' here.

The heart that moves both driver and machine.

心、動かす力。

New GSのさらなる魅力を、あなただけに。

それコピはいいよね。心、動かした。

Just wondering, throwing you some questions.  Anyone knows...

1) All three GS (GS450h, GS350 F Sport and GS250) have got a D-4S engine - the one that's strapped on the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ?  I know the GS450h does, but not sure about the F Sport though I think it should be because both are a 3.5l V6 engine.

2) Lexus is the only rear-wheel drive hybrid?

3) Usually, in a line-up, fuel-engine models are more powerful than its hybrid variant.  But the GS450h has got about 20 horses more than the F Sport variant.  Hmm... now that's what I'm talking about; no compromise on performance.

Audi at TMS 2011.

As always, Audi's booth is the unmistakable gigantic white arch with its 4 silver circles in line.  I was excited to see Audi's line up because I remember back in 2007, during my first trip to the Tokyo Motorshow, they unveiled the 'Metropolitan Project' concept car which is known as the A1 today.  And I remembered the video they showed introducing it - it was pretty impressive and got stuck to me since.  So you have to understand I've got high expectations this time round as well.

In terms of the overall presentation, I thought it was a let down.  They had some really good dancing female footballers all right (yup, who could do tricks I know many guys can't), but... in an autoshow?  C'mon...  Also, they unveiled the 'Samurai Blue' which is basically a car for the Japanese football team (with two Japanese world champion female footballers who did the unveiling).  Do you get me now?  Like seriously?  -_-"  And then they unveiled the A1 1.4 TSI sportback which to me... was a let down.  I mean it's Audi.  While the world splits to go high on electricity or high performance on both fun driving and environment, Audi presented an... A1 Sportback.  Hmmm...

But the saving grace is the line-up of its famed S series.  Their equivalent luxury performance range which was sexy and sweet and all things nice :)~  Pictures below.

First up the S5.

And then the S7.

And then the A1.

Look ma!  No legs!

And the premier of the A1 sportback in... yellow bronze?  With the Samurai Blue behind (which I didn't bother).

And of course, the R8 GT behind the S5.

 

Tokyo Motorshow 2011 - Honda Press Launch.

I must have been mistakenly born as a girl.  The minute I set foot into the hall, seriously seriously seriously, I forget what bugs me.  I forget everything that bugs me.  Heck, I forget everything!  So I'm gonna take some time to post up the goodies and the sexies from TMS 2011, please bear with me for all-car talk for the next few days.

First up.  Honda (of course, where else would I be first right?).

This year, you can tell Honda is coming back albeit a tough year it has gone through with Japan's earthquake and the Thai flood.  Although its corporate direction maintains towards eco technology (hybrid, fuel cell, EV) but it has not forgotten its 'challenging spirit' roots.  And you can tell from its concept showcase today including the world premier of the EV open-top small sports, the EV-STER, that Honda had maintain its sports DNA albeit recognising the need to change how we manufacture and use mobility products for both the environment and future sake.  Today, Honda showcased 7 next generation Electromotive concept models.

This is the AC-X, a next-generation plug-in hybrid vehicle which offers a more comfortable and enjoyable time in the vehicle during all driving situations, from urban to long-distance driving. With the choices of an "engine drive mode" for more aggressive driving or an "automatic drive mode" for more relaxed driving, the vehicle broadens the joy of mobility.

And of course the much anticipated small sports EV-STER - an all-rounder performer in an exhilarating drive and environmental performance that literally takes your breath away (if you thought the CR-Z was cool enough...).

And then the world premier of N-concepts which N stands for New Next Nippon Norimono (the new next-generation of Japanese mobility).  They may look weird and boxy to you but they're hell popular in Japan's Kei car market.  Considering Japan's socio-economics, population trend and the fact that Japanese (after what they have gone through) are a hell lot more conscious about ecology, a lot of automotive manufacturers have to ensure they continuously produce products that can stay relevant with the needs of the time.  So it isn't just Honda that will be driving this change.  We see other Japanese makes ensuring their products are energy-efficient, possible zero-emission and compact in size.

There's also the Fit EV which will be on sale next year.  It has two plug-ins on both frontal side of the car.  Exterior wise, looks like good old familiar Jazz, now with a striking blue colour.

Interior sports a premium-feel sort of light grey fabric and finishing.  The information display wasn't lit up, so I couldn't tell how cool the meters are.  But you can see from here, it's simple and straightforward.

This is definitely interesting for me because under the hood, there isn't an i-VTEC engine.  Instead, it has a 92-kWh electric motor built-in with a lithium-ion battery pack that can take you up to 198km per charge of 240V outlet for about 3 hours.

And of course, completing the hybrid family, how can we not have Freed.  Design is similar with a bit of exterior modification.  But true to its hybrid DNA, it has a different multi-information display compared to the current Freed we have.

  

Last but not least, how can ASIMO not appear at Honda's booth in Tokyo Motorshow 2011.  As usual, he's an endearment to all :) He is now more dexterous and can utilize his fingers to open bottle caps to pour a drink.  This is a notable improved precision in Honda robotic technology.  Anyway, cute as ever :)

Will be spending some more time in Tokyo this week, so more information to come ;)