While wondering around the SEMA Floor, and winding up at the Green Car section, I spotted this thing, and realized that it is a modified Prius. I have no idea what is going on with the nose, but I do know that the Lambo Doors are truly tasteless. What do you guys think?

Continue reading "The World’s Ugliest Prius" »

ASI Japan has released this image of what their Prius aerodynamics package will look. According to ASI, this is the confirmed final version of the design. In other news, ASI has launched a sub brand called ASI Green to release this Prius kit. More at The Real JDM

Really Japan? Has this what it has come to? All tuning news and innovation coming out of Japan seems to be either R35 GT-R or Prius/Insight. The rest of the tuning scene has very little news coming out. Can we get a little variety please? I’m already holding back on some GT-R blog posts because we have so many as it is, thats the big news these days.

Although you’ll find me being a huge supporter and fan of the R35 GT-R tuning scene, the Prius tuning scene is a bit different for me.

Dont get me wrong, I really respect the Prius (and Insight) for what they are (nature saving, efficient and affordable daily drivers). In fact I wouldnt be opposed to getting a Prius for a daily driver and if I did I’d probably be looking at one of these two companies for modifications (and Top Secret as a great third option for more simple lip kits). There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Prius and absoultely nothing wrong with making it look cool and perhaps even improving aerodynamics for better performance and economy (although these two probably worsen rather than improve Cd).

Continue reading after the jump!

Continue reading "Tommy Kaira and ASI Prius" »

Normally a post with a title like that would have an ! or some other method to convey excitement. What can I say here… Top Secret has been hard at work on two new cars for their tuning line-up. The ZE2 Honda Insight and the ZVW30 Toyota Prius. (yes I name dropped the chassis codes…one day when the ZE2 and the ZVW30 both become Tsukuba Circuit time attack record holders we’ll affectionately call them by these codes like we do R35s and S15s…or not).

All sarcasm aside, Top Secret has put in some considerable work to be appreciated by the eco-loving hybrid drivers out there that perhaps also own a Top Secret tuned Supra or GT-R. Both cars feature Top Secret original aero kits designed both for looks and also for aerodynamic efficiency (better miles per gallon er… kilos per liter). The cars both run RAYS eco drive wheels designed for maximum weight reduction, in this case the 15″ RE30 Volk is fit for duty of cranking up the ECO further. Continue reading at The Real JDM

This happened just a mile or two from CarDomain World Headquarters, but honestly, we had nothing to do with it. Perps driving “a loud throaty-sounding SUV” smashed in the windshields of several Priuses in the Ballard neighborhood on Saturday. Story at My Ballard.

Ryan just sent this to me. Nicely done.

Or not…

As more and more major automakers jump on the Prius bandwagon, expect mainstream hybrids to get smaller and cheaper. Nissan’s been showing off its JDM electric Cube and toying with the idea of bringing it stateside, while Hyundai, the quintessential cheap-car producer, is debuting its own hybrid “Blue-Will” at the Seoul Motor Show. It’s funny that just a few years ago, proto-green rides like GM’s EV1 and the first-gen Honda Insight spooked consumers by being too petite. But today, the exploding popularity of the smart car and the horde of startup companies showcasing pocket-sized EVs have beaten a path to consumer acceptance of the “small is beautiful” credo. Meanwhile, Honda’s revamped Insight hybrid, while appearing to be a Prius copycat, will be a couple of inches smaller than its competitor in both height and length, and will undercut Toyota’s iconic hybrid by several thousand dollars–the Insight can be had for under $20K. Toyota, rattled by the Prius-killing potential of this development, has responded by announcing a new “dedicated” hybrid based on the ultra-econo Yaris subcompact platform. Suddenly small is the new black, and it kind of makes you wonder if this race to the bottom is going to make a stillborn out of GM’s comparatively chunky, $35-$40K Volt–but with all the problems in Detroit, maybe that issue is moot. Stay tuned.

What do you think? Via Jalopnik

There were very few car makers at the Melbourne International Motor Show who did not have some sort of ‘green’ car. Toyota was promoting its Prius and new hybrid Camry. The Prius has been upgraded and improved, featuring new developments such as solar roof panels in the roof that supply power to the ventilation system. It has a more powerful 1.8 liter Atkinson-cycle engine which has increased the performance in fuel consumption and emissions. Personally I wouldn’t buy one, it still looks like a dustbuster on wheels.

Continue reading "The Dustbuster is Back" »

I snapped this pic of our 300C SRT-8 test car at a rest stop on I-5 on the way back from Portland this weekend. I’ll share my thoughts on the big bad Mopar tomorrow, but for now I thought I’d just toss this out there. So is this left lane vs. right lane? Union built vs. non-union built? 18 mpg vs 48 mpg? V8 vs I4? Hemi vs. hybrid. Red state vs. blue state? Form vs. function? Retro vs. modern?  Past vs. future..?

Continue reading "Showroom Showdown or Caption Contest?" »

So, everybody knows that Coca-Cola was originally spiked with Bolivian marching powder—but 7-Up also had a secret ingredient! As it turns out, the company’s "Never had it, never will" slogan doesn’t apply to lithium. Today, lithium is used to treat bi-polar disorder, but back in the roaring ’20s, it was just a hangover cure. Damn, I knew I was born too late. Anyway, here’s the news:

• Honda has released images of the new Insight, and it looks very similar to the Prius, which means it’s hideous. So what’s the deal? Must hybrid cars be visually repellent to function? Is this why Tesla can’t seem to get its act together? Autoblog
• Yesterday, a Reno woman got wasted and hopped behind the wheel. Then she filled her tank and drove away with the pump’s nozzle dangling. The kicker? She mistook an ambulance for a police cruiser and pulled over. At least nobody got hurt. The Weekly Vice via Jalopnik
• With the Big Three begging for government loans and auto sales in the toilet, it’s easy to see Hummer as doomed. But while its fate seems certain, there’s a chance the Ruskies might save the beefy brand. Seriously, ever seen a Russian "road?" New York Times
• If somebody stole my moped—not that I’d ever own one—I guess I’d be pretty stoked if the thief tried to make right. Of course, I might be a little pissed if it took him 25 years. Reuters

The AutoLabo Prius is an actual production aero kit, not a strange sci-fi movie car. It is modified for increased aerodynamics says AutoLabo, thus increasing fuel efficiency even further than the standard Prius. You could call it eco-tuned. I wanted to cover this car because there is simply not much on the net about it. Its one of those interesting company demo cars that just slipped through the cracks of every magazine, blog and form of media out there.

AutoLabo offers the following Prius eco-tuning parts: front bumper, side skirts, rear fender skirt, rear bumper, rear carbon wing and coilover suspension

What do you think? Would you drive one of these? More pics after the jump!

Continue reading "AutoLabo Prius" »

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

So, we were all betting that no one would show up in a Prius this year, but over in the hilariously-named "Making Green Cool" section, I found this completely unapologetic example of every enthusiast’s favorite car to make fun of. Whoever built it pulled out all the stops: lambo doors, yellow-tinted windows, reflective headlight surrounds, and an interior done entirely in a shiny, carbon-look material. It’s running 19" CCE wheels wrapped in 35-series tires. Yeah, I can’t help myself—it’s awful, and I kind of love it. See more after the jump.

Continue reading "Prius and Proud" »

Wow, it sure must be fun to work for AIG! Even when the company has essentially been driven into the ground, it still has plenty of cash for fancy vacations. Now, I don’t know about you, but nothing says uber-expensive trip like 85 billion in government cash! Anyway, here’s the news:

• You know those leaked 2010 Prius images which have been popping up all over the net? Well, it turns out they’re real, and of course, they’re extra-super-turbo boring. And while I guess this is news… I’m sorry, what was I saying? I must have nodded off. World Car Fans
• All over the world, lovable dirtballs are raising cans of bottom shelf beer and making sappy toasts. So what’s the occasion? The El Camino has just turned 50! Happy birthday El Camino! Hemmings Auto Blogs
• Right now, US automakers are wondering whether the loans the government is going to provide will be enough to help them return to prominence, but super-profitable Porsche isn’t pleased about the deal. Maybe Stuttgart is just pissed the Panamera came out so ugly? Motor Authority
• At least some manufacturers have sympathy for the Big Three. Honda’s CEO actually thinks the loans are a good idea, but he still couldn’t resist reminding Detroit that its focus on gas guzzlers is the main reason for this dire situation. Ok, ok, we get it. Freep