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#46
16-03-2010, 06:10 PM
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Honda takes this whole dog thing very seriously
Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Coupe, Minivan/Van, Truck, Etc., Japan, Hatchback, Honda  Hondas with dogs - Click above for high-res image gallery Honda Japan's oddly compelling and inherently fascinating Honda Dog website includes useful consumer tidbits such as a visual guide to how well your poodle will fit in the CR-Z's front passenger seat. (Before you start yelling how it's the only passenger seat, know that in Japan, the CR-Z is a 2+2.) That's not all, however. There's stuff to entertain as well, including a whole page of desktop wallpapers featuring Hondas with various dogs that you can find below. Seriously. Vintage stuff, too. Civic RS with a Corgi? Prelude with a Doberman? All present and accounted for. Check out a few samples in the gallery below, and head to the Honda Dog wallpaper site for even larger sizes. [Source: Honda Dog] Honda takes this whole dog thing very seriously originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Commentsأكثر... 
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#47
18-03-2010, 01:20 AM
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Report: Detroit automakers head to Congress to talk Japanese, Korean currency manipulation
Filed under: Government/Legal, Japan, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Earnings/Financials, South Korea
A report from The Detroit News shows that Japan added $56 billion to a "currency interventions fund" last week - a fund that apparently has a substantial cash reserve. Further, Japanese Finance Minister Naoto Kan told the Japanese Diet that his government is ready to manipulate currency by depreciating the yen. The AAPC claims that the actions of the Japanese and Korean governments put American manufacturing jobs at risk, adding: "American auto companies will consider intervention in foreign exchange rate markets by the Japanese government that weakens the yen as unfair competition directed at the American automotive market and American workers as the industry begins to recover from the economic recession." The DetNews claims representatives from the Japanese government were not available to comment on the group's claims. For its part, AAPC says that the goal of meeting with Congress is action: "we urge you to make clear to the governments of Japan and Korea that the U.S. Congress considers such interventions unacceptable and that any decision to proceed with or continue such interventionist policies will be strongly and directly challenged by the United States in defense of fairness and American jobs." Another area of concern for the AAPC is what they allege is the inherently closed nature of Asian auto markets. The Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development claims that the two countries are currently the most closed out of the 30 markets with auto industries. The ECOD also notes that domestic automakers in those countries account for 95.5 percent of all auto sales. Report: Detroit automakers head to Congress to talk Japanese, Korean currency manipulation originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Commentsأكثر...
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#48
18-03-2010, 02:20 AM
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Report: Nissan Leaf priced at U.S. $38,500+ in Japan
Filed under: Concept Cars, Japan, Nissan, Electric  Nissan Leaf - Click above for high-res image gallery Interest in, and "pre-orders" for, the Nissan Leaf remains high, but a report from the Japanese newspaper the Mainichi Shimbun might put a damper on things. Apparently, the price for the all-electric car in Japan will be somewhere between 3.5 million and 4 million yen, which is about $38,667 to $44,191 U.S. at today's exchange rates. Granted, even if these prices are accurate, they certainly don't automatically equal the MSRP for the U.S. market, but they are higher than what we've been expecting - i.e., under $30,000 after the $7,500 federal tax credit. We went and looked at the prices for a couple of other cars in Japan, to see how the Leaf's 3.5 million compares. The Toyota Prius runs between 2.0 and 3.27 million yen ($22k-36k USD). The Honda Insight? From 1.89 to 2.2 million ($21k-24.4k USD). We suspect that Nissan's going to have to do better than this to beat the Chevrolet Volt. Yes, yes, we know the powertrains are quite different, but a lot of people are going to learn about these cars at the same time (late this year), and we believe that the pure electric will need to be quite a bit cheaper than the plug-in hybrid to hold its own. Of course, all of these numbers should be taken with several grains of salt. We reached out to Nissan, and they reminded us that "the article out of Japan is speculative, and we have no comment. As you know, we have yet to disclose Nissan Leaf pricing in the U.S. or in any global market." Thanks to Scott W. for the tip! [Source: The Wall Street Journal] Report: Nissan Leaf priced at U.S. $38,500+ in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Commentsأكثر...
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#49
18-03-2010, 03:00 AM
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Lease the Lexus LFA for $12,400 per month, $298,000 due at signing
Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Japan, Lexus  Lease-only Lexus LFA - Click above for high-res image gallery The rich are very different from you and we, now more than ever. First off, we don't have the mental fortitude for jumping through all of the hoops that Lexus is making potential LFA customers limbo beneath. Let alone the cash. Thing is, the rigamarole involved never mattered because Lexus is only making 500 examples of the LFA and we're simply not going to lose sleep over the process it takes to park one in our garage. However, a potential LFA owner sent us a copy of his order guide, and like any good train wreck, we can't look away. Also, remember, this info ain't intended for public consumption. For your living-vicarious pleasure, here's how it works: As reported, you cannot buy Lexus' first ever supercar. You have to lease the mostly-carbon-fiber-and-unobtanium LFA. That's sort of good news for the non-disgustingly wealthy, right? After all, leases are the cheap and easy way to get into a new car. Are you sitting down? The monthly lease payment on the Lexus LFA is $12.398.44. For 24 months. That's $297,562.56 worth of lease payments over two years, at the end of which you own nothing. However, Lexus is quick to point out that the LFA's MSRP is $375,000, so you're technically not paying full price. And at the end of 24 months, lessees are free to plunk down an additional $93,750 (more than the base price of a very comparable Nissan GT-R, we should mention) and buy their LFA outright. Of course, you can't just waltz into your local Lexus dealership with $12,398.44 and Once your credit checks out, you then have to deposit an additional $50,000. To mini-recap, that's $60,000 down on a $375,000 car. Sounds reasonable (from a detached, algebraic ratio perspective) until you remember that you're not buying the car, just leasing it. All of this will be/is happening from March-June 2010. Production of the LFA doesn't start until December. We don't know how long each car will take to build, but Remember the $12,398.44 per month lease payment we mentioned a couple paragraphs up? That's just the breakdown. All LFAs are being doled out via Lexus' 1Pay Lease Program. Meaning that to lease the LFA, you hand Lexus a check for $237,562.56, which is the full amount of the lease minus your $60,000 pair of deposits. Oh, and there's a $700 "aquisition fee." Plus tax, title, license and registration. The good news? Even though you have to lease the LFA, because of the lengthy approval/deposit process, each car is still made to order. Meaning that even though you don't own the car, you can still order it in Passionate Pink, a $3,000 option. Make the jump to read the pricing guide. Continue reading Lease the Lexus LFA for $12,400 per month, $298,000 due at signing Lease the Lexus LFA for $12,400 per month, $298,000 due at signing originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Commentsأكثر...
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#50
18-03-2010, 05:50 PM
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Report: Mitsubishi ASX obliterates first month sales goal in Japan
Filed under: New York Auto Show, Japan, Crossover, Mitsubishi  2011 Mitsubishi ASX/Outlander Sport - Click above for high-res image gallery What's popular in the Japanese home market isn't always an indicator of worldwide success; check out their obsession with dogs, for instance. On the other hand, the reason Mitsubishi's ASX has pulled down three-and-a-half times the automaker's hoped-for monthly sales in its first four weeks on the market is probably not related to quirkiness. Tax breaks, plus the ASX's manageable size and just-right equipment level are universal ways to connect with buyers anywhere, and that's what's likely fueled the initial success. North American buyers will get the ASX badged as the Outlander Sport, and it will debut at the New York Auto Show. Interestingly, JDM buyers are nutso for the high-level "G" trim; 75 percent of orders are for the zootiest version. It's not yet clear what the trim levels are going to be for the U.S. market, other than the understanding that Mitsubishi's 2.0 liter MIVEC engine will be standard equipment. With skittish buyers and a still-lagging economy in the States, it could be a perfect time for a Goldilocks-grade mini-ute, especially for Mitsubishi, a company that has lost a lot of ground in the sales race over the last few years. Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc. [Source: Automobile] Report: Mitsubishi ASX obliterates first month sales goal in Japan originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Commentsأكثر...
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