Electric Throwback: The Meguru Bamboo Trike

Found on Japan Trends, this is the brainchild of Kinki Knives Industry Corp. and the Yodogawa Group. Called the Meguru, it's a little electric trike with an iron body painted in a retro shade of lacquer.

That's appropriate, considering its target market: scenic, traditional towns and cities. It's like a little city runabout you'd see in an early Bond movie. It even has bamboo floors and those awesome fan doors.

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Rumors: Next Infiniti M and G May Share Platform with Mercedes E-Class

There has been a lot of talk lately about the recently inked strategic cooperation between Daimler AG and the Renault-Nissan Alliance. And we're not referring to the official agreements on the development of a new rear-wheel drive platform for small cars and the swapping of diesel and petrol engines between the two groups.

Leaving aside recent rumors of a small Infiniti CUV based on the next generation of Mercedes' A / B Class, Japan's Best Car magazine is now reporting in its latest issue that the Infiniti M and G replacements (Nissan Fuga and Skyline in Japan) will share a common architecture with the Mercedes E-Class.

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Japan's 3D Design Kits-Up the BMW Z4 Roadster

Japanese tuner 3D Design has come out with some new aero bits for owners of the E89 Z4 (that's the latest one with the retractable hard top).On the show car here you'll see the new urethane front lip and trunk spoilers and a diffuser made out of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).

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Toyota to Decrease Japanese Production Capacity 20% by 2015

Toyota is planning to cut Japanese production over the next five years by approximately 700,000 units (from 3.9 to 3.2 million) or close to 20% and move it into countries that would provide significantly cheaper labor, according to a report from Bloomberg.

The Japanese automaker will begin by closing down a production line at its Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Japan, where it is based, from the current fiscal quarter through the second half of calendar year 2011. The report says that this move will trim down the firm's domestic output by approximately 220,000 vehicles."

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Mazda Introduces 4WD GS4 Model to JDM Carol Range

Mazda is enhancing its Carol range of micro-minis in Japan with a new four-wheel drive model called the GS4. The new version of the Carol, which is more or less a JDM Suzuki Alto with Mazda's badges and five-point lower grille, is powered by a tiny 660cc three-cylinder engine matted to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

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Rumor of the Day: Toyota Planning Baby FT-86 RWD Coupe

We'll take this one with a grain of salt, but let's take it nonetheless. The folks over at Road & Track are claiming that Toyota is working on a new rear-wheel drive sports coupe that will be less pricey but smaller in size and with a much less powerful engine compared to the production version of the forthcoming FT-86 RWD coupe.

Question 1: Why? According to the report, the mounting development costs of the FT-86 are pushing the sports car's market price over instead of under $20,000 that Toyota originally aimed at, so the Japanese automaker decided to create a second small RWD coupe priced about $5,000 less.

Question 2: The magazine's source? Unknown, with the author of the article stating the vaguer-than-vague "we hear Toyota is also working on milder sports car" - whatever that means...

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Japan's 213 Motoring Builds the Ultimate Six Hummer H2

For those still living in 2005, 213 Motoring (Japanese tuner Calwing's US division) has got just what you need to get to the prom in style: a supremely decked-out 6-wheeled H2.

The metropolitan tank gets a huge dose of Extenze to fit that extra axle (and super-size the interior), a body kit, a new exhaust system and a dozen extra lights on its nose.

Inside is just what people have come to expect from limousines: leather, plush carpeting, big TV screens, and liquor. Just what you need to get the party started.

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Japanese Mag Speculates on Hardcore Toyota FT-86 "F" Variant

Another edition of Best Car, another rendered speculation. In its latest edition, the Japanese magazine features a story on a more hardcore version of Toyota's forthcoming rear-wheel drive sports coupe which it names the "FT-86F".

Being that the article was written in Japanese, details are limited, but we assume that the magazine suggests the "F" version would fit between the standard FT-86 and the track-ready "G" model that was previewed in concept form at this year's Tokyo Auto Salon in January.

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Honda to Terminate Civic Type R Sedan

It's the end of the road for Honda's Civic Type R sedan as the Japanese automaker announced it will discontinue production of the car at the end of August, 2010. However, Honda will make amends to fans by continuing to import the three-door Civic Type R Euro hatchback into Japan.

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Honda to Release Refreshed 2011MY Civic Type R Euro in Japan this Fall

Seeing that the limited edition 2009 Civic Type R Euro hot hatch has been well received in Japan, exceeding sales of 1,850 units since its release in November of last year, Honda has decided to offer its domestic buyers a second run of its hot hatch.

The Japanese automaker said that it will soon reveal a 2010 model year version of the Civic Type R Euro with an "updated exterior design", without getting into any specific details.

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Fiat 500 Convertible Receives the Diesel Styling Treatment

Following in the footsteps of the 500 with the tin roof, Fiat has applied the "Diesel" treatment on the convertible version of its succesful mini. And by "Diesel" we're not referring to the firm's Multijet engine but to the famous clothing and lifestyle brand that has helped design this limited edition model.

Just like the 500 by Diesel saloon of which nearly 6,500 units have been sold, the special edition 500C is distinguished by unique cosmetic features inside and out.

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