The Lexus LF-Ch Compact Hybrid is an odd little car. Or, to be more exact, it’s odd that Toyota would badge a car like this as a Lexus. The hybrid part makes sense, but making a small hatchback as a Lexus, even if Toyota is calling it a “Premium Compact”, seems to run counter to what Lexus has been marketed as up to this point. The fact that Toyota will be showing the Lexus LF-Ch Compact Hybrid at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show this coming December points out that the company is pretty seriously considering offering the car in North America.

A Lexus LF-Ch Premium Compact Hybrid … will Americans go for that?

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VW showed their L1 Concept at Frankfurt this year. It’s an updating of a similar design from a few years back. Essentially it’s a 1+1 diesel powered city car-esque design study that will get the greenies all up in a fine lather but will be sort of threatening to old school car guys.

I’m not sure why that is though. There’s long been this perception that gearheads must fight tooth and nail against cars like the Smart or the Prius or, for that matter, the L1 Concept. Because if we don’t, then somehow the big bad evil government will force us to only drive in Smarts with 29 MPH speed limiters while eating tofu and listening to Enya.

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Being the 50th Anniversary of MINI means they’re unveiling two new concept cars on the public at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Dubbed the “Oxford Twins,” the Coupe and Roadster Concept cars made an impression at the show today.

I’ll be honest with you…the press release MINI sent out today regarding these cars was 58 pages long; I’m not joking. I’m not going to read the whole thing like I do most of these releases, but I have the important stuff regarding the Coupe and Roadster… Continue Reading…

Mazda is celebrating its 20th anniversary of the first MX-5 Miata roadster by creating yet another special edition. Unlike the production 20th Anniversary Edition, this MX-5 Superlight Edition will not be produced, but was created as a show car to demonstrate “how individual mobility can be maintained in a way that uses fewer natural resources,” according to Mazda.

The MX-5 Superlight Edition was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show today and shows off the possibilities and character of the MX-5 by coming in at under 1000 kg (2,204 lbs.) This is helped, of course, by the lack of a top, windshield, or windshield frame. The completely open top allows for other show-off attributes such as no door handles or side windows. Continue Reading…

Hey, it looks like MINI is actually going through with this whole “coupe” version of its MINI Copper hatchback – or at least they’re rolling out a concept of the neat looking little guy at the Frankfurt show this September. Good timing too, since this is MINI’s (although, that would be the not all caps, old school Mini’s) 50th anniversary today, August 26th.

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The Citroen GT Supercar Concept was designed by Polyphony Digital - creators of the Gran Turismo video game series, for the latest iteration of the game, GT5. Apparently the concept was popular, because they made a real version of it, and below is a video of the supercar driving around London.

Autocar got word from Citroen insiders that they will be doing a limited run of the GT Concept with only six to be produced. Expect to pay north of $1.8 million for this ultra-rare car, which would make it one of the most expensive production cars in the world. Continue Reading…