Super Car Battle: 2012 Lexus LFA vs 2010 Nissan GT-R

 

Priced from $400,000, the Lexus LFA and powered by a massive V10, the Lexus LFA is a bona fide super car in every way. But can it take on the $87,000 Nissan GT-R?

Motor Trend magazine was determined to find out. Both cars were pitted against each other in an all-out drag race to see which one came out on top, and the results were surprising.

The GT-R’s 485-hp twin-turbo V6 and all-wheel drive traction helped it take the lead early. However, the LFA’s  552-hp V-10 proved to be too much for the Nissan at the end of the strip.

Interestingly, despite the different in power and price, a Hartford Nissan dealer points out that the end result was surprisingly close. So, the real question is: is the LFA really worth the price?

See the race for yourself on YouTube.

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Toyota Gets Illuminated at Wrigley Field

Just a day after the Chicago City Council approved a controversial Toyota sign for historic Wrigley Field, no time was wasted in installing it.

The large and illuminated Toyota sign is located behind the left-fielder bleachers at Wrigley Field. Its 360-square-foot dimensions caused quite a stir among the stadium’s nearby residents, but ultimately it’s only natural that with the economy thawing, more sporting venues are looking for big name advertisers like Toyota.

Customers shopping at Toyota of Woburn in Boston, a city where residents are not strangers to iconic baseball stadiums, don’t see the sign as being a detriment to the stadium or the local area, but do believe that the sign is part of the automaker’s post-recall-a-thon branding campaign.

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Honda CR-Z Debuts For Gamers

This month, the E3 conference will commence in Los Angeles. As the conference centered on technology, especially gaming, it makes sense that Honda chose the event to show off its latest creation.

The Honda CR-Z is part fuel-sipping hybrid and part sports car. As a perfect balance of fun and frugality, the CR-Z should continue the brand’s reputation for providing cheap speed. Even now, without a bona fide sports car in the lineup, Fredericksburg used Honda Accord dealerships see customers that are eager to transform their Hondas with the help of tuners. But with the CR-Z, enthusiasts can have it all.

Catch the CR-Z’s debut at the E3 expo, which runs from June 15 to June 17. Or, Catch the latest Honda debuts right here on this blog.

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Nissan Launches NV Commercial Vehicle

While import brands have competitive commercial vehicle products abroad, few have been able to compete against domestic brands here in North America – until now. With the introduction of the all-new NV commercial van, Nissan is hoping to take on the likes of Ford, GM, and Chrysler, on their own territory.

With its unique design and highly usable features, Nissan NV Commercial Vehicles Seattle see the commercial van as a very unique and attractive option for business owners looking for maximum flexibility. From construction companies to delivery businesses, the NV

Power is supplied by a choice of a a 4-liter V-6 or a 5.6-liter V-8. If that wasn’t impressive enough, the NV also can handle more than twice the payload of Ford’s new Transit Connect.

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Toyota Recalls Lexus GX 460

It seems that Toyota just can’t get out of trouble these days. The latest speed bump, following a string of issues stemming from unintended acceleration, deals with the Lexus GX 460.

All-new for 2010, the Lexus GX 460 was recent tested by consumer reports and was cited for being at risk for rolling over. Toyota was quick to respond in light of recent troubles, and recalled the GX

“Toyota seems to be trying hard to stop the trouble from spreading,” said Yoshihiro Okumura at Chiba-gin Asset Management Co. in Tokyo. “The volume of the recall isn’t so big this time, so the impact on profits appears limited.”

Toyota’s network of dealers have faced tough challenges in light of recent publicity, but most are not too concerned about this latest issues. A Toyota dealer Garden City for example realizes while the safety rick could be dangerous, the GX is still a low volume vehicle and won’t have the same weight as the recent recalls facing the Camry or Prius.

Although Toyota’s troubles aren’t over, they remain committed to quality and safety, and that should go a long with buyers that can see past the hype.

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Toyota and NHTSA Spar Over Floor Mats

Toyota and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration seem to be getting along once again. Accidents stemming from Toyota floor mats sparked an investigation from the NHTSA, but the automaker stressed that a defective product was not the cause of the accidents in question.

Toyota and the NHTSA had previously warned drivers about floor mats that could potentially cause the accelerator pedal to stick. But when Toyota issued a letter to owners stressing that the issue was not related to defects and was merely about floor mat compatibility, the NHTSA felt that Toyota had been a bit misleading in their warnings. Concord NH Toyota dealers had always stressed that drivers should check that their vehicles floor mats were the proper size and designed for their specific model to ensure safety and functionality.

As an interim measure, the NHTSA issued a recommendation to owners stating they should remove the floor mats from their vehicles completely until Toyota delivers a more appropriate solution. Rather than escalating the issue, Arlington Car Loans says Toyota did acknowledge that removing the floor mats completely was indeed a reasonable position. Toyota also agreed that a recall is in the works to ensure each vehicle has the correct floor mats with the appropriate fit.

The floor mat controversy was originally sparked by an accident in Southern California that resulted in the death of four people. According to San Diego Used Cars, the vehicles identified for necessary inspection and/or replacement include the 2007-2010 Camry, 2005-2010 Avalon, 2004-2009 Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, and 2007-2010 Tundra.

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Mazda 2 Officially Heading to the U.S.

Despite automakers’ reluctance to bring subcompacts to the U.S. in recent years, consumers are now demanding cars that are fun to drive, affordable, and fuel efficient. Already Toyota has expanded its Yaris range and plans more subcompact models in the near future. Nissan introduced the Versa and recently launched the Cube which has witness high demand at Nissan Service Auburn. Even Ford now has the European Fiesta finally making its way to the U.S. next year.

One of the latest entries to this burgeoning segment is Mazda. By late next year, the Japanese automaker is planning to bring the Mazda 2 to the U.S.

Already on sale in Japan under another name, Used Mazda Houston says the Mazda 2 will be on sale in the U.S. and Canada and will compete directly with the aforementioned range of small cars. Based on the same platform that underpins the Ford Fiesta, the Mazda 2 should demonstrate similar driving characteristics as the Ford, and it will also feature similar body styles.

With the rapidly changing tastes of American consumers, Boonville MO Auto Repair suggests that Mazda and other automakers are realizing that there is room in their U.S. lineups for their even their smallest and least expensive vehicles. Don’t expect this trend to disappear anytime soon.

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