[Gizmodo] Does one reach for a camera or a can of RAID when the Lexus Nuaero concept pulls into the driveway? Sure Jon Rådbrink’s design looks incredibly cool, fast and futuristic; but then again I’ve also spent the last few minutes looking over my shoulder to see if Sigourney Weaver was about to burst from the wall in a load lifter to do battle with it in my office. As it turns out, there’s a lot more to this design than just looks, and Rådbrink believes the car’s “low weight and large presence” will be the way premium cars could be manufactured in the future. Oh, and it’s loaded with tech, too. [See more→]

Infiniti released a side profile shot of the car today as part of its Pebble Beach Concours festivities. The retractable hardtop four-seater maintains the original Coupe’s sleek lines but packs a three-piece top that folds neatly into the trunk. While there’s only one photo - for now- I’ve got to say it looks nice. Some people have said it looks like the bastard child of the Lexus SC430 and Pontiac G6, and I agree. They rear bulges are very GR-esque. But ofcourse, I’ll reserve my final judgement until there are more photos. I just hope Infiniti made the front and rear distinctive enough to differentiate the converitble from the coupe.

The car, which gets power from a 3.7L V6 that pumps out 320 HP, is inevitably going to be compared to the throne of convertibles, BMW’s 335i. So lucrative is the convertible business that even Lexus is planning to launch a drop top version of their IS Sedan. The Infiniti G37 Convertible is set to formally debut in sunny Los Angeles in November.

Related:

1. Infiniti G37 Convertible is confirmed, coming to LA
2. Tweaked Infiniti G37 comes to Europe
3. Not for North America - Nissan Skyline

SuperTrooper169 at AcuraZine has caught a mildly disguised Nissan 370Z. The two photos give us a clearer look as to what the new Z will look like once it debuts in Los Angeles this coming November.

The first of the two shots show a seemingly shorter car and might confirm the widely reported rumor that the 2010 370Z will be shortened by four inches. The same rumors also predicted the next generation will ride on a slightly widened track but it’s unclear in the photos if that’s true.

The new car gets a significantly smaller rear window that has been reworked to slope down steeply like the Porsche Cayman. The rear incorporates a smaller trunk lid with an integrated spoiler and LED tail laps to the side. Down below, the fenders bulges are wider than the outgoing model.

Up front is more obscure with the camouflage hiding much in terms of details. What is identifiable is the new redesigned front fascia and tweaked hood with two promiment accent lines stretching from the bumper right up to the windshield.

The design is nothing radical but the evolution is bound to include some design cues from the new Maxima and GT-R. [See more→]

[AutoBlog.com] It’s no secret that running a motorsports team is a lot of work, but probably most of us don’t know how much time and effort it really takes. Just building the race cars can take hundreds of man hours, as evidenced by this stop-motion video created by the U.S. Subaru rally team. Starting with a stock 2008 WRX STI, the team strips the car down to its frame by removing the engine, drivetrain, interior and even the windshield. The complete transformation takes an amazing 800 hours of labor. Knowing that makes us cringe even more when we see one roll end over end. The video follows below. [See more→]

The kids over at My.IS have gotten their hands on a set of scans from a Japanese brochure for the facelifted 2009 Lexus IS. With the current IS style reaching the important four-year mark, the mid-life cycle restyle seems to be just in time.

The changes are subtle and took me a while to spot, but they’re there. For one, the grille has been tweaked. The new IS also gets a set of customary rims, more colors and revised stability control. More important is that Lexus has apparently trademarked the names IS250C, IS300C and IS350C. Yeah you guessed it… that C stands for convertible. There are also rumors of Lexus reintroducing a station wagon to the IS mix. More photos follow below. [See more→]

[Jalopnik] It appears that Toyota of Malaysia doesn’t understand the Internet, as they’ve gone ahead and posted an image and specs of the new face-lift of the 2009 Toyota Hilux ahead of the official unveiling. It would also appear that unlike the United States, Asia is a viable market for simple, lightweight, utilitarian trucks.

While it might not be obviously different, Toyota’s entire IMV range has been facelifted and the cars are already roaming the streats. Popular around Asia, disguised Innovas, Fortuners and Hiluxes have been spotted plowing as far away as Indonesia and Pakistan. The new model gets new wing mirrors with signal indicators, a new front bumper, a new front grille and new alloy wheels. According to Toyota of Malaysia’s website, there is no change in the power output level of the 2.5 liter D4-D engine. It remains at 102 PS at 3,600rpm and 260Nm of torque between 1,600rpm to 2,400rpm.

The Mitsubishi Colt has been spotted during a promotional shoot in Berlin, Germany with a nippy new front end. The changes up front mean the Colt shares the styling of the new Lancer Sedan and Sportback. Around back, the Colt gets a restyled bumper with shaded tail lamps.

The Mitsubishi Colt might not be available in big old North America anymore, but the subcompact competes in Europe with the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Fiat Grande Punto, and Toyota Yaris among others. The car is rumored to make its global debut at the Paris Motor show in October with sales set to begin shortly after. [See more→]

The A-Star which we first saw at the last New Delhi auto show has changed a bit in its final production form. As the next generation Suzuki Alto, Suzuki’s widely acclaimed “world car” has lost the sharp lines and dramatic proportions that drew global recognition toward’s India’s significance in Suzuki’s long-term growth.

The car’s design might have changed, but Suzuki’s ambitions have not. Suzuki is moving forward with the Indian-built Alto with a world debut in Paris this October. The car’s initial production at Maruti Suzuki India’s Manesar plant is due to start in October of 2008 with full-scale production for the European market up and running by December of the same year. Exporting the car to Europe though has meant Suzuki has had to pack the new Alto with safety and environmental features unheard of in the South Asian sub-continent. The new Alto gets a new Euro 5 compliance and a light 1.0-litre aluminum petrol engine with CO2 emissions lower than 109g/km. [See more→]