Lexus LS 460 SZ: Sporty Variant said to Debut at Tokyo Show this Fall

News just in from Japan: in its July issue, Best Car magazine is reporting that Lexus will reveal a sportier variant of its LS 460 luxury sedan at the Tokyo Motor Show in October. The magazine claims that the car will carry the SZ moniker and that it will feature a subtle aerokit that includes a new grille treatment plus uprated Brembo brakes and BBS alloy wheels shod in chunkier tires. The LS 460 SZ is estimated to cost in Japan between 9 and 10 million Yen or around to $100,000 US.

There's no mention of any upgrades under the hood so it is possible that the SZ may simply be a special Japanese-market model / trim-level. But as is the case with these kind of rumor-reports, we'll just have to wait for Lexus to come out with something official before we make any definite conclusions.

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The Sweeter Side of the Tokyo Auto Salon 2011

Almost every show has them and the Tokyo Auto Salon is no exception. We're talking of course about the booth professionals. We'll be bringing you more spicy pictures from the floors of the Tokyo tuning show later on, but for now, here's a taste of some the lovely ladies that smiled at Phil our camera.

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2011 Nissan GT-R Receives Mechanical and Equipment Upgrades [Mega Gallery with 110 High-Res Photos]

2011 Nissan GT-R Receives Mechanical and Equipment Upgrades [Mega Gallery with 110 High-Res Photos]

We know it sounds bizarre as the GT-R was only launched in late 2007, and in spite of the fact that the sports coupe received several model year upgrades including engine and suspension revisions in December 2008, Nissan has yet again announced the release of a 'facelift' model that will go on sale in Japan on December 7 and the rest of the world in spring of 2010.

For the 2011 model year, the updated GT-R receives a number of enhancements, including a revised navigation system, recalibrated suspension settings and an improved-flow catalyst system.

More specifically, equipment improvements comprise of a new HDD-based CARWINGS navigation system with enhanced entertainment functions and USB port with iPod connectivity.

According to Nissan, the 2011MY GT-R's suspension has been retuned to offer "enhanced, premium quality ride comfort, while still providing the driver with a feeling of direct contact with the road surface".

Suspension changes include the increased accuracy of the front shock absorbers and springs and the strengthening of the stiffness of the rear suspension radius rod bushings has been strengthened.

In addition, Nissan said that the rear diffusers with cooling ducts that improve cooling performance around the rear floor area which were previously available only on the more hardcore GT-R SpecV, are now offered on the base model.

As for the GT-R SpecV, the 2011 model year brings revised rear shock absorber settings, with Nissan claiming that they enhance "the characteristic combination of supple ride comfort and flat, predictable handling".

Furthermore, the 2011 GT-R SpecV now ride on Dunlop tires while the previously standard Bridgestone tires are available as a factory-installed option.

Finally, both the Nissan GT-R and GT-R SpecV get new hexagonal meshed catalyst cells that are said to reduce ventilation/airflow resistance resulting in improved low- and mid-range response of the 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine.

2011 Nissan GT-R





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2011 Nissan GT-R SpecV

READ MORE - 2011 Nissan GT-R Receives Mechanical and Equipment Upgrades [Mega Gallery with 110 High-Res Photos]