TRD Spices up New Toyota Aqua / Prius C Hybrid with Sport Package in Japan

Toyota is losing no time in pushing out its aftermarket proposals for the all-new Aqua hybrid that will be marketed as the Prius C in markets outside of Japan and which will make its North American debut at the forthcoming Detroit Motor Show in January.

On the same day that the regular Aqua went on sale in its home market, Toyota's TRD racing and performance division announced a slew of tuning upgrades for the sub-compact hatchback.

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Auto Avio Costruzioni Tunes Second Alfa 159, Battle with Ferrari Continues

If you are a frequent Carscoop reader, you may recall a story that we wrote in October about Laurent Muller, the man who bought the rights to the Auto Avio Costruzioni trademark in 2004.

Muller’s original goal was to build a supercar based on the Ferrari 430, but with a V12 engine instead of the production version’s eight-cylinder unit.

However, as soon as he announced his plans in 2008, Ferrari filed a lawsuit against him claiming that it still owned the rights to the Auto Avio Costruzioni name, as it was used by Enzo Ferrari for a short period after leaving Alfa Romeo and before founding the car company that carries his name.

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ASMA Design Does its Aero Thing on the New Porsche Cayenne Turbo

It has been a while since we last heard from ASMA Design, a German tuning house known for its excessive styling creations such as the…unforgettable Phantasma CL Chrome and Shark II CLS.

For its latest tuning job, ASMA Design chose the second generation of the Porsche Cayenne in Turbo trim. Named "The Giant", the styling package turns Stuttgart's SUV into something that would fit right in a Fast & Furious movie.

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Schmidt Revolution Upgrades VW Golf GTI MkV to 275-Horses

The fifth generation of the Volkswagen Golf GTI gave its place to a newer model in 2009, but the tuning industry still has a lot of love left for the car that rejuvenated the series after the mediocre Mk3 and Mk4 GTI's.

This tune comes courtesy of Germany's Schmidt Revolution, which has readied a package comprising of both performance and some cosmetic upgrades.

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It’s all About the Air: MR Car Design's Low Riding Volkswagen Caddy Maxi

Last year, Volkswagen presented a mild facelift for its compact-size Caddy series that includes a commercial variant and a passenger model, both of which are offered with a regular and a long wheelbase.

German tuning firm MR Car Design has introduced a new package for the LWB passenger variant, the highlight of which is an air suspension system for both the front and rear axles.

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Santa, Your Ride has Arrived: Hennessey's 2013 HPE800 Twin Turbo Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

With a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine pushing 465-horses 465 lb-ft (630 Nm) of torque for 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint time of 4.8 seconds and a quarter mile time in the mid-13 second range, the regular 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is one of the fastest production SUVs around.

But for Hennessey Performance Engineering [HPE], that's not enough. The Texas based tuner, known for its outrageously powerful tunes, has done it again with the introduction of the 2013 HPE800 Twin Turbo Jeep Grand Cherokee.

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Nissan Heads to 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon with 10 Models Including Skyline 55th Limited Edition

The 2012 edition of Japan's largest annual aftermarket event, the Tokyo Auto Salon, will see Nissan in cooperation with its in-house tuners Autech Japan and NISMO presenting 10 models, most of which we've already seen in previous shows such as the Juke NISMO Concept that was displayed at the Tokyo Motor Show earlier this month.

Nissan will showcase two models, the GT-R Pure Edition equipped with the right-hand drive only Track Pack and the JDM Skyline (sold in the rest if the world as the Infiniti G37) 55th Limited Edition, which commemorates the series' 55th anniversary and features bespoke aeroparts and a sportier chassis setup.

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Mazda to Launch Customized Versions of CX-5, Mazda3, RX-8, MX-5 et al at Tokyo Auto Salon

It may not have the same international flavor as the Tokyo Motor Show, but the Tokyo Auto Salon, which will take place in Chiba, Japan, from January 13 to 15, is nevertheless an event that will draw the attention of all Japanese car manufacturers.

Mazda was the first to announce its line-up for the auto salon, led by the new CX-5 that will be launched in Japan next spring. The new compact-size crossover will be shown in two versions: the standard model, and a customized special edition sporting red bodywork color, matte-black alloy wheels and a slightly lower ride height.

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Hulk Smash and Bash: 2012 BMW 5-Series M Sport Goes Chrome Green

Vinyl wraps can be had in all sorts of colors and designs, but while the majority of drivers usually select normal colors in metallic or matte shades, some owners gravitate towards extreme solutions.

And what could be more extreme than a chrome green wrap around a 2012 BMW M5 5-Series F10 sports saloon?

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Santa's Candy Cane Toyota Camry Packs 900-Candlepower, it Could be Yours for $1.7 Million…

It sounds and looks like an April Fool's Day joke, but the Candy Cane car is real and it's up for grabs on eBay.

But there's a small problem with this odd creation that's based on a 1991 Toyota Camry LE. It has a 'Buy it Now' price of...US$1.7 million or about €1.3 million if you live on the other side of the pond and it tickles your fancy instead of let's say, a Lamborghini Gallardo, a Ferrari FF, a Porsche Cayenne Turbo, a Rolls Royce Phantom and then some for a condo.

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1969 Dodge Charger V/C: Are You Happy to See me or is that a Viper Under Your Hood?

We've seen the Viper's 10-cylinder engine slithering out of its old skin and sliding under the bonnet of many different cars ranging from a Chrysler PT Cruiser and a 300 sedan, to a Dodge Challenger and a Saab 9-3 Sport Combi, but what could be more fitting than seeing it in a classic muscle car like the 1969 Dodge Charger?

This bad boy was found for sale on eBay with the seller claiming to have modified or replaced just about everything on the original 1969 Charger, from the upper and lower control arms and the independent rear suspension to the rack and pinion steering system, all of which are said to have been sourced from the Viper.

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Share the Love: Robert Himler to Fly five People to Florida to Ride Twin-Turbocharged Lamborghini

Does the name Robert Himler ring a bell? Perhaps not, but there's a very good chance that you've seen the video of his mother freaking out while taking a ride in his flame-throwing, 1,250 wheel-horsepower, twin-turbocharged Lamborghini Gallardo.

The four-and-a-half minute-long video clip has garnered more than 2.7 million views since it was uploaded on Youtube on August 6.

The young entrepreneur from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who has a bachelor's degree in Web Design & Development, has now come up with a new idea to bring some attention to his online projects including his YouTube channel and Razzi photo sharing website.

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Startech Adds Style but no Speed to the 2012 Jaguar XJ Limo

Brabus' sister company Startech has decided to polish up the 2012 Jaguar XJ's looks with a subtle styling makeover through its individualization program.

The German firm's product lineup includes an aero package comprising of a front apron that incorporates LED daytime running lights into the side air inlets, small rocker panels in front of the rear wheels, new trims for the front fender air vents, a discreet boot lid spoiler and a rear diffuser that packs Startech's stainless-steel trapezoid tailpipes.

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Geneva Motor Show: Techart Turns its Tuning Focus on the New 2012 Porsche 911

Even with only a couple of months under its belt, the tuning industry has already warmed up to the new 991-series 2012 Porsche 911, with the most recent round of enhancements coming from Techart. The renowned German tuning house has presented some subtle styling bits for both the 911 Carrera and Carrera S.
These include a new set of forged light alloy wheels in sizes of 20- or 21-in. that are said to offer a weight advantage of up to 15 percent compared to the factory rims, new sport tailpipes made of polished stainless steel with either oval or round tips, and a host of exterior trim parts in carbon fiber or any custom color.
For the cabin, Techart's current offerings include a new three-spoke steering wheel and bespoke paddle shifters, plus a variety of trims, a full leather interior with decorative stitching or a diamond design, and interior accents in leather or alcantara.
The full program, which may include performance upgrades, will be presented at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March.

PHOTO GALLERY

Techart Turns its Tuning Focus on the New 2012 Porsche 911

Even with only a couple of months under its belt, the tuning industry has already warmed up to the new 991-series 2012 Porsche 911, with the most recent round of enhancements coming from Techart.

The renowned German tuning house has presented some subtle styling bits for both the 911 Carrera and Carrera S.

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Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Supercharged to 680-Horses, Courtesy of VÄTH

Do you need a little bit more oomph for your Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe? Vath promises to address your needs with its new Väth V63 tuning kit that brings a host of engine, chassis, exterior and interior upgrades.

But before you read on, you might want to know that the package - not including the car itself - is priced at €64,308 or about US$83,600.

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Tron's Legacy: Lamborghini Murcielago Receives an Overdose of LEDs

So, you want to see some more exotic supercars adorned in a parade of LED lights do you? Well, here you go. This Lamborghini Murcielago was evidently inspired from the movie Tron with the owner placing as many LEDs as possible, from the windshield surround to the doors, and from the engine vents behind the passenger compartment to under the rear diffuser.

You can take a look at the Troncielago for yourself in the video that follows below.

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A Chinese Man Builds an Eco-Friendly Hummer from Scratch for $630

Chinese regulators may have had little affection for the Hummer brand when they shunned the deal between General Motors and Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co., Ltd. in early 2010, but there's at least one man in the world's most populous country that has a lot love left for the maker of the H1.

His name is Qu Zhibo and he is from the city of Zhigong in China's Hainan province. For three years, Zhibo worked on a special project to develop the most eco-friendly Hummer you will ever lay eyes upon.

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Anderson Germany Unleashes the Audi A8 Venom Edition

Even though the A8 is not as popular as the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class in the German tuning scene, Audi's offering in the luxury limousine sector definitely has its fans.

The latest creation to hit the streets is named the Audi A8 Venom Edition and it comes courtesy of Anderson Germany.

The first thing you'll notice about the car is the eye-catching satin gunmetal gray with the front grill, all emblems, plus the door handles and window surrounds finished in gloss black. The dark theme continues with the tinted windows and smoked lights.

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New Scion FR-S Filmed Drifting on the Track and at the Cars & Coffee Meet in California

A lot of people are eager to get some time behind the steering wheel of one of the triples that was born from the joint venture between Toyota and Subaru, but in the meantime, the Scion FR-S is making several appearances on the track as well as on the streets.

We stumbled upon two new videos featuring the Scion-badged version of the Toyota 86, the most interesting of which shows the rear-wheel drive coupe drifting on the track.

The second clip is from a recent presentation of the FR-S at a Cars and Coffee meeting in Irvine, California. What's special about this FR-S is that it is equipped with a Greddy sports exhaust system. You can check both videos for yourself right after the break.

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