This morning the doors of the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show opened to give the gathered journalists a preview of the event's releases before it officially kicks off on Thursday. Certainly taking centre stage is the compact sports car jointly developed by Toyota and Subaru. Earlier this week, we could already provide a first look at the former's GT 86 and now it is time to introduce the Subaru BRZ. Mechanically the two rear-wheel drive coupes are identical but different styling cues make it easy to distinguish the two. That means that the 'base' BRZ also uses the 197 bhp engine but a recent concept shown in Los Angeles does suggest a more powerful version is imminent. Alongside the production car, Subaru also showed the competition version intended to race in the GT300 class of the 2012 SuperGT series. Another highlight of Subaru's vast display was the Impreza WRX STI 'S206'. Introduced at the same time as a revised Impreza, this limited production model represent a glorious farewell for the current generation.
Star of the Honda stand is the rather striking EV-STER Concept. In addition to its appealing lines, it also boasts an interesting an-electric drivetrain. It could form the inspiration for the next generation of the small CR-Z sports car. Even wilder is the Toyota Fun-Vii Concept, which itself can serve as a video screen. The sophisticated machine uses augmented reality to blend the navigation system in to the interior.
Volkswagen used the Tokyo Motor Show to preview a potential new production model with the Cross Coupe Concept and Nissan announced a stronger Nismo presence in the future line-up with the Nismo Juke Concept.

On Saturday the massive Messe Essen exhibition centre opened its doors for the 2011 Essen Motor Show. We dropped by a day earlier for our annual quest for highlights amidst the seemingly endless booths with aftermarket parts. As has become the norm in recent years, the German tuners provided all the news. Racing was the show's original focus and this year both the history and future of motor sport took centre stage with celebrations of the 100th anniversaries of the Monte Carlo Rally and Indy 500, and a first glimpse at the all new 2012-spec DTM racers. The result of our efforts is a concise report, illustrated by a 110-shot gallery with all the weird and wonderful on display in Essen.
Among the new releases were two Porsche based machines from 9ff and Techart respectively. The former revealed the GT9-CS; the third evolution of the company's top-of-the-range model. Short for 'Club Sport', the CS was built to specific order and is aimed at track-day use. The mid-engined, machine is equipped with the 'Stage 1' version of the four-litre flat six. Interested customers can order the GT9-CS from 375,000 EUR. Techart displayed three cars, including the GTStreet R, which is based on the Turbo S variant of the outgoing 911 model. The German tuner's engineers have tweaked the engine to produce a hefty 700 hp and 880 Nm of torque. To handle the additional power, the car is equipped with a far from subtle bodykit that includes a splitter, 'dive-planes' and a large rear wing. Many of the bespoke Techart parts for the GTStreet R are made from carbon fibre.

After a seemingly endless number of concept and show cars, Toyota have finally released the full details of the upcoming GT 86 sports car. The all-new 2+2 Coupe was developed in conjunction with Subaru and as a result features a flat-four. Displacing just under 2 litres, the naturally aspirated, direct injected boxer engine produces 197 bhp. All this power is fed to the rear wheels through either a manual or automatic six speed gearbox. Thanks to the flat engine, the GT 86 has the lowest centre of gravity of the entire Toyota range. The new sports car's body is tightly draped over the compact chassis, resulting in a very curvaceous design that includes Toyota's new shared 'language' that includes a larger, lower grille.
Following its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show on November 30th, the Toyota GT 86 will be available in the Summer of next year. In the Japanese capital, Subaru will also release their own version, known as the BRZ. The Subaru range will also include a 300+ bhp STi version, which was shown in concept form in Los Angeles earlier this month.

Aiming for a larger share of the very lucrative market, Sunbeam launched the 'Tiger' sports car at the 1964 New York Motor Show. Effectively a V8-engined version of the existing 'Alpine', it was developed by Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles just like the somewhat similar Cobra had been a few years earlier. As part of the marketing strategy an ambitious competition program was also started with the aim of fielding two cars in that year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. Hired to turn the Tiger into a racing car was Brian Lister, who was best known for the Jaguar and Chevrolet powered sports racers of the late 1950s. The result of his labour was the Tiger Lister Le Mans Coupe, which featured a Ron Wisdom designed fixed-head body. The prototype was ready in time for the Le Mans trials and come race day, Sunbeam could field two 'production' cars. Unfortunately the lack of development resulted in two early mechanical failures. Strong sales figures of the road-going Tiger brought a premature end to the costly program and the cars were not raced again. Amazingly all three do still exist today and this year we were treated to two examples (the prototype and one of the Le Mans cars) being driven in anger. These very rare and probably the most sought after of all Tigers can be seen in great detail in our 18-shot gallery.
This week, Mercedes-Benz released the first glimpses and technical details of the next generation SL due to be revealed in full next month. Sporting an aluminium chassis, the 'R231' is fully justified to wear the 'Sport Leicht (Light)' name. Thanks to the lighter chassis, a full 140 kg has been shaved off the weight compared to the current model. Another novelty is the 'Magic Vision Control' system that makes spraying the windscreen with wiper fluid an altogether more pleasurable and safer experience. For now all we have are shots of camouflaged test mules and of the aluminium chassis but as soon as more pictures and details are available we will expand the article.

This weekend Sergio Scaglietti passed away at the age of 91. The very talented Italian had been part of Ferrari's legacy since the early 1950s when his company, Carrozzeria Scaglietti, became the coachbuilder of choice for the manufacturer's competition cars. As a result many of the company's most legendary machines have Scaglietti's signature on it. Today we pay tribute to Sergio Scaglietti by taking a closer look at one of his lesser known Ferraris; the 857 Sport Scaglietti Spyder. This particular car was only very recently restored to its original configuration and made a spectacular 'debut' at the Goodwood Revival where James Cottingham dominated his race but had to retire with low oil pressure. It is the fourth and final 857 Sport built for Scuderia Ferrari in the summer of 1955. Power comes from a four cylinder engine that is so big that Scaglietti had to add 'blisters' on the engine cover to clear the cam-covers. The cars were only briefly raced by the works team as they were replaced by the 860 Monza early in 1956. Our feature car was sold directly to the United States and uniquely sports a fin on the headrest. It was raced by the likes of Carroll Shelby and Richie Ginther.
Porsche have released the first details of the drop-top version of the new, '991' generation of the 911. It features an advanced fabric roof that is constructed with a considerable amount of magnesium to reduce weight. With the roof up the profile is identical to that of the coupe version. As with the previously released coupe, the Cabriolet will be available as the 350 hp Carrera and the 400 hp Carrera S. The new 911 Cabriolet will be available in Porsche showrooms in March of 2012.

Since making its debut in 2009, the Audi R8 LMS has been one of the most successful machines in the highly competitive GT3 class. Competing all over the world, the mid-engined Audi has won 115 races and secured 12 championships. Introduced at the 2008 Essen Motor Show, the R8 LMS was the first product of the then newly launched Audi Sport customer racing program. Based on the yet-to-be-launched V10 variant of the R8, the LMS was subtly modified for its competition purposes. The biggest changes were the mandatory switch to rear wheel drive and the addition of a rear wing that had a profile almost identical to that of the Le Mans winning R10 TDI. Despite facing ever increasing competition, the R8 LMS remained very competitive. Audi have now announced an evolution, which inspired us to look back at our encounters with the V10-powered racer. The result is an action-packed 30-shot gallery to illustrate a brief history.
The aforementioned evolution is known as the R8 LMS Ultra in reference to Audi's current 'Ultra' marketing campaign. Ready to be delivered in March of 2012, the 'new' racer sports a more powerful version of the V10 and a revised aerodynamics package. Audi Sport have indicated that the updated aerodynamics should also become available for 2011-specification machines. The R8 LMS Ultra will go head to head with new machinery from the likes of Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and McLaren.
This week we have also, quietly, added several Maserati Bora variants to our database. In addition to the standard model, we have also included the Group 4 racer and the slightly larger engined Bora 4900.

For Lamborghini enthusiasts the Gallardo is a gift that keeps on giving. The latest addition to the seemingly endless line-up of versions is the Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder. Fortunately this is far from just another trim spec but it is the first drop-top version of the V10-engined sports car equipped with rear wheel drive only. The only other two-wheel drive (hence LP550-2) Gallardo was the limited edition Valentino Balboni model built to honour the long serving test driver by the same name. Like the coupe version, the new Spyder comes with a 550 hp variant of the V10. Another high performance convertible launched at the Los Angeles Auto Show is the Jaguar XKR-S. Capable of accelerating to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds, it shares the same five-litre supercharged V8 with its fixed-head counterpart that debuted at Geneva earlier in the year. Also released today in LA is the Porsche Panamera GTS. Mooted as a hardcore version of the German manufacturer's four-door sedan, it sports a more powerful version of the naturally aspirated V8 and a stiffened and lowered chassis. The GTS can be distinguished from the other Panamera variants by the larger air-intakes and the lettering on the tail.
At the Daytona Speedway, Corvette Racing launched an ambitious new Daytona Prototype program for 2012. In conjunction with long-time partners Pratt & Miller a bespoke Corvette DP racer has been developed. It is the first car built to the new-for-2012 regulations that are aimed to improve the visual appeal of the Daytona Prototypes. Using a narrower windshield compared to the existing racers and including cues from the road cars, the Corvette DP can certainly claim to be the best looking Dayonta Prototype yet. Scheduled to debut at the 50th edition of the Daytona 24 Hours in January 2012, the new 'Corvette' will be campaigned by four teams.

In response to the very well received and very quick Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Ford have today announced a revised version of the top-of-the-range Shelby Mustang GT500. Due to be released at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show, the latest Shelby Mustang boasts a styling tweak and most importantly an enlarged version of the supercharged V8. Now displacing 5.8 litre, the all-aluminium engine thumps out a hugely impressive 650 bhp thanks to a TVS supercharger that according to Ford "creates 2.3 litre of displacement." According to Ford, the Shelby's new engine is the most powerful V8 currently available. The car's chassis and suspension have also been modified to cope with the hefty, 100 bhp power hike. The new Shelby Mustang GT500 will be available next year as a 2013 model.
Also due to be unveiled in Los Angeles is the ML 63 AMG. Powered by a twin-turbocharged V8, this is the third generation of the popular Mercedes-Benz SUV that was originally introduced in the late 1990s. Of the two previous AMG variants close to 30,000 examples were sold. The latest ML AMG sports a 525 bhp engine that can be boosted to 557 bhp with the optional AMG Performance Package. All this power allows the big machine to accelerate to 100 km/h (60 mph) in well under 5 seconds. Like most AMG models, the new ML 63 AMG has a governed top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
Always take one step further than Mercedes-Benz's in-house 'tuners', Brabus launched the latest addition to their line-up at the Dubai International Motor Show. Simply dubbed the 800 Coupe, it combines the CL body style with a twin-turbo V12 that produces 800 hp (788 bhp). Brabus' modifications to the engine have resulted in so much torque that a limiter is required to lengthen the lifespan of the already very sturdy five-speed automatic gearbox. Brabus can deliver a brand new 800 Coupe directly or customers can have their CL 600s upgraded by the German 'enhancers'.

In the second half of the 1950s, Maserati switched from producing mainly racing cars to the much more lucrative road car market. Competition cars were still produced but only for customers as the works team had been disbanded after the disastrous end of the 1957 season. These customers included prominent privateers like Scuderia Serenissima, Camoradi and Briggs Cunningham. For 1961 they commissioned the construction of the Tipo 63 Birdcage; Maserati's first ever mid-engined racing cars. While it shared many components with the earlier, front-engined Birdcages, the new racer did not inherit the fine handling characteristics of the original space-framed Maseratis. While the first cars were fitted with four cylinder engines, a V12 was readied to power the mid-engined racers. This was completed in time for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the sole surviving example finished fourth, which to date is Maserati's best ever result in the legendary endurance race. Later in the year the cars were raced with some success in the United States but handling and reliability issues resulted in an early retirement for most of the seven cars built. Revised Tipo 64s and a sole V8-engined Tipo 65 followed but they also failed to impress. Although not particularly successful in period the Tipo 63 Birdcage V12 is one of the most spectacular Maserati racing cars ever constructed. Over the years we have been fortunate to capture three examples on 'film' and the resulting 24-shot gallery serves to illustrate a detailed article on these fine machines.
One of the Tipo 63s is part of the Panini Maserati Collection and on permanent display in the purpose-built museum on the grounds of the 'Hombre' farm just south of Modena. Established by Umberto Panini, the collection is based on the cars that were on display in the factory museum for many years. When former Maserati owner, Alejandro DeTomaso decided to sell the collection at auction, Umberto Panini stepped in and bought all 20 cars. Over the years several examples have been added to the collection, making the museum a must-visit for all Maserati aficionados. We visited the Panini Collection last year as can been seen in our concise report complete with 40-shot gallery.

Although the Tokyo Motor Show is still nearly a month away, most Japanese manufacturers have today released the first details of the exhibits scheduled to star in the Japanese capital. Honda, for example, plans to reveal no fewer than seven concepts (including bikes). Certainly the most interesting of this septet is the Small Sports EV Concept. Unfortunately, very little information has been released but the sketches of the open top sports car look very promising. Also on display will be the AC-X Concept, which is a preview of the next generation plug-in hybrid vehicle from Honda.
Nissan and Suzuki will both showcase very compact concept cars. The former will reveal the Pivo 3, which as the name suggests is the third in a line of concepts that was started back in 2005. Three is also a reference to the number of occupants that fit inside the very small machine. The driver's seat is mounted in the middle, with the two passenger seats mounted on either side. Suzuki's Q Concept looks very similar to the first two Pivo concepts. The car's round doors provide access to a cockpit that features two seats mounted in tandem.
Mitsubishi will display this PX-MiEV II Concept. The large SUV is powered by two electric motors that are mounted on the front and rear axle. A petrol engine is also fitted that can generate additional electricity and even power the wheels when maximum power is required.

From the country best known for Lego comes a very exciting new Aston Martin-engined supercar. Very appropriately dubbed the Bulldog GT, this spectacular machine comes from the same designers that also produced the Zenvo GT a few years ago. Built to the specific order of a customer, the Bulldog GT features an Aston Martin V12 based engine. Mounted amidships and equipped with two superchargers, it produces an impressive 675 hp. Already some time in the making, the development is expected to last a further twelve months with the first test drives scheduled for early 2013. The first pictures show that the Danish designers have incorporated more than just the Aston Martin engine. We will keep you posted on future developments.
At next month's Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan will release the 2012 specification of the GT-R sports car. Compared to the previous edition, it sports a revised engine that produces both more power and torque, while at the same time requiring less fuel. Also new for the 2012 model is the 'Track Pack', which includes performance like revised suspension and carbon-ceramic discs. In Japan the 2012 GT-R will be available from November 24th. Also on display will be the Subaru Advanced Tourer Concept. This show car is powered by a hybrid drivetrain that consists of a direct injection flat four engine and a CVT gearbox.
Complementing our ever expanding Facebook page, we have now also created a dedicated Google+ page where you can keep up to date with all our updates.

While awaiting the homologation of the new generation 911s, Porsches have given the current '997' one last development cycle for the 2012 season. Unlike previous evolutions, which were very subtle, it does not take an expert to spot the differences on the 2012 997 GT3 RSR. The car has been fitted with a markedly wider body-kit, which is especially prominent at the rear and harks back at the company's wildest machines like the 935. The additional bodywork on the sides of the car have allowed the engine-intakes to be moved from the rear deck to the sides with openings usually only seen on the turbocharged variants of the 911. As a result the output of the four-litre flat-six engine has been increased to 460 bhp. Porsche's latest racer will be eligible for the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), which includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The order books are open now and a new 997 GT3 RSR Evo '12 can be yours for two-grand short of a half a million Euro.
Porsche's launch of what we presume is the last ever 997 GT3 RSR prompted us to take a closer look at the final 935 produced by the German manufacturer. By the time the '935/80' was built, Porsche had already officially ceased production but they did continue to supply spares to their best customers. Among them was Georg Loos, who needed a new car for the 1980 DRM series for his Gelo team. Raced by Bob Wollek that year, the 935/80 was unique as it combined the shape of the 935 'Baby' with the full-size six cylinder engine. After a considerably successful season, the one-off machine was sold to Australia where it dominated the 1983 Australian GT Championship in the hands of none other than Alan Jones. The car has since returned to Germany and has been given some outings in historic events. In our 12-shot gallery, the 935/80 is seen during the 2010 Le Mans Classic and the 2011 Dix Mille Tours.

With the self-taught Derek Bennett at the helm, Chevron quickly emerged as a leading racing car manufacturer in the second half of the 1960s. Late in 1969 the British manufacturer burst onto the international stage with the B16, which made its first ever race appearance at the Nurburgring. Clearly the challenge, of what is generally considered one of the most difficult tracks in the world, did not bother Bennett or his lead driver Brian Redman. Facing incredibly strong opposition in the 500 km race from the works Abarths, Redman achieved what would become something of a Chevron speciality; a debut victory. Redman's driving skills partially compensated for the handling issues that the car still suffered from and would take some time before it was fully sorted. By that time the orders had piled up and in early 1970 around 25 examples were built. They were raced with considerable success with Redman claiming the European Championship for Chevron, using the new B16 Spyder in the final race of the season.
Today the B16 is considered one of the all-time great sports cars, so much so that many continuation cars have been constructed since the 1980s. This season we were fortunate to capture a highly original example, which was campaigned in the CER series sporting the ever attractive DART colours. This inspired us to write a detailed history on what is also one of our favourite cars, illustrated by a 18-shot gallery of chassis 29 in action.
This morning Opel and Vauxhall released the first details of their respective hot Astras; the OPC and VXR. Based on the GTC 'coupe' variant of the Astra, the high performance model features a 280 hp turbocharged engine and suspension that has been honed on the Nurburgring by "Smokin' Jo" Winkelhock. The new OPC and VXR are expected in the Opel and Vauxhaull showrooms during the first half of 2012.

Since coming to the fore in the mid-1950s, one of the key players in the Gran Turismo (GT) class was Ferrari with a succession of 3-litre engined 250 GT models that eventually culminated with the all-conquering 250 GTO in the early 1960s. To answer the ever growing opposition from the Cobras, Ferrari developed three distinct competition versions of the new 275 GTB road car. With all-round independent suspension, it was a superior machine to the 250 GT range it replaced. The final, and third competition model was the 275 GTB/C prepared for the 1966 season. Due to homologation difficulties encountered with an earlier, more extreme 275 GTB 'Competizione', the new racer remained relatively close to the road cars. At least, at first glance. One of the biggest changes was the use of a wafer-thin aluminium skin that would dent by simply leaning on it. In total twelve examples were built and most were raced extensively around the world with considerable success. Among them was a class victory in the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans. After the 275 GTB/C, Ferrari focused on Formula 1 and sports cars. All subsequent GT racers to wear the prancing horse badge were developed and built by third party specialists, making the 275 GTB/C the last in a legendary lineage. Over the years we have captured several of these lovely machines, including the Le Mans winner, in action at a wide variety of events. This has allowed us to present a beautiful 36-shot gallery to illustrate our detailed article.
At the Los Angeles Auto Show later in the month, Subaru will showcase the BRZ Concept-STI. This provides a preview of the top-of-the-range version of the rear-wheel drive sports car that has been jointly developed with Toyota. The production car is expected to finally be revealed at the Tokyo Auto Show in December. The STI version is expected to sport a turbo-charged flat-4 engine that is good for at least 300 bhp.