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Mazda3 And CX-30 Get Mild Updates In Japan Including New Special Editions

After the Mazda CX-3 Super Edgy, the automaker announced a series of special trim levels of the Mazda3 and the CX-30 in Japan, alongside small updates on the e-SkyActiv X motor.

Those include tweaking the intake port and exhaust silencer of the gasoline engine to produce a richer sound for spicing up the driving experience during acceleration. Additionally, engineers have updated the gas pedal feel for a greater “sense of unity with the car”. As a refresher, the e-SkyActiv X is a mild-hybrid 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 183 hp (137 kW / 186 PS) and 240 Nm (177 lb-ft) of torque.

In terms of the new trim levels, the Smart Edition is available for models equipped with the e-Skyactiv X engine. It brings more comfort and safety equipment including an active driving display, smart brake support, high beam control system, lane keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring.

Meanwhile the Black Tone Edition, which is available for all powertrain variants of both models, is visually differentiated by the black 18-inch aluminum wheels, the gloss-black mirrors, and the red stitching inside the cabin.

The pictured Mazda CX-30 Black Tone Edition is fitted with optional aero components including the bumper and side-sill extensions.

Following the example of the more recent CX-30, all Mazda3 models get a new dimming turn signal which, according to Mazda, gives “a sense of life” in the car. Last but not least, the Platinum Quartz Metallic is a new color option for the Mazda3 and the CX-30, while the Polymetal Gray Metallic is added to the palette of the Mazda3 Sedan.

Orders for the mildly updated Mazda3 and CX-30 are open in Japan as of today, with vehicles arriving in dealerships in late November.

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BMW 8-Series Frozen Black And X5 ‘Pleasure’ Edition Launched In Japan

BMW has just introduced two special editions of the 8-Series and X5 in Japan.

Starting with the 8-Series, it is known as the Frozen Black Edition and is offered in Coupe and Gran Coupe forms. The vehicle comes exclusively in matte black and includes the Shadow Line option that adds a black kidney grille and black tailpipes. In addition, BMW has equipped the 8-Series Frozen Black Edition with black M sport brake calipers.

Inside, the car comes standard with a panoramic glass sunroof and also features black M Sport seats, a BMW Individual headliner finished in Alcantara, extended black Merino leather, and BMW Individual piano black trim. A Bowers & Wilkins Diamond surround sound system also comes as standard.

Production of the model will be capped at just 20 units, with 5 of these being Coupe models and the remaining 15 being Gran Coupes. Japanese buyers will be able to secure a reservation when order books open on June 30. Prices for the Coupe start at 15 million yen ($135,385), while the Gran Coupe is slightly more expensive at 15.1 million yen ($136,288).

The new BMW X5 variant has been dubbed the ‘Pleasure Edition’ (yes, really) and comes loaded with features that are normally optional. These include semi-autonomous driving systems, seven seats, leather upholstery, and dash grain wooden accents. It is also equipped with 21-inch alloy wheels and adaptive air suspension.

All X5 Pleasure Edition models come standard with a 3.0-liter straight-six diesel engine producing 286 hp and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque. Prices for the X5 Pleasure Edition start at 10.38 million yen ($93,687).

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Toyota And Panasonic To Partner On Batteries For Hybrids

Toyota and Panasonic will work together to produce prismatic lithium-ion batteries for electric cars at a plant in western Japan starting in 2022, the two companies have confirmed.

The batteries will be manufactured by the Prime Planet Energy & Solutions joint venture that was established in April, of which Toyota owns 51 per cent, while Panasonic holds the remaining stake.

According to the joint venture, Panasonic’s factory in the Tokushima prefecture of Japan will have enough capacity to build batteries for roughly 500,000 vehicles a year.

“As electrification of automobiles is a must in tackling environmental issues such as global warming and air pollution, the global electric vehicle market is expected to continue growing rapidly,” the joint venture said in a statement. “This expansion in production capability is a step that allows Prime Planet Energy & Solutions to handle the growing demand of prismatic lithium-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles.”

This isn’t the first time we have heard about Toyota and Panasonic working together via their Prime Planet Energy & Solutions joint venture that employs approximately 5,600 individuals. In February, the two companies first announced the creation of the joint venture stating it would begin production of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, but not hybrids as this latest announcement specifies.

Unlike the cylindrical lithium-ion batteries used by many electric vehicles, including Teslas, prismatic batteries are square-shaped. Toyota and Panasonic first agreed to study the feasibility of a joint venture producing prismatic batteries in December 2017.

Toyota Settles On ‘Lunar Cruiser’ Moniker For Manned Rover

Back in March, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, teamed up with Toyota in its quest to send humans to the moon, because, in order to achieve its goals, it needed a manned pressurized lunar rover.

The design would utilize a fuel cell electric powertrain, offering a total lunar-surface cruising range of more than 6,200 miles (10,000 km), which is pretty amazing given the limited amount of energy/resources you can transport to the moon during the crew’s flight there.

JAXA VP Koichi Wakata previously stated that his agency would like to put a rover into space in 2029, with lunar exploration missions taking place in the 2030s.

Of course, you can’t send a vehicle to the moon without giving it a moniker, which is how the Japanese carmaker landed (pun intended) on Lunar Cruiser. This name was chosen because of the familiar feeling it offers the people involved in the project, as well as the recognition it will get from the general public thanks to it referencing Toyota’s Land Cruiser rugged SUV.

The Lunar Cruiser will have to tackle terrain that consists of craters, cliffs and hills and withstand radiation and temperatures that are much more harsh than anything on Earth. We already know that it’s going to measure 236.2 inches (6 meters) in length, 149.6 inches (3.8 meters) in height, with a 459.1 cu.ft (13 cubic meters) living space and will be able to take on two people on a regular basis, or four in an emergency situation.

Toyota and JAXA have also been discussing the possibility of a lunar-based future society pioneered by the Lunar Cruiser. These meetings focused on how the rover would become the starting point for a lunar surface-based establishment, as well as all the challenges with creating such a society.

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Mazda MX-30 Launching In Japan This Fall With ‘e-Skyactiv G’ Mild-Hybrid Power

Back in May, Mazda started building the MX-30 electric crossover in Japan for Europe, but the model won’t launch in its home market with all-electric propulsion.

Rather surprisingly, the company announced that the MX-30 compact SUV will debut in Japan this fall with a mild-hybrid powertrain dubbed e-Skyactiv G. The new addition to the lineup combines the Skyactiv-G 2.0 direct-injection naturally aspirated gasoline engine with the M Hybrid mild-hybrid system.

Thanks to the assistance provided by the small electric motor and battery, Mazda promises a quiet and smooth start as well as “high-quality drive feel” and excellent fuel efficiency. No specifications have been revealed yet but we can expect a similar setup to the 24-volt Skyactiv-G 2.0 M Hybrid powertrain offered on the Mazda3 and CX-30 in Europe.

Watch Also: All-Electric Mazda MX-30 Is More Fun To Drive Than CX-30, Mazda3

On said models, Mazda offers two mild-hybrid systems based on the 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol unit delivering 122 PS (120 HP) and 150 PS (148 HP), respectively. We’re inclined to believe Japan’s MX-30 e-Skyactiv G model will get the more powerful variant.

The photos of the MX-30 mild-hybrid released by Mazda don’t reveal any visible exterior and interior changes over the EV, bar the ‘e-Skyactiv G’ badging on the tailgate. As for the all-electric MX-30, the carmaker says it is scheduled to begin leasing sales before the end of the year in Japan, joining the mild-hybrid variant. Pricing and specifications of both MX-30 variants will be announced closer to launch.

As a reminder, the Euro-spec MX-30 EV is powered by a 35.5 kWh battery enabling a driving range of around 124 miles (200 km) on the WLTP cycle. The battery feeds electricity to a front-mounted electric motor delivering 141 HP (143 PS) and 195 lb-ft (264 Nm) of torque to the front axle.

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Castrol TOM’s Racing Toyota Supra Found In Storage And Is Being Restored

The iconic Castrol TOM’s Racing Toyota Supra has been found and the racing team has embarked on a project to restore it to its former glory.

This Supra is perhaps the most recognizable vehicle to ever compete in Japan’s Super GT series and was responsible for taking the rivalry between Nissan and Toyota to new heights.

A Redditor first stumbled across an article in Japan asking for donations and detailing the car’s history and the plans to restore it. Following its successful life as a racing car, the vehicle fell off the map until it was found in a storage unit in the Chugoku-region of Japan. It remains unclear just how the car ended up in the storage facility, but it has likely been there for many years. TOM’s Racing is leading the restoration and asking for donations to get it done, creating a crowdfunding campaign asking for 50,000,000 yen ($466,000). At the time of writing, 990,000 yen ($9,233) had been raised.

The team’s first funding goal is 10,000,000 yen ($93,000) and will involve a cosmetic restoration of the exterior and interior. The second funding goal sits at 30,000,000 ($279,000) and will make the car driveable. The ultimate goal of 50,000,000 yen is to get the car back to a race track.

The Castrol TOM’s Racing Supra had its debut during the 1995 All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship. Competing squarely against the Nissan Skyline of the day, Toyota decided against using the 2JZ engine of the road-going model and instead fitted the race car with the same 2.0-liter, turbocharged 3S-GT powertrain as the Toyota Celica WRC car, which was good for 493 hp and over 442 lb-ft (600 Nm) of torque. The racer scored its maiden win on June 25th, 1995 at the Sendai Hi-Land Raceway, and went on to secure numerous other victories in subsequent seasons of the championship.

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