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Honda would consider launching an environmentally friendly sports car when it has enough cash available, CEO Takanobu Ito said. Ito said Honda's sports car would not be like the Lexus LFA supercar unveiled by by Toyota Motor Corp., at the Tokyo Motor Show. "It would be environmentally friendly and have great performance," Ito said on the sidelines of the show today. 7:38 am U.S. ET | Oct. 22

Mazda Motor Corp., which builds the majority of its vehicles in Japan, is studying moving more of its manufacturing base offshore to better hedge against currency swings, its top executive said. With the dollar continuing to weaken against the yen, Mazda's fortunes in dollar-denominated markets are hurting. 9:38 am U.S. ET | Oct. 22 | UPDATED: 10/22/09 11:06 a.m. ET

Mitsubishi Motors Corp., aiming to revitalize its U.S. lineup, will bring a new small crossover called the Outlander Sport to American showrooms in the fall of 2010. 11:14 am U.S. ET | Oct. 21 | UPDATED: 10/21/09 12:35 p.m. ET

Nissan spreads electrics to Infiniti, vans

Nissan Motor Co. will expand its line of electric vehicles to the luxury Infiniti brand as early as 2012 and also will create an electric commercial van to sell to governments and fleet customers. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn revealed the plans today at the Tokyo Motor Show, an event featuring electric-vehicle displays by several manufacturers. 11:59 am U.S. ET | Oct. 21

Next-gen Mazda rotary needs more work

The next-generation rotary engine from Mazda, unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo show under the code-name “16X,” does not meet sufficient performance and fuel economy guidelines the automaker requires for a production model. Seita Kanai, Mazda Motor head of R&D, said work continues to be done to improve the rotary’s thirsty nature. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 21

Subaru will add first hybrid in 2012

Subaru will add its first hybrid vehicle in 2012 as part of a push to improve the fuel economy average of its fleet and meet more stringent emissions regulations. 12:24 pm U.S. ET | Oct. 21

Nissan recovery almost ‘mission accomplished'

A special task force created this year to stop the financial losses at Nissan Motor Co. will soon declare “mission accomplished” and disband. “We're not losing money anymore,” Colin Dodge, a Nissan executive vice president, said today. “We can't stay in recovery mode forever. Mr. Ghosn told me to use my best judgment about when to stop, and I think that might be pretty soon.” 12:13 pm U.S. ET | Oct. 21

Mazda studies diesels for U.S.

Mazda Motor Corp. is studying diesel engines for the U.S. market. Vehicles running diesel engines are being tested on U.S. soil, said Seita Kanai, head of Mazda's r&d effort. A minimum annual volume of 10,000 U.S. diesel sales would be necessary for Mazda to make a profitable retail case. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 21

Nissan plans low-cost U.S. model below Versa

Nissan Motor Co. plans to bring a new global small car to the United States after 2010 that will be positioned below its current entry-level product, the Nissan Versa. Speaking at the company's headquarters here today, officials said the U.S. market will be part of a major campaign to sell 1 million vehicles a year from a newly created low-cost “V platform.” 10:58 am U.S. ET | Oct. 20

Exhibitors are down in Tokyo, and organizers are listening

The buzz around this year's Tokyo Motor Show has centered on who's not here, instead of who is. Now we hear that Tokyo show organizers, who earlier this year contemplated canceling the bi-annual event, are polling the no-shows to figure out how to attract more attention in 2011. 11:07 am U.S. ET | Oct. 20

Toyota goes sporty with FT-86

Toyota goes sporty at this month's Tokyo auto show, unveiling its vision for a sport coupe being jointly developed with Subaru. The car, dubbed the FT-86 Concept, was designed by Toyota's ED2 styling studio in France. Oct. 20 06:01 CET

Nissan's improbable Land Glider not so far off

The electric Nissan Land Glider will be one of the weirdest concept vehicles to come out of this week's Tokyo Motor Show, but Nissan Motor Co. is dead serious about it. The Land Glider is about 43 inches wide. The wheels and fenders tilt, allowing the car to lean as it goes around curves in the road. 11:19 am U.S. ET | Oct. 19

Nissan Leaf offers zero emissions and other perks

Nissan Motor Co. gives the public its first peek at the new Nissan Leaf electric car at this month's Tokyo Motor Show and will be touting much more than just its zero-emissions pedigree. For starters, how about the bumper-to-bumper components made of recycled pop bottles and old clothes? 12:00 pm U.S. ET | Oct. 7

Lexus to show 2-seat sports car in Tokyo

Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus brand will show a two-seat performance car -- widely expected to be a near-production LF-A -- at the Tokyo Motor Show. The project has been held tightly under wraps. Toyota has withheld details on the car and didn’t show it during a recent media preview session. 12:30 am U.S. ET | Oct. 7

Toyota goes sporty at Tokyo show

Toyota Motor Corp. goes sporty at this month's Tokyo Motor Show, unveiling its vision for a sport coupe being jointly developed with Subaru. The Toyota-badged car, dubbed the FT-86 Concept, is the spiritual successor to the AE86 sport coupe of the 1980s, which was based on the Corolla. 12:30 am U.S. ET | Oct. 6

Subaru rolls out hybrid for Tokyo

Subaru's vision for tomorrow takes the brand's core technology and colors it green for a future market where fuel economy rules and electrified drivetrains are the norm. The idea: pair Subaru's traditional four-wheel-drive layout and boxer engine with a gasoline-electric hybrid system. 1:08 pm U.S. ET | Oct. 1

Mitsubishi goes electric for Tokyo show

Going electric is the theme for Mitsubishi Motors Corp. at next month's Tokyo Motor Show, where it will display a plug-in crossover and a cargo version of its electric car. Both world premiers will highlight Mitsubishi's efforts to catch up to rivals in clean powertrain technology. 11:26 am U.S. ET | Sept. 30

Honda fine-tunes CR-Z, polishes green-car credentials

Honda Motor Co., aiming to steal the green-car mantle from rival Toyota Motor Corp., will show a near-production version of its highly anticipated CR-Z sporty hybrid at next month's Tokyo Motor Show, as well as a compact electric concept vehicle. 11:36 am U.S. ET | Sept. 30

Hyundai drops out of shrinking Tokyo Motor Show

The incredibly shrinking Tokyo Motor Show just got even smaller. 11:59 am U.S. ET | Sept. 28

Most of world will sit out shrinking Tokyo show

This fall's Tokyo motor show is still on, but most of the world's automakers will sit out. The Detroit 3 won't be there. Neither will the big Germans. The same goes for the French, Chinese, Swedes and just about everyone else outside Japan. 1:23 pm U.S. ET | March 24

German companies may skip Tokyo show

The big German automakers may not show up in October for the Tokyo motor show. To cut costs, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are unlikely to participate, and Volkswagen and supplier Robert Bosch have not decided, according to Automobilwoche, the German sister publication of Automotive News. March 23 06:01 CET

Volvo to skip Tokyo Motor Show

Volvo, the Swedish unit of Ford Motor Co., will not participate in the Tokyo Motor Show this fall. “We have evaluated our participation at motor shows for 2009 to see how we can make the most out of our resources, and this year we decided not to participate at Tokyo,” Volvo spokeswoman Maria Bohlin said today in an e-mail. 11:59 am U.S. ET | Jan. 16

Detroit 3 pull out of Tokyo auto show

The Detroit 3 automakers have pulled out of this year's Tokyo auto show to cut costs. Ford Motor Co. this afternoon confirmed Japanese media reports that Ford would not be participating this year. It wasn't clear if Volvo or Mazda would participate. Exhibiting in the show, which is held every two years, cost General Motors $2 million in 2007. That's money better spent elsewhere, said Rick Brown, president of GM Asia Pacific. 10:17 am U.S. ET | Jan. 14 | UPDATED: 1/14/09 4:02 p.m. EST

Tokyo Motor Show may be canceled this year

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers' Association is debating whether to cancel the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, a JAMA executive said today. The debate is driven in part by fewer non-Japanese automakers' having signed up to take part in the October show amid the global financial crisis. But some Japanese exhibitors also are proposing that the show be canceled this year. 11:02 pm U.S. ET | Jan. 12

The Tokyo Motor Show was a subdued affair this year compared to the glittering gallery of automotive excess it was in past years. But it still offered eye candy and intriguing ideas. Here are a few standouts. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Nov. 2

The 2009 Tokyo Motor Show may have been light on world debuts, but its ecological theme showed that Japanese automakers are taking the global stiffening of fuel economy and emissions regulations seriously. The message: Japan Inc. is ready to meet the U.S. government's 35. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 26
   • Mitsubishi hopes new models spur U.S. sales
   • Nissan: 3 choices for small-car plant
   • Subaru plans hybrid in 2012
   • Next RX-8's engine isn't ready
   • Mazda tests diesels in U.S.
   • So what's a 'debut'?
   • Ito envisions clean sports car
   • Lexus shows off its high-priced gamble
   • Nissan plans electric Infiniti, commercial van

Nissan plans electric Infiniti, commercial van

Infiniti will get an electric vehicle as early as 2012, and Nissan Motor Co. also will create an electric commercial van to sell to governments and fleet customers. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 26

Next RX-8's engine isn't ready

The next-generation rotary engine from Mazda Motor Corp. isn't ready. The engine, unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo show under the code name 16X, was planned as the powerplant for the next-generation RX-8 sports car to be launched in 2012 or so. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 26

Mazda tests diesels in U.S.

Mazda Motor Corp. is studying diesel engines for the United States. Seita Kanai, head of Mazda r&d, said vehicles with diesels are being tested in the United States. He did not say which Mazda models are being tested. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 26

So what's a 'debut'?

Automakers often stretch the definition of "debut" with their show cars. Take Mitsubishi Motors Corp. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 26

Ito envisions clean sports car

"I would like to make a sports car," Honda Motor Co. CEO Takanobu Ito said. "It would be environmentally friendly and have great performance." 12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 26

Tokyo show shrinks, but still aims to electrify

The Tokyo Motor Show, once known as Asia's premier international auto exhibition, will be a domestic event this year. Almost all major international players canceled plans to attend because of the economic crisis. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 12

Why imports bailed: Japan's small market got smaller

Most global automakers will not exhibit at the Tokyo Motor Show as they scramble to rein in costs during the global market meltdown. The miserable state of the Japanese auto market might have made that decision even easier. Even in the best of times, Japan is hard for foreign brands to crack. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 12

Hyundai is latest to say no to Tokyo

Hyundai, the last major foreign automaker scheduled to participate in this month's Tokyo auto show, has decided to pull out with just weeks to go. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Oct. 5

Porsche turns down Tokyo

Like several other automakers, Porsche will be a no-show at the Tokyo Motor Show this fall. April 23 06:01 CET

German companies may skip Tokyo show

The big German automakers may not show up in October for the Tokyo motor show. To cut costs, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are unlikely to participate, and Volkswagen and supplier Robert Bosch have not decided, according to Automobilwoche, the German sister publication of Automotive News. 12:01 am U.S. ET | March 23

No show in Tokyo? Debate continues

To save money, the Detroit 3 aren't going to the Tokyo auto show in October. And maybe nobody is, depending on the results of a debate simmering inside the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Jan. 19

Tokyo show boss denies favoritism

In his Oct. 22 column, Keith Crain said: "The Tokyo show seems to favor the local brands ... (with) plenty of exhibit space for Japanese vehicles. All too often, the foreign brands, even successful ones, seem to be relegated to second-class citizenship. 12:01 am U.S. ET | Dec. 3, 2007