God love the internet! Even when you think you’ve seen the biggest jackasses on the planet, there’s always a new one that comes out of nowhere to trump them all. Here we’re treated to a gentlemen who is a little more hard headed than most, and unfortunately feels the need to demonstrate it for all to see.

Seriously, wouldn’t it have been easier to just roll the damn thing down?

Source: Youtube.com

If you were to build a car to compete in the WRC (World Rally Championship), the odds of you choosing something that’s relatively compact with all-wheel-drive would be pretty good. Cars like the Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi EVO immediately come to mind, but a late model rear-wheel drive Toyota Supra?!? Hmm… that may not be the best choice. Norway’s Kenneth Moen however not only disagrees, but has set up one of the sweetest Supra’s I’ve ever seen. Click through and get ready to see (and hear) one of the coolest rally cars on the planet!

Source: TheSmokingTire.com

There is no question that the stance of a vehicle can make or break its appearance. A car sitting too high on its suspension can look like an elephant on stilts, where one that sits too low can be undriveable. Some folks love the lowered look so much that they’ve resigned themselves to the fact that when modified, they simply won’t be able to drive their cars to various destinations. Are cars like this for everyone? No… they’re not. That doesn’t mean however we can’t appreciate the way they look. Check out the video after the jump.

Source: Youtube.com

Porsche vs Lotus, Toyota vs Morgan, BMW vs Porsche as well as a host of other great automobiles battle it out for the EVO Car of the Year 2012. Now while all of these battles are excellent the ones you really want to focus on are the Toyota GT86 vs the Morgan 3-Wheeler, and the McLaren 12c vs the Pagani Huayra. Sure the others are fun, but bang for the buck, these four automobiles should leave you coming away speechless.

Source: Youtube.com/EVOTV

Thumbs Up: If you want fuel economy and range, this is your car.

Thumbs Down: Nothing here for driving enthusiasts, cheap interior.

Buy This Car If: You care more about spending as little as possible on gas than you do about performance or handling.

This may come as a shock to driving enthusiasts, but the cold, hard truth is this: most people don’t like to drive. For the masses, driving is an act to be tolerated, not enjoyed, and any conveyance that gets them from point A to point B with as little fuss and expense as possible is optimal.

That explains the popularity of boring-but-reliable compacts and midsize sedans, and it also explains why the Toyota Prius has become the most popular green car on the planet. Instead of precise handling, stunning acceleration or pull-the-glasses from your face braking, the Prius serves up a generous portion of frugality and bulletproof reliability. For many buyers, that’s the winning combination.

There are some for which even the Prius isn’t frugal enough, which is why Toyota launched a plug-in hybrid variant for the 2012 model year. In addition to the Prius’ 50 mpg combined fuel economy rating, the Prius Plug-In can travel an estimated 11 miles on battery power alone, at speeds up to 62 mph. That may not be enough to get you back and forth to work, but chances are good it’s plenty for running daily errands.

Unlike electric cars, which require lengthy charging periods to achieve full range, the Prius Plug-In’s 4.4 kWh batteries can be replenished in about three hours on 110 volts, or about an hour and a half on 220 volt service. When the batteries are depleted, or when the driver wants maximum power, the car’s 1.8-liter gasoline-fueled engine steps in to provide a helping hand. In fact, keeping the car in full electric vehicle mode takes some practice and requires very gentle applications of throttle, with the car kept in Eco mode. Acceleration, therefore, is minimal, and drivers trying this would be wise to check the rearview mirror for rapidly closing pickups or SUVs.

Styling wise, the Prius’ semi-futuristic shape lends to its appeal. An aerodynamic form is essential to the car’s superior fuel economy, yet the Prius serves up a generous amount of interior room. Its large daylight opening helps visibility, too, although the rear deck lid spoiler does significantly reduce what you can see in the rear view mirror. Compared to standard Prius models, the Plug-In version (in Advanced trim) is distinguished by its metallic front bumper strip, exterior chrome accents, blue headlight surrounds and unique wheels. Whether that’s an improvement or not depends upon your exterior styling tastes.

Inside, the Prius Plug-In is a bit disappointing, especially in light of the car’s $40,000 sticker price. The dash is an expanse of hard, drab plastic, but Toyota does get bonus points for using a plant-derived, environmentally-friendly plastic. There’s an odd pass-though space, fitted with a shallow tray, beneath the center console, but access is awkward from the driver’s seat. As for layout, we do like that the center stack controls are oriented to the driver, creating a cockpit-like space that separates the driver from the front-seat passenger.

We’ll admit to liking the Prius Plug-In’s instrumentation, too, although the information display does take some setting up and some getting used to. It’s amusing to see that this press-fleet example has spent 99-percent of its current lifespan in gasoline mode, while only one-percent of its accumulated mileage has been in full electric mode. We suspect that Prius Plug-In owners who pay a $7,800 premium over the cost of a standard Prius will be far more diligent about using their cars in full-electric mode.

We’re not really fans of the Prius Plug-In’s front seats, either. Though supportive enough for commuting duties (and complete with power-adjustable driver’s lumbar support in Advanced models), they’re wrapped in a material called SofTex that Toyota says is lighter and more durable than leather. That may be, but SofTex also has a decidedly artificial feel, and we can’t imagine climbing into the car on a hot day, wearing shorts. We’ve flogged this particular dead horse enough times in the past, but we’ll say it again: we’d take cloth seats over fake leather seats any day of the week. In fact, we’d even pay more for decent cloth seats that we’d pay for those skinned in cow-from-a-test-tube.
2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Advanced

As for the rear seats, well, they’re wrapped in SofTex, too. On the plus side, there’s a decent amount of head and leg room for average sized adults, so we doubt that second-row passengers will complain much about the accommodations on short trips. Unless, of course, it’s summertime and they’re wearing shorts.

Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive blends a 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine with a pair of electric motors that double as generators. Combined, the drivetrain puts out 134 horsepower and mates to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which further boosts fuel economy. A 4.4 kWh battery pack gives the Prius it’s 11-mile electric range, though critics are quick to point out that’s not really enough to be practical. The EPA says the Prius Plug-In will return 51 mpg in the city, 49 mpg on the highway and 50 mpg combined on gasoline power only; factor in the battery power, and the car gets a rating of 95 MPGe. As you’d expect from a car focused on fuel economy, acceleration is on the leisurely side; in Power mode, the best you can hope for is a time of around 10.1 seconds to get to 60 mph.

On the road, the Prius Plug-In’s ride is on par with others in the economy car class. That means its neither too soft nor too firm, though there’s no chance you’ll mistake the car’s ride quality for a luxury car. Likewise, it isn’t sporty by any definition of the word. The steering feels light, yet the car feels oddly heavy. Push hard in corners, and there’s surprisingly little body roll, probably because the low-rolling-resistance tires don’t offer up much in the way of grip. While “entertaining” isn’t a word we’d use to describe the Prius Plug-In’s handling, words like “predictable” and “safe” do come to mind.

So perhaps the Prius Plug-In is a reality check for us. We can’t imagine any kind of alternate universe where we’d be in the market for one, because it simply doesn’t meet our expectations for what a car should be. For the thousands of satisfied Prius owners, however, the car represents the best alternative for getting from one place to another while consuming as little fuel as possible. These buyers don’t care about things like 0-60 times, or lateral acceleration, or even stopping distances; instead, they speak of miles per tank or miles per gallon with the same gleam in their eye as we have when discussing lap times. They’re every bit the enthusiasts we are, albeit with a slightly different focus.

Toyota supplied the 2012 Prius Plug-In Advanced for the purpose of this evaluation. Total sticker price on the car, which came without options, was $40,365.

The Prius Plug-In Advanced is a difficult car to draw a comparison with, since it exists in a gray area between hybrids and electric cars. For illustration, a comparably-equipped Prius Four would sticker for $29,030, but wouldn’t include the Prius Plug In’s battery-only driving range. A similar Chevy Volt would sell for $42,785 but includes a significantly longer range (up to 50 miles) on battery power alone. When the range-extending generator kicks in, however, the Volt simply can’t match the Prius’ fuel economy.

PRO’s: Great mileage / economy, nicely styled.

CON’s: Simply adequate power, performance and handling.

FINAL THOUGHT: A decent hybrid that you’ll enjoy as long as you’re not a rabid automobile enthusiast.

Believe it or not but the Toyota Prius has been around for 15 long years. It debuted in Japan in 1997 and since that time it’s been the go-to hybrid for those looking to be a bit more environmentally friendly. Now by this time we know all the cars in the Prius family get good fuel economy, but the real question is – are they any good to drive? I was recently given a 2012 Toyota Prius C, the baby of the Prius family and although yes, the mileage is great, the car itself is simply “OK” in my opinion.

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area the Toyota Prius is one of the more dominant cars on the road. Now if you think about it, it makes perfect sense for the Prius to be here. I mean San Francisco gave birth to the great American Hippie, city-wide recycling and the legalization of marijuana, so why not a cool hip hybrid that seeks to appeal to a younger audience.

Now as we know the Prius C is a hybrid, which means that it can be operated by either gasoline or electric power. It’s got an ultra low drag coefficient of around 0.25 and rolls on low resistance tires. Being the “C” (which stands for “city”) the Prius is also now being marketed to a younger and dare I say, hipper audience. The “C” has a smaller wheelbase than the regular Prius by about 6 inches, has roughly 4.5 cubic feet less storage capacity, and is down 25 hp and 23 lb.-ft. of torque from its gas engine. Subsequently it also loses 35 hp (electric power) as compared to its older brother as well.

This means that you’ve got a car that will get an estimated 50 mpg as long as you don’t go very quickly. An electronic scoreboard on the dash keeps track of how economically you drive. Keep your foot off the pedal and your score goes up, push it down however and you will get penalized. Well, not really penalized per-say but you will get an EXCESSIVE SPEED warning light that comes on. This first came on at a brisk 11 mph, however since I was trying to get the car to move and thus had the accelerator pressed, the Prius determined that this was poor driving and decided to warn me.

Silence is another issue with this car I simply don’t care for. Climb in, hit the starter button and, nothing. Not a peep, beep or anything to signify that the Prius is running. Understand now that I’m all for a quiet automobile, but this unfortunately borders on unsafe in my opinion as it’s as equally quiet on the outside as it is on the inside. I live in a residential area and when I have neighbors commenting on the quietness of this car, and that it could be dangerous as children may not hear it coming, well, I have to agree.

From a performance standpoint the Prius C is adequate at best, as its little inline-4 only puts out 73 hp and 83 lb.-ft of torque. Combine that with its two electric generators and output goes up to 99 hp. Not stellar by any means and downright scary if you’re trying to pass someone at freeway speeds. 0-60 mph takes around 11-seconds, so if you do own a Prius C and want to pass someone at speed, my suggestion is to plan ahead. Handling and braking are on par with the cars acceleration which means that they too are adequate. This is a car for mileage and economy, not performance.

Step inside the 2012 Prius C and you’ll be treated to a sea of hard plastic, a cool in-dash display screen and a stereo/navigation system that is actually quite good. In fact from an electronics standpoint I was actually pleased. The navigation unit is intuitive and easy to use with a great display and thanks to a well laid out screen, everything is presented in a clear and concise fashion.

Legroom is also plentiful, especially for a car that sits on what is basically a Toyota Yaris chassis. My 6’4″ frame fit in the Prius C just fine and surprisingly I had loads of head and leg room as well. The backseat is another story entirely. Yes it’s usable, but its definitely cramped back there so I’d warn potential passengers ahead of time.

Frontal and side visibility is fine, however one glance in your rear view mirror will tell you that you must remove the rear headrests as they block a large amount of your rear view. Storage is minimal, but there’s enough room for a few duffel bags just in case you want to get in the “C” and ditch the city.

*Bad visibility…

*Good visibility…

Depending on what options you choose, the Prius C will set you back anywhere from $22,000-$25,000. Not crazy money, but then again you’re not getting a crazy car. Existing Prius owners will love the new 2012 Prius C. They’ll like it’s small stature, it’s great mileage and the fact they’ve now got another car in the Prius family.

Enthusiasts however will hate this thing. They’ll hate the lack of power, mundane handling and performance and the fact that it’s devoid of anything that resembles enjoyable motoring.

For basic hybrid transportation at a reasonable price, it’s a decent little car. For anything beyond that though, I’d look elsewhere.

The 1966 Toyota 2000GT is one of the rarest and most collectible import cars of all time. It was built under a joint venture between Toyota and Yamaha and when released it was touted as Japan’s first real super car. Jay Leno recently had the chance to experience the 150 hp drop-top version (of which only two were produced) of this wonderful machine on his recent trip to Japan. Check it out after the jump.

Source: JayLenosGarage.com

There’s seldom a more frightening experience then hauling ass down a straightaway only to realize that you’ve got no brakes at the end. This has happened to me more than once and if anything will make you poop the old pants, this is it. While most drivers will never experience what it’s like to go fast, for those of us who race, there is no better feeling. Sometimes though, when you’re pushing a car to the limit, parts fail and when that happens the only thing you can do is hold on and go along for the ride.

Source: Streetfire.net

PRO’s: Park anywhere capability, good front passenger interior room, amazing turning radius, great around town mileage.

CON’s: Useless back seats, very little storage, twitchy handling manners.

FINAL THOUGHT: A compromise car that is best left for city folk who don’t do mass amounts of driving or high mileage road trips.

When I first saw the concept of the Scion iQ back in 2009 at the New York International Auto Show I was actually quite pleased. Here was a micro-sized hot hatch that was well designed with the apparent goal of bringing sportiness to the pocket-car segment. Back then the only micro-car sold in the U.S. was the Smart ForTwo, a car which I wholeheartedly detest. Fast forward now to September 2012 and the little iQ you see before you. It’s small, actually quite peppy and an interesting vehicle that raises and eyebrow from all those who see it. The big question though is – is it any good?

*The original iQ Concept was flat-out bitchin’!

From a styling perspective the boys at Toyota did a nice job as the iQ conveys an image that I would categorize as, sport-thrifty. It’s better looking than the Smart ForTwo, but not nearly as good looking as the concept displayed above. In short, the iQ is a city car that’s meant to be shoved into small spaces where other cars wouldn’t dare go and thus had to be built as such. You’ll notice that the cool bulged fenders and deep dish wheels from the concept car have been ditched in favor of more pedestrian alloys and generic body panels.

A short squat nose with ultra large projector beam headlamps, small grill and big Scion badge up front gives the iQ the frontal looks of a pissed-off Pokemon character. I get that they were going for some aggression up front, but at days end this car is almost as long as it is wide, which makes that a bit of a challenge. Out back the iQ is treated to an optional rear spoiler that helps break-up the cars standard egg-like shape. Micro-car design is tough from every angle. You don’t have a lot of real estate to begin with, so the fact that the designers were able to make the little iQ look this good is something of a miracle.

Climb inside the iQ’s cabin and you’ll immediately notice a combination of materials that simply can’t decide if they should keep company with the other kids in the room. The seats for instance look like they’ve been dressed up with seat covers from the local Autozone. The materials are not consistent from top to bottom and unfortunately portray a very low cost look and feel. However, when you move to the steering wheel (which is amazingly comfortable) you’ll notice it’s covered with nicely stitched leather, as is the shift knob – again, nice touches, but items that don’t match up in the overall scheme of things.

The problem here as that you can’t have it both ways. You either go with cheap materials or moderately priced, but not both as the result is an interior that is struggling to deliver an upscale look and feel, but simply can’t.

Understand as well that this is not a micro-priced car. At $17,397.00, this optioned out 2012 Scion iQ is priced directly in the path of small cars like the Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra, cars the trump the iQ at every turn. I understand that this car is made for urban environments, but there does come a point when financial logic has to overtake trendiness.

Like the Smart ForTwo the iQ’s interior is actually quite spacious and provides the driver and passenger with better head and legroom then some cars twice its size. Being 6’4″ I was initially skeptical but after tooling around for awhile I found the cabin to be quite comfortable. Technically this is a four-seater, however the back seats are a joke at best. Hell, you could kill your passengers, cremate them, put them in fancy urns, and then maybe, just maybe you could fit them in the rear seats. However make sure you remove the rear headrests because if they’re installed, you’ll have a bitch of a time seeing anything out of your rear view mirror.

Storage in the Scion is another issue. The glove box for instance is located under the front passenger seat. It’s small, difficult to get at, and is on a track that takes a good deal of effort to move. Rear storage space is ultra cramped as well even with the rear seats folded flat. In short, this car is good for the single man or woman who lives in an urban environment and owns very little luggage.

Electronics in the 2012 Scion iQ are pretty basic as well. My tester came equipped with the optional Pioneer Premium HD Radio set dead center in the dash. It allows for steering wheel controls, satellite radio and iPod hookup and in all fairness is a pretty trick touchscreen unit. There is also a small trip computer that shows mileage, range to empty and trip distance. Other than that though, it’s pretty basic.

From a driving standpoint the iQ is “OK” at best. The engine is a 1.3-liter I4 that pumps out 94 hp / 89 lb-ft. That power goes to the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission that revs to the moon when your foot is planted. Understand that while 94 hp doesn’t sound like a lot of power, you’ve got to keep in mind that the iQ only weighs 2,127 lbs. That translates to a 0-60 mph time of about 10-seconds. Not blistering by any means, but it’s quick enough to move you safely into traffic where you can cruise all day at 75-mph. Any faster than that though and things start to get a bit shifty. Because of the ultra-short wheelbase and skinny 175-series tires, the iQ is prone to grab any ruts in the pavement which can be startling at times even though the steering is fairly precise. Handling is again, just OK, but a canyon carver this thing is not.

Everything else including braking and emergency handling seemed pretty compliant. I put the iQ through a few panic stops as well as some quick side-to-side turns and although these motions happened quite abruptly, they never did anything to throw the car out of shape.

Mileage figures are EPA rated at 36 city / 37 highway and are totally believable. The issue arises when you decide to leave the city for the open road as the iQ only has an 8.5 gallon tank which equates to a sub-300 mile range. Not great for a car that is this fuel efficient.

Overall the 2012 Scion iQ is a compromise car. Yes, you are getting an ultra-small car that will fit anywhere, turn on a dime and not cost you much as long as you don’t option it out. However I’m not sure if what you’re giving up is worth it. Hell, a standard MINI Cooper gives you more standard features, better build quality, usable room, better fuel range and a higher resale value for only a few dollars more. Therefore you must ask yourself if purchasing a micro-car is really the right decision and truly fits your lifestyle. If this is the case, then great. If not, then I’d highly suggest you start looking elsewhere.

When the Gen IV Toyota Supra debuted in 1992 it was big, heavy and extremely expensive. So much so that Toyota had basically priced themselves out of the mid-priced sports car market. However once the movie “The Fast and the Furious” debuted in 2001 and showcased a Gen IV Supra as the hero car, well then, the demand for these overweight coupes skyrocketed. Matt Farah of TUNED recently headed down to Titan Motorsports in Florida to drive a mildly tuned 700 horsepower model to prove once and for all that not all Supra’s are in fact, 10-second cars.

Click on the link to view the video: Youtube.com/DRIVE