That in 2011 the hottest car in Toyota’s lineup come from the Lexus stable.
With a global recession, soaring fuel prices and a drive towards frugality and environmentalism, can a lightweight rear wheel drive car be a commercial success?

The past few years have seen the demise of the Honda s2000, this year in particular saw the death of the much loved K20 Honda and even myself an enthusiast thinking can we really afford sportscars in 2011?

I really love rally photography, and this gallery is fantastic. Great to see the ill fated Mitsubishi Lancer WRC still fighting on the continent.

Go check them out at: http://rallyphotos.cz/photos/partr-rally-vsetin-2011/

I’ve no idea why this post never went live, but I figured i’d get the photos up. Sumo Power have grown over the years to now a pretty acomplished high end tuner. The FN2 demo car always catches my eye whenever I see it, sporting the now traditional manga graphics.

Spied this recently completed TTS supercharged Swift Sport, very tidy install.

Cosworths are still a popular platform in Time attack, although starting to show their age now against the bewinged beasts from the east.

The aero on Duncan’s Impreza is mad, the rear wing seemingly salvaged from an F1 car. That diffuser is craze.

Voltex is a big thing this year, most of the big power Evo’s sporting the Japanese Aero.

Subaru UK had chosen Time Attack to tentatively launch Subaru’s latest line of dealer tuning Parts.

One of many Mugen FN2′s in the paddock, this one from Northern tuner TDI North.

No words…. not my taste but each to their own. Spo-com reaches the UK.

Manchester VTEC always runs some nice Honda’s.

I keep catching this EK at event’s i’ll give the guy a sticker if he get’s in touch.

This EK being one of the Mugen Honda “Jordan” special editions.

2011 is the year of the Honda build, a burgeoning scene see’s UK Honda’s making waves in the scene. The Civic in particular is the emmerging platform of choice, what’s interesting is the scene that’s developing down south.

Recently gracing the covering of Fast car, and many other magazines this EK’s been making waves, this one in particular evolving from another build.

This pair we’re the king’s in the show area, effortlessly simple externally.

I’ve always had a soft spot for the Accord Type R. My dad had the lower specced sport model for years and I damn near cried when it went.

This Z caught my eye, definetly built for track not show kitted out with polycarbonate windows. The owner rang the things neck round the track.

This Integra was just hanging behind the gates, like an excluded kid in the playground.

Don’t often see a Honda city so this was a nice surprise. Big fan of the wheels, Mugens?

Interesting take on the Supra conversion, i’ve seen a similar one in Japan, kinda works I think. I don’t hate this.

And yeah sorry for the late finish on this one, life and all that gets in the way sometimes

With the ZC31S Swift Sport now being phased out, it’s replacement the 2012 model hits our shores soon. Externally it carries over styling cues from the outgoing model. And spec wise has similar performance to it’s older brother.

Gone are the bold, sharp and muscular shoulders and in their place is a more visually friendly curvy exterior. Looks cool though

RWB are real;ly starting to make waves internationally, with Nakai San’s unique take on the German classics now moving beyond the shores of Japan to both the UK and the United States.

This is the first UK built RWB demo car, and it’s a sight to behold

Pic’s courtesy of VADwheels.com, go check their blog. Some fantastic automotive erotica!

So it looks like a cert that Lexus are heading to Le Mans in 2012, this car currently running under the Gazoo banner looks like it could form part of a GT1 effort for 2012.

With a statistically bad run for the Japanese manufacturers at Le Mans, maybe the Lexus and the GTR can stick it to the Corvette’s.

Beautiful, via carsmoveus.com

I’ve been pretty lax with coverage lately, i’ve got tonnes to post but to be honest life just got in the way. Keeping a rug in top condition is damn hard, so I figured i’d start this report with the Japspeed Impreza.

After being stolen from Santa Pod the car was caught running down the m25 piloted by some crims, amazing it wasn’t pulled sooner because it’s not even slightly road legal.

Luckily the car was recovered outside a lockup and reunited with the Japspeed team, so it’s now internet famous for all the wrong reasons.

So Japfest 2 moved from Rockingham to Donnington, the show was pretty small. Sometimes it’s quality and not quantity though right? and this white EK does everything simply.

One thing that’s striking about the scene lately is the variety emmerging, and this Subaru Bratt complete with hay bale didn’t disapoint. No show all business.

At the opposite end of the scale the Honda guys and girls are coming up, stateside style creeping into the UK culture.

Still Matt Neals NGTC Civic touring car shows the potential of the Honda platform on the circuit.

The track sessions throw up some interesting stuff, this Cappuchino wouldn’t look out of place at Tsukuba.

I’ve been over the whole stance thing for a while but this was pretty clean, really nicely put together. The Honda scene has the most exciting vibe right now, the Subaru one the polar opposite.

Respect to anyone who goes down the Veilside route, that rear wing is batshit though! I didn’t hate this, it was nicely done.

It’s a universal truth that all the decent looking Swifts tend to be off forum ha, I think this 1.5 was running 10j’s front and rear. Nice

I’ll finish this portion with a shot of a Jazz, nobody modifies a Jazz in the UK. Let alone in this particular shade of mint green, nice though!.

By this point I was knee deep in barbecued meat, but check back soon for the rest.