This is the New 2014 Subaru Forester Compact SUV!

It may have escaped from our scoop photographers' radar, but we finally caught up with the next iteration of Subaru's Forester compact SUV, which in its three previous generations, has built a name for itself as a robust and no-nonsense model that rides well both on and off the road.

These pictures are sourced from the new Forester's Japanese market brochure, but most of what you see here sans the engine range can be applied to the global model.

The new Forester, which will go on sale in Japan in mid-November before it reaches both North American (as a 2014 model) and European shores as a 2013 model) next year, is likely based on a revised version of the latest Impreza's platform.

Compared to the current Forester, Subaru's best-seller has grown all around and now measures 4,595mm or 180.9 inches long (+35mm), 1,795mm or 70.7 inches tall (+15mm) and 1,695mm or 66.7 inches wide (+20mm). The wheelbase is also longer at 2,640mm or 103.9 inches (+25mm) to improve space for passengers.

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Japan , Scoops , Subaru , Subaru Forester , Subaru Scoops

Breaking: Honda Confirms New Civic Type R, Jazz / Fit Based Small SUV and Sports Roadster

There's a whole lot of news - but unfortunately, no pictures, coming out today from Honda's headquarters in Japan where the company's CEO Takanobu Ito outlined the product, technology and business developments through 2015.

We are going to start with the new Honda Civic Type R sports hatchback based on the European market model that is currently undergoing development for an introduction in 2015.

Honda said that this model is designed specifically for the European market, though we could see it being exported to Japan at some point. More importantly, the Japanese carmaker's CEO stated that the Type R is being developed "with the goal of becoming the fastest front-wheel-drive vehicle on the Nürburgring race course".

On a more global note, Ito said that Honda will roll out an all-new replacement for the Fit, also known as the Jazz in Europe, in 2013. Within two years after the initial market presentation, the Japanese automaker will launch a small SUV model based on the underpinnings of the new Fit/Jazz as well as a replacement for the related City small sedan.

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Acura , Acura RLX , Honda , Honda Civic , Honda Civic Type-R , Honda Concepts , Honda N Box , Honda S2000 , Japan , New Cars , Reports

Japanese Automakers Shut Down their Chinese Plants as Protests Get More Violent [w/Video]

The Anti-Japan protests that have been raging in China for months due to a territorial dispute over some uninhabited islands reached critical mass today, September 18, a date which coincides with the 1931 Japanese invasion of mainland China.

In its latest report, Reuters says that riots in China have reignited by the anniversary and the locals’ anti-Japan feelings are stronger than ever. Protesters have gathered outside the Japanese embassy in Beijing and made their intentions clear, chanting Anti-Japan slogans and holding banners that read things like “Wipe out all Japanese dogs”.

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China , Japan , Reports , Toyota , Video

Toyota and Panasonic's Chinese Facilities Damaged After Anti-Japanese Riots Become More Violent

The consequences of a territorial dispute over a group of islands in the East China Sea seem to become more serious as anti-Japanese sentiments grow stronger in China.

On Sunday, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda demanded that the Chinese government ensures the safety of Japanese citizens in the country after thousands of protesters took to the roads. Although most of the demonstrations were peaceful, Toyota and Panasonic reported damages caused by fire set in their Qingdao city facilities.

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China , Japan , Reports , Toyota

Japanese Automakers Urge Government to Implement Measures to Counter Strong Yen

Last Thursday, the yen hit a seven-month high against the U.S. dollar. That wouldn’t be so bad if the country’s currency hadn’t strengthened so much, from under 120 yen per dollar five years ago to less than 78 at the end of last week.As a result, exports have become more expensive, thus limiting profits.

Japanese automakers have felt the strain for quite some time now. Add last year’s tsunami that seriously disrupted production and the high labor cost and corporate taxes and it is not difficult to see why the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) decided to act.

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Honda , Japan , Nissan , Reports , Toyota

Soaring Yen May Bring Nissan Murano Crossover Production to U.S. Plant in Tennessee

With the yen rising to new heights, Japanese car manufacturers are, naturally, willing to move production of some of their models to their plants in other countries in order to make them more cost-effective.

According to a report from Japan’s Nikkan Kogyo daily newspaper, Nissan is currently considering shifting production of its Murano mid-size crossover to its Smyrna, Tennesee US plant which currently assembles the Altima and Maxima sedans.

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Japan , Nissan , Nissan Murano , Reports

Nissan GT-R Transformed Into a Robot for New Japanese Gaming and Film Franchise

Autobots and Decepticons move over because there's a new Japanese franchise about cars transforming into robots and it's named Chō Soku Henkei Gyrozetter.

Well, actually, to be frank, it’s far too early to tell if the new franchise will have the success of the Transformers series but the fact that it has licensed several cool cars like the Nissan GT-R, Mazda RX-8, Toyota 86 (Scion FR-S in North America) and Mitsubishi Lancer EVO has certainly captured our attention.

After searching into the unknown depths of the Japanese gaming world (not knowing the language doesn't really help…) we found some basic information about Chō Soku Henkei Gyrozetter.

The new franchise is the work of Japanese video game developer, publisher and distribution company Square Enix, which is mostly known for its Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series.

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gadgets , Japan , Mazda , Mazda RX-8 , Mitsubishi Lancer EVO , Nissan , Nissan GT-R , Nissan Videos , Offbeat News , Toyota , Toyota GT 86 , Transformers , Video

Honda Teases "Second Generation" CR-Z Hybrid Coupe in Japan

Longtime Carscoop reader Leopaul R. tipped us off about a teaser for a "second generation" CR-Z that appeared on Honda's Japanese website today.

We couldn't translate most of the words seen in the flash movie (any help from our Japanese readers would be appreciated) but the site did give a date for the presentation: September 27, 2012, which also happens to be the first press day of the Paris Motor Show, though we cannot say for sure if the two events are related.

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Honda , Honda CR-Z , Hybrids , Japan , New Cars , Paris Auto Show

New Saab Owner Gets Rights to Name and Phoenix Platform, But Not Griffin Logo; Any Suggestions?

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. At least that’s what Juliet tells Romeo in the renowned play. However, even if the executives of NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden), Saab Automobile’s new owners, are avid Shakespeare readers, they still wanted the Saab name along with the rest of the brand.

Last we heard, they were negotiating with Saab AB, the aerospace company and Scania AB, which own the rights to both the name and the logo of the automotive company.

On Monday, however, NEVS announced that is has completed the acquisition of Saab Automobile AB, Saab Automobile Powertrain AB and Saab Automobile Tools AB, IP rights for the Phoenix platform and the Saab 9-3, the Trollhättan manufacturing plant and test and laboratory facilities, effective August 31, for an undisclosed amount of money.

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China , Electric Vehicles , Japan , Reports , saab , Saab 9-3

Honda Posts Record All-Time July Record for Worldwide Production

Japan's third biggest carmaker Honda announced today that it set a new all-time record for worldwide production in July with 345,180 cars, up 67 percent from the same month last year.

From the beginning of 2012, Honda has produced 2,507,995 vehicles worldwide, an increase of 66.2 percent over 2011. Keep in mind though that last year's numbers were negatively affected by the impact of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

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Honda , Honda Jazz - Fit , Honda N Box , Japan , Reports

2013 Toyota Auris Comes Out of the Closet Again, Stars in Video with Transgender Singer Avu-Chan

We don't know if Toyota is doing it on purpose, but the new 2013 Auris seems set to become the new automotive face of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community.

For a second time in a week and after two television spots from Japan starring Stav Strashko, a 19-year old male model with feminine characteristics who was born in the Ukraine and raised in Israel, Toyota's new Auris is featured in another clip with a transgender person.

This time, it's Avu-chan, a 19-year old trans woman of African-American and Japanese descent who is the lead singer of Ziyoou-vachi (“Queen Bee”), a gender-bending teenage glamrock band from Japan.

The video is named "DAS × AURIS BUTTOCKS DRIVE!!" and it was made for the "Daikanyama Art Street" (DAS) art and music festival held from August 20 to 26 in Daikanyama, Tokyo.

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Japan , Offbeat News , Toyota , Toyota Auris , Toyota Videos , Video

Toyota Unveils Facelifted 2013 Mark X Sports Sedan for the Japanese Market

Yet again, Toyota has refreshed its Japanese domestic market Mark X sedan, which benefits from a series of cosmetic and mechanical tweaks for the new model year.

For those unaware, the Mark X is a mid-size saloon that shares its platform with the Toyota Crown and the (previous) Lexus GS and is available exclusively with V6 powertrains and the option of rear- or all-wheel drive.

In its latest form, Toyota's designers came up with a newly styled front end sporting different headlamps that incorporate Bi-Xenon and LED daytime running lights, a new grille with a more pronounced "X" logo in the center, and a redesigned bumper.

The Japanese automaker also made changes to the rear with a new set of tail lamps that follow the shape of the front headlights and a re-sculptured bumper.

A fresh assortment of exterior finishes along with new silver accents, trims and colors for the interior complete the cosmetic makeover of the regular versions.

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Galleries , Gazoo , Japan , New Cars , Toyota , Toyota Mark X

Toyota gets Nonsensical with 2013 Auris Hatchback "Spanking Orchestra"

At first, we had the "Not in trend, not casual, not for everyone" TV commercial staring 19-year old androgynous model Stav Strashko, and now, Toyota's Japanese arm has employed the help of Nobumichi Tosa, founder of Maywa Denki, a company known for its "Nonsense Machines" such as remote-controlled tap shoes and musical backpacks, to promote the new Auris hatchback. Read more »

gadgets , Japan , Offbeat News , Toyota , Toyota Auris , Toyota Videos , Video

New Photos and Videos of JDM 2013 Toyota Auris Hatchback

The compact hatchback segment is heating up in Europe as most major carmakers have already presented or are getting ready to launch new models into the market.

The new proposals range from the upscale and pricier 2013MY Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class to the mainstream and more affordable Kia Cee'd, the upcoming VW Golf MK7 and of course, the second generation of the Auris.

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Japan , New Cars , Toyota , Toyota Auris , Toyota Videos , Video