Behold the 2010 Lexus HS250h. What do you think? Kinda hot, right? Looks pretty sharp. Looks a lot like the Lexus IS, maybe with a little bit of RX & ES thrown in. Well, look closer, you may even see a bit of Prius in there, too! What?! Yes, folks, this is a new hybrid. Lexus plans to release this vehicle sometime this summer. You Lexus guys probably caught on already, but that little “h” means this puppy’s packin – a cool IMA hybrid system, that is!

Say what you will, but green is in. And the guys over at Lexus have been putting their own twist on hybrid technology for a few years now. Lexus has proven that you can still enjoy power and performance, while employing hybrid technology to help reduce fuel consumption and pollution. The slowest Lexus hybrid does 0 – 60 MPH in about 7-seconds (faster than most original vintage muscle cars), but most Lexus Hybrids get to 60 in about 5-seconds. Pretty impressive. Sure, you may not save the planet yourself, but, hey, every little bit helps! The downside is that all of Lexus’ hybrids have been pricey to say the least. The least expensive Lexus hybrid you can buy STARTS at nearly $43,000! Well, Lexus hopes to change that with the HS250h.

No official word on pricing yet, but Lexus plans to position this car somewhere near the IS, which starts at $31,000. Not bad when you consider the uber-dork Prius starts at $22,000, with most selling for nearly $30,000! Think that’s a bit high? Well, keep in mind the average new car sale price last year was just under 30 grand. Yep, 30 grand.

Lexus (and parent company Toyota) knows the Prius, as fantastic as it is (haha), has given hybrids a bit of a… um… er… reputation, shall we say. And that rep isn’t exactly cool. They hope to change that with this car. Despite sharing a lot of common hardware with the upcoming 2010 Toyota Prius, the HS250h will be unique in many ways. It will offer increased performance, luxury, and technology in a package that is attractive and desirable. I think they’ve done a great job, from a design perspective. We’ll have to wait and see how the performance stacks up. But given the high level of performance and value offered by its existing hybrid line, this Lexus should be a strong competitor. As of right now, it is the only dedicated hybrid premium vehicle, all others come in regular gas versions, as well. The HS250h is hybrid only, baby.

Who’d be interested in this car…

-Tuner looking for a cool second car (or third, or fourth…)
-Tuner who has a wife who wants a hybrid but doesn’t want a Prius in his driveway!
-Tuner who wants something new that no one has yet
-Tree-hugging tuner who doesn’t want to look like a tool
-Smug tuner who likes to smell his own farts (HAHA – see South Park)

I have no doubts Lexus will sell a ton of them. In fact, I think the HS in HS250h stands for “Hot Stuff” because I am almost tempted to ditch my daily driver BMW E46 ZHP M-Performance Package for this bad boy!

The current generation Legacy was introduced for the 2005 model year and is starting to show its age. It has received much praise by automotive journalists and tuners alike for its excellent performance, reliability, and value. Well, Subaru has just released an all-new Legacy Concept at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.

While its still officially in “concept” mode, it’s no secret that these concept vehicles are really thinly disguised versions of upcoming models – dressed up with fancier wheels, cooler electronics & gadgets, and unique paint jobs. So, we can assume that much of what we see in this new Legacy Concept (minus all the really cool stuff, that is), will make it into the next generation Legacy.

The exterior gives off a very heavy or bloated appearance. It no longer has that lean, athletic stance of the current Legacy. Instead, when viewed from the front 3/4 angle in particular, it looks like an Infiniti G sedan has mated with a Chevy Malibu. Dimensionally, the Legacy Concept is larger in almost every way (wheelbase alone is up over 3-inches). Interestingly, this Legacy Concept forgoes the trend of big blingy wheels and is sportin some rather goofy lookin wheels. Note: If these wheels are big, then this car really IS big and bloaty because they look dinky and small, IMHO. And, did you see those laughable stubs for side view mirrors? I mean WTF?! They’re supposedly part of a technology feature that’s shown off on this concept, but it sure doesn’t do much to help the odd proportions of the car. When viewed head-on the concept’s design isn’t half bad. But, it has a meaty, muscular appearance that isn’t quite befitting of a sporty mid-size sedan. Instead it looks butched out in the way crossover utility vehicles try to look rugged.

The hoodline is raised significantly, losing that sloped, sleek lowered hoodline of the current Legacy. This makes sense as Subaru claims that the Legacy Concept was equipped with a 3.6L 6-cylinder boxer engine, rumored to be producing horsepower in the upper 200s to 300s. Unfortunately, Subaru told reporters not to expect the big 3.6L as it was merely for effect here, and to expect engines similar in-size to existing engine offerings. If that’s so, why such a honkin nose? I don’t get it I think they could’ve done more to make it sexier. The overemphasized bulging wheel arches or flared fenders, look overdone, as well.

The badonkadonk, on the other hand, looks pretty good. You can sense some design cues of the B9 Tribeca, particularly in the creased rear license plate and bumper area. It’s interesting to note that the concept car is missing an integrated rear license plate lamp. So, I’m sure the design will change slightly to incorporate this necessary feature, and lose some of the concepts “tight” appearance. On the plus side, the lighting used for the headlamps, accent lighting, and brake lamps are all pretty impressive. Check them out…

The interior looks pretty good, showcasing a lot of cool technology that will more than likely not make it into production. Check out the tricked-out rear view mirror and cool CP or display for rear passengers on the back of the center console/armrest. You can definitely sense a similar design here to that of the interior of the Infiniti G sedan. Take a closer look at the doors, with its Infiniti washi-esque blades of metal accents, and the general layout of the dash. You will see that Subaru carried over its “info strip” at the top of the dash that’s seen in the new Impreza & Forester. The steering wheel looks much better than the Momo steering wheel used in the current Legacy. And, again, check out all those gadgets! How ya like the bright blue lighting?

Overall, it’s an improvement over some of the other designs Subaru has toyed around with. But, I think it still needs some work. Let’s hope that this car continues the sporty trend and packs a crapload of performance like the Legacy 2.5GT & Legacy Spec-B models did. Without the performance edge, Subaru may run the risk of abandoning its loyal Subie tuners once again (like it did when it released its 2008 WRX and then quickly went back to the drawing board for 2009!). Given todays tough times, I don’t think they can afford to do that again. Share your thoughts below.

Now here’s an automotive hybridization that will surprise you — No, not one of those gas-electric hybrids — but a BMW E36 that received a heart and guts transplant from a Honda S2000.  We were all pretty impressed when we saw the Skyline-powered 1967 Mustang fusion in Tokyo Drift.  And, now there’s this unique frankenbeast some Japanese gearhead put together.  Looks (and sounds!) pretty good!  Especially considering what this thing looked like when he started.  Right around the 1:23 mark you will see just how rough this thing was when he started.  Wonder what we’ll see next… BMW M3 powered Accord?  LOL

Its been one day after the 370Z was officially released and the dealers have begun gouging Z enthusiasts! For proof, the first two 2009 Nissan 370Zs went up for sale on Ebay today. The first is a Chicane Yellow 370Z Standard, looks like it has no other options and the seller has no information listed. There is no buy-it-now price, but bidding starts at $29,600. The Seller has a -1 feedback score. That should tell you something.

The other 370Z listed is shown here. It’s a black Touring with 6-speed manual, Sport Package, and Navigation Package. The buy-it-now price is $46,995. Based on my rough calculation, if this particular car has every single available dealer-installed accessory on it, it should carry an MSRP of $40,590. That’s a difference of AT LEAST $6,405! That’s quite a bit of mark-up. Sure, it’s all about supply and demand, but, sheesh, that’s a lot! I don’t think I know anyone who’d be crazy enough to pay that price. Even if I had that kind of money to burn, that’s absurd.

What are your thoughts? Would you pay well over 15% more on top of full asking price? Anyone get a chance to check out the new Z here in the Pacific Northwest?

UPDATE: The aforementioned black 370Z Touring Sport has sold on Ebay.  Just three days into their 20-day auction, the dealer was smart enough to accept his highest bid of $40,000.  That’s not too bad at all, considering most dealers are hurting for business nationwide.  And, like I said, if the vehicle had every single available option and accessory (except for the Chicane Yellow paint, obviously), it’s MSRP was just over $40,500.  So, congrats to the lucky buyer.

The all-new 2009 Nissan 370Z was officially  released TODAY!

Exciting news for sure!

Why? Well, there’s two reasons, really.

First, the 370Z’s release signifies an opportunity knocking. For the vast majority of us tuners out there, acquiring a “new” car typically means getting a used car. Reliability and overall quality in the auto industry have been on the rise for several decades. Vehicles can have life spans well into the hundreds of thousands of miles these days. So a used car doesn’t always mean a beater. Quite the contrary. Most tuners prefer used cars that have already taken the huge depreciation hit most vehicles take the moment its driven off the dealer’s lot. The more money you save, the more money you can be spending on future mods and other important aspects a savvy tuner needs to consider.

With that in mind, the all-new 370Z — yes, with it’s love-it-or-hate-it styling — has been improved in every major aspect over the outgoing 350Z. No doubt, it will be a hit. So much so, that it is likely to entice many existing 2003-2008 Z owners to upgrade to the all-new 370Z. Translation: there should be some killer deals out there on 350s! Per Kelley Blue Book, you can find some well-maintained, higher mileage 350Zs selling for around $9,000 today!  In fact, I found this pretty clean Pikes Peak White 2003 350Z Enthusiast coupe with OEM rear spoiler and chrome wheels for sale right now at a dealer.  His asking price is $9,995. 

Completely stock 350Zs ran 0-60 MPH under 6 seconds!  And, according to several consumer review sites, most 350Z owners reported above average ownership experiences, with excellent reliability and relatively low costs of ownership for a sports car.  The 350Z also boasts good resale value.  Finally, with countless aftermarket performance and customization options out there for 350Zs, the possibilities are endless.  Even if you’re not quite in the market for a Z right now, this is all compelling stuff and should be food for thought. Bottom line: Keep the 350Z on your short list when looking for a new toy or project.

On the other hand, performance of the all-new 370Z has been described as Porsche Cayman-like for twenty grand less! It delivers incredible performance numbers, and refinement has been increased, as well. Don’t mistake this for a luxury car. It’s no Infiniti (or BMW for that matter). That raw, aggressive, and sensory-stimulating exhaust note from it’s 3.7L VQ V6 engine is always present. This new 370Z rockets to 60 MPH faster than a Nismo 350Z. That’s in the 4-second range, boys! Some reports suggest numbers that come pretty damn close to even an Aston Martin. Nissan reduced weight by over 75 pounds, shortened the overall length, lowered the car, used a bunch of aluminum panels, increased rigidity, and bumped up horsepower to 332-horses — and it shows!

The Z has been described as a Japanese muscle car, but don’t mistake the 370Z for a pony car driving experience. The interior has been refined with its use of improved materials and quality construction. This time around, Nissan paid attention to details. Auto-journos and owners alike criticized the 350Z’s interior for being a little low-rent, so Nissan has responded with this significantly improved cabin. There is a lot of new soft touch materials, metal-finish accents, and even a Porsche-esque leather-wrapped center stack. The designers also made the interior of the new 370 much more functional. The cargo area in the 370Z no longer showcases the obtrusive strut tower brace, thus improving cargo carrying capabilities. The engineers solved this by better integrating the brace into the partition between the occupants and cargo area. There are a lot more useable storage areas in the cabin of the 370Z, as well.

Nissan kept pricing for the 370Z very close to the 350. Only two models will be available, 370Z Standard and 370Z Touring. There’s been a slight increase in base price to just under $30,000, but it comes with a lot more stuff. The new entry-level 370Z (now called 370Z Standard) is equipped more like the mid-level 350Z Enthusiast was. Thankfully, all 370Zs will come standard with cruise control and save-your-ass traction control.  Nissan’s popular push-button start with intelligent key is also a welcome new feature that’s standard. If you want power & heated leather seats, Bose with XM & Bluetooth, and aluminum pedals, you’ll have to step up to the 370Z Touring, which starts at just over $35,000.  The options list is pretty short, as just three factory options will be offered. A $3,000 Sport Package is available on both the 370Z and 370Z Touring, which adds 19″ Rays forged wheels with Bridgestone Potenza tires, viscous limited slip diff, 14″ Akebono-Nissan brakes, front & rear spoilers, and rev-matching technology for manual transmission-equipped cars. Navi is available only on Touring models for just under $1,900. The Navigation Package includes a 9.3-gig Music Box hard-drive and iPod interface. The premium Chicane Yellow paint option is $500. All in all, this represents tremendous value for the money.

So, yes, whether you’re looking for an an affordable 350Z project car or have the cash to burn on an all-new 2009 370Z, the official release of Nissan’s latest iteration of its legendary Z car is exciting news, indeed.