2012 Tokyo Auto Salon : Toyota Prius GT300 Race Car is Mean and Green

2012 Tokyo Auto Salon : Toyota Prius GT300 Race Car is Mean and Green

Racing a Prius might sound like the start of a joke, until you see this. Unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon in Japan, this Toyota Prius is fully prepped and sporting its race livery. Significantly wider and lower than a factor model, this Prius is designed to compete in Japan’s Super GT racing series starting this year.

Regulations in the series are loose, so there’s little left of the original Prius here, although the original’s sleek aerodynamic shape is still obvious. Also of note is that the car appears to retain a hybrid drivetrain with the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive logo on the back. Another hint is the massive sponsorship by Panasonic, which supplies the batteries for the road car.

Exactly how this hybrid racer will do remains to be seen and we’ll have to wait for the first round of the Super GT series in March to find out.

2013 More Power, Matte Paint: 2012 Detroit Auto Show. Hyundai Veloster Turbo

2013 More Power, Matte Paint: 2012 Detroit Auto Show 2013 - Hyundai Veloster Turbo

 We’ve already been given details on Hyundai‘s upcoming Veloster Turbo, now we’ve actually seen it in the flesh. Unveiled at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the car is projected to go on sale this summer and sports a blown and intercooled version of the 1.6-liter, direct injected Gamma four-cylinder under the hood.

Rated at 201 horsepower and 194 lb-ft of torque (across a wide 1750 to 4500 rpm spread) the motor sports a twin-scroll turbocharger contained within a housing integrated with the exhaust manifold, designed to improve throttle response and promote lower combustion chamber temperatures, plus a motor driven electrical wastegate and compact side-by side configuration intercooler. Dished pistons with cooling jets and a low friction valvetrain are also employed for durability.

Besides the choice of six-speed manual and six-speed dual clutch automatic transmissions, quicker ratio steering, unique body pieces and special 18-inch wheels shod in Kumho 215/40ZR/18 tires promise to make the Veloster quite an entertaining machine to drive, in view of its 2,800 lb curb weight, which is 77 lbs less than the Honda Civic Si coupe and 237 less than the VW GTI.

Inside, the Veloster Turbo comes with standard heated front seats and dual TFT screens between the speedometer and rev counter, designed to keep the driver informed of what’s going on at all times.

For those that can’t wait until August, Hyundai also released the virtual Veloster Turbo for Forza Motorsport 4 at the same time the actual car made its world debut, giving both gamers and enthusiasts alike, a chance to have some fun with Hyundai’s latest sporty offering before it actually goes on sale.