Toyota President Lists his Favorite Cars Made by Domestic Rivals

Toyota President Akio Toyoda is not one your typical automotive CEOs, as believe it or not, the 56-year old grandson of the Japanese company's founder actually likes cars [...]. He is a full-time car guy and a weekend racer who has even competed in the Nürburgring 24 hour endurance race.

And like any other car buff, Toyoda's list of favorite cars is not restricted to one brand. However, unlike other automotive executives, Toyoda has no problem revealing which cars he likes from Toyota's domestic competitors in public.

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Acura's Red NSX Concept Filmed Around the Turntable at the Beijing Show

After showing you the first photos of Acura's NSX concept car in a more passionate red shade, we now have a short walk around video clip of the car from the brand's Beijing Auto Show stand.

China along with the U.S. and Canada will be amongst those few markets around the globe that will get the production NSX with Acura's badges on the bonnet, since the hybrid sports car will be offered as a Honda in most other regions when it goes on sale in 2015.

Head over the break to watch the video.

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Acura Shows NSX Concept in a New Red Shade at the Auto China 2012

Silver is a color preferred by many car designers when it comes to presenting their work at motor shows as the neutral shade allows viewers to digest all the lines and details of any given model.

However, having already exhibited the new NSX Concept in this color at both its world premiere at the Detroit Motor Show in January and its European debut (with Honda badges) at the Geneva Salon in March, Acura decided to surprise visitors at the Auto China 2012 in Beijing by displaying the hybrid sports car in a more passionate red finish.

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Acura's Casting Call for the NSX Superbowl Ad Asked for a "Not too Dark" African American

Most of you will recall Acura's commercial for the NSX concept from this year's Super Bowl starring Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno, but few will probably remember the car salesperson that appeared in the beginning of the clip.

Celebrity gossip and entertainment news site TMZ not only remembers the salesman but it also got its hands on the casting call document, allegedly from an aggravated African American actor who didn’t get the role.

And why is this unnamed actor angry, we hear you ask? Because, for the role of the African American car dealer, the casting call asked for a "Nice looking, friendly. Not too dark" actor.

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Acura Roadster Concept Featured in The Avengers Movie is Built on the First-Generation NSX

If it wasn't for a new batch of photos posted by Edmunds, we would have probably never guessed that the unnamed Acura roadster model featured in the upcoming film 'The Avengers' is actually built around the first generation of Acura's (Honda for the rest of the world) much lauded NSX coupe.

Even though the exterior styling is very similar to the NSX Concept we saw in Detroit earlier this year, if you take a look at the extensive gallery, you'll see that Tony Stark's ride features the same exact interior and mid mounted V6 powerplant as the original NSX.

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Acura Shows Tony Stark's NSX Roadster, MDX S.H.I.E.L.D., and RDX 'The Avengers' Commercial

Honda's premium brand, Acura, is using every opportunity to advertise the sponsorship and the appearance of its production and concept cars in the upcoming blockbuster film "The Avengers", due in theaters on May 4, 2012.

At the New York Auto Show, Acura displayed its S.H.I.E.L.D. edition MDX finished in a stealthy matte black paint and fitted with all sorts of goods such as the large front bull bar, protective black cladding all around and special wheels.

Furthermore, the company released the first official photo of a prototype Acura convertible sports car that was created specifically for the film, and which we first saw last September being driven by Tony Stark (aka Robert Downey Jr) while filming The Avengers at Central Park.

"Before we unveiled the NSX Concept in Detroit, a number of you speculated that the car spotted right here in Central Park in the company of Iron Man Tony Stark was actually the new NSX," said Acura Vice President Mike Accavitti, at the company’s New York Auto Show press conference.

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Porsche 911 Turbo S Vs. Twin Turbo Honda NSX with 700Hp

We all know (or should know) that any car is as good as its driver. This is why surprises can, and will, happen often in races between cars that are not equally matched on paper.

In this 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) drag race, a completely stock Porsche 911 Turbo S rated at 530-ponnies doesn't seem to stand much of a chance against a heavily modded Honda (Acura in North America) NSX sporting a twin-turbocharged V6 that pushes out 700-horses to the rear axle, but numbers alone can be deceiving.

Sprint over the break to watch the video of the race and how it wend down.

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Honda Brings CR-V, NSX and EV-STER Concepts to the Geneva Motor Show

With the exception of the special edition Jazz Si, Honda didn't really have something new per se to share with us at the Geneva Motor Show as all three concept models displayed at its stand have already received their world premieres.

The most interesting prototype if of course the NSX, which is exhibited in Geneva with Honda instead of Acura badges. Seen for the first time in Detroit this past January, the study previews the design and technology direction for the second generation of the NSX.

Some of the highlights include the new hybrid all-wheel-drive system that utilizes a mid-mounted V6 engine and three electric motors.

Honda's second concept foreshadows the next CR-V for the European market that will make its official debut in production trim at the Paris Salon in the fall of 2012. No need to wait to see how it looks though as the 4th generation CR-V is already on sale in North America and Japan.

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