Softbank Group Net Profit Surges Over Four-fold

SoftBank Group net profit surges over four-fold

Japan's SoftBank Group says its first-half net profit jumped four and half times from a year ago. That's as its investments in tech stocks jumped and it sold off assets to shore up its finances.

The company said on Monday that net profit in the April-September period came to about 1.9 trillion yen, or about 18 billion dollars.

Panasonic Unveils Lumix Bgh1 Mirrorless Four Thirds Camera For Video

Panasonic Unveils Lumix BGH1 Mirrorless Four Thirds Camera For Video

There are many cameras in the market today, and for the most part, a lot of them look rather similar to each other. However, it seems that Panasonic wants to challenge the norm by unveiling the Lumix BGH1. As you can see in the photo above, this is a camera that sports a boxy-like design.

According to Panasonic, the Lumix BGH1 is a mirrorless four thirds camera that has apparently been designed for video in mind. The company envisions the camera being used together with other devices like drones, or being used in multi-camera setups, or even live streaming. So much so that Panasonic has actually included Power over Ethernet+, meaning that it can be powered by the same cable that it would use to connect to a network.

Four Cabinet Ministers Visit Yasukuni Shrine

Four Cabinet ministers visit Yasukuni Shrine

Four members of Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's Cabinet visited Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Saturday, the day Japan marks the end of World War Two.

The shrine honors Japan's war dead. Those remembered include leaders convicted of war crimes after the war.

2021 Toyota Gr Supra Pricing Is Here, Four-cylinder Is $8,000 Less

2021 Toyota GR Supra pricing is here, four-cylinder is $8,000 less

We've driven the updated 2021 Toyota Supras already, and now we know the prices for the more powerful inline-six and the new four-cylinder. The inline-six price increases by a smidge, up to $51,945, including the $955 destination charge. That's a $1,000 increase to the base model, but the Supra 3.0 Premium only increases by $500, up to $54,490. Toyota gave the 3.0 more power this year, re-tuned the suspension and added bracing, so you are getting a bit more for your dollar in 2021.

If you want the Supra 2.0, it'll be $43,945. That makes the price spread between the base 3.0 and 2.0 exactly $8,000. That's about what we predicted. We were hoping for a base price closer to the $40,000 mark, but the Supra 2.0 is still a superb sports car for $43,945. If you want the Safety and Technology package available for the 2.0, it'll be an extra $3,485. It includes a ton of equipment: adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, parking sensors, the JBL audio system, Apple CarPlay and Supra Connected Services. The same package, minus some equipment, costs $3,155 on the base 3.0, while it comes as standard equipment on the 3.0 Premium. If you've already chosen the 3.0 Premium, a Driver Assist Package for $1,195 is also available.

Subaru Recalls Four 2019 Models Due To Faulty Fuel Pump

Subaru recalls four 2019 models due to faulty fuel pump

Subaru has issued a safety recall for select examples of the 2019 Outback wagon, Ascent SUV, Legacy sedan, and Impreza hatchback. These vehicles might have a fuel pump that could stop working and cause the engine to stall. 

Between June 18, 2018, and February 25, 2019, Subaru believes it installed fuel pumps that could have a defect. According to filed recall documents, these vehicles might have low-pressure fuel pumps with "an impeller that was manufactured with a lower density." Should that impeller be exposed to solvent drying for longer periods of time, it could crack. Subaru says cracks could lead to "excessive fuel absorption, resulting in impeller deformation." 

2021 Subaru Crosstrek Sport, Limited Announced With Bigger Flat-four

2021 Subaru Crosstrek Sport, Limited announced with bigger flat-four

Subaru will address one of the Crosstrek's biggest shortcomings by making a 2.5-liter flat-four engine available in time for the 2021 model year. It will power the range-topping Limited trim and a new Sport-badged model.

You asked, and the Japanese company is listening. Tom Doll, the CEO of Subaru's American division, told industry trade journal Automotive News that many customers have complained about the 152-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that has powered the current-generation Crosstrek since its launch. Put bluntly: It's slow. 

2021 Toyota Supra Gets A Four-cylinder And More Power For The Inline-six

2021 Toyota Supra gets a four-cylinder and more power for the inline-six

The 2020 Toyota Supra finally went on sale last year as one of the most controversial new sports cars in a long time. For 2021, Toyota is adding a couple wrinkles to the Supra equation.

The biggest news for the 2021 Toyota Supra is the arrival of a turbocharged four-cylinder model called Supra 2.0. Instead of the 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, this Supra is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (sourced from BMW, just like the six). The four-cylinder makes 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and Toyota claims a 0-60 mph time of 5.0 seconds. This is the same 2.0-liter turbo that's in the BMW Z4 30i.

Hanyu Wins First Four Continents Title

Hanyu wins first Four Continents title

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu has clinched his first title at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.

Hanyu performed in the men's singles free skating on Sunday in the competition held in South Korea.

U.s. Toyota Supra Four-cylinder Announcement Coming Next Week?

U.S. Toyota Supra four-cylinder announcement coming next week?

Here in the States, the only engine available in the reborn Toyota Supra is an inline-six that produces 335 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. In other markets, however, Toyota's swoopy sportscar is offered with a couple of four-cylinder options. According to a report from Motor Trend, an announcement for a 2.0-liter turbocharged four for the U.S. could be imminent. Motor Trend asked Ed Laukes, Toyota's group vice president of marketing, directly about the possibility of a downsized engine in the U.S. Supra, and he responded that they should "stay tuned for next week." Taking that a little further, MT postulates that an announcement could be made at the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 16. BMW offers a 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the mechanically similar Z4 with 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It's not clear what power level Toyota would target for a base-level Supra, but a 225-hp version is offered in Japan. What's more, a four-cylinder Supra has already been certified for sale by the California Air Resources Board, which means at least some hurdles have already been passed. So, will it come? Perhaps we'll find out in a week.

Figure Skating Japanese Teen Skater Kihira Keeps Title At Four Continents

FIGURE SKATING Japanese teen skater Kihira keeps title at Four Continents

SEOUL—Japanese teenager Rika Kihira won the women's free skate on Saturday to capture the Four Continents figure skating title for the second straight year. She is the first skater to win back-to-back events in the history of the event.

The 17-year-old Kihira received 151.16 points for a total of 232.34. South Korea's Young You moved up to second place with a total of 223.23 points while Bradie Tennell of the United States, second after the short program, finished third with 222.97.

2020 Toyota Supra Four-cylinder Has Less Power, Less Weight

2020 Toyota Supra four-cylinder has less power, less weight

We've known for a while now that the 2020 Toyota Supra would get some four-cylinder variants around the world, but now we finally have official specifications. As expected, it has a 2.0-liter inline-four with a twin-scroll turbocharger coupled solely to an 8-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. In total it makes 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. These specs are identical to the BMW Z4 sDrive30i that the Supra is based on, which is interesting considering that the six-cylinder is rated slightly lower than the equivalent Z4. Toyota says this version of the Supra will hit 62 mph in 5.2 seconds. For reference, that's just over a second slower than the six-cylinder version. So if it's measurably slower with less power, is there any appeal to the Supra four-cylinder? Well it will certainly be cheaper to buy than the six-cylinder version, though exact pricing isn't available yet, and based on Z4 fuel economy numbers, it should be slightly more fuel efficient. But from a performance standpoint, the four-cylinder has a significant weight advantage. Toyota says it weighs about 220 pounds less than the six-cylinder car. Toyota boasts about a 50/50 weight distribution, as well, but the six-cylinder has that same distribution. The four-cylinder Supra will go on sale in Europe in March 2020, with other markets likely at about the same time. It comes standard with 18-inch wheels, black Alcantara-trimmed seats and an 8.8-inch infotainment system. There will also be a special Fuji Speedway edition, pictured above, offered only in white with red mirrors, 19-inch wheels carbon fiber trim, and red and black Alcantara-trimmed seats. Only 200 examples of it will be sold in Europe. We reached out to Toyota to find out if there are any plans for offering the car in the U.S., and Toyota wouldn't comment. There is a possibility it will happen, though, as the powertrain is already certified for the U.S., and of course the body and chassis is, too. It will likely simply come down to whether Toyota sees demand for a less powerful, lighter weight and lower cost Supra.