Putting modern engines into new cars isn't anything new, but this '34 3-window coupe in the Ford display isn't like anything we've ever seen before. Detroit Street Rods has wedged the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 underneath the hood, making it the first rear-drive application for the twin-turbocharged engine. Packing 400 horsepower and 400 lb-ft torque, this little coupe has the potential to surprise quite a few people at stoplights.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the car is how the engine is packaged. The dual Honeywell turbochargers have been moved to the front of the motor among various aluminum tubing routing air and exhaust gases, and a single, large exhaust cone exits above the front fender on each side of the car. It's not a rumbling V8, but it looks just as good and is just as fast too. You can read more details about the car in the press release after the jump, or check out our high-res gallery below.

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Oh, how times are changin'. Gone are the days of stuffing a Ford Racing crate motor into any and every Blue Oval show car at SEMA. It's all about the boost now... or at least EcoBoost. As part of their "Driving Green" initiative at this year's SEMA Show, Ford will be displaying a 1934 3-Window Coupe fitted with the twin-turbo V6 to create a blend of classic styling with modern performance and efficiency.

Built by Detroit Street Rods, the '34 Coupe is actually the first rear-drive application of the EcoBoost motor. The dual Honeywell turbochargers had to be repositioned to allow the 3.5-liter V6 to fit into the engine bay, but the rest of the motor is in production trim and pumps out 400 horsepower and an equal amount of torque. An all new replica steel body ensures that the coupe is quite a looker and you can read more details in the press release after the jump, and check back next week for live photos of the car as part of our full SEMA coverage.




[Source: Ford]

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For the past 30 years, Japan has declared a car of the year, an award given to newly-released or redesigned vehicles released from November 1st of the previous year to October 1st of the current year. More than 60 jurors composed of Japanese journalists receive an allocation of votes, and the car with the most votes comes away with the crown.

This year, the Toyota Prius narrowly edged out the Honda Insight, continuing the recent trend of environmentally-friendly winners. Other notable winners included the new Volkswagen Golf, which was named the Import Car of the Year, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, which was declared to have the Most Advanced Technology. The Nissan Fairlady Z won the category of Most Fun, and finally the Subaru Legacy took top honors for Best Value.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the award, the Tokyo Motor Show also organized a display of past winners, starting with the Mazda Familia 3-door Hatch Back in 1980-1981 and finishing with last year's winner, the Toyota IQ. We've included the winners from every year (some cars on display won alternate categories, like the Toyota Supra from 1993-1994) in the high-res gallery below.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.