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Showing posts with label Toyota. Show all posts

Friday, April 29, 2011

Toyota Confirms 2.0-liter Boxer Engine, Six-Speed Gearboxes and LSD for 2012 FT-86

In keeping enthusiasts on their toes, Toyota’s European division came out with a new release today on its upcoming FT-86 sports coupe. The Japanese automaker confirmed that the production version will go on sale in 2012 with power coming from by Subaru's new 2.0-liter 4-cylinder boxer engine fitted with Toyota's D-4S technology. The latter consists of direct injection combined with port injection.

We still don’t get any output numbers although Toyota says the D4-S technology “results in increased horsepower and torque without sacrificing fuel consumption and environmental performance.” Subaru's latest 2.0-liter horizontally opposed gasoline engine, which is offered on the all-new Impreza, develops 148 horsepower and 145 lb-ft (197 Nm) of torque, but in the case of the FT-86, output is expected to increase significantly.

Poll: What’s Your Favourite Toyota FT-86 Concept?

Toyota’s FT-86 sports coupe has to be one of the most hotly anticipated cars of the last ten years. A sporty, lightweight, front-engined and rear-wheel-drive spiritual successor to the legendary AE86, brought to you by the same company that built the Celica, MR2 and Supra? Yes, please!

So far, we’ve had three iterations of the “AE86 Nouveau”. First, there’s the original, scene stealing Toyota FT-86 Concept from the2009 Tokyo Motor Show. Then there’s the much derided FT-86 II Concept from Geneva 2011. And lastly, there’s the Ferrari-emulating Scion FR-S that took the 2011 New York Auto Show by storm.

GM set to Reclaim No1 Position Thanks to Toyota’s Mounting Woes

One automaker’s misfortune is another’s gain, or so it seems with GM and Toyota. With the effects of Japan’s Tōhoku earthquake still being felt and full scale production unlikely to resume at Toyota’s Japanese plants until the end of the year, GM is likely to reclaim the top spot as the world’s largest automaker.

Adding to Japanese automakers woes are the numerous recalls and the bad publicity brought about by the sudden unintended acceleration debacle in 2009 and 2010, both of which have hurt the brand’s image for reliability.

Meanwhile, a post-bankruptcy GM has gone from strength to strength. Better products – including the likes of the Buick Lacrosse and Chevy Cruze and Equinox models – are helping bring GM into the second decade of the 21st century. Toyota, meanwhile, is struggling to maintain sales with an ageing range of vehicles, bad PR and diminished production capacity.

Approximately 51,000 Toyota Tundra trucks from the 2011 model year are subject to a new voluntary safety recall to inspect the rear drive shaft. According to the Japanese automaker, the rear drive shaft in a very small percentage of the affected vehicles (0.05%) may include a component (slip yoke) that could break due to improper casting during the foundry process. Read more »

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Toyota Expects to Resume Normal Production of all Models in November or December

The aftershocks from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami continue to affect Toyota Motor Corporation as the automaker said on Friday that it will take several months before normal production of all its models resume to normal. According to the company announcement, global production will begin to ramp up in July in Japan and August in North America, with all models back to normal production in November or December 2011. Read more »

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Toyota Recalling More than 300,000 RAV4 and Highlander SUVs in the States

Toyota’s U.S. division announced a voluntary recall involving certain 2007 through 2008 model year RAV4 and certain 2008 Highlander and Highlander HV SUVs sold in the States over potentially faulty air bag sensors. The Japanese company said approximately 214,000 RAV4s and 94,000 Highlanders and Highlander HVs are covered by the recall that does affect any other Toyota or Lexus models in North America. Read more »

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

VIDEO: Scion Walks us Around the New FR-S Sports Coupe Concept

Toyota’s North American subsidiary, Scion, surprised us today at the opening of the 2011 New York Auto Show with the world premiere of its new FR-S sports coupe concept. We say ‘surprised’ not because we weren’t expecting a Scion-badged Toyota FT-86 to make its appearance in the Big Apple, but because of its refined design that made us forget about the FT-86 II concept we saw less than two months ago at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Read more »

2011 NYIAS: New Scion FR-S Concept Brings Sexy Back to the FT-86

The most hotly anticipated model of the New York Auto Show, Scion’s version of the Toyota FT-86 sports coupe concept, finally made its world premiere today. The study is named FR-S, which stands for ‘Front-Engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport’, though we prefer the definition given by Jack Hollis, Scion vice president, during the New York Show presentation.

“FR-S stands for Front-engine… Rear-wheel drive… Sport. Pretty simple. I personally believe it should stand for Friggin’ Really Sweet… but the legal department at Toyota was NOT feeling the same way,” said Hollis.

The first thing most readers will notice about the FR-S is the refined design compared to the latest concept version of the Toyota FT-86, shown in Geneva this past March. Though it’s hard to pinpoint all the changes without having the cars side by side, the photos reveal a tweaked front end with revamped headlamps and a different bumper design without the aftermarket like add-on LED strips.

Toyota Rolls Out Online Ordering Site for Upcoming Prius Plug-In Hybrid

In preparation for the 2012 market launch of its new Prius Plug-in hybrid (PHV), Toyota's U.S. division announced the introduction of a new online order system that will kick off later this year.

Customers who are interested in the Prius Plug-in hybrid are invited to register on Toyota's website in order to have first access to the online order system when it becomes available later in the year. Appropriately, the first phase of the online order program, called Priority Registration, will launch on Earth Day, April 22, 2011.

Toyota Corolla vs Ferrari F430: Can You Guess Who Wins this Race?

Pitting a puny stock Toyota Corolla against a Ferrari F430 and asking which car would win in a straight line race sounds like a joke, right? Well, under any other circumstances, you would be right to take this as a shaggy dog story but this comparo, which was made for a Japanese TV show, has a peculiar twist to it: the race was run in reverse gear… So, now that you know, can you pick the winner? Enjoy the quirky drag race between the Corolla sedan and Maranello’s supercar in the video clip after the break.

Breaking: Scion Teases FT-86 II Concept RWD Coupe Prior to NY Show Debut

Toyota has been teasing us with its upcoming compact rear-wheel drive sports car since the original FT-86 concept at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, which was followed up by the FT-86 G Sports study a year later at the same show, and more recently, by the almost production-ready FT-86 II concept in Geneva. Now it’s time to get our first glimpse of the North American version of the FT-86 that will be marketed under the Scion brand.

Even though the Japanese firm’s North American subsidiary only makes word of a new Scion Concept to be revealed at the New York International Auto Show on April 20, 2011, without giving any further details, the car shadowed in the teaser video below leaves few doubts that the model in question is the FT-86.

Japanese Carmakers Lose More than 500,000 Vehicles to Earthquake, Toyota hit the Worst

It’s been over a month since the first of a series of earthquakes along with a catastrophic tsunami hit Japan’s shores resulting in devastating destruction and flooding, but the country is still feeling the effects in more ways than one.

According to a news report, Japan’s big seven automakers have lost more than half a million units of output since the March 11 quake. To make matters worse, even though many factories opened recently, they have not yet reached their full production capacity due to a lack of parts.

Google Scientist Says its Driverless Cars Could Save a Million Lives each Year

Sebastian Thrun, leader of Google's driverless car project, talked about the technology of self-driven cars at TED Talks, claiming it could save one million lives each year if it would replace human driving.

Google's test cars have so far covered over 140,000 miles (225,300 km) in all types of driving conditions without a single fault. “People didn't even notice” Google's cars were not driven by humans, said Thrun, who lost his best friend to a car accident when he was 18. The Stanford professor of computer science said that moment made him decide dedicating his life to saving one million people every year.

Toyota Reduces North American Production Due to Lack of Parts from Japan

The devastating consequences of the March 11 Japan earthquake and tsunami on the country’s auto industry continue to unfold. Today, Toyota Motor Corp. announced that it will reduce its North American production because of the lack of parts. The Japanese auto giant said that over the next few weeks, its American vehicle plants will operate on a reduced schedule, with production suspended on April 15, 18, 21*, 22, and 25. The same goes for most of the company’s North American engine and component plants that will follow a similar schedule.

Toyota Sells One-Millionth Prius Hybrid in the States

The Toyota Prius, a car that is often credited for bringing hybrid-electric technology to the masses, has managed to rack up its one-millionth sale in the USA. The announcement comes shortly after Toyota achieved two more milestones that started with global Prius sales topping the two million mark in October 2010 and overall global Toyota hybrid sales passing three million last month.

Lexus Teases the LF-Gh Hybrid Concept ahead of NYIAS World Premiere

Toyota's luxury brand Lexus released the first official teaser shots of the new LF-Gh hybrid concept car, which will make its world debut at the upcoming 2011 New York International Auto Show (April 22 – May 11). The name of the concept stands for Lexus Future Grand Touring Hybrid, and according to the Japanese company, the LF-Gh “sets out to redefine the premium grand touring sedan.”

Price Increases for Toyota, Lexus and Scion in the U.S.

The Toyota group has announced price increases for most 2011MY cars, SUVs and trucks it sells under the Toyota, Scion and Lexus brands. These increases will be applicable for cars produced from May onwards. The only models that will keep the same prices are the Tacoma pickup truck, Yaris sedan, Scion tC, Scion xB, Lexus CT 200h and Lexus LFA.

Toyota May See Production Diminished by 500,000 Cars because of the Earthquake

The shortage of parts and electricity problems in Japan in the aftermath of the Tohoku earthquake may delay the production of at least 500,000 Toyota vehicles, according to market research company Advanced Research Japan.

The world's largest carmaker may subsequently see its operating profit drop by at least 100 billion yen ($1.2 billion) in the 2010 fiscal year (ending March 31 2011) and up to 200 billion yen in the 2011 fiscal year. Auto analyst Koji Endo says any impact on production destined for export will affect earnings even more. “Hardly any cars will be built in April and a very low level of production will continue from May,” Endo was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.

Toyota, PSA and BMW Closest to Achieving EU’s New CO2 Targets

Toyota, PSA/Peugeot-Citroen and BMW are the carmakers closest to reaching their CO2 targets next year, according to a report by market research firm JATO Dynamics. The targets are imposed by the European Union, whose objective for 2015 is to enforce a fleet average CO2 level of 130 g/km for manufacturers selling cars in Europe.

In order to reach that objective, CO2 targets are lowered progressively each year. In 2009 the average was 145.9 g/km and in 2010 it went down to 140.9 g/km. Emissions regulations will be imposed starting next year, with significant fines to be enforced to automakers that will not comply with the new emissions limits.