Category: Toyota

Toyota-Subaru coupé more details
More details have emerged on the future Toyobaru coupé.
Toyota and Subaru are currently working hard on the future common model, a coupé for young buyers. The exercice is difficult as two opposite companies’ cultures are trying to collaborate. On one hand a team attached to build exciting such as the Impreza WRX and in the other hand a company used to build high volume dull cars. Toyota is expected to reserve its version to the Japanese market, while the Subaru will be sold abroad.
The two coupés will be powered by a common engine, a re-engineered boxer 2.0-litre unit. Naturally aspirated, it is reported to deliver a power output of 220bhp at 6,500 rpm. It will be hooked up to the same six-speed manual gearbox as the Impreza WRX STI. The future coupé will share its underpinnings with the current Impreza. However, the platform will be re-engineered to be a rear-wheel drive only.
Source: Holiday Auto Magazine
May 31, 2008
Toyota will miss sales target in Europe
Toyota has announced it will miss its target on the European market this year due to weak sales in Germany and lack of new models.
The Japanese carmaker is ready for a gloomy year as the company doesn’t want to participate in a price war on the German market and won’t reveal new models before the end of this year. Toyota has decided to keep its margin, while competition has decided to cut prices to maintain sales which slows down the carmaker’s sales. If the overall German market increased by 7%, Toyota recorded a 21% growth in April. In the long term with rising material costs, Toyota might be the wisest carmaker on the market.
However, price war is an explanation. Another factor is likely to be the lack of new models. The Avensis family car is waiting for its replacement, while the Auris struggles on a tough market. Next year promises to be better as the company plans to unveil three new major models, the iQ, the Urban Cruiser and the next-generation Avensis. The iQ will be launched in January, while the Urban Cruiser will follow in the first trimester. The next Avensis will likely hit the showrooms in the second trimester of 2009.
May 30, 2008
Lexus LF-A to cost more than £100,000
The closer we get to the launch date, the the riskier is the Lexus LF-A for Toyota. The latest information unveil a hefty price tag of £113,000.
The Lexus LF-A is a mysterious car. While Nissan regularly updated the motor world about the GT-R likely to generate buzz, Toyota is secretly working on the future LF-A. No launch date has been set up and the latest information don’t bode well for the future. A corporate product planning manager for Lexus, Ben Mitchell has confirmed that the price of the LF-A will start with a “two”, while information form Japan talks about £113,000.
At this price, Toyota has no rights to make a mistake otherwise its legitimacy in sports car will be shadowed for years. Available as a coupé and a roadster, the Lexus LF-A will be first launched under the coupé variant. The roadster version will likely be more expensive than the coupé. The LF-A will be powered by a 5.0-litre petrol engine delivering an estimated power output of 500bhp.
It seems that Toyota wants to copy Mercedes and launch a SLR-Like to boost its image. However, Lexus doesn’t have the brand image of the German carmaker and the SLR didn’t even meet the expected sales success.
May 23, 2008
Toyota Camry to take over the F-150?
This might be the worst nightmare for the American carmaker. Will the Camry take over the F-150?
This is pure speculation as the F-150 still outsells by far the Toyota saloon. For the first time, the Camry took the second place in April just in front the Chevrolet Silverado which has been the second best-seller in the US for years. Toyota sold 40,016 Camrys, while Chevrolet sold 37,231 Silverados. The Chevrolet Silverado recorded a 24.7% decrease over the previous month. However, it still remains the number two on the market since the beginning of the year.
If gas prices hiked again, the Silverado would record another blow. The Ford F-150 wouldn’t be immune to higher gas prices too. Maybe one day, the Camry will end the 31 years of the F-150 as the best-selling vehicle in the US?
May 20, 2008
Scion reveals limited edition xD Release Series 1.0
Sold in the US The Scion xD in unknown on our shores, but was unveiled under the Toyota label as the Urban Cruiser model at the latest Geneva Motor Show. On the American market, Scion is Toyota’s attempt to attract young buyers to the bossom of Toyota’s family. So, the youth brand has released a limited edition intended to spice up the current range.
Called Release Series 1.0, this special xD comes with a Hot Lava exterior paint. It also includes a DAMD body kit, rear spoiler, Release Series wheel covers and TRD lowering springs. On the inside, xD RS 1.0 will feature Hot Lava accented seats and interior trim, and a Razo Release Series shift knob. Under the bonnet, there are no technical changes. The Scion is still powered by a 128bhp 1.8-litre petrol engine.
Limited to 2,000 units, the xD Release Series 1.0 costs £7,225/$14,550 on the American market.
May 18, 2008
China first quarter saloon sales figures
Here are the results of saloon sales for the first quarter of 2008 in China.
As usual the Shanghai VW Santana(pictured) takes the first rank followed by the Buick Excelle. Another VW, the Jetta, ranks third. The first Chinese car ranks fifth with the Tianjin FAW Xiali whiel the small Chery QQ gets the sixth place thanks. Volkswagen also records a tenteh rank for the Passat GP. In total, Volkswagen holds three of the top ten sales. Japanese carmakers have two models, while the American carmakers have only one model.
1. Shanghai VW – Santana – 69,214
2. Shanghai GM – Excelle – 62,750
3. FAW VW – Jetta – 61,202
4. Guangzhou Toyota – Camry – 54,123
5. Tianjin FAW Xiali – Xiali – 48,421
6. Chery – QQ – 46,251
7. FAW-Haima – Family – 45,352
8. Guangzhou Honda – Accord – 42,160
9. Beijing Hyundai – 41,556
10. Shanghai VW – Passat GP – 36, 865
May 17, 2008
More than one million Prius in the world
The million milestone was passed by the Toyota Prius at the end of April.
Initially launched as a niche vehicle, the Prius became a mainstream product for the Japanese giant. The Prius started its career in December 1997 in Japan. Reserved to the Japanese market at first, the Prius was exported in small quantities in Europe and the US in 2000. The second generation launched in 2003 brought the Prius to the media attention thanks to a smart campaign based on Hollywood stars.
Of the 1,028,000 Prius sales worldwide, 591,600 were sold in North America and 315,000 in Japan and 100,700 in Europe Toyota said.
Toyota also claims that Prius vehicles worldwide have contributed to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions by producing approximately 4.5 million tons less CO2 when compared with petrol-powered vehicles in the same class and of similar size and driving performance. This is a bold claim from Toyota as the carmaker doesn’t explain how it calculated the amount of CO2 and the engines taken into account in the comparion test.
May 16, 2008
Toyota loses hybrid patent appeal case
Toyota has lost a patent appeal concerning the hybrid technology used in the Prius.
Toyota was sued by Paice LLC over the use of a microprocessor which accepts torque information from the electric motor and petrol engine. The court had awarded £2.1 billion to the company and the US Supreme Court has turned away the appeal made by Toyota. The award will cost £12.50 for every Prius, Highlander and Lexus RX400h sold.
The result might have been worse for the Japanese carmaker. The court might have asked the carmaker to stop producing the hybrid models until the trial was finished. There were three patents in question, though only one of Paice’s patents was ruled to be infringed upon.
There are two other possible problems for Toyota and their hybrid technology, one from Solomon technologies and the other from a seventy-five year old engineer in Seattle named Conrad Gardner. Gardner argues that the hybrid vehicles produced by Toyota could not operate without his invention. U.S. patent 7,290,627 called "Extended range motor vehicle having ambient pollutant processing" — is a computer control system that shifts power to the internal combustion engine or electric motor.
May 14, 2008
Next Prius to come in two models
In a previous post, Petrol-Head reported that Toyota was rumoured to develop several bodystyles for the next-generation Prius. A new report reveals more details.
Toyota was reported to seriously consider building an eco-friendly brand around the ‘Prius’ moniker, but company’s executives hadn’t given the green light. According to the latest information, the company will build the Prius under several forms in an attempt to surf on the ‘Prius’ awareness in the world. There will likely be two different models, a hatchback and a smaller MPV. As reported two weeks ago, the hatchback will grow in size and will be powered by a bigger engine delivering a power output of 160bhp. Details about the smaller MPV remain scarce although some observers believe that it will take its styling cues from the rear-engined 1/X Concept(pictured) seen at the last year Tokyo Motor Show.
With the next generation, Toyota engineers focus on the fuel efficiency which is regularly criticised by the press when the Prius is compared to a diesel-powered model. The two Prius are also expected to be lighter than the current model.
With the two future models, the Japanese carmaker hopes to increase production of its hybrid vehicles by 60%.
May 12, 2008
Next Toyota Prius to grow in every dimension
Expected to be unveiled at the next Detroit Motor Show in January 2009, the next-generation Prius will grow in size according to latest informations.
According to company sources, the next Prius will grow in every dimension, get a bigger engine and still be more fuel efficient than the current model. The next Prius is reported to be 100mm longer and 25mm wider than the current generation. The next Prius would be 4550 mm long and 1750mm wide, positioning the car between the compact and family market segments. The third-generation Prius will feature a bigger engine, a 1.8-litre unit which will replace the current 1.5-litre. With the increased displacement, the power will raise from 75bhp to around 100bhp. Combined with the electric engine, the next Prius will likely offer around 160bhp. In the meantime, the hybrid hatchback will increase its fuel efficiency by 15%.
As reported by Petrol-Head, the next Prius will be reused by Toyta to develop a Lexus model which is rumoured to come with a bigger engine. The Prius is also rumoured to come with several bodystyles.
April 29, 2008