Paris Preview: Toyota unveils new Avensis

Toyota will use the upcoming Paris Motor Show in October to unveil its redesigned flagship model for Europe, the Avensis. Think of it as the old country's version of the Avalon. Though we only have a rear 3/4 shot to go by, the new Avensis looks considerably more chunky than the current model, with a short deck lid, large rear tail-lights, a strong shoulder line and some interesting concave surfacing above the side sills. We don't know much else, other than that it will be offered with more powerful and cleaner engines when it goes on sale in Europe around January.
Toyota also announced that it will be bringing out the production version of its iQ city car and the Urban Cruiser for the Paris show. The Urban Cruiser is basically a ruggedized, soft-roading version of the Scion xD, while the iQ is based on the concept of the same name that debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2007.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: paris motor show, paris-motor-show, ParisMotorShow, toyota avensis, toyota-avensis, toyota-iq, toyota-urban-cruiser, ToyotaAvensis ]

Maximum Bob: No plug-in hybrid race between GM, Toyota

The attention of the hybrid technology universe has been focused firmly on two vehicles: the Chevy Volt and the plug-in Prius. On the surface, these two vehicles are primed to be big-time competitors in the battle for mpg-conscious buyers. Not so, says the king of quote, Maximum Bob Lutz. According to Mr. Lutz, the two vehicles are very technologically different. Toyota also says that a plug-in Prius will be in production in 2009, a full year ahead of the Volt. Lutz hypothesizes that the Prius plug-ins will be available only to select fleets and not in large scale production, and the GM Vice Chairman says that the Volt will be available as part of a large test fleet in late 2009, as well.
We agree that the Volt and Prius are technologically different, but we're pretty sure the two vehicles will be competing for the same buyers. After all, Americans are calling for more fuel efficient vehicles and don't care if one's a plug-in parallel hybrid that runs on nickel-metal hydride batteries and the other is a series hybrid with lithium-ion batteries and a "range extender". They just care about whichever one can go further on a drop of fuel.

[ Via: Detroit News ]
[ Tag: bob lutz, BobLutz, chevy volt, ChevyVolt, plug-in hybrid, Plug-inHybrid, prius, toyota prius, ToyotaPrius ]

Rumormill: Lexus LF-A... Stillborn?

The writing has been on the wall for some time. Although the Lexus flagship graduated from "concept" to "prototype" when it campaigned in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, Toyota has refused to even hint at a production date for the V10 supercar. Then Toyota declined to plonk an LF-A silhouette on their Super GT racer, electing to continue with the doomed SC 430 jello mold.

Then news broke that production cars would cost a whopping $225,000, but the LF-A still wouldn't turn a profit. Needless to say, Toyota doesn't like things that are not profitable.

Finally, members of the testing and development crew who have been putting the car though its paces in Germany, as well as test drivers from rival Honda and Nissan crews, have told Autoblog that the LF-A is not destined for the showroom, and will remain only a development platform.

No reasons were given, but we can think of a couple. How many people are willing to part with nigh on a quarter of a million bucks for a Toyota/Lexus? Also, the world's most prolific car maker may not be willing to join the current Nurburgring pissing contest unless it is 100% sure that they can beat the Viper, ZR-1 and perhaps more importantly, the GT-R and upcoming NSX replacement.

Actually, one 'Ring test driver didn't mind going on the record with his opinion. Former Nissan racer, NSX development driver and Nurburgring legend Motoharu "Gan-san" Kurosawa reckons, "Toyota are good at making money, but they're no good at making sports cars."

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: breaking, cancel, cancelled, dead, lexus, lexus lf-a, lexus lfa, LexusLf-a, LexusLfa, lf-a, lfa, Toyota ]

Toyota cuts sales forecast almost 7%

Last September we told you of Volkswagen's plan to overtake Toyota in global sales by 2015. Some Autoblog staffers giggled at the prospect. That was before Toyota reported a 39% drop in profit and began writing down leases, and long before today's news of the Japanese automaker reducing its sales goal for 2009 by almost 7%. Instead of the 10.4 million vehicle sales it predicted for 2009, Toyota says it now may only sell 9.7 million.
While 7% may not sound like a big reduction, consider that Toyota has seen steady growth since its founding in 1934, and any drop is a big deal. Last month, Toyota reported an 18% drop in sales from last July, while VW posted a 4% drop. If those sales rates continue, VW's goal of total domination should be much easier to attain.

[ Via: Reuters ]
[ Tag: automotive sales, AutomotiveSales, toyota, toyota sales, ToyotaSales, volkswagen sales, VolkswagenSales, volkswgen ]

Toyota tops GMAC as the biggest U.S. auto lender

Toyota Financial Services recently leaped over GMAC Financial services to take the lead as the biggest U.S. auto lender in terms of loan and lease contract volume. The study by AutoCount (a unit of the Experian Automotive company) estimates that Toyota captured 6.35% of the market from January through June, while GMAC had 6.2% for a close second place. Rounding out the top five were Chase Auto Finance, American Honda Finance, and Ford Credit (in that order).
As GMAC has made major cutbacks in leasing over the summer, many industry experts expect Toyota to hold its lead through the end of the year. A spokesperson from GMAC was quick to point out that the study did not include two wholly owned subsidiaries: Nuvel Credit and National Auto Finance. When those two companies are included, GMAC's share increases to 6.72 percent -- effectively placing them at the top again. While the automakers battle for the title position, the independent banks are the ones to watch. They've been steadily increasing their lending share as the Detroit 3 struggle with the rising costs of funds and declining credit ratings.

[ Via: Automotive News ]
[ Tag: AutoCount, Biggest, biggest U.S. lender, BiggestU.s.Lender, Experian, first place, FirstPlace, gmac, gmacfinancial, lease, loan, Toyota Financial Services, Toyota Financing, ToyotaFinancialServices, ToyotaFinancing ]

The most obnoxiously tuned Toyota Prius... Ever

Click above to view video after the jump
We truly do appreciate the custom-car scene, in all of its various guises. There is, however, a problem with the custom Prius you see above and in the video embedded after the break. Generally speaking, the goal of modifying a car is to either A) make it go faster or B) make it look better.
When Classe Gustafson, Elvis Häggbom and Kenny Kyrk from Sweden had finished spending $184,000 customizing a Toyota Prius, they had accomplished neither. This Prius-trocity, which was modified for a television show, is anything but subtle. It lost two doors during its transformation from mild-mannered hybrid eco-mobile to whacked out sport compact that just happens to get good fuel economy, though it did get scissor-style portals that are nearly impossible to open in the process. And it also gained a huge honkin' stereo and the body-kit from a Volvo SUV. The over-the-top paint-job is the final touch. The Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain, however, went untouched save for the obligatory fart-can exhaust. Nice.

Extreme Toyota Prius

[ Via: Wired ]
[ Tag: Classe Gustafson, ClasseGustafson, custom prius, CustomPrius, Elvis Hggbom, Kenny Kyrk, modified prius, ModifiedPrius, sweden ]

Toyota refuses to lay off workers, but has great flower beds

Toyota is struggling to sell trucks and SUVs like everyone else, but unlike the competition, no full-time workers from stalled factories are getting laid off. The 4,500 workers at idled plants are instead bettering themselves through eduction by taking classes on safety, diversity, and Toyota history. They're also doing community service while on the clock and even some gardening. The workers will be learning how to work faster and smarter during the down time, and are even being shifted to busier plants on a temporary basis to help plants that are working beyond capacity to keep up with demand.
Toyota's plan to keep its workers busy at all costs isn't cheap, as about $50 million is being spent to keep workers busy with training programs. Of course, you can't please everyone and the plan isn't sitting well with all of Toyota's workforce, as workers at running factories don't like the fact that laid off workers are getting a leg up on training. A more skilled plant could have an advantage over others in getting earmarked for future products, so unaffected workers also want the extra training.
While expensive and a bit of a logistics nightmare, Toyota's plan is a good one if you can afford it. It should help create a more loyal, better trained workforce that also forges ties with the surrounding community. We bet Toyota hopes it will prevent any talk of unionizing, as well. And with Toyota's record profits over the past few years, $50 million is a drop in the corporate bucket.

[ Via: Automotive News ]
[ Tag: layoffs, toyota, Toyota san antonio truck plant, toyota workers, ToyotaSanAntonioTruckPlant, ToyotaWorkers ]

Report: In 2020, all cars will be hybrids, Toyota think so too

In the future, we'll eat all our meals from toothpaste tubes, everyone will be beautiful and healthy, and we won't need cars, what with the proliferation of nuclear-powered jet packs. Prediction is such thorny business, though Toyota isn't making such a fantastical claim by suggesting that each of its vehicles will have a hybrid option available by 2020. Wired's blog seems to agree that by 2020, hybrids will have proliferated like rabbits, and we'll be awash in electron propulsion systems.
We still feel a little cheated that eight years into the 21st century, we still don't have all those things promised to us fifty years ago, but at least automakers are hard at work pushing alternative systems toward viability. Justin Ward, a manager at the Toyota Technical Center overseeing advanced powertrain programs, told a Management Briefing Seminar in Traverse city that work continues on fuel cells to overcome challenges like climate extremes and range. Battery technology, too, will continue to advance, making the current Hybrid Synergy Drive even more efficient. Toyota is still holding off on diesels, and plug-ins present some issues when you consider where that electricity is generated, so it's looking like Toyota will continue to develop its fuel cell technology for the long term and bolster its hybrid offerings in the near future.


[ Via: Auto News ]
[ Tag: fuel cell, FuelCell, hybrid, hybrid car, hybrid cars, hybrid future, hybrid powertrain, HybridCar, HybridCars, HybridFuture, HybridPowertrain, toyota fuel cell, toyota hybrid, ToyotaFuelCell, ToyotaHybrid ]

Toyota Supra is DOA, FJ Cruiser won't be refreshed, more hybrids on the way

A report by Automotive News detailing Toyota's future products reveals that the automaker's focus will be realigned to meet new fuel efficiency standards and limiting high-powered and niche offerings.
On the hybrid side, the new Prius will debut in Detroit, with sales beginning in the spring of 2009 as a 2010 model. The nickel-metal hydride battery will remain, and because of that, the plug-in model will be delayed until a lithium ion battery is offered. The new Prius will be packing the Corolla's 1.8-liter four cylinder and the car will be an inch wider and a half-inch longer. The second hybrid model might not come to Detroit, but development is currently under way and sales will be limited to Japan.
The Supra revival has been shelved due to high mpg requirements, allowing Toyota to focus on its RWD coupe, jointly developed by Subaru. Also, there's only room for one body-on-frame SUV from the automaker, so the 4Runner will be re-engineered for the 2010 model year, will debut in either New York or Chicago, and the FJ Cruiser will complete its lifecycle and be dropped in the next few years.
The Sienna and Venza will be equipped with hybrid drivetrains in 2012, with the Sienna receiving a facelift late next year, along with more cargo space and room for third-row occupants.
The report goes on to state that the Corolla will be redesigned in 2013, along with the Matrix, the next Camry will receive a facelift in 2010, with the new model debuting in 2012, and the new Avalon will debut in 2011 as a 2012 model.

[ Via: Automotive News ]
[ Tag: supra, toyota ]

Toyota announces new 2.7L four-cylinder for Highlander

When the all-new Highlander launched last year, it came equipped with your choice of a 3.5L V6 or a 3.3L hybrid powerplant. Toyota is expanding the Highlander's powertrain lineup for 2009 by adding a more fuel efficient 2.7L four-cylinder engine. The new engine produces 187 horsepower at 5,800 RPM and 186 lb-ft at 4,100 RPM, making it the most powerful four cylinder engine in Toyota's lineup. Assisting the new 2.7L engine is a six-speed automatic transmission that Toyota says together will provide smooth acceleration and V6-like performance. EPA figures will be announced closer to the engine/transmission's January 2009 launch date, and they should be a few mpg better than the 3.5L engine's 18/24 figures.
The addition of a four-pot to the Highlander lineup will give customers a less expensive and more fuel efficient option in this model lineup, which should prove mighty popular. What remains to be seen is whether a 187-hp engine can properly motivate a 4,000-lb vehicle. We're guessing that since many Highlander buyers aren't likely all that interested in driving dynamics, the most important stat for Toyota's CUV will be its EPA number. Hit the jump to for Toyota's press release if you're looking for nitty gritty details.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: 2.7L engine, 2.7lEngine, four cylinder, FourCylinder, Toyota Highlander, ToyotaHighlander ]

Toyota to start building Highlander in U.S. six months early

Up to this point, all Highlanders destined for the U.S. have been built in Japan. Toyota had planned to start building a new, redesigned Highlander in late 2009 at its plant in Tupelo, Mississippi, a factory that is still under construction, but the rapidly slumping SUV market prompted it to postpone the vehicle's redesign to 2010. Things change quickly in this business, however, and because its plant in Princeton, Indiana that builds the full-size Tundra is now sitting idle, Toyota has decided to use that capacity to start building the Highlander in the fall of 2009. The Tupelo plant, meanwhile, will instead start building the Prius here in the U.S. when its construction is completed in 2010. All this flip flopping of production can be done because of the flexible manufacturing that was built into each of Toyota's plants, and the positive end result is that its workers can keep working rather than sitting at home without a paycheck.

[ Via: Automotive News ]
[ Tag: princeton indiana, PrincetonIndiana, toyota, toyota highlander, ToyotaHighlander, tupelo mississippi, TupeloMississippi ]

Toyota considering exporting big trucks

The Toyota Tundra is the most competent pickup Toyota has ever produced, but the two-year-old truck has been hit hard by the harsh reality of the US auto slump. Gas prices and a sluggish housing industry have conspired to put a wet blanket on the Tundra party, and the San Antonio plant will be closed from August 8 until mid-November to allow dealers to clear out Tundra inventory. When the Texas plant does come back online, a portion of its production could wind up overseas.
At the Management Briefing Seminars, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky Inc. President Steve St. Angelo said some Tundras and Sequoias could be produced in the US and shipped overseas. While markets like Europe and Asia aren't likely to turn to trucks and SUVs in large numbers, both the Tundra and Sequoia could be a welcomed addition in the Middle East, where cheap gas prices makes big vehicles more acceptable. While the overseas truck market isn't likely to produce huge demand for the Tundra and Sequoia, the currently untapped markets could help the San Antonio plant come closer to running at its peak efficiency.

[ Via: Auto News ]
[ Tag: san antonio plant, SanAntonioPlant, sequoia, toyota tundra, ToyotaTundra, truck production, TruckProduction ]

Toyota voices its support for success of Detroit 3

According to Steve St. Angelo, a VP at Toyota North America, a healthy Detroit 3 is good for Toyota. While that may sound a bit odd or even patronizing, St. Angelo notes that the U.S. supplier base is working for both the Americans and Japanese. If one of their big clients like GM or Ford is in trouble, the effect to the supplier will in turn affect Toyota. What's more, the U.S. economy is closely tied in with the success of the automakers in Detroit and a depressed economy can only serve to hurt Toyota's U.S. sales numbers, a fact that is surely apparent when you glance at our By The Numbers posts over the past few months. Toyota's sales are still relatively strong, enough so that it has passed Ford to become America's second largest automaker and is currently knocking on GM's door (and giving them a spinning leg hook belly-to-back suplex) to take over the role as number one. So while a defeated member of the Detroit 3 may be bad for Toyota, a wounded one might be OK.

[ Via: The Detroit News ]
[ Tag: ]

Still ugly: Toyota gives Yaris the Emperor's New Colors

Yaris: Not really cool or good looking for that matter. Factory photography: the cure for uncool. Toyota has released a couple of new colors for the Yaris Liftbacks - Yellow Jolt and Carmine Red Metallic. An ochreous or insect-derived hue doesn't instantly remove the Joe Camel nose or the S version's tacked on bodykit, but there's something sharp about the accessorized penalty box that Toyota's showing off here. The Yaris sedan gets a couple of more subdued colors - Zephyr Blue Metallic and Blue Streak Metallic. Of course, new colors don't make the Yaris any better, but we must grudgingly admit that while it doesn't stir our souls, it's a decent lob over the plate. Though the price can get uncomfortably close to $20,000 (yikes!). Take a look at the gallery below, which also includes shots of the new five-door hatch model in faux sporty S trim. Indeed, the Yaris has never looked better, and likely never will.

[ Via: Open Road ]
[ Tag: 2009 yaris, 2009Yaris, carmine red, CarmineRed, toyota yaris, ToyotaYaris, yaris colors, yaris five door, yaris three door, YarisColors, YarisFiveDoor, YarisThreeDoor, yellow jolt, YellowJolt ]

Toyota's Q1 profit drops 39%

Toyota is not used to seeing its profit margins drop, as the Japanese auto giant has enjoyed increased profit for nine straight years. Expect that run to end this year, though, as Toyota is discovering that it is not immune to the downturn of the American auto market. For the year, Toyota has revised its sales forecast from 9.06 million units to an estimated 8.74 million. For the first quarter of the year that ended in June, Toyota has also announced that its operating profit took a 39% plunge from lower sales in both the United States and Europe, the increased value of the Yen and higher cost of raw materials. Oh, and then there's the pesky problems of leases. Still, Toyota sales remain fairly strong in this sinking market and a profit is a profit. We'd imagine that this is a problem any one of the Detroit 3 would love to have on its hands.


[ Via: Automotive News ]
[ Tag: toyota, toyota profit, toyota sales, ToyotaProfit, ToyotaSales ]

Industry in trouble when Toyota writes down leases

Due to a miserable U.S. car market, Detroit automakers are losing billions from lower than expected residuals on leased vehicles. Since the residuals on Motown metal are traditionally below that of the Japanese competition, many industry insiders thought that Toyotas in this country world were immune to the trend. It appears that's not the case. Toyota announced it had to "set aside major reserves for its first quarter to cover losses from vehicle leases in the U.S."
The problem is predictably bad with trucks and SUVs, but other products aren't selling off lease as well as they have in the past. With residuals dropping, used cars are dirt cheap. That gives prospective buyers an affordable alternative to buying a new car. That's bad news for Toyota, but it may even be worse news for everyone else.
Toyota has been making money and gaining market share during these tough times, but even the automotive juggernaut is struggling in today's difficult economic conditions. Including Lexus, Toyota's Daily Sales Rate is down for seven straight months versus prior year numbers, with July missing the mark by 18.7%. This news proves that even Toyota has its share of problems, but what it really shows is that Chrysler may have been on to something when it stopped offering leases.

[ Via: BloggingStocks ]
[ Tag: leasing woes, LeasingWoes, residual value, residuals, ResidualValue, toyota ]

2009 RAV4 gets refreshened, bigger base engine

Toyota has revealed the 2009 RAV4, and while the changes to its smallest CUV are modest, they are worth noting. Foremost is a refreshening of the exterior with a new grille, front bumper and restyled rear. New wheels, mirrors and fender flares round out upgrades. A new Sport Appearance Package is also available on the top level 4WD V6 RAV4 that gets a unique rear door with no spare tire and a set of run-flat tires. The SAP also gets you color-keyed exterior molding, extra interior upgrades and a new rear spoiler.
Toyota has also found a way to both increase the size and power of the RAV4's base four-cylinder engine while also squeezing out a bit better fuel economy. At an estimated 22 city and 28 highway, the new front-wheel-drive base model scores one mile per gallon higher than the '08 edition. The enlarged 2.5-liter four cylinder engine produces 179 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque, an improvement of 13 horses and 7 lb-ft over the previous 2.4-liter. We have to wonder though why Toyota placed a brand new automatic tranny in the '09 RAV4 with only four ratios from which to choose.
The optional 3.5-liter V6 soldiers on unchanged and offers EPA fuel mileage ratings of 19 city/27 highway for front-wheel drive models and 19 city/26 highway on models equipped with four-wheel drive. The six is mated to a standard, and again unaltered, five speed auto. Pricing for the base RAV4 remains the same at $21,500 while the rest of the range gets price increases and a 4WD RAV4 LTD V6 will start at $27,810.
Check out Toyota's full press release after the jump and images of the 2009 RAV4 in the gallery below.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: 2009 toyota rav4, 2009ToyotaRav4, toyota, toyota rav4, ToyotaRav4 ]

Gilded Shame: gold-trimmed Camry spotted in Dubai

Taste: some have it, some don't. Case in point this Toyota Camry spotted in Dubai where the burgeoning middle class apparently wants to roll just like their oil-funded upper class but lack the money to secure a Rolls-Royce or Bentley. While we've reluctantly grown accustomed to customers opting for the gold-tone bright-wear instead of the standard chrome detailing – especially on cars like the Camry – this owner actually had the badges, grilles, side mirrors and wheels plated in 24k gold. Seriously. If this somehow strikes you as a good idea, it can be yours for only 135,000 Dollars. Thankfully those are Arab Emirate Dollars, worth about $37 grand in American greenbacks. But please, if you're even thinking about it, contact us first and let us convince you of all the better ways you could spend $37k on a new car that won't instantly lose half its value the minute you take a wrong turn into a bad neighborhood.

[ Via: Auto Unleashed ]
[ Tag: camry, gold, gold camry dubai, gold plated, gold trim, gold-plated, gold-trimmed toyota camry, Gold-trimmedToyotaCamry, GoldCamryDubai, GoldPlated, GoldTrim, toyota, toyota camry, ToyotaCamry ]

Toyota prices 5-door Yaris hatchback from $13,305

Click above for more high-res shots of the 2009 Yaris 5-door
Last month, Toyota announced that its Yaris five-door hatchback would finally make its U.S. debut in 2009. Perfect timing, as escalating gas prices are making small cars like the Yaris increasingly popular; especially when they can be had for a song... which brings us to the real news here. The '09 Yaris five-door will begin at just $13,305 for the base model, with the upper-level S model coming in at $15,125. Also new for '09 are standard anti-lock brakes, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, driver and front passenger front side airbags, and front and rear side curtain airbags. Fuel mileage remains a strong point, with 29 mpg city and 35 mpg highway when equipped with an automatic transmission and 29 city, 36 highway with the manual transmission models. Now, if only Toyota could find a way to move the gauges in front of the driver where they should be, we'd be all set.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: 2009 yaris, 2009Yaris, toyota, toyota yaris, toyota yaris 5, toyota yaris 5 door, toyota yaris 5-door, toyota yaris five, toyota yaris five door, ToyotaYaris, ToyotaYaris5, ToyotaYaris5-door, ToyotaYaris5Door, ToyotaYarisFive, ToyotaYarisFiveDoor ]

Toyota reduces Japanese workforce by 800

Sinking sales at its Lexus luxury division have prompted Toyota to lay off some 800 workers at a Japanese plant where certain Lexus models are assembled. All 800 workers were temporary hires provided by an outside agency, and Toyota claims that at least 500 of the temps will be brought back at some point in the future. It seems that Toyota, along with other Japanese automakers, are increasingly using these temporary workers so that they can more easily adjust their payroll to changing market conditions. This tactic has drawn the ire of many in Japan, a country where loyalty is seen as extremely important. In total, Toyota's daily sales rate dropped by 18% last month while Lexus saw an even larger 25% fall, by far the largest of all the major Japanese brands.


[ Via: The Detroit News ]
[ Tag: lexus, lexus lay offs, lexus layoffs, LexusLayoffs, toyota, toyota lay offs, toyota layoffs, ToyotaLayoffs ]

Scion sales are down, brand image in flux

My older brother Brian drives a Scion xD. He's 39 years old, and probably considered anything but cool by 18-24 year-old standards. He bought his little xD because he was tired of filling up his AWD 2001 Chevy Astro conversion van, and he's gone from getting 12 mpg to about 30. While that's a big-time win for Scion sales, the brand's marketing arm has to cringe. Scion was built to be Toyota's youth-oriented brand, with cars that would finally bring younger buyers into the Toyota showroom. The early days of Scion were a boon, with 80% of Scion buyers having never shopped Toyota before. Young people were clamoring for the xB and tC, and 100-200k online shoppers flocked to the Scion site each month.
Only a year after the redesign of the xB and xD, the Scion site is seeing less than half the traffic. Overall, year over year sales fell for 17 strait months until March, when gas prices skyrocketed. Even then, sales were back down by June, which was the peak of high fuel prices. The problems began to surface when the redesigned Scions were little more than larger versions of their former selves. A larger xB became more attractive to the mother of two, while losing some of the edginess that made it a smash hit with teens and early-20-somethings.
Scion's leadership would like to turn the tide by creating a fourth member of the Scion family that exudes cool for under $20k. It could be an SUV or a hybrid, but Scion execs want it to be free from the grasps of the parent company. The current models also have to be refocused to once again attract the coveted 18-30 crowd. That's a tall order, and a lot of work for a brand that's only five years old.

[ Via: Automotive News ]
[ Tag: car buying, CarBuying, gen y, GenY, scion, toyota, xb, xd ]

Video: Toyota's Winglet Advanced Scooter In Action [Toyota Winglet]

Toyota's Segway-competing Winglet may look agile and nimble in photos, but how does it perform in motion? Quite well, actually. A lady with capri pants can ride the M version around with relative ease, using her weight to direct the Winglet around in a figure 8 so other Japanese men can take photos of her from every angle. The only thing left to see is the price. Will this be affordable enough so we can all don our short pants and ride outside in style? [Japan Times]

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[ Tag: ]

Toyota Winglet Sport Feels Like Inline Skates for Klutzs Like Me [Sports Winglet]

Yesterday we saw in action the Large and Medium models of the Segway-killer Toyota Winglet. Here you have the Type S, which stands for small but, according to Toyota, could also mean Sports. Looking at the video, it makes sense: basically, this thing seems to allow for faster, more agressive driving, achieving a behavior similar to inline skates. Someone should boost their engines speed as soon as they arrive. [Toyota]

[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]
[ Tag: ]

Toyota's Winglet aims to usurp Segway, why we don't know (updated with video)

Prepare to step aside Segway, you had your chance to revolutionize personal transportation. Introducing the Toyota Winglet. Still under development, Winglet's body has a 10.4 x 18-inch footprint and stands 1.5-, 2.2-, or 3.7-feet tall (depending upon the S, M, or L model chosen) and features an electric motor capable of a max 6km/h cruising speed for up to 10km a jaunt (only 5km for the S model). Like the Segway, the user controls the Winglet by shifting his weight to move the transporter forward and back or to make tight turns. Winglet will begin consumer testing at the Central Japan International Airport near Nagoya and Laguna Gamagori resort this Autumn with further testing in more crowded environments planned for 2009. It's planned to hit a production stride in 2010. Hey Toyota, here's a hint: you'd better start lobbying for sidewalk legalization ASAP if you're hoping for global success. All three pictured after the break in order of S, M, and Large.
Update: Video added to show just how nimble the handle-less S and M versions can be.

[ Via: Akihabara News ]
[ Tag: breaking news, BreakingNews, japan, segway, toyota, transporter, winglet ]

Used Prius prices higher than new model's

If vehicles could be sainted, stained-glass artists all over the U.S. would be busy figuring out the best colors for the Toyota Prius to shine in. Brand new examples of the motorized mollusk that everyone can't wait to buy spend just five days on dealer lots. Last year's model lasts just fifteen days more.
The real coup, however, is in the prices. An unused Prius requires about $26,672 to take home. The used version, with fewer than 10,000 miles, goes for around $27,945. That's right, nearly $1,300 more. More incredible: a 2007 model with more than 22,000 miles will only save you $276 compared to the price of a shiny new 2008. We're not sure you can even call that depreciation.
Toyota is increasing Prius production, but that'll take a moment to be felt on dealer lots. In the mean time, if you absolutely have to have a hybrid, we see a Malibu in your future...

[ Via: Next Autos ]
[ Tag: depreciation, hybrid, hybrids, prius, residuals, toyota, toyota prius, ToyotaPrius, used car, used car sales, used cars, UsedCar, UsedCars, UsedCarSales ]

Toyota reveals 'Winglet' assistance robots, Segways beware [w/VIDEO]

Toyota's bid to completely take over the world with robots is getting ever closer to fruition. Its latest endeavor is intended to place mankind on moving platforms -- very Segway-esque. Coming in Small, Medium and Large sizes, Toyota's Winglet places its riders in a standing position, likely to dissuade notions of the future portrayed in Pixar's recent Wall-E movie in which humans spent their time in more relaxed positions. Powered by an electric motor, the Winglet's two wheels are closely monitored by on-board sensors that constantly adjust the movements of the machine to keep everything upright. At just 6 kilometers per hour it ain't very vest and can't go too far with its 5-10 kilometer range, but it makes up for these issues by taking just one hour to charge. Testing is currently underway, with human trials expected to begin this Autumn in Japan. Presumably after that there'll be a version with handle bar-mounted guns that's able to round up humans in a pen. Check out the video of Toyota's winglet in action after the jump.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: segway, toyota, toyota robot, toyota robots, toyota winglet, ToyotaRobot, ToyotaRobots, ToyotaWinglet, winglet ]