No, really: Toyota won't create seperate Prius brand


The idea of a separate brand for the Toyota Prius has gone from "seriously considering" to "not a 'go'" to, now, "Um, no." That's the word from Miguel Fonseca, Toyota's managing director in the UK, who says that there won't be a Prius sub-brand.
However, Fonseca did say that the stork would be visiting the Prius factory to drop off other body styles, making a Prius family of vehicles. He wouldn't say what the body types were, but AutoCar speculation centers on an estate and an MPV to be unveiled in 2010, along with a coupe debuting the following year. As reported before, when the larger, frugal-er next gen Prius sedan arrives in about a year, it won't be packing lithium-ion batteries -- Toyota engineers say they're still not yet ready for prime-time.

[ Via: AutoCar ]
[ Tag: alternative, hybrids, prius, prius brand, prius sub brand, PriusBrand, PriusSubBrand, sedans, toyota, toyota prius, ToyotaPrius ]

2010 Toyota Prius revealed more in YouTube video


Toyota's irritatingly slow leak of seemingly insignificant 2010 Prius teasers has shown us such riveting details as the hybrid car's startup screen, power seat switch and some sort of all-knowing seeing-eye camera. A much more interesting set of leaks has also granted us an early but pixelated peek at the car's external shape, along with detail shots like the rear LED tail lamp assembly and a few different looks at the interior. Now, we've discovered a set of YouTube videos that definitely don't seem to have come from Toyota itself.
In the videos after the jump we see the new 2010 Prius spinning on a rotating stage, we see buttons on the steering wheel that change the digital readouts on the central dash and we see a brief glimpse of the car's generous storage capacity via its hatchback body style - all of it set to wonderfully numbing elevator music. There is one interesting bit that we've recently seen: an air conditioning button on an old-school key fob that allows the climate control to run via rooftop solar panels even while the car itself isn't running. Fortunately, we only have about two more months to wait for the car's official debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January. Thank God for small miracles.
[ Via: Prius Chat ]
[ Tag: 2010 prius, 2010 prius leak, 2010 prius teaser, 2010 prius video, 2010 toyota prius, 2010Prius, 2010PriusLeak, 2010PriusTeaser, 2010PriusVideo, 2010ToyotaPrius ]

SEMA 2008: Lexus GS 460 by Five Axis


 Five Axis Lexus GS 460

[ Via: Autoblog (Aftermarket) ]
[ Tag: five axis, Five Axis Lexus GS, five axis lexus is-f, FiveAxis, FiveAxisLexusGs, FiveAxisLexusIs-f, lexus gs, lexus gs 460, LexusGs, LexusGs460, sema, sema 2008, Sema2008 ]

Toyota Prius production in the U.S. could be delayed until 2011... or not


Toyota has been scrambling to right its financial ship after cutting its profit forecast by 63% in the face of dismal US auto sales. The Japanese automaker set up an emergency committee to look at areas to cut costs, and all programs are said to be on the table. Though Toyota has announced nothing specific to this point, Japan's Nikkei Business Daily is announcing that the first US-built Priuses may not be produced until 2011. That would mean a one year delay of the opening of Toyota's Mississippi plant, which has already seen a product shift and cost overruns. The new 2010 Prius, which will initially only be built in Japan until the Mississippi plant comes online, is scheduled to be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
Toyota is currently denying that Prius production at the Mississippi plant has been delayed. We're a bit skeptical of the Nikkei report anyway considering the Prius is still in high demand despite the economic downturn.

[ Via: Associated Press ]
[ Tag: mississippi plant, MississippiPlant, prius, Prius production delay, PriusProductionDelay, toyota ]

Consumers rate automakers bang for the buck



Consumers surveyed for the YouGovPolimetrix BrandIndex were asked to rate everything from cable channels to search engines in terms of bang for the buck. It's not so much a scientific study as it is an opinion poll, and among the department stores and search engines, automakers were also rated. Among the domestic carmakers, General Motors claims both the best and the worst, with HUMMER rated the worst bang for the buck while Chevrolet was rated positively. Toyota was among the top ten of all brands rated, demonstrating consumers ongoing love for their Camrys, but before we end up with a dogmatic flamewar in the comments, remember that this is just an opinion poll with an buzzword-tastic name.

[ Via: AdAge ]
[ Tag: brandindex, chevrolet bang for the buck, chevrolet toyota hummer, ChevroletBangForTheBuck, ChevroletToyotaHummer, gm bang for the buck, GmBangForTheBuck, hummer bang for the buck, HummerBangForTheBuck, toyota bang for the buck, ToyotaBangForTheBuck, yougov ]

After reading that the latest supercharged Toyota just did 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds, you might think to yourself, "Toyota doesn't make the Supra anymore, and even when they did it was turbocharged, not supercharged." And then you'd think that somebody probably did some outrageous modifications to a Camry or Corolla, or possibly even a Yaris, but no. The vehicle in question is a new Toyota, but it isn't one of those models. It's a relatively stock model in fact, with a factory warranty and factory-approved TRD parts. And it isn't a car. It's the TRD Supercharged Tundra pickup truck. Using the TRD supercharger and a few other tricks, the truck's 5.7L V8 has blossomed from 381 horsepower to 504, and torque has gone up from 401 lb-ft to 550. And MotorTrend claims they got it to run 0-60 in just just 4.4 seconds, half a second quicker than a Ram SRT-10 and faster than most high-end sports cars.
There's no doubt this is one quick vehicle, but we call BS on the time. Even with super-short gears, there's no way a truck that weighs over 5,000 lbs can do it in 4.4 seconds. Pickuptrucks.com ran the same truck through the 1/8th mile in Irwindale and managed 9.07 seconds at 81.16 mph. We'd guess the 0-60 should fall closer to 5 seconds at that pace, which is still mighty impressive. And yet, MT posted a full quarter-mile in 13 seconds flat at 106.3, so maybe TRD has done a little more work since the previous test. We're going to try and get our hands on one for an independent analysis. For now, we leave you with this point to ponder: Is it remotely possible for a 5,000+ pound Tundra, even one with Toyo Proxes S/T 285/45 R22 tires and TRD go-fast goodies, to do 0-60 in just 4.4 seconds?

[ Via: Pickuptrucks.com ]
[ Tag: supercharged toyota tundra, supercharged Tundra, SuperchargedToyotaTundra, SuperchargedTundra, trd, trd tundra, TrdTundra ]

Great things come in small packages. iQ wins Japanese Car of the Year


Any guesses on what car Japanese jurors might pick as their Car of the Year? Guess again; and again. That's right, the Nissan GT-R only managed to snag enough votes to garner a bronze finish in Japanese COTY voting. Wondering what epically amazing machinery bested the mighty Godzilla? That would be the miniscule Toyota iQ. Once again, it is clear just how far the priorities for transportation have changed. Supercar levels of acceleration, on-board supercomputers and remarkable handling prowess just aren't enough to woo the top pick from judges in Japan. Not only was the iQ the top overall choice in a landslide victory, the Citroën C5 managed to garner enough votes to steal second place from the mighty GT-R.
Don't get us wrong, the Toyota with the funny name is a vehicle deserving of all the recognition it gets. A packaging miracle, the smarty-pants iQ manages to cram four real human beings inside a footprint that's pretty darn close to that of the smart fortwo, a car that seats just two people including the driver. These days, exceptional fuel economy, low emissions and intelligent packaging are apparently the way to a Japanese heart, and likely many from the rest of the world, as well. What do you think? Is the Toyota iQ the, ahem... smart person's COTY?

[ Via: Inside Line ]
[ Tag: car of the year, CarOfTheYear, iq, japanese car of the year, JapaneseCarOfTheYear, toyota iq, toyota iq car of the year, ToyotaIq, ToyotaIqCarOfTheYear ]

Rendered Speculation: Lexus dedicated hybrid sedan


Lexus is set to invade the Detroit Auto Show in January with a duo of dedicated hybrid models. One of these machines will be a Lexus-ified version of Toyota's latest third-gen Prius, while the second model is still shrouded in mystery. A Japanese magazine known as Mag-X has rendered what they think the new Lexus hybrid sedan will look like, along with providing a few helpful hints on what we could expect to see underhood. The rumors suggest that the model will be badged the HS250h, which would normally indicate an engine displacing around 2.5-liters, but Lexus has a history of inflating the assumed displacement of its hybrid car's names, so we wonder if the Japanese mag got it right when they metnion a 2.4-liter engine.
Mag-X also suggests that the 2011 Camry hybrid will get a new Hybrid Synergy Drive system inherited from the new 2010 Prius. We're looking forward to a hybrid sedan face-off between the new Ford Fusion and the revised Camry. Early bets?

[ Via: VW Vortex ]
[ Tag: 2011 camry, 2011 camry hybrid, 2011 toyota camry, 2011 toyota camry hybrid, 2011Camry, 2011CamryHybrid, 2011ToyotaCamry, 2011ToyotaCamryHybrid, lexus hs250h, lexus hs250h hybrid, lexus hybrid, LexusHs250h, LexusHs250hHybrid, LexusHybrid ]

There's a workout regimen called Crossfit that aims to increase one's abilities in eight different areas. Crossfit doesn't reward the specialist, it rewards the well-rounded; it doesn't create marathoners, it creates decathletes. The point of Crossfit is to allow you to enter any situation with the confidence that you have things like the agility, strength and conditioning to do well. The Toyota Venza has the same ethos: pitched as 70-percent car, 30-percent SUV, the Venza wants to do everything well. And when we say "well", we mean it wants to do everything better than the competition: 10,000 people were leaving Toyota every year to get into something between the Camry and the Highlander, things that ended up being the Ford Edge, Mazda CX-7 and Infiniti FX. The Venza is Toyota's request to those buyers to "Come back to papa." Follow the jump to find out whether you should heed the call.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: 2009 toyota venza, 2009ToyotaVenza, featured, in the autoblog garage, InTheAutoblogGarage, toyota, toyota venza, ToyotaVenza, venza ]

Toyota developing $5k car under new brand


The world's largest automaker is looking to join Tata Motors and Renault's Dacia brand as purveyors of cheap new cars. Toyota has cultured a company model by building high-quality, reliable cars, and has gone upmarket with its Lexus brand to compete at the high end of the automotive spectrum. More recently, the automaker has attempted to target a younger crowd with its Scion subsidiary and now a fourth brand is being considered to cater to emerging markets wihtout sullying the Toyota's hard-fought image. The new car would be targeted at the Indian and Brazilian markets, and would likely be made at Toyota's plant in Bangalore. Toyota is rumored to be partnering up with Daihatsu, another subsidiary of Toyota, that specializes in Japanese Kei cars for the new inexpensive model. If it indeed does happen, expect the new vehicle to make its debut by 2015.


[ Via: Automotive News ]
[ Tag: cheap car, cheap toyota, CheapCar, CheapToyota, daihatsu, tata nano, TataNano, toyota ]

SEMA 2008: Toyota RAV4 "Performance Sport" lacks performance and sport


Click above for high-res gallery of the Toyota RAV4 Performance Sport

[ Via: Autoblog (Aftermarket) ]
[ Tag: rav4, sema, sema 2008, Sema2008, toyota, toyota rav4, Toyota RAV4 performance sport, ToyotaRav4, ToyotaRav4PerformanceSport ]

SEMA 2008: Ford stacks the ballot with concepts for election day


Click above for massive gallery of Fords from SEMA

[ Via: Tags: ford edge ]
[ Tag: ford edge, ford edge sport, ford escape, ford escape hybrid, ford focus, ford focus coupe, ford transit connect, FordEdge, FordEdgeSport, FordEscape, FordEscapeHybrid, FordFocus, FordFocusCoupe, FordTransitConnect, lincoln mks, lincoln mkx, LincolnMks, LincolnMkx, sema, sema 2008, Sema2008 ]

We have good news and bad news to report regarding Toyota's 0% financing deal that's currently going on in the U.S. The Japanese automaker must be seeing positive results from the operation, as it's extended the incentive through the month of November. That's the good news. The bad? This announcement likely means that we'll all need to put up with the excruciatingly horrible "Saved by Zero" commercials that have been infecting our TV screens these last few weeks. *Shudder*
For the month of October, Toyota saw its average daily sales rate drop 24%. While that's surely not the direction in which the automaker would like to see its sales slide, that figure is dramatically better than that of General Motors, it's largest rival in the U.S., which posted declines of around 45%. It may be a shallow victory, but it's apparently enough that these financing deals will remain in effect on 11 models through all of November.

[ Via: The Detroit News ]
[ Tag: saved by zero, SavedByZero, toyota incentive, toyota incentives, ToyotaIncentive, ToyotaIncentives, zero percent, zero percent financing, zero percent financing toyota, zero percent interest, zero percent toyota, ZeroPercent, ZeroPercentFinancing, ZeroPercentFinancingToyota, ZeroPercentInterest, ZeroPercentToyota ]

When the 2009 Toyota Highlander hits dealerships in mid-to-late January, it will finally have an optional four-cylinder engine. The 2.7-liter four comes courtesy of the Venza and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain combination has been developed primarily for fuel efficiency and the EPA has given it a rating of 20/27 city and highway, with combined real-world mileage expected to hit about 22 miles per gallon. For comparison, the 3.5L V6, which will still be available, is rated at 18/24, and the hybrid model retains its 3.3L V6 and EPA ratings of 27 city and 25 highway.
Obviously, with 187 horsepower at a high 5,800 RPM and 186 lb-ft of torque, the engine is going to work hard for every mile per hour it gains. Recognizing this, Toyota has given it a preliminary 9.7-second 0-60 mph rating. That's not too bad considering its highway mileage rating actually bests that of the hybrid model. Maximum tow rating stands at 3,500 pounds, but it'll surely be breathing hard with a full load. No matter, as we expect the new base engine to account for a substantial chunk of Highlander sales.

[ Via: Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: 2.7 liter, 2.7l engine, 2.7lengine, 2.7Liter, 2009 toyota highlander, 2009ToyotaHighlander, highlander four cylinder, HighlanderFourCylinder, toyota, toyota highlander, toyota highlander 2.7, ToyotaHighlander, ToyotaHighlander2.7 ]

Click any image for a high-res gallery of Toyota's SEMAfied trucks

[ Via: Autoblog (Aftermarket) ]
[ Tag: sema, sema 2008, Sema2008, tacoma truck concept, TacomaTruckConcept, toyota, toyota tundra, toyota tundra ducati transporter, ToyotaTundra, ToyotaTundraDucatiTransporter, trd tacoma off road, TrdTacomaOffRoad ]

Toyota Venza priced from $25,975


It's been almost a year since Toyota debuted its new Venza crossover at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, and we've heard nary a peep since. With the launch of the V6 model only a month away, though, we've finally received pricing info. The rather ungainly looking Venza will start at $25,975 with Toyota's new 2.7L four-cylinder engine and front-wheel-drive, and top out at $29,250 for the 3.5L V6 model with AWD. This makes the Venza's pricing very close to its competition from Nissan and Ford, though Toyota's model is the only one available with a four-cylinder engine.
Standard features on the Venza include traction and stability control plus plenty of safety features, and the options list looks like it came straight from Lexus. Some of the dollar figures on those options are Lexus-like, as well. DVD Navigation with upscale JBL sound will set you back $2,590, and just the upgraded stereo will cost an additional $1,090. Toyota also offers four levels of luxury packaging ranging from $1,600 for leather seats to $4,345 for a package with leather, HID headlights, mahogany wood finishes and heated mirrors. For full pricing info, check out Toyota's official press release after the jump.

[ Via:
Autoblog (Toyota) ]
[ Tag: 2009 toyota venza, 2009ToyotaVenza, crossover, toyota venza, ToyotaVenza, venza pricing, VenzaPricing ]

Toyota: Separate Prius brand not a 'go'


Rumors from LLN that a separate Prius brand are "a go" are actually nothing more than a maybe. According to Toyota's own blog, the automaker can confirm that it's considering a hybrid-only brand that would see separate space in dealerships -- much like what is already being done with the Scion brand -- but a final decision has not yet been made and Toyota's not even sure what products would fall under that new brand name, besides, of course, the Prius. Rumors, though, abound regarding new hybrids from Toyota, including Prius-like hatchbacks both a bit larger and a bit smaller than the current model alongside a hybrid price-leader to do proper battle with the new Honda Insight. Now, if they'd just address those rumors of an 80-mile-per-gallon Volt-fighting hybrid that have also been swirling around the interwebs...

[ Via: Toyota ]
[ Tag: 2010 prius, 2010 toyota prius, 2010Prius, 2010ToyotaPrius, prius, prius brand, PriusBrand, toyota hybrid, toyota prius, ToyotaHybrid, ToyotaPrius ]


[ Via: MR2Forum.de ]
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