Yesterday was a big day for NASCAR as two rear-wheel-drive, tube-frame, V8 racecars pretending to be even remotely like FWD, four-cylinder family sedans were finally revealed.
Like their production counterparts, the 2013 Ford Fusion and the 2013 Toyota Camry NASCAR racers do look pretty sharp -- especially the Ford -- but the stickers and subtle body cues are the only thing even remotely close.
Check the two newest NASCAR rides out in all of their "not nearly enough stickers to actually go racing" liveries after the jump.
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Categories: Ford,Motorsports,Toyota
In a rare bit of candid car-guy-ness, the head of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, has gone on record about his favorite Japanese non-Toyota cars. Toyoda is a sports car guy, a major backer of the GT 86/ FR-S/ BRZ rear-drive project, so it's no surprise that most of his favorite cars are of the lightweight sporting variety.
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Categories: Acura,Celebrities,Toyota
Earlier this week the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crowned three new vehicles "Top Safety Pick." (An increasingly large group that sort of recalibrates the gauge for "top".) Included were the 2013 Chevy Malibu Eco, the 2012 Hyundai Azera and the 2012 Toyota Prius C.
All three vehicles scored passing marks in front and side crash tests, as well as rollover and rear-impact collisions.
Crash videos on the Malibu and Prius (the ones you really wanted to see crashed) after the jump.
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Categories: Auto Industry,Chevrolet,Hyundai,Toyota,Videos
Toyota has just released their contenders for the 2012 24 Hours of the Nurburgring which takes place from May 17 - 20.
Toyota has enlisted Gazoo Racing to field one Lexus LFA and two GT 86s in the famed endurance race. The GT 86s will compete in SP3 while the LFA is in SP8. The team is made of Gazoo employees as well as Toyota technicians and drivers looking to "hone their skills and craftsmanship, gaining experience that will feed back directly into the work developing future vehicles."
Manufacturer technicians and developers actually driving cars. What a thought.
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Categories: Motorsports,Sports Cars,Toyota
We've been hearing about the Scion FR-S / Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ convertible since about five minutes after we first saw the concept. In fact, we made this rendering of an FT-86 convertible way back in November of 2009.
Chief engineer Tetsuya Tada initially said that the car was designed to have a roof and that the roof is a part of the car's support structure that shouldn't be removed, and it would need significant bracing. Later he said that the car was designed from the beginning as a convertible and that one would definitely be produced. It would open up a new consumer base for the car and will finally give the Miata a run for its money in the small rear-drive, drop-top segment. Building this is a no-brainer.
So it's coming. We know that. Car and Driver thinks they know more and are reporting that it will happen in 2014 or very late 2013. If we were pressed to guess we, too, would say 2014.
Categories: Convertibles,Future Vehicles,Scion,Subaru,Toyota
At the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles today, Toyota took the wraps off of the 2013 Toyota Rav4 Ev and its $50,610 price tag ($49,800 + $810 shipping).
"It's all about blending the best of two world's," said Toyota's Bob Carter. "The all-new Rav4 EV marries the efficiency of an EV with the versatility of a small SUV -- in fact, it is the only all-electric SUV on the market."
The Rav4 EV is a result of a joint venture between Toyota and Tesla where Toyota built the vehicle, and Tesla filled it with batteries and electric components. Maximum horsepower from the Tesla-sourced motor is 154 hp (115 kW) @ 2,800 rpm. Toyota says the Rav4 EV is capable of going from 0-60 in 7.0 seconds in sport mode and 8.6 seconds in normal mode. Max speed, too, changes with the mode -- 85 in normal, 100 in sport.
Visually the Rav4 EV differs from its conventional cousin with a new bumper and grille, new mirrors, a rear spoiler, LED projector-beam headlamps, DRLs, new emblems and a smoother underbody. It will be offered in Blizzard White Pearl, Shoreline Blue Pearl and Classic Silver Metallic.
The 2013 Toyota Rav4 EV goes on sale later this year to soccer moms who can deal with a car with 100 miles of range followed by six-hours of charging.
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Categories: Electric Vehicles,SUVs,Toyota
The Scion FR-S is no longer a mystery. We've driven it in Japan and we've had it into our offices here in Southern California for a full test on our track and on our roads. It's finally a real car and not a concept.
That doesn't mean, however, that we're tired of it or tired of hearing how a company like Toyota managed to get their swagger back and produce a fun car while they also produce, well, everything else in their lineup. GT Channel recently got hold of the Chief Engineer behind the FR-S, Tetsuya Tada, for an in-depth look at the process and the mindset behind the product. It's 10 minutes, but worth it.
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Categories: Auto Industry,Scion,Toyota
As we're sure you all know, the 26th International Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26) is happening from May 6 to the 9th at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Featured speakers include Bob Lutz, LA mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Robert Carter (Group VP of Toyota) amongst others involved in the mobility and electricity world.
What would an EV symposium be without vehicles, though? Toyota is helping to fill space on the floor by officially introducing the new Rav4 EV during the show.
The Toyota Rav4 EV is part of a $100-million deal that Toyota inked with Tesla last year. Tesla will provide the battery, motor, gearbox and power electronics for the Rav4 which will be built in Toyota's Ontario, Canada plant.
This teaser image already shows a different font and logo for the Rav4 EV than was shown on the concept. We'll have to wait until next week to see what else is different.
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Categories: Electric Vehicles,Future Vehicles,Toyota
Best Motoring may be gone, but the Japanese love for racing shows continues on with this program. Whatever it is. My Japanese isn't good enough to figure out the title, or what anybody is saying, but that doesn't matter: They've got the Subaru BRZ, Mazda MX-5 Miata and the Toyota 86 (which we'll see as the Scion FR-S) on the track being hustled by pro drivers.
Who takes it?
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Categories: Mazda,Subaru,Toyota
One factor that's influential in determining whether a model is one that dealers won't be able to keep in stock on the lot is, of course, demand. If buyers are lining up 'round the block to get their hands on a certain model, this frenzied enthusiasm will likely have an impact on inventory levels.
The other factor concerns supply. Brand-new models frequently make the list of quickest-selling vehicles because with these models, manufacturers often choose a cautious approach when it comes to supply; production is grown slowly and carefully with the intention of making sure that the products aren't plagued with glitches.
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Categories: Audi,BMW,Honda,Hyundai,Kia,Land Rover,Lexus,Mazda,Subaru,Toyota,Volkswagen
With the release of full road tests for what will be two of the most-scrutinized new vehicles launched this year -- the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ -- we've noted some outrage at the requirement for premium-unleaded fuel for the cars' modestly-powered, normally aspired 2-liter horizontally opposed engine.
Like many of you, we deeply desire one -- either -- of these rear-drive curve-scalpels for our very own, and we were ready to fling hate grenades about the premium-fuel requirement.
Then, we did the math.
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Categories: Coupes,Sports Cars,Subaru,Toyota
Over the last few days rumors have been spreading about Toyota's potential return to rally car racing. The most notable was a report by the FIA on the World Rally Championship website that stated that Toyota has built and tested a 1.6-liter turbocharged racing engine.
But that's just an engine. Toyota is exceptionally good at engines and their Toyota Motorsport GMBH racecar engineering group could have found a way to profit from engine building. Now we have official confirmation that Toyota is working on a new rally program: They're hiring a "senior test engineer -- rally car development."
Before you get your hopes up, they're looking for someone with a degree in Mechanical or Automotive engineering, excellent and up to date technical knowledge and relevant experience in a rally environment and have a knowledge of Magneti Marelli software Wintax. (Full description of the position after the jump.)
At this point, Toyota joining the WRC isn't so much an "if" as a "when."
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Categories: Motorsports,Toyota
In the U.S. "wagon" can be a dirty word. But call a vehicle a "crossover" and you're on the cutting edge of automotive design.
For 2013, the Venza crossover/wagon has received a mild face-lift. And we really mean mild. Teaser images were released ahead of the show but all three trim levels, XE, XLE and Limited, were in New York.
Can you see the changes to the upper and lower front grille? It's slightly sleeker than last year. The foglights and taillights also received a minor refresh and there is a new 19-inch wheel design.
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Categories: New York Auto Show,Toyota
Toyota went to great lengths to portray the all-new 2013 Toyota Avalon as an American sedan. It was designed in California, engineered in Michigan and 90 percent of its parts will come from North America.
Toyota also pitched this Avalon's styling as a major selling point. Bob Carter, head of Toyota in the U.S., even went so far as to say it's the most beautiful Toyota he's seen in 20 years. Kinda makes us wonder what came out in 1992 that he loved so much.
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Categories: New York Auto Show,Sedans,Toyota
A car guy we were talking with recently swore on the fact that there was no way a V8 would fit in the Toyota GT 86 / Scion FR-S / Subaru BRZ. "The hood line's too low," he said.
Japanese drifter Max Orido has proven that guy wrong -- and built a totally bitchin' drift machine -- by shoving the 416-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 from the Lexus IS-F into his new D1 Grand Prix Drift car.
This would make a better TRD version than the one we saw last week. But, like the RX-8 powered Miata Mazda will never built, this one's never going to see the light of day from the factory.
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Categories: Motorsports,Toyota
While we haven't had one in our hands yet, if the Scion FR-S (Toyota GT-86 ) sounds anything like the Subaru BRZ (which it will), we're not impressed. The BRZ sounded fine, but fine isn't good enough. Not with a car this hotly anticipated, this driver-focused.
So, until Subaru figures out what on earth it wants to/can do with the BRZ STI, Toyota is going to fill in the gap with a TRD edition. Here's our first look at the new body kit and pipes in action.
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Categories: Scion,Sports Cars,Toyota,Tuners and Modifications
Toyota today released this preview image of a new sedan that they will premiere at the 2012 New York Auto Show. Along with the image of this Audi-meets-Acura looking thing was a press release that, curiously, didn't say the word "concept" or "design study" or give any such qualifier into the unrealisticness of this new car. Which begs the question: Is this the new Avalon?
Categories: Concept Vehicles,New York Auto Show,Sedans,Toyota
You know when Josh Jacquot sends you an off-roading video that it's going to be a good one. The guy doesn't tolerate boring off-roading and so when this one came in and it didn't have Showtime I wasn't sure what to expect. Turns it out was nothing more than a Toyota Landcruiser that thinks it's a boat.
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Categories: Toyota,Trucks
What do women look for in a new car? It can be a perplexing thing to try and determine. Of course, generally speaking, they want the same things that men want -- a vehicle that's a match for their budget and lifestyle. But in practice, there are certain models that seem to appeal primarily to members of the fairer sex.
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Categories: Honda,Hyundai,Jeep,Nissan,Toyota,Volkswagen,Volvo
Last time, Senior Analyst Jessica Caldwell took us behind the scenes at Volkswagen to talk sales and sausages, this week it was the Toyota Prius C that piqued her interest.
"1,201
"I'm jumping on the bandwagon here because this is the number that caught everyone's attention. 1,201 made its splashy appearance in the Toyota press release as the number of Prius Cs that were sold in the first three days of its shelf life. The release also pointed out the Prius C sold more in three days than Chevrolet Volt or Nissan Leaf did in the entire month of February. Let's put aside the fact that the Prius C, Volt, and Leaf possess different technologies for a second and realize the release had moxie. It was bold and very un-Toyota."
Read more at Drive by Numbers in the Edmunds Industry Center.
Categories: Auto Industry,Hybrids,Toyota
