It's no secret that Hummers are the poster vehicles for bad behavior. Heck, if I put up a post on a Hummer here on Straightline, the resulting comments are almost always negative. There have even been cases of Eco-Nazis vandalizing Hummers (not by Straightline followers, of course), or any vehicle that exudes mucho-machoismo.
Now it appears Hummer-lovers and other like-minded are fighting back. Literally. In fact the Toyota Pruis has become the anti-Hummer object of hate to many. Actually this (Prius vandalism) is not a new movement, as it's been going on for some time. What is new is that it appears to be gaining ground among vehicular Neanderthals across the planet.
We get the Tacoma pickup, and the rest of the world gets the HiLux pickup. Years back, as in decades back, the Toyota pickup sold here was also called the HiLux.
Moving forward... I don't know about the rest of you folks, but I find the styling of this HiLux soooo much more appealing than the Tacoma. Also very appealing is that the HiLux can be had with a 171 hp 3.0L 4-cylinder diesel. Full story here.
As promised, Honda lifted the curtain today on their all-new Prius-fighter hybrid. In doing so Honda resurected the name Insight, which was first applied to their 70 mpg 2-seat hybrid of a few years back.
This concept, like all recent Honda concepts is almost showroom-ready. Also like all Hondas, it is far more attractive (in my eyes) than the corresponding Toyota model that it would compete with.
The Insight will go on sale next spring, and is expected to undercut the Prius by $2K or so, starting at just under $20,000.
As in July, only Nissan of the Big Six automakers, showed a profit. As compared to August of last year, sales for the auto industry are down roughly 15 percent.
One of the surprises here is that, unlike the rest of the industry, several of Nissan's trucks and SUVs had a really good month. Their formerly slow-selling Frontier midsize pickup broke out with 56-percent leap in August, totaling 9,140 sales. The Xterra SUV showed an incredible 77-percent increase with 8,208 units sold. One thing I'm happy to see is that Subaru continues to surprise with a 14 percent gain over last August. The new Forester had a 73 percent increase over last August!Here's AutoObserver's take: Auto Sales Still Dismal in August - But At Least It Wasn't July
AutoExpress is reporting that Toyota's Smart-fighter, the iQ, may get a plug-in hybrid version. The car would use a 500c gas engine. It would be able to travel 15 miles in pure electric mode. It could be in production by 2010. No word yet as to whether it will be sold here.
Speaking of "smart" and "iQ," what's with this naming of vehicles based on one's brain capabilities? Do they actually "think" (another brain function) that the buyers are smart and have high IQs? I always "thought" (past tense brain function) that puns (like these) were mainly for those (like me) of less capable intellect?
Originally planned to debut at the Paris auto show, Honda is now planning on teasing us with some pictures of their new hybrid-specific sedan on September 4. It should be noted, as per recent Honda debuts, that what will be shown will be a close-to-production "concept," and not the finished product. Don't you just loved to be toyed with this way?
Whatever. We'll take it. The actual concept--in 3-D, will be on display at the Paris show.
John Kingston, Honda UK environmental manager, said the new model was critical to Honda's future. "It is a very important car for Honda and our future direction," he said, adding: "This is a car that will change customer perception of hybrids."
B V R Subbu (pictured), founder and board member of Argentum Motors, and former president of Hyundai Motors India, said that the company's electric car could be on sale in Europe and North America as early as next year and could debut at the upcoming Paris auto show.
Huh? Argentum Motors? Who are these guys? AutoObserver has an in-depth editorial on this little known Indian-French company; who they are, where they came from, and where they're headed.
No doubt we can add Ford, Toyota and Nissan to this list too; but for now we have news on what GM and Dodge are up to.
GM
First off, beside offering hybrid pickups, GM will offering a high-mileage versions of the 2WD 1/2-tons. Known as "XFE" models (as in eXtra Fuel Economy), these are vehicles using well proven technology, as they employ lots of gears (6) and a tall 3.08 rear axle ratio. The 5.3L V8 as also been tweaked somewhat.
On the hybrid front, word has it that these models have been pushed back to the first half of next year for release.
For Dodge it's a good-news-bad-news situation. The good news is that they have priced the '09 Ram lower than the '08 model, and have given it more standard features than a comparable '08 model.
The bad news is that they have priced the '09 Ram lower than the '08
model, and have given it more standard features than a comparable '08
model. That mean any remaining '08s on dealer lots are going to be hard to move once the '09 models start arriving.
For the second time Toyota has applied the brakes to their upcoming heavy-duty Tundra, thereby putting this project on hold. This is not surprising given the state of the large truck market these days.
What is somewhat surprising (to me at least) is that Toyota will replace the 4.7 V8 with a smaller 4.6 V8 by 2010. This engine is said to offer 30 more horsepower and deliver 2 more mpg than the current 4.7 I kinda expected the 4.7 might grow into a 5.0; looks like I might be wrong.
With this news of the HD Tundra being tabled, I can't help but wonder if Toyota might offer a beefed up payload option for the current Tundra, sort of a low-cost/low-risk compromise if you will. By that I mean offer a Tundra with a sub-8600 GVW, much like what Ford offers with their F-150's 8100 GVW option. A heavy-duty payload package like this would certainly appeal to contractors, especially when the 4.5 diesel arrives.
The Scion brand is struggling, and Toyota needs to figure out what to do with it. A number of industry-watchers think it's a "distraction" for Toyota, and that Toyota would be better served by focusing their energies and money on the Toyota brand.
"Toyota doesn't need Scion," said Art Spinella, president of CNW Research, Bandon, Ore. "They should have spent the money on developing Toyota-branded products," he said, comparing Scion to Saturn, which some critics say distracted GM from improving its established brands.
For 2009 Toyota is giving the RAV4 its mid-cycle refreshening. The CUV gets some minor front and rear fascia changes. Probably most interesting is that there is a new Sport Appearance Package for the AWD V6 model that includes run-flat tires--which means no spare tire hanging off the rear door (or spare tire period). This model still has a door, and not a hatch; much like what's seen on the Lexus GX470.
Also newsworthy is the base 4-cylinder engine is all new, and now displaces 2.5 liters. It puts out 179 hp/172 lb.-ft. of torque, vs 166 hp/165 lb.-ft. of torque of the old 2.4 liter engine.
Nissan has been relatively quiet when it comes to some eco-tech stuff, at least in comparison to Toyota and Honda, which are Nissan's primary competitors. That's about to change, as they just showed an all-electric car prototype, which is reportedly going on sale here in 2010. The car is FWD and uses lithium-ion batteries and a newly developed 80kW motor and inverter.Here's Inside Line's take: Nissan Previews Its Chevrolet Volt Fighter
Think Segway-lite if you like, as this trio of small, medium and large Winglets are sure to be a hit if and when they hit the market. The Winglets are powered by an electric motor, the top speed is 6 kph, and they have a range of 5 - 10 kilometers depending on terrain.
The thing that would concern me are the tiny wheels, which could easily fall into ruts, etc. That's less of a problem with the Segway, as the wheels are much larger.
The folks over at NextAutos.com have posted some spy images of the all-new next-generation Toyota Prius, which is rumored to debut at the Detroit auto show in January.
The images show that the overall profile will remain much as it currently is. However, the car is reportedly larger and more powerful--and more fuel-efficient. It's also expected that there may be other body styles, perhaps a wagon and convertible. Sounds like a win-win for hybrid fans.Full story here.
Great news for hybrid fans, as Toyota is going to up production of the popular Prius by 70 percent next year. In 2007 Toyota produced 281,300 Prius vehicles, and that will now increase to about 480,000 vehicles.
In doing so, those looking to buy one, will likely not have to endue long waits, and if they're lucky, maybe even be able to negotiate a deal...Here's Inside Line's take: Toyota Set To Increase Prius Production by 70 Percent
It's been a tough time for Detroit, and of the Detroit automakers, and Ford is feeling it the worst. They have just reported a staggering $8.7 billion loss for for the second quarter, mainly due to the tanking truck and SUV sales.That's the bad news. The good news is that Ford has got big plans in store, that will completely overhaul their North American lineup over the next few years. For details, check out AutoObserver's editorial:Ford Reports $8.7 Billion Loss in Second Quarter; Realigns Products, PlantsIn other related auto news, Toyota has again topped GM in global sales for the first half of the year. The irony here is that GM is doing really well overseas--and especially in China and Russia. Unfortunately those global gains can't offset the losses here at home--again thanks to poor truck and SUV sales. Here's AutoObesrver's take:Halftime Score: Toyota Leads GM in Global Sales
Inside Line has learned that the next-generation Lexus SC430 and Toyota Avalon have been canceled. Sales on the SC430 are down 40 percent so far this year; and since Lexus is developing a production version of the LF-A super coupe, what's the point of keeping the SC430?
As to the Avalon, word is that Toyota may be developing a long-wheelbase version of the 2012 Camry. If that's the case there would be no need for the Avalon, it would certainly be cheaper for Toyota to offer a stretched Camry than a significantly different Avalon, which is based on the Camry anyway.
A fews days ago Straightline reported that the next Toyota Prius would offer solar power on top trim levels to power air conditioning and other accessories (Next Toyota Prius to offer solar panels). Now there's word of a Swiss company, Mindset AG, that has plans to bring to market a solar-powered hybrid called the Six50. They're planning on a run of 10,000 vehicles, each selling for $78,000.
Mindset claims it can go 100km per charge. ...Oh, and it has gull-wing doors.
Toyota will be reshuffling their factories here in the U.S. Probably most important to note is that the Prius will now be built here at their Blue Springs, Mississippi plant, starting in 2010. This will be their all-new Prius, not the current model.
Also worth noting is that Tundra and Sequoia production will be suspended from August until November due to the severe downturn in those respective markets. Finally, the Highlander will begin production in Indiana.
In case you weren't aware, in Japan Toyota also has a pre-fab home building division.
As you might expect, Toyota is employing technology and lessons learned in the auto business to their homes as well. For example the homes have steel frames, not wooden frames. In addition, the homes have an electricity monitoring system that's designed to work with plug-in hybrids. It's engineered to power up vehicles during off-peak periods so as to cause as little drain as possible on the power grid. Another feature is it's designed so those who have [Toyota] hybrids can power up the homes should there be an electrical blackout.
Not surprising (maybe it is surprising?) Toyota engineers are also experimenting with using solar panels as house siding and powering homes with fuel cells, which combine hydrogen and air to produce electricity.
"At Toyota, we have certain technologies that we can apply to other fields," says Senta Morioka, president of Toyota's housing operations.
To date gains in Toyota homes has been rather modest. The good news here for Toyota is the government is encouraging sturdier home construction to better withstand earthquakes, as well as more eco-conscious designs both of which fit the Toyota Homes to a "T."
Wonder if Toyota is considering doing this here in the USA?
Reuters is reporting that that high-end trim models of the next-gen Toyota Prius (note that above image is a guesstimate) will have solar panels. These solar panels will be used to power accessories such as air conditioning, etc. The vehicle will debut next year, probably at the Detroit Auto Show.
As a fan of hatchbacks and 5-doors, news that the 5-door Toyota Yaris coming here is great. I think the 3-door Yaris is really neat. I never felt that way about the 4-door sedan version, as it's is typically Toyota boring; not so with this 5-door hatch.
A number of months back it was reported that Toyota would buy a larger share of FHI, maker of Subaru cars. Well, now it's official, and a done deal. Today FHI announced it had decided to sell 61 million treasury stocks that it owns to bigger rival Toyota Motor Corp. for 31.11 billion yen ($291.1 million), in order to enhance the capital and business partnership between the two companies...
Toyota is replacing its North American top two leaders with two executive from its European and Japanese operations.
Tetsuo Agata, 55, will be taking over Seiichi Sudo’s position as president and COO of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc. Agata was most recently Toyota’s head of research and development in Europe. Sudo, 57, will be returning to Japan...
NHRA Funny Car racer Scott Kalitta, son of legendary drag racer Connie Kalitta, was killed when his Toyota-powered racecar exploded during a race at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. It's estimated that car was doing around 300 mph when the 46 year-old racer was killed.
Kalitta, of Palmetto, Fla., was a two-time Top Fuel champion (1994-95) had 18 career victories, 17 of them in the Top Fuel class. He began his racing career at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in 1982...
So you think hybrids are for wusses? If so, check out this GE mega-mining truck that's hybrid powered. It works just like like your neighbor's Toyota Prius, in that the engine feeds electricity to a battery that runs the drivetrain. During braking, the spinning wheels act as a generator for the battery...
AutoObserver is reporting that the new Honda Hybrid (a.k.a. Prius fighter) may resurrect the name 'Insight.' Not a bad idea if you ask me, as that name is clearly associated as being one of the "greenest" names in all of automotivedom. However, unlike the original 2-seat Insight (pictured), expect this version to be a 5-seat hatchback, and therefore having a much wider appeal.
The vehicle is expected to be shown at the next Detroit auto show in January...
Formula One Drivers Add High-Speed Skills and Thrills to Toyota Race of Legends at Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races International Field of Drivers Vie for $25,000 Charitable Donation
TORRANCE, Calif., June 10, 2008 – Some of the most respected former Formula One (F1) drivers are ready to go wheel-to-wheel in this year’s Toyota Race of Legends at the 35th annual Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races, presented by Toyota. In addition to good-natured bragging rights, these drivers are looking to secure a $25,000 check that will be donated to the winner’s selected charity.
The Toyota Race of Legends is an exciting feature of the Monterey Historics taking place August 15-17 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and is the centerpiece of Toyota’s Celebration of History showcase.
Derek Bell (Britain) returns to defend last year’s inaugural win against an impressive lineup of F1 veterans looking to unseat him. Joining Bell on the starting grid will be Eddie Cheever (U.S.), Johnny Herbert (Britain), Jean-Pierre Jarier (France), 1980 World Champion Alan Jones (Australia), Danny Sullivan (U.S.), Patrick Tambay (France) and John Watson (Britain).
Adding to the race excitement will be Alain de Cadenet (Britain) of SPEED TV and former 24 Hours of Le Mans driver, who will provide fans and television viewers with a driver’s-eye race commentary from inside the cockpit. The tenth and final car will be driven by a charity auction winner held among Monterey Historics race participants. The winning bid last year was $16,100 and benefited the Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital Foundation.
Practice for the Toyota Race of Legends is Friday, August 15 and the eight lap race is Saturday, August 16. The starting grid will be determined by a random drawing that is overseen by a special surprise celebrity guest, who will also be calling the race.
Last year, Bell split his $25,000 winner’s donation equally between the U.K.-based national cancer charity Hope for Tomorrow and the Florence Fuller Foundation based in Boca Raton, Fla.
“This is an amazing group of drivers who have experienced the thrills of racing in the pinnacle of motorsports,” explains Kim McCullough, corporate manager for marketing communications of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. “It is a thrill to have them come together to race for charity, sign autographs and share their experiences with the fans. It’s not everyday you meet such a distinguished group of drivers.”
The legends will tackle legendary Laguna Seca in identical race-equipped Scion tC sport coupes. These high-performance tCs feature a 2.4-liter, 215-horsepower supercharged engine and are well matched to the track’s sweeping turns, uphill straightaway and challenging Corkscrew.
For the first time since 1991, the Ford F-150 has been pushed out of the number one selling slot by the Honda Civic (53,299). In fact the F-150 was also passed by the Toyota Corolla (52,826), Toyota Camry (51,291), and the Honda Accord (43,728). The F-150 came in fifth just 800 shy of the Accord (42,928). This just more evidence that the established order in the auto industry is quickly falling by the wayside...
Toyota's latest version of their LCD 'Night View' instrument cluster recognizes pedestrians by outlining the figures with a rectangular frame. This is available on the Japanese Crown Hybrid model. Toyota is also working on future version that will recognize animals and bicycles as well.
Another cool feature of this LCD instrument cluster is that there are several modes in which you can choose: There's an ECO Mode, a Sport Mode, as well as the Pedestrian Recognition Mode...
Looks like the Toyota Tundra could get a pair of diesels. The V8 4.5L version is a no-brainer, as it's already on sale in Australia in the new down-under Land Cruiser. That engine is expected to go into the Tundra, Sequoia, and probably our Land Cruiser and its Lexus cousin as well.
Even though the Acura Integra Type-R coupe is FWD, and is out of production, Subaru has chosen that car to model the performance and size specs after for their new RWD coupe. Due in 2011, and being co-developed with Toyota, the new car is expected to have an MSRP under $20K for base models. It will use the Subaru boxer engine, and there have been rumors of a possible AWD version also being offered, although there is no mention of that in this latest Inside Line report.
Inside Line also reports that the Toyota version will be a Japan-only vehicle, while the Subaru version will be marketed worldwide...
Toyota may have a solution to the tanking US truck and SUV market: Export them.
According to Motor Authority (via Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun), Toyota will export the Sequoia, Sienna and [possibly] other larger US-built vehicles to other emerging markets where the demand for such vehicles is high. The Sequoia will be headed to the Middle East, and the Sienna to China and other markets. Ya gotta wonder if the Tundra is also under consideration for export...
To no one's surprise, with gas prices the way they're headed, hybrids are selling at record numbers; and also, as you might expect, the Toyota Prius is leading the charge here.
Sales of the Prius rose 67 percent last month. Toyota cut the value of sales promotions on the five-year- old model to $123 per vehicle in April, from $1,471 in March 2007, said Jesse Toprak, of Edmunds.com.
"There's really no other car that's been out as long as Prius selling at this kind of volume with little or no incentive support," Toprak said...
