In a brief statement (138 words), GM North America President, Troy Clarke today announced the end of GM's joint venture with Toyota, the New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI).
In the statement, Clarke noted that, "GM and Toyota could not reach an agreement on a future product plan that made sense for all parties." Therefore, the 25-year-old NUMMI has been relegated to the dustbin known as "Old GM," and will not be among the assets the company will continue with when it emerges from bankruptcy. GM's participation will end when the last Pontiac Vibe rolls off the line in August.
Clarke ended the statement with, "...we remain open to future opportunities of mutual interest." He most certainly did not end it with, "It was awesome having you in homeroom this year. Stay cool!!!!"
The days of Vibes, Prizms and Novas is officially over.
What? This seems odd to you? A British luxury sports car builder embarking on a program to develop a small, awkward looking city car?
Well, welcome to the world of corporate average fuel economy (CAFE), a U.S. regulation that now says cars and trucks must meet a combined average of 35.5mpg by 2016. Given that the most fuel efficient model in Aston's lineup doesn't even get 20mpg on the highway, the company is clearly going to need some help to prop up its average.
Enter the Toyota iQ citycar, a pint-sized two-seater (there are rear "seats", but few humans could use them as such) that boasts mileage in the 55-60mpg range. Aston Martin intends to use the iQ as the basis for what it will call the Cygnet. Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez says now is the time for Aston to embark on such a project.
"Much work is still required, but I am confident that this project could become reality in the not too distant future. This concept - akin to an exclusive tender to a luxury yacht - will allow us to apply Aston Martin design language, craftsmanship and brand values to a completely new segment of the market," said Bez.
According to a Aston Martin spokesperson, the Cygnet won't be sold on the open market. Instead, only those who already own an Aston Martin will be able to purchase the vehicle, sort of like an errand car to use when you want to downplay your conspicuous consumption.
Guess it's only a matter of time until we see a Porsche version of the Volkwagen Up! too.
Newly installed President of Toyota Motor Corporation, Akio Toyoda, outlined his plans for recovery in his first major speech yesterday. Although he gave no specific details, his tried to set the overall tone for the company's recovery.
He emphasized two main points. First, he wants to create a product-focused management. "Rather than asking, 'How many cars will we sell?' or, 'How much money will we make by selling these cars?' we need to ask ourselves, 'What kind of cars will make people happy?' as well as, 'What pricing will attract them in each region?' Then we must make those cars," Toyoda said.
His second area of emphasis was regional expertise. He intends to give his Vice Presidents more control over their individual regions. "Through these processes, I would like to make Toyota's product development and product lineup more region-focused. We will change our policy from achieving 'a full lineup everywhere' to 'a lineup necessary to meet the needs of each region'. We will also launch new vehicles that anticipate consumer needs and are exciting to drive," Toyoda said.
None of it says too much about Toyoda other than the fact that he realizes that product is king. Not a bad trait in a new president though.
In what can only be considered a win for the Formula One Teams Association in its contentious stand-off with F1's governing body, the FIA president Max Mosley has agreed to not run for a fifth term this fall.
It was Mosley who pushed budget caps for the 2010 season, which were wildly unpopular with established teams such as Ferrari, Toyota, McLaren and Renault. There will apparently be no spending cap for next season, although the sport's commercial boss, Bernie Ecclestone has said that he expects costs will be brought in line with spending levels from the early-90s in two years. No specific details of the agreement have been released.
Eight teams, including most of the biggest, most competitive, threatened to start a rival series, taking the big-name drivers and big budgets with them.The teams have agreed to stay in Formula One reportedly to 2012 to get the deal done.
No big shocker here as General Motors is basically going through the formalities of winding down a brand at this point. Today's announcement merely added a date to the demise of the Vibe compact wagon.
Production will end in August of this year at Nummi, the plant shared by GM and Toyota plant in Fremont, Ca. GM says it's still considering the production of other future models in the plant, but has no set plans for now.
The Insurance Institure for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just released bumper tests on 7 "minicars" as it likes to call them and the results weren't pretty.
Smart Fortwo -- Acceptable Chevrolet Aveo -- Marginal Mini Cooper -- Poor Toyota Yaris -- Poor Honda Fit -- Poor Hyundai Accent -- Poor Kia Rio -- Poor
In the case of the Kia Rio, IIHS noted that repair costs from a 6mph frontal impact would result in $3,701 in damage, which equates to rougthly 30% of the car's original cost. The solid rating for the Smart car was largely a consequence of its easily replaceable pre-painted body panels.
If you have never driven on a race track, you should. If your skills are weak, track time will make them better. And if you think you're an undiscovered Tony Stewart, well then, get out there and prove it. The list that follows after the jump gives some ideas where you might try your luck both on the road and in the dirt.
Compared to last year, May's sales numbers were miserable. Let's face it, when a 19% drop somehow looks good, there's still a problem.
We've come to expect such misery these days, but as AutoObserver points out, there are a few glimmers of hope in May's sales numbers.
- The Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) is at its highest point of the year at 9.9 million.
- Most sales numbers beat analyst's expectations.
- The stock market is up and car sales typically rise with the markets. Consumer confidence is also up.
Hard to tell if this trend will continue at this point. It could be a result of bargain hunting or a little pent up demand. Either way, it's the kind of news we need at this point given how deep taxpayers are now entrenched in the business.
A source has told Inside Line news that the latest version of the Lexus LF-A production car is now capable of hitting 220mph. Toyota engineers has previously expressed disappointment with the top speed of the earlier LF-A prototypes.
Changes to the car's aerodynamics and a few engine upgrades were largely responsible for the increased speeds. The same source also said that the final production car is expected to arrive at the Tokyo auto show in October with a price tag between $220,000 and $250,000.
This is the Toyota Camry Hybrid pace car that will lead the field around Charlotte Motor Speedway for this weekend's Coca-Cola 600. It will mark the first time that a hybrid vehicle has paced an entire race according to Toyota.
If you're particularly taken with the car's lovely paint scheme, keep in mind that Toyota is giving the car away in a contest sponsored by Coca-Cola. The company is placing a single golden can in a specially-marked 12-pack of Coke. Find it and the car is yours.
Bill Reinert, Toyota's U.S. national manager for advanced technology, told a National Academy of Sciences panel in Washington, D.C., Monday that the success of plug-in hybrids depends on their advantages over traditional hybrids.
"There is a great deal of variation on how current PHEVs perform in real-world conditions," Reinert said.
Although his statements sound like direct shots at cars like the Chevrolet Volt and Fisker Karma, Toyota is also testing plug-in variations of the Prius so he's probably speaking about their own conclusions.
Hard financial times at Toyota will be met with swift action when Akio Toyoda takes over as chief executive in June, the Financial Times is reporting. Following the company's recent full-year loss of $8.6 billion, Toyota is planning to replace 40 percent of its senior management. Toyoda is working to assemble his new team while he waits to be confirmed by a vote of Toyota's shareholders on June 23.
One of the biggest changes is likely to come here in the U.S., as FT suggests that Toyota might consolidate its California-based sales operation and its Kentucky-based manufacturing operation under one roof -- based in New York.
Yoshimi Inaba, who once led the company's sales and marketing operations in the U.S. and China (and who now runs the Nagoya, Japan, airport), will lead the overhaul effort in North America.
That's the word from the NASCAR pits in Darlington this weekend as Jeremy Mayfield failed a random drug test that was part of tougher policies instituted by NASCAR this year.
NASCAR have not said which banned substance they found in Mayfield's sample, but he's been suspensed indefinitley for now. In an official statement, Mayfield said he thinks that a mixture of perscription drugs and over-the-counter drugs was to blame.
In what may come as a shock to all the Detroit bashers out there, Toyota announced a huge first quarter loss along with a substantial loss for the entire year. It's Toyota's first such full year loss in decades.
The news flies in the face of the constant rhetoric in the news regarding the Big Three. Most pundits love to say that if GM and Chrysler had only built smaller, more efficient cars they would be in such a financial mess.
Well, the company that most often trotted out as the model for success is now in trouble too, so we'll see what those same pundits have to say now. This time maybe they'll blame it on the world economy as a whole, and they might even be right.
Contrary to what you might see on the nightly news, Americans do not despise pickup trucks these days. In fact, they still buy them in huge numbers, quite possibly because they need them, or maybe just want them.
The ability to tow large things is one of the most often cited reasons for owning a truck, so we gathered four of the best half-ton crew cabs currently available and headed for the desert with trailers in tow. The players consisted of the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado, 2009 Dodge Ram, 2009 Ford F-150 and a 2008 Toyota Tundra.
The premise was simple: find out which truck is a true jack of all trades. Dan Edmunds, our Director of Vehicle Testing, not only conducted an array of instrumented tow tests, he also let the trucks loose in the dirt for some off road fun. He also track tested each truck and lived with them for two weeks on his daily 100-mile round trip commute. Care to guess which truck came out on top?
The April sales numbers are in and although the market hasn't exactly turned a corner just yet, there are signs that the slump may be leveling off a bit.
The overall sales rate, menacingly referred to as SAAR (Seasonally Adjusted Annualized Rate), was down to 9.5 million from 9.8 million last month, but still not as bad as February when it was as low as 9.1 million.
General Motors was down compared to last year's April sales numbers, but up 14% compared to March. It market share was also up. Ford also fell compared to last April but was up 8.3% compared to March. Toyota had a tough month with sales down 42% compared to last April.
For a complete analysis of all the numbers, check out AutoObserver's take on this month's sales numbers.
According to a report in Automotive News, Toyota dealers are down to a 54-day supply of the Tundra pickup. That's down from a 76-day supply just a month earlier. Toyota has reduced production by 75 percent so far this year.
Some dealers said they're surprised how much the market has picked up lately, but they're worried they won't have enough inventory as Toyota transitions to the refreshed 2010 Tundra.
Toyota chief Bob Carter has told dealers that the San Antonio plant won't return to two-shift production anytime soon.
"It's a tough decision," Early Stewart, a dealer from Florida told AN. "Carter knows it's a problem in certain markets. The F-Series is eating Toyota's lunch because they have more production."
A report by Doron Levin at Bloomberg says Toyota plans to cut the base price of the third-generation Prius by $1,000 in a bid to compete with the new Honda Insight. The current base price of the Toyota Prius is $22,000 while the Honda Insight starts at $19,800.
More from the "big car vs. small car" crash test series. This time it's Toyota's smallest car (at least in the U.S.), the Yaris sedan against the Toyota Camry sedan. Care to guess the result?
Lexus has introduced a new navigation controller in the 2010 RX crossover, and it might be the most advanced human machine interface (HMI) controller yet. Called Lexus Remote Touch, it's the first controller to deviate from the rotary-type paradigm that we've seen in Audi MMI and BMW iDrive. Remote Touch instead mimics the computer mouse, and it's the first controller both to have user-adjustable haptic feedback and the first to have this feedback on two spatial axes.
The Toyota/Subaru coupe kerfuffle continues. This time a report in the Japanese magazine Best Car says two very different prototypes have been spotted testing. Both ride on the platform used for the new Subaru Legacy, but Best Car didn't speculate on the styling of either coupe.
The magazine claims to know the exterior dimensions, however, pinning the length at 165.4-inches, the width at 68.9-inches and the height at 51.2-inches. Those numbers would make it considerably smaller than the Hyundai Genesis Coupe in every dimension. That said, Best Car still claims that both of the coupes will have rear seats, although it does describe them as "emergency"seats, so they will be small indeed.
In what can only be described as a case for Captain Obvious, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just released a report that shows the reduced crash worthiness of smaller, subcompact cars compared to larger, midsize cars.
According to the report, "The Honda Fit, Smart Fortwo, and Toyota Yaris are good performers in the Institute's frontal offset barrier test, but all three are poor performers in the frontal collisions with midsize cars. These results reflect the laws of the physical universe, specifically principles related to force and distance."
Ah yes, those annoying laws of the physical universe, not much we can do about those.
According to a report in Automotive News, Toyota has told its dealers in Japan that the redesigned Prius will carry a price very close to the new Honda Insight. At just over 2 million yen, the base 2010 Toyota Prius will have a price equivalent to a mid-level Insight.
Pricing in the U.S. has yet to be announced, but the aggressive numbers announced in Japan are a good sign that Toyota intends to battle Honda head on with its redesigned Prius. Honda is currently touting the new Insight as the lowest-priced hybrid in America.
We already gave you the full low down on the 2010 Toyota Prius, now see how it fares in the face of its new rival, the 2010 Honda Insight. Neither car gets much for style points, but in this matchup it's all about fuel economy and clean emissions right?
Senior Editor Erin Riches gets to the heart of the matchup and ends up with some surprising conclusions. Get all the details in our latest comparison test of these two iconic hybrid hatchbacks.
A report in Japan's Nikkei newspaper says Toyota is developing a Yaris-based hybrid as a low-cost alternative to the Honda Insight. "We are developing a low-priced hybrid vehicle like Honda's Insight," Akihiko Otsuka, chief engineer of the latest Prius told the newspaper. "We are going to compete by expanding our hybrid-vehicle lineup to smaller hybrids, in the class of the Vitz [sold in Japan] and Yaris."
No timetable was given for the for the car's launch, but the paper did mention that Otsuka inferred a 2011 timeframe.
Does the 2010 Toyota Prius look new to you? Probably not, and that's the way Toyota likes it. Why change what has become an icon of the green movement?
Well, Toyota has changed some things. There's now a larger gas engine coupled with smaller, lighter electric motors. The driving dynamics have been improved and there are a few driving modes to choose from now. Senior Editor Erin Riches managed to get over 50mpg during a test loop, so Toyota did something right.
Is it enough to keep the eco-crown that the Prius has worn for the past several years? See for yourself in our full test of Toyota's newest hybrid.
Not only is the Tokyo show still on, but Toyota is gearing up to make it worthwhile with a couple big debuts. Sources have told Inside Line that a final production version of the LF-A supercar will finally make an appearance along with the long-rumored collaboration with Subaru.
J.D. Power's latest dependability study, which surveys the first three years of ownership, says Buick and Jaguar owners experience the fewest problems. Lexus, Toyota and Mercury rounded out the top five.
The single most dependable model was the Lexus LS 430. Toyota had the most segment winners with five (Highlander, Prius, Sequoia, Solara and Tundra).
There were a few other interesting pieces of information contained in the report. The average age of a used vehicle trade-in has risen from 65 to 73 months in the last three years. J.D. Power also said that overall problems have decreased at a rate of 10% a year since the beginning of the study.
Looks like we're going to have to wait to see the tD coupe. Scion just announced that its 2009 New York Auto Show press conference will feature a micro sub-compact concept car. Man that sounds small.
The description can only mean one thing: the iQ, Toyota's answer to the Smart Fortwo. Already on sale in Europe and Japan, the iQ seats four in a pinch and measures just under ten feet long. Sounds like a tough sell in the U.S., but Scion seems like the right brand to give it a try.
Toyota announced today that will continue to participate in Formula 1 and NASCAR despite expected losses for the first time in decades this year.
According to the official release, "(Toyota) regards motor sports as an ideal medium for conveying the anticipation and excitement associated with automobiles."
Think the new Honda Insight looks affordable at $20,470? Well, don't write that check just yet. Japan's Nikkei business daily is reporting that Toyota is prepping a new version of its upcoming Prius that could cost as low as $20,510. Oh the decisions.
In an effort to completely shield all passengers from any contact with hard objects during a collision, Toyota has unveiled the first center-mounted rear seat airbag.
The innovative new airbag will, "come in a Toyota model to be launched in Japan in the near future," according to the press release. Mounted in what looks like a sizable fixed console, Toyota says the airbag is designed to help, "lessen injuries caused by passengers colliding with each other or into the console." Wouldn't getting rid of the console also reduce...oh forget it.
Also of note are Toyota's future traffic safety initiatives, one of which strives for the "complete elimination of traffic casualties, which can be viewed as the ultimate hope of a society that values mobility." Dare to dream Toyota, dare to dream.
The 2009 Geneva Auto Show occupied most of our time this week, so when the February sales numbers came out on Tuesday we overlooked the bad news.
And bad it was, with almost all major automakers reporting double-digit drops in year-over-year sales. And it wasn't just the domestics either, as Honda, Nissan and Toyota all crashed by more than 37%.
Clearly, it's going to take more than just bailout money to get the auto industry going. Without foot traffic, no car company will be able to sustain its current operations. Any suggestions?
In these dismal economic times, no one likes to talk about annual sales projections, but Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager for Toyota Motor Sales USA, did just that at last week's press launch for the 2010 Toyota Prius in California's Napa Valley. Toyota expects to sell 100,000 examples of the 2010 Prius from the time it goes on sale in May until the end of 2009.
Come 2010, the company hopes to return to its 2007 sales pace and sell 180,000 Priuses. You'll recall that Prius sales fell 12.3 percent in 2008 (to 158,884) after a steep drop-off in demand in the fourth quarter.
Perhaps, it's the 2010 Prius' 50 mpg city/49 mpg highway EPA rating that Toyota thinks you won't be able to resist. As we've reported, the car's 50-mpg combined EPA number is a full 4 mpg better than the second-generation car, and it shames the 2010 Honda Insight, which only manages 41 mpg combined. We'll see in the coming months how significant that difference really is in real-world driving.
We've got some serious number crunchers around here at the Edmunds corporate megaplex. So serious, in fact, that they don't even have to wait until the end of the month to call the sales numbers.
And their predictions for February? Not surprising, yet still slightly shocking.
How about Chrysler down 53.1% year over year? And Ford? Down 47.5%, GM off 46.2%.
A Big Three problem? Not really.
Try Toyota down 38.9% while Nissan is expected to drop 32.9%. Even Honda could be off 32.1%.
Then again, these are only predictions. It could be worse.
Everybody knows The Big Three are hurting, but the import brands aren't doing much better. Toyota reported its financial results for the third quarter yesterday and it wasn't pretty.
Net revenues were down 28.4 percent compared to the same period last fiscal year. Net income decreased from 458.6 billion yen to a loss of 164.7 billion yen.
Toyota also forecast a net operating loss of $3.8 billion for the year ending March 31st, it's first such loss in 59 years.
Executive Vice President Mitsuo Kinoshita said, "Both revenues and profits declined severely during this period. The negative results are largely due to lower vehicle sales volume under difficult market conditions mainly in the U.S. and Europe, and the rapid appreciation of the yen against the U.S. dollar and the euro."
The global pissing match between General Motors and Toyota is officially over. In 2008, Toyota sold roughly 600,000 more vehicles than GM making the Japanese juggernaut "the world's largest automaker".
What does that mean for you? Absolutely nothing. What does it mean for Toyota? Nada. And GM? No real consequences there either, it has far bigger problems than maintaining the global sales crown, you know, like staying in business at all.
Toyota officially announced the promotion of Akio Toyoda, grandson of the company's founder, to the position of President today. He takes over from Katsuaki Watanabe who was "promoted" to Vice Chairman.
As President, Toyoda will effectively oversee the worldwide operations of the second largest car company in the world. Not an easy job given that Toyota reported its first loss in decades last year and recently announced major cutbacks at its North American factories.
So what changes are we likely to see? Well, Akio is a noted racing fan, so continued support of all forms of motorsport is likely. It's also well known that the development of the Lexus LF-A supercar was a pet project of his, so that too is likely to remain on track. And who knows, maybe he'll find a way to finally bring back the Supra.
The 2009 Formula One season kicks off in a scant 73 days. Already teams are showing their new racers, complete with slick tires and tiny rear wings. To tide you over until the season begins on March 29th with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, we've grabbed two videos, one from a perennial F1 front-runner and one from a, let's say, less successful entrant. We're not telling you which is which.
Toyota released this video of the construction of one of its TF109. Turns out, building one takes only a minute which could explain certain aspects of the car's performance.
Ferrari one-ups Toyota in the video battle, with a helmet-cam shot of 2008 driver's championship bridesmaid Felipe Massa putting the new F60 through its paces.
Faced with declining sales, Toyota's middle managers are taking action -- by buying Toyotas, the Financial Times reports. Between now and March, 2,200 managers belonging to bucho no kai (a semi-formal fraternity of high-ranking, non-executive employees in Japan) will be encouraged to add a new Toyota to their household.
Beyond the small effect on sales in Japan, this action is seen as a company morale booster. We bet it will help public morale as well. And it certainly wouldn't hurt the middle managers and execs at GM, Ford and Chrysler to make a similar and very public show of solidarity.
Apparently, any Toyota will do in this buying campaign. We suggest the six-passenger Toyota Vellfire minivan.
#DAS09 We've given you the full low-down on the 2010 Prius. We've mentioned its stunning sub-10-second 0-60 mph times. We've written about its 50-mpg average EPA fuel economy.
But here are two pieces of Prius truthiness:
The 2010 model is the most aerodynamically slippery production car in the world with a drag coefficient of 0.25.
And the name Prius is Latin for "before" or "formerly." Toyota was probably thinking about the former and not the latter when it came up with the name. And here we always assumed that the name was just one of those made-up names like Achieva, Altima and Aveo.
Maybe by the time Toyota introduces the fourth generation Prius we'll have figured out why the company's three-oval badge looks like it does. -- Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit
Whenever some company we've never heard of promises "100mpg!" from any motorized vehicle, we take it with more than just a grain of salt. We pretty much consider it crap.
Not that it's impossible, but given that Toyota's R&D budget hovers around $7-8 billion a year, it seems a tad far fetched to think that one could virtually double the mileage of Toyota's best effort with a simple add-on device installed in a few hours.
Of course, that doesn't stop the believers, and thankfully it didn't stop Consumer Reports from testing the best-selling Prius plug-in conversion kit on the market. It concluded that the system from A123 Systems didn't even come close to its claims and "cost more than you could ever expect to recoup in gas savings." Our hybrid watchers over at Green Car Advisor have more on the story, but needless to say we weren't the least bit surprised.
You may have already seen the sales totals for December, and 2008 as a whole. If not, here's a summary: not good. For a more detailed look, check out the industry wide 2008 sales analysis over at AutoObserver.
We assembled something a little different though. Instead of assessing the big picture, we looked at the sales numbers for individual models. Which new models flopped, which old models recovered, that sort of thing. Some of the results we expected, others were a little more eye opening. See for yourself after the jump.
You've probably seen it a hundred times in the last year. Some talking head on TV saying that if automakers only made more fuel efficient cars, the public would buy them. Really? The 2008 sales numbers are in, and the draw of fuel efficiency doesn't seem to be holding up in the face of lower gas prices.
Our own Green Car Advisor, John O'Dell, looked through the final sales numbers for hybrids in 2008 and it was clear that their green sheen had definitely worn thin.
Osamu Suzuki, president of Suzuki Motors, is quite worried as to what the Detroit domino effect may have on the smaller Japanese brands.
His feeling is that it could result in fewer Japanese car manufacturers. Smaller brands like Suzuki, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Mazda and Isuzu could be impacted in a way in which they may not survive; at least as we currently know them, or at all.
Says Suzuki: "There is a time-lag between what is happening with the Big Three US carmakers and the impact that will have in Japan. It is as if tsunami waves are rolling toward Japanese shores. I believe a real wave will hit us around July or August next year, with car sales hitting rock bottom."
He went on to say that the world was "entering a period in which more than ten Japanese carmakers could be consolidated into a Japan Big Three."
The new 2010 Toyota Prius will debut shortly at the NAIAS, a show that appears to be heading south this year. So to help spark a little interest in the show, as well as the car, Toyota has engaged the super-cool Blue Man Group to tease you with a video until the introduction takes place.
This past year Chrysler, in what was considered a real coup, snatched two big-time auto executives, one from Lexus and the other from GM. Now, less than a year later, they are gone or are about to be gone.
Deborah Meyer had been VP of marketing for Lexus, and came to Chrysler LLC as their new chief marketing officer. Phil Murtaugh was one of the key players at GM in turning their China operations into such a success. He was to do the same for Chrysler, that being to jump-start their China relationship with Chery. Well, the Dodge/Chery deal went up in smoke thanks to the global financial fiasco. Now Murtaugh too is going up in smoke, as he will depart before next year begins. Same with Meyer, as she too "has left the building."
Not a good sign for Chrysler; wonder how long Jim Press, formerly of Toyota, will hang around?
What was once thought "unthinkable," that being Toyota cutting factory workers, many come to pass. In the 24 years that Toyota has been building cars here, they have never had to let anyone go. That may change as their sales continue to slump.
Jim Wiseman, vice president of external affairs for Toyota's North American production unit says this is a real possibility.
"We wouldn't anticipate it getting to that point, but we never say never," Wiseman said. Toyota has 30,000 North American employees spread among 14 assembly, engine and parts plants, and vehicles built in the region made up 56 percent of U.S. sales through November.
If this happens, it will be interesting to see the response from the UAW, as these are all non-union workers at Toyota (not that by being unionized would have made any difference).
Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe is expected to step down from his current role next year, and become chairman. The change is not because this was the worst year since 1938, but rather due the the health of the current chairman, Fujio Cho.
Others differ: It's not unusual for executives in Japan to step down to accept responsibility for a company's financial crisis.
In Japan, "failure demands that someone take credit, and that's not something we do here," said Jim Womack, author of a book about Toyota, "The Machine that Changed the World," and chairman of the Lean Enterprise Institute.
"No one who runs anything in Motown has offered to step down, apparently, no matter how bad the results are," he said.
Needless to say, this news is causing rampant speculation as to who will succeed Watanabe.
UPDATE:Latest rumor has it that Akio Toyoda, 52, may take over as soon as April. Toyoda is currently an executive vice president and the grandson of Kiichiro Toyoda who founded the car company, and reportedly has been groomed for this position.
Lexus will debut their first purpose-built hybrid at the NAIAS, the HS 250h. It's believed that this luxury hybrid, like other Lexus models, is to be spun off an existing Toyota platform; that being the next-gen Toyota Prius--also to be unveiled at Detroit.
In a move designed to entice the commercial customer, Toyota will be offering a decontented Tundra 'Work Truck' model for 2010. The vehicle, in the basic regular 2WD format, will start at $21K. That's almost $1,400 less that the current base model.
In coming up with is vehicle, Toyota ditched all the chrome it could. It also got rid of cruise control, power outside mirrors, lit ignition key ring, lit glove compartment, and a few other items as well. The truck also has a unique new two-bar grille; one would assume that this new grille will make its way on to other 2010 Tundras as well. The front bumper is also ever so slightly changed. The 2010 Tundra will debut at the San Diego auto show, which begins at the end of this month.
More signs that things are not well at Toyota, as President Katsuaki Watanabe has canceled his plans to attend the Detroit auto show. Sounds to me that this is more of a "gesture" to show that Toyota too is suffering. Yeah, Toyota posted a loss for the year, something they have not seen since 1938! Even so, they surely could afford to send their top guy to this show.
Chevy will debut an all-new 2010 Equinox CUV at the upcoming NAIAS. The vehicle will be available with either a 2.4L, 182 hp, 4-cylinder model; or a 3.0 V6 putting out 255 hp. Both models have direct injection, will be available in either FWD or AWD, and will be coupled to a 6-speed automatic.
The vehicle looks good and the spec sheet is pretty impressive. The question is, can Chevrolet convince customers cross-shopping the CR-V, RAV4 and Escape to pick this new Equinox over those models?
It looks like the RWD Subaru-Toyota sports coupe will be arriving later than expected. Originally scheduled to debut around the end of 2011, it now looks like that will occur sometime after 2012. Once again, the lousy economic climate is the problem.
Could happen. The body-on-frame Nissan Patrol has always been Nissan's answer to the Toyota Land Cruiser; and with this latest revamp--and a HUGE one at that--there is some speculation that this vehicle could replace the soon-to-be-departed Armada and/or Infiniti QX56.
The new Patrol is expected to be powered, at least overseas, by a 4.8L V8, 4.0L V6 and a 3.0L V6 diesel. Gotta wonder if it shares some underpinnings with the upcoming Nissan NV2500 commercial trucks?
With more and more hybrids on the road, it's just a matter of time before some of these will be needing a battery replacement. In fact, that's already happening with some of the older hybrids, and the early results are promising.
Remember all those early predictions that a battery might costs as much as $10,000, when it needs to be replaced? Well, that may not be the case. Heather Knowles, an owner of a 2002 Prius, just paid a bit under $3,000 to have her battery pack replaced. Yeah, that's still a lot of money to put out on a vehicle that's seven years old, but it's still less than one third of those early predictions.
One still has to wonder, however, when we start seeing older hybrids with high mileage--and still using the original battery pack--what that will do to the resale values of those vehicles? Once the word becomes "commonplace" as to what it costs to replace a battery pack--which is not the case now--will these vehicles still be able to command a good price?
In a related article, automakers are still having trouble making a profit on hybrids (here).
Honda has released an image of the production version of their Prius-fighter, the Insight hybrid.
Some may say it's a Prius rip-off, and that's cool. I don't think so. Regardless it's still better looking than the Prius. I predict Honda has another hit on their hands here--if they can convince people to buy cars once again.
When was the last time that you saw Ford having a better month than either Toyota or Honda, at least in terms of sales loss percentages?
"I've been in the industry nearly 28 years and never have seen anything even remotely close to this," states Mark LaNeve, GM's North American vice president of sales. "It's breathtaking."
It just gets uglier every month, and one has to wonder how much worse will it get? Oh wait... Domestic Motors and Congress have yet to do their second Doe-See-Doe. It could get much worse folks...
Think a collapse of one or more of the Detroit automakers would be a good thing for Toyota, Nissan or Honda? If you do, you would be wrong. Very wrong. All the automakers are tied into suppliers which service all these brands. It would be a lose-lose situation for all involved.
"We're deeply concerned," said Mike Goss, a spokesman for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc. in Erlanger, Ky. "Seventy-five percent of the vehicles we build in North America are sourced in North America, and many of those suppliers are shared with the Big Three."
The supply industry, which is made up of roughly 6,000 firms in North America, two-thirds of them in the United States, "is an integrated system," said Sean McAlinden, vice president of research at the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor. "It's a house of cards. You knock down enough of the cards in the bottom rows and it all goes down for months," he said. "It's going to cost Toyota and Honda a great deal if this happens," McAlinden said. "They're incredibly worried."
Latest rumor to hit the Net is that the joint-effort Subaru-Toyota sport coupe may be sold as a Scion. At least, that may be the case here in North America. In other markets, where there is no Scion brand one can only assume it will be branded a Toyota.
And, of course, there will be a version sold in most markets as a Subaru. I say most markets, as Subaru of Australia has stated they have no interest in this car. Why, you ask? It's RWD, and the Aussies (like myself, and perhaps other markets as well?) believe that RWD runs counter to Subaru's AWD brand image.
Well, they got most of the other markets covered, so why not create a Tata Nano-fighter brand? That's what Toyota has in mind. This would be a brand of vehicles expressly to be sold in developing countries. So don't expect any such-labeled products to be sold here, as they likely would not be able to meet the stringent (and expensive) safety and emission requirements.
Honda introduces an all-new Life minicar for the Japanese market. The new Life is the first minicar in Japan to include an audio system with a backup camera as standard equipment. As you can see by the link, there are several faces one can choose.
With the Smart already on sale, and Toyota considering selling their iQ, do you think Honda should consider selling something like this here?
I have long felt that the rear fender area on pickups is a vast area of wasted real estate. So much can be done here to make this area usable, but to date, very little has occurred.
Now, finally, we are seeing truckmakers addressing this. It started with the Chevy Avalanche with a small storage pocket in each rear fender. Recently Dodge has built on that great idea with its new RamBox, which is available on select '09 Ram 1500 models. Now Toyota, at SEMA, has taken this idea to an extreme -- and I love it! At last, maximum storage use from the rear fenders! Let's hope this gets green-lighted for production.
This SEMA concept mixes a few factory options packages with some aftermarket pieces to create what Toyota calls the Thunder Pak Project.
The premise was simple. Take the lightest Tundra configuration (short bed, regular cab), stuff it with the top-of-the-line 5.7-liter V8 and then add some additional performance parts to make it a real street sleeper. Thunder Pak #1 lowers the truck and adds a performance exhaust. Thunder Pak #2 adds a TRD supercharger to bump the V8 to 500 hp. Then the aftermarket stepped in with a nitrous system and a set of auxiliary gauges. Toyota then added some 18-inch black steel wheels and matte black paint to finish off the sleeper look.
There were no performance figures posted, but we tested a similar Tundra with TRD's supercharger not too long ago and it ran low 13s in the quarter-mile. We're guessing that the extra shot of nitrous would put it in the 12s. A street sleeper indeed.
Spotted outside the main halls was this painstaking rework of a Toyota Yaris. Attractive it is not, but the little bugger sure grabbed a lot of attention as convention-goers strolled past. Pretty striking conversion.
Toyota never seems to run out of ideas for SEMA vehicles. Take this Tacoma we saw tucked away in the corner. It's a little tribute to the '80s pickups that earned Toyota its reputation for dependability and efficiency. The stripes, the white steel wheels, the tube roll bar with KC lights -- it's all there.
Toyota kept it simple underneath the skin, too -- a four-cylinder engine, automatic transmission and a solid front axle borrowed from a Land Cruiser. Makes all that crap on the rest of the trucks at SEMA look even dumber than usual, doesn't it?
There had been rumors out there that the FJ Cruiser was going to be discontinued for 2009. Not true according to Toyota. In fact, the Toyota media site has info posted on the '09 FJ.
Now the '09 models may take a while to arrive, as there are still plenty of '08s on dealer lots to unload. Changes? Not many. A few new colors, along with roll-sensing airbags on the front seats.
The spreading Wall Street financial crisis is beginning to affect what we will see offered here and around the world--and sooner rather than later. No market is going to get by untouched. Even those OPEC and other oil-rich countries will see some sort of negative effect as it pertains to vehicle choices. AutoObserver has an excellent article on how automakers are addressing this situation:
It's well known that racing has contributed heavily to the design and engineering of vehicles that you and I drive. With that thought in mind the LA Auto Show will feature a display of what future race cars might be like in 2025, what they may offer in terms of technology and safety; and ultimately, how that might be applied to ordinary cars sometime in the future.
The designs are part of the fifth annual Los Angeles Auto Show's Design Challenge, where studios including Audi, BMW, GM, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Volkswagen are pitted against each other to showcase their talents and further explore new ideas in automotive design.
Some more details of the RWD Toyota-Subaru coupe have been revealed. One being there won't be a turbo WRX or STI version, but rather it will have a 2.0 naturally aspirated boxer four, puting out around 200 hp, and using a 6-speed tranny with an automatic to follow. It will be a 2-seater, and will be priced under £20,000.
The Autocar article (here) mentions the Miata several times as a possible competitor, or at least as a vehicle this new car could go up against in the marketplace. Does that mean a drop-top version may also be in the works?
According to Jalopnik, (via PriusChat.comhere) this is the real deal.
____________
We sat down with Toyota PR this morning, showed them the pictures and they've confirmed that yes, this is the new 2010 Toyota Prius set to be revealed officially at the Detroit Auto Show in January. And yeah, that's all they're willing to tell us at this time.
____________
Okay, so there you have it. The only image link here that I question is the first thumbnail which clearly shows a different headlight and foglight treatment from the full-view image.
Interesting that a Toyota spokesman confirmed this with both Inside Line and Jalopnik. The fact that the Toyota guy didn't seem upset, and wiith all the "buzz" surrounding the new less expensive (and very handsome) Honda Insight, you gotta wonder if the leak was planned.
Are truckmakers having second thoughts about 1/2-ton diesels? We heard recently that Toyota will not introduce their long-anticipated Tundra diesel (No diesel for Tundra? A-BAT hybrid?). Now word is out that Ford is taking a wait-and-see approach as to whether they will introduce an F-150 diesel.
So far there's been no word here as to whether Dodge will also be putting the brakes on their 1/2-ton Ram diesel. My guess, knowing Dodge, that they will go forward with their plans, but that's just a gut feeling on my part, with nothing to back it up.
So what's going on here? Is it that the truck market is so uncertain these days, that offering a diesel in this segment just too risky?
Some time ago it had been reported that Toyota was going to offer a hybrid version of everything they sell, likely by 2020. Now more details are starting to trickle out.
Here's a snapshot of what we might expect:
• Many of the vehicles will be 'mild' hybrids, not 'full hybrids.' The first likely recipient of such technology is the iQ, which could be to market by 2010.
• Toyota will also continue to use nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, rather than lithium ion batteries, alternative in order to save cost.
• Pure electric vehicles (EVs) are of less interest to Toyota, as they believe that technology only makes sense for some limited higher-end segments.
• Toyota is also looking at fuel cells, though at this point its technologies are not nearly robust enough for consumer use. Also, infrastructure issues in sourcing and distributing the hydrogen to power the fuel cells remains a major issue.
• Plug-in hybrids, like similar to the GM Volt, is being looked at as well.
The Toyota Smart-fighter, the iQ, will be on display at the LA auto show. There is some speculation that it could be sold here under the Scion banner, and could come in under $15K.
The iQ is scheduled to go on sale in Europe and Japan in 2010. If it does come here the current 3-cylinder engine might be replaced with a more powerful 4-cylinder unit.Full story here.
Now that all the cars have been laid bare for everyone to see, oggle, berate or just ignore, AutoObserver offers their opinion as to what works and what doesn't work at this latest Parisianne offering.
So what's your take? Do you agree with AO? Or do you have some favorites that you just love to hate, or love to love?
As to me? I disagree with them on the Honda Insight, even though it may well resemble a Prius. Both these cars were wind tunnel-designed--and when you're going for max fuel mileage, the wind tunnel will always win over visual distinction. Prius-like or not, the Insight (left) is better looking than the Prius; plus I see a lot of Honda FCX Clarity (right) styling there as well.
The question isn't why, but rather why did it take so long to come to this decision. To me it's a no-brainer. More and more folks want to keep their luxury as they downsize from larger vehicles. The evidence is everywhere. All the premium brands are putting more emphasis on smaller vehicles. Heck, even mainstream automakers are gussying up some of their smaller offerings. The time is now for luxury small cars.
The car will first debut in Europe in 2010, and then likely make its way over here. It will be based on the all-new Prius that will announced this winter, at the Detroit auto show, I believe.
For the big six automakers, September 2008 was a month that couldn't have ended soon enough. It was bad, folks. Really bad. First it was the fuel crisis, and then a sucker punch better known as the financial and credit debacle was all it took for it to get Quasimodo-like ugly. In fact this was the first time in more than 15 years that fewer than 1 million units were sold.
CNW Research said in an e-mail report that "during the final 10 days of September, floor traffic (in auto dealerships) fell more than 50 percent versus a year ago -- the worst showing since CNW began keeping track in 1986." CNW Research's Art Spinella said, "Manufacturer incentives aren't pulling in the crowds."
And I suspect it may get worse. Speaking as someone who may very well be forced into the car market because of my recent accident -- I haven't a clue as to what I'm going to do if that comes to pass. The credit situation is so screwed up, I don't know if I will be able to qualify for a car loan; and if I do, what sort of strings are going to be attached to the loan agreement? Will I be able to get the loan amount that I want/need? Will I be forced into buying something I really don't want?
Now just imagine a nation of car buyers who are in similar shoes that I'm wearing. Nope, the future looks pretty grim for carmakers for some time to come.
It's getting near crunch time folks, and polls show that there are still a lot of people on the fence in terms of they're going to vote for. ...And if you happen to be one of those straddling that fence, would knowing that McCain has a bunch of cars in his garage sway your vote?
Autoblog and PickupTruck.com are reporting that the Tundra may not get get the 4.5 diesel. Instead Toyota may be looking a a hybrid version of the unibody A-BAT pickup; a truck that looks to be a Honda Ridgeline competitor.
Umm... Here's a thought... Think Toyota might launch this truck under the "Prius" name? Remember that Toyota has said that they are considering expanding the Prius nameplate to include more models?
Using some smart thinking, Toyota will get maximum use out of their upcoming iQ platform, as it will be shared by several models. This will help spread the cost around. One of the models that will use this platform is the next-gen Yaris, which is due in 2011. Toyota is hoping that this iQ-derived Yaris will be a better competitor for the Honda Fit.
You've heard it before. The vehicles we drive are a reflection of who we are, and what we stand for for. In short: we are what we drive.
Newsweek, in keeping with the political climate, has ascribed various vehicles to the presidential candidates. They are:
McCain = Old F-150 Obama = Prius
No call on the veep vehicular choices, but the obvious selection for Palin is a (Plymouth) Barracuda. Biden? Not sure. Maybe a new pick-em-up, like a Ram perhaps (since Chrysler has a large presence in DE)?
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...
If the government gets it way, cars like Porsche, Ferrari and even Subaru could be in a heap of trouble down the road. You see what the govenment want to do is to classify vehicles by their "footprint," or the amount of square feet they occupy.
In doing so a Toyota Camry would be classified along with cars like the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. That means both cars (mid-size by this new standard) would have to achieve 30 mpg, which wouldn't be that tough for the Camry, but much so difficult for the Ferrari...
Nope, this is not a new Subaru Tribeca, but rather the production version of the Japanese-spec 7-seat Exiga. The Exiga is rumored to be very close to the next-generation Outback—or perhaps better stated—the all-new 2010 Outback is rumored to be built off the Exiga platform.
Subaru debuted an Exiga concept (middle image) last year at the Tokyo auto show (2007 Tokyo Auto Show Preview: Subaru Exiga). At that time is was rumored that it would see production in the not too distant future...
Now the latest word is that this is not going to be a small jet, like the HondaJet, but rather a large passenger jet capable of transporting 70 to 90 people. To help this project along, Toyota has announced that it would invest up to ¥10 billion ($96 million) to get this project off the ground (pun intended). It's hoped that this new jet will go on sale by 2013...
In talking with Mike Levine of PickupTruck.com yesterday about the F-150 diesel, some interesting tidbits—actually nothing more than rumors at this point—came to light about Toyota's upcoming diesel plans.
As I'm sure you're aware, Toyota recently introduced a new DOHC 4V 4.5L V8 twin-turbo diesel in Australia in the Land Cruiser 200 (here). Well that engine, or a variation of it, is coming here. That's not a surprise...
While Honda and others are reaping the benefits from selling loads of smaller cars, the makers of big trucks an SUVs are taking it it on the chin. In it's latest move GM will cutting one shift in all four of their factories that make full-size pickups and SUVs. The cuts will occur at Pontiac, Flint, MI; Janesville, Wis; and Oshawa, Ontario.
States GM North America President Troy Clarke: “With rising fuel prices, a softening economy and a downward trend on current and future market demand for full-sized trucks, a significant adjustment was needed to align our production with market realities.”
Many within FHI (Subaru) worry that a RWD Subaru coupe could dilute brand's AWD image. Well, duh... Of course it will—and I've been saying this from the very moment I got wind of this news...
"We may lose our longstanding territory, or we may lose the great niche brand image...
Gary Convis, 65, who recently retired as chairman of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky Inc., is the first non-Japanese to lead a Toyota division. Besides his stint at Toyota, he's worked for GM and Ford, so he's been around and knows the auto industry inside and out.
He was in Baltimore recently to speak at the Maryland World Class Consortia, and was interviewed by the Baltimore Sun. Much of what he had to say we pretty much knew, except for this—which blew me away:
"...Also, I believe there is an amazing statistic that Toyota spends about $1 million per hour on research and development...
OK, that Ford neo-Thunderbird image was posted to get your attention. Guess what... it's one on the list.
So David Kinney, a guy who follows old cars, and who's the publisher of Cars That Matter Price Guide, has listed six now-cheap cars that he guarantees will raise in value over the years...
Ivan "Ironman" Stewart has long been associated with Toyota Baja race trucks. In fact Stewart has won a record 17 Baja 500 races. In addition he's the only driver to have earned both the SCORE and Unlimited Class series championships in the same year.
This new signature edition Tundra is modeled after Stewart's own personal Tundra, and will be available in two stages. Stage 1 will have 20-inch Alcoa forged alloy wheels, General Tire AT2 All-Terrains, 5100 Series Bilstein shocks, a Magnaflow cat-back exhaust, a Hurst billet and carbon-fiber shifter, and a sequentially numbered dash plate...
The rumored Toyota and Subaru "new deal" has been announced, with Toyota increasing their ownership of FHI from 8.7 percent to 16.5 percent. Also part of the package is the announcement that Daihatsu will be involved.
The Daihatsu tie-in is somewhat of a surprise, but it really shouldn't be. They've been involved with Toyota for quite some time, and have recently supplied Subaru with a new 1.3L Justy for the European market...
Sketches of the upcoming RWD Subaru coupe are posted along with some info on UK's Autocar.com.
It's been known for some time that Toyota and Subaru are doing a joint coupe, using the Subaru boxer engine, and that the Toyota version would be RWD. Now this article is stating that the Subie version would also be RWD.
As comedian Redd Foxx used to say on his TV show, Sanford and Son: "This is the big one!..
Last week Straightline did a report on the possible increased ownership of Subaru by Toyota (Toyota to nearly double stake in Subaru). Now AutoObserver digs a bit deeper and examines as to how this can be a win-win situation for both companies. Also mentioned here are some joint-development projects that are under consideration, one of which is a small rear-drive sport coupe using the 2.0 Subaru boxer engine, but badged as a Toyota—and maybe as a Subaru too.
It's going to be really interesting to see how this Toyota "connection" with Subaru is going to evolve, unlike the previous failed alliance Subaru had with GM...
Edmunds.com is conducting another consumer comparison test.
We want you to test-drive these 2008 economy sedans:
Honda Civic, Mazda MAZDA3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Toyota Corolla
Just like our last consumer test, we will send you to Willow Springs Raceway in California where you'll get to test the cars in a number of situations.
All you have to do is write an essay telling us why we should choose you. Make it good because competition will be stiff...
This is just breaking, so there's not much in the way of details, but Toyota wants to increase their ownership of FHI (Subaru) to about 17 percent. Currently they own 8.7 percent of FHI.
Full story here. It's also mentioned briefly at the end of this Bloomberg.com story here...
There remains much debate over the merits (and demerits) of lithium ion batteries as a viable power source for hybrids. Honda, a company often associated with being on the cutting edge of technology, is not so sure about lithium ion batteries, at least not just yet. Their upcoming Prius-fighter is likely to use proven battery technology, that is until lithium ion batteries have proven themselves.
DISCLAIMER: Yes, this is a Subaru video. Yes, I'm a Subaru fan. Yes, the Forester and Legacy GT have different AWD systems (VDC on the GT which allows for 1-wheel traction, and not on '08 Forester, but is on '09 Forester). Yes, the Highlander and VW here are 2007 models, and therefore may not represent what's currently being sold...
Toyota is wrestling with the idea of possibly turning the Prius into a brand unto itself. I had read a while back of perhaps adding more models under the Prius umbrella, but this is the first that I've heard of actually turning this model into a separate brand, much like Scion and Lexus.
Not sure how I feel about this. On one hand it's a clear indication how strongly Toyota feels about the future of hybrids, and that's good...
We've done something a little unorthodox. Instead of comparing direct competitors, we put different types of vehicles together to find the best family car...
Interesting. Mitsubishi has invited Toyota to invest in a passenger jet plane project.
Toyota spokeswoman Kayo Doi said: "Mitsubishi Heavy has invited us to invest (in the venture) and we are considering it." To date no decision has been made by Toyota.
If Toyota decides to go forth with this, I wonder if FHI (Subaru) might also be involved, as they have a ton of aircraft experience, and are partially owned by Toyota?..
Katsuaki Watanabe, president of Toyota has stated that there will be a hybrid of some sort in all Toyota model lines, probably sometime in the 2020s. For cars, don't expect diesel hybrids, as Watanabe thinks they will likely be too expensive for that application. For trucks, however, that may not be the case. In fact Toyota already sells a diesel hybrid truck in Japan...
