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  • Toyota To Put 2010 4Runner Through The Baja 1000 Wringer

    Toyota To Put 2010 4Runner Through The Baja 1000 Wringer November 6th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, November 6th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 2 Comments

    Toyota To Put 2010 4Runner Through The Baja 1000 Wringer

    Toyota's involvement in motorsports has been a hot topic this week with their withdrawal from F1, and today's news is sure to draw some attention as well: the company plans to enter a near-stock 2010 4Runner in the "Stock mini" class of the SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race.

    That's a major statement of Toyota's faith in the fifth-generation version of the 4Runner. With 672 miles of abuse at speeds most people would consider somewhere between suicidal and homicidal over broken terrain, day and night, the Baja 1000 is no amateur's playground.

    Accordingly, one of the drivers of the 2010 4Runner will be Ivan "Ironman" Stewart, 22-time winner of the...

    Toyota's involvement in motorsports has been a hot topic this week with their withdrawal from F1, and today's news is sure to draw some attention as well: the company plans to enter a near-stock 2010 4Runner in the "Stock mini" class of the SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race. That's a major statement of Toyota's faith in the fifth-generation version of the 4Runner. With 672 miles of abuse at speeds most people would consider somewhere between suicidal and homicidal over broken terrain, day and night, the Baja 1000 is no amateur's playground. Accordingly, one of the drivers of the 2010 4Runner will be Ivan "Ironman" Stewart, 22-time winner of the Baja 1000 and off-road legend. He has no doubt the truck is up to the challenge. "I’m sure the Fifth Generation 4Runner will be tough enough to survive even my Iron foot,” says Stewart. Hopefully he won't discover any as-yet unnoticed floor mat design problems mid-race. In 2008, Honda's Ridgeline took the win in the Stock mini class, beating out a Hummer H3 and a Toyota FJ Cruiser. The FJ crashed out of the race just miles short of the finish while fighting for the win. The 2010 Toyota 4Runner features a new V-6 engine rated at 34 more horesepower than the old model's, plus an all-new chassis design that's built for the task of true off-roading. There's no word yet if the Baja 1000 attempt will spawn a factory upgrade package a la Ford's SVT Raptor or FR Raptor XT. For full details on the 2010 4Runner, check out TheCarConnection's preview here. Read More

  • Toyota Pulls Out Of Formula One

    Toyota Pulls Out Of Formula One November 5th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, November 5th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 1 Comment

    Toyota Pulls Out Of Formula One

    Toyota Motor Corporation confirmed officially on Wednesday its decision to pull out of Formula One with immediate effect. Given that the team was told it had "two more years" for success in December 2007--a deadline that has come and gone without a race win, despite a generally strong showing this season--the decision perhaps ought to be unsurprising.

    "Based on the current economic environment, we realize we have no choice but to withdraw," said the Japanese carmaker's president Akio Toyoda at a news conference in Tokyo. The economic situation actually put even this season's run in doubt, with the team boss commenting on the...

    Toyota Motor Corporation confirmed officially on Wednesday its decision to pull out of Formula One with immediate effect. Given that the team was told it had "two more years" for success in December 2007--a deadline that has come and gone without a race win, despite a generally strong showing this season--the decision perhaps ought to be unsurprising. "Based on the current economic environment, we realize we have no choice but to withdraw," said the Japanese carmaker's president Akio Toyoda at a news conference in Tokyo. The economic situation actually put even this season's run in doubt, with the team boss commenting on the near-cancellation this March. The decision to pull out of F1 could mean that up to 550 Toyota F1 employees will be out of a job, however. A Toyota staff member told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport magazine that, following the announcement of the carmaker's withdrawal from F1, he heard rumours that only 150 employees will remain at Cologne for the next racing project. About 700 staff currently work on the team's F1 engine and chassis programs in Junkersdorf, in the west of Cologne. One option for the withdrawing owners of F1 teams is to sell the operation as a going concern, but team president John Howett said on Wednesday that he believes Toyota Motorsport GmbH will instead be scaled down in order to participate in "grassroots motor sport." Le Mans has been mentioned as a likely alternative. About a year ago, Toyota denied rumors that it was looking at leaving F1 to race Le Mans. There's also a storm brewing over Toyota's role in recent decisions made in the Concorde Agreement for the 2010 season, and what impact the team's withdrawal might now have. The current Concorde Agreement is purportedly binding on the teams and the commercial rights holders with the FIA until 2012. "Urgent clarification is now being sought from the Toyota F1 team as to its legal position in relation to the championship," read a statement issued by the FIA, whose newly-elected president is Jean Todt. "This will have a direct bearing on the admission of any future 13th entry," the FIA added. Up to thirteen teams could be on the grid for next year's F1 season, but the latest round of withdrawals has cast the final tally into doubt. Toyota team president John Howett told the Times that he did not know if the FIA would pursue legal action, and Bernie Ecclestone commented: "We're looking into it." The F1 chief executive told the Daily Express: "The problem is that their team manager John Howett fought against drastic cost-cutting all the way and was against new teams coming in." The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) reacted to the Toyota news by acknowledging the "financial pressures" on carmakers at present but also mentioning the recent "period of uncertainty and unnecessary confrontation in F1". Ferrari went one step further, boldly hitting out at the "war waged against the major car manufacturers by those who managed formula one over the past few years". [GMMF1] Read More

  • NHTSA: Toyota Floor Mat Statement 'Inaccurate And Misleading'

    NHTSA: Toyota Floor Mat Statement 'Inaccurate And Misleading' November 5th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, November 5th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 7 Comments

    NHTSA: Toyota Floor Mat Statement 'Inaccurate And Misleading'


    This past Monday Toyota released a statement denying any finding of fault on Toyota's part or any defect in its cars in relation to the deadly floor mat safety advisory issued in late September. Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is saying that Toyota's information is "inaccurate and misleading" and that there is in fact a defect in the 3.8 million cars affected.

    The Toyota statement included reference to a letter being sent out to customers which Toyota stated, "confirms that no defect exists in vehicles in which the driver’s floor mat is compatible with the vehicle and properly secured."

    The NHTSA minces no...

    This past Monday Toyota released a statement denying any finding of fault on Toyota's part or any defect in its cars in relation to the deadly floor mat safety advisory issued in late September. Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is saying that Toyota's information is "inaccurate and misleading" and that there is in fact a defect in the 3.8 million cars affected. The Toyota statement included reference to a letter being sent out to customers which Toyota stated, "confirms that no defect exists in vehicles in which the driver’s floor mat is compatible with the vehicle and properly secured." The NHTSA minces no words in contradicting Toyota's claims, calling the removal of the offending floor mats an interim measure only, and saying that "This remedy does not correct the underlying defect in the vehicles involving the potential for entrapment of the accelerator by floor mats, which is related to accelerator and floor pan design." That leaves no doubt that the NHTSA considers the design of the vehicles and the accelerator pedal both to be defective in this regard. Between the tragedy of a California Highway Patrol officer and his family losing their lives in a borrowed dealership Lexus ES 350 and the farcical zip tie solution issued shortly thereafter, the Toyota/Lexus floor mat recall is quickly becoming one of the most unique events in recent automotive safety history. The problem, according to Toyota, lies with installation and mat selection. The dealer loaner car that was driven to a fiery end in Southern California earlier this year was just such a case, says the company: the wrong mat was installed improperly. So the fix? To install the proper floor mats and do it properly. The letter mailed earlier this week explains that the notice is of a future voluntary safety recall campaign which will see the mats replaced with the right model and installed according to procedure for no charge. Owners had previously been warned to pull driver's side floor mats from affected vehicles and not replace them with any other mats. Affected models include: • 2007 – 2010 Camry • 2005 – 2010 Avalon • 2004 – 2009 Prius • 2005 – 2010 Tacoma • 2007 – 2010 Tundra • 2007 – 2010 ES350 • 2006 – 2010 IS250 and IS350 If you own one of these models, look for the letter in your mailbox over the next couple of days. But be forewarned that the NHTSA isn't buying Toyota's story. [NHTSA, Toyota] Read More

  • Rumors Of Toyota Celica Rebirth Continue To Follow Joint Sports Coupe

    Rumors Of Toyota Celica Rebirth Continue To Follow Joint Sports Coupe October 22nd, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 22nd, 2009 Nelson Ireson 5 Comments

    Rumors Of Toyota Celica Rebirth Continue To Follow Joint Sports Coupe

    The Toyota FT-86 Concept has just been officially revealed to the public at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, and despite its ostensible similarity to the AE86 Corolla, there's been a persistent rumor of the return of the Celica nameplate for the car's retail sales debut.

    With its rear-wheel-drive layout, 2 + 2 seating configuration and coupe styling, it's a fair question as to which car it more closely resembles. In its later iterations the Celica was a front-driver, but the earliest Celicas, and the cars that spawned the legendary Supra, were rear-drive machines.

    The Corolla nameplate in the U.S. has also lived on in the Celica's absence, itself...

    The Toyota FT-86 Concept has just been officially revealed to the public at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, and despite its ostensible similarity to the AE86 Corolla, there's been a persistent rumor of the return of the Celica nameplate for the car's retail sales debut. With its rear-wheel-drive layout, 2 + 2 seating configuration and coupe styling, it's a fair question as to which car it more closely resembles. In its later iterations the Celica was a front-driver, but the earliest Celicas, and the cars that spawned the legendary Supra, were rear-drive machines. The Corolla nameplate in the U.S. has also lived on in the Celica's absence, itself morphing into a budget front-driver. So finding a way to slot the decidedly sporty and un-modern-Corolla-like Toyota-Subaru joint sports coupe into the Corolla range presents its own set of complications. Thus the talk of reviving the Celica badge. With a 2.0-liter Subaru boxer engine piping 200-plus horsepower through a six-speed manual transmission, the production version of the FT-86 is looking like it will be well up to the task of carrying the Celica flag, especially with an expected starting price of around $25,000. Fans of the Celica, and especially the Supra, will no doubt cheer the rumors on--discounting the highly exclusive and seriously expensive Lexus LF-A's emergence, the lack of sport cars anywhere under the Toyota umbrella has been too severe for too long. And though Toyota may not be planning a high-performance Supra version--yet, anyway--Subaru is thought to be working on an STI variant of the coupe, though even the standard Subaru sports coupe hasn't yet been given the production green light. Of course, there's no official confirmation of the Celica's return yet, but with the car due to appear for retail sale by late 2011, Toyota will be laying the groundwork at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office soon enough. As always, we'll keep our ears to the ground to bring you the latest. [Autocar] Read More

  • First Look At Toyota Sai Hybrid

    First Look At Toyota Sai Hybrid October 20th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran's avatar Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, October 20th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 3 Comments

    First Look At Toyota Sai Hybrid

    As the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show encroaches, we’re starting to see more and more new model and concept debuts like the 2010 Toyota Sai hybrid sedan. Set to go on sale in Japan by the middle of next year, the new mid-size sedan shares its platform with the recently launched 2010 Lexus HS 250h and is expected to be priced slightly higher than the similarly sized 2010 Toyota Prius.

    The biggest difference between it and the Lexus HS 250h on which it’s based is the styling, which is a little blander on the Toyota Sai. More differences are found in the cockpit, with the Sai receiving a completely redesigned center console and instrument...

    As the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show encroaches, we’re starting to see more and more new model and concept debuts like the 2010 Toyota Sai hybrid sedan. Set to go on sale in Japan by the middle of next year, the new mid-size sedan shares its platform with the recently launched 2010 Lexus HS 250h and is expected to be priced slightly higher than the similarly sized 2010 Toyota Prius. The biggest difference between it and the Lexus HS 250h on which it’s based is the styling, which is a little blander on the Toyota Sai. More differences are found in the cockpit, with the Sai receiving a completely redesigned center console and instrument panel. No prizes for guessing what powertrain resides beneath the car’s sheet metal. Toyota has left the Lexus HS 250h’s powertrain completely unchanged, which means a 2.4-liter four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine generating 187-horsepower when combined with the company’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system. According to reports coming out of Japan, Toyota plans to sell up to 3,000 Sais per month and is also planning to launch a new dedicated accessories range for the car. Stay tuned for more details following the launch of the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show on the 24th of this month. [Autoblog.it] Read More

  • Video Leak: Toyota FT-86, Honda CR-Z And More From 2009 Tokyo Motor Show

    Video Leak: Toyota FT-86, Honda CR-Z And More From 2009 Tokyo Motor Show October 9th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, October 9th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 4 Comments

    Video Leak: Toyota FT-86, Honda CR-Z And More From 2009 Tokyo Motor Show

    When it comes to car shows, there are leaks and then there are leaks. Today a Japanese-language video of most of the cars and concepts of the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show has leaked online, including the first live footage of the Toyota FT-86 and Honda's CR-Z concept.

    This genie isn't likely to get stuffed back in the bottle. Despite advertising itself as a promotional video for the "41th Motorshow," it succeeds thoroughly in spoiling the surprise of the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show live reveals of the cars in question.

    Not that we don't enjoy the sneak peek--the FT-86 in particular looks even better in the glare and basic pan shots of the...

    When it comes to car shows, there are leaks and then there are leaks. Today a Japanese-language video of most of the cars and concepts of the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show has leaked online, including the first live footage of the Toyota FT-86 and Honda's CR-Z concept. This genie isn't likely to get stuffed back in the bottle. Despite advertising itself as a promotional video for the "41th Motorshow," it succeeds thoroughly in spoiling the surprise of the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show live reveals of the cars in question. Not that we don't enjoy the sneak peek--the FT-86 in particular looks even better in the glare and basic pan shots of the characteristically car-show videography. The CR-Z Concept footage doesn't reveal much beyond the existing press shots, but live images show the boot-up process of the Nissan LEAF EV and its innovative gauge cluster, plus the gas-cap-like front charging port. Other concepts revealed include the Mitsubishi PX-MiEV electric crossover concept and Mazda's updated Kiyora Concept. Catch our previous coverage for the full details on the FT-86 Concept, its Subaru counterpart and their likely production-car end products. [Via Carscoop] Read More

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