The price penalty for the added complexity of a hybrid drivetrain has always been a bit of a concern for those looking to not just save fuel, but to save money. In some calculations from a decade ago, popular hybrids would have taken as much as eight or ten years to repay in fuel savings […]
Toyota is looking to take advantage of the green image its Prius petrol-electric hybrid vehicle enjoys by building upon the ‘Prius’ name and launching a new family of eco-friendly vehicles under it. Japanese execs have mentioned in the past that such an idea was under consideration and latest reports confirm the next-generation Prius, due to […]
It appears even Toyota, the industry’s top-selling carmaker by volume, couldn’t avoid the combined profit gouging effects of an economic downturn, rising material costs and a slowing global economy that have negatively affected most major carmakers. We’ve already seen GM post a $3.3 billion loss this quarter and a number of other carmakers including Daimler, […]
The Toyota Prius hybrid was the highest-ranking model in the latest J.D. Power and Associates vehicle customer satisfaction survey conducted in the UK. The Prius earned a total of 901 points on a 1,000-point scale, with owners reporting particularly high satisfaction with the model’s quality and reliability.
In the nameplate rankings, Lexus ranked the highest for […]
Toyota will raise its prices in the U.S. due to high raw material prices and the weakening U.S. dollar increasing the cost of production significantly. The move comes during a global downturn for car sales and a time when Toyota is facing its first profit drop in almost a decade.
Toyota’s sales momentum has remained strong […]
Toyota announced this week that it would invest up to ¥10 billion ($96 million) to help fund development of Japan’s first ever commercial passenger jet. The new project is being set-up by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and along with Toyota is being funded by Japanese firms Mitsui and Sumitomo as well as the government-controlled Development Bank […]
We’re used to reading stories about the Detroit 3 suffering from inventory problems but when unstoppable Toyota suffers a blowout you start realize just how badly the state of the economy and the car industry in general is doing. Inventory levels for Toyota and its Scion brand have risen to record highs because of poor […]
Usually the high-tech world of Formula One is the first to benefit from advanced safety and performance features before the technology eventually filters down into regular road going cars. But with Toyota’s Total Human Model Safety (THUMS) computer simulation system, it was regular production cars that were first to gain from the technology.
Toyota has been […]
You know the economy is experiencing hard times when even industry leader Toyota announces a major profit warning. Toyota is expected to suffer its first drop in operating profit in more than nine years, due mostly to falling U.S. sales and a stronger yen, and most analysts are predicting profits will fall by 20% on […]
Toyota has confirmed it will join what is quickly shaping up to be one of the toughest automotive segments to compete in, the ultra-low cost vehicle sector established with the unveiling of the Tata Nano in January. This is set to one of the fastest growing segments in the world with potentially millions of sales […]
Toyota confirmed today it is increasing its stake in Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru’s parent company) from current 8.7% levels to 16.5%. The auto-giant also announced plans to expand ties with Subaru and co-develop more models including a new RWD sports car. Currently, Toyota uses idle capacity at Subaru’s U.S. plant to build its Camry sedan […]
Toyota’s youth-oriented company Scion has been featuring flagging sales of late, which has inspired the Japanese auto manufacturer to enter the famed Formula D1 ‘Drifting’ series with the Scion tC.
The sports coupe tC was originally built as a front-wheel drive car, a format that isn’t very conducive to drifting without the […]
Reports emerged this week claiming the Japanese government helped fund the development of the first generation Toyota Prius more than ten years ago. Toyota has since denied all claims, which were originated from a recent interview with Chrysler exec Jim Press who was working for Toyota at the time the Prius was first developed.
During an […]
Toyota’s grip around Subaru is set to get tighter with news coming out of Japan claiming the auto giant is planning to increase its 8.7% stake in Subaru to around 17%. The final decision will depend on whether or not the move gets approval from Japan’s Fair Trade Commission.
The transaction involves Toyota buying another 64.25 […]
Toyota today announced the establishment of a new North American research facility located in Ann Arbour, Michigan, which will spearhead research on advanced areas including powertrain technologies, energy systems, and partnerships with government and academia. The carmaker plans to spend $100 million during the next four years, no doubt to speed up development of technologies […]