Toyota

Aston Martin boss Dr Ulrich Bez has told the producers of the James Bond movie franchise he will no longer pay a product placement fee to see the world's most famous spy drive a car from the British brand. Instead, the producers of the next Bond film are believed to be considering product placement money from ... Toyota. Bez says the British brand [now owned by US giant Ford] has the style and substance to bring unmatched credibility and publicity to the Bond franchise. He says that Bond in a Toyota Camry would do little for publicity or credibility. The dilemma for producers of the Bond films is that other car makers are prepared to pay millions to have Bond…

October 2022 was the startup again of production of the bZ4X as well as the announcement of the bZ3, the second EV in the bZ series. This second electric sedan was jointly developed between Toyota, BYD and FAW Toyota of China. Many would have thought that Toyota was finally on the bandwagon for moving forward with EVs as they had announced 30 new EVs to be produced and released by 2030. This in comparison to companies like Hyundai or GM where they have committed to having EVs replace full portfolios by 2025. So why then is a reboot in order for Toyota? Per an exclusive story released by REUTERS, "Exclusive: Toyota scrambles for EV reboot with e…

Link: http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/news,v...rtid=61537&pg=1 "Frank Sinatra Has A Cold" is widely regarded as one of the greatest pieces of journalism ever, thanks largely to the fact that writer Gay Talese created an insightful portrait of the great crooner by chronicling the circumstances that conspired to keep him from actually interviewing the subject of his story. The Toyota Camry isn't the Frank Sinatra of the auto market (Perry Como's more like it), but it is possible to write about the best-selling car in the U.S. without actually driving it, or seeing it, or even knowing anything about the latest version that is just now coming onto the market. Partl…

Can Tundra overcome Domestic loyalty? Toyota hopes to double annual sales with new Tundra By MARK RECHTIN | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS 6:15 am, February 27, 2006 Traditionally cautious Toyota is taking a gamble on the redesigned 2007 Tundra. Toyota's new assembly plant in San Antonio will double Tundra production, so the automaker must find lots more buyers for its full-sized pickup. The problem: The current Tundra is not luring large numbers of Big 3 truck loyalists out of their pickups. Toyota has been surprised by its inability to win over consumers who already own import-brand cars, says Ernest Bastien, vice president of Toyota's vehicle operations group. In 2005, T…

Tokyo, Japan, Dec 26, 2005 - (JCN Newswire) - TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC; TSE: 7203) announced today that it has begun nationwide sales in Japan of the completely redesigned bB passenger vehicle through "Netz" dealers. The first-generation bB, launched in 2000, was developed as an individualistic, compact hatchback - a completely new genre. Its sense of presence, apparent at a single glance, and its spacious, comfortable interior suitable for a diverse range of uses proved popular among younger customers. The new bB retains the strengths of the previous bB and strives to embody the lifestyle of people who want to be surrounded by music everywhere they go, adopti…

Just read this and it literally blew me away. The similarities between this incident and the Lexus ES incident in San Diego are pretty alarming. Seems pretty damning to me... And eerily similar to the Lexus incident. I was talking about this with my dad in the early days of the recall and he (retired police) always suspected there was more to this than the pedals because anyone with the level of training he had to go through to serve on a police force would have been able to survive that ES350 accident mainly because they apparently show you in training at least five different ways to make an out of control car stop. His guess was that the car was at the mercy of th…

Jumbo Shrimp By John DiPietro Date posted: 11-28-2005 Ten years ago, before the flood of current compact SUVs washed over the market, Toyota's RAV4 offered the Gen X and Gen Y folks an SUV that suited their supposedly active lifestyles. Something that could handle foul-weather driving as well as a trip to the slopes or mountain bike trailhead. Something that had relatively small dimensions for an SUV, making it easy to park in the city. Something that had a frugal four-cylinder engine that promised 20-somethings 20-something miles to the gallon. Something journalists dubbed the "cute ute." Well, this is America, the Land of Supersizing, so it was inevitable …

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drive...cleId=109609#11 Muscle car with a conscience By Philip Reed Email Date posted: 03-13-2006 I was about to pass judgment on the fuel-efficiency of the 2007 Lexus GS 450h when a friend of mine, a real captain of industry, telephoned. I told him what I was driving and that it was a hybrid. "What kind of mileage are you getting?" he asked. "About 22 miles per gallon," I answered. "Twenty-two?! That's fantastic!" Considering that my friend is in the target market for this scary-fast luxury sport sedan, with an all-new and super-smooth powertrain, I gave his opinion extra weight. To me, "hybrid" means fuel-efficiency. To my …

2007 Toyota Camry Solara on Toyota's Web Site Middle-aged women of America rejoice! The Camry coupe has been revamped. In my opinion, it looks somewhat better on the outside. The front and rear restyles clean up the look of the car somewhat. The interior looks as nice as it has pre-refresh with some touch-ups here and there. Judge for yourself. 2007 Toyota Camry Solara @ Toyota.com

Toyota Gives Camry Buyers Fraichir Fabric By Christie Schweinsberg WardsAuto.com, Jan 31 2006 Fabric treated with a silk byproduct is standard on the high-end trim of Toyota’s new midsize sedan. OJAI, CA – A resource from Toyota Motor Corp.’s homeland is providing a fabric treatment that gives the new ’07 Camry sedan’s plain cloth seats a silkier, softer feel. Already found on some of Toyota’s microvans in Japan, cloth seats treated with the Fraichir process will be standard on 4-cyl. Camry XLE models sold in the U.S. Fraichir (pronounced fray-sheer) is a brand name used in women’s and children’s apparel in Japan for at least a decade. However, the history of its …

AS a GM fan, I wonder what is the best worst line-up the Toyota can do right now. I was thinking that we gotta guess what the worst they can do. Here's what I think. Toyota Echo? 1.4L 104hp I-4 1.8L 134hp I-4 Corolla 1.8L 134hp I-4 2.4L 179hp I-4 Camry 2.4L 179hp I-4 3.5L 268hp V-6 Avalon 3.5L 268hp V-6 4.6L 357hp V-8? Well, thats it,whatcha think?

Toyota is not new to auto electrification, but they have found themselves on the far side of the moon in comparison to other OEMs in being ready to sell electric autos to the global public. Toyota sued California CARB in attempts to stay ICE with their hybrid Prius line-up and Hydrogen as Toyota had bet big on Hydrogen over electric autos to the extent of selling Hydrogen autos in California and building some Hydrogen fueling stations. Yet while this could be the way for Semi trucks or what is known as Class 8 heavy haulers that use hydrogen generators to power an electric power train, it seems the public has chosen to endorse BEV or battery electric autos. …

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070119/ap_on_...s/toyota_recall WASHINGTON - Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it was recalling 533,000 Tundra pickup trucks and Sequoia sport utility vehicles because of potential steering problems. Toyota said the recall involved 2004-2006 Tundra trucks and 2004-2007 Sequoia full-size SUVs. The automaker has received reports of 11 accidents and six injuries connected to the recall, said Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong. The automaker said there was a possibility of excessive wear to a front suspension lower ball joint that could make it difficult to steer the vehicle and stay in the center of the lane. Drivers may also notice more noise coming…

Sorry, can't post pictures. CLICK FOR IMAGES

Around these parts Toyota is the great satan and yet GM has this joint venture with them with the Matrix and Vibe. I have never understood it. Toyota is major competition and yet GM manufactures cars with them. Has GM ever explained that?

Japan Certifies Toyota Plug-in Hybrid for Public-road Tests Link to Original Article @ The Auto Channel Tokyo July 25, 2007; TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today that it has developed a plug-in hybrid vehicle and become the first manufacturer to have such a vehicle certified for use on public roads in Japan. The TOYOTA Plug-in HV — certified for public road-use by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport — uses, like earlier TMC-developed hybrid vehicles, both a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine and an electric motor. But increased battery capacity gives it a longer electric-motor-only cruising range and a battery-charging device all…

Toyota not giving up on its quirky Scion 01:00 AM EST on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 By Mark Phelan Detroit Free Press DETROIT — What’s wrong at Scion? In a year when small cars should flourish, Toyota’s small-car brand is in the tank. Through October, Scion’s U.S. sales have fallen a resounding 50.6 percent versus 2008 — far more than Toyota’s corporate decline of 23.2 percent, worse even than the Chrysler Group’s 38-percent freefall. Outsiders suggest the brand created to revitalize Toyota’s stodgy image may have lost its way, but Scion plans to expand its lineup and replace its mainstay tC coupe. Scion debuted with hoopla in 2003. Developed by a team of youn…

For the past six months I have been hearing rumors of a Toyota plant being discussed in the Flint, MI area. First I have heard that the GM Buick City site might be the location for either a Toyota General Assembly plant and more recently and probably more likely an Engine Plant. I write this, with the understanding that there has been lobbying by the UAW for Toyota to put something in Wixom. The rumors I first heard were prior to the Wixom efforts. Recently I have been hearing more and more chatter for a Flint site. I write this with the understanding that some will comment that Toyota will not sleep with the UAW, particularly the Flint UAW. I say it is a mute poi…

Prius Follies, Take Two The Wall Street Journal By Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. (Commentary) December 14, 2005 Since we're still on the subject of fuel mileage – or at least still responding to email after a column two weeks ago on the Toyota Prius – let's spill a few more gallons of petroleum-based ink. The Prius is a nifty gadget and comes with lots of extras. But Toyota markets the vehicle on its fuel efficiency, and fans tout its fuel efficiency. And our point was to debunk the idea that saving gasoline is a virtue independent of economics, such that it makes sense, say, to spend a buck to reduce gas use by 50 cents. Edmunds.com, the auto shopper site, guid…

Toyota has decided "Born From Invincible" is the new marketing message for the all new Toyota Tundra 2022! From the African Savanna to the Australian Outback or the asphalt of NASCAR, Toyota Trucks has taken people places for over 70 years. The global debut of the All-New 2022 Tundra builds on what Toyota brought to the world starting in 1950 with the first Land Cruiser building on the unique heritage to take Toyota into an even more exciting future per their press release. To quote their Invincible press release: “Born from Invincible” showcases an unparalleled international truck history in a wild ride down memory lane. Toyota’s rich history o…

TUPELO, Miss. (AP) — Toyota � said Tuesday that it will build a $1.3 billion assembly plant in northeast Mississippi to manufacture its Highlander sport-utility vehicle. Production is set to begin by 2010 and employment is projected at 2,000. The company said it expects to build 150,000 vehicles a year. The plant will be built on a 1,700-acre site at Blue Springs, land that has been promoted for economic development. Mississippi was chosen in a competition with Tennessee and Arkansas. Gov. Haley Barbour and two Toyota manufacturing executive vice presidents, Gary Convis and Ray Tanguay, announced the project in an auditorium at Tupelo High School. "Toyota is the…

Why does each generation always have to look worse than the previous? Ewwww..... [source: Car and Driver] http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/07/2010-pr...sign-influence/

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/08/toyota-...rtundra-recall/

New Lexus Performance Vehicles to Make World Debut at 2007 North American International Auto Show Wednesday December 6, 2:56 pm ET TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Lexus will stage the world premiere of the 2008 IS-F sport performance car and an exciting concept vehicle at a press conference at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The IS-F is an all-new high-performance version of the popular Lexus IS 250/350 sport sedans. It will feature unique styling and a substantial boost in power from a V8 powerplant that will captivate performance car enthusiasts when it goes on sale next year. In addition to the IS-F, Lexus will unveil an exotic s…

http://www.forbes.com/work/feeds/ap/2006/0.../ap2431845.html

http://toyota.jp/corollaaxio/ http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/386879

Here are pictures and a video of the 2010 Toyota 4Runner at the Georgian College Autoshow in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Toyota chose the show to make its Canadian debut of the 5th generation 4Runner. On hand was a prototype, and it was locked. VIDEO: PICS:

Wow. Grotesque. http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/18/toyota-...of-2007-tundra/ The work truck Silverado isn't great looking, but at least it doesn't look like a pile of manure.

Toyota Motor Corporation announced today the nationwide launch in Japan of the new compact sedan, Belta, through "Toyopet" ("Osaka Toyota" in the Osaka area) and "Toyota Corolla" dealers. The new Belta, which means "beauty" or "beautiful person" in Italian, was designed to be a compact and stylish sedan, incorporating all of the appeal of a compact sedan into a vehicle with sophistication and beautiful styling to create beauty in the day-to-day lives of customers. Featuring one of the smallest minimum turning radiuses and one of the best fuel efficiency performances in its class, the new Belta also boasts a comfortable and roomy cabin and a large cargo space. In ad…

They're just now learning about flexible manufacturing?

And he went to start it and nothing happened, he was like wtf... We opened the hood and I could not believe my eyes. The car had no engine or transmission, so much empty space.

Interesting rendering's. Maybe we'll get a teaser at the NAIAS? Thoughts anyone?

Looks like that $1.6 billion Texas truck plant wasn't such a wise decision after all... http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/industr...t_520194_6.html

In Depth: Lexus LS600h L Revised: 09/28/2006 September 12, 2006 - Torrance, CA - Unveiled at the 2006 New York International Automobile Show, Lexus' all-new 2008 LS 600h L hybrid luxury sedan is scheduled to arrive in spring 2007. The all-wheel-drive LS 600h L will be the world's first vehicle to feature a full hybrid V8 powertrain. "The LS 600h L was developed to explore the outer reaches of performance, style and safety," said Bob Carter, Lexus Division group vice president and general manager. "It is a vehicle as efficient and familiar as it is indulgent and advanced, a far-reaching concept, fully developed and fully realized. It is simply in a class by itself." …

So today me, my brother, and our friend were driving, and cutting through a parking lot. We all saw a sliver FJ Cruiser pulling in, and the following conversation ensued. Him: What the hell is that?! Me: It's a Toyota FJ Cruiser. It's new. Him: It's so ugly!! It looks like it has a tumor growing out the back of it!! Me:

http://www.challengernky.com/articles/2005...d2827742811.txt & Toyota Spreads Holiday Cheer in the USA Japanese Automaker Creates 386,300 American Jobs http://www.info-toyota.com/us_jobs.htm

CR picked the Tundra over the Silverado, though they still rated the Avalanche significantly higher than either of them. That, however, is not what I thought was BS. Under reliability, the Avalanche and Silverado are rated as "new" (and therefore do not have a real rating) but the newer-than either of the Chevys Tundra gets a "very good." I guess since it says Toyota on it it gets a free pass. And people say CR has no bias...

Link to full article @ Forbes.com Teflon Toyota Joann Muller and Jonathan Fahey 07.03.06 Consumers don't seem bothered by a rash of recalls. Here's a quiz: a carmaker last month recalled 1 million vehicles worldwide. In 2005 it recalled 2.2 million vehicles in the U.S., 10% of its total number of cars on the road here and twice the number it recalled the year before. Who is this bumbling manufacturer? No, not General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ), but Toyota (nyse: TM - news - people ), whose vehicles jump off the lot because consumers swear by their quality. Just a few weeks ago Toyota again dominated consumer polls in the annual J.D. Power & Associates ini…

http://toyota.jp/crownroyal/ http://toyota.jp/crownathlete/ Toyota Redesigns 'Crown' - New lineup includes hybrid model - Tokyo - TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today it has completely redesigned the "Crown Royal Saloon" and "Crown Athlete" series and added a hybrid model to the product lineup. The Royal Saloon and Athlete series go on sale in Japan today and the "Crown Hybrid" will be launched in Japan on May 6. The 13th-generation Crown unveiled today retains the sense of poise and reliability that characterizes the Crown series, which has earned a reputation as the leader among luxury vehicles in Japan over the more than half a century since its de…

This article is a little over a year old, but it sheds some light into the side of Toyota that is never published. How does the world's most profitable automaker get away with lowering wages after age 51, refusing overtime pay, hiring as few workers as possible while increasing cash reserves (causing higher work-related injuries and suicide rates), and underpaying taxes? I found this quote especially interesting: ZNet

here Can General Motors and Ford Keep Up? There are two ways to increase your income; 1) spend less or 2) How do you cut profits, without cutting quality, or dulling the 'cutting edge'? make more. While no one questions whether or not Toyota Motor Company will have any problem achieving the second, the automaker is already a tightly run ship. Nevertheless, about 300 of its most creative engineers have figured out how to cut build costs of its popular 3.5-liter engine, by a significant margin.

Japan scolds Toyota on recall practices Yuri Kageyama / Associated Press TOKYO -- In a rare public scolding of Japan's biggest company, the government reprimanded Toyota Friday and called for improved recall practices amid a criminal investigation into a 2004 accident. The transportation ministry issued a "guidance" order requiring the automaker to report to the ministry by Aug. 4 steps it is taking to better monitor reports of defects with its cars and speed up communication within the company about possible problems, a ministry official said on customary condition of anonymity. The ministry did not fine Toyota or find it guilty of breaking the law. But public prose…

business week article. HERE some of the politics, "media backlash" possibilities, history of the toy' invasion, and what their PR is trying to do about it

Toyota Camry Hybrid 50th Anniversary Edition February 20, 2007 - Torrance, CA - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today announced manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the 2007 Camry Hybrid 50th Anniversary Edition. The limited edition Camry Hybrid celebrates Toyota's 50 years of business in the United States. This specially badged Camry Hybrid comes with features exclusive only to the 50th Anniversary Edition. Its stunning Blizzard Pearl paint, unique 16-inch alloy wheels with a graphite finish, and exterior "50th Anniversary Edition" badging are just some of the 50th Anniversary exclusives not available on any other Camry. A power moonroof and heated…

There is a patent infringement case against Toyota's Hybrids. http://www.autoserviceworld.com/issues/ISA...&issue=01112006

Toyota appears to be building out their sports car lineup with the 86 and the rumored Supra coupe. There is now talk of third sports that would mark the return of the 'Three Brothers'; MR2, Celica, and Supra. Evo reports that Tetsuya Tada, chief engineer of the Toyota 86 and head of Gazoo Racing revealed that a spiritual successor to the MR2 is in the works. The successor would act as the starting point for the 'three brothers,' with the 86 serving as the successor to the Celica and the Supra as the top dog. Tada said the company hopes to have the trio in production together, "as soon as possible." Details are slim, but Evo expects the model to be smaller and li…

I can't contain myself...rush to your Canadian Toyota dealer to pick up the special 20th Anniversary Edition Corolla! Toyota really went all-out on this one! http://www.toyota.ca/cgi-bin/WebObjects/WW...s100002e%2ehtml

Will Scion Add More New Models? A fourth line – or a hybrid – may be in the works. by Paul A. Eisenstein | Link to Original Article @ TheCarConnection Three's company - but would four be a crowd for Toyota's trend-setting Scion division? What sounds like a riddle is actually a serious issue for the youth-oriented brand. Since its launch in 2003, Scion officials have insisted on offering a maximum of just three models in the lineup. For the '08 model-year, they're dropping the original xA to make room for the new xD. But as sales grow, so might the model count, according to Scion corporate manager Steve Haag. "We have to expand a bit," Haag said, adding that "We hav…

Lexus LS hybrid arriving in June Base price is $104,750 Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek | Updated: 04/06/07, 8:00 pm et AutoWeek's sister publication, Automotive News reported this evening that a hybrid version of the Lexus LS sedan is ready for the market and base priced at $104,750. The car is slated to go on sale in June 2007. The Lexus LS 600h L will combine a V-8 engine with a continuously variable transmission and electric motor. According to the Automotive News report, Lexus stated that the powertrain will be rated at more than 430 hp.

Reviews: 2007 Toyota Tundra Toyota really got serious with this one, and it shows. If you've previously discounted the Tundra because it wasn't big enough or had a toy engine, think again. If you've never considered one before, have a look. More good choices are great for consumers, and since this one has been born, bred and built in the USA, there's no reason to feel guilty about it. Edmunds Full Test --- In general, this is a big brawny half-ton truck that seems to be moving into three-quarter-ton truck territory. Toyota has proven time and again that they know how to build vehicles that American people want and will buy. From my first impression at the Chicago…

Daimler-Benz: Future Takeover Target I was reading yet another article about the Chrysler sale on TCC and this is what it said: [look at the big, bold part] Teams from two different investment firms, Cerberus and Blackstone, showed up in Auburn Hills last week to take a peek at the Chrysler Group's inner workings, insiders have confirmed. Frank Stronach, Magna chairman, told the Toronto Globe and Mail that his company is looking at inside information on Chrysler after DaimlerChrysler's Dieter Zetsche put it up for sale. "Where it will go, nobody can predict,'' Stronach told the paper. "Our predicament will be we do not want to compete with our customers,'' Stronach sa…

but the Japanese wont be annoying us for long imagine what recalling almost 100,000 OF YOUR IMAGE VEHICLE does to your image - the people who own them are going to be angry; you think their friends are gonig to buy that crap - hell no the backlash of anti-trust and the economy will get into the minds of america soon, again not tomorrow, not soon - and Hundah and friends will feel it just wait; 30 years they will have a slump - 30 years after that they will be back some of us will be dead anyway by then so whatever

Based on the spy shots, I thought that the 2009 Avensis might turn out to be a nice looking sedan for Toyota. My opinion has changed drastically now that all the camo has been removed. This car continues the recent Toyota design direction of combining a bland overall design with awkward and hideous front/rear treatments. Oh well, I guess we can be thankful that we won't see this thing out and about on U.S. roads. undefined

Mark Rechtin Automotive News October 3, 2008 - 1:52 pm ET PARIS -- Despite its recent 0 percent financing deals, Toyota is not going to engage Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge in their full-sized pickup sales war, said Jim Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. "I don't want to get stuck in the middle of Ford and Chevy battling for the No. 1 truck this year, and Dodge launching the Ram," Lentz said in an interview here. Chevrolet sold 50,428 Silverados last month,off just 3.9 percent in a plummeting segment that saw Tundra fall 60.7 percent, the Ford F-150 drop 41.6 percent, and Dodge Ram off 30.9 percent. Toyota had hoped to sell about 20,000 Tundras a…

I have for the past 5 years, noticed a significant increase in Camry's in my town Dubuque Iowa. (On the Mighty Mississippi River where WI and IL meet!) But who is buying them, to answer that I took a drive around town to see what kind of people are in Camry's. You must understand Dubuque town within Dubuque county and is one of the few in areas Iowa that tends to vote more liberal due to the high numbers of Irish people and union people working at John Deere a major employeer in the Dubuque Land area. Also we have a large number of highly acclaimed both private and public schools. All my childern are in private schools in Dubuque the private school system in which I have …