New Tundra Platinum and Work Truck Packages on Display

CHICAGO – - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today debuted the 2010 Tundra full-size pickup truck and an all-new 4.6-liter V8 engine at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show.

On display are two new packages, including the debut of an all-new Tundra Platinum Package and the recently announced Tundra Work Truck. Value will be enhanced on all 2010 Tundra models with the addition of standard and optional exterior, mechanical, safety and convenience feature upgrades. The 2010 Tundras will arrive at dealerships in April.

The new 4.6-liter V8 engine will be available on all 2010 model year Tundra models. With 310 horsepower, 327 lb-ft. of torque and internal preliminary fuel efficiency estimates of 15 mpg city and 20 mpg on the highway, the new engine is expected to deliver the best combination of power and fuel economy among any standard V8 in the full-size pickup segment. Like Tundra’s optional 5.7-liter V8 engine, the new 4.6-liter V8 will be mated with a six-speed automatic transmission.

For Tundra buyers looking for a higher level of refinement and additional convenience features, the 2010 Tundra will offer a new Platinum Package that will be available on 2010 Tundra CrewMax Limited models equipped with the 5.7-liter V8 and Flex Fuel powertrains. The package contains a vast assortment of features that make the CrewMax Limited virtually monospec and will carry a manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) of $5,140.

On the outside, the Platinum Package includes a new Limited grade billet-style grille with chrome bumpers, unique 20-inch alloy wheels and tires, daytime running lamps, door sill protectors with a Platinum logo, and Platinum badging.

The Platinum Package will be available in four exterior colors that include Black, Silver, Slate, and Salsa Red.

Inside, the top-of-the-line package adds an array of luxury comfort and convenience features including a power memory function on the driver’s seat, outside power mirrors and puddle lamps, and a tilt and telescopic steering wheel. Also included in the Platinum Package is a power tilt and slide moonroof, navigation system, ventilated seats with a unique perforated leather seating surface, wood trimmed shift knob and door switch plates, auto up/down driver and front passenger windows, chrome accented HVAC vents and controls, and headrests with an embroidered Platinum logo.

With a focus on utility, the Tundra Work Truck Package is aimed at commercial truck buyers in industries such as farming, ranching and construction, or those who require a tough no-frills truck with exceptional cargo and towing capacity. The new work truck will be available on Tundra 4×2 and 4×4 Regular and four-door Double Cab models in standard and long bed configurations. It will be available with a V6 or one of two V8 engines including Tundra’s powerful 381 horsepower 5.7-liter i-Force V8, with a towing capability of up to 10,800 pounds.

Designed to deliver only the features commercial truck buyers need to get the job done, the Tundra work truck will be offered at a reduced MSRP. Tundra models equipped with the work truck are expected to carry a price adjustment that will range from $550 to $655 less than the truck’s standard MSRP, depending on the model. Final pricing of the work truck will be announced shortly before the vehicle goes on sale this spring.

On the outside, the Tundra work truck Package will include black bumpers and grille surround, replacing chrome. Power mirrors are replaced by manual outside rearview mirrors.

Inside, the truck comes with easily washable vinyl bench seats and rubber floors. To appeal to target buyers, several Tundra standard personal-use features have been replaced or removed. Tundra’s standard silver instrument panel and HVAC controls are replaced by basic black and include voltage, oil pressure and warning lamps in place of gauges. Lighting in the ignition key ring and the glove box are removed along with map and door courtesy lamps. The package also excludes cruise control and the remote keyless entry as standard features, although separate Work Truck packages will be offered with these features.

All 2010 Tundra models receive a freshened look with a redesigned front grille and taillamp design. The Tundra and SR5 grades will receive similar grille designs and the Limited grade will be equipped with a unique billet-style grille. Additional standard equipment on all Tundra models include driver and front passenger knee airbags, height-adjustable headlamps, and a redesigned seven-pin towing hitch connector that sits above the hitch to help avoid damage during high departure angle driving. Also, a shelf to help organize storage space has been added to the lower glovebox.

Two new optional audio systems supplement the three existing systems. The new Tech Audio system features AM/FM/CD, integrated satellite radio receiver, Bluetooth®, auxiliary and USB inputs and six speakers. In addition to the carryover JBL navigation system, a new non-JBL navigation system includes AM/FM/CD, auxiliary input, a backup camera monitor and six speakers.

Pricing for the 2010 Tundra will be announced closer to its launch in April.

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Toyota to Reveal 2010 Tundra Pickup And New 4.6-liter V8 Engine at 2009 Chicago Auto Show

SCION ANNOUNCES PRICING FOR tC RELEASE SERIES 5.0 – TO BE DISPLAYED AT THE 2009 CHICAGO AUTO SHOW

TORRANCE, Calif. — Scion, of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., announced today that the only limited-production tC for 2009, the tC Release Series 5.0 (tC RS 5.0), will have a Toyota Racing Development (TRD) theme and be available at dealer showrooms in March. The 2009 tC RS 5.0 will be on display in the Scion space at the Chicago Auto Show, February 11-22, for media and public days.

The 2009 tC RS 5.0 features gloss black exterior paint and numerous performance products from TRD. TRD edition 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, in matte black with red trim, and red TRD lowering springs provide this tC with its menacing presence. For additional stability when cornering, the tC is fitted with a red TRD rear sway bar. A TRD sport muffler gives the tC RS 5.0 an aggressive sound signature, while a TRD exterior badge marks the car. A black rear lip spoiler will also be available.

The TRD theme is continued inside with a black leather steering wheel featuring red stitching, black seats with red accents and floor mats with the TRD logo. The tC RS 5.0 is also equipped with a cargo mat. Individually numbered badging completes the uniqueness of this vehicle.

No more than 2,000 units of the tC Release Series 5.0 will be built. The tC RS 5.0 model will carry a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $2,300 over the base price of the tC. The base MSRP for the standard tC with a manual transmission is $17,000, while the standard tC with an automatic transmission model carries a MSRP of $17,800. The available black spoiler has a MSRP of $285, not including installation.

The delivery, processing and handling (DPH) fee for all Scion models is $670 and is not included in the MSRP. DPH fee for vehicles distributed by Southeast Toyota (SET) and Gulf States Toyota (GST) may vary.

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TOYOTA: Scion Announces Pricing for tC Release Series 5.0

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., announced manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) today for the 2010 high mileage Corolla compact sedan and Matrix crossover utility vehicle, which now include Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRAC) as standard equipment.

There is no price increase for the 2010 Corolla. Corolla’s base MSRP will range from $15,350 for the standard sedan with a five-speed transmission to $20,050 for the sporty XRS with a five-speed automatic transmission.

Matrix carries a base MSRP that will range from $16,550 for the standard sedan with a five-speed transmission to $21,960 for the sporty XRS with a five-speed automatic transmission. The new Matrix MSRP represents an overall increase of $201 or 1.1 percent.

The new prices will take effect when the 2010 Corolla and Matrix arrive in dealer showrooms beginning in late February. MSRPs do not include a delivery, processing, and handling (DPH) fee of $720. DPH fee for vehicles distributed by Southeast Toyota (SET) and Gulf States Toyota (GST) may vary.

Both models bring a fun-to-drive experience with impressive fuel economy. The Corolla’s 1.8-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine with dual variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i), featured on Standard, LE and XLE models, has estimated EPA fuel economy ratings of 26 mpg city/34 mpg highway. The Corolla XRS’ 2.4-liter DOHC engine with VVT-i has estimated EPA ratings of 22/30.

The Matrix Standard is also powered by the 1.8-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine with dual VVT-i and has EPA mpg estimates of 26/32 for the manual transmission, while the four-speed automatic has ratings of 25/31. The 2.4-liter engine, also shared with the Matrix S and XRS, has EPA mpg estimates of 21/28 for manual, 21/29 for the five-speed automatic and 20/26 for the AWD.

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Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control Now Standard Equipment in 2010 Toyota Corolla and Matrix

In an effort to attract new buyers to the hybrid market, Toyota today launched the all-new Toyota Certified Used Hybrid (TCUH) program, an extension of the Toyota Certified Used Vehicles (TCUV) brand which provides added inspection and warranty coverage on certified used Toyota hybrids.

“The program is a great way to increase awareness of certified used hybrid vehicles,” said TCUV Marketing Manager, Steve Gallagher. “As more hybrids enter the used vehicle marketplace, Toyota Certified Hybrids offer high-quality options to customers interested in purchasing these fuel-efficient vehicles.”

As the industry’s first dedicated certified pre-owned program for hybrid vehicles, TCUH was designed to drive sales of certified used hybrids while expanding Toyota’s customer base for these types of vehicles.

Customers benefit from additional inspection and warranty coverage on Toyota hybrids within the program. Each vehicle comes with the three-month/3,000-mile comprehensive warranty, seven-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty and roadside assistance plan offered on traditional TCUV models. The program also brings added awareness to a pre-existing eight-year/100,000-mile factory hybrid battery warranty. The TCUH quality insurance inspection also includes 14 additional inspection points beyond the current TCUV 160-point quality assurance inspection. This expanded 174-point Toyota Certified Hybrid inspection includes examination of key hybrid components, such as the hybrid transaxle, control modules and battery.

The Toyota Certified program combines the confidence of purchasing a new vehicle with the value of a used vehicle to provide a “like new” ownership experience. Toyota certified used vehicles offer consumers a smart alternative to traditional used car options and give them the peace of mind they seek when purchasing a used vehicle.

About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of more than 1,400 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers. Toyota directly employs over 36,000 people in the U.S. and sold more than 2.2 million vehicles in 2008. For more information about our company, please visit http://www.toyota.com.

About Toyota Certified Used Vehicles
Launched in 1996, the Toyota Certified Used Vehicles (TCUV) program offers the next best thing to the purchase of a new Toyota. TCUV provides peace of mind in the purchase of a used vehicle that only a Toyota factory-backed certification program can offer. Since its inception, TCUV has sold over 2.4 million certified vehicles. Under TCUV, all vehicles undergo a minimum 160-point quality assurance inspection, including mechanical and appearance reconditioning. TCUV also offers a seven-year, 100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, a seven-year, 100,000-mile 24-hour roadside assistance plan, a three-month, 3,000-mile comprehensive used car warranty and a CARFAX vehicle history report. Currently, over 93 percent of Toyota dealers offer vehicles under the TCUV program.

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Toyota Introduces Certified Used Hybrid Program

August 11, 2008 – Torrance, CA – The 2009 Toyota Venza, scheduled to go on sale later this year, is the first example of Toyota’s new direction in passenger car design combining elegance, innovation, comfort and utility.

“We wanted to create something entirely different,” said Kevin Hunter, president of Toyota’s Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, Calif., and Ann Arbor, Mich. “Not an SUV, not a wagon, not a coupe and not a sedan. We aimed for a more road-focused vehicle and sporty direction.”

Venza is based on the FT-SX concept vehicle that debuted at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show. With an overwhelmingly positive response to the show vehicle, Toyota decided to develop Venza with a distinctly American plan.

Toyota’s U.S. design and engineering teams worked together to bring this bold design to production. It was one of the first times an American styling group created an overall design concept that engineers would follow for development. Venza will be assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Ky., home of the Camry, Solara and Avalon. More than 70 percent of its components will come from North American suppliers.

A new genre in personal transportation, Venza incorporates SUV utility and roominess, while maintaining passenger car essentials, such as ease of ingress/egress, performance, a lower, sleek side profile with aerodynamic lines, and unrivaled interior features to deliver optimal comfort.

“We used Toyota’s design philosophy, ‘Vibrant Clarity’ to create a more exciting drive for the customer while still maintaining its high functionality,” explained Hunter.

Exterior Design Features
The exterior styling was directed by Calty Project Chief Designer, Ian Cartabiano, in Newport Beach. From a design perspective, Venza achieves aerodynamic sculpted lines that not only look elegant, but help to increase fuel economy by reducing wind resistance. Freeform geometrics define the integration of fluid surfaces defined by smooth lines, which promote even airflow and reduce turbulence. Venza’s 20-inch wheels, stylish backlight and integrated aero spoiler make a bold, sporty statement.

“The overall stance of the vehicle is very strong, with the wheels placed out to make it look sure-footed and glued to the ground,” said Cartabiano.

Interior Design Features
Venza’s impressive “look-at-me” exterior styling leads to a thoughtful interior with surprising roominess, comfort and utility. Integral to the vehicle’s design was the idea to make the journey as rewarding as the destination. Interior features make the cabin seem spacious and comfortable with plenty of storage. Calty Ann Arbor’s Project Chief Designer, Ben Jimenez, integrated key design features such as a floating concept of the instrument cluster to create a 60/60 center dashboard.

“Most car interiors are like dual cockpits, where both driver and front passengers feel as if they only have access to 40 percent of the available space,” Jimenez said.

“The flow of Venza’s center console is a bit of an optical illusion,” he continued. “Both driver and passenger will feel as if 60 percent of the space is in their personal zone.”

Available in front-and all-wheel drive, Venza will be powered by a choice of engines – a V6 or an all-new four-cylinder. Both engines will be mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Twenty-inch wheels will only be available on V6 models.

Source / Rest of Story: Pressroom Toyota

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Design Ins and Outs Of The 2009 Toyota Venza

Tokyo – Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) today announced operating results for the six months ended September 30, 2007.On a consolidated basis, net revenues for the first half of the fiscal year totaled 13.01 trillion yen, an increase of 13.4 percent compared to the same period last fiscal year. Operating income increased 16.3 percent to 1.27 trillion yen, while income before income taxes, minority interest and equity in earnings of affiliated companies was 1.36 trillion yen. Net income increased 21.3 percent to 942.4 billion yen.

Positive contributions to operating income totaled 330.0 billion yen, consisting of 150.0 billion yen from changes in foreign exchange rates, 130.0 billion yen from marketing efforts and 50.0 billion yen from cost reduction efforts. Negative factors totaled 151.3 billion yen.

TMC also announced an interim cash dividend of 65 yen per share for the first half of the fiscal year, an increase of 15 yen per share compared with the same period last fiscal year.

Commenting on the results, TMC Executive Vice President Mitsuo Kinoshita said, “For this period, we posted record results in both revenues and profits. We believe our efforts to build a globally balanced operational foundation contributed to these results. Net income has increased by nearly 70 percent over the last two years, due to a substantial increase in earnings by companies accounted for under the equity method, as well as increase in operating income.”

Consolidated vehicle sales for this period reached a record high of 4.301 million units, an increase of 156 thousand units over the same period last fiscal year.

In Japan, vehicle sales decreased by 67 thousand units, to 1.006 million units. Operating income increased by 88.9 billion yen, to 773.3 billion yen, mainly due to improvements in the model mix of domestic and export sales, including strong sales of the Lexus LS models.

Vehicle sales in North America totaled 1.497 million units, an increase of 33 thousand units, due to steady sales including the redesigned Tundra and the Prius. Operating income increased by 3.6 billion yen, to 254.1 billion yen.

In Europe, vehicle sales increased by 46 thousand units, to 635 thousand units, due to strong sales of the redesigned Corolla and the Auris which has been manufactured locally since early 2007. Operating income increased by 2.3 billion yen, to 68.3 billion yen. Strong Russian sales of Lexus models, the Camry and the Corolla contributed to this result.

Sales in Asia increased by 70 thousand units, to 452 thousand units. Operating income increased by 55.4 billion yen, to 116.7 billion yen, mainly due to brisk sales recovery in the Asian markets including Indonesia. Our consolidated subsidiaries in China also made a substantial contribution to the results, due to strong sales of Lexus models.

In other regions, including Central and South America, Oceania and Africa, vehicle sales increased to 711 thousand units, an increase of 74 thousand units, due to steady sales of the IMV series and the redesigned Camry. Operating income increased by 35.6 billion yen, to 71.7 billion yen.

TMC estimates that consolidated vehicle sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008 will be 8.93 million units, which is an upward revision from TMC’s initial forecast of 8.89 million units announced in May 2007. Additionally, consolidated net revenues were revised to 25.5 trillion yen (from 25.0 trillion yen), operating income to 2.30 trillion yen (from 2.25 trillion yen) and net income to 1.70 trillion yen (from 1.65 trillion yen).

Commenting on the outlook for consolidated profit for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008, Kinoshita said, “We aim to achieve higher levels of revenues and profits through further increase of vehicle sales and cost reductions.”

Source: Toyota Pressroom

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Toyota Announces Semi-Annual Results

Toyota Motor Corporation’s Lexus luxury division expands its product lineup of elegant vehicle models with the launch of the al-new 2008 Lexus IS F high performance sedan model. The car will roll out in Lexus dealer showrooms all over the US early in 2008.

“With Lexus solidly established as a luxury leader, it was time to expand the brand’s scope by offering unique high-performance models, and the IS F is the first. Lexus did not design the IS F as a direct competitor to any specific models, but as a true performance sedan in a distinctly Lexus way. The IS F is totally authentic with a unique interpretation of driving excitement at all speeds and provides a new definition of usable power.” said Dave Nordstrom, Lexus vice president of marketing.

Just like any other Lexus models, the 2008 Lexus IS F also embodies the company’s
L-finesse design language. Outside, the car comes with a trapezoid-shaped front bumper fascia with the V-shape grille, widened front fenders, large brake cooling ducts, bi-xenon HID headlights with Lexus Adaptive Front lighting System (AFS), discrete silver front fenders, four exhaust diffusers, light-emitting diode (LED) stop and tail lamps, white LED license plate lamps, automated rain-sensing wipers, heated auto-dimming outside mirrors with integrated puddle lamps, and 19-inch forged-alloy 10-spoke design wheels produced by BBS.

The luxurious and elegant features continue on the car’s interior. Design cues on the inside include aluminized composite trim, aluminum-rimmed main gauges, and unique steering-wheel treatment. In addition, the 2008 Lexus IS F also comes with special leather-trimmed sport seats in Black with blue stitching, standard SmartAccess keyless entry and push-button start, 10-way power front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, pollen filter and smog detector, power moonroof with one-touch open/close and seven open-position settings, power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, three-position front seats with memory function, and auto-dimming rear-view mirror with HomeLink garage door opener.

Now for audiophiles out there, Lexus offers a wide range of premium audio systems for the IS F. These include standard six-disc in-dash CD changer and 13 speakers, optional Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound Audio System with 14-speaker audio system. This system is also capable of playing conventional CDs and DVDs, as well as MP3/WMA-formatted CDs.

Passive and active safety technology features also dominates the 2008 Lexus IS F. These include reinforced passenger compartment, seatbelt pre-tensioners and force limiters, front-passenger front airbags and front seat-mounted side airbags, Lexus Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), advanced dual-stage front airbags, and Pre-Collision System (PCS). A rear back-up camera is also included to enable the driver to have a view on the rear potion of the vehicle when parking.

At the heart of the 2008 Lexus IS F is a high performance 5.0-liter V8 engine that produces 416 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and develops 371 lb.-ft. amount of peak torque revving at 5,200 rpm. This power unit is mated with an 8-Speed Sport Direct Shift transmission. Other powertrain features include SFI D-4 (direct-to-cylinder injection system with secondary port injectors) fuel injection, Electronic Throttle Control System with intelligence (ETCS-i), dual air-intake system, Lexus fan clutch, and new Variable Valve Timing with intelligence and electrically-controlled intake cam (VVT-iE).

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The 2008 Lexus IS F Sedan in Detail

What is it that’s said about the irresistible force?
Anyone encountering an engineer named Yukihiko Yaguchi might just find out first hand, for he’s an irresistible force that’s created a highly movable object.

Yaguchi is a very convincing, compelling guy, but he’s also quiet and self effacing. Once he gets hold of you, you not only can’t help but like him, you can’t help but want to help him accomplish whatever it is that he’s up to.

Plenty of people have learned that lesson, and there’s solid evidence to support it. The evidence sits on four fat, sticky tires. It’s called the Lexus IS F.

In order to understand the IS F and its genesis, the first thing that you have to understand is that Yaguchi is an enthusiast, a performance hard case who loves to drive fine, responsive equipment.

For the 30 years he’s been at Toyota, he’s wanted to build a car he wanted to drive, a car he’d love to own. During his tenure at Lexus, Yaguchi has worked on the first and second iterations of the Lexus LS luxury sedan, the turbocharged Toyota Supra and the first Lexus GS sport sedan. But none of those cars, however excellent, scratched his peculiar performance itch.

For the past 15 years, he’s been thinking in terms of nothing less than an all-wheel-drive supercar with huge horsepower, racetrack-inspired handling and enormous stopping power.

What he had in mind was a take-no-prisoners premium sport sedan that would offer comfort, sophistication and performance to equal or beat the best of the class from Europe.

Finally, he got tired of waiting. He decided that he’d just go ahead and figure out a way to build it.

Yaguchi was ideally placed to ramrod such a project, as he was working at TMC’s Lexus Center in the Brand Strategy department in preparation for the Lexus brand to expand globally.

Lexus is of course a well-organized company with carefully proscribed procedures for getting things done. But Yaguchi, the irresistible force, turned procedure on its head.
To begin with, in Lexus’ careful way, it’s not the engineers who make the decisions to design and develop a vehicle. It’s the Product Planning Department. The experts there want to be sure that there’s actually a market for a proposed vehicle, and that the finished product will fill the needs of that market.

So instead of the Product Planning people going to Yaguchi and saying something like, “Look, Yaguchi-san, we think that the market is ready for a high-performance sport sedan,” it was the other way around. Yaguchi pitched his concept to Product Planning. Incredibly, after much convincing, he received Product Planning’s approval to proceed.

But just because the project got the green light from Product Planning, that didn’t mean that it had resources and budget allocated to it. It didn’t. But that wasn’t enough to derail Yaguchi. He developed the IF S when he wasn’t busy with his Brand Strategy responsibilities, working informally, on the side, beginning in 2004.

In other words, in the best tradition of the factory-based hotrod, Yaguchi recruited his own special “Skunk Works,” an under-the-radar operation populated by a team of speed-crazy rogue engineers who, working in their spare time between their regular assignments, developed their own vision for a Lexus performance vehicle.

Most chief engineers, when they are tasked to develop a new Lexus model, typically have between 1,500 and 2,000 people on their development teams. That didn’t happen here. Instead, Yaguchi had between 100 and 300 people at any given time on the IS F development team. He designed and built the IS F with a team that was a fraction of the size of the usual engineering and development staffs.

Working outside the confines of Lexus’ usual carefully planned corporate program, Yaguchi cherry-picked the very best people, folks he thought might want to have a hand in creating this special car. Because it wasn’t possible to get them assigned full-time to his team, he convinced them to contribute their ideas and skills in their spare time, when they weren’t working on their regular projects.

This approach didn’t just apply to individuals. Yaguchi worked his wiles on whole departments. For example, a corporate subsidiary called Toyota Technocraft, among many of its special projects, builds packages for police cars and also builds the aero kits used on some Toyota models. Yaguchi reasoned that Toyota Technocraft would be perfect to help with the many specialized modifications of the standard Lexus IS that this car would require.

He pitched the idea to the division’s leadership, and they went for it. The result is an engineering marvel with special aerodynamics, an 8-speed Sport Direct Shift transmission with paddle shifters and its own special performance profile, Brembo disc brakes that feature huge, 14.2-inch cross-drilled discs and six pistons per caliper up front, 19-inch wheels and a specially tuned suspension system. Indeed, Technocraft’s participation in the IS F project marks the first time the division has worked on the design of an entire production car.

But Yaguchi’s determination didn’t end there. He went so far, in fact, as to take his requests for help outside the company’s confines. He knew that the IS F was going to require a really spectacular engine. So he went to Yamaha, which has a history of making engine components for Toyota and Lexus. He didn’t go to just anyone, he asked his old friend Mr. Kimura, who worked on Yamaha’s Formula One engine program and then general manager of the aftermarket project division, to help out. As a result of that request, Yamaha did most of the development on the IS F’s DOHC 5.0L V8, making sure to pack it with more than 416 horsepower, enough to blast the IS F to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds.

Eventually, none of this was done in secret. So well known did the project become, and so legendary was Yaguchi’s persuasiveness, that the whole experience came to be known as Yaguchi-Go. In Japanese, today “go” is a suffix referring to a car, but originally it characterized a ship, the equivalent of a vessel making its unstoppable way forward. So this was Yaguchi and his project cutting a swath, and leaving a wake, through Toyota and Lexus. In this way, “Yaguchi-go” constitutes recognition of his leadership of, and ownership of, the IS F project.

To be certain they got the IS F exactly right, Yaguchi and his team tested the IS F at racetracks that count, at tracks that have challenge and heritage. Those test tracks include the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife, in Germany’s Eiffel Mountains; Circuit Paul Ricard, in the South of France; Circuit Zolder, in Belgium; Laguna Seca Raceway, in California; and Fuji Speedway, in Japan.

In fact, Fuji Speedway is the IS F’s home circuit and its many turns the inspiration for the F-logo design.

In fact, by the time testing was concluded, there’d never been a Toyota or a Lexus production car that had been so heavily tested at race tracks all around the world.

The result of all this, of course, will be available to the public beginning in early 2008. And that means that Yaguchi can stop thinking about exactly the car he’d most like to drive. He can actually begin driving it….and so can every other enthusiast.

Source: pressroom.toyota.com

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Toyota – Yukihiko Yaguchi: Irresistible Force Creates Moveable Object

The Toyota Hi-CT Concept is what usually happens when you cross a Mack truck and a brick. And although it seems like the Japanese automaker has misinterpreted the definition of truck with the Hi-CT but overall the contraption is rather amazing at its own right.

There is a rear “deck” placed instead of a conventional bed and the best bet it that it will not be far off from a paved road. Toyota the producer of Toyota catalytic converter has presented the Hi-CT showing the deck along with the removable trunk used to contain surfboards and bicycles but anything bulkier should be left at home. The design of the Hi-CT also shows that it can haul a limited amount of cargo and group of teens.

Although not that inclined to payload-carrying capability the Hi-CT’s selling point is its plug-in hybrid technology. It is also different from the conventional hybrid like the Toyota Prius which is a plug-in hybrid that can be charged via a household wall outlet that is aside from its internal combustion engine. And speaking of charging — the system is complete with 100-vot AC accessory socket to play and charge all the gadgets.

The urban transporter can seat four under a glass roof. And if you look closely at the controls you will notice that they are somewhat inspired by a fighter jet. Similarly, the yoke-like controller housing two red buttons will make you want to push that button and launch those missiles. Unfortunately, there are no missiles to launch. Anyway, all the instrumentation, entertainment, and HVAC information is contained in a single panoramic display above the dash making it easier for the driver to operate them.

The Hi-CT is obviously not your conventional truck but its hip and environmentally friendly and also targets the young buyers. Come to think of it, the Hi-CT is more in line with the Scion xA and xB.

Toyota Crown Hybrid Concept
Aside from the Hi-CT, Toyota will present a smorgasbord of eco-friendly and fuel efficient vehicles at the Tokyo Motor Show of which includes the ever-popular Toyota Crown which will be presented in a Hybrid Concept form. The Toyota Crown has been a big hit overseas.

The Crown was first introduced in the US in 1971 but unfortunately didn’t stay long but in Japan it has been available for over 50 years. The Crown possessed similar dimensions and appearance as that of the Lexus LS which is a rear-wheel-drive sedan and considered to be a prime example of Japanese luxury.

And since Toyota’s philosophy is for its vehicles to be available with gasoline-electric powertrain technology, the Crown would be given the hybrid treatment. It will also be equipped with THS II- Toyota Hybrid System II –which now includes a two stage motor speed reduction device that is designed to improve acceleration as well as increase fuel economy while lowering sound levels and emissions.

Toyota has lots of plan with the Crown of which includes changes on the drivetrain and many more. The Japanese automaker has also added a new thin-film transistor LCD called the “Finegraphic Meter” that creates a new information display that made easier for the driver to understand as compared to traditional units.

In terms of safety features, the Crown will have the VDIM or Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management which will incorporate active steering control aside from the vehicle’s existing traction and brake systems. And if you still think that the VDIM is not yet enough to keep you safe then how about 10 airbags? Feel safe already?

Sad as it may seem but the Crown will probably not be made available in the US. However, the Toyota Crown Hybrid Concept will definitely not stay a concept for long since its production is already scheduled next year for other markets.

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_231779_31.html

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Toyota’s Parade of Concept Vehicles at the Tokyo Motor Show