Jerick Brooks asked:


Toyota proves to be still one of the most famous automobile brands in the industry. Five of its surely most awaited concept vehicles include the PM, NLSV, Hybrid X, FT-SX, and the FT-HS.

The PM is a personal mobility vehicle that fits car race. Its very small appearance makes it very sporty yet stylish. According to the Toyota website, the car’s cutting-edge vehicle-to-vehicle communications technologies are employed under the concept of “meeting, linking and hanging out together”.

The NLSV meanwhile, features a huge, wireless electric sliding door on the passenger side and a flatter and wider floor. On the exterior, it has a narrow bumper, but the interior is exceptionally wide.

Toyota rewrites the rules for conceptualizing hybrid cars in its production of the Hybrid X. The company says Hybrid X might establish the norm in building hybrid cars in the future. A key concept on this vehicle is the Vibrant Clarity. It is a design establishing all design works in a unique and emotionally vibrant identity that definitely speaks of Toyota.

It offers sustainable mobility for modern families. Through this car, Toyota is making one step closer to its vision of a zero smog-forming emission future because of its environmentally advanced technology.

Inside the car, the driver sets the mood using an internal interface that controls lighting, and music. Complete driver control is experienced through technological innovations in interactive navigation, driving information and comfort control.

Resembling a tamed tiger, the FT-SX is an exploration of an entirely new genre of automobile. This car delivers complete function, luxury and sporty performance, and is conveyed visually by its imposing size and sleek silhouette. Making it incredibly versatile are the powerful V6 engine, all-wheel drive, 21-inch wheels, four doors, an inventive rear hatch and multi-functional glass roof.

Loading large and heavy objects is easy in this car. A loading tray that automatically extends when the lower hatch is opened makes the rear cargo area extremely user-friendly.

The interior has a sleek, sporty design of the exterior, with “flying speed board” gauge clusters. Added to this is the luxury of natural woods, soft leathers and durable metals.

Finally, the FT-HS — according to Toyota, the

car answers the question “What sports car suits the 21st century concept?” The FT-HS is a mid-priced sports car that integrates ecology and emotion, pairing a potent hybrid power train with essential sports-car fundamentals.

Using a powerful V6 3.5L engine, the FT-HS is coupled with Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive to produce a target power output of approximately 400 horsepower and a projected zero-to-60 acceleration in the four-second range.

The roof has a distinctive scooped-out section designed to reduce aerodynamic drag and provide head room at the key areas.

The FT-HS’s interior features “create a dedicated driver’s cockpit” that includes a cross-car instrument panel structure and delta-wing driver pod. Creating an enclosed pod effect an integrated instrument panel surrounds the driver. When the roof retracts, the 4 seats are converted to a seat good for two. This is another milestone from Toyota.

Common among this 5 and the other new concept cars are the well enhanced Toyota mufflers.



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Mark Clarkson asked:


The Toyota Motor Corporation primarily focuses on the manufacturing and production of their products in the automotive market. That is why Toyota remains undisputed in terms of market profitability compared to its competitors. Toyota also opened numerous regional divisions such as Toyota’s luxury car manufacturer, Lexus and Scion. And when talking about Toyota and the automotive industry, Toyota will be presenting 27 vehicles the 4th China (Guangzhou) International Auto Exhibition. The auto exhibition is currently on going at the province of Guangzhou in China, and had just started last July 24, 2006.

Toyota will be displaying a total of 27 concept vehicles along with their latest production vehicles. This number is a huge amount and actually is the largest that Toyota has ever presented for such a car exhibition. Toyota would also be joining the Guangzhou Auto Exhibition, well, since Guangzhou Toyota Motor Co. Ltd. (GMTC) had been established and started their operation last 2004. During the mentioned auto show, Toyota will present the new safety technology features of their models such as the Toyota Prius and Toyota Reiz. Safety is one of the main priorities of Toyota Motors’ production vehicles.

In addition to these, Toyota will also present a diverse selection of their all-new hybrid concept and production vehicles that include the new Toyota Tundra concept, which will come in availability early this 2007. Also included is the Fine-T concept, the modified version of rugged Toyota RAV4 and Previa, Lexus ES350, Lexus IS300, and GTMC’s new production vehicle, the new Toyota Camry. These are only a few of the 27 vehicles that will be displayed during the exhibition. Various products from Toyota and new Toyota parts like Toyota Camry parts will be also featured in the show.

Hoshibi Inaba, the Vice President of Toyota said that: “This year, we began production of the Camry with the world’s highest quality levels at a cutting-edge plant in Guangzhou, and it has thus far been extremely well received by customers. Toyota hopes to make contributions, modest though they may be, to the balanced development of an automobile society in China through the provision of various products as well as through environmental and safety initiatives.”



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Stacey Wilson asked:


People have certainly been asking if the Toyota Auris Space Concept vehicle is going to be the very next Toyota Corolla that holds five doors. However, it looks like it would only be up to the auto parts Toyota creator to define if they are really planning on making this concept become a real production vehicle.

If you do take a look at the Toyota Auris Space Concept, you would think that the vehicle simply outstanding. It may not have the same kind of flair that you would find in most concept vehicles but this one still does stand out. You can say though that it looks like a Toyota Vitz or a Toyota Yaris. And according to the company, they had created the Toyota Auris Space Concept so as to be able to show off and inform the people about the new type of design that they are calling the “Vibrant Clarity”.

Many people have mistaken the concept vehicle to be a Toyota Yaris based vehicle. After all, it really does seem to show that it is a Yaris in nature, especially if you do take a good look at it from its front end. Some have even said that perhaps Toyota did not find the right type of inspiration to make a concept car so instead the company just took out a Toyota Yaris and put in new headlamps as well as a different grille. And the result came out to be the Toyota Auris Space Concept. However, it could only be the company who could answer such a speculation.

According to some experts, they did find the Toyota Auris Space Concept’s overhangs to be quite okay. They were actually created to be short which helped make the vehicle quite unique in its exterior. Aside from the overhangs, the Toyota Auris Space Concept also has got wheels that measure a good nineteen inches. The brake calipers are also quite pronounced which give quite an outstanding overall effect for the vehicle. If this one does go into production, we all would do have to wait and see just how great this one does.



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Melih Oztalay asked:


A hybrid system combines different power sources to maximize each one’s strengths, while compensating for each other’s shortcomings. A gasoline-electric hybrid system, for example, combines an internal combustion engine’s high-speed power with the clean efficiency and low-speed torque of an electric motor that never needs to be plugged in for recharging.

Toyota is working to not only further enhance the convenience of its vehicles but is also focusing its initiatives on solving global environmental issues through a variety of activities and proposals for realizing sustainable mobility. The development of powertrain technology is the basis for improving the environmental performance of vehicles, and this technology is being developed from three perspectives: 1) improving fuel efficiency in order to reduce CO2 emissions, 2) making exhaust emissions cleaner to help abate atmospheric pollution, and 3) pursuing energy diversification.

Toyota strives, in its move towards energy diversification, to provide the necessary vehicle at the time and place it is needed, i.e. the right vehicle at the right time and in the right place. In addition, Toyota is actively developing hybrid technology to serve as a core technology applicable to all powertrains.

Toyota’s mission has always been to provide clean and safe products. Thus, the company has positioned the environment as one of its most important issues and has been working toward creating a prosperous society and a world that is comfortable to live in. With this goal in mind, Toyota has been actively developing various new technologies from the perspective of achieving energy security and diversifying energy sources, which is necessitated by the dwindling supply of petroleum resources.

For example, in motive power sources for automobiles alone, we have been continuously improving conventional engines and have developed and commercialized lean-burn gasoline engines, direct injection gasoline engines and common rail direct-injection diesel engines, etc. We have also been modifying engines so that they can use alternative fuels, such as compressed natural gas (CNG), instead of gasoline or light oil, and have been installing these engines in commercially sold vehicles.

Toyota has also developed and has been marketing electric vehicles (EV) that use motors for the driving source; hybrid vehicles (HV) that combine an engine and a motor, fusing the advantages of these two power sources; fuel cell hybrid vehicles (FCHV) that use fuel cells (FC) to generate electricity based on a chemical reaction between hydrogen and the oxygen in the air and that supply this electricity to electric motors to produce driving power.

In January 1997, Toyota declared the start of the Toyota Eco Project. As part of this effort, Toyota decided to tackle the international challenge of reducing CO2 emissions in order to prevent global warming and accelerated the development of a hybrid vehicle with the goal of achieving twice the fuel efficiency of conventional vehicles. Then, in March of the same year, Toyota announced the completion of a new power train called the Toyota Hybrid System (THS) for use in passenger vehicles.

This power train combines a gasoline engine and an electric motor, and because it does not require external charging, as do existing electric vehicles, it works within existing infrastructures such as fueling facilities. This system also achieves nearly twice the fuel efficiency of conventional gasoline engines.

THS was installed in the passenger vehicle Prius, which was introduced in December 1997 in the Japanese market as the first mass-produced hybrid passenger vehicle in the world. In 2000, overseas marketing of the Prius began. The Prius has gained a reputation as a highly innovative vehicle, and its cumulative worldwide sales have exceeded 110,000 units.

Meanwhile, THS has continued to evolve, and in 2001, THS-C, which combines THS with CVT (continuously variable transmission), was installed in the Estima Hybrid minivan and THS-M (a mild hybrid system) was installed in the Crown, luxury sedan, both for the Japanese market thereby contributing greatly to innovations in the automobiles of the 21st century.

Building on the ecology-focused THS, Toyota has developed the concept of Hybrid Synergy Drive. Based on this concept, Toyota has developed a new-generation Toyota hybrid system called THS II, which achieves high levels of compatibility between environmental performance and power by increasing the motor output by 1.5 times, greatly boosting the power supply voltage and achieving significant advances in the control system, aiming for synergy between motor power and engine power.

Toyota has positioned hybrid technology as its key technology. Beginning with the development of EVs and through the commercialization of HVs and FCHVs, its continued efforts have now culminated in the development of THS II. Toyota will continue to endeavor to make technical advances in this area.



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Mark Clarkson asked:


Toyota Motor Corp. has recently introduced Corolla, the first new version of its best-selling compact van sedan which has been stricken off its lineup since 2001. Since then, the automaker has not produced said car model. However, lately, the automaker has been busy modifying Toyota Corolla parts in order to pave way for a high-performance sedan than can serve as a mighty rival to other vehicles in same category. The latest Corolla will be introduced in the United States in the year 2008 by Toyota’s president, Katsuaki Watanabe.

According to automotive analysts, Toyota is moving closer to overtaking the world’s largest automaker General Motors Corp. In its aim to move a notch higher, Toyota is releasing a thrilling new Corolla that can efficiently compete with Honda Civic and Nissan Tiida Latio. ”The Corolla will obviously put pressure on the Tiida and the Civic,” says Ashvin Chotai, London-based automotive analyst for Global Insight Inc.

“The Corolla is basically Toyota’s bread and butter. The automaker’s success is led by models such as the Corolla,” says Yoshihiro Okumura, general manager at Chiba-gin Asset Management Co. Said company controls assets amounting to about $365 million.

Toyota Corolla, which was launched in 1966, accounted for 19 percent of the automaker’s sales in the previous year. It was also reported by the automaker that the figure was increased by 8 percent to 1.39 million units in 2005. It is quite comparable with Toyota Prius hybrid which yielded a total of 175,000 sales. Nowadays, Toyota expects to sell 12,000 Corollas a month in Japan.

“Toyota’s Corolla has a major impact on its profits and volume,” says Yasuhiro Matsumoto, senior analyst at Shinsei Securities Co. “There’s no way that demand for Japanese fuel- efficient vehicles will deteriorate, especially in North America,” he further added. Matsumoto estimates that automaker’s profit margin is approximately 300,000 yen ($2,540) for the Corolla.

Toyota will sell two versions of Corolla in Japan. The first version is a sedan called Corolla Axio and the second will be a station wagon dubbed as Corolla Fielder.



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Mark Clarkson asked:


So you have gone totally car and automobile crazy. You may think that you may be too old for that kind of stuff, but who cares, right? You have bought your car your favorite Toyota Tacoma parts but did you know that senior citizens have chosen yet another Toyota vehicle as the favorite and best car for their group? You may want to buy yet another vehicle, a Toyota Avalon this time, along with some Toyota Avalon parts to match.

According to a reviewer from Edmunds.com, one of the leading sources of information on automobiles and cars, senior citizens have chosen the 2006 Toyota Avalon as their top choice for the best car for seniors for the year 2006. Primarily, this is because the Toyota Avalon model for 2006 is much recognized for being a full sized sedan and for the kind of space and room it can provide to its passengers. Being cramped inside a really looker is not enough for the senior citizens group so they chose the Toyota Avalon. The seniors also do say that with the Toyota Avalon’s keyless ignition, those who suffer from arthritis would really be able to work it out well with the mentioned vehicle.

Toyota seems to be the brand that these senior citizens choose to be the best for 2006. Joining the ranks of the Toyota Avalon is the Toyota Prius. According to Edmunds’ reviewer, the Toyota Prius has been one of the chosen few for being the best when it comes to fuel efficiency. Plus, it can be purchased with the optional voice-control system which could be very much helpful for those aging ones.

Another Toyota vehicle joining the ranks is the Toyota Sienna minivan. This one has the capacity to take in eight people inside. So, as a senior citizen, you can take in all your family members, and even all your grand kids for a ride around the block. This vehicle also offers a rear backup camera so there is no need for you to twist and turn to take a look what’s happening at your vehicle’s back.



toyota

Steven R asked:


I drove a 2004 Toyota Corrolla while in Florida and if there was any type if wind it was flying all over the place it was built so light.
My friend had a 2000 Toyota Camry and had to get rid of it because the engine needed to be replaced because it wasn’t installed correctly out of the plant. The accelerator stuck so you could be accelerating too go on to the freeway but you’d have to lay off the accelerator for a while so it would unstick. Very dangerous. Now wonder why they got sued for using cheap parts!

Money Morning asked:


Toyota Motor Corp. (ADR:TM) may not need a government bailout, but it’s hurting badly.

The world’s top automaker said it will announce a revised 2009 sales forecast at its end-of-the-year news conference Dec. 22. The company is expected to slash at least 1 million cars from its original forecast of 9.7 million units, Reuters reported.

It’s also expected to outline cost cutting measures that could include laying off employees, suspending plant operations, delaying the opening of new plants, and cutting the budget for research and development.

According to several Japanese media outlets, Toyota plans to eliminate bonuses for its executives and is expected to post a second-half loss.

One analyst believes the company’s dividend also could be on the chopping block.

“We anticipate that even Toyota could see its post-dividend cash flow turn negative should it keep its dividends at 140 yen,” Morgan Stanley (MS) analyst Noriaki Hirakata wrote in a report. “Thus, in this perfect storm, we expect the firm to cut its dividend to 100 yen per share for this business year.”

That’s a gigantic step backwards from last year, when Toyota took the crown from General Motors Corp. (GM) as world’s largest automaker by selling 9.37 million cars worldwide.

But like all automakers - and nearly every major industry - Toyota has been crippled by a worldwide dearth in demand, brought on by a whirlwind of job losses, devalued property, lack of credit and falling stock markets.

From January to October this year, Toyota sold 7.74 million vehicles. And during its fiscal first half - six months ended September 30 - net revenues fell 6.3% compared to the same period last year.

Year-to-date, Toyota’s New York-listed ADR shares have fallen about 38%, still much better than GM and Ford Motor Co.’s (F) respective stock declines of 83% and 53%. But recently, Toyota’s ADR shares have been moving forward in hopes that the U.S. government will bailout Detroit’s Big Three - GM, Ford and Chrysler LLC - because that would shore up the auto industry’s underpinnings: Dealerships and parts and supply manufacturers.

The United States is also the largest market for most foreign automakers. Allowing one or all of the Big Three to go under would add millions to the running unemployment numbers and deepen the recession, making the U.S. market less likely to buy their cars.

News and Related Story Links:



Reuters:

Toyota to cut sales goal and outline cost cuts





Money Morning:

Auto Bailout Awaits Congressional Approval with Millions of Jobs at Stake



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KatieJones asked:


The United States auto market is known for the demand for larger vehicles like sport utility vehicles and even full-size sedans. In fact, American motorists are still looking for larger cars to drive even with the increasing price of gasoline. This makes the auto market even more competitive. Since consumers are also looking for fuel efficient cars, they still want bigger sized cars and vehicles.

Car manufacturers need to focus their attention to developing and producing large vehicles with good fuel efficiency. This is already addressed by different car manufacturers. In fact, a top official for the surging Toyota Motor Corporation said that the pressure will be on automotive engineers to come up with a vehicle that will both address the size of the vehicle and the fuel economy issue.

David Baxter, a Senior Executive Administrator of the Toyota Technical Center located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said and emphasized on the demand of the auto market particularly in the North America. He said that consumers are looking for bigger sized vehicles and it would be the job of automotive engineers to come up with a vehicle that will satisfy their needs while meeting stricter emission regulations and support the United State’s energy independence goal.

During the Society of Automotive Engineers annual convention, Baxter said: “Especially in North America, people like the size of their vehicles, and there’s going to be a lot of pressure to maintain the size for safety and improve fuel economy.”

Aside from the size, Baxter also pointed out that consumers will also be looking for vehicles loaded with safety features to go along with size and fuel economy. But he stressed that that does not mean that the vehicles of the near future will not be all hybrids or small cars.

Baxter is of course part of Toyota which is known for their vehicles’ fuel efficiency. The company is currently enjoying much success in the U.S. auto market. The Japanese company’s success is mainly due to strong sales of their efficient cars like the Toyota Corolla and the Toyota Camry. Add to that the fast selling fuel miser that is the Prius. These vehicles are seen as more fuel efficient that the sedans manufactured by General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, the U.S.’ Big Three.

The current challenge for them is to develop a large vehicle with an incredibly high gas mileage rating for its class. The Toyota Avalon, Toyota’s entry to the full-size sedan market, is also considered as one of the most fuel efficient vehicles in its class. The Toyota Avalon was designed at Toyota’s technical center where Baxter is currently the administrator.

While Toyota recently release a hybrid version of the mid-size Camry sedan, Baxter did not divulge at the convention whether Toyota will be offering a hybrid version of the Avalon. Instead, Baxter has this to say about the issue: “It’s likely there will be more hybrid vehicles or more hybrid powertrains available in our models in the future.”

In connection with the challenge posed on automotive engineers, Toyota will be expanding their technical center at Ann Arbor. This is to help the company design more fuel efficient and bigger sized cars, which according to Baxter, are what the public is looking for. Baxter also furthermore reported that the technical center has already hired 780 persons and Toyota is planning to add 500 more engineers to assist in the whole development process.

The planned new technical center will be tasked to design vehicles that will meet the demand of North American consumers meaning larger cars with good fuel economy and a Toyota logo just above the Toyota bumper. He said that the new plant is expected to help the company as their U.S. business expands more in the next several years.

Although Baxter maintained that Toyota will be putting in effort on the development of larger and fuel efficient vehicles, he also pointed out that in the near future, even a company as large as theirs or maybe even General Motors will be joining forces with other car manufacturers. He said that the development of safety features, fuel efficient technologies, and other issues will be more cost efficient if a partnership with other automakers is made.



toyota

Kaye Leery asked:


For the first time this season, Toyota has earned its NASCAR Nextel Cup pole position, thanks to Dave Blaney, who drove his No. 22 Caterpillar Toyota Camry and set the fastest lap time in the recent practice test that took place at the New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon.

Blaney pushed his Toyota “Car of Tomorrow” Camry equipped with Toyota Sway Bar Link to reach a maximum speed of 129.437 mph, and clocked in at 29.426 leaving other drivers behind. Blaney’s achievement is a milestone for Toyota Racing team as this is the first time that a Toyota car obtained a pole finish. Dave Blaney will put his Toyota Camry in the number 1 starting position at the upcoming Lenox Industrial Tools 300 race this coming July.

Check out what Dave Blaney said after the qualifying race.

“It feels good to get the first pole for Toyota and hopefully this is the first step in many successful days of poles and wins. We’ve been good all day and been getting a lot of speed out of the car. All of the Toyotas have been real good lately and Brian Vickers has had some good runs lately too. The Toyota side is definitely working hard and I just can’t thank everyone at Bill Davis Racing enough. Especially Tommy Baldwin, Bill Davis, Mike Brown and everybody. We’ve had a trying year with problems and DNFs. It’s been tough being out of the top-35 because it’s hard to concentrate on the races when you have to concentrate on getting into them. This is a big confidence booster for the whole team and any day where you can build confidence in your entire team and driver makes for a good day.”

The press asked Blaney if he already had the feeling that he would grab the pole, and he said:

“I watched everybody early and I saw that some of their speeds were falling off some from practice. I wasn’t sure what we could run and I knew we didn’t really change anything from practice. But in my situation I have to focus on getting into the race more than going for the pole. I can’t make a mistake and risk not getting into the race. I was a little conservative on my first lap, but when I found out that it was fast enough to get into the show — I gave that second lap a little more and I was able to put it on top of the board. It’s a tough position to be in because you have to be cautious enough to get it, but aggressive enough to get in the race. But yeah - I thought we could get the pole.”

NASCAR fans will surely watch out for the upcoming race in Loudon and see if Dave Blaney can give his Toyota team its first NASCAR victory.



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