Toyota to use aluminium for high-volume models, starting with 2016 Lexus RX and 2018 Toyota Camry

2015_Toyota_Camry_008

Better late than never, or so the saying goes. Toyota will jump on the aluminium bandwagon for real in the near future, making the costly shift from steel to the lighter material for high-volume vehicles. First to benefit from this will be the 2016 Lexus RX, followed by the 2018 Toyota Camry – both all-new models.

We’re not talking about Audi- or Jaguar-style all-aluminium construction here, of course, but simpler applications such as aluminium bonnets and boot closures. As confirmed to Automotive News USA by several sources, production is set to begin in 2017, with full output to be expected from 2018 onwards.

“Toyota has plans to use aluminium on future vehicles for hood, closures and [other] parts for lightweighting,” said Toyota USA official Jana Hartline. “Also, we will increase usage of mix metals and resin materials to enhance lightweighting efforts,” she added, no doubt a move related to the ever-tightening fuel economy and emissions requirements – driven by both the regulations and the consumer.

To be clear, quite a few Toyota models that are made in Japan already have aluminium parts, such as the Prius, 86 and most of the Lexus range. This move concerns models that are produced elsewhere (the US, mainly), like the USDM 2015 Toyota Camry pictured above. Care to guess if the models destined to come to Malaysia will get these weight-saving parts?

US-market 2015 Toyota Camry


2015 Toyota Camry

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Hafriz Shah

Preferring to drive cars rather than desks, Hafriz Shah ditched his suit and tie to join the ranks of Malaysia’s motoring hacks. A car’s technical brilliance is completely lost on him, appreciating character-making quirks more. When not writing this ego trip of a bio, he’s usually off driving about aimlessly, preferably in a car with the right combination of three foot pedals and six gears.

 

Comments

  • kzm (Member) on Oct 07, 2014 at 4:53 pm

    I hope no #bentgate like iphone 6+..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 12
    • Sam's Best Friend on Oct 07, 2014 at 6:29 pm

      hmm, it will bend just like normal steel based car with crumple zone.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 4
  • Semi-Value (Member) on Oct 07, 2014 at 6:15 pm

    now this is moving forward

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 3
    • Heng Lee on Oct 07, 2014 at 11:18 pm

      Yes, more than 20 years after Audi launched the all-aluminium A8 in February 1994.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 7
      • Semi-Value (Member) on Oct 08, 2014 at 3:02 am

        yes…and after 20 years the audi gearbox still breaks down casually…multironic, s-tronic, name changes…same problem

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 3
        • Heng Lee on Oct 08, 2014 at 10:31 pm

          Hm, if I google for ‘Toyota gearbox problem’ I find:

          -Toyota Verso Gearbox Issues
          -Toyota Corolla Problems & Complaints
          -Toyota Yaris gearbox problems
          -Harsh shifting on Toyota RAV
          -etc etc

          and 365.000 more results… :D

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 6
      • AVH (Member) on Oct 08, 2014 at 11:55 am

        And the all-aluminium A8 is launch 4 years after the All-aluminium Honda NSX…..

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
      • Aluminium ages with time, thus reducing the rigidity and lifespan of the chassis.

        There’s both good and bad about it. Steel has made it through ages, for some good reasons.

        Anyway, it’s a good progress.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
      • TheOctagon on Oct 10, 2014 at 2:07 am

        Toyota is like Apple, they tend to wait till the technology is completely matured before implementing them. That is why they dare to throw the advert ‘Had you ever seen a Toyota breakdown’ years ago. Audi on the other hand is like Samsung/LG, They throw relatively new tech in and see what the market response is and let Toyota fix it along the way. So Audi are the innovators and Toyota simply tag along when it’s relatively cheap. This is also the reason why Audi (samsung/lg) breaks down relatively more than Toyota(apple), simply because most of the problems has yet to be discovered and solutions has yet to be made.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
        • Not entirely the whole story I suppose. QC does play an important role.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Sam Loo (ori1) on Oct 07, 2014 at 6:44 pm

    As long as its not a kimchi, it will have RV

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 14
  • malayAlam on Oct 08, 2014 at 8:44 pm

    Repairing work on accident vehicles will be an expensive affair.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
    • TheOctagon on Oct 10, 2014 at 2:11 am

      Somehow someone along the way will figure out how to properly hammer the aluminium frame truss back, Hopefully they are certified engineers… LOL!! But for starters repairs will be relatively more expensive than steel framed cars for sure.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • TheOctagon on Oct 10, 2014 at 2:18 am

    Our factory here is relatively new, therefore I doubt they will invest more money here in such a short timeframe to assemble aluminium vehicles, but then again there’s always ‘hope’. Realistically I think it’ll be a few years before aluminium frame vehicles comes in CKD variant. As for now it’ll probably be CBU only, which means we can make noise cos cars we ‘like’ is still expensive.. LOL!! (Joking only lah)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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