Toyota F1’s race at the Abu Dhabi GP is apparently their last, as strong and intense rumours point to a Toyota board meeting to be held on the 15th of November to come to a conclusion that the company should leave the sport. We could actually know the outcome as early as 8th November 2009.

If Toyota really leaves the sport, this would open a grid position for then new Qadbak Sauber team, the team that used to be the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Toyota was supplying F1 engines to Williams this year but Williams will go with Cosworth engines next year.

Another Japanese company also announced it would be leaving F1 recently. Tyre supplier Bridgestone has announced it will leave at the end of next year’s season to focus its resources on other development. Bridgestone has been the sole supplier of F1 tyres for the past 2 years, and have been a supplier since 1997.

As for Kobayashi who was standing in for Timo Glock who has a back injury, the promising driver says he would most probably have to go back to Japan to work for his father’s sushi restaurant. Maybe he can build the business and then recruit all the chop shop owners here that will be out of a job soon.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

The new Toyota Mark X’s Mazda-like wheel arches are even more obvious in real life than in photos. Toyota has basically taken the existing Mark X design and literally did a facelift on it, seemingly stretching the front design outwards and upwards.

As for the rear end, the car’s bangle butt design has been toned down a little and the tail lamp design now stretches onto the car’s bootlid. Kinda reminds me of the Sylphy really. Look after the jump for more live photos of the Mark X at Tokyo 2009.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

Apart from unveiling the highly anticipated FT-86 concept, Toyota also revealed the FT-EV II concept at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show. The all-electric concept features a lithium-ion battery that enables the concept to deliver over 90 kilometers with a full charge. It also has a top speed of 100 km/h. The zero emissions vehicle has no steering wheel or foot pedals, instead it has only two control levers which are used to control the car.

There is also an enhanced communications system that enables the linking of the driver’s information to a network, that can allow the vehicle to connect with services beyond car navigation such as recommending information tailored to the driver’s preferences and downloading music and movie content.

The concept can also connect to home networks to help store energy and save large volumes of data. According to the auto maker, “The FT-EV II is not simply an electric vehicle designed for a post-fossil fuel era, but is a sustainable concept car that focuses on the relationship between cars, people and society of the future.” Look for more live images of the FT-EV II after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

Perhaps considered as one of the most anticipated reveals at Tokyo 2009, the FT-86 Concept (”86″ pronounced “hachi roku”) is one vehicle many of us are eager to see on our roads. The good news is that the production version is already being developed as it was recently seen lapping around the Nurburgring circuit.

The rear wheel drive FT-86 Concept is powered by a 2.0 liter D-4S boxer engine that is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission. Unfortunately the automaker has yet to release official output figures so your guess is as good as mine. Speculators are looking at a horsepower figure between 160hp and 200hp.

The concept that measures 4,160mm long, 1,760mm wide, and 1,260mm high with a wheelbase of 2,570mm also features ADVICS brakes. Inside, the 2+2 concept features an instrument panel with a gray and white base, gauges with red neon lights and digital displays as well as a navigation system.

Subaru will also produce its own version of the FT-86 and there is also word that an STI version may join the line up as well. The STI variant could produce about 250hp.

Continue reading to more live images.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

Just hours after showing you a leaked brochure of the Lexus HS250h-based Toyota SAI Hybrid, we now have official information about new hybrid sedan as Toyota has just officially unveiled it. Compared its Lexus counterpart, the SAI has a slightly different front end with restyled headlights, hood, front bumper as well as a reworked grille.

At the rear, the only difference is the reworked tailights. On the side profile, the side windows on the rear doors have been reshaped. Inside, the Sai looks a little different thanks to a new instrument panel, revised air vents on the dashboard as well as a different steering wheel.

As expected, the front wheels are motivated by the same drivetrain found in the HS250h. The THS II system is primarily made up by a 2AZ-FXE 2.4 liter Atkinson-cycle VVTi 4-cylinder petrol unit that is good for 150 PS at 6,000 rpm and 187Nm of torque 4,400 rpm. The engine is coupled with an electric motor that develops 143 PS and 270Nm of torque. The drivetrain produces 190 PS of combined power. Energy is stored in a nickel-metal hydride battery pack and the system also features a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Unfortunately the auto maker did not disclose any information pertaining to fuel consumption and performance. The Toyota SAI is available in four trim levels in Japan and is priced between 3,380,000 yen (about RM 126,000) and 4,260,000 yen (about RM 159,000). As reported earlier, Toyota has also made available TRD and Modellista packages for the SAI for those that want their car to look a little different.

For those of you wondering what’s with the name, the name SAI is based on the Japanese word sai—which means “talent” when written as “” and “coloration” when written as ““. Toyota intends for it to “combine advanced talent and multi-color sophistication”.

Continue reading to view an image gallery.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

What you see above is the Toyota SAI Hybrid sedan that is based on the Lexus HS250h. The SAI Hybrid is treated to a slightly different exterior styling while the interior features a different dashboard and steering wheel compared to the Lexus variant that was unveiled at this year’s Detroit Motor Show.

The new hybrid sedan is scheduled to be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show but before that can happen a leaked brochure found its way into the Internet. Under the hood, it is safe to expect the Japanese auto maker to feature the same drivetrain used in the HS250h.

To be more specific, the drivetrain we are talking about is a 150 PS 2.4 liter Atkinson-cycle 4-cylinder engine with VVTi that is paired with a 143 PS electric motor. The brochure also reveals TRD and Modellista packages for the SAI.

Look for more images after the jump.

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

Toyota Motor Corporation has unveiled the redesigned Mark X luxury sedan. The rear wheel drive Mark X is motivated by a new 314 horsepower 2GR-FSE 3.5 liter V6 powerplant that joins the 200 horsepower 4GR-FSE 2.5 liter V6. For the latter, buyers can also opt for an all wheel drive option. Both engines are offered with a 6-speed Super ECT automatic transmission. Fuel consumption is rated at 13.0km/l (10-15 test cycle) for the 2.5 liter V6 (two wheel drive) and 10.2km/l for the 3.5 liter V6.

The new Mark X is 1,435 mm high and both the width and track figures have been increased by 20 mm to help give the car a lower centre of gravity. It is treated to a three-lamp linear layout for the headlights while the rear also features a three-lamp layout with lights built into the trunk lid.

Inside, there is a leather-covered steering wheel, improved seat comfort, driver’s seat with motorized lumbar support function that shifts the seatback forward or back to improve back comfort during driving, a multi-information display, fully automatic independent temperature controls for the driver and passenger sides as well as a Plasmacluster Ions technology that helps combat bacteria.

Furthermore there is a HDD navigation system, Intelligent Parking Assist system and a terrestrial digital TV tuner and gear-shifting functions that are built into the navigation system (for range topping models). According to Toyota, the gear-shifting functions support the driver “in merging and exiting and at intersections.” Also as standard is an Eco Driving Indicator that lights up to signify fuel-efficient operation and an Eco Zone Indicator that shows throttle use.

The auto maker also revealed that the shoulder portion of the door trim for the front and rear seats has been pushed outward by 25 mm (total for left and right) while the distance between the front seats has been increased by 20 mm. The Mark X also has Sport, Snow and Eco driving modes, Variable Gear Ratio Steering system (with electric power steering) which controls the angle of the front wheels according to vehicle speed, Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management and an Adaptive Variable Suspension for models kitted with the sports package.

The Japanese auto maker also improved the safety features of the Mark X. All models come with seven airbags including SRS side airbags, SRS curtain shield airbags and a driver’s seat knee airbag, VSC (Vehicle Stability Control), TRC (Traction Control) and Active Headrests up front to reduce stress on the neck in a rear-end collision.

The sedan is also offered with a Pre-Crash Brake Assist system, a Pre-Crash Brake system and Pre-Crash Seatbelts, Intelligent AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System), Radar Cruise Control system equipped with a brake-control function and a Hill-start Assist Control function.

The Sports type Mark X (250G S package, 250G S package Relax Selection, 350S) features tinting for the headlights and combination taillights, spoilers on front and rear bumpers and trunk lid, black-themed interior and steering-mounted paddle shifters.

The Premium type Mark X on the other hand comes with special plating on the front grille, rocker moldings and its own front bumper design, steering wheel and shift knob ornamentation with wood-grain finish, heated front seats, Power Easy Access System (slides driver’s seat back and tilts steering wheel upward and forward) as well as velour-moquette seat covers that are treated with mite-suppressing agent that also prevents static electricity – for those of you who tend to get static electricity. In Japan, pricing for the Mark X starts from 2,380,000 yen (just under RM89,000) and tops out at 3,800,000 yen (about RM142,000).

Look for more images after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

The business of selling cars is not so much of just selling cars but also by selling the parts required to maintain or enhance them. The aftermarket business is a lucrative one and more and more car manufacturers are starting to cash in. As more people start to keep their cars longer, the money lost in new car sales will be made up in the aftermarket parts sales. But aftermarket performance parts can only go so far with a product range that’s mostly focused on cars that are designed to go A to B while consuming the least amount of fuel as possible. There’s just not much excitement in it.

Which is what I think the production car based on the Toyota FT-86 Concept is designed to do – make some money off you once when you buy the car, and then continue to make money while you pimp up your car with various performance and aesthetics parts, which Toyota probably hopes you’ll buy from them or one of their associate companies. A normally aspirated 2.0 liter engine – boxer or not – will only go so far when it comes to the amount of power it can put out while remaining refined. There will surely be many that will be looking for turbocharger or supercharger kits for the engine.

In addition, when the FT-86 Concept was first announced, they specifically said it had Advics brakes. It was just announced earlier this month that Toyota-owned Advics was acquiring two brake units from Aisin to expand its brake businesses. I have a feeling Advics may be looking to build upon its brand name as one provider of high-performance brakes like Brembo.

Related Posts:
Toyota FT-86 Concept – AE86 spiritual successor finally previewed!
VIDEO: Toyota FT-86 Concept in Gran Turismo
Toyota FT-86 to feature D-4S Boxer Engine

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

This new car will be designed for developing country export markets. Right now, Toyota’s Daihatsu-sourced compact cars have been mostly export versions of its Japanese market cars with more Westernised names. For example, the Japanese market Daihatsu Coo is called the Materia in some other markets.

Toyota’s new president Akio Toyoda’s vision is for Toyota to start tailor-making products for individual regions rather than just offering the same vehicle line-up across the world market. This goes the other direction compared to the World Car projects that other automakers are embarking on. GM’s American Cobalt and Korean Optra are basically in the same segment and have been replaced by a single model – the Cruze.

But if Toyota can tailor-make different products for cheap, they may do better in terms of sales. I have a feeling making small cars for developing countries and selling them at the same price as their existing Japan market small cars have more to do with boosting profit margins rather than anything else, as customers in those regions do not really expect the kind of refinement that JDM customers do.

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

The last time there was an update to the Auris and covered on this blog, the 1.4 liter model was replaced with the new Dual VVT-i 1.33 liter engine with auto start-stop capabilities. This happened just late last year.

Now it’s time for a mid-life facelift, with the Auris now featuring new headlamps, taillamps, bumper, grille, alloy wheels and hood design. That’s considered to be quite major considering a typical Toyota mid-life model change these days.

On the inside some materials have changed. The 1.8 liter engine has been upgraded to Dual VVT-i, and is mated to a CVT transmission with paddle shifts. So far the facelifted Auris has only been launched in Japan but expect the updates to roll out in Europe soon. No word yet about a facelift to the Toyota Blade, the Auris’s more premium counterpart in Japan with 2.4 and 3.5 liter engines.

Next up will probably come an update to the sedan variant of the Auris platform – the Corolla and Corolla Altis! But for now, look after the jump for a full gallery.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

A pretty sharp reader managed to point out that the words found on the Toyota FT-86 boxer engine is actually D-4S Boxer and not C-45 Boxer. Now this makes so much sense, and also gives us an idea of the kind of technology that’s going to be found in the new engine. We can also predict its power output based on other engines that have featured D-4S and high compression in the past, like the 2GR-FSE.

The fact that the production version of the FT-86 coupe will feature D-4S is not new actually. Sometime earlier this year at the Tokyo Auto Salon, Akio Toyoda said that the production car will not be coming very soon because a new boxer engine with Toyota D-4S technology was still being developed. The Subaru version of the FT-86 (if it’s still going to be produced) will also feature its own Subaru D-4S Boxer engine.

D-4S is basically an advanced variant of Toyota’s D-4 direct injection system. You might have noticed D-4D badging on local Toyota Hilux pickups – that’s their diesel direct injection. D-4 is basically gasoline direct injection, and D-4S stands for D-4 Superior. D-4S combines both direct injection and conventional port injection for each cylinder which means two injectors per cylinder, or eight injectors if the engine is a 4-cylinder boxer like the FT-86 production car will have. The system will pick between the two types of injectors according to needs (here’s a good story on how it works).

In the 2GR-FSE 3.5 liter D-4S V6 engine, it allowed Toyota to tune the engine for very impressive torque to liter ratio figures for a normally aspirated engine. 377Nm of torque from a 3.5 liter engine while maintaining good emission, refinement and fuel consumption figures is not easy to get.

It won’t surprise me if the 2.0 liter D-4S Boxer engine in the production Toyota FT-86 coupe may make over 160 to 170 horsepower and around 210 to 215Nm of torque, which exceeds what regular 2.0 liter engines with port injection can do.

Related Posts:
Toyota FT-86 Concept – AE86 spiritual successor finally previewed!
VIDEO: Toyota FT-86 Concept in Gran Turismo

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

Want to see the new Toyota FT-86 Concept in action? Well, you can’t see a real one on the roads in action just yet, but thanks to Gran Turismo we have this video that features the FT-86 in motion. The video also lets us have a glimpse into the car’s engine bay. There’s not that much to be seen really but we do get to see a virtual rendering of the engine, called the C-45 Boxer D-4S Boxer.

There’s also something else about the FT-86 that I’ve just noticed that I did not notice before when I was rushing to publish the story. Look closely at the hi-res photo of the interior where you can see abit of the dash (I’ve cropped the relevant bit in the photo above). There’s a small image of the Fuji Speedway!

Is it just decoration, or can the FT-86’s dash display show you where you are on the track so you can anticipate corners just like in a videogame? After all, Fuji definitely means something special to Toyota, it even named its performance Lexus range after the circuit – F in IS-F and F-Sport refers to Fuji.

Watch the video after the jump.

Related Posts:
Toyota FT-86 – AE86 spiritual successor finally previewed! (with image gallery)

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

When the first Toyota FT-EV concept car was displayed at the Detroit show earlier this year, It looked much closer to a production electric Toyota iQ than this new concept car called the Toyota FT-EV II.

The interior has gone completely concept car, while the original FT-EV’s interior looked more like a futuristic iQ’s interior. There are no foot pedals or steering wheel, but only two control levers which you use to drive the car.

But get this – you won’t be driving the car most of the time, as the car is designed to run on auto pilot mode on normal commutes. It can travel up to 90km on a full charge of its lithium ion batteries, and its top speed is limited to over 100km/h which should be more than enough in the city.

Look after the jump for an initial set of four photos that Toyota have released.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

It’s finally here, some kind of glimpse of the new AE86 spiritual successor. It’s even got the numbers 86 in its name. The new Toyota FT-86 Concept will be displayed at the 2009 Tokyo Motorshow and its resemblance to the Toyota FT-HS Concept probably means it’s a more productionised evolution of the FT-HS, or that’s just how new Toyota sportscars are going to look like.

NEW: Watch a video of the Toyota FT-86 Concept in Gran Turismo!

I’m glad to see that Toyota has stayed true to their promise of a rear wheel drive layout, though this has been made easier by the absorption of Subaru into their group. The platform has a 2,570mm wheelbase, which is shorter than the latest generation Impreza but longer than the previous generation’s. Not sure if the chassis is some shortened variant of the Impreza’s but a Toyota engineer claims the platform is unique to this model.

The wheelbase is rather compact actually, slightly shorter than that of a latest model Vios. Other dimensions of the FT-86 include a 4,160mm length, a 1,760mm width and a 1,260mm height, and the FT-86 seats four. It has a 2.0 liter boxer engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission though it’s not mentioned if this is normally aspirated or force inducted. The concept is fitted with brakes from ADVICS, a JV company formed between AISIN SEIKI, DENSO, Sumitomo Electric and Toyota.

Look after the jump for hi-res photos of the new FT-86.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

There are currently only two car companies offering hybrid models officially here in Malaysia – Toyota and Honda. Despite the sensitive question of whether Malaysian technicians can maintain a complicated hybrid vehicle, the grey importers have started bringing them in without manufacturer support.

Naza is easily the biggest grey import player in Malaysia, thanks to them holding the largest chunk of Open APs in Malaysia. This 2008 model Toyota Estima Hybrid is currently going for RM 268,000 including a 1 year warranty and the one you see here in these photos has already been sold.

‘

This is the second generation Estima Hybrid featuring Toyota’s THS-II system. It’s based on a 2.4 liter gasoline engine mated to electric motors which reminds you of the Lexus HS250h and the Camry Hybrid but the implementation here is different – other than the usual front axle motor, there is a motor on the rear axle as well, effectively turning this into an all-wheel drive vehicle, hence the E-Four badge on the rear.

Much like the Camry Hybrid, the 2.4 liter engine is an Atkinson cycle variant, quite different from the one you can find in a normal Camry 2.4. The gasoline engine itself puts out 150 PS and 190Nm of torque. The front electric motor produces 105 PS and 270Nm of torque and goes through a 2.478 reduction gear. The rear motor is of a less powerful variant – 50 PS and 130Nm.

All systems can work together to produce a peak power of 190 PS. It’s not blistering as the vehicle is large. 0 to 100km/h takes 10.8 seconds. Under the 10-15 Japanese test cycle, the Estima Hybrid can achieve 20km per liter.

There is even an exhaust heat recovery system to recover thermal energy from the exhaust and use it to heat engine coolant. This helps reduce engine warm-up time, which enables the engine to shut off earlier when idling (for EV or auto start-stop functions).

We got to drive the Estima Hybrid around abit, though you could hardly call it a test drive that could produce any kind of evaluation as it was only around the Naza Automall carpark next to the Federal highway. All I can say is I love those Alcantara combination seats that this particular model has!

Like the Prius, the Estima Hybrid has a zero-emissions EV mode so you can drive around your neighbourhood, in a jam, or in a parking lot solely on the motor and NiMH batteries with the engine turned off. The Estima Hybrid was not as quiet in EV mode as the Prius. This is because with such a large interior and the many air conditioning vents required to cool it down, you constantly hear the air conditioner working. It didn’t help that it was such a hot day – I could not touch my E30’s steering for a short period of time once I got into my car to leave the place.

Various new meter indicators attempt to explain to you what’s going on but it’s all in Japanese so I didn’t understand at first, but after driving around a little you can pretty much guess which one tells you the battery level and etc.

Look after the jump for a few photos I snapped of the Estima Hybrid.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

When the Lexus brand was finally introduced back in its homeland of Japan, it marked the end of the Toyota-badged Lexus products such as the Toyota Harrier, which was essentially a Lexus RX. The Land Cruiser and Lexus LX twins are still on though.

Or so we thought, because the new Lexus HS250h will be launched in Japan as a Toyota called the Toyota SAI, alongside the original HS250h which has already been launched in Japan, which isn’t really completely original at all, being a restyled Euro-market Toyota Avensis (platform also used for the Scion tC) with the Camry Hybrid’s gaso-electric powertrain. Boy, that was confusing!

Toyota will be positioning the Toyota SAI as a larger hybrid-only car compared to the Prius, though since they share the same 2,700mm wheelbase I don’t expect the interior space to be all that different, though rear headroom should be better.

In the HS250h, the chassis had to handle the naturally larger 2.4 liter Hybrid Synergy Drive hybrid system but some are saying that the Toyota SAI will use the 1.8 liter version thats in the Prius. There are of course also news that it will use the same 2.4 liter HSD engine as the HS250h. What it will have is a proper boot, while the Prius is a hatchback.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

For fans of the new facelifted Toyota Camry, here are some new shots of the car from its Australian launch where it is called the Toyota Aurion. I don’t think any of the previous photos I’ve published so far had a shot of the car with its LED tail lamps lit up so for those who haven’t seen the new facelifted Camry in real life at night yet, here’s how it looks like.

The Australian Toyota Aurion also has a sporty version with a completely different aggressively-styled bumper and grille. This is different from the aerokit we can purchase with the Camry here in Malaysia. Younger Camry buyers will probably want to hunt for this or find out how to import the original bumper in.

Look after the jump for the full gallery.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

This Toyota Auris HSD Full Hybrid previews what will be Toyota’s first step in offering a hybrid model for each car they sell in Europe by the early 2020s, and starting out with the Auris HSD makes sense as the 5-door hatchback bodytype is the most popular bodytype in terms of sales in Europe.

But 2020 is a long way to go – will we even be in the position to use ‘hybrid’ cars by then or would we have gone all fuel cell or EV, at least in terms of new vehicles? I believe as long as there are countries where cars have a much longer lifecycle and remain in use for a long time (such as our country), there will be the need to have fuel stations that serve petrol, and as long as there’s still petrol widely available, people will still continue to pick it as the fuel of choice, assuming the price of EVs and fuel cells don’t come down of course.

Back to the Auris HSD. It’s of course not the first time Toyota has put a hybrid system in a variant that’s not exclusively hybrid. However these hybrid cars have been pretty much reserved for JDM markets – we’re talking about models such as the Estima Hybrid. Everywhere else, Toyota’s only hybrid offering has been the successful hybrid-only Prius, and the Lexus hybrids don’t really count as they don’t have a Toyota badge.

Blue may be the colour signifying hybrid or green technology for the time being but the interior is completely overdone. The best way to describe it would be just acres and acres of blue, with a white centre console area.

For this concept, the 1.8 liter Hybrid Synergy Drive system from the latest Prius has been taken directly and slotted into the concept. A hybrid must of course be aerodynamic (unless you’re talking about a hybrid SUV, then it becomes relative) so Toyota has lowered the stock Auris ride height by 20mm, and they’ve also fitted underbody panels, a rear spoiler, aerodynamic 18 inch alloy wheels, and a rear diffuser.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

UMW Toyota has just launched the new Camry facelift here in Malaysia. Like the outgoing pre-facelift model, three variants are available – the Camry 2.0E for RM144,900, the Camry 2.0G for RM154,990 and finally the Camry 2.4V priced at RM174,990. All prices are OTR with insurance in Malaysia.

Let’s cut down to the chase on what’s new. First up is obviously its looks. There is a new grille, bumpers, and new wheels designs. The 2.0 models share a 16 inch wheel design while the 2.4 liter model gets a different design that is larger at 17 inches. LED lighting is used in the new rear taillamps.

On the interior, all models share a similiar colour scheme. The 2.0E model uses a new seat fabric design while the 2.0G and 2.4V models get a perforated leather trim for the seats. Cruise control has been added to the 2.0G model, previously available only on the 2.4V model. A new AUX input jack is provided in the cntre console for you to hook up your MP3 player or iPod. Front seats for the G and V cars have 8-way electrical adjustment including lumbar adjustment for the driver.

One unique feature is a switch on the side of the passenger seat’s backrest to allow the rearleft occupant to easily move the front passenger seat forward for better legroom. This is a feature usually found only on the large cars like the 7-Series and the S-Class and makes a bit easier for the Camry to be used as a car that you’re driven in.

A new feature for the top of the line 2.4V is the Smart Entry & Start System which is basically keyless entry and go. All you need is for the Remote Control Unit to be near the car on the driver (within a certain distance) and you can grab the door handles to unlock the doors and deactivate the immobiliser. Then a push start button can be used to start the car. A button on the rear end of the car does the same for the boot opening mechanism. VSC Stability Control and Traction Control are only offered on the 2.4V model. All models get ABS brakes.

The engine and transmission options remain the same as the pre-facelift model – a 2.0 liter engine making 147 PS at 6,000rpm and 190Nm of torque at 4,00rpm as well as a 2.4 liter engine making 167 PS at 6,000rpm and 224Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. The 2.0 is mated to a 4-speed Super ECT while the 2.4 gets a 5-speed Super ECT.

Look after the jump for a full photo gallery of the new Camry facelift.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

Toyota’s Frankfurt exhibits will be mostly hybrid-centric, or at least that’s what they feel comfortable letting us know in advance now. Two new hybrid concepts will be on show.

First is the Auris HSD Concept shown above. It’s essentially an Auris with Toyota’s HSD hybrid system. The Auris is the hatchback version of the Corolla so it would not be far-fetched to think that we could see a HSD Corolla in the future.

Next up is the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept. I think it’s quite easy to figure out what this is based on the concept’s name. A Plug-in Hybrid basically allow one to charge the hybrid’s on-board batteries from a power source rather than just through brake energy regeneration.

A true bridge between hybrids and full EVs, a plug-in Prius much like this concept will begin field trials in early 2010. About 150 units will be leased to selected fleet customers.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

The Hilux is the choice of nany contractors and people who actually need pickup trucks for their utility and not as a lifestyle vehicles. Alot of people who just want to experience a 4WD truck for the occasional light offroad trek and the frugal diesel engine tend to dismiss the Hilux because of its weak engine – only 100 horsepower and 260Nm of torque. This is thanks to the mild tuning of the engine, so mild that it does not even require an intercooler.

This could change. A more powerful version of the Hilux has just been launched in Thailand and its called the Toyota Hilux Vigo VN Turbo. The biggest change is highlighted in the name – it has a Variable Nozzle Turbo, also known as a Variable Geometry Turbocharger, similiar to the unit you can find in the Ford Ranger TDCi.

Two engines are available – a larger 3.0 VN Turbo (1KD-FTV) putting out 163 horses and 343Nm of torque between 1,400 to 3,200rpm, and a smaller 2.5 liter unit (2KD-FTV) making 144 horses and the same 343Nm of torque, this time over a narrower peak torque band between 1,600 to 2,800rpm. All engines are intercooled. These engines are Euro III engines (okay, so they may not end up being available here) and are B5 diesel capable.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

Toyota has added two new engines for its European Toyota Avensis. Their Europe cars seem to be getting the best that can be found in their engine range. I wish it’d trickle down to markets like ours sooner. They seem to be phasing out the Dual VVT-i engines with the new Valvematic engines that also incorporate Dual VVT-i technology, and the stats for the engines look pretty good.

The Avensis gets a new 1.6 liter Valvematic engine that does 43.5 mpg on the combined cycle, and can take the D-segment Avensis up to 100km/h in 10.4 seconds. This new engine is called the 1ZR-FAE and puts out 130 horsepower at 6,400rpm and 160Nm of torque at 4,400rpm, which is pretty good as its a 100Nm to 1.0 liter of displacement ratio. Anything beyond this would usually start requiring implementing some kind of aggressive high cam tuning or direct injection. A 1.8 liter Valvematic engine also exists – the 2ZR-FAE making 145 horsepower at 6,400rpm and 180Nm of torque at 4,000rpm.

And of course we are already familiar with the first ZR family Valvematic engine that was ever unveiled and first installed in the JDM market Toyota Noah. The Avensis does not get this 158 PS 3ZR-FAE engine though, with the larger power options deserved for turbodiesels, as befitting European market tastes. The Avensis has a new turbodiesel engine called the 2.2 D-CAT 150, which is cleaner than the 2.2 D-4D 150 engine. It produces 148hp at 3,600rpm and a massive 340Nm between 2,000 to 2,800rpm, and for the first time in a diesel-powered Toyota passenger car it can be mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission, while the 2.2 D-4D 150 is only available with a 6-speed manual.

Toyota’s Valvematic technology incorporates continuous valve lift control together with Dual VVT-i’s existing valve timing control. Valvematic eliminates the need for a throttle butterfly, instead controlling the volume of intake air using variable valve lift. This is similiar to BMW’s Valvetronic technology and quite interestingly the Toyota 1ZR-FAE beats the BMW-PSA Price normally aspirated 1.6 liter engine in terms of peak horsepower and equals it in terms of torque, however the Prince engine beats it by making the peak 160Nm at an engine speed that is 150rpm lower.

But still, all of these engines seem to be a little pale in terms of spec sheet numbers and excitement factor in comparison to the 1.4 liter and recently 1.2 liter TSI engines from the Volkswagen stable.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

The Toyota Prius is now here in Malaysia, retailing for RM175,000 OTR inclusive of insurance for private registration. Might be too much for most of us to stomach considering this is supposed to include the rebate that the government is giving on hybrid cars, the same rebate that ensures the Camry Hybrid won’t be sold here in the near future as long as the policies stay the same as it is only for hybrids with engine displacements of under 2.0 liters. The Langkawi and Labuan prices are rather interesting though – its only RM127,408.45 and RM128,046.55 respectively for individual private registration.

As previously indicated we are getting the model without the solar panel, and we are getting the 15 inch wheels instead of the 17 inch wheels. The construction of the 15 inch wheels are interesting – it’s an alloy wheel but it has an additional plastic cover on top to help with aerodynamics. No GPS navi or colour screen on the interior but there is a heads-up display function. Other equipment includes 7 airbags, ABS, EBD, traction control, stability control (VSC), Hill-Start Assist, brake assist, keyless entry and start, and an 8-speaker audio system.

For those who want to check out the Prius in better detail, there is a cut-body model showcased in the UMW Toyota Subang showroom until the 9th of August 2009, after of which it will be moved to Cheras from 10 to 16 and Penang from 18 to to the 31st. This model is said to be one of only two cutaway Prius models in the world – which basically means the Prius is cut to show you the inner components of the THS HSD system.

UMW targets to sell 100 units this year which is probably just about all the allocation they managed to get as there is a bottleneck in the Prius supply globally. For those who want to learn more about the new third generation Prius, you may read the related links below:

Related Posts:
3rd generation Toyota Prius: first impression drive
3rd generation Toyota Prius: official details

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

The new facelifted Toyota Camry must be coming soon as the updated car has made an appearance on UMW Toyota’s website.

• Toyota Camry 2.0E – RM144,990.00
• Toyota Camry 2.0G – RM154,990.00
• Toyota Camry 2.4V – RM174,990.00

One thing that I can spot is that the 2.4V has something called “Smart Entry and Start System” listed as part of its equipment. The 2.0E and 2.0G has this listed as “without”. This must be a keyless push start system.

Look after the jump for full specifications and equipment list for the new models, as well as a photo gallery of the facelifted Camry from its China launching.

Toyota Camry 2.0E Specifications

Toyota Camry 2.0G Specifications

Toyota Camry 2.4V Specifications

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

It may be different for the enthusiast but say the word hybrid to the layman and he’ll automatically associate it with the Toyota Prius. And now, the third generation is here, and slated to be launched in Malaysia next month. Let’s have a look at the new iconic hybrid Toyota that you’ll be able to buy at showrooms before the end of the year.

First of all I think it’s best to define what a hybrid car is, and the various types of hybrid cars available on the market. A hybrid vehicle essentially combines two or more power sources to move the vehicle. It commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles, which combine a combustion engine with electric motors.

When you implement a hybrid system, there are a few ways to configure the combustion engine and electric motors. With the introduction of the Honda Civic Hybrid, we’ve been introduced to the concept of a mild power assist hybrid system, or a mild parallel hybrid system.

In a mild parallel hybrid system, the internal combustion engine is always used as the primary power. A electric motor is installed between the engine and the transmission. It is only used to assist the combustion engine whenever needed, hence Honda calling it an Integrated Motor Assist system. Because the motor steps in whenever the driver demands more power, a smaller and more fuel efficient combustion engine can be used. However with this configuration there is no such thing as a zero emissions full EV mode – the car cannot run solely on the electric motor.

And then you have series hybrid cars, where a combustion engine running at a constant most efficient RPM is used as an electricity generated to power an electric motor, which drives the wheels.

The THS Hybrid Synergy Drive system in the Toyota Prius is of the variant called a full hybrid, a power-split hybrid or a series-parallel hybrid. It offers the best of both world, can run on either the combustion engine only, electric motor only, or both, but is heavier as it has more parts, and more complicated in design.

THS consists of an internal combustion engine, two water-cooled motor-generators (electric motor with dynamo functions), a powersplit device, and a battery pack. The first motor-generator functions as a power generator, converting the internal combustion engine’s mechanical power to electric power, which recharges the battery and supplies electricity to power the second motor-generator. The second motor-generator is used to drive the vehicle. It is mounted on the driveshaft. It also serves as a dynamo during brake-energy regeneration.

Power from the internal combustion engine is split via the power split device and goes to either the front wheels or the first motor-generator. The Prius combustion engine revs independently of the vehicle speed much like how a car with a CVT transmission would, but there is no CVT transmission in a Prius! Some trickery between the power split device, motor-generators and the combustion engine play around with the engine revs that one would find confusing, but the bottom line is the end result is perceived to us as CVT-like. Toyota calls it an ECVT system.

But the best part of such a system is the EV mode where the car runs on the electric motor only. On one end really fast 0 to 100km/h acceleration times can put a smile on your face but I found out that the other end is also true! Complete silence from the car while you are creeping through a traffic jam or looking for parking in a parking lot can be strangely satisfying, it could be something to do with the fact that your car can do something that most likely no other car in that parking lot can do.

The internal combustion engine of the new Prius is the 2ZR-FXE, an Atkinson cycle engine with 1.8 liters of displacement. This is up by 0.3 liters from the previous 2nd gen Prius 1.5 liter engine. The new engine puts out 99 PS compared to 77 PS from the 1.5 liter engine, and 143Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. Now why does a 1.8 liter engine put out so little power you ask? It’s because of the Atkinson cycle – it’s more fuel efficient however has less power density. The engine is now beltless thanks to an electric water pump. The combined output of the motor-generators produce 60kW and 207Nm of torque.

The Prius continues to use a NiMH battery. Some competitors have talked about starting using lithium ion and Toyota says they also have a li-ion battery coming by the end of this year but according to Prius chief engineer Akihiko Otsuka, NiMH and Lithium Ion both have pros and cons. EVs might need the larger capacity of lithium ion batteries, and they can be larger because of the lack of a combustion engine and fuel tank, but in hybrids where the battery can be smaller and of less capacity, NiMH is more suitable as it can sustain a high power output over a shorter period of time. But for plug-in hybrids in the future, they can benefit from lithium ion technology.

Something interesting is an optional feature which is a solar panel on the roof. This panel doesn’t recharge the battery but it actually helps keep the car cool while it is parked under the sun. Unfortunately from what I hear, UMW Toyota specifications for the Prius in Malaysia will not carry this solar panel.

There were no city drives as part of the test drive session that I attended at the Tokachi International racetrack in Hokkaido. Instead, Toyota had designed a series of acceleration and braking patterns set by a pace car over a total of 10.2km on the racetrack that’s meant to emulate city driving. While this isn’t really an indicator of real life driving, CBT’s Thomas Huong and I managed to score a nice average 31.6km per liters fuel consumption, which was the most economical figures of the day.

We later repeated the same track run at full throttle and managed to score about 9km per liter, which is still pretty decent considering it was pedal to the metal for most of the track. I think the Prius would be able to score a decent 20km+ per liter in real life fuel consumption, which is impressive for largeish (you could call it European D segment) car with a 2,700mm wheelbase. The chassis is a common one called the MC platform shared with some Toyota cars such as the RAV4, Estima, Avensis and Auris.

The model with the 17 inch wheels was actually pretty surprisingly fun to drive on the track thanks to a decent chassis with a compliant suspension coupled with the strong torque of the electric motor assist. Grip levels and the tight handling were far lower on the second gen Prius and third gen models with smaller wheels, with VSA stability control kicking in to reel the car in way too often. Big difference – just shows you how much wheels play a part in the dynamics of a car. But all in all, really very surprising for a car that’s focused on boring old fuel economy. Could be something to do with the fact that the chief engineer drives an Alfa Romeo…

The first thing you notice about the interior of the new third generation Prius is the fact that the big Electro Multi Vision touch screen is now gone. Other Prius trademarks are still there such as the tiny shift by wire gearknob and the On button that does nothing but bring some of the dashboard lights up to life. It doesn’t feel like you’re turning a car on but more like an electrical appliance.

The EMV system has been replaced by integrating more displays into the instrumentation panel located at the forward-most end of the dashboard, closest to the windscreen. Stuff like the fuel consumption bar graph history and the real-time display monitoring what sources of power the car is currently powered by are much smaller now but functionality-wise it is much better as they can all be looked at by glancing quickly at the panel instead of looking left at the EMV as per the 2nd generation Prius.

This is all in the interest of keeping the driver focused on the road. Another feature that helps in this aspect is the Touch Tracer system. As the vehicle monitoring display is now near the windscreen, there is no longer any touch screen functions. Instead you control the various displays via steering wheel controls.

You may feel like taking your eyes off the road and glancing at what your steering wheel to look at what button your fingers are resting on. With Touch Tracer you don’t have to do that. The steering wheel controls have dual level sensitivity. Touch lightly and a display on the instrumentation panel that mimics the steering wheel control design shows you what button your finger is touching. Then you activate the button only if you press down a little harder.

All in all the changes to the new Prius makes it look and feel more like a normal car but with exceptional fuel economy rather than a hybrid. The exterior looks way better, less space-age and more sporty, but the interior is more like a regular car, and somehow while it looks much more modern it feels much less expensive compared to the 2nd gen Prius. It’s not just the dashboard but the instrumentation panel – the graphics look quite pixelated. But the third gen is definitely an improvement over the 2nd gen, and the Hybrid Synergy Drive system trumps the motor assist systems of its competitors both in owner experience and in terms of fuel economy.

However in Malaysia the estimated price is expected to hover around a Camry 2.4’s price. That’s quite a premium and if you’re buying this to save fuel, that’s alot of fuel “prepaid”! The drawing factor will undoubtedly be the whole hybrid lifestyle such as the ability for the EV mode, and making an eco statement.

And we still don’t have any clear answers as to how long the battery lasts and how much it costs to replace, though Toyota claims it will last over 10 years and possibly the lifetime of the car. There needs to be a solid answer and guarantee for this. Perhaps a longer warranty for the battery compared to the rest of the car will give better customer confidence. More details on the Malaysian specifications for the Prius will come when the car is launched next month.

MORE PHOTOS: Live photo album from the test drive event!

GALLERY: Toyota Prius Product Shots

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

Toyota has announced that it will be making a hybrid version of the Toyota Auris from mid-2010 onwards, and production for this new model will be set up in the UK at Toyota’s Derbyshire plant. No further specifications have been revealed at the moment, and it’s not known whether Toyota will fit their current 1.8 liter Hybrid Synergy Drive, or the older 1.5 liter from the 2nd generation Prius, or a totally new Hybrid Synergy Drive system perhaps based on the new 1.33 liter dual VVT-i engine. We’ll probably get more news at one of the upcoming motorshows. I wonder if a Corolla Altis Hybrid could be offered sometime in the future, since the Auris is effectively a Corolla hatchback.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

Toyota has announced a new limited edition version of the Toyota iQ tuned by GAZOO Racing. It will be launched in November 2009 and sold only through its Japanese Netz dealer channels. The GAZOO Toyota iQ will feature a customised suspension with lowered ride height, and 16 inch wheels with low profile tyres. Calligraphy-style livery has been splashed around the car to create its own look. But aesthetics (the bodykit you see on the car) will be supplied by Modellista.

Look after the jump for a video of the GAZOO iQ.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

Reports worldwide are indicating that Japanese auto maker Toyota, will revive the Supra, and that a production model could hit dealerships by 2011. The news was first fueled back in 2007, when the auto maker previewed the FT-HS Concept car the Detroit Auto Show.

Now, words are being exchanged again regarding the revival of the Nissan Skyline-fighter. Apparently, the new Supra would be powered by a Lexus-sourced 2GR-VSE 3.5-liter V6, that will be paired with a hybrid system, sourced from the Toyota Crown.

While the previous Supra produced up to 320HP from it’s 2JZ-GTE inline-6 twin turbo powerplant (depending on the market), the replacement model could produce more than 400HP, when mated to the hybrid system. Expect the auto maker to showcase a concept at this year’s motor show in Tokyo. Keep your fingers crossed!

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

The Toyota Automobile Museum in Nagoya was built by the Japanese car company to commemorate the history of the automobile. It isn’t just a building full of Toyota cars – it’s full of cars from as early as 1902! Interestingly the 1902 car is the Baker Electric, which had a 1 horsepower electric motor and took it up to 40km/h.

There is also a charcoal gas-powered Buick replica which was quite interesting to check out. It started off as a regular 1937 Buick but was converted to use charcoal, as per the norm back during the days of World War II in Japan. Import of petrol into the country was restricted and many cars were converted into alternative energy cars powered by charcoal gas, wood gas, natural gas, etc.

There’s a whole list of cars on display here. Look after the jump for a whole live photo gallery of the museum.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.

The new Toyota Vios TRD Sportivo is here, and it replaces the Vios 1.5S as the flagship model of the Vios range. The Vios TRD Sportivo is estimated to be priced at RM90,900.00 OTR with insurance, though apparently it’s not 100% finalised yet.

The Toyota Vios TRD Sportivo project started off as a response to customer feedback that they wanted a sportier Vios. This new variant is a development of the 1.5S, the model that it replaces. What you get is a new bodykit, Enkei alloy wheels, door visors, a new interior trim style, and an optional sports suspension kit.

TRD Sportivo is not TRD. It’s a Toyota accessory brand that’s more towards aesthetics. In fact some accessories that UMW Toyota were trying out with the Vios TRD development cars such as the air filter did not make it to this production car that will go on sale. Even the different exhaust system from the development cars did not make it to the production car. UMW Toyota says they did not want to touch those to keep the regular Vios 3 year and 100,000km warranty.

Click for enlarged image

The bodykit consists of front and rear lips, a bootlid spoiler, and side skirts, all made of polyurethane (PU) except for the bootlid spoiler which is made of ABS plastic. This particular bodykit is exclusive to the Malaysian market – it is not the same one as Thailand’s Toyota Vios GT.

On the interior you get two-tone red and black fabric on the seats and door panels, TRD Sportivo floor mats, a leather gearknob, stainless steel cruff plates with the TRD Sportivo logo on the door sills, and some carbon fiber lookalike inserts on the center console. The 15 inch alloy wheels were wrapped with Bridgestone Potenzas at the media launch, and the wheels manufactured by Enkei are said to be 10% lighter than the standard Vios 15 inch alloy wheel.

There is an optional sports suspension kit that’s not included in the standard car. This suspension kit has a sportier damping rate and also lowers the car by 10mm.

Click for enlarged image

Toyota Vios 1.5 TRD Sportivo (AT) – RM90,900.00
Toyota Vios 1.5G (AT) – RM85,025.00
Toyota Vios 1.5E (AT) – RM79,425.00
Toyota Vios 1.5J (AT) – RM73,525.00
Toyota Vios 1.5J (MT) – RM69,825.00

The new TRD Sportivo is about RM2k+ more expensive than the 1.5S it replaces, which used to go for RM88,600.00 last I checked. It’s quite interesting to see the Vios span such a huge price range, with the cheapest Vios 1.5J costing over RM20k cheaper than the TRD Sportivo car. If you add the sports suspension kit, it brings the price up to RM94,050.

The new Toyota Vios TRD Sportivo is available in a few colours: Silver Metallic, Coal Black, White, Grey Mica, Bronze Metallic and the signature colour which is Medium Silver Metallic, the colour you see in the product photos published in this story.

Check out our previous story where we tried out the development cars, or look after the jump for more pix of the TRD Sportivo Vios.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sat, 21 Nov 09 07:18:12 +0800.