Archive for Toyota

Thailand’s refusal to lower it’s 20% import duties for incoming Malaysian exports down to AFTA’s 5% might result in UMW Toyota ending exports of the locally assembled Toyota Hiace van to Thailand. Due to the extra duties, UMW Toyota’s Hiace vans have had to be priced at a less competitive price in Thailand, so sales targets are much harder to meet. Thailand refuses to give Malaysia the 5% AFTA rates because it accused Malaysia to be non-compliant under the AFTA because of non-tariff barriers – the Approved Permits system! More details via additional readings below.

Related Readings:
UMW Toyota facing difficulties exporting Hiace
Rafidah says we are entitled to 5% CEPT rates
Philippines joins Thailand and Indonesia in opposing Malaysian Non-Tariff Barriers
Thailand and Malaysia negotiation on tariffs
Thailand: Malaysia non-compliant under AFTA
UMW Toyota exports Toyota Hiace to Thailand

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Apparently there will be a variant of the Lexus LF-A sold under the Toyota brand under the venerable Supra badge, but instead of using the LF-A’s 500hp V10, it will use a tuned up version of the Lexus GS450h’s 339hp 3.5 liter V6 hybrid engine paired with a 7-speed automatic transmission.

The hybrid powertrain, called the 2GR-FSE, is said to produce power equivalent to a 4.5 liter V8, hence the GS450h moniker. The S in the engine code represents the inclusion of Toyota’s D4-S twin injection system, which combines direct injection with traditional port injection. At low revs, the engine uses a combination of both direct injection and port injection, while at high load conditions only direct injection is used. This supposedly allows for better fuel efficiency.

The new Toyota Supra hybrid sportscar is expected to be unveiled end of 2007.

Related Posts:
2008 Lexus LF-A at Nurburgring
Lexus LF-H Spyshots
Lexus LF-A

Toyota’s 2005 concept model, the Toyota Endo, might find it’s way into the production lines as a city car competitor to the Smart fortwo, which unlike the fortwo features four seats, making it alot more feasible for purchase. AutoExpress reports that disguised versions of the car has already been spotted being tested in Japan.

Toyota Racing Development (TRD) has released a Sportivo bodykit for the Toyota Auris, complete with other enhancements like a new suspension spring kit, antiroll bar, and 17 inch TRD wheels. There’s also a more sporty TRD exhaust.

No enhancements to the engine though. I’m kind of dreaming of a performance oriented Toyota Auris with the Lexus IS250’s 2.5 liter V6 with 205 horsepower under the hood, if it can be turned into a front wheel drive powertrain.

One more photo after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Toyota Auris Sportivo by TRD

Ahead of it’s public unveiling at the 2006 Bologna Motor Show this December, Toyota has revealed it’s production model Toyota Auris, soon after the Auris Space Concept was shown at the Paris Motor Show last month. The new Toyota Auris will come in 5 variants, two gasolines – a 1.4 VVT-i, a 1.6 Dual VVT-i, as well as 3 turbodiesels – a 1.4 D4-D, a 2.0 D4-D and the top performer, a 2.2 D4-D turbodiesel.

More on the new Toyota Auris after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Toyota Auris announced, 2 gas and 3 diesels

In GreenFleet’s Capital Fuel Challenge, the Hyundai Getz 1.5 CRDi turbodiesel won first place for the private sector category, beating a Toyota Prius 1.6 petrol hybrid which got 2nd place as well as a Volkswagen Caddy 1.9 TDi turbodiesel which ended up third.

The test was conducted in London traffic, with speeds averaging from 5 to 10 mph, yup – this isn’t a highway test. City traffic only. The Getz managed to get 45.15 mpg, while the Prius only got 32.43 mpg. The third place Caddy managed 36.53 mpg, better than the Prius, but it lost the 2nd place to the Prius because Prius emissions were slightly lower – 201.85 CO2 g/km versus 204.31 CO2 g/km for the Caddy.

In the public sector category, there was a Prius which managed 45.71 mpg, as opposed to the 32.43 mpg for the Prius in the private sector category – this shows that Prius fuel efficiency is highly dependant on external factors – perhaps the driver in this case. Still, 45.71 mpg in the best performing Prius is only slightly better than the Getz’s 45.15 mpg.

Perhaps hybrids are overrated after all.

The car above may look familiar to you, you probably have already seen it when a Japanese magazine carried scans of the new Toyota Corolla as well as the Toyota Auris hatchback which replaces the Corolla hatch. No longer do you have to look for artist’s impressions based on leaked data – or leaked photos – because Toyota has officially launched the new JDM 2007 Toyota Corolla in Japan! Details after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of 2007 Toyota Corolla Axio launched in Japan

Been a long time since I’ve posted videos here. Following the standard car video concept of “hot chick checks out car driving by in deserted volcanic or forest area” (which Proton also used for the Satria Neo TVC), this is Toyota’s video showing off the Toyota Auris Space Concept. The Toyota Auris Concept gives us a preview on Toyota’s next generation European hatchback, which will replace the current Toyota Corolla hatch. More details on the Toyota Auris here. Check out the video after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Toyota Auris Concept Video

As previous shots have indicated, the new 2007 Toyota Camry has been due on our local shores for quite some time now, and today UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd has finally launched it, the 4th generation Toyota Camry. And this time, unlike it’s previous 3 incarnations, it is a fully imported CBU model from Thailand. Toyota has decided to take advantage of AFTA rates and import Camrys from Thailand instead of assembling them here, as part of it’s production rationalisation plan for the ASEAN market.

We’ve actually had a hint that the new Camry will be a CBU, previously spyshots have been available of the new Camry in port holding areas, now why would a fully built up Toyota Camry be sitting in a port if it were not fully imported from overseas?

More details and photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of 2007 Toyota Camry CBU launched in Malaysia

UMW Toyota Motor is not optimistic about it’s previously set 100,000 cars a year target, saying it is now not within reach considering sales performance this year to date.

However, it intends to keep it’s 17% market share overall, and it’s 60% market share in the MPV market, and expected sales of 2,500 per month (30% of this to be the new 1.5 liter variant) for the new Avanza facelift will help it achieve that. Average sales per month for the Toyota Avanza last year was 3,000 a month.

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