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Toyota HC-CV (Hybrid Camry Concept Vehicle) by Toyota Australia for the Melbourne 2009 show

February 24, 2009 at 12:09 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Concept Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, Toyota

Toyota Camry HC-CV Concept

This is the car Toyota Australia will be exhibiting at the 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show, probably in commemoration of the announcement last year that Australia will be building the Toyota Camry Hybrid, in addition to Thailand.

“The hybrid Camry – which will share some key design features with the HC-CV – will play a key role in bringing the future to the Australian automotive manufacturing sector. It is a future that uses less fuel while delivering better performance,” says Toyota Australia head Max Yasuda. The first Camry Hybrid to roll out of Australian production lines will be in 12 months time from the HC-CV’s unveiling.

Toyota Camry HC-CV Concept

Other than the pointless large chrome blings, other design cues are actually more purposeful. The lack of much air intakes on the front end helps with the car’s aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. The weird pattern of the small lower intake grille on the bumper is quite interesting as well, it has a very tribal pattern rather than the regular mesh pattern we’re used to. The tribal pattern continues inside with a totally random streak of blue on the front seats that is supposed to look like the Hybrid Synergy Drive logo, and some random embossing here and there that’s supposed to look like tree bark though you have to look at the hi-res photo to actually see it.

Under the hood is an inline-4 engine paired with an electric motor and there’s no reason why this won’t most likely be the 2.4 litre Atkinson cycle inline-4 that the American Camry Hybrid (and recently the Lexus HS 250h) has. Mated to a CVT, it’s got a combined total output of 187 horsepower thanks to the 40hp electric motor, with the combustion engine alone putting out 147 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 187Nm of torque at 4,400rpm.

Look after the jump for a full photo gallery.
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Guangzhou Toyota launches facelifted Toyota Camry

February 22, 2009 at 9:38 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, China, International News, Toyota

Toyota Camry Facelift

Guangzhou Toyota, the Toyota JV company in China has revealed a facelifted Toyota Camry in China. Now considering China is big enough for their own development projects, for example the Hyundai Sonata has its very own Toyota-like look in China compared to the facelifted Sonata Transform that the rest o the world gets, we don’t know yet whether this will be the same Camry facelift that Asia will be getting, but it seems likely as it doesn’t seem to have any overly localised design cues and Toyota would most likely want to push as much shared development costs as possible in light of their recent expected first ever loss in many decades.

The new Toyota Camry facelift features a new front end with a “frowny” central air intake design as opposed to the smiley one on the current Camry. The new air intake is much wider and gives the rather tame front end of our Camry a more aggressive look. On the rear there is not much changes except the rear tail lamps seem to now stick out a little, I believe some of you call this the bug-eyed look, but if it’s at the rear what should it be called, bug-butted?

Look after the jump for more shots of the facelifted Camry.
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Selangor govt’s new fleet powered by UMW Toyota

February 7, 2009 at 10:44 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Lexus, Local News, Toyota

Lexus RX 350

It looks like the Selangor state’s new 15 unit fleet of 2.4 litre Toyota Camrys purchased at RM 130,000 each are not good enough for Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, as he has declared a new Lexus SUV (according a Bernama report, presumably the Lexus RX 350) as his new official car to be used for official business only.

When asked why he did not use one of the Camrys, Tan Sri told the Bernama reporter that he was more comfortable with the Lexus. He says he only uses it for work (he owns the car but the government pays for its maintenance so he wants to make sure it is for work purposes only), and for personal trips he uses a personal car. Of course, a Lexus RX is nothing compared to what Khalid Ibrahim’s political secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad claims Khir Toyo purchased during his Selangor MB tenure – a Mercedes-Benz S350L.

I feel Tan Sri Khalid should have waited for the new 2009 RX due to be launched in Malaysia this year, then perhaps I can ask him if he finds the new “Remote Touch” system user friendly!

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Toyota Camry with E60 5-Series M-Sport bodykit

February 6, 2009 at 1:59 am By Paul Tan Filed Under BMW, Cars, Toyota

BMW Camry
Click to enlarge

I was tempted to title this story “next generation BMW F10 5-Series spotted in Sunway” but I already pulled something like that before with the BMW Myvi Isetta post sometime last year. It looks like the trend of adapting your car with a bodykit to have E60 5-Series M-Sport front end styling is getting more and more popular. It is already a near-daily sight on Perodua Myvis, but this is the first time I’ve seen it on a Toyota Camry, a far more suitable vehicle as at least it’s of a near similiar size to a 5-Series. It looks like the common saying that Camry buyers want to graduate to an E-Class and Accord buyers the 5-Series is not correct all the time.

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Toyota Estima receives a facelift in Japan

February 4, 2009 at 8:08 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Toyota

Toyota Estima

It may seem like the latest generation Toyota Estima (also known as the Previa and the Tarago) has just been launched, but Toyota has quickly given it a facelift to keep it fresh, and hopefully keep the showrooms busy. With the facelift, Toyota seems to have completely changed the shape of the headlamps to ones that point downwards compared to the outgoing model which curve upwards a little towards the center of the grille. Nothing much has changed on the rear though.

Two engines are available – an inline-4 and a V6. The baseline inline-4 version is powered by the 2.4 litre 2AZ-FE producing 170 PS at 6,000rpm and 223Nm of torque. The larger of the two engines is the 3.5 litre BEAMS Dual VVT-i 2GR-FE engine producing 280 PS at 6,200rpm and 344Nm of torque at 4,700rpm. The inline-4 gets a Super CVT-i transmission while the V6 gets a 6-speed Super ECT automatic.

Toyota Estima

The Estima has some interesting gadgets to help drivers control its bulk. One is Lane-Keep Assist (LKA) which detects the lane markers on the road and takes control of the electric power steering to keep the car on course. The Adaptive Front-Lighting System low beam headlamp also swivels according to steering position to help light up the upcoming road around a bend.

Hill assist will automatically apply the brakes for you when you move from a stop on an incline to stop the car from rolling back. Finally, S-VSC is an enhancement from the regular VSC system which uses the electric power steering to apply appropriate steering torque to help stabilize the car.
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New Toyota Wish gets CVT and Valvematic engine!

February 2, 2009 at 8:01 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Spyshots, Toyota

The Toyota Wish is due to be replaced soon, and in light of the current economy situation and Toyota’s expected first loss in a long long time, it’s going to be built on the same platform as the outgoing with but with some improvements and a new set of engines, in Japan at least. These leaked brochure images here reveal to us how the new Wish will look like. There are a few improvements such as the A-pillars which are now thinner to improve visibility. The Japanese Wish will enjoy a new range of Dual VVT-i and Valvematic engines, the latter which first debuted on another MPV, the Toyota Noah.

The top of the line 2.0 litre Wish in Japan will get the 3ZR-FAE engine equipped with Toyota’s latest Valvematic variable valve lift technology. It produces 158 PS at 6200rpm and 196Nm of torque at 4,400rpm. The lesser engined sibling will be powered by a 1.8 litre unit producing 144 PS at 6,400rpm and 176Nm of torque at 4,400rpm. Both are mated to a Super CVT-i transmission.

There will be four variants – the 2.0Z, the 2.0G, the 1.8S and the 1.8X. The brochures also reveal that Toyota will be differentiating the different variants of the Wish with different exterior looks. For example, there are at least three different levels of prominence with the wheel arches, and the results are 3 different widths in the dimension sheets of the brochure. The “narrowest” most tame-looking Wish is only 1,695mm wide but the widest 2.0Z variant is 1,745mm wide. The Wish 1.8S in somewhere in between at 1,725mm. The red unit you see here is the 2.0Z.

The Wish was an immensely popular model in Malaysia, but for a very long time 100% of sales were enjoyed by the grey importers as it was not brought in officially by UMW Toyota. Only later did UMW bring it in but by then all the Wish owners were already Wish owners. It’s safe to say with this new Wish, UMW will be selling it right from the start. But don’t be surprised if you see the same old 2.0 litre and 4-speed automatic installed instead of the modern Valvematic and CVT transmission.
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Toyota unveils TF109 Formula One racer car

January 16, 2009 at 11:51 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Formula 1, International News, Motorsports, Toyota

Panasonic Toyota TF109

The second car manufacturer to reveal their 2009 Formula One car is Toyota, and here is their new TF109. Like the Ferrari F60 that was revealed a few days ago, the TF109 features a huge front wing and a small and tall rear wing. It measures 4,636mm long, 950mm tall, 1,800mm wide and it weighs 605kg including driver and camera.

The racer’s 2.4 litre (2,398cc) V8 engine uses Esso lubes and fuel, and puts out approximately 740 horsepower and revs all the way up to 18,000rpm, as required by FIA rules. Apparently the KERS system will not be available at the start of the season.

The TF109 has a huge task ahead of it, as the team hopes for the car to give it it’s first ever win, something that the previous car (and drivers) unfortunately have not yet managed to do. The TF109 will be piloted by Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock, Kamui Kobayashi as the reserve driver.

While Honda has decided to opt out of F1 entirely for now, even though Toyota is going on with its participation, it is cutting down on costs here and there. For example, there was no launch ceremony for this new car, instead it was revealed on the internet in a virtual launch. Check out a photo gallery of the new car after the jump, as well as a video of the Toyota TF109 F1 car’s premiere.
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3rd Generation Toyota Prius with Hybrid Synergy Drive: Official Details and Photos

January 13, 2009 at 1:24 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News, Toyota

2010 Toyota Prius

The new third generation Toyota Prius is rated at 50mpg, but its sales may not be exceedingly spectacular during these (temporary) times of low oil prices. Prius sales dropped 45% in the end of 2008, and things are so bad across the product range that they’ve announced that they’re suspending all vehicle production in all 12 Japanese plants for 11 days over February and March.

Even if oil prices don’t rise in the near future, Toyota is hoping for the whole “greening” of America to boost Prius sales, fueled by demand from environmentally-conscious buyers, as long as they don’t find out how damaging to the environment the production of a Prius is, despite the Prius itself being a greener car than a regular sedan or hatchback.

2010 Toyota Prius

Toyota says the new Prius is roomier, quieter, more advanced and has more equipment. It even has a moonroof equipped with a solar panel located over the rear seating area. As previously speculated, the solar panels only powers the air circulation fan for the air conditioning system, not even the whole air conditioning system! This fan can function while the car is unoccupied, which means it can keep the car’s interior cool while it is parked under the hot sun.

2010 Toyota Prius

As for styling, the original shape has been retained since it has become iconic, defining what a hybrid should look like so much that even Honda was “inspired” by it for the new second generation Honda Insight. But it is larger, with the original shape stretched and moulded to its new proportions. The front headlamps have a unique shape to them, okay maybe not exactly unique, we recently saw the exact same thing on the new Nissan 370Z!

2010 Toyota Prius

The Atkinson cycle engine under the hood is now larger and more powerful, clocking in at 1.8 litres on the displacement scale and putting out 98 horsepower at 5,200rpm and 142Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. The electric motor puts out 80hp and 208Nm of torque, but combined output of the two systems are 134 horsepower. Power from the two “engines” go through an electronically controlled CVT transmission. The hybrid battery pack is still a NiMH (no move to lithium ion yet). The Prius can run in 3 modes – EV, Eco and Power. EV is an electric-only mode (which can run for about 1.6km, good for short trips to the shop or mamak), while Eco and Power should be self explanatory.

2010 Toyota Prius

There are a few engineering improvements in the new Prius over the old one, especially in teh area of the Hybrid Synergy Drive system. The transaxle is now lighter and reduces torque losses by as much as 20%. The inverter has a new direct cooling system which results in a smaller size and lighter weight. A new brake energy regeneration system has also been fitted. The system also uses exhaust gas heat to help warm up the engine during startup for improved emissions and performance. This exhaust gas heat is also used to heat up the passenger cabin more efficiently. The body uses aluminium in the hood, rear hatch, front suspension axle and brake caliper to reduce weight.

Look after the jump for a high-res gallery of the new 2010 Prius.
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2010 Toyota Camry (US market) get a facelift and new 2.5 liter VVT-i engine

January 11, 2009 at 11:42 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Toyota

Toyota Camry
Click for enlarged image

The American’s 2010 model year cars are here and it’s time for the Toyota Camry to get a facelift. Both the Camry and Camry Hybrid facelifts made their debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show at the same time, so let’s look at the car’s features.

The Toyota Camry 2.4 has been replaced by a Camry 2.5, using the same 2.5 litre inline-4 VVT-i engine that was introduced with the Toyota RAV4 facelift. This engine is available in two states of tune in the Camry – 169hp in the LE and XLE models while the Toyota Camry 2.5 SE gets a unit that produces 179 horsepower. This engine is mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed auto, which is another upgrade over the 2.4 litre engine which was matched to an automatic transmission that only had 5 gears.

The Camry Hybrid and the other engines/models of Camry stay largely the same, and the only other differences are a redesigned grille and front bumper with new fog lamps, new wheel cover and wheel designs, larger projector headlamps, and restyled tail lamps. The Camry Hybrid has additional differences on the inside, namely a new instrument cluster and a new material for the seat trim called Fraichir, which is said to be a combination of silk protein and synthetic fiber.

Look after the jump for more photos of the new Camry facelift. Please note this is not the same car as the Camry we get here. Our ASEAN Camry is actually the Australian Toyota Aurion, which has yet to be facelifted. Hopefully our facelift gets the new 2.5 litre and 6-speed auto too.
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Toyota to develop solar-powered car?

January 3, 2009 at 12:32 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, Rumours, Toyota

Solar Car

Toyota is apparently working on an electric vehicle that uses solar panels installed on the vehicle to recharge itself, according to Japanese business daily The Nikkei. It is of course just one way other than brake energy regeneration to recharge the car’s batteries. The car will also support plug-in charging, which could also be solar-sourced via solar panels installed on a home’s roof.

This piece of news seems to coincide with the fact that it’s battery partner Panasonic will be acquiring Sanyo, which is supposed to be a leader in solar energy technology. However, The Nikkei did not cite any sources when producing the report.

First talk of a Toyota powered by solar panels surfaced in July last year, also from The Nikkei. That report was followed by another one by Reuters which claimed the solar panels would be sourced from Kyocera, and would only produce enough power to run a car’s air conditioning, which kinda makes sense – a car’s air conditioning unit is probably run at full blast during a hot day, with plenty of sunlight!

The Reuters report also carried a quote which said it would be very difficult for solar energy to power anything more than that in real time, so it is more of a symbolic gesture, one that will be eating into the cost of the car, so it will truly be only for the rich and green-conscious for the time being,

There are actually solar cars around, heard of the World Solar Challenge? Participants race across the Australian continent in solar cars that weigh only about less than 200kg, have good aerodynamics, are quite large because of the many solar panels that need to be installed on the car, and can typically go up to a top speed of between 130km/h to 140km/h. Also, a company called Solar Electric Vehicles based in the US provides a service that retrofits the Toyota Prius and other Toyota hybrids with solar panels that can provide up to 1200 watt hours a day of energy.

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