Archive for Toyota

Proton Holdings Berhad subsidiary Miyazu (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd was awarded a contract to stamp and supply blank sheets for 20 parts to Toyota Auto Body Malaysia (TABM), to be delivered on the basis of TABM’s pull system four times daily in compliance with TABM’s production cycle.

Miyazu and TABM engineers will be collaborating to implement quality and process control improvements. Among systems to be implemented are the Toyota Production System (TPS), Pull System, Kaizen and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) - a combination of all of these systems are a key ingredient to efficient delivery, quality, and cost control. It is expected that with the implementation of these systems, Miyazu will be able to increase its Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by 15%. This is good news as these improvements will also have an effect on parts made for Miyazu’s other clients, which include Proton.

Miyazu aims to be a key and trusted stamping dies and parts supplier for not only TABM but also the Toyota Group globally. It recently launched a 3,600 square meter A-Class Tooling Plant on a 10.5 acre site in PROTON City, Tanjung Malim.

The plant houses state-of-the-art design, engineering, machining and finishing facilities which include computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) applications, and double-column, coordinate-measuring and pressing machines, which are critical tools required to design, engineer and produce the dies and moulds for the production of automobile components such as roof, bonnet, fender, dashboard, and door, side and other body panels.

Malaysia now imports 90% of its automotive tooling requirements, which is equivalent to about RM 500 million per year. Miyazu is targeting to reduce this by 30% by 2012. This amounts to roughly RM 150 million in import substitution with local components per annum.

Other Miyazu clients include Proton, Perodua, Toyota, Mazda Japan and Takao Thailand. Miyazu (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is is a collaboration between Proton (51%), Miyazu Seisakusho (Japan) (34%) and Sojitz Corporation (15%).

UPDATE: The new 2008 Toyota Corolla Altis has been launched in Malaysia! - click for more details, specifications, photos and pricing.

UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd plans to launch the replacement for it’s C-segment Toyota Corolla Altis sedan sometime next year, a re-entry of sorts into the current C-segment sedan market dominated by the Honda Civic 1.8S and 2.0S.

The replacement for the Toyota Corolla Altis - called just the Corolla sedan in Europe - made it’s European debut in December 2006 at the 2006 Helsinki Motor Show shortly after it’s world debut at the 2006 Beijing Motor Show. This is not the same car as the Toyota Corolla Axio and Corolla Fielder launched in Japan earlier, as that one is a smaller car than the one we are going to get.

The new car’s silver and dark grey interior takes a leaf out of Volvo’s book with a classy-looking thin floating console, and the new meter and display panel backlighting is of an goldish-orange hue similiar to the Toyota Auris.

The C-segment sedan market currently offers cars with either 1.8 liter or 2.0 liter engines, a step up from the current Altis’s 1.6 and 1.8 liter. Under the hood of the 1.8 liter variant of the new Toyota Corolla Altis will most probably be the 136hp new Dual VVT-i 1.8 liter 2ZR-FE, which replaces the current Corolla Altis’ 1.8 liter 1ZZ-FE VVT-i engine, as this new engine has been used for the new Toyota Corolla launched in the Australia market.

If UMW Toyota decides to offer a 2.0 liter variant here, the engine could be the 2.0 liter 3ZR-FE Dual VVT-i engine making 143 PS, but if we’re really lucky we could get the Valvematic 3ZR-FAE which makes 158 PS at 6,200rpm - this would make the Toyota Corolla Altis 2.0 liter Valvematic the most powerful 2.0 liter C-segment sedan in it’s class, something Toyota could shout about in it’s marketing campaigns. The more advanced variable valve timing and lift technologies in this new family of engines will also help the car be more fuel efficient.

Bear in mind if somehow cost-cutting takes precedence over state of the art, we might just end up with the 1AZ-FE (making 152hp in it’s highest state of tune, like in the 3rd generation RAV4 for example) being dumped into the 2.0 liter’s engine bay, the same engine in the 2.0 liter Toyota Wish and the 2.0 liter Toyota Camry. But I don’t think this is very likely as it wouldn’t make sense for the 1.8 liter model to have a more advanced engine than the flagship 2.0 liter, so the 3ZR-FE Dual VVT-i without Valvematic is the minimum. Of course, the worst case scenario would be no 2.0 liter model at all.

Click the related links below to see more photos of the new Toyota Corolla Altis. Additional photos are also available in this post after the jump.

Related Posts:
New Toyota Corolla debuts in Europe
New Toyota Corolla Altis preview at Beijing 2006
Toyota reveals Valvematic technology
New flagship 1.8 liter Dual VVT-i powerplant from Toyota

Source

Click here to read the rest of New Toyota Corolla Altis for Malaysians in 2008

[ LATEST UPDATE: Click here to find out more details on the Toyota Vios that will be available here in Malaysia, straight from the Malaysian press preview launch! ]

[ LATEST UPDATE #2: The official launch prices for the 2007 Toyota Vios has been released by UMW Toyota Motor. The sporty top of the range Vios 1.5S is priced at RM88,100. The mid-range Vios 1.5G costs RM84,800 and finally the baseline 1.5E costs RM78,700. Click here for more details. ]

UMW Toyota Motor has put up a teaser section on the new 2nd generation Toyota Vios (known as the Toyota Belta in Japan) on their website in place of the usual section where information on the first generation Vios was available.

There are 3 trim levels available, up from two from the previous generation Vios. All three are 1.5 liter versions and none of them are under 70K as previously mentioned, so I suppose either the cheaper models will come later, or they are just missing from the teaser and will all be launched together.

Toyota Vios 1.5E

The baseline Toyota Vios is the 1.5E model which features front disc brakes and rear drum brakes with 14 inch alloy wheels wrapped with 175/65R14 tyres. This baseline model has it’s turn signals on the fender and foglamps on the front bumper.

On the interior, you have an electric power steering with a steering wheel that’s tilt adjustable but not reach adjustable. Seats are fabric seats done up in beige, and the interior is generally a two tone dark grey and beige/silver colour scheme. The centrally-mounted meter cluster uses analog white meters are there is no multi-information display - this will probably be a trip computer with fuel economy calculation of sorts. The in-car entertainment system uses a 1-DIN standard size CD player with 4 speakers.

Both the 3-spoke steering wheel and shift knob are wrapped with urethane. Wing mirrors are manually adjustable. The Vios 1.5E has no hood silencer and only has an inner dash silencer. This shouldn’t be too much of a hassle as you can add your own sound-proofing later from aftermarket accessories. Safety features include ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, and a single driver airbag.

The Toyota Vios 1.5E is estimated to be priced at RM79,200.

Toyota Vios 1.5G

The middle-child is the Toyota Vios 1.5G. Brakes have been upgraded to include discs at the rear. The steering wheel is similar to the 1.5E, but it is now wrapped with leather, and so is the shift lever and knob. The in-car entertainment system uses a dash integrated head unit with a tuner and a CD player featuring MP3 and WMA support. This is hooked up to a 6-speaker system.

Other than that, the interior is the same 2-tone dark grey and beige/silver interior as the baseline model. The turn indicator is now mounted on the wing mirrors, which are power adjustable and retractable. As for sound dampening, this mid-range model gets a hood silencer and a better dash silencer with both inner and outer silencing material. Safety features are similiar to the 1.5E, except this model has two airbags - one for the driver and one for the front passenger.

The Toyota Vios 1.5G is estimated to be priced at RM85,300.

Toyota Vios 1.5S

This is the top of the range Toyota Vios. The Toyota Vios 1.5S can be seen as the sportier model of the range as it is fitted with an aerokit on the exterior. It’s specifications are an upgrade over the Toyota Vios 1.5E, so whatever the 1.5E has, the 1.5S will have something equivalent or better.

The interior is a more sporty dark grey and black combination colour scheme, and the centrally mounted meter cluster are Optitron meters which light up in amber. There is also a multi-information display, something all the other variants do not have. This display will probably be a trip computer of sorts, providing you with various information like average fuel economy.

The Toyota Vios 1.5S is estimated to be priced at RM88,600.

Mechanically there is nothing much new Toyota Vios as the proven 1NZ-FE 1.5 liter engine with 109 PS at 6,000rpm and 141Nm of torque at 4,200rpm is retained, but the usage of an electric power steering in this new Vios instead of a hydraulic power steering in the old Vios might contribute a little to fuel economy and power.

As it is counter-productive to repeat everything about the car here, please read my previous posts on the new Toyota Vios linked below to learn more about the car and view more photos.

Related Posts:
New Toyota Vios launched in Thailand
Toyota Belta on test in Thailand as Toyota Vios
UMW Toyota plans to price new baseline Toyota Vios at under RM70,000
2006 Toyota Belta (JDM name for Toyota Vios)
Toyota Human Touch advertisement featuring Toyota Belta/Vios

The Toyota iQ Concept is an ultra-compact car concept that was designed at Toyota’s ED2 European design studio in the South of France. The car is only 2980mm in length, which is 425mm shorter than the mini Toyota Aygo, but it’s stout looks are thanks to it’s width and height that are similiar to the larger Toyota Yaris.

An evolution of the previous Toyota Endo 2005 concept that is nearer to production state, the iQ Concept features 3+1 seating. This means room for 3 adults plus a child. The interior is normally configured as a 2-seater, but if you slide the passenger seat forward (this means the passenger sits more forward in the cabin than the driver), room for an extra adult is created at the rear. The small space behind the driver’s seat can then be used either for luggage or to seat a child.

A conventional meter cluster is replaced with a 3D 3-in-1 speed, RPM and fuel level read-out mounted as a single dial above the steering column, something inspired from the MINI perhaps. More photos after the jump.

Related Posts:
Toyota Endo production concept at Frankfurt 2007
Toyota to produce the Toyota Endo?

Click here to read the rest of Toyota iQ Concept unveiled at Frankfurt 2007

Toyota has launched a new JDM-only SUV for the Japanese market called the Toyota Vanguard. The new mid-sized SUV is based a long wheelbase version of the third generation Toyota RAV4, but features 7-seats with an electrically foldable third bench.

Two engine options are available - a 170 PS 2.4 liter 2AZ-FE mated to a Super-CVT-i continuously variable transmission, and a top of the range 280 PS 3.5 liter 2GR-FE V6 mated to a 5-speed Super ECT gearbox. The inline-4 engine makes 224Nm of torque at 4,000rpm while the V6 puts out 344Nm of torque at 4,700rpm.

All variants come with Toyota’s Active Torque Control 4WD system which works hand in hand with the Vanguard’s S-VSC (Steering-assisted Vehicle Stability Control) system to keep its 7 passengers safe if you happen to lose control of the car.

More photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of New JDM Toyota Vanguard 7-seater SUV

Toyota has released full details on the Australian market Toyota TRD Aurion that was first shown in March this year. The Australian Toyota Aurion is basically the same car as the Toyota Camry we get from Thailand locally, however Australian specs call for much larger engines. While the Aurion already gets a 3.5 liter V6, the Aurion TRD has it’s powertrain supercharged with a four-lobe Eaton Twin Vortices Series supercharger to produce 323 horsepower at 6,400rpm and 400Nm of torque at 4,000rpm, matched to a 6-speed automatic with sequential shifting that sends power through the front wheels.

This engine is found in both the 3500S and 3500SL variants of the Toyota Aurion TRD. The Toyota Aurion TRD 3500S comes with a sports suspension, 19-inch wheels and special TRD body kit, while the Toyota Aurion TRD 3500SL adds Smart Entry, Smart Start, full leather interior, parking sensors, dual-zone air-conditioning and a special rear bumper reinforcement to add rigidity to the car. 0 to 100km/h for both cars is rated at 6.1 seconds which will definitely knock you back into your chair, and it goes on to a top speed of 250km/h.

To reign in all that power, the TRD Aurion is equipped with 325×32mm front ventilated discs with twin 40.5mm piston aluminium calipers, and 310×18mm ventilated rear discs with single 40.5mm piston aluminium calipers.

The Aurion TRD’s fat body has sufficient wheel size to match, ensuring fender gaps are minimal as well as ensuring all that power and torque gets down to the pavement properly. The car uses 19 inch TRD wheels wrapped with 245/35ZR19 Dunlop Sport Maxx performance tyres. While the body has the obvious TRD bodykit that you can see in plain sight, there are a few enhancements that you cannot see - better rear under-body bracing and undercarriage aerodynamic enhancements. A sports muffler reduces back pressure by 15%, and the muffler tips are nicely integrated into the rear bumper design, flanking the diffuser.

The four-lobe Eaton TVS Supercharger has a few advantages over three-lobe supercharger designs, with the key benefit being greater thermal efficiency that in turn lowers inlet manifold temperature - and we all know cooler intake air is better. Other benefits of the TVS blower’s design include a higher pressure ratio, increased airflow capacity for the same supercharger package size, increased RPM operating range, higher efficiency and quieter operation, improved fuel economy at cruising speeds and instantaneous boost response.

While you cannot really expect a Camry/Aurion to handle, TRD Australia has retuned the suspension setup of the Toyota Aurion TRD. The suspension system was developed in Australia and lowers the base model Toyota Aurion Sportivo (normal Aurion with a Sportivo kit) by 12mm. Front spring rate has been increased by 11% and rear spring rate by 10.5%. The Aurion TRD uses 25mm diameter stabilizer bars at the front, and 16mm diameter stabilizer bars at the rear.

Wheel alignment settings are also new. Front toe-in has been increased for improved steering feel and response, while the rear suspension has a neutral toe to improve turn-in and responsiveness, creating the effect of a nimble car around the bends. Of course, the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres help as well.

The next vehicle to come out of TRD Australia will be the Toyota TRD Hilux, sporting a supercharged 4.0 liter V6 engine. Power figures for the TRD Hilux have not yet been announced.

View more photos of the TRD Aurion as well as a power/torque curve after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Toyota TRD Aurion full details and photos

Rumours have been rife in the auto industry about the return of one particular car made legendary by a certain Japanese anime series. We’re talking about the Toyota Corolla AE86. In a scoop by Japanese magazine Best Car, they’ve reported that Toyota is indeed working on a spiritual successor to the AE86 - lightweight, great handling, and most importantly rear wheel drive. Toyota’s NZ engine family was cited as as possible powertrain, however as far as I know it is currently a FF powertrain. The FR 3SZ-FE from the Avanza sounds more probable.

A few days ago newspaper Asahi Shimbun further added fuel to the excitement, stating that Toyota and Subaru will be jointly working on this new project and Toyota could source a rear wheel drive boxer engine from Subaru for the car. A target release date is sometime in 2010. Toyota needs a replacement for the Scion tC and the Celica anyway.

Two more scans after the jump.

Source

Click here to read the rest of Possible revival of the Toyota AE86 in 2010

This is Toyota’s answer to the Golf R32 - the Toyota Blade Master G! The Japanese market Toyota Blade loses it’s 165 horsepower 2.4 liter inline-4 and gets a new heart - a detuned version of the 3.5 liter 2GR-FE V6 from the Lexus IS350 putting out 276 horsepower and 344Nm of torque. This is matched with a 6-speed sequential automatic gearbox with paddle shifters.

The Blade Master G’s specs should make it’s way into the European market soon as the top of the range version of the Toyota Auris to have a showdown with the Golf R32.

The Tokachi 24-Hour Race recently saw a hybrid car come up tops for the first time. The Denso Toyota Supra HV-R uses a modified Super GT 3UZ-FE 4.5 liter engine that makes 480 PS at 6,800rpm and 510Nm at 5,600rpm.

The hybrid component consists of two in-wheel motors putting out 10 kilowatt (13hp) each at the front as well as a 150 kilowatt (200 horsepower) motor for the rear wheels. All that power combined with a vehicle weight of 1,080kg is a recipe for a rocket, that can run silent at times thanks to the electric motors.

The Supra HV-R uses energy regeneration to recharge a specially designed high capacity capacitor with a quick charging system instead of normal rechargeable batteries to keep up with a race’s repeated full-on acceleration and deceleration..

More pictures after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Toyota Supra HV-R hybrid wins Tokachi 24-Hour

Toyota has raised the bar on passenger safety once again, with an announcement that side airbags and curtain shield airbags will now be standard on all new passenger vehicle models in Japan, starting with the new models to be launched shortly.

An SRS side airbag is built into the front seat, and it deploys in the case of a side collision and reduces risk of upper body injury for front seat occupants.

SRS curtain shield airbags are located between the front pillars and the roof-side rails, which deploy and protect both front and rear passengers heads with a curtain-like barrier, reducing impact from side windows, pillars and other internal objects, as well as any external objects like poles.

This is for Japan domestic market cars of course - not sure if this will somehow trickle down to the Toyota cars available in our country sometime in the future.