The early days of the Afghanistan conflict allowed the Toyota pickup entered public consciousness as the vehicle of choice for the Taliban. The images got Toyota some bad press, but it turns out that the Japanese auto maker is pretty much the only game in town. Afghani car dealers estimate that up to 90% of vehicles on...
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Lotus will leverage their partnership with Toyota be equipping a variant of their new, flagship Esprit with the hand-crafted V10 used in the Lexus LFA. This exclusive version would have some stiff competition from the “base” Esprit – said to be powered by the 5.0L V8 from the Lexus IS-F. Lotus cars in the past...
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Clear of any bad PR for at least a few weeks, Toyota has been hit by yet another safety issue with its cars, announcing a recall of 1.1 million Corolla and Matrix models. The recall involves the 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine in the cars and as such also affects 200,000 Pontiac Vibes. Models affected include the...
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Toyota has just announced a pedestrian warning system for its Toyota Prius hybrids that will be available as a dealer installed option in Japan. The system, which costs $148, will engage below 15 mph and change its tone based on vehicle speed. The noise is said to be a synthesized sound that’s designed to emulate the whirring...
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After receiving 1,100 complaints regarding the 2005-2007 Toyota Matrix and Corolla, NHTSA has decided to broaden their investigation into the vehicles, after launching a preliminary inquiry in November of 2009. According to reports, Toyota told NHTSA that a problem with the car’s ECU (engine control unit) that causes stalling, rough shifting and stops the car from re-starting...
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Some of us real passionate gamers don’t think Gran Turismo 5 will make it to our grubby little hands anytime soon. But there’s always reason to hope that the company’s continuous delay in releasing the game is well worth the wait. This is probably not one of those highlights that makes us thankful that they...
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With Toyota‘s sub-compact Yaris having been on the market for what feels like forever, a new model is due out soon. Reports indicate that a concept for the next-gen Yaris will debut at the Detroit Auto Show this January, giving us a better look at the style and size of the new model, which is...
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In honor of the 10th anniversary of Toyota Prius sales in the United States, Toyota is holding a contest to find the “most passionate Prius fan in the United States”, who will then have the privilege of hosting the Prius’ 10th anniversary celebration in their hometown. The Toyota press release asks owners “Are you a fuel-efficient hyper-miler,...
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Toyota has indefinitely suspended exporting vehicles to Iran as a new sanctions campaign aimed at crippling the country’s nuclear weapons program is implemented. While Iranian sales have fallen over the past two years, but the United States remains Toyota’s biggest market. Firms that have dealings with Iran have come under scrutiny in America. Toyota said...
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Lexus aims to prove just how impressive its new LFA supercar is by competing in what is arguably the world’s most prestigious sports car series, the FIA GT1 Championship. The carbon-chassis 552-hp V10 exotic will reportedly take on rivals such as the Lamborghini Murciélago, Ford GT, Aston Martin DB9, Maserati MC12 and domestic rival Nissan...
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As early leaked reports indicated, Toyota is being exonerated after Congress pushed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to reveal the preliminary findings of its investigation into the cases of “unintended acceleration” of Toyota vehicles. A Department of Transportation investigation of the black box recorders in 58 Toyota vehicles involved in “unintended acceleration” crashes...
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Toyota‘s executive vice president for global manufacturing said that exporting the Corolla and Yaris to America was no longer profitable due to a strong yen, which is at a 15 year high relative to the U.S. dollar. Given the current exchange-rate situation, it isn’t feasible, in terms of a business model, for us to produce...
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Sales of hybrid models in the month of July are down a significant 33 percent compared to the same period a year ago, this, despite, significant incentives. There’s a great deal of speculation as to why this is, ranging from low fuel costs to a lack of new products to the possibility that consumers are...
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Several months ago the first reports of a “baby” FT-86/FR-S rear-drive sports car emerged and now that project is taking shape. Toyota has reportedly begun the work of building this lower cost alternative to the FR-S as a tribute to chief test driver Hiromu Naruse, who died recently while testing a Lexus LFA in Germany....
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The world of tuning hybrids has really evolved in a short period of time. The good looks of the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius have really captured the Japanese aftermarket. We saw it first hand at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, where the overwhelming amount of customized hybrids caught us by surprise. Wald International has...
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Darren McNamara has had an impressive run drifting in America under the Team Falken name. Representing Ireland, Team Falken Tire picked McNamara up to join their team after being impressed with his skills behind the wheels of a Toyota AE86. Now Team Need for Speed has enlisted D-MAC’s help to broaden their European reach and...
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Even since the launch of the Venza, Toyota has been spicing up its models with a bit more road presence. Above is the first look at what the new 2011 Highlander will look like – or at least what it will look like when it is sold in Russia for the first time. To celebrate...
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According to the latest reports out of Japan, Subaru‘s version of the Toyota FT-86 (FR-S) is still on track with plans to deliver a higher-powered version of the two-door coupe. Believed to be powered by the same turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that powers the WRX STI it will make around 260-hp – a 60-hp jump over...
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We’ve all heard how important it is to keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water. But how about using a glass of water to cut fuel reduction? Toyota claims that a single glass of water could help you reduce your fuel consumption costs by 10 percent. No, you don’t have to drive around with a...
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With markets like China, Brazil, India and former Soviet bloc countries becoming more prosperous, the demand for a low cost, bare bones car for the sake of personal transportation. Tata’s Nano, Renault’s Logan and all manner of Chinese upstart brands have been filling the void in these up and coming locales, and now Toyota wants...
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Porsche was the big winner for July 2010 sales, moving 75% more cars than in July 2009, with Hyundai/Kia, Jaguar/Land Rover and the Big Three all making solid gains. Japanese auto makers bore the brunt of the market, with Toyota and Honda losing a bit of market share, while Suzuki took the dubious title of...
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In a move that is certain to create a lot of buzz in automotive circles, Toyota has re-applied for a trademark on the Supra name – perhaps suggesting a new Supra is in the works. The application was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on July 16 after Toyota had let its trademark...
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Toyota‘s Tacoma pickup is no stranger to being tinkered with by TRD, Toyota’s racing division. With previous special editions like the Prerunner and X-Runner finding success in the marketplace, TRD is introducing two new packages for Toyota’s smallest pickup. The T|X and T|X Pro will be available on 2 or 4 wheel drive Tacoma Prerunner...
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When it rains, it pours, and nobody knows that better than Toyota. With recalls popping up like weeds, the company is forced to endure yet another ignominy by recalling 39,000 Lexus LX470 SUVs from the model year 2003-2007. These top of the line trucks appear to have a defect in the steering shaft, that can...
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