When we first received the Toyota Highlander into the Top Speed test fleet we immediately noticed just how big the Salsa Red Pearl crossover from Japan really is. Even our base model Highlander came rather well equipped, and is the perfect new car for a growing family on a budget. The Highlander that Toyota chose for us to drive is representative of the automaker’s high quality economical transportation options.
The CUV came with everything you need to get the job done, like third row seating and plenty of interior space to go along with the comfortable ride, minus a few of the pricey creature comforts that the segment has become synonymous with; keeping the new car’s price well in the affordable range. On the outside, everything about the Highlander is big, like the oversized grill and machined six spoke alloys measuring 17 inches in diameter, giving the crossover a more powerful presence rather than a playful persona, unlike the majority of the CUV field. Meanwhile the interior is spacious and wrapped in cloth continuing the cost effective crossover theme.
Although Toyota offers both V6 and Hybrid equipped Highlanders, under the hood our car came equipped with a rather large 2.7 Liter VVT-i four cylinder engine cranking out 187 HP and a gas sipping six speed automatic transmission that is good for 20 MPG in the city and as much as 27 MPG at highway speeds. The package is more than enough to scoot the nearly two ton crossover around town comfortably, all for under $26,000.
Full story
.
Toyota will unveil a facelift version of the European Auris at the Geneva Motor Show this March. Sales throughout Europe will begin from early spring.
The Auris 2010 features marked improvements in exterior style, perceived interior quality and ergonomics, but also a wide choice of clean engine technologies and a more refined driving experience.
The engine range will include three petrol and three diesel units offering the performance- and economy-enhancing benefits of Toyota Optimal Drive. Complemented by the Auris HSD’s full hybrid technology, this unique line-up will offer customers the most comprehensive range of powertrains in the C segment.
Adding even more fuel to the sport compact fire, the Japanese automaker Toyota has unveiled the FT-86 G Sports Concept at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon. The FT-86 will be the first in a new line of factory modified vehicles that will be sold this summer under the new nameplate. The G Sports concepts are aimed at customers who have a strong desire to own a unique vehicle by offering them both personalized interior and exterior pieces that is designed to give the driver a sports car experience. As opposed to traditional manufacturers who might have outsourced a job like this, Toyota has kept the G Sports line an in house project.
The first of a the factory tuned G Sport cars is equipped with wider wheel arches to house the unique 19 inch alloys, a vented carbon fiber hood as well as aggressive front and back bumpers with a trick rear diffuser and an over sized wing sitting on top of the trunk. On the inside the FT-86 G Sports Concept gets a pair of Recaro racing buckets while a sport tuned suspension places a special focus on “driving seasoning” in order to make the new FT-86 as fun to drive as the old Hachi Roku.
Updated: Gran Turismo screen caps added. Check the gallery to see them.
.
The Japanese automaker Toyota unveiled the Mark X G Sports Concept at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon. Like all the other creations in the G-Series lineup, the highly modified Mark X comes complete with a sport tuned suspension, aggressive looking aero parts and a racing inspired interior. The exterior of the tuned Mark X is dressed up with a few trick items like a new vented hood, big mouth front bumper with strips of LEDs and intricate air ducting, IS-F style vented front fenders with matching elements in the back bumper along with an integrated rear diffuser that frames the true dual exhaust as well as a carbon fiber roof panel up top and a set of 20 inch Work alloys wrapped in sticky Yohokama Advan rubber housing a ridiculously over sized big brake kit.
The interior of the Mark X G Sports Concept is all business. The driver straps into a Recaro racing bucket and grabs hold of a leather wrapped multifunction steering wheel with red accent stitching and a few well placed Alcantara inserts. The gauges are bright and easy to read, while the center stack is dominated by a large LCD multifunction display and is surrounded by quite a bit of carbon fiber. The floor mats carry the red accent theme while a set of aluminum racing pedals put the driver in direct contact with the controls. The G Sports Concept is powered by a 3.5 Liter V6 developing a total of 313 HP and 280 lb-ft of torque coupled to a paddle shifted six speed automatic transmission sending power straight to the rear wheels.
.
The folks responsible for taking the LF-A to the Nurburgring, Gazoo Racing, have just unveiled the the GRMN Sports Hybrid at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, a concept car based on the Toyota MR2 that utilizes a gas/electric hybrid power train to move the lightweight mid engine rear wheel drive two seat sports car. The GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept was created to show the world what a green dream car can be. The goal was to create a 1,300 kilogram vehicle that would be able to combine the fun of driving at speed with the wind in your hair with an efficient power source in order to offer the best of both worlds to the consumer. Gazoo Racing added a wide body kit to keep the modified MRS looking planted and make room for the additional hardware that makes up the four wheel drive hybrid drive train system.
Stay tuned for more details!
.
The second concept from Toyota’s new factory tuned G Sports line is the automaker’s best selling gas/electric hybrid. Unveiled at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, the Toyota Prius G Sports Concept, much like the FT-86 G Sport Concept, also comes with a sport suspension, stylish aerodynamic parts and a set of racing buckets.
The Prius G Sports Concept’s body kit is made up of a big mouth front bumper, carbon fiber mirror and rear wheel covers, a molded rear bumper, dual exhaust and G Sport specific emblems on the sides. The fuel efficient tuner car rides on a set of 18 inch alloy wheels wrapped in high performance tires. Meanwhile the Prius’s interior is dark with high contrast red stitching on the leather wrapped steering wheel and ’G-Sports’ branded gear lever which is finished off by a Piano Black center stack and aluminum racing pedals.
.
The fuel efficient Japanese automaker Toyota plans to offer a wider variety of electrically assisted vehicles then just simply the conventional gas/electric hybrid vehicles. As a preview of what is to come, in the way of plug in hybrids (PHVs), battery electric (BEVs) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCHVs) Toyota unveiled the FT-CH city car, which stands for compact hybrid, at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Joining the fun to drive FT-86 in Toyota’s new compact family, the CH will offer all the efficient amenities of a Prius in a package that measures 22 inches shorter in length inorder to weave through congested urban centers. However the FT-CH is only about an inch narrower then the best selling hybrid meaning that the city car concept will offer just as much room for passengers on the inside. Compared to the current 50 MPG Prius, the FT-CH weighs less and is even more fuel efficient. And it’s going to be cheaper too. With the concept’s fun and innovative features, colorful and stylish design, Toyota hopes that this high energy hybrid will have a strong appeal to younger shoppers.
Press release after the jump.
Full story
The Japanese automaker Toyota just unveiled their new compact car for the Indian market at the Delhi motor show, revealed as a concept, the Etios will go on sale by the end of the year in both sedan and hatchback forms with a price tag promised to be around $10,000.
The production version of the Etios will be powered by either a 1.5 Liter or a slightly smaller 1.2 Liter gas burning engine as well as a diesel to be offered sometime in the near future. The Etios will be built on an all new platform and according to Toyota insiders will offer "a spacious interior" and "abundant storage space" all in an attractive compact package for a reasonable price.
Launched last October at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, the Toyota Sai is a familiar looking vehicle to us here at the Top Speed because it is a more economical version of the Lexus HS 250h, especially with fuel efficient gas/electric hybrids being all the rage these days.
However the good news is that despite the Sai being built with hyper milers in mind, tuners aren’t turning a blind eye to the new hybrid sedan. In fact the Japanese automaker’s in house high performance specialists TRD have revealed their first customization program for the new Sai. The kit includes a complete aero package with a new grill, ground effects and sport tuned suspension as well as a few dress up items like TRD specific oil and fuel filler caps to go along with a variety 16, 17 and 18 inch alloys available in quite a few different designs.
.
The Japanese automaker Toyota has just unveiled a new special edition of their compact iQ model called Access, and it will be the lest expensive of the range priced at €11,700 and is 1300 euros less than the next city car up the line. The iQ Access comes well equipped with safety features that you would normally expect from higher priced vehicles like ABS with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist, stability control and traction control, driver and passenger side airbags as well as curtain airbags, knee airbags and a rear window airbag those sitting in the back.
Toyota didn’t skimp on the creature comforts either, offering a radio equipped with a CD player and MP3 jack sending your favorite tunes through a standard six speaker audi system. The driver will enjoy ergonomic equipment like the adjustable steering wheel with integrated audio controls. Despite it’s small size, the iQ offers plenty of cargo room with the rear seats folded flat for more storage. Being an automobile of this stature, the iQ makes do with a 1.0 liter three cylinder engine making a total of 68 HP, more then enough to scoot through traffic in the iQ.
Picture Gallery
3 comments
RSS -
Webmaster free news |