The Toyota-Subaru co-developed FT-86 will get to production phase by 2012 and will enter the UK market with a price tag of sub-£20,000 for the entry-level model.

The car is powered by a 2.0L boxer engine adapted from Subaru’s flat-four. While it doesn’t dish out as much torque and power to rotate the earth, but the key to the car’s performance is its size and weight.

The car’s pretty standard though. RWD with a six-speed manual. However, the key in the car is its waif-like weight tipping the scales at 1250 kg. For drift lovers out there, the car’s proper limited slip differential combined with its RWD layout might just be enough for some sideways action.

As far as sports coupes go, the car’s no bigger than an Audi TT. Don’t be fooled by the images, the lines actually make it look larger than it really is. Rumors have it that the shell might not be the one going into production.

The travesty that is the biblical amount of recalled Toyota vehicles are placing stress on all levels of the Toyota chain. Toyota dealers are getting quite irate with Toyota in the midst of all the mess that the Japanese giant is making them go through.

Dealerships are at the very least unhappy with how things are getting handled and expressed their sentiments at a National Automobile Dealers Association convention.

“There’s a goddamned gap in communication,” says Mike Sullivan, an LA Toyota dealer.

Such sentiments were caused by the apparent lack of discussions between Toyota execs and their dealership network. Many of the dealerships were caught unawares that they’d be expecting a deluge of vehicles that needed the accelerator fix.

All the while Toyota announced that the dealerships will be ready to take on the affected customers.

Tsk tsk tsk, Toyota.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

Toyota’s recalls should now have been categorized as WTF! moments because Toyota’s sinking in a sea of crap right now. I’ve been a Toyota fan all my life and plan to get a Toyota as my next car. But after all of this, I’m considering other brands.

Toyota announced a worldwide recall of its hybrids that would involve 400,000 vehicles including the Prius, the Sai sedan and the Lexus HS250h.

The recall is due to brake problem. The brakes are said to go out when driving over a bump. This was identified as caused by the delay when switching from regenerative braking to conventional braking.

The other massive ongoing recall that involves 8 million vehicles is due to an accelerator pedal problem that causes the pedal to stick and cause unintended acceleration.

Toyota President Akio Toyoda has publicly apologized for the string of issues that plagued his company just these couple of months.

When you got a bad year, you got a bad year. That seems pretty applicable to what Toyota is experiencing now. The company has already recalled a massive 8.1 million vehicles due to the sticking throttle pedal problem.

Now, it is now mulling another recall for its prized Toyota hybrid due to a brake problem. The problem is said to cause brake failure when vehicles encounter bumps on the road. Co-founder Steve Wozniak experienced the same thing in his Prius and suggested that it was a software glitch.

Toyota now claims that it is indeed a software glitch that’s causing the problem. 270,000 Priuses in both US and Japan markets are affected by this problem.

The Japanese giant, known in the industry for building tough and reliable cars, has suffered greatly from this round of recalls. Officials claim that the company is working hard to fix the problems and hopes to restore trust in the brand.

Source: The Detroit News

So your car happens to be part of the recall and Toyota’s taking too long to fix your car. Paranoid that your pedal will get stuck (and you’ll die in an anecdote) but can’t leave your car at home?

Toyota’s already shopping the reinforcement parts to fix the throttle pedal issue but dealerships will only be able to start repairs by the weekend. So for the mean time, take caution if you need to take your Toyota out.

A Toyota certified technician informs CNN of a few simple steps to help you deal with a stuck pedal in your Toyota.

1. Shift the transmission to neutral
2. Turn off the ignition switch
3. Apply the brakes and pull over

Take note that the power steering also cuts off if the engine’s cut off so expect the steering to get heavy when you do so. If your car happens to have a starter button instead of keys, just press on the button for more than 3 seconds to cut the power.

Might not be the perfect stop-gap measure but it sure beats the heck out of dying in twisted metal.

Source: CNN

Eureka! Toyota engineers have finally found a permanent fix for the accelerator pedal issue that prompted the company to recall millions of cars worldwide and halt sales of select models.

Finding the permanent fix was quick (maybe because Toyota execs held their engineers’ feet over flames) but the decision to actually make the fix permanent has been done a lot of damage to Toyota’s credibility already.

The problem was caused by parts of the pedal experienced excessive friction at times causing it to stick. The permanent fix involves adding a steel reinforcement bar to the assembly.

Toyota is already shipping parts for the fix to US dealerships and has already begun training mechanics to apply the fix. Toyota claims that some dealerships will be open 24 hours a day to make sure owners whose cars are affect will get the fix quick.

The thing with business is it really is a dog-eat-dog world. Falter and your competitors would be more than happy to kick you while you’re down.

Toyota might be the biggest automaker today after GM went bust but it might not be able to hold on to the title for long. Especially with mighty Volkswagen eating away at the lead and, of course, in the light of one of the biggest recalls in history.

An accelerator problem prompted Toyota to recall millions of vehicles worldwide. The company even halted US sales of select models until its engineers figure out a permanent solution to the problem.

Ready to pick on the wounded giant are GM, Ford, Chrysler and Hyundai who are offering Toyota customers incetives on trade-ins.

Chrysler is offering $1,000 bonus for Tundra, Tacoma, and Sienna owners who’d want to get any new Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge or Ram. A similar $1,000 offer is made by Hyundai for any new takers of a Sonata, Elanta, and Elantra Touring.

Call it honor, but Toyota’s biggest Japanese rival Honda which has been permanently trying to pip Toyota’s model range, takes the high road in not trying to steal Toyota’s customers in such a manner.

That 2.3 million recall would surely hit Toyota hard. That’s on top of 4.3 million that they previously announced.

Sales of the RAV4, Matrix, Camry, Corolla, Avalon, Highlander, Tundra, and Sequioa are all suspended until they can figure out the accelerator pedal problem that has caused the massive recalls.

Toyota initially announced that removing the driver side matting surrounding the pedals is a temporary fix but it appears that the issue is with the accelerator mechanism. Reports of collissions and injuries have already been filed prompting the initial recall.

Just when Toyota is trying to position itself to make a profit this year. Looks like Volkswagen will surely be happy to trim away at Toyota’s lead as the world’s biggest automaker.

For a Toyota fan, this surely is a disheartening. We could all just hope that Toyota gets its act together.

No doubt about it, I’m a Toyota fan. Their mass-production cars might not be the slickest ones to drive for fun, but they will get you around. And they’re virtually indestructible. Selling my old Corolla and swapping it with my now junk of a Sentra has got to be one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made.

But thanks to the accelerator problem that affects 4.3 million vehicles, Toyota’s reputation of dependability has now been tarnished quite badly.

Now, Toyota announced that it will be recalling around 2.3 million vehicles in the US to fix the problem. Mind you that this is separate from the initial 4.3 million that they’ve already recalled last year. Toyota claimed that it was initially a floor mat problem but reports have been sent in that the accelerator pedals keep sticking even without the mats.

The vehicles included in this round of recall: 2005-’10 Avalon, 2007-’10 Camry , 2009-’10 Corolla, 2010 Highlander, 2009-’10 Matrix, 2009-’10 RAV4, 2008-’10 Sequoia and 2007-’10 Tundra.

US owners can call Toyota at 800-331-4331.

And this is why we believe that Toyota will come out with the Prius sub-brand real soon. With hybrid concepts coming quite quick and plenty, that’s the only reasonable any sane person can have.

Meet the Toyota GRMN Sports Hybrid concept. This isn’t any small cutesy car like the Toyota FT-HC concept either. It’s a two-seater four-wheel drive hybrid based on the MR2 platform.

It packs a mid-mounted 3.3L V6 paired with Toyota’s THSII hybrid. According to Toyota’s numbers that gives the car a whopping 392bhp.

The car can probably still be a fun drive as the V6 power will be channeled to the rear wheels while the electric motor will be powering the front. Maybe the car will still be able to kick its backside out with a certain way of driving.

The car’s pretty lightweight too at 1500kg which reports say would allow the car to travel from 0 – 60 mph in just under 4.5 seconds. That’s almost Audi R8 V8 country! Looks like the Honda CR-Z will face some very stiff competition from Toyota.

Now if only the car is as fun to drive as the Toyota classics.

Aggression and Prius don’t really come together quite nicely. Being the supposed champion of hybrids, the Prius has earned a reputation as a pootling pansy of a hybrid. But what if you slap on a wicked body kit to it?

This here’s the Toyota Prius G Sports Concept. The G Sports badge is Toyota’s new lineup of tuning accessories. And would you look at that. It’s looks sporty enough to go toe-to-toe with that new Honda CR-Z. Not the Mugen one though.

No changes are made to the powertrain but the car gets a bit of a treatment in other regards. The car now sits on lowered suspensions (30mm lower) and sports new sports brakes.

As for the external styling, the car boasts of a rear wing, rear wheel covers, side skirts, carbon fiber mirrors, a new rear bumper, twin exhausts, and a new exhaust system. What all of that does to the car, we have no real idea. It’s not like you can go past 150 mph with that powertrain.

Inside you get aRecaro seats, leather steering wheels, a new dash and a G Sports badge on the shifter.

Still, all of that doesn’t really cover up the fact that it’s a Prius underneath.

Source: Autocar

So we already know that the Prius will be a sub-brand and the FT-HC hybrid concept car that Toyota showcased in Detroit is a very good indication that the Japanese giant is keen on expanding its fleet of hybrid vehicles.

Toyota US sales director Jim Lentz says that they think that the Prius wil be a bigger draw than its current model offerings in the US. For the longest time, the Toyota logo has been synonymous to Camry in the US.

“There are more models planned and FT-CH is a concept that we are considering. I think in the future the number one nameplate in the US will be Prius, not Camry,” said Lentz.

You have to hand it to Toyota. By being the first one to mass produce a hybrid, they’ve gotten pretty deep into people’s consciousness and sensibilities as far as green cars are concerned. To a degree Prius is the first car in people’s minds when it comes to hybrids.

Now that’s branding.

Source: Autocar

Here we are again with those pesky teasers and teaser pics. This time, it’s Toyota with their all-new hybrid.

It’s part of the whole drum banging build up to the concept’s debut at the Detroit motor show next year. Aside from a few pics and that announcement, Toyota hasn’t released anything else.

Judging by the picture, it could very well be a small car and possibly be based on the smallest four-door car, the iQ.

Toyota announced way back that it is intent on creating a sub-brand for the Prius much like Scion.

We just sure hope that Toyota doesn’t

The basic rule about small cars is that they should be cheap and cheerful. So a “luxury” small car seems to be an irony in itself. But that’s not stopping Toyota to give it a try.

This here’s the Platinum – which is basically a spiffy version of the small Aygo.

When it comes to luxury, the Aygo would be one of the last cars you’d associate to luxury. It’s pretty much a basic car with the most basic of ammenities. But it’s a good small car. Zippy and dependable.

This luxury version wouldn’t even remotely rival a Lexus. It will feature some spiffy trims like Alcantara and leather interior including a cowhide bit for the shifter. A new six-speaker car audio system is also thrown into the package.

Outside, the car gets 14-inch alloys and Crystal Silver metallic paint. The car is powered by the 1.0L VVTi gas engine mated to a five-spoeed manual.

Source: Autocar

And in a shocking twist of events – Toyota pulls out of Formula 1!

Toyota has been considering to quit Formula 1 for quite some time now due to several seasons of dismal finishes. The auto sales crash and the company’s questioned profitability aggravated this stance even more.

Now, Toyota’s top brass has pulled the plug on the project citing the team’s failure to secure a win ever since it joined the championship in 2002.

Toyota had a great start in this recently-concluded season but ended it in a dismal one especially with the injury of Jarno Trulli.

Company president Akio Toyoda even apologized to fans about the decision. Toyota’s withdrawal means that there will be no Japanese team left in the championship. Honda exited last season.

Looks like someone has to pick up wonderboy Kamui Kobayashi for him to have a future in the sport.

Sometimes products can be made or ruined by the name alone. The Celica has been a solid sports car name for Toyota but naming the AE86 tribute car to a different car just doesn’t make sense.

If they are looking to target the same road racing young market (especially since the AE86 turned into an icon from a cult classic thanks to anime Initial D), then slapping on a Celica badge might not be the best idea. Well sure there’s people’s familiarity with the Celica name but we’re not too sure.

The FT-86 is powered by a 2.0L boxer engine from Subaru that dishes out nearly 200 hp but retains the RWD configuration of the inconic 86.

If there’s one thing Toyota can probably do is to revive Celica using another platform and perhaps some midship goodness with an MR2 revival.

Source: Autocar

Can’t really blame Toyota for focusing on hybrid technology. They made a real killing with the Prius even if hardcore ecomentalists can actually question the green-ness of the car.

Toyota announced that they will be creating a new hybrid-only model and this here is it – the 2010 Toyota Sai. Not really an original car, Toyota just basically got hold of the Lexus HS 250h, they added Toyota bits and the badge and dubbed it the Sai ready for the JDM.

The Sais is powered by a 2.4L engine dishing out 150 hp and is paired of to an electric motor that delivers an added 140 hp. And that’s quite a lot from an electric motor. But the system manages the use of both engines that the driver can only tap 187 hp at a given time.

The car, like the HS 250h, gets 35 mpg. Not too shabby but if you want more mileage, you might just want to get a diesel.

Toyota’s own version of the co-developed “Toyobaru” homage to the famed AE86 (Corolla Levin/Trueno Sprinter/Corolla GT) has already been dubbed the FT-86 and will be featured in the upcoming Tokyo show.

But since it’s a co-developed car, Subaru’s working on a version that would carry its badge. Subaru, however, will be taking its sweet time in developing one since it doesn’t have the resources that Toyota has. But at least it has begun to work on design works.

The FT-86 packs a 2.0L boxer engine from Subaru and will feature the RWD configuration of the famed AE86 that has made it quite the street racing icon.

As for Subaru’s version, rumors have it that it might pack a 4WD drive instead to keep in the company’s core technologies and to distinguish it from the FT-86.

The Toyobaru project has encountered much adversity in its development but it’s great that the two companies have managed to deliver on one collaboration. This might just pave the way for future collaborations that would fuse the best both companies have to offer.

The Toyota Land Cruiser has established a tradition of being a worthy alternative to the Range Rover for some off-road action. However, it has grown quite fat and huge in recent years so Toyota decided to put it on a diet ready for the UK later this year.

The five-door seven-seater 2010 Land Cruiser is powered by 3.0L diesel engine mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission. A three-door model that features 4.0L V6 gasoline engine will also be offered but not in the UK so that means the Brits will be stuck with the fuel of Satan.

A new feature for the 2010 model is the Multi-terrain Select which aids power and braking depending on the off-road conditions. It even gives the driver information about the immediate surroundings. Cool feature but how many Land Cruiser drivers actually theirs off-road?

Toyota promises that the car will continue to be a capable off-roader and even a more-refined on-roader.

Source: Toyota

Uh oh. Toyota’s reputation of building rock solid cars will again be tarnished with this latest round of recalls. The Japanese giant just announced that it is recalling 690,000 units made in China due to faulty electrical window switches.

At least the problem’s not really that bad like, say, faulty brakes or steering linkages. The recall affects the Camry, Corolla, Vios and Yaris models made by Toyota’s partners in Guangzhou Auto and Tianjin FAW. The number is Toyota’s biggest recall in China.

As for the breakdown, the recall covers 384,736 Guangzhou Auto-made Camry and 22,767 Yaris units from 15 May 2006 to 31 December 2008 and 245,288 Corolla and 35,523 Vios units made in 2008 with FAW.

The switches haven’t cause any injuries or accidents yet but a faulty window switch can be a annoying bugger.

Source: BBC

Toyota and Subaru’s collaboration breathes life as reports claim that is very well on track for 2011. Considered as Toyota’s replacement for the famed AE86 (Corolla GT/Trueno Sprinter/Corolla Levin), the 086A supposedly reflects the street racing pedigree of the two companies.

For the longest time, the project was dubbed the Toyobaru but latest reports say that the car will be called the 086A. Too bad, the sports coupe is now rumored to have a “decent power drop is on the cards in order to lower emissions and make the car more economical.”

While I’m all for this whole eco thing but come on!

The car was initially slated to get 197 hp (way more than the classic AE86) from its 2.0L direct injection four-banger. But because of this whole eco trend the power output will be dropped to a mere 157 hp. 157 hp can be found in tuned small cars and sloppy saloons so how come a sports coupe gets the same power rating?

Toyota and Subaru promises to put the car on the diet to help give the car a good degree of performance.

A concept is expected to be unveiled come the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.

Look who has got money to burn. Toyota confirmed that it has set aside $467.2 million to upgrade its Indiana SUV plant. The upgrades are expected to finish within three month’s time, Toyota spokesperson Paul Nolasco told the press.

According to other reports, the retooling will equip the plant with the capability to produce Highlander and Sequoia SUVs. Last year, Toyota moved the Tundra production to its Texas facility. Tundras were previously assembled in the Indiana plant together with the Sequoia and Sienna minivan.

There are also circulating rumors that the Japanese giant will be buying out General Motors’ stake in New United Motor Manufacturing Inc which will give Toyota more production avenues in North America.

Reports claim that Toyota could supply General Motors with the hybrid system found in the Prius to enable GM to create a re-badged version of the popular hybrid. If the deal pushes through, the GM Prius-based cars are most likely to be built at NUMMI. Discussions on that deal are ongoing.

The much-awaited Toyota-Subaru collaboration on a RWD sports coupe that was supposedly a tribute to the famed drift icon AE86 Trueno Sprinter/Corolla GT is finally showing itself to the public at the Tokyo Motor Show this October.

The collaboration will spawn not only one but two variants sharing the same underpinnings with only a few exterior changes to distinguish which badge it will be carrying.

Dubbed the Toyobaru, the car is inspired by a lightweight chassis with a hardy (though small) engine that sent power to the rear wheels of the AE86. The car became a street racing and drifting icon after Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya popularized the car.

The new incarnation will feature a larger engine with more power than the old 20-valve 1.6L engine. The car will pack a 2.0L boxer engine from Subaru that produces 200 horses and 145 lb-ft of torque.

With such cars as the Prius, Japanese automaker Toyota has made a name for itself when it comes to eco-friendly initiatives. However, the company is now facing serious allegations that its plans for a new research facility will be running over mountains and old rice paddies.

The plans are being met with opposition from green campaigners, particularly from a group called the SCLSDP. “Most people think of Toyota as an environmentally friendly company,” said the group’s chairman, Shigemi Oda. “Crushing mountains is environmentally destructive.”

Toyota has issued an update to the situation in a statement: “The Aichi Prefecture, in cooperation with Toyota, is now talking with NGO’s and specialists to assess the impact of this centre on the area. Based on the outcome of these assessments, further decisions will be taken.”

The new facility is a half-hour drive from Toyota City, in Shimoyama Village, which will feature some 6 miles of road courses for testing of new cars. Toyota paid 32 billion yen (around $334 million). At the very least, look for Toyota to remedy any issues to preserve its image.

There’ll be a new trim for the new Toyota RAV4 when it starts selling this September. The range will now include a RAV4 equipped with the Avensis’ 2.2-liter D4-D 150 diesel engine.

The engine will be mated to either a manual or an automatic transmission, both with six speeds. The automatic transmission on this one makes it the first for a RAV4 diesel. It will also have a sport mode and something called Sports Direct Shift, a sequential manual mode. With the manual, potential owners will get 11 percent less emissions compared to the standard 2.2-liter diesel RAV4. Power is also better, from 134 brake horsepower from the standard to 148 bhp in the new diesel.

That’s not the only addition for this year’s range. A RAV4 model with 2-wheel drive and a 2-liter petrol engine will be reintroduced for the XT-R trim, which features leather interiors, front seats with heaters, and an electrically-adjustable driver’s seat.

The new RAV4 also gets exterior updates, such as for the front bumper, fog lights, grille, headlights, and new 17-inch alloy wheels. AC, Bluetooth, MP3 compatibility, and heated retractable mirrors are standard features across the range.