Car News

Toyota’s best seller Innova has successfully completed five years since its launch. To celebrate this, Toyota has launched a Special Edition Innova for Indian customers. This model will only be on sale from June to September 2010.



The Special Edition Innova will be available only in one shade, which the company calls Premium Super White. Priced at Rs 8,86,960 (ex-showroom, Delhi), it comes with features like power steering, power windows, power locks and air conditioning.



Body colored bumpers and grill are standard, although grab handles and side mirrors come in a shade of black. There is also a new body colored rear door garnish and new graphics with Special Edition written on the body to distinguish the Special Edition Innova from others. Since this is a Special Editon model, production is restricted to only 700 units.



Toyota had launched the Innova in 2005 that replaced the Qualis, which was again a best seller for the company. Innova leads the segment with close to 31% market share since its launch. It is Toyota’s smallest offering in its lineup of MUV/SUV’s for the Indian market, others being the Fortuner, Land Cruiser Prado and Land Cruiser Amazon.

Toyota Australia today confirmed it will add the rugged retro looks and solid off-road performance of the FJ Cruiser to its range early next year.



A pre-production version of the sporty off-roader will make its local debut at the Australian International Motor Show in October.



Local sales are expected to kick-off late in the first quarter of 2011.



FJ Cruiser will give Toyota a second brand-enhancing vehicle inside 12 months, following the launch of the eye-catching Rukus from June 1.

With looks like no other SUV, FJ Cruiser comes to Australia with a pedigree that stretches back 50 years to the legendary FJ40 LandCruiser.



The modern vehicle captures this heritage with its body-on-frame structure, short wheelbase, stocky appearance and the arrangement of its headlights and grille.



FJ Cruiser will be the only Toyota vehicle to use the name Toyota spelled out across the grille, instead of the corporate emblem.



The vehicle's retro-inspired styling is enhanced by the boxy shape, near-vertical windscreen with three wipers, white roof and wrap-around rear windows.



Four doors provide access to two rows of seats. The front doors are standard size while the rear doors are smaller and are reverse-opening.



The FJ - equipped with a powerful engine, dual-range 4WD, excellent ground clearance and ample suspension articulation - will deliver the off-road prowess implied by its "Cruiser" badge.



Toyota Australia's senior executive director

sales and marketing David Buttner said FJ Cruiser was all about style and substance.



"FJ Cruiser has loads of character that isn't found in any other SUV, let alone one that is built for off-road terrain," Mr Buttner said.



"It will be a lot of fun to own and drive, satisfying those who want a modern vehicle with the boulder-crawling spirit of Toyota's legendary off-roaders," he said.



In the United States, the FJ Cruiser has recently been awarded for its quality and its value.



In the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Initial Quality Study, it was rated at the top of the Compact Crossover/SUV segment.



FJ Cruiser was also named best-in-class for mid-size SUVs in the 2010 IntelliChoice.com Best Overall Values of the Year Awards.



Australian models will be produced in Japan.



The Australian International Motor Show will be held in Sydney from October 15.

The new Toyota 4Runner may be a truck-based SUV, but it offers the kind of drivability and riding comfort more often associated with car-based platforms. It was a revolutionary new vehicle based on the mechanics of the four-wheel-drive Toyota pickup truck. The Toyota 4Runner combined the versatility and go-anywhere ability of four-wheel-drive with the comfort and utility found in passenger cars.Twenty-five years, four generations and more than 1.5 million sales later, the Toyota 4Runner continues to evolve while remaining close to its roots. The all-new fifth-generation Toyota 4Runner is even more rugged and athletic, and packed with more power and better mileage. Drivetrain configurations include rear wheel 4x2, part-time 4x4 and full-time multi-mode 4x4 with a locking center differential. All 4x4 models are equipped with a 4.0-liter V6 mated to a five-speed ECT-i automatic transmission. The 4x2 models will be equipped with either a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed ECT automatic or the 4.0-liter V6 with the five-speed ECT-i automatic.The 2010 4Runner now offers the new Safety Connect™ telematics system. In addition to the upgraded V6 engine, a proven 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine with VVT-i is available on the 4x2 SR5 model. The gutsy DOHC, 16-valve 2.7 makes 157 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. Mated to a four-speed automatic transmission with 2.80:1 first gear and 0.753 overdrive 4th, the 2.7 delivers 18 city/23 highway mpg.An electronic-locking rear differential is standard on the Trail grade. Axles house 3.73 gears, or 4.56:1 with the 2.7-liter engine and the differential housings have improved seals for better resistance to mud and water.

New solar powered ventilation and Remote Air Conditioning. Optional Solar Pack provides independent cooling of cabin when the car is parked. Ventilation operates independently from the vehicle motor, powered by solar roof panels. Additional Remote Air Conditioning function allows air con to be started up to three minutes before car is occupied, operated by key fob control.

The Toyota RiN, whatever that stands for, is the world’s biggest car company’s take on designing the car of choice for the health freak of the future. With a massive greenhouse, seats that keep your spine in its proper position, an oxygen-level conditioner and humidifier, plus a meter that gauges your mood through the steering wheel and then displays a colour based on your psychological state, Toyota thinks it can make better, happier motorists, that are more aware of nature and the society that infuses it.The design language is based on the deep-rooted and tall-growing Yakusugi tree (a variety of Japanese cypress) for its exterior and interior design to express both “harmony with nature” and “healthy mind and body”.

The FT-HS incorporates hybrid capability while maintaining sports car essentials, such as a sleek profile, lightweight aero-dynamic materials, and an advanced high-output powertrain for revolutionary acceleration and optimal performance.The lean skeletal look is achieved with exposed cross-car architecture and high-tech materials such as carbon fiber, and titanium. FT-HS' interior features create a dedicated driver's cockpit which include subtractive mass expressions such as cross-car instrument panel structure and delta wing driver pod. The delta-wing driver's pod integrates many useful functions into a lightweight structural unit.For example, touch-trace sensors which surround the driver and act as tactile guides for finger controls when traveling at high speeds.

By eliminating the "B" pillar and creating a suspended "C" pillar, the minimalist style works in conjunction with subtractive mass.

Rin is a 'toy like' concept. This car is usually in the category of cute cars.Rin means 'upright' and 'graceful'. It has transparent floor and big windows.Rin, a plug-in gas electric hybrid. Its plugins run longer than a regular hybrid because it recharges in a house hold socket.These cars appear to be inspired more by the iPod, futuristic space capsules and Japanese manga animation.

The company is again making news with another concept that could be a common sight on the road after a couple of decades. The car is powered by a 500cc engine that is about a third the size of Toyota’s ingenuity. This car makes use of high-tech material like carbon-fibre reinforced plastic which gives it collision safety. Its weight is just over 400kg .This car is also powered by electricity which gives it better speed and range. The car makes use of materials that are not readily available today and manufacturing them especially for the car is not a cost-effective approach.