Toyota’s iQ and Prius to spawn seven-seater MPV

We really can’t emphasize the consumer shift towards more compact vehicles and it seems like automakers are catering to that shift even when it comes to minivans. According to AutoExpress Toyota’s next MPV will be based on the Estima concept and surprisingly - the iQ and the Prius.

A source told the publication that Toyota is “looking at a seven-seater based on the Prius. It would use a lithium-ion battery, and could be here by 2012.”

Technicians behind the iQ say that the new MPV will also use the compact car’s technology to squeeze in seven-seats into a Yaris. Chief engineer Hiroki Nakajima said that Toyota is always looking for clever engineering and packaging solutions.

“For example, we’re working on a seven-seater that’s the size of the Yaris. We can do it, and give limo-like legroom in the back,” said Nakajima.

Source: AutoExpress

Toyota to debut battery electric vehicle concept in Detroit

Besides showing us the next-generation 2010 Toyota Prius and a new dedicated hybrid for the Lexus brand, Toyota announced today that it will debut a battery electric-vehicle concept at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit Next month.

Toyota has released no details or images of the electric-vehicle concept so we’re not sure whether it will be a plug-in version of the Prius.

That’s all the info we have right now but we’ll bring you more details next month from Detroit.

Toyota wants GM and Chrysler to survive

Believe it or not, Japan wants Detroit to survive. Overseas automakers, mainly Toyota Motor Co., are endorsing some form of federal loans to keep GM and Chrysler out of a possible bankruptcy. Basically, a failure of one or more automakers would cause other automakers production problems, crush the already weak demand and open the door to low-cost competitors (hint-hint - those cheap Chinese knockoffs).

“We support measures to help the industry,” said Toyota spokeswoman Mira Sleilati. “We just want a strong, competitive healthy industry.”

According to CNNMoney, if one of the Big 3 goes under, that would most likely lead to a widespread bankruptcy of auto parts suppliers. That in turn would hurt the production of overseas automakers who produce more than 3 million vehicles in the U.S.

Demand for cars hit a 26-year low in November. Failure of any of the Detroit’s Big 3 automakers would further crush demand with an already aching U.S. economy.

Last but not least, overseas automakers fear the Chinese and Indian automakers entering the markets to buy up the assets of the failed automakers to create low-cost competitors in the U.S.

Sounds scary enough to us.

Source: CNNMoney

Toyota To Halt Mississippi Plant, Plans For US Prius Production

The Carpocalypse comes to the South as the Wall Street Journal reports Toyota plans to delay production of its new plant outside Tupelo, Mississippi.

Toyota's plans to start production at a new plant it is building in Blue Springs, Mississippi have been altered by a steep decline in the sales of new cars and trucks (sales down 32% in November). The company will continue to finish construction of the building but will hold off on installing equipment at the plant, which was supposed to build the Toyota Prius.

This is an interesting development in a regional / political Civil War conflict pitting anti-union Republicans from southern states and their foreign automaker allies against Democrats in the north and their domestic automaker / union supporters. According to the NY Daily News, right-to-work states have given over $3 billion in subsidies and tax incentives to foreign-owned car companies since 1992.

Most importantly for southern Senators, Toyota has claimed it will cut no jobs at the plant but will merely delay production. Just to clarify here — southern Senators believe loaning the not-so-Big Three money so they can pay to put people to work building the next generation of fuel efficient American cars is bad. Giving Toyota and others free money to pay people not to work building Japanese cars is good.

We wonder if those Toyota employees in Missisippi will start Vandalizing Escapes.

[Wall Street Journal]

Toyota’s Australian operations safe - for now

Despite the doom and gloom of Toyota’s current economic status, including global operational losses of $1.7 billion forecast over the next six months, Toyota says it has no current plans to cut jobs in Australia.

Japanese media says falling sales and a climbing yen will lead to the company’s first interim operating loss since 1999 forcing the company to lower its earnings forecasts (October to March period likely to cut Toyota’s full-year profit by 80 per cent).

Unlike many other car manufacturers that have reduced job numbers, Toyota with strong Middle East exports, the production of the Hybrid Camry and a well-managed Australian operation should avoid any downturn locally.

National secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union’s vehicle division Ian Jones has welcomed the news saying,

“I think Toyota have got a good plan for Australia,” he said. “They are a very well-managed Australian operation. I don’t think they will experience the same problems as the other (carmakers).”

Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept - Video

An attempt at the perfect sports car.

Another sports car concept that's not likely to reach production in these economic and fuel-conscious times.

Keep Reading Car and Driver : Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept - Video

Toyota Registers "LFA" with US Patent And Trademark Office

There's been speculation lately the Lexus LFA supercar might be getting the axe due to US economic conditions but a filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office suggests otherwise.

On December 1, 2008, Toyota Motor Company registered the trademark number 77623634 for the term "LFA," no dash as in the past "LF-A," to be used with "Automobiles and structural parts thereof." Now, this doesn't mean the LFA is absolutely, positively going into production, as automakers regularly place dibs on all kinds of names. It does mean that if the car does see the light of day we won't have to call it something else.
[USPTO (direct linking disabled), via AutoSpies]

Toyota Avensis 2.2 D-4D 150 (2009) CAR review

For a new car, the British-built new Toyota Avensis looks and feels remarkably similar to the old one. The Avensis faithful will see this as a good thing. In much the same way that you’d worry if a BBC newsreader arrived on your screen one day with a pink mohican and LOVE and HATE tattooed on his knuckles, you don’t look to the Avensis for innovation and novelty value. It’s safe, reassuring and reliable.

Designed in the south of France, the third-generation Avensis is available in saloon and estate forms (but no hatchback), with a choice of new petrol engines and revised diesels. It has a slightly sharper look, with a hint of Cadillac or Saab around the nose, although mostly it looks like an old Avensis that’s been gently squashed. It’s actually the same height as before, but 50mm longer and 50mm wider.

So the new Toyota Avensis has ballooned like the Mondeo?

Not really, it still feels like a regular family car, whereas the once class-defining Ford has moved into an altogether chubbier, harder-to-park place. The Toyota also weighs more than the car it replaces, but only by 10kg.

There’s good room for four adults inside, plus a good-size child in the middle at the back. The doors are all big and open wide, so even a dodgy hip won’t stop you getting in and out easily. The long, shallow boot has a decent 509 litres of space, although the forwardmost parts take quite a stretch to reach. There’s a full-size spare under the boot floor. So far, so sensible.

2009 Toyota Yaris Facelift with New 1.3-Liter Engine Revealed in Bologna

The facelifted Toyota Yaris made its debut today at the Bologna motor show ahead of its European market launch in early 2009. On the outside, the revised Yaris features a few minor styling updates such as the new front and rear bumpers that gain protective plastic moldings, revised headlights and tail lamps and, a narrower front grille. Toyota has also refreshed the cabin with new upholstery and trim options. The most significant change though is hidden under the hood as the 2009 Yaris gains a new 1.33-liter Dual VVT-i 4-cylinder gasoline engine that was first introduced on the Auris.

The new petrol engine promises to delivers lower emissions, better fuel economy and improved power and torque figures compared to the 1.4-liter unit it replaces. The 1.33-liter Dual VVT-i delivers an output of 101HP and 132 Nm of torque and is matted to a new 6-speed manual gearbox or optionally, to a semi-automatic MMT transmission. Toyota claims that the manual version achieves an average fuel consumption of 5.1 lt per 100 km which translates to 46.1 mpg U.S.

Furthermore, the facelifted Yaris will be available for the first time with Toyota's new Stop&Start technology. According to the Japanese automaker, in a world-first design, the system has a permanently engaged starter gear mechanism meaning that the starter motor is in direct contact with the ring gear on the engine. As a result, the engine starts and stops faster and more quieter.

Honda and Toyota reports sales decline for Nov.: Civic sales down nearly 30%, Sequoia up over 50%

Update: The Detroit Free Press has corrected its story. Highlander sales were down 36 percent. It was actually the Toyota Sequoia, one of Toyota’s largest SUV, that was up 51.9 percent.

Honda, which has been pretty well cushioned from huge sales declines than other automakers, said that November sales fell 31.6 percent. Honda said that sales of its Honda and Acura brands dropped 76,233 from 111,431 during the same period last year. The sales drop affected Honda’s entire lineup besides the Pilot which was up 4.5 percent to 5,601. Civic sales however fell 29.6 percent to 17,690.

Rival Toyota also reported sales drop in the U.S. of 33.9 percent for a total of 130,307 units from both Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles. Lexus sales were down 34.7 percent to 16,223 while Toyota sales were down 33.4 percent to 114,084. For Toyota, Yaris sales were down 16.6 percent to 4,545 units while the Highlander Sequoia was up 51.9 percent to 1,873.

A pretty awkward mix for a market that is moving away from SUVs to compact cars. Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Source: The Detroit Free Press