New Toyota Prius May Get Larger Engine For US Market [Over The Back Fence]

The new Toyota Prius, debuting in Detroit next week, could be getting a larger engine for the American market. Why? US buyers want more power, not better economy.

The fuel economy fan boys over at Prius Chat are all atwitter about news that the 2010 Toyota Prius could come in two flavors: a new, larger 1.8-liter version for Americans and a 1.5-liter for Europeans. It’s thought that the 1.8 could make 100 HP from the engine alone, 160 with the aid of the electric motor. The 1.5 retains the current capacity, but ups total output by 15 HP to 125 HP.

Why the differentiation? Toyota is building the car Americans want to buy, something with the kudos of the current Prius brand, but bigger and faster to suit our power-mad tastes.

The expense to fuel economy is currently unknown, but it is presumed that the 1.8-liter will be less economical than the 1.5. Prius Chat members are seeing this as a mixed blessing. It might prove a less efficient package for dedicated hypermilers, but if it can convince more people to buy a hybrid over a less fuel-efficient vehicle, the overall impact could be a positive one. Of course, it could be a cynical attempt to justify the new Prius's presumed price premium over the 2010 Honda Insight, which is rumored to be coming in around $18,500. [via Prius Chat]

Toyota announces telematics service: Safety Connect and Lexus Enform

Toyota Motor Sales has announced a new in-car convenience telematics program for select Toyota and Lexus models that sounds a lot like GM's popular OnStar program. The proprietary system will be dubbed Safety Connect for Toyota buyers and Lexus Enform for ToMoCo's luxury brand. There's a lengthy press release after the jump, but here are the salient points. Safety Connect is the core service and, as its name implies, is designed to give drivers additional peace of mind.
The system features four different safety and security elements: Automatic Collision Notification (ACN), an Emergency Assistance Button (SOS), Stolen Vehicle Location (SVL), and Roadside Assistance. Using embedded cellular and GPS, it can signal help if there's an airbag deployment or a severe rear-end collision. If the system isn't triggered automatically, the Emergency Assistance Button (SOS) can be used to contact the help center manually. If the car is stolen it can be tracked once a police report is filed. The system also includes Roadside Assistance through the SOS button when the driver needs mechanical assistance.
The Lexus Enform service builds on the basic Safety Connect concept and adds convenience features that Lexus owners will undoubtedly appreciate: Destination Assist and eDestination. Destination Assist provides a live operator who can help with directions or suggest destinations like local points of interest, gas stations or even Zagat-rated restaurants. Once the driver makes a choice, the destination can be sent wirelessly to the vehicle's navigation system. If they want to do the planning themselves, eDestination can be accessed from any PC with owners relaying info to the car's sat-nav.
The whole thing will be accessible by voice command through Lexus' casual-speech voice recognition system, the Flexible Voice Interface, currently scheduled to debut on the 2010 RX. Other features will include Mobile Audio Casts with Lexus Insider and XM Radio. Lexus Insider will provide mini programs and news updates sent automatically that can be accessed at the push of a button. Traffic and weather updates will also be available through XM.
Safety Connect and Lexus Enform will start showing up on select models beginning late this summer with included one-year trial subscriptions.

Gallery: Toyota Safety Connect and Lexus Enform

Nice Price Or Crack Pipe: 11 Grand For A 1988 Toyota Celica Turbo All-Trac?

Surprisingly, only 35% of voters thought that the Ford-powered Maserati Quattroporte was nicely priced at $42,500. Today we're going to return to all-original, unmolested iron, with a highly desirable Reagan Era machine.

Most Celica Turbo All-Tracs got hooned to death years ago, and the remaining survivors are mostly pretty beat. Not this one, though; it's got just 31,133 miles on the odometer and it's shockingly original. Recharge the AC and fix the rip in the dash cover and it should be pretty much mint. Oh, sure, those 21st Century wheels will have to go, but 80s factory Toyota wheels in good shape won't set you back much. However, the price tag on this beauty will take a hefty bite out of your bankroll, to the tune of $11,000. Worth it? Not worth it? What do you think?

Official Euro Honda Insight Hybrid Fuel Economy Numbers Leak: Less Fuel-Efficient Than Toyota Prius

According to leaked info in Honda's official magazine in Belgium, the European 2009 Honda Insight is less fuel-efficient than the current Toyota Prius — but may only be about 1 MPG less.

Information leaked in Honda's official magazine in Belgium and published late yesterday on Carscoop indicate on the European cycle, the 2009 Toyota Prius (the current model) is officially rated at a combined 54.7 MPG average; the 2009 Insight only manages 53.5 MPG in the same test. Lets do some quick math: In the euro cycle, which is more optimistic than American EPA tests, the Insight is 1.9% less efficient than the current Prius. Using the Prius’s official 46 MPG EPA figure to determine a US EPA cycle projection, we can calculate that the Insight would, all thing being equal, manage 45 MPG. 1 less than the Prius. It should be noted, however, that these EPA numbers are estimates only and not official.

The Insight uses the same 1.3-liter, 4-cylinder gasoline engine as the Civic Hybrid, here delivering 88 HP from the engine and a total of 95 HP combined. The gas engine produces 90 lb-ft of torque while the electric motor makes 76 Lb-Ft.

The Belgian Insight will be offered in two trim levels. Standard on both is ABS, Stability Control, a full compliment of airbags, climate control and a CD radio. The up spec model adds Bluetooth, parking assist, cruise control, fog lights, heated front seats and rain sensors.

Expect more details at next week’s Detroit Auto Show, or before then, if another European division of Honda decides it wants in on the embargo break action.

[via Carscoop]

Toyota halting Japanese production for 11 days

The global downturn in car sales is a familiar topic these days, and even the production juggernaut of Toyota is facing unseen declines in demand for its products. To help realign output with that demand, the company has planned to shut down all 12 of its Japanese plants for a total of 11 days in February and March. Toyota's move in Japan echoes similar cutbacks already made by the carmaker in the U.S. as the company struggles to find the right balance of production. A report by the AP reveals that the issue of slow sales isn't just limited to SUVs and pickups.

Toyota plans 11-day plant shutdown in Japan

Toyota execs must think they're living in the Bizarro World. Think about it: operating losses, plunging sales -- these were terms once reserved for its lowly competitors. Not anymore. Now, Toyota's feeling the sting of a down market along with everyone else and is taking steps to try and stop the bleeding. An already-planned 3-day production freeze this month at all of Toyota's Japanese manufacturing plants has now swelled to include 11 more days in February and March. Toyota's hoping to scale back inventories in the face of flagging car sales everywhere. Cue the R.E.M...
[Source: Reuters, AFP]

Toyota to halt production for 11 days

Toyota announced today that it will halt production at its Japanese plants for 11 days in February and March due to a strong decline in U.S. sales that are leading to inventory pile-ups for dealers. Toyota reported a 37 percent loss in December sales in the U.S., making it the sharpest fall in more than a quarter of a century. It even performed worse than its U.S. rivals General Motors and Ford.

“I never expected the crisis to spread this fast and leave this deep a scar,” Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe told reporters in Tokyo.

Rival Honda and Nissan have both announced production output cuts by at least 200,000 vehicles for the fiscal year ending in March. Toyota had previously announced a 3-day production halt for Jan. 2009 at its 12 Japanese plants.

Source: CNNMoney

2009 Toyota Venza starts at $28,270

Toyota Canada announced the pricing on the 2009 Venza crossover, and also stated that their vehicles would get an average of 1% in price increases.
The base front-drive Venza with a 182-hp, 2.7-litre 4-cylinder engine will start at $28,270. It comes with a power driver's seat, climate control, 6-CD/MP3 changer with 6 speakers, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, cruise control, power windows and heated outside mirrors, keyless entry, 19-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, 7 airbags, traction and stability-control systems and 6-speed automatic with manual mode.

The Venza AWD goes for $29,720 and adds a power-closing liftgate. It's also available with a $3,440 Premium Package that adds heated front seats, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, leather, woodgrain interior trim, a power-opening tailgate, a backup camera and a panoramic sunroof.
The $29,970 Venza V6 gets 268 horsepower from its 3.5-litre engine and 20-inch alloy wheels, and the $2,020 Premium Package adds the power-opening tailgate, backup camera, panoramic sunroof as well as an alarm system.
Finally, the Venza V6 AWD costs $31,420 and can be equipped with several packages that include navigation, xenon headlights, Bluetooth connectivity, an upgraded sound system with 13 speakers and keyless start. A fully-loaded Venza reaches $39,345.

Toyota working on solar powered car

According to a report in Japan’s Nikkei newspaper, Toyota is busy developing a solar-powered car. The car will use solar panels to charge an electric battery that will run the vehicle. While a portion of the juice comes directly from these solar panels, the other part comes from electricity generated by solar panels on roofs of homes, which sounds more like “any electricity outlet,” because there doesn’t seem to be a huge difference with a simple electric outlet and a plug getting juice from solar cells (in operation at least).
Toyota, does not appear to be in the mood to stop at just that. It is believed that a future model will be powered entirely by solar cells. Now that is something worth praise. In any case, the solar-powered Toyotas aren’t coming to the roads anytime soon so expect a long-long wait. Toyota has not confirmed or denied these rumors yet.

Via: AP/ Jalopnik

Report: Toyota working on car powered solely by solar energy

According to the Nikkei Japanese newspaper, Toyota is working on a compact-car that will be solely powered by solar energy. The newspaper said that it will be years before the vehicle ever makes it to the markets but Toyota is quickly looking for ways to differentiate itself in the “green car” market.

Nikkei said that the Japanese automaker is currently working on an electric-car that gets some of its power from solar cells and will later develop a model that will be totally powered by solar cells mounted onto the roof of the vehicle.

While Toyota forecasted its first operating loss in 70 years last month, it is still the leader in green technology and Toyota executives have emphasized that they will not cut back on environmental research despite the company’s financial troubles.

Toyota is expected to gain knowledge of solar energy in vehicle use from its partner, Panasonic Corp., which currently produces batteries for its hybrid cars.

Source: Detroit Free Press