Toyota Wish 2009 Brochure Leak (JDM)

People interested in the next generation Toyota Wish may have, for lack of a better term, gotten their wish. A brochure for the company's compact people-mover leaked out on the internet, and we have some details to bring you.

As it stands, the vehicle will have a choice of two engines both upgrades from the vehicle's current offering. The first, Toyota's 2ZR-FAE, is a 1.8-liter DOHC engine that produces 142 hp and generates up to 130 ft-lb of torque. Also found on the Corolla and Matrix, this engine improves on the current Wish base offering by nearly 22 hp, and 8 ft-lbs.

The second engine is a two-liter version of the same engine, producing 158 hp and 145 ft-lb of torque. This is a smaller power improvement, only 3 hp, over the old offering. Torque matches the current higher-valued engine choice.

Length of the new body is increased by 40 mm, and height remains the same. The width of the MPV either remains the same, or increases by 50mm, depending on the trim level. Wheelbase is constant, at 2,750 mm. Inside, the vehicle will feel 10mm longer, and now has 5140 liters of interior space.

There will be four trim levels, with two featuring each engine. Those getting the bigger engine, will also get a push button ignition. Several different wheels will be featured, as well as either a standard or multi-function steering wheel.

The 2009 Toyota Wish is expected to go on sale soon, with deliveries beginning in the 2nd quarter of the year.

Source: autoincar.com

Toyota Corolla Axio Super GT300 Unveiled At Tokyo Auto Salon

Take a look at this amazingly cool Toyota Corolla Axio GT300. The GT300 was unveiled in front of a horde of photographers, including the good folks at NihonCar, during the 2009 Tokyo AutoSalon.

Over 150 kg was trimmed off the world's number one selling sedan, bringing weight down to about 1,100 kg (2,425 lbs). Putting the car on a tube-frame chassis helped to cut the fat. It was then fitted with a 3.5-liter 2GR-FSE V6 engine, producing 296 hp, and mated to a sequential race transmission. The GT300 also has a new suspension system, fit for a race track.

You will get a chance to see more of this car, as it participates in the 2009 Super GT series. The first race in the Japan Automobile Federation Super GT Championship takes place on March 22 in Okayama.

Make sure you check out the NihonCar source link at the top of this article. They have a whole bunch of cool pics.

Source: http://www.nihoncar.com/ via www. jalopnik.com

Toyota Confirms Hydrogen Vehicle for 2015

Toyota has announced plans to sell a hydrogen-powered car by the year 2015. The statement was made at a presentation during the North American International Auto Show.

The Japanese company has continued to make a splash in alternative powered vehicles. They will release a plug-in hybrid later this year, and a two-seat all-electric by 2012.

Hinting at the company's current strategy, Toyota executive VP Masatami Takimoto thinks the entire future of autos will be grouped into three categoires. In the city, people will drive all-electric vehicles, and everywhere else we will use either electric-hybrids or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, he said.

In an interview at Detroit, Takimoto confirmed the 2015 release of the hydrogen car. Toyota has been testing a hydrogen version of the Highlander, which is already sold as a hybrid. Takimoto also spoke on the need to build both consumer confidence in hydrogen power, and a fueling station infrastructure.

Despite the current low price of oil, the price of the commodity could easily spike again. “We will run out of any alternative strategies if the oil supply diminishes,” Takimoto said.

“Oil consumption will increase, and the supply could become unstable.”

BMW already leases the Hydrogen 7, while Honda has shown off the FCX Clarity. GM has talked off and on about releasing a hydrogen car by 2011.

The Toyota Highlander FCHV (fuel cell hydrogen vehicle) can be seen now at the NAIAS. No confirmation if this crossover would be the vehicle Toyota puts their chips on for the fuel cell revolution.

Source: nytimes.com

Toyota Plans to Sell Batteries to Rivals to Offset Costs

Toyota will sell a line of their battery packs to other automakers, even their most intense rivals. The company, already comfortable as a leader in hybrid auto technology, will sell the batteries in order to make a bigger profit on the division.

The company already has over a million units of their top selling Toyota Prius hybrids on the road. A plug-in version will soon hit the market, with new batteries to power them. Toyota has spent considerable money developing these packs, and can bring in more revenue by selling them to others, according to Executive VP Masatami Takimoto.

Despite a drop in Prius sales for 2008, and the promise of increased competition in alternative-energy vehicles, Toyota still dominates the market. The third generation Prius is expected to sell 180,000 units in the U.S. during its first full calendar year in showrooms.

Batteries for the company are made from a joint venture between Toyota and Panasonic. The automaker owns 60 per-cent of the venture, dubbed "Panasonic EV Energy Co.," and plans to open a new plant in Japan later this year. That plant will be responsible for mass production of the lithium-ion battery packs.

So far, Panasonic EV has produced nickel-metal hydride batteries for Toyota group hybrids. More than a million Toyota and Lexus vehicles use the batteries. Some of these batteries have also been purchased by GM, Ford, and Nissan for their production models.

But automakers now want to move from nickel-metal hydride because lithium-ion hold a larger charge. The new batteries are also more expensive, a cost Panasonic EV may be able to bring down with more mass production. Panasonic EV will continue to make the nickel-metal battery packs for some hybrid vehicles. Takimoto believes these packs can also be used by homeowners looking to store electricity produced by solar panels.

Toyota has confirmed the release of an electric two-seater powered by the packs for 2012. Based on the FT-EV unveiled in Detroit, it will have a minimum range of 50 miles per charge (80.5 km).

Source: bloomberg.com

2010 Toyota Prius Unveiled

The third generation Toyota Prius was just unveiled in a news conference at the Detroit Auto Show. The 50mpg car features a hybrid system with over 90% new parts when compared to the last model.

Toyota Division General Manager Bob Carter introduced the vehicle not as a comparison to other brands' hybrids, but in comparison to the first two Toyota Prius models. Its higher fuel economy is nearly 25% better than the first generation Prius. The second-gen got 46mpg.

Fuel economy improvements come from the vehicle's shape, a new engine, and refined hybrid powertrain. Carter remarked how important the car's shape is, because the company believes it has become iconic. Not wanting to alter the shape substantially, they pulled the peak of the roof back by four inches. This gives rear passengers more headroom, while making the Prius more aerodynamic. Its drag coefficient has been reduced to .25 from .26.

This is matched by a reduced overall electric power consumption, made possible by a refined air conditioner. Optional LED headlights also use less electricity than the standard headlights. Another available option is a solar sun roof which can power the ventilation system. When parked, it will use solar power to run fress air through the vents, in turn reducing the cabin temperature. By the time the driver returns to the vehicle, the interior is cooled down, and the driver is less likely to use the a/c.

The new engine is a beltless 1.8-liter four cylinder petrol generating 98 horsepower and 105 ft-lb of torque. This is a vast improvement over the previous engine, a 1.5-liter four banger with 70 hp and 82 ft-lb of torque.

Next up, Toyota refined their Hybrid Synergy Drive system by almost completely overhauling it. The "inverter, motor, and generator" are all smaller and lighter. The new system also recovers energy from heat typically lost through the exhaust. Toyota used the same battery module as found on the 2nd generation car.

0-60mph time has improved to 9.8 seconds, down from 10.5. Drivers also have the option of choosing between three drive modes: EV, Eco, and Power. The first can be used to run the car strictly off battery and at low speeds for about a mile. Eco refines performance for more fuel economy, while Power responds with a faster burst of acceleration when the driver pushes down the gas pedal.

Still snubnosed at the front and stubby at the back, engineers worked to free up room in the cabin. Without increasing length or width, they managed to open the passenger compartment by five cubic feet. The driver also gets a new display showing fuel consumption, energy flow, and other data meant to "help the driver improve fuel consumption." Besides the solar roof, new options on the car include remote a/c, a pre-collission system, lane assist, intelligent parking assist, and SafetyConnect. The last option combines collision notification, a stolen vehicle locator, and a S.O.S. emergency call button.

Over 160,000 new Toyota Prius cars were sold in the U.S. last year. Toyota plans to increase that number by 20,000 with the new model. The third-generation Toyota Prius goes on sale in the U.S. and Japan this spring, with dealerships in 78 other countries soon to follow.

Source: Toyota