Report: Contrary to rumors, Toyota FT-86 development on track, expected Nov. 2011

Toyota FT-86 G Sports Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to Adam Zillin at 7tune, Toyota recently held at shindig in Japan for select scribes in order to get some things straight about its Toyota G's performance vehicles. Naturally, talk quickly turned to the FT-86 (or FR-S) Although it was reported two months ago that the much-anticipated sports coupe would be delayed until 2013 for design and powerplant reasons, the Toyota engineers at the event reportedly attested that "the car is on schedule" and still has a planned release date of November 2011.

Clarity on the lineup was offered as well: Three spec levels will be available with at least two engines, and the mid-range model is expected to run around 2.5 million yen ($28,500 USD). Further, it appears that a turbocharged variant will take the top slot. According to 7Tune, none of those engines will be a hybrid – that tech is being reserved for a different sporty product.

If there's any news from the event that makes us as excited as word that we might see the car next year, it's the head of the sports division saying that "because of Toyota's connection with Subaru, there was no way that the car wasn't going to be great." We hope he knows what he's talking about. Top tip, Adam!

Gallery: Toyota G Sports Series

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[Source: 7Tune]

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Japan, Toyota, Rumormill

Tags: ft-86, FT86, gs, subiyota, toyobaru, toyota coupe, Toyota FR-S, toyota frs, toyota ft-86, toyota ft86, toyota gs, ToyotaCoupe, ToyotaFr-s, ToyotaFrs, ToyotaFt-86, ToyotaFt86, ToyotaGs

Tesla Roadster Sport Signature 250 review

Last year, we had the pleasure of testing a Tesla Roadster -- the world's first electric sports car. It was terrific, but we couldn't help but wishing we could have a go in the faster, more expensive Roadster Sport. A few days ago, that wish came true.

Looks, fine

The Roadster Sport looks identical to the standard car, but that's a good thing, as both are beautiful to the point of distraction. Upon collection of our test car, we spent approximately 30 minutes talking to the marketing folks at Tesla, yupping, aahing and nodding our way through the handover process, pretending we were actually listening. Not a single word was registered -- we were far too busy gawping at the car, thinking up polite ways of shutting them up so we could grab the keys and burn rubber.

Once inside the car, it was obvious the cabin had changed since we'd last driven it. Firstly, Tesla has placed the steering wheel in the correct right-hand position, making it more suited to British roads. The company has also removed the centrally mounted joystick that selected neutral, forward or reverse gears and replaced it with a set of futuristic-looking buttons that are more coherent with the car's bleeding-edge image.

Our Signature 250-edition test vehicle -- of which only 250 will be built -- also came with £6,000-worth of optional extras including a plaque engraved with the names of all Tesla employees involved in the creation of the car, mounted on the bulkhead between the seats.

I can't see!

The Roadster Sport is somewhat impractical -- and that's being polite. Let's see. The cabin is so small, you'll touch elbows with your passenger. Getting in and out of the low bucket seats requires a bendier spine than humans are equipped with. The steering wheel obscures your vision of the speedo, so you have no idea how fast you're going. The body panel behind the windscreen obscures your blind spot completely. The top of the windscreen obscures traffic lights if you've stopped too close, and there are countless nooks and crannies down which your belongings can disappear. We learned this the hard way, as within about two minutes of driving, our mobile phone flew from its cubby hole, slid under the seat and vanished -- never to be seen again.

Go Go Gadget gadgets

Despite its quirks, this new car is actually more practical than the last. The versatile 104mm (4-inch) touchscreen display, which sat awkwardly between the door and steering wheel on the old car, now lives in the centre console. With this, you'll be able to toggle driving modes that prioritise high performance or longer battery life. The touch interface also lets you specify when the car should begin charging itself (to take advantage of cheaper night rates) and lets you calculate how much petrol you've saved by driving electric.

There are also a couple of fun features, including a G-meter that measures how much G-force you're generating during braking and acceleration. We don't advise looking at this while you're hurtling towards the horizon at full pelt.

In-car entertainment is fairly well-catered for. The Roadster's Alpine iDA-X305 stereo doesn't feature a CD player, but it'll let you enjoy digital music from an iPod or mobile phone with relative ease. Those who don't have an iPod can swap the iPod dock for a standard USB port, though there's also the option of streaming Bluetooth audio (plus hands-free Bluetooth calls) from your mobile phone to the car's excellent loudspeakers.

Hum-drum

Even if you're not playing music, there are plenty of noises inside a Tesla Roadster Sport. Its electric motor may not speak the same language as a rambunctious V12 engine, but the cockpit is awash with noises. During low-speed driving, there are whines from the motor, hums from the transmission and -- after enthusiastic blasts -- a loud drone as the cooling fans draw heat from the battery pack. During high-speed stints, the motor emits a beefy turbine-style whine that -- from inside the cabin, at least -- sounds like a jet taxiing for take-off.

Sporty spice

It feels like a jet, too. The Roadster we tested last year was capable of 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds and went on to a top speed of 125mph, but the Roadster Sport is quicker still. It uses the same AC induction engine as the standard car, but by tweaking the car's firmware, Tesla has boosted the battery output to increase torque from 370Nm to 400Nm, dropping its 0-60mph time to 3.7 seconds in the process. The Sport edition also gets adjustable suspension, so you can tweak the firmness of the ride and choose stickier tyres, making it more suited to track use.

The car's motor, though no bigger than a small dog, delivers smooth but unrelenting dollops of torque. Mash the go pedal at almost any speed and it'll pin you back into your seat like no car you've ever driven. Aston Martins, Porsches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris all feel pedestrian in comparison to this thing -- they're all incredibly fast cars, we'll concede, but none can deliver the same hair-raising, physics-defying, wet-the-bed performance you'll get from a Tesla Roadster Sport.

If we have one reservation with the car's performance, it's the brakes -- the Roadster Sport's stopping power really don't measure up to its awesome acceleration. They work pretty well in the dry, but drop anchor while traversing a bumpy road or in the wet, and you'll soil yourself as the ABS brings you to a doddering halt.

How much?!

The Roadster Sport costs a whopping £101,900 -- nearly £15,000 more than the standard car. It's difficult to justify that sort of money for a little extra performance, so we'd recommend the standard car unless you're intent on taking it round a track.

Whichever model you choose, it's worth noting that running costs are significantly lower than those of standard cars. A full recharge will cost in the region of £3 and with that you'll be able to drive an impressive 236 miles. The car is also exempt from road tax and the congestion charge, so it's ideal for people who drive thousands of miles in and out of London every year.

The Tesla Roadster Sport is undeniably a very special vehicle. It's far from perfect, but it's superb fun to drive -- particularly if you're the sort of person that likes leaving exotic supercars for dead at traffic lights. It won't suit everyone -- it's difficult to live with day-to-day and its limited range limits how far you'll be able to drive -- but for those who have the money, it's a wonderful toy.

Tesla Roadster Sport stats

• Model tested: Tesla Roadster Sport Signature 250
• Top speed: 125mph
• Acceleration: 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds
• Max power: 288bhp
• Range: 236 miles
• Price: £101,900

2011 Toyota Sienna

Toyota

A little bigger and a little wider than the previous generation, the 2011 Toyota Sienna is pure comfort throughout.

Style meets function with 2011 Toyota Sienna 

It's tough to put swagger in a minivan. Toyota Motor Corp. has tried to claim its all-new 2011 Toyota Sienna is cool, fun and the kind of vehicle young, hip parents want in their lives. But that's simply not true. There's nothing particularly cool about a minivan. Cool is Corvette, cool is cruising to a Tigers' game on a summer night with the top down and 89X cranking on the stereo. There are no juice boxes in cool. Coolness is instantly removed when a person becomes a parent. This is a fact of life even Edna Garrett can agree with. But don't let dumb marketing get in the way of a great minivan. 

The new Sienna offers parents all of the luxury amenities they could ever want. It's designed for function first but still pulls off style.
It might even make parenting a little easier -- which is the entire purpose of minivans.
Minivans in general are the single most utilitarian people hauler around. For families, it allows siblings to be separated to just out-of-arm's reach of each other and cuts down the "he's touching me" comments to a minimum. More importantly, every person in this vehicle will be comfortable.

The front row bucket seats are nicer than most people's living room furniture, and the second row captain's chairs include foot rests -- though for adults the front seats do get in the way. The third row is big enough for adults and access is easy. While some people may need the eight-passenger configuration, I prefer the seven-passenger version with the stylish second row seats. It makes getting to the third row easier and the seats were made for a long nap.
The Sienna comes with a slew of storage areas, including a 12-pack worth of cup holders on the eight-passenger model. (There are only 10 cup holders on the seven-passenger model.)
But more importantly, there's lots of space inside.

Bigger and wider

A little bigger and a little wider than the previous generation, the Sienna is pure comfort throughout. It's also stylishly designed with an asymmetrical wood trim across the center of the dash. Much of the dash has a decent grain. 

Typically, wood-looking trim looks cheap if it's not at a super high gloss. But Toyota does a nice job with the trim throughout the cabin. Everything feels well made and put together smartly. The dual glove boxes mean wet naps and other need-quick items can go in the top and confiscated toys can go in the bottom. 

Even the center console pulls back for passengers in the second row to reach. There's also a light in the storage compartment to make finding things much easier -- especially at night. 

Plus, there's the giant entertainment system for backseat passengers. The fold-down screen can show two different pictures at the same time, allowing the teenager to swoon over "Twilight: New Moon" and the younger brother to kill vampires in Darkwatch on Xbox 360 (easily connected to the system). Both can listen to their game or movie through wireless headsets. 

And with the kids quiet, parenting becomes easier.

Car-like ride

That lets the driver take a little time to appreciate the Sienna's performance.

One of the great features of minivans is the quiet, car-like ride. These were the first crossovers -- back in the '80s people thought crossovers were athletes who played baseball and football. 

My test vehicle came with Toyota's venerable 3.5-liter V-6 that pushes out 265 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque. This is more than enough power to get this minivan up and running. It cruises around nicely on the highway, its independent front and torsion beam rear gliding over bumps. 

Even with 120 inches of wheelbase, the Sienna is easy to maneuver around parking lots or tight city streets. This is a vehicle, however, that won't set any slalom records. It's big and heavy, and the body will roll through big turns. The all-wheel drive system available for the Sienna could help some of the handling problems as well as help drivers feel a little safer in inclement weather. 

There is also a 2.7-liter four-cylinder model that produces 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque.

The ride position feels low when you're behind the wheel, though you still have a commanding view of the road. And while it's hard to see out the back when in reverse, Toyota offers a panoramic view with its backup camera that lets you see everything behind you. 

There's a sport version of the Sienna, which feels a little insincere, as minivans remain one of the most emasculating vehicles in America next to a Smart fortwo. Face it, more sports cars have been traded in for minivans than any other vehicle, according to sad anecdotal evidence. Others have tried to toughen up their minivans, too, but it just doesn't seem to work. Attaching cool to the box doesn't make it a fridge.

Bold, aggressive exterior

That's not to take away from the exterior of the new Sienna, which is both bold and aggressive -- with the caveat that it's still a minivan. The big grille outlined by silver trim touches the headlamps that stretch around the rounded corners of the front end.

The wheels are pushed out to the edges of the Sienna to give it a stable and well-planted look. It also provides all of that great room inside -- once again allowing form and function to meld into a better vehicle.

The double-sliding second row doors, the norm on minivans, are just awesome. They can be operated with the key fob as you walk up to vehicle, as well as the liftgate, a feature people love once they use it. The doors do take a little getting used to when opening and closing because they operate on a motor, but after a few days of working them, I was accustomed to that minivan door tug. 

Inside and out, the new Sienna is better than ever. For minivan customers, there's never been a better one of these boxy utilitarian vehicles that can handle soccer games, ballet lessons, trips around town and to Lowes. It's a vehicle that gets all of the chores done in as much fashion as a minivan can afford.

Nowadays, there's something to be said for that. It may not be as cool as some marketing departments portend, but cool is overrated when it comes to parenting. 

Put the swagger in your kids, not your wagon, and just enjoy the ride.

The Sienna will get you there comfortably. And being there is the most important part.

2011 Toyota Sienna

Price: $25,060

Type: Seven- or eight-passenger, front-wheel or all-wheel drive minivan.

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Engine

2.7 liter four-cylinder

3.5-liter V-6

Power

2.7 liter: 187 horsepower; 186 pound-feet torque

3.5-liter: 265 horsepower; 245 pound-feet torque

EPA gas mileage

2.7-liter (FWD): 19 mpg city / 24 mpg highway

3.5-liter (AWD): 16 mpg city / 22 mpg highway

Toyota Prius 2010 review

The Toyota Prius is loved and loathed in equal measure. To some, it is a mere gimmick that does as much to harm the environment as it does to protect it. Others believe it represents the future of motoring, boldly forging a path that other cars simply aren't equipped to follow.

Whatever your opinion, it's difficult to deny the Prius has always been a technological tour de force, but has the latest iteration evolved sufficiently to silence the brand's critics? We think so.

The good

Toyota hasn't been sitting on its laurels since the last Prius. Almost every major component inside the 2008, generation II Prius has been overhauled, rejigged or replaced, although in many cases these replacements aren't what you might expect. The 1.5-litre engine from the previous model has been ditched for a larger, more powerful 1.8-litre unit, which delivers 98bhp and 142Nm of torque. You might assume it guzzles more fuel, but its frugal Atkinson cycle combustion process actually uses less petrol -- particularly on the open road where it doesn't need to work as hard as a smaller engine to achieve the same speed. 

Toyota has also overhauled its famed Hybrid Synergy Drive system. It now consists of a lighter, more powerful electrical engine, which is capable of driving the vehicle all on its own; working alongside the petrol engine to boost acceleration; or acting as a high-output generator that recovers kinetic energy and charges the battery when braking. Total power is increased by 24 per cent to 134bhp, and it certainly feels it. The new Prius strides from 0-60mph in 10.4 seconds -- half a second quicker than its predecessor. You shouldn't make the mistake of assuming it handles well -- that's not what this car is about -- but under most circumstances, it delivers a driving experience on a par with its non-hybrid rivals.

Toyota has worked magic on the car's emissions and fuel consumption. The company's official figures say the Prius achieves 72.4mpg on a combined cycle, but if driven frugally on flowing roads, you can expect to figures closer to the 100mpg mark. Over a 20km stretch averaging around 70kph, the Prius' onboard computer told us it was using just 3.3 litres of fuel per 100km -- the equivalent of 85mpg. Carbon emissions are just as miserly – the Prius now dumps just 89g/km of CO2. As this is significantly below the 100g/km threshold, the car is exempt from road tax and London's congestion charge.

The bad

The latest Prius is 70Kg heavier than its predecessor, and this is largely down to the amount of new technology inside. It sports a brand new head unit with a 7-inch touch-sensitive display that gives access to  audio, satellite navigation and vehicle control features. But while the audio portion of the system has potential, it has big flaws. Tracks can be ripped from a CD to a 40Gb hard drive, though 30GB of that is reserved for satellite mapping data. 

From those ripped albums, users can create custom playlists spanning tracks from multiple albums. That is a feature we've not seen in any previous in-car audio system, but it's ruined by one one major problem -- the system (in our test car, at least) wasn't capable of recognising proper track names. Every track, regardless of its title on the CD, was labelled as Track 'X', where the 'X' represented its track number on the CD. We're mystified as to why this was the case, particularly as a Gracenote logo was in evidence, normally indicating the head unit is capable of recognising CD track data, but Toyota told us that this is normall. Songs can be renamed manually, but the process is tedious – renaming an entire album, for example, could take upwards of ten minutes. 

The Prius is the first commercially-available vehicle with an optional solar roof. Press the A/C button on the keyfob and it'll start an electric fan blowing air through the cabin. According to Toyota, it has the capacity to reduce cabin temperature from 80 to 45 degrees C, while reducing the need to run the petrol-guzzling air conditioning system once you've returned to the car. We're not so convinced. The solar cells only have enough juice to run for three minutes at a time, and even if it could run for longer, we're not sure how blowing hot air into an already baking cabin helps matters. In any case, it's not a feature that is as necessary in the UK as elsewhere in the world. Spend your £1,450 elsewhere.

The 2nd-generation Prius wowed us with its Intelligent Park Assist (IPA) -- a feature that allowed the car to automatically manoeuvre itself into a space, but it's somehow less compelling this time around. The feature comes as standard on the top-end T Spirit model, but is an option in the entry and mid-level T3 and T4 variants (for more details on all these models, see the www.toyota.co.uk). To use it, you simply pull alongside a vehicle, engage reverse gear, and tap to identify your space on the image displayed by the reverse parking camera. 

If IPA believes it can fit in your chosen gap, it asks you to gently reduce your brake pressure as it automatically turns the steering wheel to the appropriate positions in order to complete the maneuverer. It's as impressive as it is pointless. Those who are already capable of parking will never use it, and those who struggle with parking are just as likely to struggle with IPA's clumsy interface.

The bottom line

The previous Prius was something of a gimmick -- a car politicians and actors could use to boost their public standing or flatter their own consciences. Whichever way you looked at it, there were plenty of alternative cars that were either more fuel efficient, greener, or both.

The new Prius, however, is the real deal. If driven correctly, its fuel economy remains impressive, and the fact it emits such little CO2 is a stunning achievement. It's also worth noting that despite its eco credentials, it still manages to convey the feeling that it's a proper car -- something the previous model struggled with. Rival manufacturers should take note, Toyota has set the bar high with this one.

RAV4 to be Electric with Development by Tesla & Toyota

2010 Toyota RAV4. (Courtesy of Toyota Newsroom) 

Toyota Motor Corporation and Tesla Motors will begin developing an electric version of the RAV4, Toyota’s popular mid-size sport utility vehicle. The two companies signed an agreement on Friday after Elon Musk and Akio Toyoda – the CEOs of Tesla and Toyota, respectively – announced the partnership in May.

The new electric car will be the product of a Tesla generator engineered inside a Toyota RAV4 body, according to a press release issued by Telsa. The vehicle is expected to enter the market in 2012, and will be distributed and sold by Toyota.

The two companies intend to learn and benefit from each other through their cooperation, according to the release.

"Through this partnership, by working together with a venture business such as Tesla, Toyota would like to learn from the challenging spirit, quick decision-making, and flexibility that Tesla has,” Toyoda said in May press release from Toyota. “By partnering with Tesla, my hope is that all Toyota employees will recall that ‘venture business spirit,’ and take on the challenges of the future."

Over the next year, Tesla will produce several models of the new car to be approved by Toyota, according to the most recent release. Toyota’s engineers are currently testing the first model.

Toyota and Tesla are not the only motor companies that look forward to producing electric vehicles.

Honda plans to introduce an electric car, as well as a new plug-in hybrid system for its larger vehicles, Takanobu Ito, CEO of Honda Motor Company, announced in his mid-year CEO speech on Tuesday. 

Subpoena for Toyota Over Defects in Steering

A federal grand jury in New York has subpoenaed Toyota Motor, seeking information on steering-related defects in its vehicles. The move could widen an investigation into the automaker’s handling of a recall in 2005.

In a short filing on Tuesday with the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Toyota said the subpoena, received by subsidiaries in the United States on June 29, had demanded documents about defects in steering relay rods in the company’s cars. 

Toyota intended to “cooperate earnestly” with investigations, the filing said. Toyota had already received two subpoenas this year, one from a grand jury in February for documents related to sudden acceleration and braking and one from the Michigan attorney general in March for information on recalls.

It was not immediately clear what defects — or which models or production years — the latest subpoena concerned. Ririko Takeuchi, a spokeswoman for Toyota based in Tokyo, said the automaker was still clarifying details of the subpoena. 

Earlier this year, American regulators said they were investigating a 2005 Toyota recall — for a steering-related problem in vehicles including 4Runners — in connection with a possible breach of rules for alerting the authorities about flaws. 

The Transportation Department said in May that it was investigating the timing of the September 2005 recall for steering relay rod defects after an October 2004 recall in Japan for the same flaw. Under American law, carmakers have five days to report safety problems to regulators. 

In 2004, Toyota told regulators that the defect was limited to vehicles in Japan and that it had not received reports of similar problems in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

But in late 2005, Toyota told the agency that the steering relay rod defect was present in models sold in the United States, and the company recalled about 977,000 vehicles. 

The automaker, based in Toyota City, Japan, has already faced a criminal investigation in Japan over its handling of faulty steering relay rods. 

The latest grand jury subpoena comes as Toyota continues an internal investigation into complaints over sticking accelerator pedals and floor mats that interfere with the pedals.

Since November, Toyota has recalled about 8.5 million vehicles worldwide to resolve problems with pedals that stick or get caught under floor mats. In issuing the recalls, Toyota acknowledged the problems but said it had not conducted a thorough review of the complaints.

Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport Special Edition Announced

Last week, Toyota Corolla was announced a special edition called the Corolla Ascent Sport in Australia market, priced from $22,500 – that’s $510 more than the regular Corolla Ascent hatch, limited to 1500 hatchback units by continuing its run of limited edition models.

Toyota Corolla is an enormous seller in Australia. The new Corolla special edition is offered as a hatchback only, with the choice of manual or automatic transmission. Toyota Corolla is quite a large car in its latest format and can seat four adults in comfort, with good legroom and headroom for all. The rear floor is virtually flat all the way across so foot room is much better than average for the occupant, preferably a child, sitting in the centre-rear seat.

The limited edition model boasts $1600 worth of additional features like 16-inch ‘blade‘ alloy wheels, front and rear spoilers, front foglamps, a monochromatic LCD display, amber backlighting, joystick controller, single CD player, Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming, and USB and 3.5mm aux connectivity, plus the obligatory ‘Sport’ badging based on the entry-level Corolla Ascent. Exterior color availability has been increased to eight colors with the addition of Tidal Blue, which was exclusive to Levin SX and ZR.

Toyota Corolla has handling that is positive, with good turn in and only moderate under steer unless you push it hard. There’s good feedback through the steering wheel and all but the most enthusiastic of drivers will appreciate the way the compromise between ride and handling has been reached. Bad bumps can catch the Corolla out from time to time but on the whole it’s capable of handling even harsh country roads.

The Toyota’s body has the frozen feel that’s roughly European in the approach it handles rough surfaces with nary the cheep or the clap. This promises even more long-term continuance than we have become in the habit of to in the Corolla for most years right away. The Corolla is a generously equipped small car and the ‘Sport’ Special Edition hatchback is a good buy with its handy 1.8-litre, 100kW/175Nm powerplant and a choice of six-speed manual or four-speed automatic, plus standard traction control and stability control.

Fuel economy is a claimed 7.3 l/100km for the four-speed automatic. With just one country jaunt and a week spent in city traffic, the test car returned 8.4 l/100km which sits well given the Corolla’s 9.4 l/100km official city consumption figure.Cruise control, sports steering wheel and gear shift and a 12v accessory power socket round out the interior features. An optional safety pack can be added for a further $500, which adds two side curtain-shield airbags and a driver’s knee airbag to the existing driver and front-passenger airbags and front-seat airbags.

Snaps of 2010 Toyota Corolla Ascent ‘Sport’ Special Edition:

An Electric Toyota RAV4 Compact SUV by Tesla on its Way

The leaked news that had recently hit the headlines about Tesla and Toyota coming together to bring an electric version of the Toyota RAV4, has now turned official. Under the strategic partnership of these two leading auto brands, the electric RAV4 compact sport-utility vehicle will not only be manufactured but also go on sales in 2012.

The two companies have signed an agreement to initiate the development of an electric version of the RAV4 as announced in May of this year by Elon Musk and Akio Toyoda. According to the statements from the two companies Tesla has already produced a prototype that is undergoing testing and plans to deliver more this year.

“Tesla’s goal is to produce increasingly affordable electric cars for mainstream buyers – relentlessly driving down the cost of EVs…..Tesla seeks to learn and benefit from Toyota’s engineering, manufacturing, and production expertise, while Toyota aims to learn from Tesla’s EV technology, daring spirit, quick decision-making, and flexibility, “ read the press statement.

An unnamed source also confirms to Autonews that the companies may also develop an electric Lexus RX luxury SUV in the very near future.