Toyota Chief Engineer Reveals GT86 is First of Three Sports Cars

When Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda requested his engineers to develop a new affordable, exciting sports car, his team introduced the Toyota GT86 / Scion FR-S and answered Toyoda's requisites in spades.

However, it would be a shame if the rejuvenation of Toyota's sporting DNA were to end there. Thankfully, Toyoda-san has grander plans. Beyond the Toyota GT86 / Scion FR-S, the Japanese automaker plans to unveil two additional sport models for its future lineup.

While speaking with Top Gear Philippines, Toyota chief engineer Tetsuya Tada said, "The first is more mass market and cheaper than the 86 and the third is more upmarket than the 86."

As budgeted as the GT86 already is, it's impressive to see Toyota deliver performance at an even more budget-minded segment. Following up on Tada's statement, Top Gear Philippines also asked whether a sports car slotting above the GT86 suggests a Toyota supra revival. To that, Tada refused to confirm any speculations.

Performance specs have not been revealed either but judging from existing segments, a sports car slotting below the GT86 will likely use a more cost effective front-wheel-drive drivetrain. While the hot-hatch segment is highly contested, Toyota certainly has the resources to properly challenge the segment leaders including Volkswagen GTI, Ford Focus ST, and Mazdaspeed3. Given the aging Toyota Corolla compact sedan is expected to receive a complete redesign very soon, we look forward to seeing what Toyota unveils in the months ahead. Another possibility is a Celica revival, although this may cause a saturation in two-door coupes for the Toyota lineup.

Tada may deny the development of a new Supra, but until we have more information, this seems to be the most logical hunch. The upmarket sports car is expected to face off against the like of the Nissan Z and the Ford Mustang.

-Courtesy of iMotorTimes

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Toyota's ultimate smartphone accessory: a mini-car

Toyota's new concept car works as a giant extension of the driver's smartphone.

The company's "Smart INSECT" vehicle has a pad in its dashboard for mobile handsets, from which it syncs online services while also providing wireless charging.

The INSECT, whose name stands for "Information Network Social Electricity City Transporter," is packed with features now commonly found on phones and tablets. As a potential driver approaches its front, the car uses facial recognition to identify them, and the individual can then use voice and gesture controls to make queries or open the door and trunk.

Toyota's concept can communicate with its driver's home while on the road, checking whether the front door is locked or the settings of the air conditioning. The car has a large LCD display above the steering wheel that also shows information from the smartphone it is synced to.

"This car is based on the concept of connecting people, cars, and homes. It was developed by an IT engineer and has technologies such as telematics built in," said Yuji Amano, a group manager at Toyota.

The car links into to the "Toyota Smart Center," a platform that connects electric and hybrid cars with buildings and power companies, with the goal of making everything more efficient.

By accessing users' smartphones, Toyota will also gain access to information about its customers beyond their driving habits.

"The car uses data gathered from customers' actions to predict what they will do and suggest information to them," said Amano.

"One example might be in navigation, where the system uses what the user has done so far to suggest a destination."

Another example is advertising. In a demonstration, the INSECT takes a young woman to her favorite convenience store, then suggests a new snack that has recently gone on sale.

The car is based on Toyota's Coms personal electric vehicle, which sells in Japan for about $9,000. The Coms can reach speeds of 60 kilometers per hour, and can drive for about 50 kilometers on a six-hour charge.

Check out a video on the concept below:

Here's a Monday Maintenance Tip: Tackling Fall's organic bounty

As you tackle fall's bounty on your lawn, leave some energy for removing the leaves that find their way into your vehicle.

Leaves, twigs and other organic matter can cause havoc with gutters on your house -- and the equivalent on your car. When debris builds up in areas of your car where water is supposed to flow out, you can get leaks or corrosion.

If you have a sunroof, open it up and poke around in there, too. Sunroofs have drains that flow water that sneaks past the seals down to the ground. Leaf gunk in there can make for wet headliners or worse.

Less common, but more problematic: Animals may make nests in the engine compartment or airbox. You may need a mechanic and an animal trapper to fully solve this problem. 

-Courtesy of Kiplinger.com

 

Toyota plans to expand green vehicle lineup

Toyota believes in green. Japan’s biggest car maker is boosting its green vehicle lineup, with plans for 21 new hybrids in the next three years, a new electric car later this year and a fuel-cell vehicle by 2015. The shift to eco-driving by Toyota is in response to growing demand for fuel efficiency. An electric version of the Rav-4 sport utility model, which Toyota worked on with America’s electric vehicle maker Tesla Motors, goes on sale this month. The fuel-cell vehicle, which runs on hydrogen to produce electricity, will be offered in 2015.

Toyota is counting on its reputation for green technology that it built with its hit Prius, the world’s leading gas-electric hybrid, to woo buyers. Takeshi Uchiyamada, the executive overseeing technology and new model development at Toyota, told The Associated Press the long-term potential for fuel cells was great compared to electric cars because of greater cruise range and shorter charging time. He said tens of thousands of fuel-cell vehicles were likely to get sold in the 2020s. A good compromise at the moment is the plug-in hybrid, which works as an electric vehicle until the battery runs down, and then switches to its hybrid motor, so there’s less chance of being stranded than with a standard electric car.

-Courtesy of ABC News

Keep your child safe during Child Passenger Safety Month

September is Child Safety Passenger Month, and child safety in the car is always a top priority. Here's a quick, simple checklist to make sure that your child passenger is safe during your next errand:

1. Right Seat

Check the label on your car seat to make sure it’s appropriate for your child’s age, weight and height.

2. Right Place

Keep all children in the back seat until they are 13.

3. Right Direction

Keep your child in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible, usually until around age 2.

4. Inch Test

A properly installed seat will not move more than an inch.

5. Pinch Test

Make sure the harness is tightly buckled and you are unable to pinch any excess webbing.

Toyota's new robot is handy household helper

An in-home robot for the masses that can fetch objects from the floor and high shelves and connect you with family and friends via a tablet computer, is being shown off this week at a trade show in Japan.

The lightweight, cylindrical Human Support Robot (HSR) responds to voice commands as well as a graphic interface on a tablet computer. Its key feature is a folding arm with a two-finger gripper that can pick up stuff from the ground, open curtains, reach high shelves, and other tasks, according to Toyota. 

The arm is about 2.5-feet long and can lift objects weighing up to 2.7 pounds and 5.1 inches wide, which is sufficient to pick up a dropped remote control or fetch an ice cold beer from the fridge.

The 70 pound machine was designed to assist independent home living for people with limited arm or leg mobility. Top speed is only 1.8 miles per hour and the arm moves with insufficient force to cause much trouble, making it safe for indoor, at home use, according to Toyota. 

The robot "can also wear a tablet computer atop its head, which would allow caregivers and family members to communicate with the robot's owner over Skype or other services," Gizmag noted in a story about the robot.

While a price isn’t set for the HSR, it could sell well among Japan’s aging population where insurance will pick up 70 percent of associated costs thanks to a recently passed law to encourage robot technology for elder care.

HSR is just one of many robots under development that are being designed to work with humans in all kinds of situations from the factory floor to the surface of Mars.

-Courtesy of NBC Blogs