Having few things to do this weekend, I decided to crash a Toyota event. It was the 2010 Toyota Experience, which will eventually cover 17 Romanian cities and is meant to promote the Japanese manufacturer’s European line-up, from the cute-and-cuddly iQ to the rough-and-tough Hilux truck and the more stylish Land Cruiser. Video after break.

Toyota chose a parking lot at a mall, very close to a main access road to the city, so that the ramp-activity could be seen by a lot of people. That’s how we got there, after seeing a Hilux doing something that closely resembled rope dancing.

I’m not a fan of off-road driving, not because I don’t like it, but because I’m bad at it. I managed to get a Range Rover stuck in 10 centimeters of water. Same outcome with a Defender… It seems I have that rare talent to get a vehicle stuck in a bucket of jam.

But there are drivers who make off-roading seem like it’s the easiest thing in the world. Like the pilots in our video. Bear with us as the action gets more interesting after the 4 minute mark.

In: Carscoop

While Toyota’s European press department gave us only a pair of photos and no details whatsoever on the revised 2010 Auris pointing towards the Geneva Show for more information, the Japanese firm’s UK arm announced the launch of facelifted model releasing pricing as well specifications.

Furthermore, Toyota revealed that the sales of the British-built full hybrid Auris HSD that shares its gasoline-electric drivetrain with the Prius Hybrid will commence in July. We expect to see the production version of the Auris HSD making its world premiere at the Geneva Show in March.

Toyota wants us to believe that Auris has been fully restyled on the outside, but fact is, we doubt that your average buyer will even notice the changes.

These include a new deep front bumper, reshaped headlamps, revised grille and bonnet profile with stronger crease lines plus newly styled 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels.

The revised tail lamp clusters, the new rear bumper with extended corner sections and the integrated turn indicators on the door mirrors complete the exterior makeover.

Inside, Toyota said (but did not show) that a soft-touch material has been introduced across the top of the instrument binnacle and around the glovebox, while the centre console has been revised with changes to the instrument design.

The new white illumination for the Optitron instrument dials and the new cloth upholstery designs round off the interior updates.

Toyota added that the it has also fine-tuned the Auris’ suspension and steering systems to improve driver feedback and handling.

With the exception of the Auris HSD (Hybrid Synergy Drive) that will go on sale in July, the are no changes to the rest of the engine range that comprises a 1.33-litre petrol engine with Toyota Stop & Start technology, a 1.6 Valvematic petrol with manual or MultiMode transmission and 1.4 D-4D diesel, again with manual gearbox or Multimode.

In the UK, the revised Auris in three- and five-door body styles is on sale now with prices ranging from £14,463 to £16,495 – see detailed pricing in the list above.

2010 Toyota Auris Facelift

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Toyota Auris HSD Hybrid Concept Study

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In: Carscoop

Only a few hours after we posted the first brochure shots of the all-new Sai and Toyota officially took the veils off its new hybrid sedan that will make its public outing at this week’s Tokyo International Motor Show. Larger and more luxurious than the Prius, the Japanese automaker’s second dedicated hybrid car is a sister model to the Lexus HS 250h that recently went on sale in the U.S.

In fact, the two vehicles differ only slightly in appearance with the Sai featuring a new front end design with a unique treatment for the head lamps, bonnet, grille and bumper and different tail lights (even the rear bumper remains the same) and alloy wheel designs.

The reshaped rear side windows and the absence of protective / decorative door trims sum up the exterior revisions over the Lexus HS 250h.

Toyota’s designers spent a few more hours -metaphorically speaking- on the Sai’s interior as the hybrid model features a new instrument panel and center console design as well as a different steering wheel and less fancy trim than its Lexus counterpart.

There are no hidden surprises under the hood as the Sai features the same gasoline-electric hybrid system as the HS 250h. In other words it’s powered by a 2.4-liter Atkinson-cycle VVTi four-cylinder teamed up with an electric motor and a battery pack to achieve a total system output of 190 horsepower. A continuously variable transmission and front-wheel drive round out the drivetrain.

The new Toyota Sai hybrid sedan is planned to go on sale in Japan on December 7, 2009 with a monthly sales target of 3,000 units.

It will be offered in four trim levels with prices ranging from 3,380,000 yen to 4,260,000 yen ($37,200 to $46,800 US at today’s exchange rates). In comparison, the HS 250h is priced in Japan between 3,950,000 and 5,350,000 yen ($43,500 to $58,800). Toyota said it that

Toyota did not say whether the Sai will be available in other markets outside Japan.

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In: Carscoop

Fans of the long-gone Supra, MR2 and even the Celica may rejoice; as we tipped you off a few hours ago, Toyota has just released the first official photos of the FT-86, a near-production concept model of its Subaru co-developed rear-wheel drive coupe that will make its world debut at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month. The production version of the 2+2 seater sports coupe, whose conceptual name harks back to the popular RWD Corolla AE86 of the mid-1980s, is due to go on sale towards the end of 2011.

“The FT-86 Concept is neither an electric vehicle nor a hybrid vehicle, but is a sports model with a gasoline engine developed to convey the essential appeal of automobiles in a new era. It is a must-see concept car that expresses TMC’s desire to once again create a Toyota sports car,” the Japanese automaker said in a release published on its official site.

The compact-sized coupe is powered by a front-mounted, 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine sourced from Subaru that drives the rear wheels. Official details are still scarce, but our sources tell us that Toyota opted to equip the concept model with a naturally-aspirated version of Subaru’s 2.0-liter flat flour that produces 150HP in the Impreza.

However, it is most likely that the Japanese automaker has tweaked the engine to crank out a few more ponies boosting output closer to 200 horsepower.

It’s worth noting that in Japan, Subaru also offers a 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer with 250HP that powers the Impreza S-GT that we all know as the WRX in most markets.

It’s still too early to know which powertrains will be available on the production version of the FT-86, but Subaru’s 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer engines (depending on the market) in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms would have to be the most serious candidates.

The coupe is quite compact in dimensions measuring 4,160mm (163.7-in.) in length, 1,760mm (69.3-in.) in width, and 1,260mm (49.6-in.) in height with a wheelbase of 2,570mm (101.2-in.).

The FT-86 Concept was penned at Toyota’s European Design Development ED2 studio that’s located in Nice, France. The exterior design, which obviously won’t change much when it reaches production in 2011, is clearly inspired by Toyota’s FT-HS hybrid concept that was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in 2007. And yes, we must admit that our first take is very positive.

Needless to say that the FT-86′s interior styling is far too conceptual for production, but it does provide a hint or two (no more though…) at the design direction Toyota is taking with the production model.

As we’ve already said before, the FT-86 will also spawn a Subaru version that will share the same underpinnings and mechanical hardware but according to the two Japanese automakers, will feature its own distinct styling. Hopefully, Subaru’s “design team” won’t disappoint us this time…

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With the new 2010 Honda Insight hybrid already undercutting the current generation Prius in price, it’s a no-brainer that Toyota execs are starting to worry that Honda’s hybrid proposal will have a serious advantage over the next-generation 2010 Prius as the latter will carry an even higher sticker. According to Japan’s Nikkei Business daily, Toyota is planning to confront this problem with the introduction of a new, low-price, hybrid subcompact model that could find its way to overseas markets.

Although Toyota declined to comment on the report, Nikkei claims that the new gasoline-hybrid car will use many modified parts from the Prius with power coming from a smaller engine than the current model’s 1.5-liter unit. The new model, that could hit the market as early as 2011, will reportedly cost 20 to 30 percent cheaper than the current Prius hybrid, which starts at 2.33 million yen ($23,500 with today’s exchange rates).

The Honda Insight, that went on sale in Japan this February, has a starting price of just 1.89 million Yen, or with the current exchange rates, $19,200. In the U.S., the Insight will be priced from $19,800 (see details here).

In: Carscoop

The economic downturn has claimed another victim. Subaru and Toyota have confirmed their joint small sports car project is on hold. Together, they announced the new vehicle back in April, 2008, as a rear-wheel-drive with Subaru’s horizontally opposed boxer engine. Both companies were to sell the car under different names, and with different bodywork.

Toyota has had a small stake in Subaru since 2005, when GM dumped the label. Since then, the two have formed a limited alliance that will see an American Subaru plant as a production facility for the Toyota Camry. That part of the plan is still in effect. Subaru was also set to receive an OEM mini-sized car from Daihatsu, and a small OEM car from Toyota.

Tentatively called the FR, the co-designed 2+2 compact sport vehicle would have had an optimized weight distribution, and was speculated to have as much as 220 hp from Subaru’s 2.0-liter flat four-cylinder. The project was to come to market in 2011, possibly for less than $20,000. It would have been perfect for both companies, as Toyota needs an affordable performance-driven ride, while Subaru needs a performance car that costs less than the Impreza WRX. At 1200 kg, the car would have had a strong power/weight ratio for that price.

We were excited from the start about this vehicle, and we are optimistic that Subaru and Toyota have chosen to put the FR “on hold” instead of outright cancelling it.

Source: freep.com