Toyota Tundra to Tow Space Shuttle Endeavour on Last Leg of Journey to the California Science Center

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) announced today that the Toyota Tundra full-size pickup truck is slated to tow the space shuttle Endeavour during its final journey to the California Science Center on October 13, 2012, where it will go on permanent display. The Endeavour will travel a total of 12 miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on city streets to the Science Center, with the Tundra towing the last quarter mile.

Tested extensively prior to the announcement, the 2012 Tundra is slated to safely tow the 300,000 pound historic artifact down Bill Robertson Lane in Exposition Park, near downtown Los Angeles, on the final leg of its journey. Endeavour will be towed using a stock 2012 Tundra CrewMax 1/2–ton pickup, identical to models currently found in Toyota dealerships, with no additional modifications made to increase towing capacity or generate more power. The Tundra CrewMax is equipped with Toyota’s powerful 5.7L V8 engine, producing a maximum tow capacity of 10,000 pounds. TMS has done extensive testing and worked with The Sarens Group, a heavy lifting and engineered transport company, to develop a dolly specifically for hauling the Endeavour.

“There is no larger or more recognizable icon of the U.S. space program’s success than the shuttle, and to have it towed by the Toyota Tundra is not only an incredible example of the capabilities of the truck, but an honor to be part of history,” said Ed Laukes, TMS vice president of marketing communications. “The entire journey is something the world will be watching, and gives us a chance to prove that the ‘overbuilt’ Tundra is built to do any job – even tow the space shuttle.”

Participation in the transportation of the shuttle is part of an ongoing partnership between TMS and the Science Center in an effort to provide support and awareness of the space program and continuing education of the public through exhibits and programs. Toyota currently has a Tundra truck on display in a Science Center exhibit demonstrating the physics of leverage. The tow Tundra will replace the existing Tundra and will be on display after the Endeavour exhibit opens on October 30, 2012.

At the end of the Endeavour’s 12 mile journey from LAX to the Science Center, a “finish-line” celebration at Exposition Park is planned for the evening of October 13, as the shuttle arrives at the Science Center, allowing the public to witness the finale of this historic voyage.

The tow program was developed in partnership with Saatchi & Saatchi LA (SSLA), the agency of record for TMS, and the Science Center, and serves as a unique way to demonstrate Tundra’s capabilities and towing capacity. In collaboration with SSLA and Science Center, TMS has developed a host of online resources and activities that provide behind-the-scenes videos, photos, activities for children and information about the Tundra Endeavour project and can be found at www.toyota.com/TundraEndeavour beginning September 17th. Visitors can share content, sign up for email alerts and participate in re-Tweeting information that will help contribute money to the California Science Center for further development of exhibits and displays.

Courtesy of Toyota Pressroom

Happy Monday fans! Here is a Monday Maintenance tip!

Preserve Door and Window Seals

• Wipe a rubber protectant (such as Armor-All) or silicone on doors and windows weather-stripping to keep it in good condition. Don’t use an oil-based product, such as WD-40, because the oil will damage the rubber. Regular cleaning and treatment of your car’s weather-stripping will also lessen the likelihood of your door sticking to its rubber seal in cold weather, a common cause of damage to the rubber.

Welcome back to the work week fans! This week we have a maintenance tip to help you keep your floor mats looking brand new!

For Stubborn Carpet or Mat Stains

• After vacuuming floor mats or interior carpeting, apply foam rug cleaner to resistant stains as directed by the maker. Work the foam into a few square feet at a time, using a wet sponge or brush. Vacuum when they are all dry.

Toyota Expands National Teen Safe Driving Program with Dealership and High School Outreach

Building upon the eight-year success of its behind-the-wheel safety workshops, Toyota announces the expansion of its national advanced teen driving skills program, Toyota Driving Expectations, through partnerships with high schools and local dealerships as well as continuing its popular online safety program.

Toyota established the free safe teen driving program in 2004 to supplement standard driving education courses with real-time opportunities to learn about defensive driving, the impact of distractions, and safe habits. The original 2.5-hour course involves both driving time and classroom discussions, and is unique for requiring the participation of a parent or guardian to support coaching within the family so they can continue to act as role models and teachers at home. Nearly 20,000 teens and parents have participated in the “On the Road” Toyota Driving Expectations program which was among the first to understand the importance of and include parents in safe driving programs for teen drivers.

New this year, National Hot Rod Association driver Erica Enders will headline interactive safe teen driver assemblies at 12 select Los Angeles area and Orange County high schools. Enders will share her experiences as the first woman to qualify No. 1 in the association’s Pro Stock Field and the importance of concentration while driving. “The Road Ahead” assembly also engages students with high-impact video and a hands-on driving simulator which demonstrates dangers of driver distractions.

The third prong of the program includes free safety clinics at select Toyota dealerships in the spring covering vehicle dynamics and safety features, defensive driving, distracted driving and the importance of vehicle maintenance. This program offers parents and teens an opportunity to learn safe driving tips by professional instructors in a non-sales environment inside their local Toyota dealerships.

Finally, the Toyota Teen Driver program offers teens, parents and educators across the country access to free information and resources at www.toyotateendriver.com. The program also includes the Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge and Educator Challenge, which offers teachers and students the opportunity to win prizes and scholarships by showing a commitment to safety. The online content and tools were created in partnership with Discovery Education.

Together, these four programs highlight Toyota’s commitment to safety behind the wheel and arming teens with life-saving skills. National data shows young drivers are more likely to be in crashes and be killed than more experienced drivers, and are the least likely to wear seatbelts or have their passengers wear them.

Further underscoring its commitment to safe teen driving, Toyota is conducting research to evaluate the effectiveness of an electronic coaching and monitoring system for newly licensed teenage drivers to help reduce unsafe driving behaviors. The research is being conducted by Toyota’s Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC), which is based in Michigan. Launched in January 2011, the CSRC's mission is to serve as a catalyst for the advancement of auto safety involving the vehicle, driver and traffic environment.

For fall 2012, the “On the Road” Toyota Driving Expectations events will be held at the following locations: 

• Cleveland High School in Cleveland, Tenn., September 29*
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) Plant in Georgetown, Ky., October 6-7
• Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem, Pa., October 13-14
• Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill., October 20-21

* Denotes special event; by invitation only.

Participants must be between the ages of 15-19 with a valid driver's license or learner's permit, and be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Online registration is currently open at www.toyotadrivingexpectations.com. 

Taught by professional drivers, the curriculum for Toyota Driving Expectations was developed in partnership with multiple organizations committed to safe driving, including the National Safety Council and the Defensive Driving Academy in California.

Courtesy of Toyota Pressroom

Toyota Maintains Industry-Leading Fuel Economy by Putting Cars on a Diet and 2013 Avalon Will Be Lightest in Segment

While powertrain developments such Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive have helped enhance fuel economy, many of the vehicles across the Toyota product line have improved their efficiency because of a focused effort on weight reduction, and the 2013 Avalon is a prime example.

Avalon Chief Engineer Randy Stephens and his development team at Toyota Technical Center (TTC) in Ann Arbor, Mich., worked toward a goal of making Avalon lighter, yet more rigid, to help improve overall driving performance. As a result, the new 2013 Avalon is 110 lbs. lighter than the 2012 model, tipping the scales at 3,461 lbs. compared to 3,571 for the 2012 model. When it arrives at dealerships later this year, the 2013 Avalon and will be the lightest-weight vehicle in the premium mid-size segment.

“Our target was to dramatically improve all aspects of dynamic performance,” Stephens explained, “Especially in the areas of fuel efficiency, handling and performance.”

Engineering for weight reduction requires examination of all elements of vehicle design and componentry to achieve weight targets and requires collaboration from vehicle design teams to isolate and address a variety of potential weight-loss areas during development. Following this process, the team was able to achieve significant mass reduction in several key areas like body structure, seat structure and wheel design.

It proved to be a challenge, however, due to the weight penalty imposed by equipment necessitated by increased regulations, improved performance targets and added customer features. With each design engineering group’s agreement, mass targets were set and carefully managed to control the overall vehicle target.

Dave Katarzynski, Program Manager of Avalon Vehicle Development offered this insight, “We established two main mass targets early in development: lowest mass among competitors (mass vs. vehicle size) and reduction of one inertia weight class rank. As part of each design engineering group's agreement, mass targets were set for each group. The groups then managed their part by part mass to keep their target and help control the overall goal. Hundreds of mass reduction ideas were tracked throughout development and periodic reviews checked status.”

The importance of mass reduction as a means of improving fuel economy, vehicle dynamics and enhancing the driving experience of the new Avalon was a major consideration, and that is where Stephen Provost, Manager, Ride and Handling, came in.

“Less mass makes Avalon more responsive and engaging near handling limits,” he explained. “Also, with less mass, less tire width is needed to reach competitive grip levels. The smaller width helps minimize drag losses to help enhance fuel economy, too.”

With the Toyota’s engineering mantra of weight reduction in place, lower vehicle weights are achieved utilizing revised lighter weight materials for vehicle construction.

Rob McConnell, Principal Engineer, Body Shell and Exterior Plastics, said, “Through the installation of a higher class of high performance polypropylene resin (more fluid), we were able to decrease the general thickness of the front and rear bumpers, resulting in a decrease in mass, aiding in achieving improved fuel economy. Also, by adopting a higher content of high-strength steel in the pillars and rocker panels, we were able to conserve mass while maintaining crash performance targets.”

Generous weight reduction of 263 lbs. is also evident in the midsize Camry Hybrid from previous generation to current model (3,680 lbs. for 2011 Camry Hybrid vs. 3,417 lbs. for 2012 model), and despite increased length and width, the new 2013 Avalon Hybrid still enjoys a weight advantage over the smaller, previous generation 2011 Camry Hybrid. Though the 2011 Camry Hybrid and the 2013 Avalon Hybrid both include the Hybrid Synergy Drive hardware (electric motors, battery, power control unit, etc.), the new 2013 Avalon model still weighs 87 lbs. less than the smaller 2011 Camry Hybrid (3,593 lbs. for 2013 Avalon compared to 3,680 lbs. for 2011 Camry). The 2013 Avalon offers a combined 40 mpg EPA-rating while the 2011 Camry Hybrid was EPA-rated at 33 mpg combined. This is as much a testament to engineering weight reduction into the vehicle structure as it is to powertrain developments that reduce component mass and overall friction in the name of efficiency.

Tin Bui, a Toyota engineer in charge of Avalon fuel economy and road load development said, “To improve the vehicle's fuel economy we focused on reducing the vehicle's resistance which lowers the engine's effort and fuel consumption. One resistance area we worked on is reducing the vehicle's weight. With reduced vehicle weight, there is less resistance to accelerate the vehicle. Lower vehicle weight also reduces the vehicle's tire rolling resistance allowing it to roll more freely.”

One reason Toyota enjoys success with consumers is because of the brand’s focus on producing highly fuel efficient vehicles. In fact, in the U.S. market, Toyota is the most fuel efficient full-line manufacturer offering a vehicle lineup that includes the Prius family (Prius, Prius Plug-in, Prius v, and Prius c) boasting an average combined fuel economy rating of 48 mpg. In addition, the popular Camry sedan offers a 33 mpg average combined fuel economy rating across its models. By the end of 2012, the premium mid-size Avalon Hybrid sedan, that employs many weight-savings engineering tactics, will arrive to market with a combined 40 mpg rating, and offer consumers another highly efficient option.

Courtesy of Toyota Pressroom

Today, we pause alongside the nation to remember the tragedy of September 11, 2001, and to honor the resilience and strength that resulted.

Good afternoon fans! Here is a Monday Maintenance tip for you!

Clean Dash Gauges Carefully

• Use a soft damp cloth to lightly wipe dust from the clear plastic lenses on your dashboard. Too much pressure will scratch them. Too many scratches can make it difficult to read your gauges under certain lighting conditions.