Toyota Prius GT300 coming to SuperGT

We heard the rumors in Tokyo, but wouldn't believe it until we saw it. And here it is. Toyota will be replacing its Axio racer with a Prius for next year's SuperGT season.

The touring car Prius will reportedly run in the GT300 class against the recently released Subaru BRZ and Honda CR-Z, the latter of which – like the Prius – will use some kind of hybrid drivetrain in the championship. We don't have any hard details on the powertrain just yet, but expect more to be revealed sometime in January.

Courtesy of AutoBlog

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Statement from Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Regarding 2011 J.D. Power and Associates' Sales Satisfaction Index

We are pleased with the improvement off all three of our brands in the 2011 J.D. Power and Associates Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) study. The Lexus brand improved its score over last year and ranked as the top premium nameplate. Both Toyota and Scion showed significant improvement and each placed higher in the rankings and above the industry average.

Credit must go to our dealer body for their investment in upgrading many of their facilities and their dedication to satisfying their customers.

Sales satisfaction is more important than ever and we will continue work with our dealers to find ways to increase the quality of the sales experience for all of our customers.

 

Courtesy of ToyotaNewsroom

2013 Scion FR-S marks Toyota's return to performance in U.S.

With the introduction tonight of the 2013 Scion FR-S, the triumvirate of oh-so-similar sport coupes born of the joint venture between Toyota and Subaru is complete. The FR-S is what we Americans will get from the Scion brand, as opposed to the Toyota GT 86 that Europeans get and the Subaru-branded BRZ.

Believe it or not, but the FR-S will make Scion a five-car brand when it joins the xD, xB, tC and iQ next year. It is by far the most performance-oriented, thanks to its rear-wheel-drive architecture, relatively light weight and low center of gravity, the latter thanks to its Subaru-derived four-cylinder 2.0-liter boxer engine with Toyota's D4-S direct injection system. As with the GT 86 and BRZ, the FR-S will also produce 200 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 151 lb-ft at 6,600 rpm. Transmission choices are also the same with a six-speed manual or automatic with paddle shifters.

With its introduction, the FR-S also marks the return of some excitement to Toyota's lineup of products in the U.S., even if it is branded as a Scion. The Japanese automaker hasn't offered a true performance machine in the U.S. since the MR2 Spyder ended production in 2007. The more hardcore Supra disappeared from American soil almost a decade earlier in 1998. (UPDATE: The Lexus LFA also deserves mention, though its exclusivity and price put it out of reach for most mere mortals.)

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Toyota Prius Family of Vehicles Receive GreenCarReports' '2012 Best Green Car to Buy' Award

GreenCarReports.com has named the 2012 Toyota Prius family of vehicles as its “Best Green Car to Buy 2012.” Beginning with the 2012 model year, the Prius will expand to a family of four vehicles, including the third-generation Prius Liftback, the Prius v, the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and the Prius c.

GreenCarReports editors choose the most significant new “green” car available to shoppers during the 2012 model year, taking into account new technologies, their practicality, and their impact on the environment. The GreenCarReports’ “Best Green Car to Buy” award recognizes mass-market, environmentally sensitive vehicles that are available below $60,000. Utilizing the TheCarConnection’s ratings as a starting point for their evaluation, the GreenCarReports editorial team applies their criteria to select the winner that will carry the “Best Green Car to Buy 2012” environmental message.

“The Prius is more than just one car this year,” said Green Car Reports Editor John Voelcker. “With a new Prius v and the Prius Plug-In Hybrid, it’s now a family of vehicles with some of the highest gas mileage on the market today, and the Prius name is likely to help encourage buyers to take the plunge into plug-in vehicles."

The Prius vehicles that won the GreenCarReports’ “Best Green Car to Buy 2012” award were chosen from a competitive field of environmentally sensitive cars that also included the Fiat 500, Honda Civic Hybrid, Infiniti M35h, Mitsubishi i, and Volkswagen Passat TDi.

The Prius Liftback is in its third generation and earned an EPA-estimated 50 mpg combined (51 city mpg/ 48 highway mpg) rating. The Prius v, which went on sale in October, will be an unmatched combination of versatility and fuel efficiency in a midsize. With 58-percent more cargo space than the Liftback, the Prius v has more cargo space than 80-percent of the small SUVs on the road today, while still accomplishing an EPA-estimated 44-mpg city.

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid, which offers seating for five, is expected to achieve a manufacturer-estimated 87 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) in combined driving and 49 MPG in hybrid mode. With expected class-leading fuel economy better than 50 mpg in the city, which is the highest city mpg of any non-plug-in vehicle, the Prius c will be an entry into the Prius Family appealing to youthful shoppers seeking fuel efficiency, technology, and spirited driving dynamics in the subcompact segment. Both the Prius c and Prius Plug-in will go on sale in the spring of 2012.

The Prius vehicles rely on Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, which benefits from 14 years of global market development, and pairs a highly efficient gasoline internal combustion engine with two high-output motor/generators, a large rechargeable battery, and an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission to help the vehicles attain class-leading fuel economy in their respective segments. The development of the systems that govern the operation, integration and regenerative capabilities of the Hybrid Synergy Drive system represent considerable engineering effort, and help enhance the efficiency and performance of succeeding generations of Hybrid Synergy Drive equipped vehicles.

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Toyota Wins Best Automotive Brand in 2012 Kelley Blue Book Resale Value Awards

Toyota was named the top brand in 2012 Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com 2012 Best Resale Value Awards. The awards recognize current and forthcoming vehicles for their projected retained value throughout the first five years of ownership.

Toyota Camry, the best-selling car in America for nine consecutive years and 13 of the past 14 years, took the honor of Best Resale Value in the mid-size car segment. The Toyota Tacoma compact pickup truck and FJ Cruiser mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) were named Best Resale Value award winners in their respective vehicle categories and were also among the top 10 vehicles for Best Resale Value. 

“Winning the top brand in the Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards is a very significant honor as it reflects Toyota’s commitment to quality, dependability and reliability, which ultimately adds up to great value,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager, Toyota Division. “Toyota will continue to deliver the finest cars and trucks consumers have come to expect for over half a century.”

Kelley Blue Book’s Best Resale Value Awards are based on projections from the Kelley Blue Book^® Official Residual Value Guide, which is determined by a skilled staff of automotive analysts. The projections are based on current vehicle data, sales data, market conditions for each vehicle, competition within vehicle segments, expectations of the future economy and the combined experience of Kelley Blue Book’s residual analysts. The awards honor vehicles expected to maintain the greatest proportion of their original list price after five years of ownership.

 

Courtesy of Toyota