Toyota is showing the world that giving a vehicle the power to go faster does not necessarily equate to being harmful to the environment. See, the Japanese car maker has created a sports car that is very much unlike the Chevy S10 -- it does not send off much harmful emissions to the environment.

What Toyota did was it created the Future Toyota Hybrid Sports (FT-HS). The Toyota FT-HS is still a concept vehicle at present but it has been designed to be a sports car that is equipped with a petrol-electric hybrid engine unit. The car maker, through The Age, boasted that this concept vehicle would be able to have an “ultra high performance” and yet also have “ultra low fuel use and emissions”.

Doug Soden is the product development manager for Toyota and he shared, “There is a stronger need for hybrid vehicles to be on the market, or much more fuel efficient vehicles. Whichever way you look at it, whether it is a petrol-electric or hydrogen-electric, there needs to be that hybrid interface.” And it looks like the Toyota FT-HS is going to be Toyota’s answer.

According to autobloggreen.com, iQ’s mini-car concept unveiled in last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show includes a Japanese mini that is 2.98 meters long, with a three plus one seater, which means that two seats can be occupied by adults in front. It can also be utilized as a space for luggage.  The front passenger seat can be pulled forward through the asymmetrical car dashboard design. 

In a Toyota press release, three concepts regarding the iQ were given much emphasis: First, it is the smart solution to urban transport.  Second, it is designed within the Vibrant Clarity philosophy - a principle that applies futuristic, intelligent, energetic, purposeful and functional designs in Toyota projects.  Finally, it is less than three meters in length.  The Toyota  iQ was also designed as a fuel-saver car.  Inside, the iQ has a center console and is instrument pod shaped that resembles a mantra ray, a steering wheel covered with artificial snakeskin and a cabin filled with purple accents.  It also comes equipped with audio and navigation controls that most probably are powered by quality alternators.

By the end of 2008, just a few months after its debut at the Geneva International Motor Show, the iQ production will begin so that by 2009, it will be available for sale in United Kingdom. 

The iQ is regarded as a future competitor of other city cars such as Smart.  According to wikipedia, Toyota bills that it is the world’s smallest four-passenger car. Together with the iQ, Toyota will also launch the Urban Cruiser, its newest Plug-in Prototype and concept cars 1/x and i-Real.

Toyota is already on a roll and yet it is still continuously working and figuring out just what new vehicles they could send out to the market. Don Esmond, the company’s senior VP, has mentioned via The Car Connection that they are currently looking into a smaller truck which could built on the present Tacoma and sent to the market.

Esmond also did continue to disclose that the vehicle would not be coming with Buick parts but it would actually take on the form that the A-Bat concept truck had. The latter has been on display at the NAIAS and at the Chicago Auto Show. He also did share, “I think everyone is trying to come out with products the customer doesn’t know they want yet.”

An official from Toyota did also note, “Everybody is looking for white space. I think it would have to be pretty funky-looking to work.”

But it does seem like Toyota is not the only car maker looking at creating new trucks. Rumors from the grapevine are saying that GM and Ford are also working on a new unit for this segment.

We all know how the Asian market seems to be growing. For example, the Indian car market is slowly being entered by auto makers so as to be able to take a good share of the industry. Now, auto makers are trying to take on anther Asian country - China.

Although Toyota is known to be from Asian, the car maker is planning on having its own plant in China. That way, the company has disclosed via AFP, they could be able to establish a stronger presence. The company is currently eyeing Changchun in the Jilin Province as the location of their plant which they would want to have the ability to create 100,000 per year.

To be able to make that a reality, the company would have to invest around 50 billion yen so as to be able to build the facility that would manufacture fog lights and all other auto parts as well as build a whole vehicle. At present, Toyota already has an assembly plant in Changchun but of course they would want to have yet another one that would be able to build more units.

Based on the reports by Auto Express and Japanese car magazine Holiday Auto, Lexus insiders have revealed that the upcoming 552 bhp Lexus LF-A sports car has lapped the Nurburgring in 7minutes and 24 seconds surpassing the current record time set by the Pagani Zonda F at 7 minutes and 27 seconds and even beating the record time set by the all-new Porsche 911 GT2 (7:32 AutoBild, 7:25 AutoExpress).

The German Nurburgring has been considered as the benchmark for measuring the performance of sports car like Porsche but recent achievements posted by Japanese automakers like Nissan and Lexus seems to threaten European sports car manufacturers. Right now the GT-R and LF-A sports cars are going head-to-head with European sports car. Last September, the Nissan GT-R lapped the Nurburgring in 7 minutes and 38 seconds closely beating the time set by Porsche 997 GT3. There are also reports stating that Honda the producer of high quality Acura CL seat cover is also working on a 5.0 liter V10 powered NSX.

According to Lexus insiders the test mule was powered by a 4.8 liter V10 engine that revs up 552 bhp and capable of reaching 210 mph. There are still no final specifications released of this car.

For the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Toyota Motor Corporation the archrival of Honda the producer of high quality Acura Legend belts is planning to introduce a concept hybrid pickup truck that will feature an improve fuel economy and lower emissions. 

The A-BAT concept vehicle as what Toyota called its creation will be equipped with Hybrid Synergy Drive which is the automaker’s third-generation gasoline-electric hybrid power train technology. The vehicle’s trapezoidal profile was derived from the Prius which is one of the top-selling hybrids of Toyota.

According to Kevin Hunter, President of Calty Design Research Inc., Toyota’s North American-based research and design center, "This concept is the next evolution of the compact truck." It will feature a four-foot bed that can be extended still by two more feet by folding down the pass-through midgate into the cab. An additional two feet is added by opening the tailgate. A translucent roof panel slides open to allow tall cargo inside the cab.

The truck makes use of a unibody platform for improved handling and smoother ride. For the interior, Toyota has placed a retractable portable navigation unit with a seven-inch screen and wireless internet connection. The center console houses a portable battery pack.

The driver and the front passenger have large display screens that enable them to view the status of their high-tech gadgets together with the climate and audio settings.

The A-BAT is designed with solar panels atop the instrument panel to capture the sunlight to convert it to energy that would help in charging the navigation unit, battery pack, and backlit information displays.

For the coming new year Toyota UK has prepared something special and it’s called the Toyota Aygo Platinum Edition. The Aygo Platinum is offered in both 3-door and 5-door powered with Toyota’s 1.0 liter VVT-i petrol engine that achieves 61.4 mpg in combined driving cycle. Its carbon emission is just 109 g/km of CO2 and charge only with £35 a year in Vehicle Excise Duty.

The Aygo Platinum is made better than the Aygo+ since it was added with Alcantara and leather upholstery, leather steering wheel and gear knob, 14-inch turbine alloy wheels that is painted with exclusive Crystal Silver.

The other Aygo+ features included are six airbags, electric front windows, tilt adjusting steering column, remote central locking, removable rear parcelsshelf, six-speaker sound system with CD player and AUX-in socket for connecting portable audio equipment, 50:50 split-folding rear seats plus body color-matched door handles. Likewise a five speed manual gearbox is offered as standard but optional MultiMode clutchless transmission may also be selected that is in conjunction with the optional air conditioning.

The prices for the three-door model and five-door are £7,995 and £8,245 respectively. The Toyota Aygo Platinum will go on sale starting January next year and will benefit from the £1,555 worth of additional equipment that goes beyond the range-topping Aygo+ with a price that is only a little over $550 resulting to a savings of more than £1,000. But if you are searching for quality Acura Integra oxygen sensor kindly just visit the link provided.

According to The Auto Channel, Chang-Ran Kim, a writer for Reuters, reported that the Toyota Motor Corp. will blast off further into rising car markets to attain another successful year of record sales for the coming year. Toyota aims to stay on top as the world's prime automaker in front of General Motors Corp.

The Japanese car manufacturer is the world's most gainful and valuable carmaker by now. It is projected that it will sell 9.85 million vehicles in 2008 - way beyond the estimated 9.36 million this year.

"The Chinese market has undergone a significant change during the year," President Katsuaki Watanabe told a year-end news conference.

"At the beginning of the year, we wondered if the total auto market would reach 8 million, and by mid-year we were looking at 8.5 million. Now it's possible the market will exceed 9 million," he said. "We need to figure out how to meet demand."

Despite the bad publicities hurdled at Toyota it didn’t stop new and loyal customers from visiting Toyota dealers to purchase Toyota vehicles. As a matter of fact the result of the survey conducted by J.D. Power & Associates shows that Toyota has once again led all automakers in terms of customer retention.

Toyota has posted 65% of Toyota’s buyers last year has traded a Toyota for a new one. Coming in second place is Toyota’s luxury division Lexus with 63% followed by Honda Motor, the producer of high quality Acura headers with 62.8%.

Neal Oddes, director of product research and analysis at J.D. Power said, "Toyota's high customer retention rate is particularly notable, considering that new-vehicle sales have declined in the past year. Toyota maintains its high retention rates by providing high-quality vehicles and service to its existing customers, which in turn generates favorable word-of-mouth recommendations that attract new customers."

Toyota’s customer retention is quite impressive considering that the overall average obtained by the industry is only 49% with the highest US nameplate Chevrolet obtaining 56% attributed to the high loyalty rate among buyers of Chevy pickups and large sport-utility vehicles such as the Suburban. Ford Motor has also obtained 53% of which a great deal was attributed to the pickup business.

The brands that score poorly on the survey include Mini, Isuzu Motors, Pontiac, Jaguar and Land Rover.

BMW has topped European brands in terms of customer loyalty at 58% while Mercedes-Benz comes in second place with 57% followed by prosche with 42%, Audi with 41%, Saab at 34%, and Volvo and Volkswagen both with 33%. The weakness of the US dollar against the Euro has made it harder for European brands to retain customers.

Toyota not to be outdone by Honda--the producer of quality Acura distributor cap and creator of the ASIMO robot—in the field of robotics has also released a human-sized robot that can play the violin.

The Toyota robot has performed a full rendition of Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance. A video of the robot may be viewed on YouTube.

According to Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe in an interview with The Guardian, "Over the next two to three years, we will put the robots to the test through trial applications and see what kind of business possibilities they present."

Mr. Watanabe also said that by 2020 robotics will become an important part of the company as a matter of fact next year Toyota will reveal medical robots, and also plans of producing what they call as “partner robots” that are designed for domestic duties, nursing, healthcare and short-distance personal transport by 2010.

Toyota has also introduced Robina, which is a wheeled robot with a human torso it was made to perform as working guide at Toyota’s showroom in Tokyo for the past year, and is programmed to answer questions and sign autographs.

Another robot by the name of Mobina was introduced which is a two-wheeled 4mph motorized wheelchair that can navigate a variety of surfaces for 13 miles between charges. Toyota also plans of producing another version but this time one that can act as a porter.

Toyota is venturing in the filed of robotics since there is a high demand for robots in Japan especially in domestic and medical fields.