CAR News

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. today announced that the new 2012 Camry Hybrid is arriving at Toyota dealerships across the nation. This all-new Camry Hybrid sets a new standard for efficiency, refinement and value in the mid-size hybrid sedan category.

The 2012 Camry Hybrid features an updated version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain that helps propel the Hybrid LE model to EPA MPG Ratings of 43 city/39 highway and a class-leading 41 mpg combined. The revised hybrid-electric powertrain, which features a newly-developed 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, also includes measures that improve electric motor-voltage control, optimize regenerative braking, and reduce parasitic losses in the transaxle. By combining the efficiency of the new hybrid-electric powertrain with reduced vehicle weight and improved aerodynamics, Toyota engineers eclipsed the efficiency of all currently available mid-size hybrid-electric sedans with the all-new Camry Hybrid.

New to the 2012 Camry Hybrid model, is an efficient EV mode that allows the driver to operate the car using the electric motor alone under certain conditions for up to one mile at speeds below 25 mph. As with the previous Camry Hybrid, the new vehicle is equipped with an ECO mode, which optimizes throttle response and air-conditioning output to help maximize fuel economy.

The new Camry Hybrid’s strengthened body structure increases the vehicle’s rigidity to help improve handling, steering, ride quality and occupant safety. The Camry’s body structure is designed to help absorb collision-impact forces and help minimize impact deformation to the passenger cabin. High-strength steel is used for B-pillar and rocker-panel reinforcements to help manage overall body deformation in the event of certain side collisions.

The new available Blind Spot Monitor uses sub-millimeter wave radar to detect vehicles in the driver’s blind spots. When the system detects a vehicle in the adjacent lane, it alerts the driver using indicators on the side mirrors. If the turn signal is on when there is a vehicle in the blind spot of the driver’s intended lane, the indicator on the corresponding mirror will flash.

Advancing the safety mission, the Camry Hybrid is also standard equipped with the Star Safety System™ that includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), and Smart Stop Technology (SST).

The 2012 Camry achieves amazingly low interior noise levels in its passenger cabin, which now offers enhanced refinement and capability. To reduce noise throughout the vehicle’s interior, sound absorbing materials were strategically positioned to help control the penetrating wind and road noise that have become more apparent as drivetrains become quieter. Engineers were particularly keen on suppressing the noises that are near the frequency of human speech to help create a more comfortable environment for conversation, and the enjoyment of the new Camry’s in-car electronics. Acoustic glass, stronger door and rocker area seals, and the application sound insulating foam in the roof, pillars, and door openings are among the noise countermeasures employed by engineers on the 2012 Camry Hybrid.

A quiet, smooth, and refined ride quality are elements that help contribute to the enjoyment of the state-of-the-art connectivity features that are available on the 2012 Camry Hybrid. Standard features include hands free phone capability, and a USB port that allows enjoyment of music from portable devices. Toyota Entune™, Toyota’s innovative new multimedia system is also available on the new Camry Hybrid. This system leverages a compatible mobile smartphone to provide fully integrated access to entertainment and information services. Toyota Entune™ engages mobile apps such as Bing™, OpenTable®, and movietickets.com along with live weather, traffic, stocks, and sports in addition to integrating music options such as iHeartRadio’s 750+ stations and Pandora® internet radio’s personalized music service. The Entune™ multimedia system can be managed by a voice recognition system that helps the driver stay focused on the road.

The 2012 Camry Hybrid is available in LE and XLE grades, and both hybrid models are available at a significantly lower MSRP than their 2011 predecessors while delivering the best MPG of any mid-size sedan. The 2012 Camry Hybrid LE starts at $25,900 which is a $1,150 decrease from the 2011 model.

The Camry Hybrid LE includes 10 airbags, projector beam headlamps, dual-zone auto A/C, Smart Key System with push button start, steering wheel with audio and Blue Logic® controls, metallic tech-grained interior trim and tone-on-tone fabric seats among its list of standard equipment.

The Camry Hybrid XLE is priced at $27,400, which is an $800 decrease from a similarly equipped 2011 Camry Hybrid model despite adding the all-new Display Audio with 6.1” touch-screen with Navigation, phone book access, and music streaming with Bluetooth® wireless technology, 17 inch alloy wheels and chrome-surround fog lamps. Upgrades available for the Camry Hybrid XLE model include Premium HDD Navigation with Entune™ and JBL® Greenedge premium sound which includes a 7-inch touch-screen offering split screen functionality, Leather-trimmed Ultrasuede® seats with heated and passenger seats, Safety Connect®, Blind Spot Monitor, and a Convenience Package that includes Integrated Backup Camera, HomeLink® Universal Transceiver, and Anti-Theft System with Alarm among other desirable optional features.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., will offer a fuel-efficient hybrid at a more accessible price when the Prius c joins the Prius Family of vehicles in the spring of 2012. The U.S. debut of the Prius c will be next January at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

This highly anticipated subcompact member of the Prius Family will bring Toyota’s renowned Hybrid Synergy Drive® technology to a new segment of buyers when it joins the third-generation Prius Liftback hybrid vehicle, the versatile new Prius v midsize hybrid vehicle and the Prius Plug-in Hybrid model, which will also debut next spring. Positioned as an entry into the Prius Family appealing to youthful shoppers seeking fuel efficiency, technology, and spirited driving dynamics in the subcompact segment, the Prius c will offer:
Expected class-leading fuel economy better than 50 mpg in the city, which is the highest city mpg of any non-plug-in vehicle.
Proven hybrid technology, with 14 years of heritage, available at a more accessible price.
A high degree of convenience features and premium in-car electronics, uncommon in a five-door configuration, creating a less compromised compact-car experience
As with other Prius models, Prius c combines its revolutionary Hybrid Synergy Drive® with excellent aerodynamics to achieve outstanding fuel efficiency. The new Prius c is unique in the Prius Family with a more youthful expression and a sportier dynamic character that offers a more fun-to-drive experience. The vehicle’s five-door format and flexible packaging will adapt to a broad range of owners’ needs.

The Prius c offers an unexpected level of convenience, capability and technology in a compact hybrid-electric at an attractive price. Bluetooth® hands-free phone connectivity, steering-wheel audio controls, and nine airbags will be among the standard features on the 2012 Prius c.

In addition,owners will enjoy a new dimension of connectivity courtesy of the available Toyota Entune™ multimedia system. Entune™ leverages the mobile smartphone to provide a richer in-vehicle infotainment experience with fully integrated access to navigation, entertainment, and information services. It allows users to connect with popular apps such as Bing™, OpenTable.com, and movietickets.com. Entune™ also provides access to real-time information services, such as live weather, traffic, fuel information (location and price), stocks, and sports. The Prius c also offers voice recognition, music streaming, and email/text to speech capabilities.

Toyota Entune™ brings one of the largest selections of music options available to a vehicle, including iheartradio’s 750+ stations and Pandora® internet radio’s personalized music. In addition, the driver’s personal songs from portable media players and iPods (via USB or Bluetooth® audio streaming), and more than 170 stations from SiriusXM™ satellite radio are also available.

Making premium technology available to compact-car shoppers, the Prius c offers superior fuel economy in a stylish, user-friendly package.

# # #

Prius Family Specifications
Prius c Prius Prius v Prius Plug-in
Length (in.) 157.3 176.4 181.7 176.4
Width (in. 66.7 68.7 69.9 68.7
Height (in.) 56.9 58.7 62 58.7
Wheelbase (in.) 100.4 106.3 109.4 106.3
Gasoline Engine 1.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder, 16–valve with VVT-i 1.8-liter DOHC, four cylinder, 16-valve with VVT-i 1.8-liter DOHC, four-cylinder, 16-valve with VVT-i 1.8-liter DOHC, four-cylinder
, 16-valve with VVT-i
Emission Certification SULEV SULEV with
AT-PZEV SULEV SULEV with AT-PZEV

The start of production of the new Avensis at Toyota’s Burnaston factory in Derbyshire brings a welcome boost to Britain’s manufacturing industry. And the good news continues, as we’re happy to announce that prices for the Avensis will match those of the current model, but include extra equipment, new styling and improved performance.

The revised Avensis, available in saloon and tourer body styles, will reach showrooms early next year. Today’s start of production reaffirms Toyota’s commitment to UK manufacturing. Burnaston is Toyota’s largest production site in Europe and has benefited from £1.15 billion investment since it opened in 1992. As the centre for all Avensis production, Burnaston has built three generations of the model since 1997, and earlier this year we announced that it would begin to produce vehicles for sale in Japan.

Tony Walker, Toyota Manufacturing UK Deputy Managing Director, said: “This is great news for Burnaston, we are proud to be starting work on the new Avensis, a car that is central to Toyota’s European strategy and a key model for the UK. British-built, and with petrol engines sourced from Toyota’s Deeside factory plus ultra-efficient diesels, it is a stronger market contender than ever before.”

Unveiled at this year’s Frankfurt motor show, the new-look Avensis builds on the spaciousness, practicality and fuel efficiency that are the established hallmark qualities of the model, delivering sharper contemporary styling, a quieter and more comfortable cabin and improved driving dynamics. In addition, its top-selling 2.0-litre D-4D engine has been significantly revised to achieve lower emissions and better fuel economy. The new range starts at £18,450 for the 1.8 Valvematic T2 saloon with six-speed manual transmission.

Toyota, the U.S. sales leader in compact pickups, introduced a pre-production Tacoma Toyota Racing Development (TRD) T|X (Tacoma Extreme) limited edition pickup truck here today at the 2011 Texas State Fair. Inspired by Toyota’s Baja racing heritage, the truck reveals bold graphics with its concept name “Baja Series.” The truck elevates the capability of Tacoma’s TRD Off-Road pickup to a new level of fun and function.

All Tacoma T|X Baja Series models will be built exclusively at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas (TMMTX) in San Antonio and are scheduled for launch in late spring 2012.

“The Tacoma has long been the sales leader by a wide margin in the compact pickup segment thanks to its well-earned reputation for stellar quality, durability, reliability and off-road capability,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager, Toyota Division. “The limited edition TRD T|X Baja Series adds another chapter to Toyota’s truck legacy by offering a new level of capability for off-road enthusiasts.”

Toyota has a rich Baja racing truck heritage that dates back nearly three decades and includes numerous titles at the legendary Baja 500 and 1000. Toyota’s desert racing program has inspired the development of numerous TRD off-road focused products and packages over the years including the Tacoma PreRunner and TRD Off-Road packages for both Tacoma and Tundra. Last year, Tacoma’s Off-Road Package was enhanced with the launch of the TRD T|X and T|X Pro packages. TRD now takes Tacoma off-roading to the next level with the development of the T|X Baja Series.

The T|X Baja Series is currently undergoing final testing for application on both the Tacoma Access and Double Cab 4×4 models equipped with the TRD Off-Road Package. Expansion to include PreRunner models is also being considered. The Tacoma T|X Baja Series is equipped with a 4.0-liter V6 engine with either six-speed manual and five-speed automatic transmissions. In addition to an electronically-controlled locking rear differential, Active Traction Control (A-TRAC), Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC) and Downhill Assist Control (DAC) currently equipped on the TRD Off-Road package, the limited edition T|X Baja Series adds BF Goodrich T/A KO tires (LT265/70R16) and bead-lock style off-road wheels with an exclusive Gun-Metal Gray finish, TRD Cat-back Exhaust, increased front ride height of nearly two inches and unique Baja Series graphics.

The front suspension has been upgraded to include Ø60mm piston Bilstein race shocks with TRD coil springs that feature a protective zinc plated body and a one inch increase in wheel travel. The rear suspension is equipped with Ø50mm piston Bilstein race shocks with a remote reservoir to increase shock oil capacity for greater heat dissipation and damping sensitivity. The rear shocks also include a zinc plated body and a 1.5-inch increase in wheel travel.

The T|X Baja Series will be part of a 2012 Tacoma line that is updated with a restyled front end and a refreshed interior in all models. Exterior changes include a redesigned hood, grille, headlamps and front bumper, among other changes. Inside, Tacoma has a new center-instrument panel design with a revised gauge cluster, along with a new steering wheel. A redesigned center stack adds new air conditioner/heater controls and power point locations.

The 2012 Tacoma interior also gets a new look with a black high-contrast center console, switch plate covers, dash and upper door trim, while the SR5 grade features a new seat fabric design. Tacoma offers new heavy-duty all-weather flooring option for 2012 on Tacoma Access and Double Cab models equipped with a V6 engine. The more specialized TRD Sport and Off-Road packages also feature new water-resistant fabric protection seats.