Stapp Interstate Toyota

Toyota Prius Wagon Sales in 10 Weeks Top GM Volt’s 2011 Total

interstatetoyota — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:48:33 +0000

By Alan Ohnsman – Jan 18, 2012

Toyota Motor Corp. (7203) scored a victory in 2011 as U.S. deliveries of its Prius v wagon in 10 weeks topped sales of General Motors Co. (GM)’s Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid that was available all year.

Toyota sold 8,399 of the hybrid wagon, which didn’t arrive at U.S. dealerships until the last week of October, said Carly Schaffner, a spokeswoman for the company. GM delivered 7,671 rechargeable Volts in 2011 and 7,997 in the model’s first 13 months on the market. The Japanese automaker hadn’t distinguished Prius v sales from those of the original one.

“Prius v is off to a great start,” Jim Lentz, president of Toyota’s U.S. sales unit, said in an e-mail this week. The hybrid wagon starts at $26,400, Toyota said on its website. The Volt starts at $39,145 and is eligible for as much as $7,500 in federal tax credits.

Toyota, the largest gasoline-electric auto seller, wants to deliver more than 220,000 vehicles bearing the Prius name this year to U.S. customers, a 60 percent increase from 2011. That’s to be fueled by a four-car “family” consisting of the original hatchback, the v, the Prius c subcompact arriving in March, and a plug-in Prius that goes about 15 miles on battery power.

GM missed its goal of selling 10,000 Volts last year. A slow production increase kept dealers for the Detroit-based company in short supply until December, and a federal investigation of three fires that occurred after Volt crash tests lowered demand for the car, according to Bandon, Oregon- based CNW Marketing Research Inc.

Powertrain Choices

Comparing the plug-in Volt with the hybrid wagon is “ridiculous,” said Rob Peterson, a GM spokesman.

“Consumers cross-shop vehicles with comparable technologies or functionality, not a new name plate,” Peterson said by e-mail. “Comparing Volt to Prius v is apples and oranges.”

The range of alternative-power autos available to U.S. drivers is mushrooming as manufacturers offer vehicles powered wholly or in part by electricity, bio-fuels, natural gas and even hydrogen. That number will jump this year with new offerings required to meet clean air rules in California.

Bloomberg News tracked sales of 37 such vehicles in 2011, up from only two in 2000. Offerings include the Prius, the Volt, Nissan Motor Co. (7201)’s Leaf and Honda Motor Co.’s FCX Clarity fuel- cell sedan leased in California.

Hybrid sales accounted for only 2.2 percent of U.S. auto sales last year, down from 2.4 percent in 2010, according to researcher LMC Automotive. The decline was a result of reduced production of the Prius, which accounts for half of all hybrid sales, after Japan’s natural disasters cut the supply of parts, said Lentz, who is based at Toyota’s U.S. sales office in Torrance, California.

Hybrids Slip

The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami temporarily halted Prius assembly in Japan, leaving U.S. dealers with little inventory of the car for months. Overall Prius sales fell 3.2 percent last year to 136,463.

Toyota dealers in the U.S. also sold 9,241 hybrid midsize Camry cars, 37 percent fewer than in 2010, according to Autodata Corp., and the Toyota City, Japan-based automaker said it delivered 14,381 Lexus CT200h gas-electric compact luxury wagons in the model’s first calendar year.

Nissan sold 9,674 Leaf all-electric cars in the U.S. last year, missing its target of 10,000 to 12,000. The company said production lost to the tsunami limited availability. The Leaf averages about 73 miles per charge, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Prius v wagon, larger and heavier than a standard Prius, averages 42 miles per gallon of gasoline in combined city and highway driving, compared with 50 mpg for the main version. The Volt, capable of going 35 miles on battery power, has two U.S. fuel-economy ratings: 94 mpg-equivalent when both its lithium-ion pack and gasoline engine are used, and a combined 37 mpg when powered solely by gasoline.

Five Auto Trends that will Shake Up 2012

interstatetoyota — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:27:43 +0000

By Mark Phelan, USA TODAY and the Detroit Free Press

CAPTION

Mazda

A host of new features you may never have heard of — and certainly didn’t expect to see in mainstream cars and trucks — will be commonplace by the end of 2012.

New technologies and safety and fuel-economy concerns have accelerated automakers’ innovation.

Here’s some of what to watch for in 2012 and at the North American International Auto Show in a couple of weeks:

Stop-start
Also called auto stop, this shuts the engine off at traffic lights and stop signs and imperceptibly restarts it when you’re ready to go. “Imperceptible” is the key word. Auto stop can reduce fuel consumption significantly, but people won’t tolerate it if they notice the engine cycling on and off, or if the vehicle doesn’t start moving when they expect it to. The Mazda 3 already offers the system, which will show up on many more models in 2012.

Double-digit air bags
Front-seat knee air bags are one of the next big things. Cars ranging from the subcompact Chevrolet Sonic to the compact Buick Verano and midsize Toyota Camry added them in 2011, with more to come next year. Ten is the magic number for air bags in new cars, as thorax-protecting bags for the front and rear seats become common. Next up: inflatable shoulder belts a la the Ford Explorer and a center-mounted bag from General Motors that keeps front-seat occupants from knocking heads. Some automakers are even considering air bags to keep back-seat passengers from hitting the front seats.

The days when automakers believed safety systems don’t help sell cars are gone.

More voice-recognition
Your smartphone will make your next car better, thanks to new systems that will use it for navigation, to stream your favorite news, music and more. Now that Transportation Secretary and driver-distraction hardliner Ray LaHood has come out in favor of hands-free systems rather than a pointless and unenforceable prohibition of phones, automakers are free to continue to innovate. Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Hyundai and Toyota all have slick new systems to make the phone an integral part of your car.

Simpler infotainment controls
Despite widespread complaints from customers and critics, Ford remains committed to the controversial MyFordTouch control layout. In its simplest form in the Focus, the system works fine. More elaborate versions used in the Explorer SUV eliminate the dials that control audio volume, radio station, temperature and fan speed. Ford says it fixed usability problems with better voice recognition, but skeptics say dials are simply the best way to do some things.

We’ll find out who’s right when Ford uses the system in some high-profile new models in 2012.

Smaller, more powerful engines
This is a golden age of engine development. Small engines with new technologies have power and fuel efficiency that were inconceivable a few years ago.

GM’s 2-liter four-cylinder turbocharged, direct-injection engine produces a whopping 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. It would wipe the floor with a lot of old V-8s and rates 32 mpg on the highway in the Buick Regal GS, the year’s most surprising sport sedan. Ford created the catchy EcoBoost name for its turbo/DI engines and uses it on everything from the compact Focus to the big Explorer crossover SUV and F-150 pickup.

The Fiat-designed 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine Chrysler builds in Dundee, Mich., will graduate from the slow-selling Fiat 500 to the sportiest version of the new Dodge Dart compact sedan.

You’ll see lots more small engines with big performance numbers in 2012.

NADA: Top 3 Factors Why New Car Sales Will Increase in 2012

interstatetoyota — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:50:19 +0000

NADA economist predicts more than 13.9 million new car sales in 2012

Paul Taylor

McLEAN, Va. (Jan. 5, 2012) – As the U.S. economy continues to improve this year, Paul Taylor, chief economist of the National Automobile Dealers Association, predicts more than 13.9 million new cars and light trucks will be purchased or leased in 2012.

Taylor, who is forecasting sales of 13.945 million new cars and light trucks for 2012 in the U.S., cites three key factors for the increase:

(1)   Aging vehicles,
(2)   Affordable credit, and
(3)   Aggressive incentives.

A key factor that will drive new-vehicle sales in 2012, says Taylor, is pent-up demand in the marketplace caused by more consumers shopping out of necessity to replace their aging vehicles.

“With the age of cars and trucks on the road today at nearly 11 years, consumers can no longer delay making a purchase of a new or newer vehicle,” he said.

Another factor that is likely to result in higher auto sales this year is the availability of affordable credit from competing lending sources for auto loans.

“Interest rates on new car loans will remain historically low in 2012, due in part to policy decisions by the Federal Reserve Board to keep rates low and the U.S. economy growing,” Taylor added. “As a result, affordable credit will be widely available in 2012 with more automaker finance companies offering low-interest and interest-free loans for up to 60 months.”

Taylor notes that both domestic and international automakers will wage an aggressive battle to capture U.S. market share in 2012 by rebuilding a diverse selection of vehicle inventory at dealerships, ranging from cars and CUVs to truck-based SUVs. A decline in gasoline prices will also result in car buyers considering a wider range of vehicles in different segments, he added.

“Auto sales typically increase with the exposure given to new vehicles during the auto show season in the first quarter and beyond,” Taylor added. “Lower vehicle costs for car buyers through manufacturer incentives and rebates combined with low interest rates will support stronger sales in 2012. And higher prices on used vehicles mean higher trade-in prices when shopping for a new car or truck.”

Editor’s note: NADA Chief Economist Paul Taylor will be available for media interviews in Detroit at the SAA Annual Automotive Outlook Conference on Sunday, Jan. 8 and during media days at the North American International Auto Show on Monday, Jan. 9 and Tuesday, Jan. 10.

2013 Scion FR-S Review

interstatetoyota — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:27:06 +0000

The best Toyota in 20 years is actually a Scion

By Colum Wood, Dec. 09, 2011, Photography by Scion and & Chris Blanchette, Video by Chris Blanchette

Squeeze on the throttle at corner exit and the car begins to track out, with just a hint of oversteer. Get greedy and the tail will gently start to rotate. Ease off and the car tucks back in line. It does what you tell it to, no more, no less. The Scion FR-S is a return to the roots of what makes a sports car a sports car.

FAST FACTS

1. A direct-injection 2.0L 4-cylinder boxer engine makes 200 hp at 7000 rpm and 151 lb-ft of torque at 6600 rpm.2. The unique engine makes for an impressive 53/47 weight distribution and a center of gravity that’s lower than even a Porsche Cayman.

3. Compared to the Mazda MX-5, the FR-S is eight inches longer and two inches wider, with 33 more hp and weighing roughly 200 lbs more.

4. The FR-S gets its inspiration from three historical Toyotas: taking design cues from the 2000 GT, using a flat engine like the Sports 800, while applying the many of the principles of the AE86.

It’s not the raw driving machine many may expect. Its not visceral like a Lotus Elise or as singular in purpose as a Honda S2000, and it won’t beat you up. In fact, it’s quite civilized. It is, however, very much a purist’s car and one that company CEO Akio Toyoda aptly remarked, “rewards proper driving technique.”

A better description of the FR-S, or Toyota 86 as its called in Japan, there isn’t. The antithesis of modern sports cars, Toyota set out to create it as such, purposefully avoiding AWD, turbos, excessive technology and even high grip tires.

Instead, the basic front-engine rear-drive layout, combined with a low center of gravity (due to its flat-4 boxer engine), a limited slip differential and an overall curb weight that comes in around 2,700 lbs are the tools at the disposal of the driver. This can be humbling, but it also makes the FR-S a car where you can’t show up and fake-it at a lapping day. Flaws in your technique will show through immediately and the FR-S challenges you to be a better driver.

Like the Mazda MX-5 Miata, a car the FR-S will be compared to ad nauseum, it’s a momentum car, meaning that with just 200-hp on tap, if you’re going to be fast around a race track, you’ll need to keep your speed up. That’s not as hard as it seems, especially when acceleration feels much more rapid than expected considering the engine output. Even torque feels surprisingly potent, despite just 151 lb-ft of the stuff at a lofty 6600 rpm – suggesting a solid torque curve.

Back to the handling, the FR-S has exceptional steering, although with such a short 101.3-inch wheelbase it responds quickly to inputs, meaning you have to be smooth. After just one corner there is no denying this is a rear-drive car.

A DRIVER’S CAR, FROM THE FIRST DETAIL TO THE LAST

Much in the same way that the car’s layout has been set up for optimum performance, from the driver’s seat, the tools required are also all there. The steering wheel is thick but also incredibly tiny making every input count. At just 365mm, Toyota claims it’s the smallest they’ve ever put in a production car – at least in recent history. The shifter is quite long, although the shifts are incredibly short, with the distance between first and second gear about three inches. It even feels good, weighted perhaps a bit lighter than a MX-5, but with a fluid every-day ease of use much like a Civic Si. Add to this the fact that the pedals are perfectly placed for proper heel-toe downshifts and you’ll find yourself repeating the words “this is a Toyota product?”

That is perhaps a bit generous, as even Toyota will admit that while the concept behind the car is theirs, execution was primarily handled by Subaru – an automaker that one doesn’t have to pull out a history book in order to recall their last awesome performance machine.

Other notable interior features are the seats, which are excellently bolstered, not just on the sides, but at the shoulders as well, and coated in a grippy material to keep you in place.

Located right in front of the shifter are two buttons, one for a sport mode, the other to turn traction and stability control right off. The sport setting is properly unintrusive, letting you even hang the end out a little. Off, by all accounts, is full-off, with no intervention when late in the day rain soaked the course and our test session transformed journalists into amateur drifters.

EVEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS AMAZING

Sadly, while an enthusiast’s machine and equipped with a 6-speed manual from the factory, offering an automatic transmission is a necessity to make the FR-S a viable business case. As a sign of Toyota’s commitment to the car, when developing an automatic the engineers didn’t just phone it in. Instead they developed a six-speed unit based off the 8-speed automatic in the Lexus IS-F. With a proper steering wheel mounted paddle shifter setup it’s shockingly good. When pressed, the car’s chief engineer Tetsuya Tada wouldn’t give any data on shift times but did say they targeted VW’s DSG dual-clutch system. By all accounts, it’s close, and easily matches the best auto-boxes in the business.

LOWEST CENTER OF GRAVITY OF ANY PRODUTION CAR?

Much has been said about the car’s center of gravity, with reports even attributing Toyota engineers as claiming the car will have the lowest CoG of any production car. That, Tata san admits, is not the case, though for a good reason. In data provided by Toyota, they admitted that both the Porsche GT3 and Ferrari 360, not to mention the Lexus LFA, have a lower weight balance. Those super sports cars had a serious advantage, however, says Tata san with a ground clearance of roughly 110 mm. The FR-S, on the other hand, stands 130 mm off the ground (almost an inch higher), putting it as a serious disadvantage. Could it be lower? Certainly, but Toyota and Scion need it to be a mass production vehicle with all the daily-use needs that that entails.

Those who want a lowered FR-S won’t have to wait long. In fact, they won’t even have to wait for the aftermarket to develop the products, as at launch Scion will offer a selection of parts, including lowering springs and sway bars.

BACK ON TRACK

Initial tests of two right-hand drive models proved pleasing but left us without the wow factor the car’s hype suggested. Those models did, however, give us a chance to get familiar with the track and once behind the wheel of the lone left-hand drive U.S.-spec Scion FR-S turn one hit us like an epiphany. Comfortable enough to actually push the machine, it rewarded; the steering, balance and low center of gravity transforming jaded auto journalist skepticism into the realization that the man in charge at Toyota really does get it.

“Yes,” you’ll scream aloud to yourself inside your racing helmet. “This is it! This is what I’ve been looking for!”

As any proper rear-drive sports car should, the FR-S can be rotated with the throttle. Pinch a corner and induce understeer and a correction is as easy as a dab of gas to point you in the right direction again.

Brake fade was nonexistent during out five lap sessions, though much longer would surely show some wear. The car’s light weight most certainly has something to do with the longevity of the pads.

For all the praise we’ve heaped on it, the FR-S could use more of one thing – grip. The factory tires aren’t high-performance pieces, something Toyota did on purpose, both to keep true to the spirit of the machine, and keep the price tag down. With a set of aftermarket wheels a necessity for many buyers, some UHP tires should be included. Scion will likely offer those at the dealer as well.

Adding to the car’s functionality is a rear hatchback and fold flat second row seats, which Scion claims leaves enough space to fit a spare set of tires when heading to the track.

If the FR-S is missing anything else, it’s some added aggression, with a subtle aero kit and spoiler high on our list of add-ons. Many will likely say the FR-S needs more power and while more wouldn’t hurt, those folks (the same ones who have probably never driven on a track) are missing the point.

THE VERDICT

The Scion FR-S is a special machine. It’s unique because it’s the world’s only direct-injection flat-four rear-drive sports car, but the reasons go well beyond the facts, to the level of driving enjoyment it delivers.

If there’s any way the FR-S isn’t what we expected it’s in its civility. And to be truthful, any such reputation it has as a rough-around-the-edges track warrior is one the automotive media, and not Toyota (Scion), has created. Rather, it’s comfortable, functional and refined in a way that perhaps only a Toyota can be. Add to this what is expected to be surprisingly good fuel economy and a price well below the $30,000 mark and the car’s appeal is vast.

As Akio Toyoda mentioned, the FR-S rewards a good driver, and is perhaps the best tool we can think of to develop and improve your performance driving skills; or just have a lot of fun regardless of your talent or ambition. Add to that the fact that its light weight and small size mean tires and brakes won’t wear too hard and replacement items won’t cost a fortune and the FR-S is destined to become the track weapon of choice for leagues of driving enthusiasts.

Sometimes it’s hard to know when a car will become an icon. Sometimes it’s not.

http://www.autoguide.com/manufacturer/scion/2013-scion-frs-review-video-1809.html

Denver Toyota dealers ink $5.4 million deal for naming rights at zoo’s elephant exhibit

interstatetoyota — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:33:49 +0000

Posted: 12/06/2011 01:00:00 AM MST

Updated: 12/06/2011 01:14:23 AM MST

By Electa Draper
The Denver Post

Mayor Michael Hancock, left, and Denver Zoo board chairwoman Katie Schoelzel help announce a deal for naming rights to the zoo’s new elephant exhibit. Local Toyota dealers will donate $5.4 million for the “Toyota Elephant Passage.” The 10-acre exhibit is scheduled to open June 1. (Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post)

The Denver Toyota Dealers Association will spend $5.4 million for the right to name a new Denver Zoo exhibit “Toyota Elephant Passage.”

The deal closes a $2 million gap to match public funding of the $50 million exhibit that will focus on Asian elephants, rhinos and tapirs. The exhibit is scheduled to open June 1.

The donation is the second largest in the zoo’s 115-year history. The largest was $7 million by Janus in 2004.

Zoo president and chief executive Craig Piper said the exhibit, which includes more than 2 miles of trails and 1 million gallons of water features for its animal inhabitants, is the most significant in the zoo’s history.

“We’re not just 80 acres in City Park,” Piper said at Monday’s announcement. “We’re people working all over the world to preserve many species.”

Asian elephants, including bulls, greater one-horned rhinos and Malayan tapirs are the stars of the exhibit, but it also will include fishing cats, small-clawed otters and flying foxes (bats). Animals are beginning to move into the their new digs.

Toyota’s fuel-efficiency goals and the launch of the new Prius vehicles make it a good fit with the Denver Zoo’s commitment to field conservation of species and cutting-edge energy-saving practices, said dealers association spokesman Jeff Thorpe, the Go Toyota general manager.

Mayor Michael Hancock and representatives of the association’s seven Toyota stores were on hand for Monday’s announcement at the zoo, almost two years to the date of the exhibit’s groundbreaking.

Denver voters authorized $62.5 million in bond funds for Denver Zoo improvements in 1999. The zoo committed to raise an additional $55 million in private funds. With the $117.5 million, the zoo completes the first two of four phases in a master plan.

Other improvements have included Predator Ridge, Congo Basin, Lorikeet Adventure, the bird-propagation center, the zoo-entrance complex and a parking garage.

More than 3,000 people have donated to Toyota Elephant Passage, Piper said, and support is still needed for the zoo’s innovative biomass gasification system to power the exhibit.

The system will convert animal waste and zoo visitors’ trash into energy.

Hancock said the zoo was one of his favorite spots in Denver. Piper said the zoo, with 1.9 million visitors in 2010, was the most visited cultural attraction in the state and the fourth most-visited zoo in the country.

“Whatever we do, we do it first class,” said zoo trustee Tom Siratovich.

Electa Draper: 303-954-1276 or edraper@denverpost.com

BMW, Toyota announce diesel, green technology tie-up

interstatetoyota — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:26:05 +0000

Paul McVeigh
Automotive News — December 1, 2011 – 3:03 am ET

MUNICH — BMW and Toyota Motor Corp. said they will work together on green car technologies including the joint development of lithium-ion batteries. BMW will also supply diesel engines to Toyota in Europe as part of the tie-up.

The two automakers today signed a memorandum of understanding at the Tokyo auto show for a mid- to long-term collaboration on next-generation environment-friendly technologies.

They agreed on joint research in lithium-ion battery technologies for electric and hybrid cars and said they will identify and discuss other possible collaborative projects.

BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer said the two automakers are joining forces to expand their innovation leadership. “Toyota is the leading provider of environment-friendly series technology in the volume segment and the BMW Group is the most innovative and sustainable manufacturer of premium automobiles,” he said in a statement.

Reithofer said supplying diesel engines to Toyota is another step in BMW’s plans to expand of sales of its engines and powertrain systems.

The diesel tie-up with BMW represents a reversal in Toyota’s strategy after it scrapped plans two years ago to develop 1.6-liter diesel engines with Japanese truck maker Isuzu Motors Ltd, in which it owns a 5.9 percent stake.

In 2009, when outlining Toyota’s medium-term strategy, President Akio Toyoda said the company would shift its focus in Europe to hybrids and away from diesel so as not to get “lost in the crowd.”

But Toyota has lost market share in Europe, partly due to a dearth of diesel cars, which make up more than half of new vehicle sales in the region. Diesel engines use less fuel and emit less carbon dioxide than gasoline engines.

Hybrid technology has struggled to gain traction in Europe and has never accounted for more than 2 percent of global sales.

BMW will supply 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter diesel engines for Toyota’s European models starting in 2014.

Toyota said the agreement would allow it to expand its European product lineup.

“Fundamentally we are both engineering companies, so in many aspects we have found we speak the same language, and it is interesting to see what can be achieved when Japanese engineering meets European engineering and when the cooperation really works,” Toyota Motor Europe CEO Didier LeRoy told a news conference.

Toyota has forged numerous partnerships, including with Ford Motor Co., Aston Martin, Tesla Motors and Microsoft.

Reuters contributed to this story

You can reach Paul McVeigh at pmcveigh@crain.com.

Toyota News

interstatetoyota — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:48:03 +0000

November 23, 2011 Toyota Fast Facts is an update on Toyota and industry news. Please feel free to share this information with family and friends. For more news, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

1. Toyota Extends Normal Production at Its North American Plants Toyota announced today that its North American plants would continue operating on a normal production schedule, including overtime and scheduled Saturday production, through Dec. 10. Toyota’s Thailand plants reopened Nov. 21 and the company’s Japan plants are operating at near-normal levels, including overtime. Decisions regarding future production schedules will be made based on an ongoing assessment of the parts supply situation at each individual production line.

2. 2011 Progress Report on Quality, Safety, Reliability & Value Two years ago, Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda recommitted the entire company to ensuring that Toyota products met the highest standards for quality, safety, reliability and retained value. The results of this global effort have become increasingly evident based on the long list of third-party accolades Toyota and its vehicles have recently received in recognition of this progress. QUALITY Lexus was the highest ranking nameplate in the industry in the 2011 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study and earned more segment awards than any other premium brand. The Toyota Division moved up 14 positions to place seventh in the study. Toyota ranked as the #1 manufacturer for lowest percentage of “check engine”-related failures and lowest average related repair costs, looking at 2001 to 2011 Model Year vehicles over the past year, according to the first annual CarMD Vehicle Health Index. According to ALG’s Fall 2011 Perceived Quality Study, Toyota’s perceived quality score rose more than 2 percent over the last six months, closing the gap with Honda, while Lexus once again was ranked #1 among luxury brands. The Lexus IS won the entry premium car segment in the 2011 J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study. Toyota and Lexus won 11 awards – more than half the 21 total awards – in IntelliChoice.com’s Best Overall Values of the Year. SAFETY Eleven Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles were named 2011 “Top Safety Picks” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, including the Toyota Avalon, Corolla, Highlander, Prius, Sienna, Tundra and Venza, the Scion tC and xB, and the Lexus CT 200h and RX. RELIABILITY Toyota and Lexus brands took home seven top awards in J.D. Power’s 2011 Vehicle Dependability Survey — more than any other full line manufacturer. Toyota was rated the “Best Durability of any full-line manufacturer” by R.L. Polk, based on longevity for U.S. vehicles in operation registration statistics MY1987-2010. 90% of Toyotas sold new in the 15 years between MY1996 and MY2010 are still on the road, according to R.L. Polk. RETAINED VALUE Kelley Blue Book named Toyota the 2012 Best Resale Value Brand for the second time in three years and Lexus as the Best Resale Value Luxury Brand in the 2012 Best Resale Value Awards. ALG named Lexus the Best Luxury Brand in its 2011 Residual Value Awards. Toyota and Lexus segment award winners include Toyota Tacoma, Toyota Tundra and Lexus CT 200h. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT Toyota was ranked #1 overall among Interbrand’s 2011 Best Global Green Brands. Toyotas account for two-thirds of all hybrids on the road today (R.L. Polk) o Toyota and Lexus hybrids comprise nearly three-quarters (73%) of all hybrids o Prius alone makes up half (52%) o Nine out of 10 (91%) of all hybrid-only models on the road are Prius vehicles o In April 2011Toyota announced the one-millionth sale of the Prius in the U.S., while worldwide sales have topped the 3 million mark The 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in, which will go on sale in the spring of 2012, earned Decisive magazine’s annual Urban Green Vehicle of the Year Award.

Corolla Production

interstatetoyota — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:28:03 +0000

Categories: Toyota Corolla Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi, Inc. Manufacturing & Engineering

November 17, 2011

Toyota Begins Corolla Production in Mississippi

Team Members and Business Partners Join State and Local Officials to Celebrate Nearly 2,000 New Jobs

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda celebrate the first Mississippi-built Corolla, Nov. 17, 2011.

Masafumi Hamaguchi, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi, Inc. (TMMMS), watches the line-off ceremony for the first Mississippi-built Corolla, Nov. 17, 2011.

Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Motor Corporation, displays the State of Mississippi’s new license plate on the first TMMMS-built Corolla on Nov. 17, 2011.

Toyota team members assemble the 2012 Corolla at the Blue Springs, Miss., plant, which is hiring 2,000 team members.

A Toyota team member inspects Corolla parts at the new plant in Blue Springs, Miss.

Click here for TMMMS video
Click here for TMMMs photos
Click here for TMMMS fact sheet

BLUE SPRINGS, Miss. (November 17, 2011) – Toyota team members today celebrated the opening of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi (TMMMS), the company’s new $800 million plant outside of Tupelo that assembles the Corolla, the world’s best-selling car of all time. Joining the celebration were Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour.

TMMMS is Toyota’s fourteenth North American plant, further advancing the company’s efforts to design, develop and build vehicles where they are sold. The plant has the annual capacity to produce 150,000 vehicles and will employ nearly 2,000.

Speaking at ceremony, Toyoda said, “Building vehicles where we sell them helps us be even closer to our customers. The U.S. market remains a key to Toyota’s overall success, and Toyota Mississippi will play an important role for us here.”

“Today is a great day for Blue Springs and the entire State of Mississippi,” Governor Haley Barbour said. “Toyota chose Mississippi for its dedicated, talented workforce, and I know they will enjoy great success at their newest facility. We are proud to be the home of Toyota, and we look forward to a long and successful relationship with our newest corporate partner.”

“Mississippi has provided us with a great workforce who welcomes challenges and are eager to learn,” said Masafumi Hamaguchi, president of TMMMS. “Our slogan is: ‘Always look for the best way, using our pioneer spirit.’ The Mississippi workforce has shown that they have this spirit.”

Toyota’s Buffalo, W. Va., engine plant is supplying all engines for Corolla production at TMMMS. Cylinder heads and blocks for those engines are produced at both of Toyota’s Bodine Aluminum castings plants, located in Troy, Mo., and Jackson, Tenn.

When Toyota announced the Blue Springs project, they also announced a partnership with the CREATE Foundation and a donation of $50 million – $5 million a year for 10 years – was also announced toward an innovative addition to the public school system in the Pontotoc, Union, and Lee counties. The Center for Professional Futures will be an education facility that will expose students in the eight school districts in the PUL Alliance counties in to professional careers through high performance teaching and a modern learning environment.

Announcement	February 2007
Groundbreaking	April 2007
Location	Blue Springs, Miss.
Product	Toyota Corolla
Production capacity	150,000 vehicles/year
Site area	1,700 acres
Employment	Nearly 2,000
Investment	$800 million

Contact(s):

Media Contacts:
Emily Holland 662.507.5148
Tania Saldana 859.746.7796

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos and b-roll to accompany are available at http://www.toyotanewsroom.com.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) established operations in North America in 1957 and currently operates 14 manufacturing plants. There are more than 1,800 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in North America which sold more than 2 million vehicles in 2010. Toyota directly employs more than 35,000 in North America and its investment here is currently valued at more than $23 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design. Toyota’s annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totals nearly $25 billion.

Toyota currently produces 12 vehicles in North America, including the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Highlander, Matrix, RAV4, Sienna, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra, Venza and the Lexus RX 350.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com.

The 2012 Toyota Prius V is Here!!!!!!!

interstatetoyota — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:55:27 +0000

New Toyota Incentives Available!!!!!

interstatetoyota — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:36:58 +0000

http://www.interstatetoyota.com/incentives-rebates.aspx