Toyota Ku:Rin snags compressed air top speed record with 80.3 mph run
September 25, 2011 by Obrien Auto Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Concept Cars , Motorsports , Toyota Developed by a subsidiary of Toyota Motors called Toyota Industries Corp., the arrow you see above is the three-wheeled Ku:Rin. Powered by compressed air, the Ku:Rin showcases Toyota’s expertise in developing compressors for automotive air conditioning systems. Recently, the Ku:Rin prototype hit the track at Japan Automobile Research Institute’s test facility in search of a speed record for compressed air vehicles. The Ku:Rin’s posted top speed of 80.3 miles per hour should be enough to rocket it into the record books, and Toyota says it will submit the results to Guinness World Records. Power for the Ku:Rin comes from a reversed A/C compressor that generates energy from the expansion of compressed air, while the vehicle’s on-board compressed air tanks serve as “fuel.” Though 80 mph seems reasonable, the Ku:Rin’s two-mile total range is laughable. This thing may be fast, but talk about range anxiety. Toyota Ku:Rin snags compressed air top speed record with 80.3 mph run originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Filed under Car Buying News & Tips, Concept Cars, ES, GS, Green, IS, O'Brien, RL, Red, TL, Toyota · Tagged with compressed air car, concept-cars, entry, expansion, Green, ku:rin, power, red, speed-record, Toyota
Toyota goes creepy with new Prius People Person commercial
September 25, 2011 by Obrien Auto Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Hybrid , Marketing/Advertising , Hatchback , Toyota In the latest Prius family commercial by Toyota , actual actors, loads of computer animation and a miniature set combine to create the illusion of a Godzilla-sized man made of people. He then steps out of his house to find that his Toyota Prius has morphed into four vehicles: a regular Prius, Prius V , Prius C concept and Prius Plug-In . This is the end of Mr. People Person, as he quickly disintegrates, leaving only his size-bazillion shoes and a bunch of little people behind. Toyota’s narrative behind its Prius People Person ad states: Not long ago, there was one model of Prius for everyone to share. But now that one Prius has become a family: There’s one for everyone. There’s the original one, the bigger one, the smaller one and the one that plugs in. They’re all a little different, just like us. We’d say the spot makes sense conceptually, but it’s a bit over the top, and creepy to boot. See it for yourself after the jump and let the disintegration begin.
Filed under Car Buying News & Tips, ES, GS, Green, Hybrid, IS, O'Brien, Prius, Red, TL, Toyota · Tagged with creepy prius ad, hatchbacks, hybrid, over-the-top, person, Prius, prius20plug-in, Toyota, toyota-prius
Toyota Plug-in Prius priced at $32,000* and Prius V to start at $26,400*
September 17, 2011 by Obrien Auto Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Hybrid , Wagon , Hatchback , Toyota The Prius Plug-in Hybrid has a price: $32,000. That’s the just-announced MSRP for the base plug-in hybrid, with the top-of-the-line Prius Plug-in Hybrid Advanced jumping all the way up to $39,525. Because the both of these Prius Plug-in models have a 4.4-kWh, 176 pound battery pack, it should qualify for a federal tax credit of $2,500. Toyota has also announced that the larger Prius V , which does not qualify for any tax incentives, will start at $26,400. *All vehicles are subject to a $760 delivery fee. Toyota says the plug-in Prius will be available in 14 western and East Coast states next spring and in all 50 states in 2013. The Japanese automaker is predicting 15,000 sales in the first full year and the Prius family could eventually be the company’s best-selling nameplate once all members are on sale – presuming overall hybrid sales increase. Recently, Toyota announced a partnership with Leviton to provide charging stations. Today, Toyota said that it will offer Leviton’s 16 Amp, Level 2 charging station for $999 (including installation), starting in early October. Starting next month, Toyota will start taking reservations for the Prius Plug-in at its website next month.
2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid returns 112 MPGe
September 15, 2011 by Obrien Auto Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show , Hybrid , Hatchback , Toyota At the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show , Toyota peeled back the sheets to finally reveal its 2012 Prius Plug-in production model. Toyota describes the plug-in hybrid as the “greenest, most technically advanced Prius yet,” and with an electric-only driving range of 14.3 miles, fuel consumption targeted at 112 miles per gallon equivalent and CO2 emissions listed at 49 grams per kilometer, we’re inclined to agree with the Japanese automaker’s bluster. Unlike currently available Prius hatchbacks, the plug-in version is rechargeable using an electrical connection, rather than only from electricity generated while the vehicle is in motion. Toyota says that after the Prius Plug-in’s 4.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack is depleted, the vehicle seamlessly switches to hybrid mode. The Prius Plug-in can be fully recharged in less than 1.5 hours. On the performance front, the plug-in Prius cranks out 134 horsepower, which Toyota says is sufficient to propel the hybrid hatch from nought to 62 miles per hour in a leisurely 10.7 seconds and onward to a top speed of 112 mph. Toyota says sales of the Prius Plug-in will start in early 2012 – mainly in Japan, the U.S and Europe – and anticipates annual volume of 50,000 units. The Japanese automaker has yet to announce pricing for the 2012 plug-in, but some reports claim the automaker is targeting a sub-$30,000 price tag . Hit the jump to read Toyota’s zillion-word release detailing the world’s most technically advanced Prius and be sure to check out our live shots from Frankfurt in the high-res image gallery. Continue reading 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid returns 112 MPGe 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid returns 112 MPGe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 18:01:00 EST.
Toyota launches Pixis Space; first kei cars are Daihatsus in drag
September 10, 2011 by Obrien Auto Group · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Minivan/Van , Wagon , Japan , Hatchback , Toyota , Daihatsu Toyota has announced that it will unveil its first-ever kei car to be sold under its recently launched Pixis sub-brand. The vehicle, called the Pixis Space, will make its official debut in late September. Based on the Daihatsu Move Conte , the Pixis Space will be sold at Toyota dealerships through what the automakers calls “Pixis stations.” Yes, seriously. After Toyota’s version of the Daihatsu Move Conte makes its debut, the Japanese automaker will launch a Pixis-badged Daihatsu Hijet truck and microvan in December. By the end of 2012, Toyota says it will launch a Pixis version of the upcoming Daihatsu e:S – a vehicle that returns 70.6 miles per gallon (U.S.) as measured under Japan’s JC08 test cycle. In case you weren’t aware, Daihatsu – Japan’s oldest manufacturer of automobiles – operates under the control of Toyota. In other words, these Pixis machines are simply badge engineering at the kei level. Toyota launches Pixis Space; first kei cars are Daihatsus in drag originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Filed under Car Buying News & Tips, ES, GS, Green, IS, LS, O'Brien, Red, TL, Toyota, Wagon · Tagged with daihatsu-hijet, daihatsu-move, entry, kei car, operates-under, pixis, pixis-badged, sold-at-toyota, Toyota, toyota pixis, toyota space, words
