Filed under: Coupe , Performance , Japan , Scion , Toyota We may have a clearer picture of what the Toyota FT-86 / Scion FR-S will bring to the table when the production version finally arrives. A few scans of a purported Toyota training manual on the vehicle have made their way into the hands of the internet via the FT86Club.com forum. If the site’s translations are accurate, the vehicle will boast a 2.0-liter flat-four producing 197 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 150 pound-feet of torque at 6,600 rpm. While not overwhelming numbers, if the handling is as good as we’ve been hearing, the powertrain should be enough to hustle the 2,667-pound coupe around your favorite twisty road at a respectable pace. The sheet also reveals that the FR-S will come in two trims, at least in Japan. A higher-spec variant will come with a limited-slip rear differential in both manual and automatic-equipped vehicles, while the lower-spec model will only have the LSD when equipped with a third pedal (which is just fine by us). Topped-out JDM versions will also have a leather-wrapped steering wheel, LED accent lighting, a six-speaker audio system, sport pedals and white-faced gauges. Models will also be differentiated by wheel size, with higher-trims wearing modest 17-inch rollers and lower models rolling on 16-inch stock. Toyota FT-86 / Scion FR-S specs leaked via training manual originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .
Filed under Audi, O'Brien, Scion, Toyota · Tagged with Acura, BMW, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, obrien auto group, Scion, smart, Toyota, volkswagen, Volvo
Filed under: Crossover , Toyota Before, there was just one Toyota Venza . Oh sure, you could boost the equipment and outfitting by ordering option packages, but since its launch, the Venza has not carried a suffix. For 2012, Toyota is changing its strategy and now there are Venza LE, XLE and Limited trim levels for buyers to choose between. The LE starts it off, and it gets cushier and better-equipped from there with the XLE and Limited, though even in the base model, you won’t find a Venza without a six-disc changer, Bluetooth, and USB and auxiliary input. The top-dog Limited is a leather-lined, V6-powered box of rock thanks to a JBL Synthesis surround-sound audio system. Navigation, panorama roof, automatic high-beams are some other highlights. In between, the XLE covers the middle ground with a whole bunch of optional choices. The changes add a new bit of shorthand to the Venza that makes it easy to pick out the sybarites from the skinflints. Toyota thinks the move brings the Venza in line with its other products and makes choosing more convenient for buyers. The full press release is after the jump .
Filed under Audi, Blue, Car Buying News & Tips, Crossovers, ES, Fit, GS, IS, ISC, LS, O'Brien, Red, SC, TL, Toyota, Venza · Tagged with 2012 toyota venza, equipment, fit, limited, makes-it-easy, red, thinks-the-move, Toyota, toyota venza, toyota venza le, toyota venza xle
Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show , Sedan , Toyota Toyota has pulled back the sheets on its 2012 Avensis here in Frankfurt, and we’re a bit impressed with the shape of this sedan. The Avensis is essentially Europe’s Camry , but under the skin, it’s very different, as it actually rides on a platform it shares with the Scion tC . In this case, the new Avensis can be had in either sedan or wagon bodystyles. Up front, the Avensis gets a revised face that includes a reworked grille and stretched-out headlamps. Under the puffed-up fenders, buyers can opt for either 16-inch steel wheels with covers or 17-inch alloy rollers. Toyota will also offer additional 17 and 18-inch styles featuring a darker finish. Inside, the cabin of the new Avensis has been updated with the automaker’s optional Touch and Go Plus infotainment system. This unit incorporates an 11-speaker audio system, 3D landmarks and city models for the nav system, email, calendar support and advanced voice recognition and audio search capabilities. The 2012 Toyota Avensis will be offered with a choice between three four-cylinder engines:A 2.0-liter turbodiesel, 2.2-liter diesel or a 1.8-liter gasoline powerplant. All three come standard with a six-speed manual transmission, but the 2.2-liter diesel has the option of a six-speed automatic while the other two can be equipped with a CVT.
Filed under Audi, Camry, Car Buying News & Tips, ES, GS, IS, LS, O'Brien, Red, SC, Scion, Scion tC, TL, Toyota, Wagon · Tagged with 2011 frankfurt, avensis, camry, european, frankfurt motor show, Scion tC, sedan-or-wagon, Toyota
Filed under: SUV , Hatchback , Toyota , Motorcycle When we think Toyota Avalon , phrases like ‘social security’, ‘medicare’ and ‘Denny’s Grand Slam’ come to mind. The reason? The majority of Avalons out on the road are driven by old folks and curtain rod salesman, but a report from Automotive News suggests that this could all change in the very near future. In its report, AN claims that the next Avalon was shown to Toyota dealers in June, and the employees loved what they saw. The large sedan will reportedly undergo a massive redesign that will morph the Avalon from a granny-glider to a curvy stud, with design comparisons already being made to the Audi A7 and the Jaguar XJ . Sure, Toyota dealers typically spend their work days looking at the Yaris and Corolla , so their design eye could be muddied a bit. But at the very least, the next Avalon should be very different from the model we know and ignore today, and that should be a welcomed change of pace. Speaking of the Yaris and Corolla, AN states that both models are slated for redesign. The new Yaris will arrive this fall with more aggressive styling and a bit more interior room. The Corolla will also get a heavy refresh for the 2012 model year, though the more thorough overhaul will likely come in the spring of 2014.
Filed under Audi, Avalon, Car Buying News & Tips, Corolla, ES, GS, IS, Jaguar, Jaguar XJ, LS, Land Cruiser, O'Brien, Red, Sequoia, TL, Toyota, XJ, Yaris · Tagged with avalon, design, entry, jaguar xj, land cruiser, motorcycles, sequoia, spring, though-the-more, through-the-end, Toyota, yaris
Filed under: Motorsports , Toyota 1998 Toyota GT-One – Click above for high-res image gallery This year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans packed plenty of action, but there weren’t as many automakers fielding their own entries in the top-tier LMP1 category as you might think. There was Audi , of course, which has dominated the category for years, arch-rival Peugeot , with its diesel-powered challenger, and Aston Martin , which stepped up to the big leagues after dominating just about every GT category for years. Honda Performance Development had a couple of cars in the second-tier LMP2 category, and there were plenty of factory-supported GT cars. The rest of the LMP1 field was filled by privateers running mostly Lola, Zytek, Oreca or Judd chassis, powered by a variety of engines. But the coming years could see an influx of new automakers aiming to take on Audi for the top honors. According to the latest rumors, race organizers ACO are in discussions with a number of car manufacturers interested in entering the LMP1 category. Chief among them is reportedly Toyota , which is said to have been working on its own prototype since last year. The Toyota LMP1 is reportedly being developed with Dome – a Japanese chassis constructor that’s built such racing machinery as the competition-spec Honda NSX , an aborted F1 program and several Le Mans prototypes, as well as a handful of Toyota racers in the 1980s – and incorporates a hybrid powertrain. The last time Toyota competed at Le Mans was with the GT-One (pictured above), which raced there in 1998 and 1999 but held the lap record at La Sarthe until 2006. The new entry, according to reports, could be ready for an assault on next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Filed under Audi, Car Buying News & Tips, ES, GS, Honda, Hybrid, IS, ISC, O'Brien, Red, SC, TL, Toyota · Tagged with aston-martin, Audi, entry, hybrid, le mans, le mans prototype, lmp1, motorsports, new-automakers, prototype-since, the-second-tier, Toyota, working-on-its
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