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Toyota's new turbodiesel engines are stronger, lighter, cleaner [w/video]

Think about turbodiesels and trucks, and companies like General Motors and Dodge/Ram might spring to mind. Toyota? Not so much. Hybrids are its thing. Still, the Japanese automaker is looking to alter that image a bit, at least overseas. Toyota is touting its new line of turbodiesel mills that went into the HiLux pickups that started being sold in Thailand and Australia last month, and in the Land Cruiser Prado that debuted in Japan last week. Toyota's breaking out fancy terms like "Thermo Swing Wall Insulation Technology" (TSWIN) and "Selective Catalytic Reduction" (SCR), but the upshot is that the engines boost torque up 25 percent, and, more importantly, fuel efficiency by 15 percent. Additionally, the engine's configuration can cut as much as 99 percent of NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions. Asia's new version of the HiLux offers two turbodiesels: a 2.4-liter version with 164 horsepower, and a 2.8-liter mill with 174 hp. Toyota says that by the end of next year, it'll be able to make 700,000 of the engines a year and will make them available in 90 global markets. Scroll down to check out Toyota's 90-second explanatory video, and get more details from the official press release. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Toyota's Revamped Turbo Diesel Engines Offer More Torque, Greater Efficiency and Lower Emissions New engines feature next-generation advanced thermal insulation diesel combustion1 World-first2 use of Thermo Swing Wall Insulation Technology (TSWIN3) Top-class maximum thermal efficiency of 44 percent4 15 percent more fuel efficient; 25 percent more maximum torque Eliminates up to 99 percent of NOx emissions Production of 700,000 units a year; available in approx. 90 markets by the end of 20165 Toyota's newly developed direct-injection turbo diesel engines raise the bar for fuel efficiency, power and quietness. The world's first use of Thermo Swing Wall Insulation Technology (TSWIN) makes the 2.8-liter 1GD-FTV engine one of the most thermally efficient in existence, with a maximum thermal efficiency of 44 percent. Despite smaller engine displacement in comparison to the current KD engine, maximum torque is improved by 25 percent and low speed torque improved by 11 percent, while fuel efficiency has received a 15 percent boost.

Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race Scion FR-S [w/video]

Toyota has been hosting its Pro/Celebrity race at the Toyota Grand Prix on Long Beach since 1977. The charity event, which has raised millions of dollars over the years, traditionally pits Hollywood celebrities against professional athletes (including race car drivers) on the full Grand Prix course in modified street vehicles. The short, sprint-style race is popular with the crowds as the amateur drivers race uninhibited - the result is an action-packed race with plenty of excitement and automotive... er... carnage.
Over the decades, the drivers have raced a variety of Toyota products including last year's front-wheel-drive Scion tC. But this year, Toyota announced at the Chicago Auto Show that the new rear-wheel-drive Scion FR-S would be stepping up to the plate. The good news only became better when Toyota Motorsports invited us out to Southern California's Willow Springs Raceway (the same circuit where the drivers train and practice) to be one of the first behind the wheel.
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Toyota discontinuing FJ Cruiser after 2014 model year

The Toyota FJ Cruiser is not long for this world. According to the manufacturer's own fleet website, the rugged FJ will be discontinued after the 2014 model year, with the companies final orders due in June of next year.
Toyota first launched the FJ Cruiser in 2006 as a 2007 model, and aside from minor year-over-year changes, it has not been substantially updated. The FJ is the modern successor to the original FJ40 Land Cruiser that Toyota produced from the 1960s all the way up through 1984, when the automaker decided to better focus on its larger, four-door Land Cruiser line. Currently, it uses a 4.0-liter V6 engine with either rear- or four-wheel drive, and is available with either a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. Interestingly, word of the FJ's demise comes not long after Toyota's US boss, Bill Fay, reaffirmed his company's commitment to body-on-frame trucks in late July.
Also of interest, Toyota's fleet website states that the 2014 model year Prius range will have "minor updates," though it's unclear what those are as of this writing. When Autoblog reached out to confirm these developments with Toyota, spokesman Curt McCallister reminded us, "As is our corporate policy, we don't discuss future products beyond the present or upcoming model year."