2006 Toyota Highlander on 2040-cars

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Rod Millen to face Monster Tajima in Electric Division of Pikes Peak Hill Climb

The 91st running of the Pike's Peak International Hill Climb is scheduled to begin on June 30. Like last year's event, the 12.42 mile course - fully paved these days - starts at 9,390 feet elevation and doesn't stop climbing until it reaches an impressive 14,110 feet (the air is so thin up there that the FAA requires pilots to use oxygen at that altitude).
There will be an assortment of internal combustion machines racing to the summit, entries from France, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Sweden, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland and Belgium, but all eyes will be on the electric showdown between Rod Millen and Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima, from Japan. 61-year-old Millen is a familiar name to Toyota racing fans, and he will be driving the Toyota TMG EV P002 (it won the Electric title last year), while Tajima will be again piloting the Monster Sport E-Runner (which was forced out of the field last year after a fire broke out).
Other entrants include Rhys Millen driving a 2013 Hyundai PM58OT and Paul Dallenbach, who will be driving Millen's Hyundai Genesis Coupe (it set the all-time speed mark last year).

Toyota officially outsells GM, VW through first three quarters

When it comes to global vehicle deliveries, the term "Big Three" doesn't apply to Ford, Chrysler and General Motors, but instead Toyota, GM and Volkswagen - in that order - through the third quarter of 2013. Toyota sold 7.41-million vehicles through the third quarter and is on track to deliver more vehicles this year than GM and VW, which sold 7.25-million and 7.03-million, respectively, through the same period, Bloomberg reports.
During the third quarter, from July to September, Toyota's 2.5-million deliveries helped to push it higher than its closest competitors this year. In that period, GM delivered 2.4-million vehicles while VW posted 2.33-million deliveries.
Part of the reason behind Toyota's and other Japanese automakers resurgence globally is the weakened yen, which can be attributed to policies made by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe since he took office in December 2012. Many refer to those monetary easing policies as 'Abenomics,' which has led some, such as Ford, to call Japan a currency manipulator and is a big reason why the US is lobbying to oppose Japan's entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

2014 Toyota Highlander greets the world with NYC debut

Toyota has pulled the wraps off its all-new, 2014 Highlander in New York this morning, giving Americans a first look at what is sure to be a heavyweight in the mid-size crossover segment.
The new third-generation Highlander will come with the buyer's choice of three different powertrain options. The base model will be powered by a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission with front-wheel-drive. Next up the ladder is a 3.5-liter V6, also mated to the 6AT, which can be had with either front-or all-wheel-drive. Finally, the Highlander Hybrid will be equipped with all-wheel drive, its 3.5-liter V6 mated to an electric motor, all hooked up to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The automaker has not released any specs for fuel economy or output yet, though we're promised increases in both power and efficiency.
While not a revolution in terms of styling, Toyota has cleaned up the bodywork for the new model, offering a crisp, conservative look for the slightly larger Highlander. The vehicle is some three inches longer and an inch-and-a-half wider than the outgoing model, yet it has a lower roofline. Black plastic-clad wheel arches make an attempt to butch up the crossover, though to our eyes, the Highlander still has the look of a minivan around the rear view.