2008 Toyota Highlander on 2040-cars

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2014 Toyota Tundra gets five grades priced from $25,920*

Toyota has announced pricing details for its refreshed 2014 Tundra, with the fullsize pickup offered in five grades. Naturally, that doesn't include the buyer's choice of three cab styles, the option of two- or four-wheel drive, and a choice of a 4.0-liter V6 base engine or 4.6-liter and 5.7-liter V8s.
The base SR starts at $25,920, while the volume SR5 model starts at $29,465. Toyota notes that all SR5s ordered with the big V8 hold the line on pricing from 2013 while including a further $650 in standard equipment. The first of three high-end trims, Limited, starts at $36,940, while the Platinum and 1794 Edition both start at $44,270, with all prices subject to a $995 destination charge. Also noteworthy on the cost-savings front, Limited CrewMax 4x4 models are priced $2,000 less than their 2013 equivalents, (4x2 buyers save $1,900).
As is typical for a model as as customizable as a pickup, Toyota's pricing structure is far from simple. Adding the 5.7-liter V8 at one trim level can cost several hundred dollars more or less than another trim level - the same goes for adding four-wheel drive. So, rather than break out the Enigma Machine to try and decipher what options cost what on which trim, we've just rolled the whole pricing chart in. Scroll down for a look, including Toyota's full press release, and then check out our recent First Drive feature of the truck.

Recharge Wrap-up: BMW i8 Futurism Edition, Tesla picks Hankook for Model 3

BMW Italia has created a special edition BMW i8 to celebrate 50 years of the German automaker in Italy. The BMW i8 Futurism Edition, made in partnership with Garage Italia Customs, replicates artist Giacomo Balla's "Lampada ad Arco" on the car. The special edition i8 will take part in the 2016 Mille Miglia, following a BMW 328 driven by BMW Italia President and CEO Sergio Solero. The car "represents the pairing of a sports car of the future with Italian creativity and art," says Solero. See how it was made in the video above, and read more in the press release below. The Toyota Mobility Foundation has joined the New Cities Foundation (NCF) as a Global Strategic Member. The organizations will work together on research and initiatives to improve lives through better mobility. Toyota Group Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Latondra Newton will serve on the NCF's Board of Trustees. "Our expanded partnership with New Cities Foundation will allow us to advance our work by joining a global network of leaders who are focused on solving the most pressing challenges to cities around the world," says Newton. Read more from Toyota. Electric bus manufacturer Proterra has created a simulator to help fleet managers assess the benefits of using EVs. The Proterra EV Simulator allows for a comparison of its electric buses alongside diesel, CNG, and hybrid buses on specific routes within a transit system. It uses Google Maps plus data and algorithms from two million miles of real-world driving to compare costs, performance, and environmental benefits, taking into account variables like routes, local temperatures, and passenger loads. Proterra will display the simulator at the American Public Transportation Association Bus and Paratransit Conference on May 17. Read more from Proterra. Tesla has chosen Hankook as the tire supplier for its upcoming Model 3 EV. According to Korean network Arirang News, Tesla chose Hankook after sampling various offerings from companies around the globe. Hankook will build the tires specifically for the Model 3 with the goal of minimizing driving range losses. The value of the contract has not been disclosed. See more from Arirang News, and read more at Teslarati. BMW Italia and Garage Italia Customs present the BMW i8 Futurism Edition. The initiative is part of the 50th anniversary celebration of BMW history in Italy.

Vice chronicles Okinawa's illegal street racing scene

We all know that street racing is dangerous, and that motorsports are best left on the track or drag strip. However, that doesn't mean that there still isn't some outlaw allure among enthusiasts of racing on public roads. In this video, Vice Japan profiles Eikichi Nagayoshi of Japan's island of Okinawa. He is a used car dealer by day and an illegal racer by night.
Nagayoshi has a deep love for his highly customized Toyota Aristo (better known to us as a first-generation Lexus GS) that he claims produces over 1,000 horsepower and has hit 205 miles per hour. He races his car both on drag strips and in drifting competitions, but says that he often has to ship the car to mainland Japan to compete. In the absence of those opportunities, he sometimes gathers friends and takes the racing to the public roads. While we're not down with street racing, this Vice video is an intriguing personality piece, as well as a look into Japan's fabled underground racing scene. Scroll down to check out the video, but make sure you have the "CC" button clicked, because several portions are subtitled.