1988 Toyota Land Cruiser Fj62 on 2040-cars

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180,000 new vehicles are sitting, derailed by lack of transport trains

If you're planning on buying a new car in the next month or so, you might want to pick from what's on the lot, because there could be a long wait for new vehicles from the factory. Locomotives continue to be in short supply in North America, and that's causing major delays for automakers trying to move assembled cars.
According to The Detroit News, there are about 180,000 new vehicles waiting to be transported by rail in North America at the moment. In a normal year, it would be about 69,000. The complications have been industry-wide. Toyota, General Motors, Honda and Ford all reported experiencing some delays, and Chrysler recently had hundreds of minivans sitting on the Detroit waterfront waiting to be shipped out.
The problem is twofold for automakers. First, the fracking boom in the Bakken oil field in the Plains and Canada is monopolizing many locomotives. Second, the long, harsh winter is still causing major delays in freight train travel. The bad weather forced trains to slow down and carry less weight, which caused a backup of goods to transport. The auto companies resorted to moving some vehicles by truck, which was a less efficient but necessary option.

Toyota Camry to go turbo

As automakers strive to meet regulations, turbocharging is rapidly becoming the norm whether looking at pickups, sports cars or family sedans. However, Toyota remains a stalwart to the changing tide, and for the time being a trip into one of the brand's dealers shows nary a hint of forced induction – probably not for long, though. With models like the Lexus NX 200t and forthcoming IS 200t pointing the way, a big shift is afoot for one of the Japanese automaker's most popular products. Obviously, Toyota is no stranger to forced induction for performance applications like the turbocharged models of the Supra and MR2 in the '90s. But rather than reducing lap times, the latest application is more about improving emissions and fuel economy. According to Automotive News, the Camry is getting a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder in the near future as a replacement for its V6 engine option. The 3.5-liter six currently in the venerable sedan already makes 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque, versus 235 hp and 258 lb-ft in the NX 200t or 241 hp and 258 lb-ft in the IS from the new four. The base four-cylinder also might receive some upgrades. It could grow larger and run on the Atkinson cycle to find improvements, according to Automotive News. There might be a move towards CVTs, as well. Toyota is hardly alone in the shift towards forced induction. Honda is known to have a 1.5-liter turbo mill on the way for the next-gen Civic. In addition, that engine might find its way into the Accord and CR-V as well, according to Automotive News. Among the major Japanese automakers, only Nissan is taking a more measured approach towards forced induction in mainstream models. Rather than going all-in on turbos, the company is expected to shift more of its engines to direct injection to go after fuel economy gains.

Sports 800 is a progenitor of Toyota performance

There's an automotive axiom that claims it's more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow. If that's the case, then pushing a Toyota Sports 800 around must be one of the most exhilarating experiences behind the wheel in the world. With just 800cc of displacement from a two-cylinder boxer engine, the focus is on finesse over outright speed. Still, it's a fantastic page in Toyota's performance history, and Petrolicious takes a ride with a man who owns a meticulously restored 1967 example in its latest video.
The Sports 800 used the classic cost-saving strategy in the auto industry of taking parts from a standard model in the lineup and modifying it into a sports car. In this case that meant borrowing the engine from the plebian Toyota Publica, beefing it up for more power and clothing the whole thing a in beautifully shaped, wind-tunnel-honed body.
The look of these lithe, targa roadsters is the exact opposite of the rather dull styling sometimes associated with Toyota today. Everywhere you look there are louvers, vents or curves to draw the eye. Check out the latest Petrolicious video for a detailed look at the history of this rare model that's largely unknown on this side of the Pacific.