1990 Toyota Land Cruiser Fj62 Gx on 2040-cars

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Toyota GT86 convertible on 'indefinite hold'

Bad news, sportscar fans. According to a new report from What Car?, Toyota has cancelled plans to produce a GT86 convertible, a model based on the FT-86 Open Concept that debuted at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. In truth, Toyota never actually confirmed it would produce the budget-friendly droptop in the first place, but rumors have been flying since last year and Toyota reportedly showed its embattled Scion dealers a FR-S version of the convertible in August. Presumably, this means that a lidless variant of the Subaru BRZ is not in the cards, either.
The reason for the move is unknown, though What Car? reports "one possible cause is weight; Toyota did say that further work would be required on rigidity before the convertible could be launched, and that could have added extra bulk that conflict with the regular GT86's ethos of light weight and agile handling." It doesn't look like that work will happen anytime soon, as "sources now say that the car has now been delayed indefinitely, with no place in Toyota's product plan in either 2014 or 2015." Still holding out hope? What Car? says the project could be "fast-tracked" if management decides it wants to reboot the program down the road.
one possible cause is weight; Toyota did say that further work would be required on rigidity before the convertible could be launched, and that could have added extra bulk that conflict with the regular GT86's ethos of light weight and agile handling. - See more at: http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/toyota-gt86-cabriolet-cancelled/1214782#sthash.iStIkWnz.dpuf

Chrysler, Nissan minivans earn 'dire' crash test results, says IIHS [w/video]

First introduced in 2012, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's small-overlap frontal crash test has become the bane of many auto engineers' existence. It's a particularly steep design challenge because it forces just 25 percent of a vehicle's front end to take the brunt of a 40-mile-per-hour impact. The newly released results of four family-minded minivans underscore just how difficult the crash test is: only one scored an Acceptable rating, and the other three did very poorly. The 2008-2015 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, plus the 2011-2015 Nissan Quest, all received Poor ratings in the test, the IIHS' lowest possible score. The three of them showed significant crash intrusion into the driver's area. The dummy in the Nissan actually had to be cut out of the vehicle, with an IIHS spokesperson remarking, "the structure collapsed like a house of cards." In the Fiat Chrysler Automobile vans, the steering wheels moved out of the way, making the airbag less effective and letting the driver's head hit the dashboard. While it was not actually crashed, the agency is also giving the 2009-12 Volkswagen Routan a Poor score because it shares a structure with the FCA models. The newly released results of four minivans underscore just how difficult the small-offset crash test is. The refreshed 2015 Toyota Sienna (shown), conversely, earned an Acceptable rating and is also a Top Safety Pick+ because of its optional forward collision warning and automatic braking system. While the crash test dummy moved around during the impact more than the agency would have liked, sensors showed a low risk of injuries. The IIHS tested the Honda Odyssey last year, and it earned a Good overall score, the agency's best ranking. It's also a Top Safety Pick+ vehicle. The only member of the minivan segment left to test is the latest Kia Sedona, and the Institute is reportedly waiting a little longer for Kia to make changes to improve the model's performance. When reached for comment, Nissan spokesperson Steve Yaeger provided Autoblog with the following statement: "Nissan is committed to vehicle safety and believes that consumers should have information about crash protection so they can make educated buying decisions. Nissan is proud of the 2014 Quest's "good" rating in the IIHS front moderate overlap and side impact tests as well as a "good" head restraint rating.

eBay find of the day: Ed Begley's Toyota RAV4 EV

You might know Ed Begley, Jr. from his Emmy-nominated role on St. Elsewhere or as one of the dead drummers in This Is Spinal Tap, his appearances on Arrested Development, Six Feet Under, and Battlestar Galactica, his reality show Living With Ed or from his years as an environmental activist (or, better yet, from previous coverage of him on AutoblogGreen). Ed Begley, Jr. has been advocating on behalf of our planet for several decades now, and the man walks the walk, too. He has done loads of work with environmental organizations. He's got his own line of environmentally friendly cleaning products. Begley is even in a long-standing rivalry with his friend Bill Nye (yes, The Science Guy) to have the lowest carbon footprint. Since 2002, he's been driving the drive as well. That's when he purchased a Toyota RAV4 EV, which is now up for auction on eBay. This car has 119,000 miles on it, but it had its battery replaced in early 2011, and it should have another seven years or so left in it. It's white with a charcoal interior, and has a little bit of cosmetic wear and tear, the normal sort of stuff for a vehicle with over 100,000 miles on it. It was in one accident back in 2003, but doesn't show any other issues. All service history is available from the dealer that sold it in the first place and maintained it since. Additionally, this RAV4 EV comes with a White Clean Air Decal, which allows the driver use of the HOV lane in California. Mr. Begley will even autograph the inside of the hood if you want him to, but it's doubtful the car comes with a Cinco-Fone. The buyer will also get to meet Begley is person and get some photos. Back in 2002, the car sold for $42,000. The current bid is $4,650 with six days to go, and the reserve has not yet been met. Check out the auction for more details.