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Toyota reveals custom Mark X, Harrier and Prius for Tokyo Auto Salon

Toyota offers a robust lineup of models in markets around the world – ours included – but there are certain models that remain reserved for Japan, and now it has revealed some tantalizingly modified versions for its home market. Arguably chief among them is a version of the Mark X that's been upgraded by GRMN. For those unfamiliar, the Mark X is a rear-drive sport sedan offered in the Japanese Domestic Market, while GRMN (shorthand for Gazoo Racing Masters of Nurburgring) is the street-tuning division of one of the company's racing departments. The confluence of these two Japanese lines brings some enticing upgrades to the sedan, including a new front bumper, carbon-fiber roof, trunk spoiler, 19-inch alloys, sport suspension, upgraded brakes and an interior decked out with sports sedans and steering wheel as well as carbon, piano black and Alcantara trim. Motivation comes from a 3.5-liter V6 driving 316 horsepower to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission and Torsen limited slip differential. Joining the Mark X GRMN are a pair of models enhanced by G's, another one of Toyota's Japan-centric performance lines. There's an Elegance version of the Harrier – similar to the Lexus RX we get Stateside – with a sports suspension dropped by 1.4 inches, upgraded brakes, an aggressively restyled front end and an enhanced interior. Alongside it Toyota has revealed a version of the tall-roofed Prius Alpha (which we know as the Prius V) with a similarly upgraded suspension, refreshed front end styling and interior with sports seats and silver-stitched black interior. All three models are slated to debut at the 2015 Tokyo Auto Salon - Japan's equivalent of the SEMA show - next month at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba. Featured Gallery Toyota at 2015 Tokyo Auto Salon View 18 Photos News Source: Toyota Aftermarket Green Tokyo Auto Salon Toyota JDM toyota prius v

Toyota, Morgan Spurlock say hydrogen can be bullsh*t

Toyota wants the world to know that it's not full of crap about hydrogen as the future of fuel. Months before the Mirai arrives at dealers on the West Coast, the automaker is trying to get the word out through documentary series called Fueled by Everything. In the first episode, director Morgan Spurlock (best known for Super Size Me) shows how to make the futuristic fuel cell sedan run on a load of dung. After some processing, anyway. The whole point of the series is to show viewers the myriad sources available to generate hydrogen, and Toyota starts at an attention-grabbing extreme. A pickup truck takes a bed full of cow manure and demonstrates the steps needed to make it into hydrogen for the Mirai. Of course, the new model gets lots of screen time, too. For those in the audience curious to learn more, Toyota also digs a little deeper into the generation process on the series' website. Fueled by Bullsh*t Toyota Taps Morgan Spurlock to Direct First Video in "Fueled by Everything" Series TORRANCE, Calif. (April 22, 2015) – Sometimes reality stinks. Toyota has tapped award-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock to show how calling hydrogen fuel cell vehicles "bullsh*t" isn't far from the truth. "Fueled by Bullsh*t" is the first online video in a multi-part "Fueled by Everything" series aimed to educate a broad audience about the innovative ways hydrogen fuel can be made from renewable sources. Spurlock directed the 3-minute piece which features a dairy farmer and mechanical engineer as they follow cow manure from a mooing supply source to its ultimate use in powering the hydrogen fuel cell electric Toyota Mirai. "This project gave us the opportunity to dive into a world that most people don't understand but has the potential to change our world," said Spurlock. "Witnessing manure, something most of us view as being pretty disposable, being transformed into hydrogen fuel to power a car was pretty remarkable. I think this short film is pretty compelling evidence of what could be possible in the years ahead." Beyond high quality dung, hydrogen can be manufactured from other renewable energy sources like solar, wind and biogas from landfills. These production methods can result in a domestic and locally sourced fuel that powers the Mirai while emitting only water vapor from the tailpipe. The multi-series video campaign is launching through the Toyota Mirai website (www.toyota.com/mirai) and additional digital properties with paid online media support.

Toyota Mirai, Lexus LS show off Advanced Drive assists with OTA updates, AI

TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp unveiled on Thursday new models of Lexus and Mirai in Japan, equipped with advanced driver assistance, as competition heats up to develop more self-driving and connected cars. Toyota's latest launch comes as automakers, electric car startups and tech giants invest heavily in so-called active safety features. The Japanese carmaker's new driving assist technology, or Advanced Drive, features a level 2 autonomous system that helps driving, such as limiting the car in its lane, maintaining the distance from other vehicles and changing lanes under the driver's supervision on expressways or other motor-vehicle-only roads. The system can even handle lane merges, and when passing trucks its lane system will move the car further to the opposite side of its lane. The car will recommend a course of action to a driver before executing it. The system also features a camera to monitor the driver's actions and level of attentiveness, and if the driver seems unresponsive or incapacitated, the car will pull itself over. The luxury sedan Lexus LS will be on sale from Thursday, costing between about 16.3 million yen ($148,600) and 17.9 million yen ($164,000), while the second-generation Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car will be offered on April 12 at between 8.4 million ($76,900) and 8.6 million yen ($78,750). This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The new models are Toyota's first products brought to the market that provide over-the-air updates and utilize AI technology centered on deep learning, said Toyota executive James Kuffner, who is also the head of Toyota's research unit Woven Planet. "This is really an important first step in our journey towards software-first development," he said at an online briefing on Thursday, adding that the company has tried to design the software to be truly global and to provide re-usability. In the future, software features on cars will be "upgradable" and "more customizable" much like how people personalize their smartphones, Kuffner added. Fully self-driven cars are still likely to be years away, but rival General Motors early this year made a splash at the virtual Consumer Electronics Show with a fully-autonomous all-electric flying Cadillac concept, while Chinese search engine operator Baidu unveiled a partnership with local car brand Geely.