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Japanese police raid Toyota HQ following Hamp arrest

Less than a week after Toyota's new global communications officer and first female senior executive, Julie Hamp, was arrested for allegedly bringing illegal painkillers into Japan, local police have raided the company's headquarters, Japan's Asahi newspaper claims. Details are remarkably scarce at this stage, and it's entirely unclear what police were looking to find at Toyota HQ. According to Reuters, Toyota has been completely quiet on the subject of the raid. It seems logical that police would execute a search on Hamp's office in a bid to find any additional illegal medication, but that is, of course, pure speculation. Hamp has been in headlines since June 18, when Tokyo police arrested her at her hotel. Allegedly, 57 pills of Oxycodone, a powerful, highly addictive, and easily abused painkiller, was sent to Hamp from the US. And while it may have been obtained here in the States with a legal prescription, that doesn't change the fact that it, along with some over-the-counter medications, remain illegal under Japanese law. The embattled exec has had some big-name support since her arrest, though. Akio Toyoda, the head of Toyota Motor Corporation, stepped out on Sunday and said, "We are confident...that once the investigation is complete, it will be revealed there was no intention on Julie's part to violate any law." Thus far Hamp has claimed ignorance, although that might not protect her from what one expert told Reuters could result in years in prison. Should any additional information become available, we'll be sure to update this post. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Mark Renders / Getty Images Government/Legal Toyota julie hamp

Honda and Chrysler EV news, and talking with GM's charging ecosystem boss | Autoblog Podcast #781

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. They're excited about the news of the possibility of an electric sports car being revealed for Honda's 75th anniversary, as well as the completely revamped — redesigned and renamed — Chrysler Airflow. They've been driving the Bentley Bentayga EWB, Range Rover, Toyota GR Corolla and the refreshed Buick Encore GX. We listen to a interview Greg conducted with GM's EV charging boss, Hoss Hassani. Finally, a reader is looking to help his in-laws choose an SUV, possibly a hybrid or EV, to replace a BMX X3. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast # 781 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown News Honda electric sports car could be unveiled this year Chrysler Airflow being redesigned and renamed for production Cars we're driving 2023 Bentley Bentayga EWB Azure First Edition 2023 Land Rover Range Rover SE LWB 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Morizo 2024 Buick Encore GX Avenir Interview with Hoss Hassani, General Motors Vice President and EV Charging Ecosystem Spend my Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: Green Podcasts Bentley Buick Chrysler GM Honda Land Rover Toyota Green Automakers Crossover Hatchback SUV Electric Future Vehicles Luxury Performance Sedan

Aston CEO claims Cygnet cancelled because Toyota is dropping iQ in 2014

While slow sales and a $50,000 price tag may have been contributing factors to the Aston Martin Cygnet being cancelled last month, Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez is pointing the finger at Toyota for the demise of this luxurious little city car. In a discussion with Autocar, Bez is quoted as saying that the ultimate reason the Cygnet was cut is because Toyota plans on dropping the iQ (on which the Cygnet is based) in 2014 - a claim denied by the Japanese automaker.
Interestingly, the article also cites another publication reporting that a Toyota importer in the Netherlands heard the same news as Bez, and it has already stopped importing the cars. If the European Toyota iQ is cancelled, that would likely spell the end of the slow-selling Scion iQ in the US, which has sold just 3,365 units through September (a drop of 51 percent year over year).
Regardless of why production of the Cygnet ended, Bez also says that a lack of support from Toyota on the project prevented it from being offered in the US or receiving a supercharged engine, which are two factors that likely would have made the car appealing to more buyers.