2003 Toyota Tundra Sr5 Extended Cab Pickup 4-door 4.7l on 2040-cars

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Drive like a prince: Join us for a walk through Monaco's car collection

Small, crowded, and a royal pain in the trunk lid to drive into during rush hour, Monaco sounds like an improbable location for a huge car museum. And yet, this tiny city-state has been closely linked to car culture for over a century. It hosts two major racing events every year, many of its residents would qualify for a frequent shopper card if Rolls-Royce issued one, and Prince Rainier III began assembling a collection of cars in the late 1950s. He opened his collection to the public in 1993 and the museum quickly turned into a popular tourist attraction. The collection continued to grow after his death in April 2005; it moved to a new facility located right on Hercules Port in July 2022. Monaco being Monaco, you'd expect to walk into a room full of the latest, shiniest, and most powerful supercars ever to shred a tire. That's not the case: while there is no shortage of high-horsepower machines, the first cars you see after paying ˆ10 (approximately $11) to get in are pre-war models. In that era, the template for the car as we know it in 2023 hadn't been created, so an eclectic assortment of expensive and dauntingly experimental machines roamed whatever roads were available to them. One is the Leyat Helica, which was built in France in 1921 with a 1.2-liter air-cooled flat-twin sourced from the world of aviation. Fittingly, the two-cylinder spun a massive, plane-like propeller. Government vehicles get a special spot in the museum. They range from a Cadillac Series 6700 with an amusing blend of period-correct French-market yellow headlights and massive fins to a 2011 Lexus LS 600h with a custom-made transparent roof panel that was built by Belgian coachbuilder Carat Duchatelet for Prince Albert II's wedding. Here's where it all gets a little weird: you've got a 1952 Austin FX3, a Ghia-bodied 1959 Fiat 500 Jolly, a 1960 BMW Isetta, and a 1971 Lotus Seven. That has to be someone's idea of a perfect four-car garage.  One of the most significant cars in the collection lurks in the far corner of the main hall, which is located a level below the entrance. At first glance, it's a kitted-out Renault 4CV with auxiliary lights, a racing number on the front end, and a period-correct registration number issued in the Bouches-du-Rhone department of France. It doesn't look all that different than the later, unmodified 4CV parked right next to it. Here's what's special about it: this is one of the small handful of Type 1063 models built by Renault for competition.

Toyota confirms all-wheel drive V8 hybrid for TS040 LMP1 car in 2014

The 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship is gearing up to be one of the most exciting seasons of endurance racing in recent memory. All of the factory-entered LMP1 class cars are using hybrid powertrains, and Porsche is returning to the top class of the sport after a 16-year absence. Don't count out Toyota, though. The team has just revealed the first official details about its 2014 TS040 LMP1 car, and it has a big surprise - all-wheel drive.
The TS040 will follow Audi's lead and will use a combination motor and generator to power the front wheels. The system will generate power under braking and will use it up when accelerating to give a boost in traction over last year's rear-wheel-drive Toyota TS030. Toyota will stick with a gasoline-fueled, naturally aspirated 3.4-liter V8 to feed the rear wheels and will take on Audi's diesel, turbocharged 3.7-liter V6 and Porsche's gasoline-fueled, turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder.
Sadly, there are no real pictures of the TS040 yet. Toyota is holding off on unveiling the car until the end of March at the WEC test at the Paul Ricard circuit, and the racing season doesn't begin until April 20 with the 6 Hours of Silverstone. You can read the whole press release about the TS040 below.

Toyota recalling small number of 2014 FJ Cruisers for possible steering failure

Toyota is issuing a fairly tiny recall to fix a potentially serious problem in the FJ Cruiser. The company is recalling about 120 examples of the rugged SUV from the 2014 model year because the steering can fail. According to Toyota, the intermediate shaft that connects the steering wheel and steering gear box might not be welded correctly and can separate. If this happens, drivers lose steering control, which is obviously a major safety concern. However, the automaker is not aware of any crashes, injuries or fatalities from the problem. On the small number of affected models, Toyota will replace the intermediate shaft with a new one. TOYOTA RECALLS CERTAIN 2014 MODEL YEAR FJ CRUISER VEHICLES TORRANCE, Calif., February 5, 2015 – Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., today announced it will conduct a safety recall of approximately 120 Model Year 2014 FJ Cruiser vehicles. The steering system contains an intermediate shaft, which connects the steering wheel to the steering gear box. In the involved vehicles the intermediate shaft could have received an inadequate weld. Under some circumstances, the weld could separate, resulting in the loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota is not aware of any crashes, injuries, or fatalities caused by this condition. Owners of the involved vehicles will receive a notification by first class mail. Toyota dealers will replace the intermediate shaft. Detailed information is available at www.toyota.com/recall and by calling Toyota Customer Service at 1-800-331-4331.