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Toyota Crown celebrates 60 years

Toyota offers a robust lineup of cars in North America, but while the Crown may not be one of them, that wasn't always the case. And this year, the company's longest-running nameplate is marking its sixtieth anniversary. First introduced way back in 1955, the Crown was Toyota's first major export. It became the first Japanese passenger car to reach the US market when the first-generation Crown was launched here in 1958, and marked the company's arrival in Europe when the second-gen model arrived in Denmark in 1963. It started building the Crown in Australia in 1967 and in China more recently in 2005. The Crown is now on its fourteenth generation, and to mark its birthday, Toyota is launching the sedan for a limited time only in sky blue and bright green. Jan. 08, 2015 Toyota 'Crown' Turns 60 Sixty years ago this week, Toyota launched the "Crown", a luxury sedan that would go on to become the company's longest-running passenger-car nameplate and a significant vehicle in the history of the Japanese automobile industry. In 1958 the Crown became the first Japanese passenger car to be exported to the United States, and also started Toyota's passenger car exports to Africa in 1957 and Europe in 1962. Now in its 14th generation, its foremost models are the Crown Royal deluxe saloon and the Crown Athlete sports sedan, both with hybrid powertrain options. In Japan, Toyota is marking the anniversary with the introduction of limited-time-only sky blue and bright green exterior body colors. Toyota Crown Milestones January 1955 First generation launched April 1957 Exported to Ethiopia, Africa August 1958 Exported to the United States October 1962 Second generation launched December 1963 Exported to Denmark, Europe February 1965 Exported to Canada February 1967 Assembly begins in Australia September 1967 Third generation launched February 1971 Fourth generation launched October 1974 Fifth generation launched September 1979 Sixth generation launched August 1983 Seventh generation launched September 1987 Eighth generation launched October 1991 Ninth generation launched December 1995 10th generation launched October 2001 11th generation launched December 2003 12th generation launched March 2005 Production begins in China February 2008 13th generation launched December 2012 14th generation launched

Japan carmakers vouch for safety of some Kobe Steel parts

TOKYO — Four Japanese automakers on Thursday said they found no safety issues with aluminum parts supplied by Kobe Steel Ltd, allaying some concerns that falsified quality data on products from the steelmaker had compromised their vehicles. Kobe Steel shares surged after the car makers' statements, but the steelmaker still has to contend with a U.S. Justice Department probe, while checks continue at hundreds of companies involved in complex supply chains spanning the globe. Japan's third-biggest steelmaker admitted earlier this month it falsified specifications on the strength and durability of aluminum, copper and steel products, along with materials for optical disks. The falsifications stretch back for more than 10 years, a senior executive told Reuters this week. Since then, global automakers, aircraft companies and other manufacturers have scrambled to identify potential hazards in their products. Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda said that hoods and other exterior parts used in their cars which were made from aluminum directly supplied by Kobe Steel were safe. Kobe Steel shares ended the day nearly 7 percent higher but are still down by more than a third since it announced the data falsification. Automakers are still making checks on other parts, including those that they received through their parts suppliers. "We confirmed that the materials satisfy applicable statutory standards, and our own internal standard, for key safety and durability requirements for vehicles," Toyota said in a statement. Toyota, one of the world's largest automakers, identified aluminum plates supplied by Kobe Steel for the hoods and rear hatches of Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles. Though outside the automaker's specifications, they were still safe to use. While Subaru and other carmakers said they were still investigating the issue, the announcements by Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda suggest that Kobe Steel's cheating scandal may have a limited impact on product safety."SERIOUS SITUATION" Nonetheless, the company's fate hangs in the balance while checks are being carried out. It must report to Japan's industry ministry by around the end of next week on any safety concerns and provide a more extensive account of the problems a fortnight later. Industry leaders have reached a consensus that Kobe Steel is in a "serious situation," a senior Japanese manufacturing executive told Reuters.

Toyota Sienna vs Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid | Minivan comparison test

Shopping for a new car can be difficult due to the sheer number of choices. Which brand do you start with, which do you skip and are you missing something worthwhile? Thankfully, minivans are much simpler. There are effectively only four choices, they're all pretty good and they're even different enough to make choosing the right one for you a bit easier. This comparison features the two most recently updated minivans: the Toyota Sienna versus the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Besides their common newness, they stand out in another fundamental way: they're both hybrids. Now, they're very different hybrids – the Toyota comes standard with a traditional gasoline-electric system like that of a Prius, whereas the Pacifica is offered with an optional plug-in hybrid system that provides an estimated 32 miles of all-electric range before effectively turning into a traditional hybrid – but in both cases, fuel economy is the priority. With the rare exception, the minivan segment has exclusively used V6 engines, which provide sufficient power to move hefty loads of people and stuff. The Chrysler Pacifica comes standard with a V6, while a V6 is the sole powertrain option for the Honda Odyssey and new 2022 Kia Carnival. The fuel economy difference between those and our hybrid competitors is staggering: The new Sienna gets an EPA-estimated 36 mpg combined while the Odyssey and V6 Pacifica get 22 mpg. That equates to saving an estimated $750 every year on gas, according to the EPA. And the Pacifica Hybrid could potentially save you even more as long as you routinely utilize its electric range. This frugality alone could send the Sienna and Pacifica Hybrid to the top of many shopping lists, but as we've seen in previous tests, they offer more than enough in other respects to warrant top consideration. But which is better, Sienna or Pacifica? Well, we knew this was going to be close, and we were right. After averaging the scores from 16 categories, the difference between first and second was a mere 0.06 out of 10. When we added extra weight to key minivan-buying attributes (second-row space/versatility, safety features and functionality, infotainment, interior storage, cargo space/versatility, value and fuel economy), the gap was only 1 point out of a possible 230. We then triple checked and conducted a recount, but the order remained. In the end, there are no losers here.