2008 Toyota Yaris on 2040-cars

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We dialed a random Swede, talked about not driving Volvos

The Swedish Number is now a thing. It's a cool thing. You dial, a random Swede picks up, and you chat. Or, in my case, you dial and a random Brit living in Sweden for the past six year picks up and you chat. Since I was calling on behalf of Autoblog, when I got Martin from the small coastal town of Sundsvall, on the phone, we talked about cars, Volvos (natch), and cold-weather testing. Oh, and about plugging in his regular Toyota Prius. ABG: I was able to come to Sweden and test Volvos a month or so ago. Do you drive a Volvo? Martin: [laughs] No. I think Volvo is a fantastic car. It truly is an amazing car, but no. My girlfriend has a company car, so we drive a hybrid Toyota Prius. ABG: And how does that work in the cold winters? It obviously cuts down on the environmental problems. Martin: No problem at all. Because we have these cold winters, like you do get in the States as well, where we park our cars, we've got electricity posts where we can plug in the cars. Motor car engines have a heater, so you can have the heater going for some time before you get into the car. So it warms up the engine and there's a socket inside the car to warm up the inside of the car as well. It's very efficient. You just need to remember to set the timer when you climb out of the car and connect the cable. It obviously cuts down on the environmental problems as well because your car is already warm before you start them. ABG: I know that makes them overall more efficient, I just didn't know it could work with any car. It used to be you would keep the diesel engine blocks warm, but this works for pretty much any car in Sweden? Martin: Yes. Our temperatures here can vary. We do tend to get roundabout -18 to -25C [0 to -15F], where I live, sometimes. Normally, in the winter, we always plug the car in to make it more environmentally friendly, for starters, and then it's a nice warm car when you get in. The coldest I remember it getting here was -36 [-33F]. In the north of Sweden they've had, on record, -56 [-69F]. ABG: That's too cold. Martin: That is cold, yeah. Most countries, now, use the north of Sweden to test their cars because of the ice. Volvo S90 Prototype View 15 Photos ABG: That's actually why I came over there, to test out the new XC90s and S90s. Martin: Is that your job, then? ABG: I don't test the cars for the companies, but I test them for Autoblog. They'll invite us to test the vehicles so we can see for ourselves what the vehicles do in cold weather.

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

Watch this dude paint his Toyota pickup like Eddie Van Halen's guitar

Eddie van Halen is one of the greatest rock musicians around, and his Eruption guitar solo alone puts him in the pantheon with the best of the best. Artist Ryan Humphrey was looking for a design to repaint his ratty Toyota pickup, and as a Van Halen super fan, he set on the classic scheme of Eddie's guitar for the look. The paint job is made up of a crisscrossing geometric pattern of black and white stripes with a red body. The eye-catching, rock-inspired design should give Humphrey no problems finding his pickup in a parking lot. In a video hosted by Plutonium Paint, he shows you how to get the look using the company's product. Even if you're not interested in watching a guy paint his old truck, the video is still enjoyable just for the chance to listen to some Van Halen tunes.