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Toyota rolls out new turbo engine on updated JDM Auris

Toyota may be among the leaders in hybrid powertains, but the Japanese auto giant knows there's more than one way to skin a proverbial cat – especially when it comes to green propulsion. To that end, it has announced a new series of downsized turbocharged engines. Leading the charge is 8NR-FTS, a new 1.2-liter turbocharged and direct-injected engine that uses a single-scroll turbocharger and a water-cooled exhaust manifold integrated into the cylinder head. The engine promises to deliver "responsive acceleration and maximum torque across a wide rpm range" combined with "drastically improved thermal and fuel efficiency." It features what Toyota calls D-4T technology – combining direct-injection with a turbocharger in a four-stroke engine – as well as continuously variable intake valve timing. The result is an engine that produces 114 horsepower and 136 pound-feet of torque from just 1,196 cubic centimeters of displacement. The engine is being rolled out initially on a redesigned version of the Auris hatchback (similar to the Scion iM we'll be getting Stateside) that's being introduced in Japan. In addition to the 1.2-liter turbo, the JDM Auris will also be available with a 1.5- and 1.8-liter engines. Buyers will also be able to choose between CVT and six-speed manual transmissions (the latter only available with the 1.8), in front- or all-wheel drive and in six trim levels – of which the 120T with the new 1.2 and CVT is the top. The refreshed Auris also benefits from revised sheetmetal, interior equipment and safety features. We're awaiting word back from Toyota on whether this new engine (or some derivative thereof) will be made available in North America, but in the meantime you can scope out all the details on both the engine and the new Auris in the press releases below and in the pair of high-resolution image galleries. Turbocharged Toyota Auris Goes on Sale in Japan Toyota City, Japan, April 6, 2015-The partially redesigned Toyota Auris, offering a newly developed turbo engine and a brand new safety package, went on sale in Japan today. Featuring significant interior and exterior changes, this latest redesign advances the Auris brand by building on the individuality and performance that has defined the model since its first generation. In addition, Toyota has combined the best of the model's new features by creating the high-end 120T grade. Across all grades, Toyota aims to sell 1,000 units per month in Japan.

Toyota tops Kelley Blue Book's Resale Value Awards

Kelley Blue Book announced its annual Best Resale Value Award winners, and we weren't too surprised to see the list dominated by Japanese automakers - mainly Toyota and Honda. KBB hands out the awards based on the projected residual value of mostly all 2013 model year vehicles, and Toyota skated home with a number of awards including 10 of the 22 overall categories and having five of its products in the top 10 for models with best resale value. KBB's Best Resale Value Awards were announced in the same week as the ALG Residual Value Awards, and there were many similarities between both lists, especially when it came to Toyota.
To come up with its winners, KBB measures depreciation over the first five years of ownership, and looks for the cars it expects to hold its value the best after this time; on average, the report says the 2013 model year vehicles will lose 61.8 percent of its value in five years. Of the 22 categories, 15 slots were filled by Toyota, Honda and Nissan products, while the Camaro and Porsche (Cayenne and Panamera) each took home a pair of awards. If Toyota has anything to be upset about in this list of cars, it's that categories for Hybrid/Alternative Energy Car and Electric Vehicle went to the Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Volt, respectively.
The overall top 10 models for the best resale value in 2013 are, in alphabetical order:

Japanese automakers welcome North American trade deal, fear what's next

TOKYO — Toyota, Nissan and Mazda welcomed on Tuesday the revised North America trade deal that left Japanese automakers unscathed, but they may face a bumpy ride when Washington and Tokyo hold new talks on over $40 billion of annual U.S. auto imports from Japan. The United States and Canada reached an agreement on Sunday to update the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement after Washington had forged a separate trade deal with Mexico in August. The updated deal effectively maintains the auto industry's current footprint in North America, and spares Canada and Mexico from the prospect of U.S. national security tariffs on their vehicles. Mazda, which ships cars to the United States from Mexico and Japan, called the deal a "big step forward". Nissan, which makes the cars it sells in the United States locally as well as in Mexico, Japan and other countries, said it was "encouraged" by the agreement. Toyota, Japan's biggest automaker, said it was "pleased" that a basic deal was reached. Other automakers were not immediately available for comment. While the deal has removed the risk that the disintegration of the pact would have posed to automakers, bigger risks loom large for Japanese firms as a chunk of the roughly 7 million cars they sold in the U.S. last year were shipped from Japan, and a trade deal between Washington and Tokyo has yet to be agreed. The United States and Japan last week agreed to begin fresh trade talks, with U.S. President Donald Trump seeking to address Japan's $69 billion trade surplus, of which nearly two-thirds comes from auto exports. Washington is also investigating the possibility of slapping 25 percent tariffs on auto imports on national security grounds, although it has agreed with Japan to put any new tariffs on hold during the talks. Analysts say the United States may take a tougher stance on auto imports from Japan than from its neighbors. "If Japan requests an exemption from the 25 percent tariffs under consideration, Washington could propose a more strict cap on imports than it agreed to with Mexico and Canada," said Koji Endo, senior analyst at SBI Securities. "That would be a risk." This could be a big blow to Japan, as the United States is a key source of revenue for Japanese automakers including Toyota, Nissan and Honda. The U.S. market accounts for a quarter or more of their annual global vehicle sales, and of their total U.S.