2012 Toyota Corolla S on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Toyota Mobility Foundation sets up shop in Da Nang

You never know where the next cleaner mobility effort is going to take place. Toyota is looking around the world for places to make getting around a less dirty affair and the latest experiment is going to take place in Da Nang, Vietnam. Aside from the new location, though, there's nothing particularly special about the Da Nang project. The first two basic ideas are to set up a community bus service in the governmental, educational and commercial districts and a park-and-ride program. The project is the second from the Toyota Mobility Foundation, which says that these the enhancements to Da Nang's transportation system further TMF's, "philosophy of combining Toyota's knowledge with the expertise of partners to enable more people around the globe to move safely, efficiently and enjoyably." TMF will spend 2.9 million dollars over three years to set up the project in Da Nang. The first TMF project launched in Bangkok earlier this year. Toyota Mobility Foundation Launches Program in Da Nang, Vietnam The Foundation's Second Program Will Address Emerging Transportation Issues in Rapidly Growing Mid-sized City Tokyo, Japan June 9, 2015-Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) today announced its second program, which will launch in Da Nang, Vietnam to address emerging transportation issues in the rapidly growing mid-size city. The announcement follows news earlier in April, 2015 from TMF regarding the launch of its first pilot program in Bangkok, Thailand. Both programs reflect the Foundation's philosophy of combining Toyota's knowledge with the expertise of partners to enable more people around the globe to move safely, efficiently and enjoyably. "Toyota Mobility Foundation develops innovative solutions that address a full range of mobility challenges facing communities around the globe by sharing our knowledge," said Akio Toyoda, Chairman of the Board of TMF and President of Toyota Motor Corporation. "As Da Nang adapts to its rapid population and economic growth, we-together with our partners including Da Nang city government-aims to build a more joyful mobile society." TMF will partner with the local government in Da Nang to develop a sustainable transportation system that meets projected population growth estimates and mobility needs. In the early stages of motorization, Da Nang is considered an entrance to the Indochina East-West Economic Corridor, which links Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

New Toyota Supra may get a twin-turbo Lexus V6

We've heard endless rumors that a successor to the much loved and much missed Toyota Supra is in the works. Toyota hasn't done much to deny these conversations. On the contrary, the FT-1 concept from two years ago and the partnership with BMW have only fueled the fire. Now, talk of a new Lexus engine has led to speculation about the supposed Supra's powertrain. To be clear, this is mostly heresay. Few things have actually been confirmed, but based on what we know a few conclusions can be drawn. We know that BMW and Toyota are working on a joint product. We've seen mules testing out in the wild. In BMW guise, the possibly Austrian-built car will more than likely powered by turbocharged inline four and six-cylinder engines. Unless Toyota wants to use Bimmer power, they'll need to shoehorn one of their own under the hood. That leads us to this rumor of a twin-turbocharged V6 that will presumably power the new Lexus GS and LS. Japanese automotive publication Mag-X first reported on this engine. It was then picked up by YouWheel and Car Keys. Mag-X cites Toyota insiders and even gives an engine code, 943F. This engine allegedly will make more than 400 horsepower and more than 300 lb-ft of torque. While unconfirmed, this makes sense for Lexus. Nearly every luxury competitor has a six-cylinder engine with forced induction. While Toyota has previously had turbocharged inline-sixes, they've never produced a factory turbo V6. Every automaker is downsizing engines in an effort to meet fuel economy and emissions regulations. Toyota and Lexus will follow suit. Taking that V6 and tuning it for a performance application is a solid, if unverified, possibility. Related Video:

NHTSA opens safety investigations into Toyota, GM and Honda crossovers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is evidently keeping itself very busy these days, as the federal agency has just announced it is launching or renewing investigations into Toyota, Honda and General Motors crossovers.
2006-2008 model year Toyota RAV4 crossovers are under review for allegations of rear tie-rod rust which can result in failure. NHTSA also said it is probing some 35 complaints about 2005 Honda Pilot models with inappropriate activation of the vehicles' stability control system. The alleged malfunction can cause the vehicles to slow down or stop in bad unsafe situations. At the moment, NHTSA is reviewing a petition regarding the Pilot issue, a move that will determine whether it needs to open a full-blown investigation.
In addition, Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia three-row crossovers built in 2007-2009 are getting looked at for "loss of low beam headlamp" function. One complainant said the wiring in his Outlook overheated and melted. NHTSA says it has received 415 complaints about the problem and a GM spokesman confirmed that the automaker already started a "Customer Satisfaction Program" in December to address the issue.