Toyota News and Features – 9 December 2016

The latest from the UK and overseas

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Toyota announces development of new engines and transmissions
Toyota has revealed major development plans for a series of new engines and transmissions and revised hybrid systems, applying the principles of the Toyota New Global Architecture to their design and engineering. The units target both even higher environmental efficiency and greater driver appeal with “direct and smooth” performance. The new breed of Dynamic Force Engines and new eight and 10-speed direct shift automatic transmissions will lead a rapid roll out in numerous models worldwide during the next five years. Read more here.

Independent tests give top marks to Toyota Safety Sense
JNCAP, Japan’s independent crash test programme, has awarded top AV++ ratings to a series of models equipped with Toyota Safety Sense, the advanced package of active safety systems that is being rolled out worldwide. Read more here.

It’s a similar story in the USA, where Toyota has topped the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s annual list for safety awards for the third year running, picking up nine titles and the highest accolade of Top Safety Pick+.  Read more here.

Verso and Auris ready for 2017
Models at the heart of Toyota’s line-up have been refreshed ready for the new year with the Verso seven-seat MPV and Auris range of hatchbacks and wagons offering customers some notable extra features. For Verso, Design grade is the new top-of-the-range spec’ model, while for Auris changes include the adoption of advanced Toyota Safety Sense systems as standard on all but the entry-level versions. Read more here.

New Camry heads for Detroit debut
The story of one of America’s greatest cars opens a new chapter in January with the debut of the all-new 2018 Toyota Camry at the Detroit motor show. The unveiling will be streamed live and you can sign up for notification via the link provided here.

Awards season update
The season of auto industry awards is upon us and Toyota has enjoyed early success, including a best pick-up title for new Hilux in the Commercial Fleet Awards.

Meanwhile the new Toyota C-HR has been given a warm pre-launch reception from Next Green Car, which selected it as its “best crossover”. The radical model has also made it to the short list for the 2017 Car of the Year title.

Toyota is GreenFleet’s manufacturer of the year and Prius has been honoured both as Carbuyer’s Best Economical Car and as the Green Car of the Year by the Women’s World Car of the Year judges. Details of this hat-trick of awards can be found here.

TNGA: getting under the skin of the Toyota C-HR
When it comes to handling, crossovers were never thought of as being particularly rewarding to drive, but now the Toyota C-HR is proving dynamic compromise is a thing of the past. Early test drive reports have highlighted the car’s genuinely pleasing handling character, a quality that’s built-in thanks to its Toyota New Global Architecture-based platform. Read more here.

Toyota focus on better battery performance
Toyota has launched a world-first programme to study the detailed behaviour of lithium-ions to determine how batteries for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles can be improved with better performance and durability. Read more here.

Toyota Next opens the door to innovation
Toyota has launched the Toyota Next open innovation programme, inviting the submission of proposals from other companies and R&D organisations for new project that could be worked on collaboratively. Read more here.

Best of the blog: Under the skin of the Toyota Land Speed Prius
The blog takes a closer look at the ‘green meanie’ Prius that set a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Read more here.

Media website updates                                  
No updates this week.

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