Toyota’s Chief Test Driver Hiromu Naruse has been killed after crashing the Lexus LFA Nurburgring he was driving on the 410 near the Nurburgring. Frankly, we’re not too sure of all the details, but it appears that Hiromu Naruse, Toyota’s Chief Test Driver – and Akio Toyoda’s personal driver – has been killed on a […]
Toyota Prius plug-in hits UK
Toyota are trialing 20 Prius plug-in hybrids in London in conjunction with EDF energy to assess real world usage. The next step in the Toyota Prius story is the plug-in Prius, which adds some Lithium-Ion batteries to the mix and the ability to plug the Prius in to the mains to get a usable kick-start to your day’s […]
Toyota offers 5 year warranty on all cars
Toyota has revealed that all its cars will now benefit from a five year, 100,000 mile warranty. It has been a torrid time for Toyota, what with Throttlegate and the associated fallout. But to paraphrase CJ ‘Toyota didn’t get where it is today by giving up’. So it’s fought back. The last offer on new […]
Toyota Prius Alpha – the hybrid MPV/Crossover/ Estate Prius
Toyota will launch a 7 seater MPV Prius in 2011 – the Toyota Prius Alpha. Back in November we reported that Toyota were planning an estate version of the Prius. Which is a rumour/theory/fact that has been around almost as long as the Prius itself, as has the idea that Toyota will create a Prius […]
Toyota & Tesla team up – ish
Toyota has taken a £35 million stake in Tesla and Tesla will be building their Model S at an empty Toyota plant in Fremont, California. Tesla has – despite only producing a Lotus with a million laptop batteries and an electric motor for three times the price of the actual Lotus – managed to win […]
Lexus LS adds to Toyota’s recall woes – but only 40 UK cars affected.
Lexus are recalling a total of 11,500 Lexus LS 600h and Lexus LS 460 models to fix a problem with the Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS). Just 40 UK cars affected. They say it never rains but it pours, but for Toyota 2010 has been a Monsoon season seemingly without respite. The massive ‘Throttlegate’ recall […]
Toyota Auris Hybrid: UK Price & Details
Toyota has revealed that when the Auris Hybrid goes on sale in the UK in July it will be available in two trim levels and start from £18,950 Toyota has had more than their fair share of woes this year, what with the Throttlegate recalls and loss of confidence in Toyota as a result, not just by buyers but […]
Top Gear blamed for Iceland Volcano eruption
It appears Top Gear is responsible for the massive volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajoekull which is causing travel chaos in Europe. The skies above our heads are beautifully quiet. The vapour trails are no more and the sky is pure azure. The UK has wound back 50 years and the sun is shining. From where I’m sitting it’s hard […]
Toyota halts Lexus GX460 sales worldwide
In another blow to their reputation, Toyota has halted sales of the Lexus GX460 after Consumer Reports in the US branded it a ‘Don’t Buy’. 2010 is turning in to Toyota’s ‘Annus Horribilis’. Its formerly untouchable reputation for producing bullet-proof cars has been severely damaged by the ‘ThottleGate’ problems, with more damage to Toyota’s reputation […]
Top Gear in Icelandic Volcano
The Top Gear boys are busy filming in Iceland for the next series and have been seen driving a Toyota up a live and active Volcano. Top Gear is off air at the moment – if you don’t count the endless repeats on BBC2, BBC3 and Dave – and that usually means that the boys are off […]