Last Spring, we learned that Toyota would be seeing a projected loss of $8.9 billion USD. However, public broadcaster NHK says that strong sales of its Prius and other hybrid vehicles, backed by tax incentives by the Japanese government, could actually mean that these losses at a much lower $5 billion USD.

A Toyota spokesman declined to comment on this issue. The Japanese car maker will be reporting its earnings for the April-June quarter next week.

via Reuters

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Sending your kids off to college would normally point towards getting them the right vehicles to drive around campus. But before giving them the car that they want, you can be assured that they will have preferences and a guide to which car they have in mind will surely be something useful.

AutoWeek Magazine enumerates the possible cars for teens heading off to campus. And admittedly, they are cars that will surely give you problems since all of them are dream cars that teens would surely love.

The recommended cars:

• 2009 Hyundai Elantra Sedan
• 2009 Honda Civic
• 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
• 2009 Ford Escape
• 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid
• 2010 Kia Soul
• 2009 Dodge Caliber SE
• 2009 Ford Focus
• 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt Sedan

(Source) Press

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Toyota Motors Europe plans to start manufacturing its first European built hybrid Auris in the United Kingdom by the middle of this year. This further solidifies Toyota’s continued commitment to low-emission hybrid vehicles following their success with the famed Toyota Prius.

The Toyota Auris actually came out to the European Market in 2007 and has been decently selling to the market. However under the new plan, the new Toyota Auris will now come equipped with a 1.33-litre dual VVT-i engine and Toyota’s Start&Stop technology, reducing CO2 emissions by 17% (135 g/km) and improving fuel consumption by 19%.

‘With today’s announcement, Toyota has taken a significant step forward in ensuring that full hybrids become more accessible to a wider range of customers. Such efforts are crucial if we are to see more low-carbon vehicles on European roads,’ said Tadashi Arashima, CEO and President, TME.

(Source) Press

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Once you secure the Toyota Prius, you practically set food on an eco-friendly car. But wait, speaking of foot, there is now an option that puts you a step farther as far as going green is concerned. One thing that Toyota Prius cars will be lacking are accessories and among them include floor mats. So while you are at it, why not get a hold of this special offer. The special floor mats are Ingeo-based floormats which are made from bio-based materials.

By adopting the Ingeo mat products, Toyota benefits from the unique environmental advantages of a fiber made from plants, not oil. This adoption of new floor mats exemplifies Toyota’s belief that the use of environmentally friendly materials is as equally important as design and product performance.

(Source) Press

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As far as their site is concerned, CarMax can confirm the wandering thoughts on which cars are being searched for today. And the two popular cars are the hybrid and diesel vehicles, two cars that cater to cheaper fuel that is easy on the pockets.

This is not entirely surprising considering that this trend has been all over the news and rampant among automotive discussions. People are becoming wiser, turning to these vehicles mainly because fuel is getting costlier by the day. Motorists are shifting towards alternative vehicles but you can be assured that a lot of the famous car brand names still come up.

Popular hybrid vehicles on carmax.com include the Toyota Prius, Lexus RX400h and the Honda Civic hybrid while popular diesel vehicles include the Ford F350, Dodge Ram 3500 and the Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

As you can see, the big name cars are still there. This stems from the fact that these auto manufacturers were ready since the whole fuel issue hit us. So with this post, you now have a guide for yourself in case you are looking for a reliable car to use.

(Source) Press

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A joint venture by Toyota and Gas Station TV brings you the TV program, “Prius Neighborhood”. This program helps keep you up to date on the actual fuel prices as well as some insights on the new 2010 third-generation Toyota Prius.

“Our Prius customers are very involved in their communities,” said Kim McCullough, corporate manager of marketing communications for Toyota. “For the launch of the third-generation Prius, we wanted to give them an innovative tool to help promote the philanthropic and community events they’re passionate about.”

The Prius Neighborhood 30-second TV segments and consumer-generated local event segments will be watched by more than one million unique drivers a day. Complementing the Prius Neighborhood content segment, Toyota will run 15-second Prius spots and other Prius content.

Hence for aspiring Toyota Prius owners, here is a chance for you to know more about the much heralded vehicle. This and of course being updated on the latest in the motoring scene promises to be a reasonable TV program to watch!

(Source) Press

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Everyone wants to turn to electric vehicle technology but look a bit farther and you may find it an innovation far from being the solution to the transportation problems we face today. Easier said than done, electric vehicles still lack the support of being powered, particularly since one time charges can only go to a certain mile.

Further, the cost for getting one vehicle is quite hefty. We all know for a fact that we are in hard times and with that in mind, cash or financing issues related to the purchase of a new car seems to be close to nil. Can you imagine buying a car for 4,599,000 yen, or 2,990,000 yen? You do the conversion but either way, you know it is going to cost you.

Japan-based car manufacturers are excited on the new electric cars set to be released in the market. Mitsubishi (i-Miev), Toyota (Prius), Honda (Insight) and Nissan have ready plans for their electric cars either this year or next. During that time span, the matter of charging stations has to be addressed and though we have seen a lot of sectors coming up with their own charging stations, the matter of determining how many they are is another aspect that needs to be ironed out.

The age of electric cars is coming. That is a fact. But also, the matter of how many can maintain and find resources like charging stations is still in question. In the end, without these requirements met, expect electric cars to encounter turbulence along the roads.

(Source) Bernama

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The potential ownership of the 2009 Toyota Prius just got sweeter for Utah county locals as Brent Brown announces a $2,000 Customer Cash rebate and will pay the sales tax for purchases of the new Toyota hybrid vehicle. Touted to be the solution for the continuing oil price crisis, the timing of this deal couldn’t have been better.

Many people are waiting for the new 2010 Prius which will be arriving at Brent Brown Toyota soon. The supply of new cars will be limited at first but will pick up as the model year progresses.

“We have new ‘09 and several used Prius’ on the lot and 2010’s are coming soon. You can special order a 2010 Prius now and be one of the first to have the new 2010 Prius you want in time for summer,” said Brent Brown, owner of Brent Brown Toyota, a Utah dealership that sells the Toyota Prius.

Brent Brown Toyota has carried the best selling, best built hybrid for years. New ‘09 Prius’ are available now at Brent Brown Toyota. Demand for hybrids is building as the summer months approach and gas prices rise.

(Source) Press

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The Toyota Prius is all the rave these days as far as new cars in the market is concerned and to further convince motorists on the availability of parts, Kyocera has announced that they will be supplying the new Prius with Solar Modules for their solar ventilation system.

The system ventilates the air inside of the car by using the electricity generated by the solar module on the rooftop to drive the fans while the car is parked during the daytime. This feature automatically moderates temperature rise inside of the vehicle even during hot seasons.

The eco-friendliness of the Toyota Prius is evident and Kyocera aims to be of assistance towards this new vehicle offering from the touted Japanese manufacturer. With so much attention focused on the Toyota Prius, there is no doubt that this vehicle is certainly trying to cover all bases including its solar power requirements.

(Source) Press

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Toyota unveils its answer to the Honda Insight, a cheaper and improved version of its originally dispatched Toyota Prius. Toyota has set the new price to be at $21,600 and has made a yearly sales quota milestone between 300,000 to 400,000 for the new version. For the still available previous versions, Toyota will reported slash the prices despite the new batch’s arrival.

Toyota seems to be preparing for the Honda Insight’s rampage as it not only offers an affordable but sensible car in the making. The market that Toyota is aiming to penetrate are the car rentals and corporate customers aside from the usual private sector car buyers.

Toyota – which also makes the Camry sedan and Lexus luxury models – has long been the leader in the hybrid market, having sold a cumulative 1.256 million Prius cars in more than 40 countries and regions, making the model the top-seller among hybrids.

(Source) Press

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Combine speed and CO2 emission controls and you are bound to get a lot of anxious motorists check out what you have to offer. Already a known figure in the world of Hyundais and Ferraris, Italdesign Giugiaro unveils a hybrid concept car Namir.

The Namir is a concept jointly designed through the efforts of Giugiaro and Frazer-Nash. Their latest project is that of this new hybrid systems which is touted to be better than the Toyota Prius as far as CO2 emissions are concerned, not to mention a fast demonic hybrid car that can go as far as 187 miles per hour.

The Namir combines an 814 cc endothermic rotary engine with four electric motors in a system that those involved in project claim delivers 91 mpg and CO2 emissions of 60 g/km. The Toyota Prius emits 104 g/km. Those are impressive numbers, but the number that really wows us is the claimed top speed of 187 mph and a zero-to-60 time of 3.5 seconds.

(Source) Auto Racing Daily

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A comparison test was recently made by Edmunds.com to which the 2010 Toyota Prius and 2010 Honda Insight were compared. After the comparisons, the 2010 Toyota Prius stood out due to quickness and smoother ride quality and quieter cabin.

In the comparison test, the 2010 Honda Insight was praised for its steering and for the responsiveness of its continuously variable transmission.

“Consumers who cross-shop the Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius will find two rather different vehicles,” said John O’Dell, Senior Editor of Edmunds’ GreenCarAdvisor.com. “And the selection of compelling hybrids in the marketplace will continue to grow over the months and years to come.”

To view the comparison test, you can access it here.

(Source) Press

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With the scheduled release of the 2010 Toyota Prius this May, prices for the hybrid vehicle has been released by Toyota Motor Sales, USA. The third-generation Prius will be available in one grade with a starting MSRP of $21,000. The Prius will be offered with five levels of popular standard equipment combinations.

“The 2010 Prius delivers outstanding mileage, performance and advanced technology at a great price,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota Division.

Carter sees the most popular model starting at an MSRP of $22,000, equipped with a high level of standard features. “This model provides more than $2,000 added value, including the features most buyers want, at the same price as the current base model,” he said.

A new base model with a lower level of standard equipment is scheduled to be available later this year. It is designed to appeal to the most cost-conscious businesses and consumers.

(Source) Press

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Autoweek Magazine has its own initiative for Earth Day and this comes in the form of devoting its first issue on the subject of Green Automobiles. Today, AutoWeek remains the automotive authority, continuing this legacy with its special Earth Day issue on April 20, 2009.

The special issue includes coverage of Italdesign-Giugiaro’s Namir, as well as first drives of the Chevrolet Cruze, Honda FCX Clarity, and the All-New Toyota Prius.

“The automotive industry is gearing up for a greener tomorrow, releasing several alternatives to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Dutch Mandel, editor and associate publisher of AutoWeek. “People need to be educated regarding the various green choices entering the market, their costs and long-term affects. Our Earth Day special issue provides them with the latest information on what’s out there.”

AutoWeek is committed to the green movement as it continues its online coverage year-round. More information, as well as information on how to obtain a copy of this year’s Earth Day issue, is available at autoweek.com.

(Source) Press

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Everyone knows that the Toyota Prius has changed the face of mobile preference thanks to its hybrid capabilities but the new batch comes with something special. They are equipped with rooftop solar panels.

Toyota just unveiled its new Toyota Prius, and it takes its eco-friendliness to the next level. Yes, it’s still a hybrid that gets excellent gas mileage, but now it also comes with a giant solar panel on the roof to soak up the sun’s rays and convert them into energy to power your stereo and air conditioner.

The great thing about these panels is that they work even when you aren’t driving. That means that when you come out to your car after working all day, it’s got a bunch of energy saved up from just sitting there in the sun. The new Prius will be on sale in Japan soon for between $21,000 and $26,000.

(Source) Crunchgear

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