This feed contains the latest All feed items for the TOYOTA RAV 4 model. http://www.motortorque.com/ Copyright 2013 MotorTorque All Rights Reserved. Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss Automotive Website Framework Engine (2.9.1208.1803) Toyota designs new concept car for kids that they can hand-build and drive. In an attempt to 'groom' the next generation of drivers, Toyota's new hand-built concept car brings together parents and children in a soapbox-style project. Toyota's new Camatte57s concept (the 57 'S' is pronounced like a trim level) is a customisable model that is expected to bring parents and children a little closer together. The exterior of the mini roadster is constructed of 57 individual body panels, essentially acting as a customisable pallet for budding car enthusiasts, both young and old. The three-seater uses an electric motor and can only be used on go-kart tracks or on non-public roads. As of yet, Toyota has not mentioned an age limit for the car, suggesting it may be to the parents discretion. Toyota has, however, inserted some safety measures to give parents peace of mind, with steering and braking controls in one of the rear passenger seats, allowing a parent passenger to control the car if need be. The overall acceleration of the car can also be adjusted for younger/inexperienced drivers. The new Toyota Camatte57s concept car will be on display at the International Tokyo Toy Show 2013. Written by Richard Bush http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVtxQBO-85Y http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/toyotas-build-it-yourself-kids-car-22546.aspx Richard Bush Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT Toyota plans to share the entire production process of a Toyota Auris Hybrid via its Twitter feed next week. Toyota is the latest manufacturer to take the reins of real-time social media as it plans to Tweet about a 14 hour production process in one of its factories. Social media is constantly integrating itself into the automotive industry and has already helped the likes of Citroen utilise Facebook and have its fans design a bespoke C1 city car model. Toyota however is taking it a step further with its 'Factory to Forecourt project' by using Twitter to give a detailed insight into its factory production process. On Wednesday 19 June, Toyota will be posting on its Twitter feed from 6am for a total of 14 hours, capturing every aspect of the production process of a Toyota Auris Hybrid, from raw steel to the finished product. Fans of Toyota will be able to interact with the production team by asking questions and commenting on pictures and updates on Toyota's Twitter feed. Insights into the production process will include a look at welding, painting, plastics, assembly and quality control. Scott Brownlee, head of social media for Toyota GB, said: "This project does more than simply show what we do inside the walls of our factory, it presents it in the context of the commitment to quality that is the guiding principle of the way Toyota works worldwide and the first priority of everyone who works for the company." You can follow the MotorTorque team on Twitter @MotorTorque. Written by Richard Bush http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/toyota-to-share-production-line-experience-on-twitter-22533.aspx Richard Bush Fri, 14 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT Japanese multinational automaker, Toyota, has joined the Mayor's London Hydrogen Partnership (LHP), helping to bring hydrogen and fuel cell-powered vehicles closer to reality in the capital city. The development of a hydrogen economy in London will help to support the Mayor's ambitions to secure new jobs and investment in the city, whilst reducing the impact on the environment simultaneously. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) are considered by many as a feasible long-term successor to the diesel and petrol passenger vehicles of today - with many major global automobile manufacturers developing FCEV. In the past few years, the LHP has initiated over £50 million worth of hydrogen projects, such as hydrogen buses, taxis, scooters, refuelling stations, materials handling vehicles and fuel cell Combined Heat and Power units to London. Kit Malthouse, Deputy Mayor of London, commented: 'We want Toyota and the London Hydrogen Partnership to develop a roadmap for fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen refuelling station rollout.' Malthouse further added: 'Toyota will provide invaluable insights and bring global experience to the Mayor's innovative 'smart' low carbon low emission transport activities. I welcome their commitment to London's positive economic future.' The Managing Director at Toyota Motor Europe, London Office, Graham Smith, remarked: 'We are pleased to participate within the London Hydrogen Partnership and add our support to its ambitions to develop and enable clean, sustainable hydrogen fuel cell transport for the capital.' Smith continued: 'Toyota believes this technology offers great potential for sustainable transport and will be among the first manufacturers to bring hydrogen-powered vehicles to the European market in 2015 where hydrogen supply infrastructure is in place. 'With the benefit of our extensive experience in fuel cell research and development as part of our mission to develop low carbon low emission transport, we aim to provide practical insights into how London might best encourage and benefit from hydrogen-powered transport.' http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/toyota-joins-mayors-london-hydrogen-partnership-21772.aspx Glenn Doyle Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Toyota unveiled its new FT-86 Open concept at the Geneva International Motor Show this week - created to gauge reaction to possible development of a cabriolet version of the GT86 sports coupe. Toyota presented its new FT-86 Open concept for the first time at Geneva this week, in order to test the water for the possible introduction of a convertible version of the critically acclaimed GT86 sports coupe. The FT-86 Open utilises the same platform and powertrain as the GT86, with a naturally aspirated, horizontally opposed 1,998cc four cylinder 'boxer' engine at its heart. Equipped with Toyota's D-4S direct injection technology, this compact unit is set low, which helps to lower the car's overall centre of gravity, and is capable of producing 100bhp per litre. The version shown at the Geneva Motor Show this week had a special pure bright white and navy blue colour scheme, designed by Toyota Boshoku Milan Design, in order to capture the spirit and atmosphere of Milan - one of the leading centres for fashion and design in the world. The bodywork of the concept car was finished in white, which contrasted with the blue of the roof. Inside the vehicle, perforated white leather upholstery was layered over a navy blue blacking, also featuring golden yellow accent stitching and carpets. Our MotorTorque video team are currently at the Geneva Motor Show, reporting back on all of the cars and concepts from the week. You can watch our day two round-up video below. http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/geneva-motor-show---toyota-ft-86-open-21586.aspx Glenn Doyle Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Toyota's Geneva Motor Show presentation includes three new design studies based on its new Auris Touring Sports and RAV4 models. Each new design has been created to amplify different aspects of the car's styling and capabilities. Heralding the arrival of Toyota's new, British-built Auris Touring Sports model this spring, Toyota has created the Auris Touring Sports Black design study, which enhances the attention-grabbing compact estate car newcomer inside and out. The exterior of the design is highlighted by a new 'Night Sky' black metallic paint finish, which contrasts with red nineteen inch alloy wheels, red inserts on the bumpers and an eye-catching red trim on the front grille. Toyota is also showing off their RAV4 Premium design study, which has been developed to give the new model an extra dose of sophistication. The bodywork and bumpers of the model are finished in a 'Deep Bronze' colour, to increase the harmony in the design, as well as featuring LED lights underscored by a stylish chrome-finished spoiler. Toyota's Kansei design department was responsible for the luxurious leather upholstery in the model's cabin, with new black piping and a V-shaped outline reinforcing the design of the seats. The final design study is the RAV4 Adventure, which accentuates the car's look to reinforce its off-road capabilities. A striking crimson paint compliments the athletic qualities of the RAV4's exterior, with its muscular appearance heightened by the addition of extended wheel arches that house larger twenty inch alloy wheels. Our MotorTorque video team are currently at the Geneva Motor Show, reporting back on all of the cars and concepts from the week. You can watch our introductory video below. http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/geneva-motor-show---toyota-design-studies-21503.aspx Glenn Doyle Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Toyota's new i-ROAD personal mobility vehicle (PMV) will make its debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The Toyota i-ROAD has been dubbed 'a new, flexible form of transport designed for city streets'. For such a unique concept for a vehicle, there is no better setting than the 2013 Geneva Motor Show - where motor enthusiast can dream of a world full of personal mobility vehicles. The compact, all-electric, three-wheeled PMV is able to seat two in tandem and under cover. The i-ROAD manages a range of up to thirty miles on a single charge and utilises 'Active Lean' technology to ensure that the vehicle is safe, intuitive and enjoyable to drive. The 'Active Lean' technology within the Toyota i-ROAD automatically balances the vehicle when cornering or travelling over stepped surfaces, which reduces the need for the driver or passenger to wear a helmet when occupying the vehicle. Additionally, as the driver does not have to put his or her feet on the road surface at any time, the Toyota i-ROAD can be fitted with a safer, weatherproof, closed body - again, further reducing the need to wear a helmet inside. The new design also allows for a more car-like environment on board the vehicle, with the potential for features such as heating, lighting, audio and Bluetooth to be provided in the future. The three-wheeled vehicle promises to deliver 'motorcycle-like manoeuvrability', as it has been designed specifically for urban use - as previously mentioned. The Toyota i-ROAD measures at 2350mm long, 1445mm high and has a 1700mm wheelbase. The narrow width means that up to four of the PMV could fit in a single car parking bay. A lithium-ion battery is housed within the vehicle in order to provide power to two 2kW motors that are mounted in the front wheels. As a result of not utilising petrol or diesel fuel, the all-electric vehicle produces zero emissions. The i-ROAD is the latest concept to emerge from Toyota's forty years of research and development of vehicles that use less energy. The Japanese multinational automaker is focusing on producing vehicles that place less of a burden on the environment and are practical in meeting people's everyday transport needs. Toyota will be hoping that the i-ROAD takes them closer to its goal of creating the ultimate range of eco cars. In addition, Toyota is clearing the way for numerous types of eco cars to co-exist in the future, by adapting its Hybrid Synergy Drive technology for use in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), electric vehicles (EVs) and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/geneva-preview---toyota-i-road-21489.aspx Glenn Doyle Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT Cars that slot together like a jigsaw, can survive a tsunami and have a tree growing from the roof are the result of asking the world's children to design a futuristic vehicle. Toyota's dream art car competition winners have been announced with psychedelic cars designed to solve the world's transport needs topping the bill. Over 900 children took part in three age categories (under 10, 10-12 and 13-15 years) and the results were a mixture of the more attainable and outright bizarre. The top three cars in the under 10 category included a car that acts as a rolling nursery for babysitting duties, a car that doubles as a flood area rescue vehicle and a solar-powered car that incorporates a living tree to 'save diesel'. The winner of the 10-12 category chose a mobility solution that could help blind people see and encourage them to be more independent, while the winner of the 13-15 category chose a car that could run on garbage and solve the world's refuse problems. The creations also included a number of cars that can run on solar energy, showing renewable, affordable green energy is top of the list of criteria for many young people in the world today when it comes to car design. A separate UK competition saw green cars top the agenda with a double-decker 'solar wheeler' coming out on top. The car is essentially a large wheel with a living area inside that runs purely on solar energy. Other winners include a methane-powered car and an aerodynamic model with a 'spine' running down the back to drastically improve safety in the event of an accident. Toyota will invite 30 winners to Japan to attend an award ceremony in August 2013. Written by Stephen Hurrell http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/weird-and-wacky-car-designs-by-children-revealed-21420.aspx Stephen Hurrell Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT A joint government-industry study published today says there could be one and a half million hydrogen-powered cars on the road by 2030. The interim report was published by the UKH2Mobility project, which was formed to bring together local businesses from the automotive, energy, infrastructure and retail sectors with the Government. The study has found that up to 10 per cent of new car customers will be receptive to fuel cell vehicles when first introduced thanks to its environmental credentials and the newness of the technology. The report also says that annual sales of hydrogen cars will approximately reach 300,000 as the initial uptake progresses and the fuelling network matures. The enclosed 'roadmap' in the report, which shows how the vehicles and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure will be introduced into the UK, estimates that annual total vehicle CO2 emissions will be reduced by three million tonnes in 2030. Fuel costs will be competitive with diesel according to the report, and manufacturers such as Toyota are already looking to the future of hydrogen-efficient vehicles. Akihito Tanke, Vice President, Research and Development, Toyota Motor Europe recently said: "As manufacturers reach the point of bringing the first FCEVs to market, it is important that all interested parties work together to ensure their benefits can be appreciated and realised through co-ordinated dialogue between industry partners and government bodies." "UKH2Mobility's Phase 1 findings provide valuable resources and intelligence to help us secure these advantages and we look forward to participating in Phase 2 to further confirm the potential of hydrogen as a low carbon fuel in the UK." The final report of Phase 1 is due to be published in March, with phase 2 set to use the information and roadmap produced to develop a business case for participants to commit to. http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/more-than-a-million-hydrogen-cars-in-the-uk-by-2030-21229.aspx Ant Bradshaw Mon, 04 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT Toyota has hit back at safety concerns with an announcement highlighting technology that will correct driver mistakes in its cars. According to Toyota: "A large number of collisions are caused by drivers hitting the wrong pedal or selecting the wrong gear, particularly when parking." It also announced it would help to correct this driver error with a sonar system that can detect objects and apply the brakes and an acceleration limiter if the incorrect gear is selected. The former, known as Intelligent Clearance Sonar, is similar to the likes of Volvo's automatic braking technology, while the latter has been branded Drive-Start Control by Toyota. It will recognise if the wrong gear has been selected and flash a warning, reduce the engine output and limit acceleration to avoid unintended acceleration. The two new systems will be released in future Toyota models and it is not difficult to see why the technology has been created. After recalling 2.7 million cars worldwide because of steering wheel problems, and just three years after a 12-million vehicle recall in 2009, Toyota has announced the new safety systems. The infamous 2009 recall, which saw allegations of 'unintended acceleration' in Toyota models, led to CEO Akio Toyoda declaring he 'was deeply sorry' for any accidents and describing the Japanese company as having 'grown too quick'. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US, which analysed Toyota cars that had reportedly crashed because of unintended acceleration, showed, in many of the cars looked at, brakes were never actually applied by drivers and had instead been pressing the accelerator. There were a handful of incidents where floor mats were impeding the accelerator pedal and Toyota did recall a problem with 'sticky pedals' - those that had rusted and did not return to their original position once depressed. However, results show the majority of incidents were due to driver error and Toyota is keen to avoid any further controversy with its next-generation systems. To do this it has opened a new proving ground to test its safety technology at Higashi-Fuji Technical Centre in Japan. Written by Stephen Hurrell http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/toyota-safety-kit-will-fix-driver-error-20467.aspx Stephen Hurrell Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT Japanese manufacturer Toyota says 138,000 cars recalled in the UK due to a faulty electric window switch will not catch fire as reported. Despite the recall falling under 'fire risk', Toyota says the claims are inaccurate and there has been no recorded incident of fires in the cars recalled. Yesterday Toyota announced it was issuing a recall of 7.4 million cars worldwide. Affected cars in the UK covers several models including the Auris, Yaris, RAV4 and Corolla, specifically those produced between September 2006 and December 2008. It was explained by Toyota that the problem with these cars laid in the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), which over time could become noticeably uneven or stick. The use of cleaning lubricants on these switches can lead them to overheat and melt. This lead to widespread reports that the switch itself could in fact set fire inside the affected cars. Toyota has now responded to these claims however, explaining that in the US, an issue which causes melting or erosion is enough to be categorised under 'fire' by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The manufacturer added that it had run various simulation tests on the faulty switches, involving the use of commercially available lubricants, and they had found that while these switches can indeed melt a fire never results. As reported yesterday, only one case of this faulty window switch has been reported in the UK, no relevant accidents have been reported. What to do if your Toyota is affected? As announced yesterday, Toyota has asked UK owners of cars potentially affected by the window switch fault to make an appointment at their nearest local dealership. Customers will be contacted over the next six weeks about the issue, and the affected cars which are taken in to dealerships will be inspected and will likely receive a new PWMS device in place. Toyota says this task will take no more than an hour and will be free of charge. Specific vehicle and information numbers are expected to be published by the end of the week. By then the ownership section of the Toyota website will host a registration look-up function enabling owners to fully confirm whether their vehicle is amongst the range of production affected by the window switch fault. Further information required for Toyota owners can be gained by calling the company's Customer Relations number on 01737 367600. Customer response Toyota's announcement of its global vehicle recall has received responses from motorists including existing customers around the World Wide Web. The Toyota UK FaceBook page has received more than a dozen comments on the company's link to its recall announcement. Responses have been overall a lot more positive then negative. One user, Richard Cullen, commented: "Nice to see you (Toyota) doing a recall over a minor issue. Shows that Toyota still value their customers. Keep it up." Another user, Nigel Cooper, said: "Well done Toyota, repairing Toyota faults on 4 to 6 year old cars, many others would not do it!" Not all responses were positive however, another user Andrew Smith posted: "Are Toyota too busy with mass production and thinking about profit over customer safety? I would seriously have to think very hard before I bought one again!" However there was also some defence for Toyota over press coverage regarding the recall. Caroline Bain commented on the Facebook page: "I'd love to know why only Toyota recalls make national news! It's as if the press are trying to make Toyota look bad when in fact practically all manufacturers have recalls! Written by Stephen Goldasz http://www.motortorque.com/car-news/toyota-squashes-fire-risk-claim-after-large-recall-20140.aspx Stephen Goldasz Thu, 11 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT