The new partnership between Tesla Motors and Toyota intends to make electric cars at the auto plant in Northern California. The new collaboration will be based on the development of electric vehicles, parts, production systems and engineering support.

Toyota is going to purchase the $50 million of Tesla’s common stock. Tesla has purchased the former NUMMI factory in Fremont, California that used to produce the Toyota Corolla and Tacoma.

The two companies announced that they expect to create thousands of job places. The plant has the capability of employing up to 10,000 employees. The factory is capable of producing half a million vehicles per year or approximately 1 percent of total worldwide car production.

The factory is located in the city of Fremont near Northern California’s Silicon Valley, very close to the Tesla’s Palo Alto headquarters. The location means Tesla can hire best-in-class engineers in Silicon Valley. The short distance also ensures a feedback between engineering, manufacturing and other divisions within the company.

“Toyota is a company founded on innovation, quality, and commitment to sustainable mobility. It is an honor and a powerful endorsement of our technology that Toyota would choose to invest in and partner with Tesla,” said Tesla CEO and co-founder Elon Musk.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also spoke at the press conference and thanked the companies for bringing their business to the state. Schwarzenegger said: “This all happened because we created tax incentives for this company and this partnership“.

The Auris has been enhanced with a new front end that comprises a restyled grille, swept-back headlamps, new bumper and revised bonnet profile, while at the back, the tail lamp clusters are revised and there’s a new rear bumper with extended corner sections.

The new Auris has a new centre console and examined Optitron dials with white illumination, while Toyota also added soft-touch materials on the top of the instrument panel and around the glovebox. Toyota’s engineers fine tuned the Auris’ suspension and speed-sensitive Electric Power Steering (EPS).

The standard Auris holds its present range of petrol and diesel engines and six-speed manual and MultiMode transmissions.The facelifted Auris will have its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March alongside the production version of the Auris HSD Hybrid.

 

2011 Lotus Elise is restyled and now has got many of updates that comprise styling and mechanical tweaks as well as the introduction of a new entry-level model with a Toyota-sourced 1.6-liter gasoline engine.

The redesigned model has a new fascia up front that boasts a redesigned hood, new bumper with a wider grille, and reshaped headlights featuring LED daytime running lights for the first time.

More significant changes are found under the hood with the 2011 Elise gaining a new entry-level ‘S’ model powered by a Toyota-sourced 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine.

 

This new engine is 200cc smaller than the outgoing Elise S 1.8L model and makes the same output (134HP at 6,800 rpm) and slightly less torque (160 Nm or 118 lb-ft at 4400 rpm versus 172Nm or 127 lb-ft), but offers a significant improvement to fuel economy of more than 23 per cent, to 6.1 lt / 100km (46.3 mpg UK or 38.6 mpg US) and by13 per cent more reduction in CO2 emission.

Lotus announces a 0-60mph sprint time of 6.0 seconds (0-100km/h 6.7 seconds) and a top speed of 124mph or 200km/h for the new 1.6-liter version.

All 2011 Elise models gain advantage from a new six-speed manual gearbox while both the 189bhp 1.8-liter ‘R’ and the 217bhp 1.8-liter SuperCharged SC boast lower CO2 emissions and better fuel economy than their 2010MY siblings.

One of the most discussed issues since the beginning of the year is Toyota recall of 2.3 million vehicles to repair gas pedals such models as RAV4, Corolla, Matrix, Avalon, Highlander, Tundra, Sequoia and Camry. According to the already reported data Toyota’s sales in the U.S. in January slumped about 16 percent due to its recalls and stop-sales order on eight of its best-selling models. The January sales of its flagship models, such as the Camry, Corolla, and RAV4 were also down by over 50 percent compared to sales in December.

According to Toyota Division General Manager Bob Carter the manufacturer has sold 98,796 vehicles, including Scion, in the U.S. in January, which is almost 20,000 units down from a year earlier. Lexus sales, on the other hand, were up 5 percent in January to 15,517 units.

Bob Carter has stated that Toyota’s January numbers were 23 percent below their internal target for the month. According to the company representative the halting sales of eight key models in the U.S. made it difficult for Toyota to interpret month-end results. Carter also said that he has also talked to dealers of the automaker in the U.S.

“Dealers are telling me consistently there is minimal to no effect on our business,” Carter said. “Most of our consumers are confident in the brand, and many of them are just delaying their purchases if they’re in the market.”

Toyota Motor Corp. is temporarily suspending sales and production of eight models. The automaker announced the recall of 2.3 million cars and trucks late last week. The Toyota recall came months after the car manufacturer recalled 4.2 million cars according to gas pedals that could become trapped under floor mats, causing the vehicle to accelerate.
Tuesday, Toyota informed that the sales suspension includes the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2009-2010 Corolla, the 2009-2010 Matrix, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia.
It also is suspending sales of certain 2007 to 2010 Camry sedans, depending on where those cars were manufactured.
Toyota also added that it would stop production of those models on five assembly lines in the U.S. and Canada, effective Monday.
The company did not tell how long it would freeze sales of those vehicles, which represent the majority of its sales, by volume, in the U.S.
“At this point, we don’t know,” Brian Lyons,Toyota spokesman,  said about a remedy for the problem. He said that Toyota had never before issued a “stop sale” order. “I’m not going to speculate on how long this will be in effect.”
No Lexus vehicles were affected. There are 2.3 million cars included in the recall, which was announced last week, 1.7 million of which were also affected by the floor mat recall.

After Toyota presented the successor to the hatchback versions of the Corolla, it decided to name the new car “Auris” because the name “Corolla” had become more synonymous with dull than with quality in the Old Continent. The Auris has yet to get rid of its predecessor’s bland-mobile reputation…

The addition of a full hybrid version to the range is something that could very well capture the interest of European buyers.

The 2010 model year Auris has a revised grille, reshaped front and rear bumpers, new headlamps, tail lights and alloy wheels plus a different bonnet design and new exterior mirrors with integrated turning signals.

We accept that the Auris HSD release will keep if not all, most of the exterior styling cues and aerodynamic tweaks such as the underbody panels of the concept study.

The Auris HSD’s petrol-electric hyrbid drivetrain will be largely shared with the Prius meaning that the five-door hatchback can run on battery power alone in zero-emissions mode.

Toyota announced its plans to release a new series of modified cars under the “G Sports” name for the Japanese market this summer. These special versions will be made in cooperation with GAZOO, and will gain profit from a series of performance upgrades.

The best way to attract buyers and petrol heads alike for the new G Sports models is to reveal a specially changed version of the FT-86 concept that previews Toyota’s upcoming rear-wheel drive compact coupe.

The FT-86 G Sports Concept has a wide body aero kit with blistered wheel arches, a carbon-fiber hood with air-vents, redesigned front and rear bumpers as well as jumbo-size rear wing. The concept model’s exterior mods are rounded off by a new set of 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in high-performance Potenza RE050 tires size 245/40 R19 up front and 275/35 R19 at the rear. The only interior upgrade that is mentioned by Gazoo is the addition of a pair of Recaro bucket seats.

At the Tokyo Auto Salon Toyota took the wraps off its Sports Hybrid Concept called the GRMN (Gazoo Racing Master of Nurburgring). The concept is based on the MR-2 and comes with a mid-mounted 3.3-liter V6 engine. According to the manufacturer the vehicle can accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than 4.5 seconds.

Toyota MR2 Sport Hybrid Concept is a four-wheel drive hybrid equipped with Toyota’s THSII hybrid system. The concept weights 1500kg, with the total capacity of 392 bhp.

It is reported that Toyota will, most likely, produce other sports car with a similar hybrid system.

This is Aston Martin’s new mini car, the Toyota iQ-based Cygnet. The Cygnet looks like the iQ because it is a retrimmed Toyota. Aston Martin’s designers took several design cues from their sports cars like the trademark grille and air-vents and used them on the small Toyota without making any other changes on the car’s shape.

Styling characteristics on the outside are limited to the pop-up handles, reshaped front and rear bumpers, particular head and tail lamps, and newly designed multispoke alloy wheels.

Aston Martin decided not to give any data on the car’s hardware. Its plan is first to sell the Cygnet to present and future Aston Martin drivers with a general release to follow at a later date. Aston Martin said that it will continue to improve the Cygnet, but wants to have the car into production and on sale in the UK and Europe before the end of 2010.The car will cost around £20,000 or about $32,000 – €22,000 at today’s exchange rates.

The new fully redesigned 2010 Lexus GX460 is scheduled to make its world premiere next Monday at the upcoming 7th China International Automobile Exhibition also known as Auto Guangzhou 2009 motor show in China. The auto show will be held from November 23 to 30.

According to the initial information released by the car manufacturer the next generation 2010 model year GX460 is based on the latest generation Toyota Land Cruiser that made its debut at the Frankfurt Show this past September.

Though Lexus has not released any photos of the SUV, the 2010 GX 460 will, most probably, be introduced with a number of exterior and interior updates. The vehicle will most likely retain the styling of the 2010 Land Cruiser, and will be equipped with a new grille, unique alloy wheels and some minor design changes here and there.

The 2010 Lexus GX460 will come to the U.S. with Toyota’s new and more powerful 4.6-liter V8 engine, which was first introduced in the 2010 Tundra pickup truck. This engine has an output of 310-horsepower and 327 lb.-ft. of torque and is expected to replace the 4.7-liter V8 with 263HP and 323 lb.-ft. found under the hood of the 2009 GX470.