Toyota to Build Hybrid Drivetrains Outside of Japan in Four Years

Toyota has chosen to focus most of its resources on its hybrid models, and more specifically on the Prius “family” and Lexus lineup, in order to recover from this year’s earthquake and the subsequent, and quite substantial, decrease in global sales due to parts shortages.

Until now, Toyota manufactured all components of hybrid drivetrains, such as battery packs, electric motors and inverters only at its Japanese plants. The recent disaster has shown the vulnerability of the decision to put all of your eggs in one basket.

Therefore, the company has decided to change its policy and manufacture them not only in Japan but also in overseas factories.

“Right now, hybrid component production is too biased toward Japan”, Toyota’s executive vice president in charge of global purchasing, Shinichi Sasaki, told Automotive News. “We have to devise a tactic roughly within a year –that means this may be implemented in three or four years’ time.”

According to Mr. Sasaki, Toyota’s revised plan calls for the production of Toyota and Lexus hybrid components at global production centers that will then ship the parts to assembly plants worldwide. He added that the most likely choices would be Toyota’s North American, Southeast Asia and China plants.

 

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Toyota Prices New 2012 Prius Plug-in from $32,760 and Prius V Minivan from $27,160

Toyota has released the full rundown on the pricing of the upcoming 2012 Prius Plug-in Hybrid and the five-passenger Prius V minivan.

The first-ever Prius Plug-in Hybrid, which combines the firm’s Hybrid Synergy Drive with a small lithium-ion battery to extend the electric-only driving range, starts at $32,000 not including a $760 processing and handling (DPH) fee that raises the price to $32,760, while the better equipped Advance trim model will have an MSRP of $39,525 or $40,285 with DPH.

The Japanese company said it expects both Prius Plug-in trim levels to qualify for a federal tax credit of approximately $2,500.

The plug-in model features a new Lithium-ion battery that offers an extended electric-only driving range of up to 15 miles at a maximum speed of 62 mile-per-hour. The battery can be fully charged in 2.5-3 hours using a standard 120V outlet or 1.5 hours using 240V.

According to Toyota estimates, the new Prius Plug-in Hybrid will deliver approximately 87 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) and 49 MPG when operating in hybrid mode.

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid will begin reaching showrooms in spring of 2012.

The third member of the Prius family is the Prius V minivan, which carries a base MRSP $26,400, or $27,140 if you include the DPH fee. According to the Japanese automaker, the Prius V will return estimated EPA fuel economy ratings of 44 mpg city, 40 mpg highway and 42 mpg combined.

The hybrid minivan is scheduled to arrive in Toyota dealerships across the country in late October.

 



 

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Ford Says New 2014 Mustang will be Less Retro, More Modern

In 2014, Ford will celebrate the Mustang’s 50th anniversary and it will do so by launching a brand new model. The revelation comes from the company’s design chief, J Mays, who spoke to journalist during the 64th International Auto Show in Frankfurt.

According to Mays, the design of the next-generation Mustang has already “locked down” three years ahead of its launch. The real surprise, though, is that Mays states that the new version of Ford’s iconic pony car will look more into the future than in to its past.

"Both redesigns introduced in 2005 and 2010 are retro vehicles," Mays told journalist on the sidelines of the Frankfurt Motor Show. "The challenge with the 50th anniversary car is to not just look back over your shoulder, but to try to win all of the Mustang faithful yet bring the brand forward as well.”

That’s quite a high order, but Mays is more than confident that, even though the new Mustang will be different, it will still retain its character.

“It has to look like a Mustang, but you go down a list of things than might or might not be necessary to make the car look like a Mustang," said Mays.

Ford really needs the new Mustang to succeed, as the current model is lagging behind its arch enemy/rival, GM's Chevrolet Camaro. In the first eight months of the year, Chevrolet's pony car has outsold the Mustang by more than 10,000 units – and that’s not counting the convertible version that recently hit the market.

Story source: Automotive News [sub.req.]

 

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IAA 2011: Volkswagen Pays Tribute to Fender with New Beetle Concept

The high-performance Beetle R Concept was joined at VW's Frankfurt Motor Show stage by a second conceptual study that pays tribute to famed U.S.-based music instrument manufacturer, Fender.

Mimicking the styling used on an electric guitar customized by Volkswagen Design, the Fender Telecaster, the bespoke Beetle study is painted in a high-gloss "Black" finish with a fine red line framing the side windows.

Other special features on the outside include the chrome and aluminium accents on the door mirror caps, door handles, the trim strip beneath the side windows and side sills, while the twin tailpipes are arranged as they were on the original Beetle.

The concept Beetle rides on 19-inch wheels with polished aluminium caps, while track width extensions on the rear axle shift each of the wheels 10 mm outwards. Finally VW lowered the car's suspension by around 30mm.

Inside, the dashboard is trimmed in two-tone wood design pattern found on many Fender guitars, while certain controls on the center console were redesigned to look like those used on Fender's guitar and bass amplifiers.

Last but not least, the Beetle Concept features high-end audio system from Fender and a special socket in the boot area that allows for an electric guitar to be plugged in with its sound played over the subwoofer that is also integrated in the boot.

 

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VW Wants Number One Spot, Will Invest US$86 Billion to Achieve its Goal

Volkswagen’s Supervisory Board has approved a cash influx of €62.4 billion (US$86 billion) into its automotive division over the course of five years. The investment is necessary if VW’s plan to overtake GM and Toyota and become the world’s number one car manufacturer is to succeed.

“The Volkswagen Group is investing a record amount in forward-looking projects to achieve its goal of becoming the world’s best automobile manufacturer”, said the VW Group’s CEO, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn. “We shall continue to extend our innovation and technology leadership. Top of the agenda for us are investments in environmentally friendly, sustainable models and drives.”

The majority of this investment, €49.8 billion (US$68.6 billion), will be in property, plant and equipment, with more than half invested in Germany. VW and its brands will focus on new vehicles on almost all classes, which will be based on modular architectures and use common components, allowing the cost-efficient continuous launch of models and expansion in new segments.

VW’s record spending to outsell GM and Toyota does not include its Chinese operations. The Group’s two joint ventures, Shangai-Volkswagen Automotive and FAW-Volkswagen Automotive, will receive a further €14 billion (US$19.3 billion) from 2012 to 2016 for the construction of two more plants.

This brings VW’s factory count in China to 11, out of the 62 that it has globally. “We are rather undersupplied there”, commented Winterkorn, who estimates that the VW Group could sell more than 2.4 million units this year in China.

After a best-ever 7.2 million units in 2010, VW Group estimates that this year it will increase its sales by 5% this year.

 

 

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IAA 2011: New Mercedes-Benz B-Class Keeps Old Model's Pricing

Good news for European consumers interested in the second-generation of the B-Class, as Mercedes-Benz is launching the new small MPV at the same price as the outgoing model, despite the numerous improvements and additions to the standard equipment.

Available for order now with first deliveries to arrive in November, pricing for the 2012 B-Class starts at €26,001.50 (about US$35,900) including 19% VAT in Germany for the B 180 BlueEFFICIENCY (BE) that is motivated by a 1.6-liter petrol engine delivering 122HP, 7HP more than the preceding model.

Other engine options at launch include the B 200 BE equipped with a 156HP version of the 1.6-liter petrol that returns a combined fuel economy of 5.9lt/100km (39.9mpg US), as well as two diesel units, the B 180 CDI BE with 109HP and the B 200 CDI BE with 136HP, both of which consume 4.4lt/100 km (53.4mpg US) on average.

All four engine variants are offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard, or the new 7G-DCT dual clutch automatic transmission as an €2,165.80 extra.

 

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