Toyota is reportedly on the brink of deciding to make accelerator pedals shorter in millions of vehicles, as a fix to a problem with floor mat sticking that has led to a 4-million-vehicle recall.

Kyodo News reported that Toyota has set aside about $5 million to cover the cost of the change and would make it for free at U.S. dealerships. However, Toyota safety and quality communications manager Brian Lyons told Consumer Reports that the company is "not ready to announce anything." He said Toyota is "still developing vehicle-based remedies and still in open discussions with NHTSA."

The vehicles recalled for the floor mat issue are the 2007-'10 Camry, Tundra and Lexus ES 350; the 2005-'10 Avalon and Tacoma, 2004-'09 Prius, and 2006-'10 Lexus IS 250. At least one fatal accident has been blamed on the sticking mat causing the accelerator pedal to become stuck in the fully engaged position.

Toyota Motor Sales' official statement about the recall says: "Recent events have prompted Toyota to take a closer look at the potential for an accelerator pedal to get stuck in the full open position due to an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. A stuck-open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death."

The Canadian publication Wheels said today that Toyota still has not sent letters to Canadian customers about the floor mat issue. The publication quoted a Toyota Canada spokesman as saying the company is still conducting a review with Transport Canada before sending out any notification but has issued an alert on its Web site to tell Canadian customers about the issue.

Source: InsideLine

Toyota has announced it is withdrawing from Formula 1 with immediate effect, becoming the third carmaker to quit the sport in less than 12 months.

Following months of rumours about the Japanese manufacturer’s future, the F1 team’s parent company the Toyota Motor Corporation revealed following a board meeting on Wednesday that it had taken the decision to pull out of the sport following eight seasons without a win.

In its statement announcing the move, Toyota said that while it had remained determined to compete in F1 in the face of the worldwide recession that started towards the end of last year, it had now revised its position with the F1 spend not fitting into its mid-term business plans.

“Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces it plans to withdraw from the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1) at the end of the 2009 season,” the Toyota statement said.

Source: ITV

Toyota's new rear-wheel-drive sports coupe could be called the Celica, autocar.co.uk has learned. The concept version of the car, which is being co-developed by Toyota and Subaru and is due to go on sale in 2012, was unveiled at this week's Tokyo motor show.

The concept, badged FT-86 in homage to the Toyota Corolla AE-86 GT, is being developed to increase the company's credibility among young Japanese buyers. As a result, the Celica name is reported to be being evaluated by Toyota as its history resonates with its target audience. However, no final decisions on the name have bene made.

Toyota has charge of the car's concept and design, while Subaru is supplying hardware including the engine, six-speed gearbox and possibly suspension. The car will also be built at Subaru factories, as it has spare capacity at present. However, the car, which engineers describe as front mid-engined because the engine is so short and can be cited so far back, sits on a new rear-drive platform, which can be adapted to four-wheel drive, an option Subaru is said to be evaluating.

Source: Autocar

While the regular Subaru 086A is expected to be exactly the same as the Toyota version albeit with subtle exterior/interior styling differences, it’s the high performance STi version that’s getting the most attention now that the FT-86 Concept has broken cover ahead of this month’s Tokyo Motor Show. The standard 086A of course utilizes Subaru’s EJ20 flat-four boxer engine with D4-S direct injection, an Aisin 6-speed gearbox and a rear differential as used on the Lexus IS250/350. The rumored output of 200PS has been quoted once again as to be “almost certain” but a conflicting rumor from another source sets the output as being as low as 160PS. Nevertheless, the STi Version should answer people’s prayers for more power.

Holiday Auto (HA) reports that the STi Version will use the EJ25 2.5L engine that’s expected to produce between 240 – 250PS which is enough, HA say, to turn the 086A into a true performance car. An EJ25 turbo also hasn’t been ruled out, it seems that the Toyota/Subaru partnership have gone to great lengths to listen to what customers want and if the voices are loud enough, may come through with a boosted 086A STi. In keeping with the Impreza WRX STi, the 086A STi Version will apparently get wider front and rear guards to accommodate a wider track with wider wheels and tires. The know-how gathered from tuning the suspension for the WRX STi will be used to improve the 086A’s handling characteristics, although HA stop short of saying the parts will be directly carried over. We should also expect some additional STi only aero parts such as a unique front bumper and rear trunk spoiler to give the STi Version a more motorsports inspired look.

Although it’s not confirmed yet, there’s a strong possibility the Subaru 086A STi Version will be shown at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show or not long after at the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon and will hit showrooms shortly thereafter.

Source: 7tune

Mark your calendars! Toyota has announced that the Toyota FT-86 Concept will be unveiled at the Toyota Metapolis site on October 23, 2009, a day before the general public viewing dates start at the Tokyo Motor Show!

For those of you not familiar, Toyota Metapolis is a virtual city created by Toyota for visitors to learn about Toyota’s newest products, concepts, and events. The virtual city even has residential areas, museums showcasing Toyota prototypes, a shopping center, and an event hall (perhaps where the FT-86 unveiling will take place) that can host up to 1000 avatars.

At the FT-86 unveiling on Oct. 23, visitors will be able to tune into a virtual unveiling, followed by an opinion exchange session. Toyota will be logging the opinions by visitors so be sure to make your opinions heard as they may be taken into account with respect to the car’s final production design. Games and quizzes will also take place and visitors may complete a survey in return for a gift.

Thanks for the tip, Jason!

Source: FT86Club

Since last year, we’ve been hearing about a new sports car from Toyota and Subaru that will be priced around $20,000 and would give the two brands something to be proud about. However, both automakers were very good at keeping their upcoming sports coupe out of way of spy photographer lenses and never really talked much to the media about it in terms of when it will be available or what it would be called. In fact, the car’s nickname eventually became “Toyobaru,” which to say the least, we hated.

However, today we get our first look at what Toyota and Subaru have been working on with the new Toyota FT-86 Concept, which will make its world debut at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. Inspired by the sporty 1980s Corolla AE86, the production version of the FT-86 will carry a 2.0L boxer Subaru engine sending power to the rear-wheels.

Developed jointly with Fuji Heavy Industries, which owns Subaru and which Toyota owns 16.7 percent of, most of the mechanical work on the production FT-86 will be completed by Subaru while the overall design will be created by Toyota’s ED2 styling studio in France (who also worked on the FT-86).

Toyota and Fuji Heavy plan to have the FT-86 on the roads by 2011. Subaru will get its own version of the car. Prices are expected to start around 3 million yen ($33,700 USD) in Japan and around $20,000 in the United States.

Source: eGMCarTech

Toyota on Wednesday announced a recall involving 95,700 Toyota and Scion vehicles sold in the U.S., including the 2009 and 2010 Corolla and Matrix and 2008 and 2009 Scion xD vehicles with 1.8-liter engines, to fix a brake problem that could "lead to lengthened vehicle stopping distances."

"Toyota has determined that if the vehicle is operated in extremely low ambient temperatures, there is a possibility that condensed moisture from the positive crankcase ventilation port may seep into the brake system vacuum port and freeze," said Toyota in a statement. Details in the jump!

"Should this condition continue, ice may slowly accumulate at the brake system vacuum port and in the extreme case, ultimately plug the vacuum port. As a result of the accumulation of ice, power assist to the brakes would gradually decrease and lead to lengthened vehicle stopping distances."

The brake problem is expected to only affect vehicles in cold-weather states, noted Toyota. Vehicle owners from 19 affected states will get a recall notice in early September. Those states are: Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Toyota dealers will install a new intake air connector, which relocates the brake-system vacuum port. The free repair will take about an hour.

Source: InsideLine

Following the announcement on the termination of the Pontiac Vibe that was the last remaining project of the New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI) joint venture with Toyota, the so-called 'New GM' said today that it plans to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection without its 25-year old California tie-up with the Japanese automaker.

"Given that, GM believes it is in the best interest of the 'New GM' and its stakeholders that we place our ownership interest in NUMMI in 'Old GM'," the company said in a prepared statement.

General Motors added that the two sides could not reach an agreement on a future product plan that "made sense for all parties" and that there are no future GM vehicles planned for the joint venture at this time.

Source: CarScoop

Since production of the Supra ceased back in 2002, enthusiasts and tuners alike have been left with only the SC Soarer or the mid-ship MR-S to tinker with. However, with new rumors surfacing that the 086A is still in the works we’ve also caught news of a Supra successor to come along with it. Sounds like Toyota’s Akio Toyoda is answering every enthusiasts prayers recently!

Taking the base of the FT-HS Hybrid Sports car which debuted back in 2007, we’ve learned that development of the Supra successor has continued its progress secretly, taking a back seat to the 086A. What we now know though is that most elements of the successor car have moved out of the design phase and into development with speak of a mule that is being anticipated for 2009 end. The engine will most probably be the Lexus 450H’s 3.5l V6 and we now know that it will be coupled with the current Toyota Crown hybrid system delivering a total of 400hp to the rear wheels.

Whilst this differs a lot from the previous generation Supra, one very interesting point we’re keeping a close eye on is that Toyota will be looking at targeting sports car enthusiasts with another ‘non green’ version of the car. Apparently, for drivers not content with the Eco package Toyota will be supplying a ‘Sports’ version sans hybrid parts. Details are still sketchy but pricing is being pinned at around the three to four million yen mark and should make a debut at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show. Release date will go unchanged and be should be expected late 2011.

Source: 7 Tune

A group by the name of "Casual Mafia" put out a hit for those who want to hug trees and save MPGs. Definitely going to be a big hit for 2009.

Japanese automakers on Wednesday praised President Barack Obama's new rules to push green vehicles and transform the U.S. auto industry -- a shift that likely puts Japan's manufacturers at an advantage.

Toyota Motor Corp., maker of the Prius hybrid, which gets 50 m.p.g. in the United States, gave Obama high praise for promoting technology to boost mileage and fight global warming.

Obama announced rules Tuesday that would bring new vehicles sold in the United States by 2016 to an average of 35.5 m.p.g., about 10 m.p.g. more than today's standards. Toyota, which boasts other fuel-efficient models in its lineup, vowed to continue to develop more green technology.

Source: Freep

The Nikkei reports that Toyota and Honda are both making estimated profits of about ¥300,000 (about US$3,100) each on every hybrid they sell, similar to what they make on small, gasoline-engined vehicles.

If Honda sells 200,000 Insight hybrids worldwide in the first year of its release, the company would generate sales of more than 350 billion yen [US$3.6 billion]. Since it estimates a gross profit margin of more than 15% on the car—priced at under 2 million yen&mash;its gross profit on Insight sales is projected to hit around 60 billion yen [US$622 million] in the first year, or around 300,000 yen per unit.

The gross profit earned on the Insight is still low when factoring in the large R&D costs involved in its development. However, the profit margin on its hybrid operations has risen to the level where Honda can count on it to generate the fourth-largest revenue stream behind its luxury, midsize and small car operations.

The Nikkei report said that Toyota appears to have earned gross profits of around ¥100 billion yen (US$1 billion) on its sales of second-generation Prius hybrids last year. Toyota’s gross profit margin on the sales of the next-generation 2010 Prius are projected to be in the single digits in the first year.

Source: Green Car Congress

Nothing like saving the environment and keeping it gangster.

Source: The Dirty

In about 12 months Toyota Australia will produce the country’s first locally produced hybrid car based on the Toyota Camry sedan. To celebrate, Toyota Style Australia is showing off the new HC-CV (Hybrid Camry Concept Vehicle) at the 2009 Melbourne International Auto Show.

While most concepts hint at a future production car the HC-CV is a concept based on a recently unveiled production car - the 2010 Toyota Camry.

Of course, this 2010 Toyota Camry has been beefed up by some cosmetic changes including blue Toyota logos, satin chrome on the front grille, mirrors and rear-boot lid and a pearl white body. Inside, Toyota added metallic blue highlights with Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive logo on the leather seats.

Source: eGMCarTech

Scion plans to broaden its product range with the addition of a fourth model in the next two to three years, according to a report published by Automotive News.

Toyota's youth-oriented sub-brand also expects to replace its aging tC coupe by 2011, the industry publication said. In addition to the tC, Scion currently markets the xB and xD five-door hatchbacks.

Automotive News quoted Scion vice-president Jack Hollis as saying: "We think there are a lot of opportunities for a [second] coupe. We think there is room for a bigger sedan and smaller vehicles. We think there is even a possibility for a truck-based vehicle with an open bed."

Scion displayed the Hako Coupe concept at the 2008 New York Auto Show and the Fuse concept at the 2006 New York Auto Show.

Source: Edmunds