Tag: official

Official: Toyota Matrix discontinued for 2014

Filed under: Car Buying, Hatchback, Toyota

Between its slow sales and the upcoming redesign of the closely related Corolla sedan, things haven’t been looking good for the Toyota Matrix (for some time now). After 10 years on the market, Toyota has officially announced that it will drop the Matrix from its US lineup following the 2013 model year.

The announcement was made as a part of a press release breaking down what’s new for Toyota in 2014, but for now, it doesn’t look like any Toyota-branded product will fill the Matrix’s spot. The Matrix and its sister car, the defunct Pontiac Vibe, were the final vehicles developed under the joint venture between Toyota and General Motors, an arrangement launched back to 1984.

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Toyota Matrix discontinued for 2014 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: New entry-level Caterham Seven to get turbo’d Suzuki 3-cylinder

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, MISC

Caterham's next entry level car will have a 660cc Suzuki three-cylinder engine.

Caterham is lowering the price and adding lightness to its newest entry-level Seven, with a sub-17,000-pound ($26,061) window sticker and a new engine from Suzuki, a 660cc turbocharged three-cylinder mill that will produce less horsepower than the current 125-hp entry level model (it was not mentioned if the Suzuki-powered Seven will replace any models). The new, lightweight engine complements a re-engineered chassis featuring major suspension revisions.

Without releasing actual horsepower or fuel efficiency numbers, the automaker said in a release that the Suzuki engine is the smallest, cleanest and most efficient engine ever used in a Seven. That’s not surprising when considering that the engine we suspect Caterham will be using was designed for Suzuki’s kei cars in Japan, such as the MR, which are restricted to a maximum of 660cc and 63 hp.

“Our intention for this car is to offer the joy of the Seven in distilled form, so the new entry-level car is lighter, cheaper, more economical and more accessible than ever,” says Caterham Cars CEO Graham Macdonald. Check out the press release below for a few more details, and sit tight for word on North American availability.

Continue reading New entry-level Caterham Seven to get turbo’d Suzuki 3-cylinder

New entry-level Caterham Seven to get turbo’d Suzuki 3-cylinder originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Lexus IS F avoids cancellation, priced from $63,350*

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Performance, Lexus, Luxury

Ever since the redesigned Lexus IS hit the scene, we’ve been wondering about the 416-horsepower IS F model, and now we finally have some answers. For 2014, the IS F carries over with the previous bodystyle, and Lexus gives its sport sedan some small changes to go with a higher starting price of $63,350 (*not including $910 for destination) when it goes on sale in October. Compared to the 2013 model (shown above), the price has risen by $1,600.

For that extra money, buyers will get a couple styling changes like the new carbon fiber decklid spoiler and LED fog lights, as well as some minor interior updates like headrests embossed with the “F” logo, Alcantara trim added to the door panels and center console cover, semi-aniline leather replacing the black leather and black Alcantara seat-inserts added to cars equipped with the red leather seats.

The price hike for the IS F is considerably higher than the rest of the 2014 IS lineup such as the $885 increase for the new IS250 and the $855 drop for the IS350 while pricing for both IS Convertible models (IS250C and IS350C) went up by $100 each. Speaking of price increases, Lexus has also increased its destination charge slightly from $895 up to $910.

Continue reading Lexus IS F avoids cancellation, priced from $63,350*

Lexus IS F avoids cancellation, priced from $63,350* originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Snapshots from Acura NSX prototype run at Mid-Ohio

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Hybrid, Marketing/Advertising, Acura, Racing

Acura NSX Prototype lapping Mid-Ohio ahead of the Honda Indy 200.

Acura’s achingly slow showing of the new, hybrid NSX saw yet another step yesterday, as we reported late last week. A powder-blue prototype ran ahead of the open-wheelers at the Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Why show the NSX Prototype at Mid-Ohio? Honda’s Ohio research and development center, which has taken the lead on NSX development, is just 60 miles from the track. And as race sponsor, Honda must have figured it would give the spectators a glimpse of the new supercar it’s been teasing for the better part of a decade.

With a planned launch in 2015 (special emphasis on the “planned” part, considering the NSX’s history), the NSX Prototype shown here sports graphics that “speak to Acura’s intention to go racing with the new NSX.” That’s great news for fans of endurance racing, although it remains to be seen when a motorsports program for the new NSX will get off the ground.

Take a look at the fresh gallery of images, and be sure to head over to our original Mid-Ohio post for the video footage of the NSX Prototype on track.

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Snapshots from Acura NSX prototype run at Mid-Ohio originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Toyota reports huge quarterly profit increase, raises forecast for the year

Filed under: Toyota, Earnings/Financials

2014 Toyota Tundra Grille

Toyota isn’t just the world’s largest automaker – so far its the biggest winner for quarterly profits. With an enormous $5.5 billion take during Q2, Toyota took advantage of the weak Japanese yen and strong US demand to record a 94-percent improvement in profit over the same period from last year. So far, Toyota brought in larger profits than Ford and General Motors combined.

Toyota is showing no signs of slowing down either, as it has bumped up its forecast for full-year global production, going from 9.94 million to 10.12 million vehicles, on the back of a 13-percent drop in the buying power of the Japanese yen versus the US dollar. That strong exchange rate is largely responsible for Toyota’s big jump in profits, although it also managed to shift 1.3 million vehicles in the US market this year. Strong Camry sales have also helped. But while Toyota is raking in the cash, it actually saw a small drop in market share, down 0.1 percent to 14.3 percent of the US market.

As is the case with most automakers, Toyota seems flummoxed by Europe, where it recorded less than one percent of its revenue. Still, as Automotive News points out, Toyota only maintains a 4.5-percent market share in Europe and is far less dependent on the continent than other manufacturers. Toyota also struggled at home, much like Honda. With 525,777 units sold, JDM sales were down almost 51,000 units, although Toyota still saw its operating profit jump from $3.5 billion to $4.6 billion.

Scroll down for Toyota’s official press release.

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Toyota reports huge quarterly profit increase, raises forecast for the year originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 04 Aug 2013 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Lucra 2.2 helps define long hood, short deck

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Design/Style, MISC

Lucra 2.2 - front three-quarter studio view

If not for Fast & Furious 6, most of us would have probably never heard of Lucra Cars or its incredibly powerful and lightweight LC470. While that car had a simplistic retro design, Lucra’s upcoming car, codenamed 2.2, is bringing more modern style to the boutique, California-based car builder.

Aside from a few pictures posted on its Facebook page over the last month, Lucra has released little information on the long, sleek roadster except to confirm that the car would be offered with the M156 Mercedes AMG 6.2-liter V8. In terms of its design, this car looks something like a modern interpretation of the Bill Thomas Cheetah with its long hood and set-back cabin, but the front end is very distinctive with flared fenders that C3 Chevrolet Corvette lovers should appreciate. We’ll let you know as more details emerge on this car, but until then, enjoy the handful of images posted in the gallery above.

Lucra 2.2 helps define long hood, short deck originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 16:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2014 Toyota Corolla and Tundra production underway

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Truck, Plants/Manufacturing, Toyota

2014 Toyota Corolla reveal

2014 Toyota Tundra Doublecab - front three-quarter view, blueAfter months of leaked photos and speculative reports, Toyota finally unveiled its 2014 Corolla to the world in early July at a star-studded California party. The confetti has been swept up and the champagne flutes washed and stored, and now the real work can begin: production. Toyota has announced that its new C-segment player has begun rolling off the lines at its plants in Mississippi and Ontario, Canada this week ahead of the planned start of sales in September. What’s more, the refreshed 2014 Tundra pickup has also segued into production in San Antonio, Texas.

Corolla production in Mississippi is still a relatively recent phenomenon, with the plant having begun assembly of the outgoing model in the fourth quarter of 2011, while Toyota’s Cambridge, Ontario plant has been churning out the compact volume king since 1988. Conversely, the Tundra has been in production at the Texas facility since 2006, and Toyota projects that the plant will build its milestone one-millionth new vehicle in September, right around the time the reworked fullsize pickup goes on sale.

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2014 Toyota Corolla and Tundra production underway originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Volvo prices revamped 2014 lineup

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Crossover, Volvo

2014 Volvo XC60 R-Design

Volvo has made quite a few changes to its US lineup for the 2014 model year. The C30 hatchback and C70 convertible are gone; the S60, S80, XC60 and XC70 have all been reschnozzed; and in a few months, Volvo will bring its V60 wagon across the pond for Stateside consumption. Only the range-topping XC90 carries on unchanged, though a brand new version is expected to launch sometime next year.

The S60 starts as low as $32,400 for the entry level T5 model, and reaches as high as $45,700 for the T6 R-Design Platinum trim. The larger S80 sedan starts at $39,900, with its range-topping T6 Platinum version commanding $48,150. XC70 pricing ranges anywhere from $34,500 for the 3.2 FWD to $45,650 for the T6 Platinum, XC60 numbers span from $34,850 to $49,800, and XC90 prices start as low as $39,700 and as high as $45,400. None of these prices include $895 for destination, and pricing for the swoopy V60 wagon has not been released just yet.

While the majority of Volvo’s 2014 model year enhancements are visual, some neat updates have been made mechanically, as well. There’s a new Advanced Quick Shift mode for the six-speed automatic transmission that’s paired with the turbocharged six-cylinder engine, and Volvo says that the S60 R-Design will now scoot to 60 miles per hour two-tenths of a second quicker (5.3 versus 5.5). In the XC60 R-Design, AQS improves 0-60 acceleration by four-tenths of a second, down to 6.2 from 6.6 seconds.

Volvo will continue to offer three engines for its full range: a naturally aspirated 3.2-liter V6 with 240 horsepower, a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five with 250 horsepower, and a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 300 horsepower. R-Design versions of the S60 and XC60 get a slight bump in power, up to 325 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. The T5 engine can only be had on the S60; the S80, XC60 and XC70 use both the NA V6 and the T6; and the aging XC90 can only be had with the 3.2-liter mill.

Have a look at the full list of changes and pricing information in Volvo’s press blast, below.

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Volvo prices revamped 2014 lineup originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Land Rover tests electric Defender with impressive results

Filed under: SUV, Technology, Work, Land Rover, UK, Electric, Off-Road

Land Rover sent its first Electric Defender to be tested at the Eden Project.

Unveiled at this year’s Geneva Auto Show, six Land Rover Electric Defenders were produced to research the electrification of all-terrain vehicles in real-world test scenarios. The first Electric Defender to receive a test assignment, a four-wheel-drive 110 Pick Up, was sent to the Eden Project in Cornwall, England, to pull the four-carriage road train that transports visitors around the environmentally friendly plant research site. The SUV has no problem pulling up to 12 tons up a six-percent incline.

The Electric Defender in its original, single-battery configuration can operate for up to 50 miles, with a little over 12 miles in reserve. Functioning at low speeds, it can pull the carriages around the site for about eight hours before it needs a recharge, Land Rover states, but the recent addition of a second lithium-ion battery should lengthen the Defender’s run time while helping to even out out the truck’s weight distribution for better stability. Amazingly, the truck is able to pull the road train with one electric motor that produces 94 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque.

One of the new technologies the Electric Defender is testing is a hill-descent function linked to the regenerative braking system. Up to 80 percent of the batteries’ power can be regenerated in this way. During each downhill trip made at the Eden Project, the SUV regenerates up to 30 kilowatts of power.

We don’t know where the other Electric Defenders will be sent for testing, but we’ll let you know as soon as we find out. Meanwhile, you can take a look at the full press release below.

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Land Rover tests electric Defender with impressive results originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: LA Auto Show confirms it will host nine world debuts

Filed under: LA Auto Show

We still have a whole mess of auto shows to get through before we set our sights on Los Angeles this November, but when we arrive in the City of Angels, we’ll certainly have our work cut out for us. According to the LA Show organizers, more than 50 new vehicle debuts will take place over the course of two press days, though as usual, a lot of those will simply be North American reveals of hot new cars that we’ll first see in Frankfurt this September.

Of those 50 new debuts, nine of them will be world premieres, with BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Porsche, Subaru and Volkswagen all having confirmed that something brand-spakin’-new will be shown off at the LA expo. The only one of those automakers to officially confirm its world debut is Porsche; the German company will show its new Macan crossover in LA.

As for those eight remaining debuts, some outlooks are clearer than others. Automotive News suggests that Chevrolet could show its new Colorado midsize pickup truck, and Mini confirmed to AN that “a new Mini” would be on display, though it’s unclear if that just means a version of the current model, or the all-new one, previewed by the Mini Vision concept. Honda could use its LA stage to reveal the updated Fit hatchback, and Volkswagen may show off some sort of Golf-based vehicle – perhaps the redesigned version of the Jetta SportWagen (called the Golf Variant in other markets, which we first saw in Geneva this year). As we reported earlier, Mercedes-Benz will debut the new S65 AMG in LA, and as for the others, your guess is as good as ours.

This year’s Los Angeles Auto Show kicks off on November 20, with a two-day press preview to be held before the doors open to the public. Stay tuned for our usual smattering of live coverage.

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LA Auto Show confirms it will host nine world debuts originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Aug 2013 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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