Official: Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R zips in on its way to Frankfurt

Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Hybrid, Performance, Hatchback, Toyota

Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R Concept

Toyota has been known to make some exciting cars over the years, but its hybrids, well… let’s just say a Prius appeals to a different kind of buyer. The TS030 Hybrid LMP1, on the other hand, now that’s more our speed. And at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week, the Japanese industrial giant will bridge the gap with the concept car you see here. Previewed in bits and pieces along the way, Toyota has now revealed the full details and array of photos of its new Yaris Hybrid-R concept. And what the full picture reveals is a Prius C that’s gone to the gym – or more appropriately, the track.

Powering this little pocket rocket is TMG’s Global Racing Engine: a 1.6-liter inline-four with direct injection and a Garett turbocharger to drive 300 horsepower to the front wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox. A pair of electric motors provide an extra 60 hp to each of the rear wheels for a combined output of 420 hp and through-the-road all-wheel drive. A third 60hp electric motor serves as traction control under acceleration and acts as a generator under braking to feed the TS030-derived super capacitor that boasts a higher power density and faster charge/discharge speed than a traditional battery. The system can provide a 40-horse boost for ten seconds in Road mode, or the full 120hp for five seconds in Track mode.

Though based on the three-door Yaris, there’d be no mistaking this for any ordinary econo-hatch. 18-inch TRD alloys with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires pack the wheel wells and a wider grille dominates the front fascia, while black and blue trim contrast sharply with the white bodywork. The rear pillar incorporates a quick-fill competition-spec fuel cap, LED daytime running lights illuminate the way and oversized brakes keep it all under control. The interior boasts Recaro racing buckets in black leather and blue Alcantara. There’s more to digest in the press release below, but the bottom line is that if this is where Toyota is taking its hybrids, we want to climb into the driver’s seat, and we’re looking forward to seeing the concept in the flesh next week.

Continue reading Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R zips in on its way to Frankfurt

Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R zips in on its way to Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Sep 2013 03:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R zips in on its way to Frankfurt

Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Hybrid, Performance, Hatchback, Toyota

Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R Concept

Toyota has been known to make some exciting cars over the years, but its hybrids, well… let’s just say a Prius appeals to a different kind of buyer. The TS030 Hybrid LMP1, on the other hand, now that’s more our speed. And at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week, the Japanese industrial giant will bridge the gap with the concept car you see here. Previewed in bits and pieces along the way, Toyota has now revealed the full details and array of photos of its new Yaris Hybrid-R concept. And what the full picture reveals is a Prius C that’s gone to the gym – or more appropriately, the track.

Powering this little pocket rocket is TMG’s Global Racing Engine: a 1.6-liter inline-four with direct injection and a Garett turbocharger to drive 300 horsepower to the front wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox. A pair of electric motors provide an extra 60 hp to each of the rear wheels for a combined output of 420 hp and through-the-road all-wheel drive. A third 60hp electric motor serves as traction control under acceleration and acts as a generator under braking to feed the TS030-derived super capacitor that boasts a higher power density and faster charge/discharge speed than a traditional battery. The system can provide a 40-horse boost for ten seconds in Road mode, or the full 120hp for five seconds in Track mode.

Though based on the three-door Yaris, there’d be no mistaking this for any ordinary econo-hatch. 18-inch TRD alloys with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires pack the wheel wells and a wider grille dominates the front fascia, while black and blue trim contrast sharply with the white bodywork. The rear pillar incorporates a quick-fill competition-spec fuel cap, LED daytime running lights illuminate the way and oversized brakes keep it all under control. The interior boasts Recaro racing buckets in black leather and blue Alcantara. There’s more to digest in the press release below, but the bottom line is that if this is where Toyota is taking its hybrids, we want to climb into the driver’s seat, and we’re looking forward to seeing the concept in the flesh next week.

Continue reading Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R zips in on its way to Frankfurt

Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R zips in on its way to Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Sep 2013 03:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Toyota Yaris plant to be shuttered for at least another month

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Lexus, Toyota

2011 Toyota Yaris five-door liftback

Production issues in Japan continue three weeks after the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami devastated the island nation. Major Japanese automakers have consistently pushed back plant start-up times and Toyota is no different, with a current forecast of an April 11 or April 14 re-boot. And that’s best-case scenario. The automaker said in a statement Tuesday that it was looking into supply issues, adding “depending on vehicle type, there may be a significant impact on our production capabilities.”

Automotive News reports that the longest wait time could be for Toyota’s Miyagi assembly plant, which makes the Yaris subcompact. Sources tell AN that the plant will likely be down for at least a month, as ruptured gas lines in the facility link to a heavily damaged natural gas plant in the quake-devastated region of Sendai. The automaker is said to be looking at other options to power the otherwise repaired facility. The prolonged shutdown at the Miyagi plant could ultimately affect Toyota’s U.S. supply of Yaris models, which only come from that plant.

One factory that has been revitalized is the plant that makes the Prius, Lexus CT 200h and Lexus HS250h. But a source apparently informed AN that a Toyota purchasing executive admits that the facility is only running at half capacity.

Right now, the situation in Japan hasn’t had much affect on U.S. vehicle availability, but a prolonged shutdown of supplier plants could be devastating. IHS Global Insight estimates that 30 percent of the world’s global auto production could be lost if Japan plants remain closed for six weeks or more.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Report: Toyota Yaris plant to be shuttered for at least another month originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota Yaris HSD concept to bow in Geneva

Filed under: Concept Cars, Budget, Hybrid, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Hatchback, Toyota

Toyota Yaris HSD Concept

Toyota has announced that the company will be showing off a new concept at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. The Japanese stalwart has big plans for the B-segment in the near future, and those include bringing a full hybrid system to some of the smallest cars on the road, and we’ll all get a glimpse into how the automaker plans to do that with the Yaris HSD Concept. Details are remarkably murky at the moment, and while we’d love to be able to tell you all about the vehicle’s drivetrain and fuel economy, it looks like we’ll just have to wait until the vehicle gets its official unveil next month.

The Japanese automaker is hoping to bring hybrid efficiency to the most popular segment in Europe, though the Yaris HSD will have to show off some pretty incredible fuel economy numbers and performance to match in order to best the small-displacement diesel mainstays of the market across The Pond.

Toyota will also show off the seven-seat Prius+ at the show. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota Yaris HSD concept to bow in Geneva

Toyota Yaris HSD concept to bow in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota confirms Yaris HSD concept gas-electric for Geneva

Filed under: Budget, Hybrid, Etc., Europe, Technology, Hatchback

2012 Toyota Vitz/Yaris2012 Toyota Vitz/Yaris – Click above for image gallery

Toyota has big plans to wade into the hybridized B-segment in Europe, and it looks like we may get a peek at the automaker’s first effort in that department at the Geneva Motor Show. The Japanese manufacturer has confirmed that it will unveil its Yaris HSD Concept in March. The company is keeping the details of the concept to itself for the time being, so there’s little information on what kind of powertrain or fuel economy the car will boast when it takes a bow next month. Toyota did say that the Yaris HSD Concept will wear some very hybrid-specific design cues, so expect more than a little Prius influence outside.

While the B-segment is one of the hottest auto markets in Europe, Toyota may be facing a bit of an uphill battle with the notion of a hybrid Yaris. Buyers in the Old Country have been notoriously cold toward gasoline hybrids due to the popularity of high-efficiency diesel engines. Combine that hurdle with the difficulty of making a hybrid drivetrain affordable and Toyota will have to pull some pretty impressive tricks to make this car a viable competitor in Europe. That doesn’t mean we can’t wait to see it on the stage in Geneva, though. Hit the jump for the press release.

Gallery: 2012 Toyota Vitz/Yaris

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota confirms Yaris HSD concept gas-electric for Geneva

Toyota confirms Yaris HSD concept gas-electric for Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota reveals new JDM Vitz – that’s Yaris to you, fellah

Filed under: Budget, Japan, Hatchback, Toyota

2012 Toyota Vitz Yaris

2012 Toyota Vitz/Yaris – Click above for image gallery

Never heard of the Toyota Vitz? It’s one of the auto giant’s biggest sellers in the Japanese Domestic Market, accounting for over 1.4 million units since its introductory model in 1999. But the compact hatchback isn’t exclusive to Japan: in export markets, it’s known to us as the Yaris, and Toyota’s sold more than 3.5 million of them around the world. And now it has introduced the third generation.

Abandoning the cartoonish styling of its predecessor, the new Vitz/Yaris is considerably sharper in the design department. It’s also more fuel efficient and less polluting to the environment. And while overall dimensions remain compact, the interior has grown in capacity for added comfort and utility, utilizing a new type of glass to filter out 99 percent of UV radiation.

The Vitz is offered domestically with a range of engines and trim levels – from 1.0- to 1.5-liter engines, with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, with CVTs, manu-matics and stick shifts, a start-stop system and even upscale Jewela and RS trims – though the North American Yaris will undoubtedly constrict the choices some. Follow the jump for additional details and click the thumbnails below for a closer look.

Gallery: 2012 Toyota Vitz/Yaris

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota reveals new JDM Vitz – that’s Yaris to you, fellah

Toyota reveals new JDM Vitz – that’s Yaris to you, fellah originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are you the 2012 Toyota Yaris?

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Spy Photos, Budget, Etc., Hatchback, Toyota, Rumormill, Design/Style

Possibly the Next Generation Toyota Yaris

The Toyota Yaris is ready for an update, something that Toyota of North America has been pushing for some time now. A concept version of the next generation Yaris is expected to make an appearance at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show and we may have gotten a glimpse of what that car will look like thanks to a few scanned images courtesy of French automotive site, Turbo.fr.

The images show an updated Toyota Vitz in standard and Modellista trim. If you’re not up on our Euro/JDM parlance, Vitz is the model name for the Yaris in other markets, and the modellista versions are fitted with sporty body-kits. Thanks for the tip, Chanh!

[Source: Turbo.fr]

Are you the 2012 Toyota Yaris? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Toyota to replace Yaris in U.S., concept coming to Detroit?

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Budget, Hatchback, Toyota

2010 Toyota Yaris – Click above for high-res image gallery

B-segment cars have been getting a whole lot of attention lately, what with super-good offerings like the Ford Fiesta, Mazda2 and Honda Fit setting the bar high for the class. Toyota has its friendly little Yaris, but that model hasn’t seen any sort of real update since its debut in late 2006, but large changes are in the works.

Toyota’s North American operations have reportedly been pushing for the Yaris to grow in size, and we should get a conceptual preview of what to expect at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. Toyota is also working on a hybrid powertrain for the Yaris in Europe, though reports state that this engine isn’t slated for the United States. Odd, especially since Toyota has always talked about expanding its Prius nameplate to include a range of hybrid vehicles.

For now, we’ll keep our eyes peeled for more rumors, and we’ll wait to see what Toyota has in store for a Detroit Show debut next January.

Gallery: 2010 Toyota Yaris 5 Door

[Source: Autocar]

Report: Toyota to replace Yaris in U.S., concept coming to Detroit? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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