Toyota officially confirms its the luddite of the auto industry

I bet Toyota can’t wait for 2010 to end. It started with the ongoing unintended acceleration meltdown that saw over 12 million Toyotas recalled, a crisis that brought back down to Earth the Japanese automaker’s perceived superior reliability and quality image.

That was followed up by the company’s launch of its so-called "youth" Scion brand in Canada (eight years late) to the sound of one hand clapping. Then, it had to outsource to California's tiny Tesla Motors to get a ride on the EV bandwagon. And now the automaker has to live with sales that have been hit so hard around the world, its Toyota/Lexus brands now sell less cars than Hyundai-Kia Motors not only in Canada, but in Europe as well.

So, to finish off its annus horribilis, you would think Toyota’s braintrust would be going out of its way to spin some good news. But instead, in an interview with U.S. AutoWeek, Takeshi Uchiyamada, executive vice president in charge of research and development, pretty much admitted that Toyota is far behind the competition with its gas-only offerings.

Uchiyamada said Toyota wants to increase the fleet's fuel efficiency by—wait for it—putting turbochargers and direct fuel injection in smaller vehicles.

I know. Wow. I hope you were sitting down.

"In the next five years, the general trend is downsizing of engines and the use of turbochargers," Uchiyamada said in an interview. "Another development will be direct fuel injection."

“Next five years?”  Ground breaking—not. When Toyota brags it spends "more than $1 million every hour of every day" on research and development, you have to ask, "On what?"

This new plan would put Toyota years behind mainstream rivals that currently offer—for sale, right now—downsized, direct-injection/turbo mills like, oh, Ford, GM, Fiat, Hyundai-Kia, Nissan, VW—er, the whole industry.

So now, not only are Toyotas dull to look at, duller to drive, and not as reliable as you thought, know that the company has been distracted enough to fall behind on the technology front too.

But hey, no worries, Toyota fans. In the years it will take for the company to get caught up, I’m sure its hybrid sales will more than make up for the shortfall.

[Source: AutoWeek]

Is Infiniti what BMW used to be?

For Crank readers with any kind of automotive historical context, you probably already know that when Nissan’s Infiniti premium brand launched in the late 1980s, it’s original Q45 sports luxury sedan was seen as a direct shot at Germany's Ultimate Driving Machine brand, while Toyota’s also-then-new Lexus was left to handle the Mercedes wannabe chores.

Said readers will also know that, Infiniti’s pursuit of said Ultimate Driving Machine BMW went a bit sideways in the 1990s. Japan’s decade-long economic crisis meant it was left peddling chromed-over Nissans (see the I30). Flash forward two decades later, and there I was recently, with the latest midsize sport sedan offerings from each maker, a new-for-2011 Infiniti M and also-new-for-2011 BMW 5-Series sedan. And, surprisingly, the car that met my expectations of what a BMW should be wasn’t wearing a blue and block roundel on its hood.

First off, the new 5 Series is one of the most unimaginative cars I’ve recently driven. After a decade of daringly styled cars, BMW's design department seems to be mailing it in, returning to the “same sausage, different length” approach that got it in such a severe design funk in 1990s. I dare you to spot the difference between a new 5 and 7 Series from 50 metres. Tough, eh? Same goes for the 5's interior—it reeks of BMW Cabin Design 101. And from what I can tell, the next 3-Series will be spat out from the same design mold.

I already think the new M is one of the most underrated cars you can buy. And now with some time behind its wheel, a visceral delight to sit and be seen in. Arguably better built than the 5’s insides, it scores with flourishes of real aluminum. The paddle shifters and door handles look like pieces of art. From the driver’s seats, the M’s front fenders were like target sights for the next corner. Outside, the car has that quintessential “looks fast, even when it’s parked” style.

Perhaps the aspect that rocked my prejudices between the two brands the most was the way the Infiniti and BMW each drove.

I was driving the 330 hp, six-cylinder $63,400 M37 Sport. From the get-go, it chomped at its reins. Quick, alert at the helm, and with a zesty exhaust note, the M37 Sport responded to my requests with gusto, a real “driver’s car.”

The 240 hp, six-cylinder BMW 528i (comparably equipped, $63,700) I drove the same week, was a really “nice” car. Quiet, refined, smooth, a true “luxury” car. Er, just like a smaller 7er, which, effectively, der neu 5er is. But it certainly didn’t urge me to take a corner quicker, like the M did.

Yes. I’m sure a 300 hp, turbo-six 535i would be a better rival to the Infiniti. Plus I could order it with a stick. Something I can't do in the Infiniti. But at $77,100 (comparably equipped) it’s a bit of an apples and oranges argument.

So there you go. With BMW moving more towards keeping luxury buyers happy, Infiniti seems to have snuck up and created a car that appeals to drivers. Which, if I’m not mistaken, is where BMW used to be.

 

2010 LA Show: Fiesta chosen as 2011 Canadian Automotive Jury's Best of the Best Winner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOS ANGELES - While Chevy's Volt was collecting trophies here in L.A., a  jury of 10 senior Canadian automotive journalists selected the new Ford Fiesta as the 2011 Canadian Automotive Jury’s 2011 Best of the Best Winner.

From the dozen Best of the Best Finalists that were announced last month, the Fiesta was recognized as “the one and only, best of the best” of the current crop of 2011 model year vehicles in Canada. The Canadian Automotive Jury (or CAJ, seen above from left to right, Éric LeFrançois, Jeremy Cato, Michael Vaughan, Petrina Gentile, Graeme Fletcher, Benoit Charette, Jim Robinson, David Booth, Gabriel Gélinas and yours truly) cited the Fiesta’s availability as a sedan or hatchback, excellent fuel economy, “big car” features, and a high “fun to drive quotient that was tough to beat.”

Last year's innaugural Best of the Best winner was the Volkswagen Golf.

CAJ's annual Best of the Best Awards are unique in Canada. Its 10 Jurors account for the vast majority of automotive industry coverage in Canada. And the Jury’s selections don’t exclusively focus on a specific model within a family of vehicles or only “all-new” models.

As the 2011 winner, the Fiesta will be invited back as a finalist for next year's CAJ Best of the Best awards.

2010 L.A. Show: You can’t buy one yet, but Chevy’s Volt wins another award

LOS ANGELES – The trophy case must be getting awfully crowded back at GM’s Detroit HQ. Hot on the heels of winning U.S. buff book MotorTrend’s Car of the Year prize, the Chevrolet Volt just nabbed U.S. Green Car Journal’s 2011 Green Car of the Year Award this morning during the second media day.

Now, unlike the last two GCOTY winners, the 2009 VW Jetta TDI and 2010 Audi A3 TDI clean diesels, you can’t buy a Volt in Canada yet. And only a few media on the planet have driven one—let alone lived with the car for any extended period of time, or in variable weather conditions.

But that didn’t stop GCOTY jurors (made up of non-automotive journalist types, like Jay Leno) from giving the Volt the nod over the equally unproven Nissan Leaf, less revolutionary Lincoln MKZ and Hyundai Sonata hybrids, or the only non-electric finalist, the Ford Fiesta, which would have been my pick, not that anyone asked…

2010 L.A. Show: Kia rolls right into the luxury hybrid segment with new Optima

LOS ANGELES – Although its been available in other markets for a few months, Kia picked the import-friendly California market to debut the North American version of its new Optima mid-size sedan.

Thankfully, Hyundai-Kia Motors has done a descent job trying to separate its pair of front-drive, five-passenger midsize sedans. Despite the Sonata and Optima sharing basic nuts and bolts—like the 2.4L GDI and turbocharged 2.0L gas engines, and the gas-electric hybrid that Kia claims gets better highway fuel economy than the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid—the Optima looks more aggressive on the inside and out than the more Lexus-like Sonata.

No Canadian Optima pricing yet. But I can tell you right now: Kia will not charge anything near what Lexus wants for its woe begotten HS 250h…

2010 L.A. Show: Toyota-Tesla hookup results is RAV4 EV mutant

LOS ANGELES – As the first fruit from the loins of the recently consummated marraige between Japan's Toyota and California's Tesla, the RAV4 EV concept is apparently just the beginning of what will supposedly be more Toyotas powered by Tesla’s sea-of-batteries all-electric drivetrain.

Like Honda’s L.A. EVs offerings, the all-electric RAV4 won’t go on sale until 2012. Toyota says that the generation shown here has a range of about 160 km before needing to find an electrical outlet of some kind.

When the EV cute-ute does go into production, Toyota says the regular RAV4 bits will still be built at its Canadian production facility in Woodstock, Ontario, while “Tesla will build the battery and related parts and components at its new facility in Palo Alto, Calif. The method and installation location of the Tesla components into the vehicle is being discussed.”

Why Toyota isn’t converting Scions into EVs, is still a question that remains to be answered…

 

2010 L.A. Show: Honda joins the circus electric

LOS ANGELES – You can file this one under “better late, than never.” After years of telling anyone who would listen that hydrogen fuel cell technology as realized in its FCX Clarity (not gas-electric hybrids nor purely-electric vehicles) is the Honda way to blue skies and chirping birds, the Japanese automaker has jumped on the EV bandwagon and also announced a new plug-in electric hybrid system.

The new Honda EV is yet another variant of its versatile subcompact Fit, already available in gas-only from in Canada and as a gas-electric hybrid in Japan.

Dubbed the Fit EV Concept, Honda  says it “hints strongly” (i.e. no gratuitous EV vinyl stickers on the production car) at the for Honda's upcoming production Fit EV all-electric vehicle, which has not been confirmed for Canada, but will be introduced to the U.S. and Japan in 2012.  

Honda also debuted an all-new plug-in hybrid system. Apparently, it showcases the automaker’s next-generation, two-motor hybrid technology, and is set to debut in a "midsize vehicle" of some kind around the same time as the Fit EV.

2010 L.A. Show: Nissan returns to west coast in waves

LOS ANGELES – Twelve months ago, right here in the bowels of L.A.’s massive Convention Centre, Nissan didn’t even bother to have a press conference. This year, it arguably stole the show (so far) with a herd of new metal, including a refreshed GT-R supercar, new Quest minivan, a hybrid sedan concept that hints at the next Altima sedan, and a quirky, convertible SUV.

The relatively conventional fourth-gen Quest (below left) will arrive next year in Canada to take on a once-thought-dead minivan segment. While the refreshed GT-R supercar (below right) gets 530 hp (versus the previous 485), a new “Black Edition,” and subtle exterior and interior bits.

The convertible SUV, the Murano CrossCabriolet,*below centre) audacious as it may be, isn’t coming to Canada, yet. With ghosts of the ill-fated Renault Vel Satis dancing in my head, the pricey ($46,390 U.S.) two-door, clothtop convertible version of the mid-size Nissan SUV was primarily designed for the far-out-man California market. If Nissan is happy with sales, it may come to Canada.

All good stuff. But the most significant Nissan debut was the front-wheel drive Ellure hybrid sedan concept; a precursor to what the next Altima sedan will look like.

More interesting, though, the concept also comes with a future supercharged 2.5-litre gas-four with what Nissan calls an Intelligent Dual Clutch Control (one motor/two clutch design with lithium-ion battery) and 25 kW electric motor, hooked up to CVT.

And just to make sure your neighbours know the Ellure/Altima is polar-bear friendly, it wears a “PURE DRIVE” badge showing it would be “part of Nissan’s range of low CO2/low fuel consumption internal combustion engine or hybrid vehicles.”

2010 L.A. Show: Cadillac gets (really) small

LOS ANGELES – Even smaller than the just signed-off BMW 3 Series-fighting ATS sedan, Cadillac unveiled its new Urban Luxury Concept, a car with about the same footprint as a Honda Fit.

As you may very well know, this is not the first time Caddy has gotten small recently (and no Cimarron jokes—please!).

Its Chevy Volt-based Converj concept from this year’s Detroit show, showed the General’s luxury division is ready to take on the Teutonic trio of Mercedes, Audi and BMW in the race for rich, small car owners.

Although its packed with a “concept hybrid propulsion system” that includes a turbocharged 1.0L three-cylinder engine, start-stop function, brake energy regeneration and a dry dual-clutch transmission, the four-passenger ULC also employs GM’s mild-hybrid “electric assist technology” that is also debuting on a new Buick LaCrosse  model later on this afternoon here in La-La Land.

And while the ULC’s scissor doors may not make production, the car may. It will help offset all those gas-guzzling V Series Caddys with the brand's CAFE ratings. And what may end up as the smallest Cadilllac ever, is also similar in size to the GMC Granite, another small, GM crossover concept said to be built on the same corporate platform that will suspend next year’s Aveo.

Can you say "Kia" and "sports car" in the same sentence?

To say Kia's on a bit of a roll is like saying we'll probably get some snow and ice this winter. As the sportier of the two Korean brands from Korea's Hyundai-Kia Motors (combined, now selling more cars in Canada than Toyota or Honda), on its own, Kia is outgunning more established brands like Volkswagen and Subaru so far this year in this country.

So, compared to the recent past—when its products were near the bottom in terms of quality, style, reliability and performance—hey, times are good for Kia. And, safe to say, value for money is moving the metal. But also premium design, mainly thanks to Peter Schreyer, below right, Kia's chief design officer.

As you may already know, after taking on the job as Kia's head pen in 2006 after more than a quarter century working on various VWs and Audis, Schreyer's been seen as a bit of a saviour in Seoul these days. Proof is in the well received Soul hatchback, redesigned Sportage crossover and next year's Optima sedan. 

In an interview with Schreyer in Seoul earlier this year, he openly talked about the brand's future product plans. With the forthcoming Optima (and maybe even a sports wagon variant) and the larger Cadenza teed-up after that, by the 2012 model year, Kia's lineup will be totally all-new and revamped. But what about post-2012? Schreyer openly talked of wanting to add a sports car or convertible to lend more appeal to the brand, a message he reiterated in a recent interview with Automotive News.

"I think Kia needs a car like that sooner or later, but at the moment it's not yet the time to make any promises."

Despite Schreyer's words, it doesn't take an industry wonk to figure out that a Kia with the looks of his Kee Coupe concept from the 2007 Frankfurt show is almost a foregone conclusion. My guess is, between the brand's upmarket, poor-man's Audi aspirations, and a strong desire not to just badge-engineer an existing Hyundai (i.e. next year's Tiburon replacement, or today's Genesis Coupe), Kia's halo sports car will be come with a retractable hardtop, traction at all four wheels and the latest in engine tech (I'm hoping for a diesel-electric hybrid.)

Hey look: Kia's come a long way. You have to give it that.

But is the brand ready to steal away sales from, say, a Mazda Miata, Honda CR-Z, Scion FT-86, Mini Cooper, or a Volvo C30?

Could you ever see yourself showing up at your local Sunday morning coffee run in a Kia sports car?

[Source: Automotive News]