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Auto shows seem to have become risky business for car manufacturers. After the BMW 750i that was stolen at the Detroit motor show earlier this year, now more disturbing news comes from the Chicago Auto Show, where the Toyota booth attracted unwanted attention. According to local newspapers, seven new Toyota models had their interiors vandalized by three young men, aged 20, 21 and 28. We don't know what really caused this deviant behavior, but one report attributes it to the fact that the three vandals were allegedly angry "about American jobs going overseas". And it seems they wanted the Japanese cars to suffer badly, judging from the tools they used - screwdrivers and razor knives. The three young men were arrested on Wednesday evening before the show's closing time when guards noticed them acting suspiciously around a Toyota Camry. The mess they made inside the seven cars is substantial: dashboards were left smashed and ripped, seat upholstery sliced, windshields scratched, speakers cut open and turn indicators broken.According to the police, the damage to the cars is estimated at $30,000. Interestingly, they had no preference for a particular model, vandalizing a Camry, a RAV4, a Land Cruiser, a Prius, two Tundras and one Lexus ES350. Funny thing, no accelerator pedal or floor mat were damaged...photos Read more In
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An all-electric prototype of the Toyota iQ will make its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The iQ EV is equipped with an electric motor fed through a newly developed, flat and compact lithium-ion battery that is mounted under the car's floor. According to Toyota, the battery pack doesn't reduce the regular iQ's load area or passenger space. The all-electric version of Toyota's mini car is said to have a potential driving range of up to 65 miles or about 105 kilometers. The EV prototype is currently being tested on European roads, with a potential market launch through a leasing programme in 2012. The Japanese company will also bring the car in the USA (as a Scion) and is also investigating its viability in other regions. The iQ EV prototype will join three more new models at the firm's Geneva Salon stand including Yaris HSD hybrid concept, the European market variant of the Prius+ minivan with seven seats, and a closer to production concept of the FT-86 rear-wheel drive coupe.photos Read more In
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Toyota has chosen this week's Chicago Auto Show to stage the reveal of the 2011 model year Matrix. If you're having a hard time finding the styling differences between the 2010- and 2011-MY versions of the Matrix, that's because the revisions are barely noticeable. On the outside, the subtle refresh is limited to all-new front and rear bumpers with integrated front and rear underbody spoilers and a large mesh front fog lamp bezel. The newly designed 16-inch steel wheels and 17-inch, five-spoke alloy rims plus the introduction of a new Spruce Mica color round off the changes. Inside, the instrument-panel gauges feature new silver ornamentation, while there are also new metal-plated rings around the air conditioning vents, and the audio unit has a new flush surface. The updated model also gains a fresh choice of seat fabrics, while there's also a newly designed leather-trimmed steering wheel with spoke-mounted audio controls and hands-free Bluetooth capability for the Matrix S. For 2011, the Matrix is available in two grades, the base model powered by a 132HP 1.8-liter engine paired with a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed automatic, and the S version which gets a 158HP 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine linked to a five-speed manual or automatic transmission. The S model is also offered with all-wheel-drive (AWD), in which case the 2.4-liter engine is matched to a 4-speed automatic transmission.According to Toyota, the base Matrix 1.8L has an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of 25 mpg city and 32 mpg highway with the manual gearbox, and 26 mpg city and 32 mpg highway for automatic model, while the 2.4L S version, 21 mpg city and 28 mpg highway with the stick shift, 21 mpg city and 29 mpg with the automatic transmission, and 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway for the AWD model.Pricing for the 2011 Matrix is expected to be announced at the Chicago Auto Show.photos Read more In
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An almost production ready iteration of the much-hyped Toyota FT-86 sports coupe concept will be unveiled at the upcoming Geneva motor show in the beginning of March. Along with the announcement, the Japanese automaker also published a teaser shot of the FT-86 II hiding under a garage door. The picture shows the rear-wheel drive model's front end which features a modified bumper that does away with the side air vents and gains a slightly different center grille and more concave surfaces on both corners. photos Read more In
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From our 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon "Strange But True" files comes this custom creation of what appears to be a second generation (judging by the interior door panels) Toyota Prius hybrid wearing a...Chrysler 300 front end. The show car also features sliding rear doors, lowered suspension, larger five-spoke alloy wheels, Chrysler 300-style tail lights and a high-end audio-visual system that replaces the rear seats. More pictures after the break. Read more In
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Japanese tuners sure love breaking the mold and shocking people with their creations. Revealed at the Tokyo Auto Salon, the 4509 GTR is the product of VeilSide, a Japan-based tuning firm established in 1990 by Yokomaku Hironao. It is based on a fourth generation Toyota Supra Turbo from 1993 and has received a complete makeover with the exterior design borrowing styling elements from the Bentley Continental with a hint of an Audi R8 here and there. The body parts are made out of carbon fiber and fiberglass, while the look is completed by the new black wheels sized 20-inches up front and 22-inches at the back. The alloys are wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza rubber, 255/30R20 at the front and 295/25R22 at the rear. Inside, VeilSide's tune sees the addition of new sports seats upholstered in leather and diamond quilted alcantara, a sports steering wheel, modified instrument panel and more. The 4509 GTR also benefits from a plethora of performance upgrades for the powertrain as well as the chassis. The Toyota Supra's twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine gets an HKS turbo kit complete with an intercooler and a variety of other mods, which help boost output to an impressive 680-horses at 6,250 rpm and 745 Nm or 594.5 lb-ft of peak torque. A new racing clutch, custom sports exhaust system, braking system and sports suspension round off the package. photosRead more In
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