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How to Get Best Price Car

1. Do your homework.
Many dealerships prey on the unprepared. Going into a showroom “cold”–without having gathered key facts and preliminary pricing figures–gives the salesperson too much control over the buying process.

Thoroughly research your choices. Read a variety of reviews. Check the reliability, safety, fuel economy, and pricing of any models you’re considering. And don’t wait until the day you plan to buy to test drive the vehicles.

If you have a trade-in, know its approximate worth. That will depend on the vehicle’s age, condition, mileage, and equipment, as well as where you trade it in. You can get an idea of your trade-in’s value at auto-pricing Web sites or with CR’s Used Car Price Reports. Focus on your car’s wholesale, or “trade-in,” price; the retail price is what you’d expect to get if you were selling it yourself.
2. Don’t assume that the sticker price is the purchase price.
To get the lowest price, go in with a starting price that’s based not on the sticker price but on how much the dealer paid for the vehicle. The dealer invoice price is commonly available on Web sites and in pricing guides. But the invoice price isn’t necessarily what the dealer paid. There are often behind-the-scenes bonuses, such as dealer incentives and holdbacks, that give the dealer more profit margin.

You can find sales-incentive information at some auto-pricing Web sites, or in CR’ New Car Price Reports or New Car Buying Kit. These CR services include the CR Wholesale Price, which factors in the dealer invoice, holdback, and any incentives or rebates to give you a close approximation of the dealer’s real cost. A reasonable price to start negotiations is either 4 to 8 percent over what the dealer paid or the CR Wholesale Price, depending on the demand for the model.

You can also check the quotes at auto-buying Web sites such as the ones listed below. The services are free, and you aren’t under any obligation to buy. Keep in mind, however, that you can often get a lower price through effective negotiation at a dealership.
3. Negotiate one thing at one time.
Salespeople like to mix financing, leasing, and trade-in negotiations together, often asking you to negotiate around a monthly payment figure. This tactic gives the dealer more latitude to offer you a favorable figure in one area while inflating figures in another.

Make clear that you want the lowest possible markup over your starting price. Add that you intend to visit other dealerships selling the same vehicle and will buy from the dealer with the best price.

Only after you’ve settled on the price should you discuss financing, leasing, or a trade-in, as necessary. Negotiate each item individually. Remember, you’re in charge and can leave at any time. Heading for the door can sometimes jump-start a slow-moving negotiation or bring a lower offer.
4. Arrange financing in advance.
Compare interest rates at several banks, credit unions, and loan organizations before checking the dealer’s rates. If preapproved for a loan, you can keep financial arrangements out of the negotiations. Automakers may offer attractive financing terms, but make sure you qualify for them. Otherwise, the salesperson may try to sign you up for a higher rate than you could get elsewhere.
5. Don’t pay for extras you don’t need.
Dealers often try to sell you extras such as rustproofing, fabric protection, and paint protectant, or push etching your Vehicle Identification Number on windows to deter thieves.

Don’t accept those unnecessary services and fees. If the items are on the bill of sale, put a line through them. Vehicle bodies are already coated to protect against rust. And CR reliability surveys show that rust is not a major problem with modern cars. You can treat upholstery and apply paint protectant yourself with good off-the-shelf products. You can also do your own VIN etching with a kit that costs about $25.

Automotive Leads Green Technology Revolution

Theautochannel.com - Speaking today at an executive round-table session of the Cleantech Forum XVII in Brussels, Giles Hundleby, Ricardo UK Ltd project director for clean energy, set out the case that the automotive industry is uniquely placed to deliver the cross-industry technologies and skills in design, engineering, development and testing, which could enable the rapid adoption of clean-tech solutions across all industries and sectors.

The auto industry has long cleaned-up its act in terms of regulated exhaust emissions through the implementation of advanced electronics and control technologies, and the crucial systems engineering, design and integration skills that have been necessary to develop these into the type of products whose value and in-service reliability are beyond question. With the advent of hybridisation, the auto industry has added electrical energy management and storage to its core competences and its advanced engineering community is currently reaching out to the energy sector as it considers the potential of plug-in and range-extended hybrids as a means distributed power generation and energy buffering.

“The automotive industry has the engineering competence and consumer product design and integration skills to make a significant contribution to the green tech revolution”, said Giles Hundleby. “The established engineering processes, quality systems and manufacturing technologies of the automotive sector are probably amongst the most robust of any industry and have a proven track record in the cost-effective delivery of high value products world-wide. As an independent design engineering organisation Ricardo has already helped with numerous automotive hybrid vehicle programmes ranging from stop-start systems to full and plug-in hybrids. In addition to our existing core automotive customers we are increasingly applying these same skills in the renewable energy sector and have already assisted in wind and tidal power projects.”

Institute for Highway Safety’s: Top Safety Pick award for 2008

Compared with last year, automakers have more than doubled the number of vehicles that meet criteria for Top Safety Pick. At the beginning of the 2007 model year, 13 models qualified, but as manufacturers have made changes and introduced new and safer vehicle designs, 10 additional vehicles qualified during the year. Now another 11 vehicles are being added to the list for 2008. Designating winners based on the tests makes it easier for consumers to identify vehicles that afford the best overall protection without sifting through multiple sets of comparative crash test results.

“For 2008, consumers have the widest selection of vehicles they’ve ever had that afford the best protection in the most common kinds of crashes,” says Institute president Adrian Lund. Front and side impacts are the most common kinds of fatal crashes, killing nearly 25,000 of the 31,000 vehicle occupants who died in 2005. Rear-end crashes usually aren’t fatal, but they result in a large proportion of the injuries that occur in crashes. About 60 percent of insurance injury claims in 2002 reported minor neck sprains and strains.

All current car and minivan models, small and midsize SUVs, and small and large pickup trucks are eligible to win Top Safety Pick. Eight vehicles from Ford and its subsidiary, Volvo, make the list of winners for 2008. Seven winners are from Honda and its subsidiary, Acura.

Winners have features that help avoid crashes: The Institute added a crash prevention criterion last year to earn Top Safety Pick. Winning vehicles have to be equipped with ESC, which can help drivers avoid crashes altogether. ESC is a control system comprised of sensors and a microcomputer that continuously monitors how well a vehicle responds to a driver’s steering input and selectively applies the vehicle brakes and modulates engine power to keep the vehicle traveling along the path indicated by the steering wheel position. This technology helps prevent sideways skidding and loss of control that can lead to rollovers. ESC can help drivers maintain control during emergency maneuvers when their vehicles otherwise might spin out.

“Vehicles should be designed to provide good occupant protection when crashes occur, but now with ESC we have the possibility of preventing many crashes altogether,” Lund says. “If all vehicles were equipped with ESC, as many as 10,000 fatal crashes could be avoided each year.” Institute research indicates that ESC reduces the risk of fatal single-vehicle crashes by 56 percent and fatal multiple-vehicle crashes by 32 percent. Many single-vehicle crashes involve rolling over, and ESC reduces the risk of fatal single-vehicle rollovers by 80 percent (SUVs) and 77 percent (cars).

For first time pickups are eligible: Pickup trucks haven’t been eligible to win Top Safety Pick until now because the Institute hadn’t begun side testing them. The Toyota Tundra is first to qualify. Pickups aren’t as likely as cars or SUVs to have side airbags or ESC, and Toyota has made these features standard in the Tundra.

“Pickups are among the top selling vehicles in the United States,” Lund points out. “They’re also more likely than in the past to be used as family vehicles, so equipping them with the latest safety features is important.”

Protection in rear impacts improves: Crash tests have driven major improvements in the designs of all kinds and sizes of passenger vehicles. The Institute began frontal crash tests for consumer information in 1995. Side tests were added in 2003 and rear tests in 2004. Most vehicles now earn good ratings in the frontal test, but significant differences still are apparent in vehicle performance in side and rear tests.

Some manufacturers have been working to improve the ratings of their vehicles in the rear test. For example, the seat/head restraints in the Honda Accord, Element, and Odyssey as well as the BMW X3 and X5 are rated good compared with previous designs that were rated marginal or poor. Audi improved the design of seat/head restraints in the A3 from acceptable to good. Another 23 vehicles would have won 2008 awards if they had good seat/head restraint designs. Toyota could have claimed 10 more awards, including 3 for Lexus models. Nissan and Volkswagen could have picked up 4 awards apiece.

Another area where safety is improving is occupant protection in side impacts. More 2008 model vehicles include as standard equipment side airbags designed to protect people’s heads. The Saturn was side tested twice. In the first test, the side curtain airbag didn’t deploy properly, and the head of the dummy positioned in the back seat was struck by the sill of the window in the door. This impact didn’t produce high head injury measures, but head protection was inadequate. In response, General Motors redesigned the side curtain airbag to ensure more rapid inflation and better coverage of the airbag next to the dummy’s head. In the second test, the fix was successful, and the VUE’s side rating improved from acceptable to good. Top Safety Pick applies to VUEs built after December 2007.

Each year, the Institute offers to test Top Safety Pick candidates early in the model year. The policy is for manufacturers to reimburse the Institute for the cost of vehicles if the tests aren’t part of the group’s regular schedule. Top Safety Pick is presented by vehicle size because size and weight are closely related, and both influence how well occupants will be protected in serious crashes. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford better protection in crashes than smaller, lighter ones.

How the vehicles are evaluated: The Institute’s frontal crashworthiness evaluations are based on results of frontal offset crash tests at 40 mph. Each vehicle’s overall evaluation is based on measurements of intrusion into the occupant compartment, injury measures from a Hybrid III dummy in the driver seat, and analysis of slow-motion film to assess how well the restraint system controlled dummy movement during the test.

Each vehicle’s overall side evaluation is based on performance in a crash test in which the side of the vehicle is struck by a barrier moving at 31 mph that represents the front end of a pickup or SUV. Ratings reflect injury measures recorded on two instrumented SID-IIs dummies, assessment of head protection countermeasures, and the vehicle’s structural performance during the impact. Injury measures obtained from the two dummies, one in the driver seat and the other in the back seat behind the driver, are used to determine the likelihood that a driver and/or passenger in a real-world crash would have sustained serious injury. The movements and contacts of the dummies’ heads during the crash also are evaluated. Structural performance is based on measurements indicating the amount of B-pillar intrusion into the occupant compartment.

Rear crash protection is rated according to a two-step procedure. Starting points for the ratings are measurements of head restraint geometry — the height of a restraint and its horizontal distance behind the back of the head of an average-size man. Seats with good or acceptable restraint geometry are tested dynamically using a dummy that measures forces on the neck. This test simulates a collision in which a stationary vehicle is struck in the rear at 20 mph. Seats without good or acceptable geometry are rated poor overall because they can’t be positioned to protect many people

11 NEW WINNERS FOR 2008

Midsize cars
Audi A3
Honda Accord

Small car
Subaru Impreza equipped with optional electronic stability control

Minivan
Honda Odyssey

Midsize SUVs
BMW X3
BMW X5
Hyundai Veracruz built after August 2007
Saturn VUE built after December 2007
Toyota Highlander

Small SUV
Honda Element

Large pickup
Toyota Tundra

ALL 34 WINNERS

Large cars
Audi A6
Ford Taurus with optional electronic stability control
Mercury Sable with optional electronic stability control
Volvo S80

Midsize cars
Audi A3, A4
Honda Accord
Saab 9-3
Subaru Legacy with optional electronic stability control

Midsize convertibles
Saab 9-3
Volvo C70

Small car
Subaru Impreza with optional electronic stability control

Minivans
Honda Odyssey
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona

Midsize SUVs
Acura MDX, RDX
BMW X3, X5
Ford Edge, Taurus X
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai Veracruz built after August 2007
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes M class
Saturn VUE built after December 2007
Subaru Tribeca
Toyota Highlander
Volvo XC90

Small SUVs
Honda CR-V, Element
Subaru Forester with optional electronic stability control

Large pickup
Toyota Tundra

ALSO RANS
Twenty-three vehicles earn good ratings in front and side crash tests. They have ESC, standard or optional. They would be 2008 Top Safety Pick winners if their seat/head restraints also earned good ratings:

• Acura RL, TL
• BMW 3 series
• Chrysler Sebring convertible
• Infiniti M35/M45
• Kia Amanti
• Lexus IS 250/350, ES 350, GS 350/460
• Nissan Pathfinder, Xterra both with optional side airbags
• Nissan Quest
• Toyota Avalon, Camry, FJ Cruiser, 4Runner, Prius, RAV4, and Sienna
• Volkswagen Eos, Jetta, Passat, Rabb

2008 Beijing Auto Show Press Release

As one of the fastest-growing carmakers on the planet, the Chinese automotive industry has taken an unusual approach to staging international auto shows. Like Geneva and Detroit, it has a major exhibition every year, but like the biennial events in places like Frankfurt, Paris and Tokyo, China alternates its big one between Shanghai and Beijing. This year it’s Beijing’s turn.

The show is a chance for not only the local makers to strut their stuff, but for other global players on hand to show both production and concept cars for both China and international markets.

The most talked about concept at Beijing is the Geely Tiger, which is also known as the Geely GT. This 2-door show car was shown without the Geely badge, leading to some speculation that the automaker has an eye to creating an upscale brand similar to Lexus or Infiniti and that the Tiger would be its flagship model. In any event, this V-6-powered 2+2 is evidence that the Chinese are catching up quickly to the rest of the world and may be a formidable player even in luxury segments.

Relying heavily on its Shanghai design studio, General Motors developed the Buick Invicta show car, which not only hints at what a future LaCrosse midsize sedan might look like, but it also underscores the importance of the Chinese market. Buick actually sells more cars there than it does in the United States. The Invicta brings back an old Buick name from the 1950s and puts it on the flanks of an ultramodern 5-passenger sedan.

Crossovers are the hottest segment in the industry today, and the Audi Q5 made its world debut at Beijing, which shows the universal appeal of these types of vehicles. While the Q5 shares some styling cues with the larger Q7, it has a healthy dollop of station wagon styling, thanks to its thinner pillars and large glass area. The Q5 is intended as a replacement for the Allroad Quattro in Audi’s lineup.

Audi wasn’t alone with a world debut of a production model. Its Stuttgart-based rival introduced the Mercedes-Benz GLK. This answer to the Q5 in the compact crossover segment has a more truck-oriented design theme. It is boxier, with sharp edges and offers V-6 power in both 2- and all-wheel-drive versions.

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) is a multifaceted concern with ties to GM. It also owns the tooling to the Rover 75, which it continues to build today as the Roewe 750. But like Geely, SAIC hopes to expand beyond the Chinese mainland. The new Roewe 550 is a handsome, midsize family sedan that may be the answer to those hopes. Built on a new platform, the 550 is powered by a turbocharged 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine, which provides good performance and fuel economy.

New Jaguar XJ Review

Jaguar.com - Already renowned for its all-aluminium body construction, state-of-the-art technologies and outstanding craftsmanship and build quality, the new XJ Portfolio is now even more desirable thanks to its unique exterior and interior styling cues.

Luxury, elegance and dynamic performance are XJ signatures. The XJ Portfolio adds a host of bespoke design cues and styling features that set it apart. The exterior is painted in either Celestial Black or Astral Gold, with contrasting side power vents in milled aluminium. A distinctive profile is completed by new 20″ Selena alloy wheels featuring red Jaguar ‘Heritage’ center badges.

XJ Portfolio’s dynamic excellence is underpinned by XJ’s all-aluminium monocoque body construction and highly advanced chassis and suspension. Lightness with strength and exceptional rigidity provide a platform for remarkable agility and performance, as well as safety, improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions. Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and a self-levelling air suspension ensure impeccable control and a ride that is involving yet composed and refined.

In the U.S., the 2009MY XJ Portfolio is available with Jaguar’s highly acclaimed 4.2-litre V8 supercharged (400 bhp SAE) or the naturally aspirated V8 engine. In either derivative, the XJ Portfolio offers effortless performance and exceptional refinement.

XJ Portfolio’s individuality is further reflected in a luxurious interior characterized by premium quality materials and exquisite attention to detail. The hand-crafted Rich Oak veneer is new to XJ Portfolio, and there is the choice of two unique interior themes – Navy or Ivory. Each features contrast piping to the softgrain leather upholstery, special twin-stitched door casings and headrests embossed with the Jaguar ‘Leaper’ design. The alloy gear selector, with aluminium gearshift surround, is also trimmed with Navy leather, and there are ‘Portfolio’ branded treadplates and special leather-edged carpet mats.

And XJ Portfolio’s premium specification includes individually heated and cooled front seats; 7-inch Touch-screen operation of the satellite navigation, Jaguar premium sound and dual-zone climate control systems; Bluetooth connectivity for up to five separate telephones; JaguarVoiceTM, Adaptive Cruise Control, and rear multimedia system with DVD player and twin display screens (depending on market).

Source: Jaguar.com

Toyota Corolla Tunning

The Corolla was built for reliability and the economy and was typically marketed at the mature driver. As a result it is only recently that people have started modifying and tunings the Corolla.

The 1.3 engines, sadly do not offer much scope for tuning and should be avoided if you were looking for a tuning project. The 1.6l engine gets interesting, especially when mated to the six speed gear box. If you have the five speed gearbox you will improve your acceleration and benefit from the lower ratios of a six speed box.

The brakes on the standard car are pretty sharp but this can be improved with the addition of vented disks and sports brake pads. Choose a pad which has a good low temperature friction if you are using the car as a daily runaround.

I would describe the handling on the Corolla as comfortable. It has a tendency to wallow over lumps in the road. One of the first modifications I would recommend (even on the 1.3 models) is to uprate the suspension. Get 34mm lower springs and adjustable dampers and you will have a much better handling car.

The ecu is very hard to remap in the Corolla, so owners looking to change the ignition timing will usually choose a piggyback ecu.This is not really worth doing unless you have fitted fast road cams and other extensive modifications.

Exhaust - get a racing header for the best flow rates and mate this to a good quality induction kit with a cold air feed pipe. There are a number of tailpipes around for the Corolla - we like the sound of the HKS legamax but most aftermarket exhausts will produce a better sound.

Engine swaps are also a good proposition and drivers are looking to the celica for suitable donors. It is quite a large job but with a celica engine and some handling modifications you have a good track day car.

2008 Lexus LX 570 Review

ForbesAutos - The Lexus LX 570 a more-upscale version of the Toyota Land Cruiser; like that model, it’s aimed at buyers looking for something more rugged than the typical luxury SUV but with top-drawer exclusivity.

Not the most expressive SUV on the lot, its exterior styling is statesman-like, exuding security and stability from every angle. The truck’s interior is richly trimmed, with myriad safety and convenience features offered.

While the Lexus LX 570 is eminently off-road capable, even the automaker admits that few buyers will ever explore its limits in this regard. While the rest of the SUV market is largely turning toward more pavement-friendly crossovers, the luxury segment remains filled with models like the LX 570 that offer capabilities likely far beyond their affluent owners’ needs. They may not ever have to scale a mountain, but upscale SUV owners apparently like to know that if one were suddenly placed in their paths, they’d be able to scale it with ease.

The Lexus LX 570 packs the same 5.7-liter V8 engine that’s found in the Toyota Tundra pickup truck. It generates strong and smooth acceleration, with sufficient torque for brisk launches and authoritative highway passing. It achieves a maximum towing capacity of 8,500 pounds, which is outclassed only by the most extreme heavy-duty full-size domestic trucks. The V8 is paired with a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission that includes a manual-shift mode and adapts its shift patterns according to the vehicle’s speed and driving conditions. Don’t expect much in the way of fuel economy, however.

Riding on 20-inch wheels and tires, a driver-adjustable Active Variable Suspension alters the stiffness of the Lexus LX 570’s springs to provide a softer ride or added control while driving off-road, carrying a full load, or cruising at highway speeds. An Active Height Control feature allows the driver to lower the vehicle by around two inches for easier ingress and egress when stopped. It also lowers the ride height by nearly an inch at the front and a half-inch in the rear at highway speeds for greater stability, and automatically raises the frame by three inches to maximize ground clearance when low-range gearing is engaged.

The Lexus LX 570’s sophisticated full-time four-wheel-drive system typically sends 40 percent of the engine’s power to the front wheels and 60 percent to the rear. When front-wheel slippage is detected, it channels as much as 70 percent of the power to the rear axle; when rear slippage is evident, it splits the torque evenly (it can also be locked to provide equal and continuous power to the front and rear axles).

A Crawl Control feature operates like off-road cruise control. When low-range gearing and drive or reverse are selected, the driver can choose among three crawl speeds of roughly one, two, and three mph each. The system automatically controls throttle and braking to maximize the vehicle’s rock-climbing and other demanding off-road abilities so the driver can focus on steering. A Hill-Start Assist Control automatically suppresses the vehicle’s downhill motion on an uphill grade briefly when the driver releases the brake pedal.

What’s more, the Lexus LX 570’s Vehicle Stability Control and four-wheel traction control system work in tandem to afford extra surefootedness both on and off-road. A multi-terrain antilock braking system allows for a variable amount of wheel slippage when necessary to help maximize its performance on loose surfaces. Electronic Brake-force Distribution and Brake Assist functions are also included for quick and secure stopping on paved roads.

Ten airbags are standard, including rear seat-mounted side airbags and knee-height airbags for the driver and front passenger. A tire-pressure monitoring system features separate readings for each tire, including the spare. Bundled with Adaptive Radar Cruise Control (which is able to maintain both a set speed and distance from the traffic ahead), an optional Pre-Collision System and can anticipate when a crash is imminent and react accordingly. It will preemptively tighten the front seatbelts, prime the Brake Assist system for full stopping force, and even apply the brakes if the driver cannot react quickly enough.

As in the flagship LS sedan, the Lexus LX 570’s leather-clad interior comes loaded with the requisite luxury features, including a power-folding third-row seat, a power-adjustable second row seat, four-zone climate control, and a navigation system with Bluetooth wireless cell-phone connectivity and real-time traffic information. The car’s heater includes a ceramic element that generates instant warmth on a cold day.

Noteworthy options include a new Intuitive Park Assist system that includes wide-view front and side video displays for easier and safer parking; it’s particularly useful for wedging the Lexus LX 570 into tight parking-garage spaces. Also offered are heated rear seats, the Lexus Link telematics system, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, and a 19-speaker Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound audio array (with hard-drive digital media storage) that rivals the quality of the priciest audiophile home systems.

2008 Toyota Hilux Review

Digiads.com.au - There are few challenges left for Toyota’s mighty Hilux, a car that has toughed it out in the world’s most extreme environments for decades and which only last year made history by conquering the Arctic to become the first car to drive to the Magnetic North Pole. If those achievements alone didn’t leave the competition reeling, they are about to suffer another high-powered blow.

The Commercial Vehicle Show marks the debut of a new Hilux version that is set to become the most powerful production pick-up model on the UK market. With numbers limited to just 500 units, it also promises to be one of the most sought-after, too.

It is equipped with the 3.0-litre D-4D engine that already features in the Hilux Invincible, but thanks to a Toyota Motorsport diesel engine performance kit, maximum output is increased to a massive 194bhp (197 DIN hp). This slashes the nought to 62mph acceleration time from 13.0 to 10.5 seconds (11.4 seconds for automatic versions).

There is an even greater hike in torque performance, with a maximum 430Nm (up from 343Nm) sustained all the way from 1,600 to 3,200rpm.

Hilux is styled to reflect its pre-eminent position in the pick-up market, with dedicated 15-inch alloy wheels and stainless steel mesh grille. The cabin is finished in a special two-tone grey leather, with heated front seats.

Following its debut at the CV Show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on 15 April, the new range-topping Hilux will go on sale in the UK in the summer. Prices and full specification details will be announced nearer the on sale date.

New Toyota Research Institute

Digiads.com.au - Toyota Technical Center (TTC) a division of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., today announced the establishment of the Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRI-NA). Toyota plans to spend $100 million during the next four years on advanced research activity in North America and will utilize existing facility space at the Toyota Technical Center Ann Arbor campus.

Toyota has been pursuing Sustainable Mobility, which addresses four key priorities: advanced technologies, urban environment, energy, and partnerships with government and academia. Based on these priorities, TRI-NA will accelerate advanced research on energy and environment, safety, and mobility infrastructure. The Toyota Research Institute will be directed by Dr. Noboru Kikuchi, who is the Roger L. McCarthy Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan and also a Director of Toyota Central Research & Development Laboratories, Inc. in Japan. Dr. Kikuchi will report directly to Mr. Yasuhiko Ichihashi, President of Toyota Technical Center-NA. TRI-NA initially will employ 35 researchers and administration staff, and plans to add 10 researchers in 2008 and an additional 20 by 2010. “Creating the Toyota Research Institute is the next step to strengthen Toyota’s advanced research function throughout North America and to discover cutting-edge technologies for sustainable mobility,” said Dr. Kikuchi.

“Toyota’s decision to establish the Toyota Research Institute in Ann Arbor to direct advanced research activities for North America is another piece of good news for Michigan,” Governor Jennifer M. Granholm said. “Toyota’s decision demonstrates that Michigan is a leading state for research and offers an attractive business climate for companies to grow.” Toyota (NYSE:TM) established operations in North America in 1957 and currently operates 13 manufacturing plants. In addition, new plants are under construction in Ontario, Canada and Mississippi. There are more than 1,700 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in North America which sold more than 2.9 million vehicles in 2007. Toyota directly employs over 43,000 in North America and its investment here is currently valued at more than $21 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design. Toyota’s annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from North American suppliers totals more than $30 billion per year.

Toyota currently produces 11 vehicles in North America, including the Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Matrix, Sienna, Solara, Sequoia, Tacoma, Tundra and the Lexus RX 350. When production begins in Ontario and Mississippi, Toyota will have 15 manufacturing plants with the annual capacity to build approximately 2.2 million cars and trucks, 1.49 million engines and 425,000 automatic transmissions. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com.

U.S. New Fuel Standards

Forbesautos - Against the backdrop of Earth Day, the Bush administration proposed vehicle fuel-economy standards more ambitious than the average annual increase needed to reach a goal set by Congress four months ago.

They’ll likely go nowhere for this lame duck administration. But they did sound the starting gun for an all-out effort by lobbyists to wrestle over how industry will reach Congress’ mandated fuel-efficiency goal of 35 miles per gallon by model year 2020 — a 40 percent increase over the current 25-mpg standard.

Lawmakers set the goal posts, but it’s up to the administration — this one or the next — to figure out how to get there. The proposal issued by the United States Department of Transportation would require a fleetwide fuel-economy increase of 25 percent on vehicles made from model year 2011 to 2015. This would put automakers more than halfway toward Congress’ goal by the middle of the next decade — for a total cost of $16 billion for cars and $31 billion for trucks. Costs passed on to consumers would be “paid back” in fuel savings, the proposal says.

Automakers hardly seem worried. “Congress has set an aggressive, single, nationwide standard, and automakers are prepared to meet that challenge,” said Dave McCurdy, president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. The alliance is the voice in Washington for a range of automakers, including Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Toyota and Volkswagen’s U.S. subsidiary.

According to Joan Claybrook, a former administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and now president of the watchdog group Public Citizen, the proposal has two serious flaws: It’s too lax, and it’s too complicated, requiring automakers to have individual fuel-economy targets by 2015 instead of an across-the-board goal for that date.

Claybrook says the plan will create an “unadministrable mess” that “will reward automakers who produce a lot of large gas-guzzlers with lower individual targets.”

The proposal is also likely to change significantly, as lobbyists have the next 60 days to alter it during a “comment period.” After that, the final ruling will likely take months to create. Whatever the final version looks like, it has to be issued by April 2009 to take effect by 2011. But even if the proposal is watered down, it gives the Bush administration the opportunity to look proactive on the environment. The next administration will be in charge of implementing the plan.

The Department of Transportation says the proposal will save 19 billion gallons of fuel and cut carbon dioxide tailpipe emissions by 178 million metric tons for cars made during those model years. For trucks, the savings would be 36 billion gallons of fuel and 343 million metric tons of CO2 emissions.

Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters called the proposal “ambitious, but achievable.”

Not so, according to Claybrook. “It’s more accurate to call this proposal modest and already achieved everywhere but the U.S.,” she said in a statement.

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