Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced the addition of the “250” series to the Land Cruiser lineup in Japan. Alongside this, it has also released the special edition models ZX “First Edition” and VX “First Edition.” These special models are limited to a total of 8,000 units.
ZX (2.8-liter diesel)
ZX (2.8-liter diesel)The “250” series, the core model of the Land Cruiser lineup
The all-new “250” series was created with the role and mission of supporting people’s lives by offering ease of handling based on strong off-road performance.
The development team set out to return the Land Cruiser Prado, which shifted toward high-end and luxury over time, to the light-duty model that customers have come to expect. Under the keyword “back to the basics,” they defined the development concept as “The Land Cruiser: a vehicle that supports customers’ daily lives and one they can trust.”
The introduction of the “250” series has further clarified the position of the three Land Cruiser models. The vehicle names have also returned to their roots, with all models unified under “Land Cruiser”(1). The Land Cruiser will continue to evolve to meet societal demands while supporting the lives of customers around the world, and remaining a vehicle they can trust.
Role of the Land Cruiser
With the same robust GA-F platform as the “300” series, the “250” series has pursued exceptional off-road performance. It is the first(2) in the Land Cruiser lineup to feature electric power steering (EPS) and Stabilizer with Disconnection Mechanism (SDM). EPS reduces kickback(3) during off-road driving, ensuring ease of handling whether on or off-road, while the SDM enables the front stabilizer state to be locked or unlocked at the touch of a button, delivering driving performance and ride comfort when off-road and handling stability when on-road.
The “250” series is available with two types of powertrains: a 2.8-liter direct injection turbo diesel engine with Direct Shift-8AT and a 2.7-liter gasoline engine with 6 Super ECT, both delivering powerful driving and environmental performance. This power is fully transferred to all four wheels by a full-time 4WD with TORSEN®(4) LSD(5) on the center differential. The electric rear differential lock provides powerful off-road driving performance on rough roads, while the degree of freedom in front and rear driving torque distribution has been expanded to achieve even greater driving stability.
(1) The “70” series wagon models from 1990 were newly marketed as the Land Cruiser Prado; since then, the Land Cruiser lineup has had two vehicle names: Land Cruiser and Land Cruiser Prado (2) As of April 2024; based on in-house research (3) A phenomenon in which the vehicle’s tires are forcibly turned due to terrain or obstacles when driving off-road, causing the steering wheel to turn sharply by itself (4) Registered trademark of JTEKT Corporation (5) Limited Slip Differential
For more information, visit https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/toyota/40658942.html.
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team will aim to conquer the challenging asphalt roads of the Croatia Rally once more at round four of the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship on April 18-21.
2024 GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID
Since Croatia first joined the WRC schedule three years ago, TGR-WRT has tasted victory with three different drivers in as many editions. Two of those drivers return as part of its line-up for this year’s event, with the 2021 winner Sébastien Ogier to make his second start of the season alongside 2023 victor Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta, who has a trio of top-six finishes under his belt in Croatia.
After achieving a record-extending victory on Safari Rally Kenya, TGR-WRT leads the manufacturers’ championship by four points while Evans leads its challenge in the drivers’ championship, just six points from the leader.
The rally continues to be based in the Croatian capital Zagreb – although the service park this year moves to a new location at the Westgate shopping mall to the north-west of the city centre. The stages take place across the north of the country, close to neighbouring Slovenia, on roads that feature a wide variety of different asphalt types. This means that grip levels are constantly changing, which can be further complicated by rain and mud. Some sections are technical and twisting, while many others are fast and flowing with jumps and crests.
After a shakedown and ceremonial start on Thursday, the rally begins on Friday with its longest day. Four stages take the rally south-west from Zagreb towards the coastal city of Rijeka, which hosts a lunchtime regroup. After a tyre-fitting zone, the same four stages will be tackled in reverse order in the afternoon on the way back to Zagreb.
Saturday runs to a more typical format, with a loop of four stages to the west and south of Zagreb to be run twice either side of mid-day service. As usual, Sunday’s finale takes place to the north of Zagreb where a pair of stages will be run twice, with Zagorska Sela – Kumrovec once more hosting the rally-ending Power Stage.
Four GR Yaris Rally2 cars are entered in Croatia, with Sami Pajari (Printsport) and Georg Linnamäe (RedGrey Team) joined by the TGR WRC Challenge Program duo of Yuki Yamamoto and Hikaru Kogure, who are registered to compete for WRC2 points.
For more information, visit https://toyotagazooracing.com/wrc/release/2024/rd04-preview/.
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (Daihatsu) have announced their decision to reform the overseas business structure of both companies while aiming to make Daihatsu a “mobility company centered on mini vehicles” going forward. An implementation structure will be established to thoroughly prevent the recurrence of procedural irregularities at Daihatsu, in line with Daihatsu’s resources and actual conditions, aiming to make ever-better cars and realize a mobility society by leveraging Daihatsu’s strengths. Specifically, the Emerging-market Compact Car Company, which spanned the organizations of both Toyota and Daihatsu until now, will be dissolved. Toyota will take responsibility for overseas businesses from development to certification, and Daihatsu will be commissioned to handle the actual development. This change will be made sequentially, following model changeover schedules.
Overview of the changes
– Shifting the product planning function from the Emerging-market Compact Car Company spanning Toyota and Daihatsu to the Toyota Compact Car Company. As Toyota Compact Car Company will be the contractor of Daihatsu, Toyota will be responsible for the entire process from development to certification. – Transferring the business and product management function to the Business & Sales Unit of Toyota – Other areas related to subcontracting, including resource management and optimization, will also be reported to Toyota to strengthen the partnership.
Toyota Daihatsu Engineering & Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TDEM) and Toyota Motor Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. (TMAP) will become the Asia Regional Headquarters, belonging to the Asia Region of Toyota, and be renamed “Toyota Motor Asia (TMA).” Based on the upcoming structural change, we aim to make the two companies in the Asia region more self-reliant and increase their collaboration.
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces its sales, production, and export results for February 2024 as well as the cumulative total from January to February 2024, including those for subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. and Hino Motors, Ltd.
To view more information on the sales, production, and export results by country and region, including specific details on the reasons for any changes in results, data from the past 10 years of sales, production, and export results, and data concerning electrified vehicle sales and Lexus sales, please download the document titled “Detailed data” from the top of this page.
This document also includes sales, production, and export results and data concerning electrified vehicles sales and Lexus sales for every month in the past two years.
Click here for detailed sales, production, and export results (“Detailed data (Excel)”)
PEVE to change name to TOYOTA BATTERY Co., Ltd. and produce batteries for a wide range of electric vehicles
As announced by Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota Motor) on March 5, 2024, Primearth EV Energy Co., Ltd. (PEVE) will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor. Capitalizing on the technology fostered through our hybrid vehicle battery business to date, we plan to contribute to Toyota Motor’s multi-pathway strategy in the battery business and intend to change our company name to TOYOTA BATTERY Co., Ltd. from October 1, 2024*.
The new company name embodies our determination to leverage the technology and skills honed since PEVE’s establishment in 1996 to contribute to the competitiveness of Japanese batteries and become a company that provides high-quality and highly safe on-board batteries. In addition to batteries for Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), we plan to produce batteries for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). Through our efforts in the production of diverse and next-generation on-board batteries, we hope to create new value and be useful to society.
The company’s headquarters will remain in Kosei City, Shizuoka Prefecture. In the very birthplace of Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of the Toyota Group, we will continue to strive for a sustainable global environment for the smiles of future children and work towards becoming the best company in town through our on-board battery business.
*To be approved by PEVE’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in late June 2024
Overview of TOYOTA BATTERY Co., Ltd. President and Representative Director: Masamichi Okada Headquarters address: 20 Okazaki, Kosei City, Shizuoka Prefecture Batteries to be produced (planned): Batteries for HEVs, BEVs, PHEVs Main customer: Toyota Motor Corporation
