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Toyota Sees Best Month in Nearly Four Years

 
Toyota’s 207,952 May sales marks the auto maker’s best monthly tally in the U.S. since the “Cash for Clunkers” month of August 2009, WardsAuto data shows.

As has been the case for much of the year, light trucks powered the Toyota brand’s growth in May, up 3.2%. Car sales rose a more modest 1.3%.

The aging FJ Cruiser posted the biggest year-on-year jump in the auto maker’s light-truck portfolio, up 30.0%, with the Tacoma compact pickup following with a 20.0% hike.

The Tacoma and large Tundra, up 13.5% in May, gave Toyota its best pickup month since August 2008, Bill Fay, group vice president-Toyota Div., tells media during a conference call today.

The new-for-’13 RAV4 continues to boost that model’s fortunes. The 20,780 RAV4s sold in May represented the cross/utility vehicle’s best month in three years, Fay says.

Sales of the gas-engine RAV4 rose 7.5% last month; the California-only RAV4 EV registered 84 deliveries.

On the car side, increased demand for the Avalon large sedan and Prius liftback, V and C models offset declines in the Camry lineup.

The hybrid Camry slipped 3.1%, while sales of the conventionally powered Camry fell 0.6% from like-2012.

Despite those dips, Fay says Camry has reestablished itself as the segment leader, reclaiming the No.1 spot in the midsize car segment in the U.S. after seeing the Nissan Altima and Honda Accord jump ahead earlier in the year.

Selling 40,000 units “of anything is really good activity there,” he says of Camry’s 39,216 May volume.

Corolla sales slipped 11.8% as that model winds down its lifecycle. Toyota will introduce the next-generation ’14 Corolla on Thursday in Los Angeles.

Lexus tallied 22,229 units, but cars were the positive performers for that brand. Deliveries of the ES 350 rose 51.7% from May 2012, and both LS variants, the LS 460 and LS 600h hybrid, gained over year-ago.

Jeff Bracken, Lexus group vice president, says the ES 300h hybrid model has been a key driver of growth for that nameplate, with 25% of total ES sales in May the hybrid.

The LS’s performance was driven by the new F Sport grade introduced with the ’13 model year.
The Lexus CT 200h hybrid hatchback, which posted declining sales in recent months, recorded a 4.8% gain in May.

All Lexus utility vehicles were down, including the brand’s top-selling RX, which Bracken blames on strong year-ago comparisons.

At Scion, the FR-S continues to support the flagging brand. Of the 6,586 Scions sold last month, 1,937 were the sports car, the second-best tally yet for the model. The tiny iQ took the biggest plunge of any of the brand’s models, down 41.4%.

Fay sees only positive momentum for Toyota and the U.S. new-vehicle market for the remainder of the year, with consumer confidence at a 5-year high and gas prices relatively steady.
“We’re very optimistic, very bullish looking ahead,” he says.

The auto maker will continue 0% financing and/or low lease deals on most of its prominent nameplates, although it is transitioning away from a national marketing program to a more regionally based one for June.

Courtesy of WARDSAuto

Under Pressure? It’s National Tire Safety Week

Tires are the critical connection between your car and the road in all sorts of driving conditions. To maximize tire life and safety, check the condition and inflation pressure regularly and have the tires rotated and balanced, says the Car Care Council.

“Your car’s tires affect its ride, handling, traction and safety, so this National Tire Safety Week be sure to do your PART and check the Pressure, Alignment, Rotation and Tread,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council.

Pressure: Correct tire pressure is good to your wallet and the environment as properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage by three percent. Underinflated tires are under stress and wear uneven, causing them to be replaced sooner.

Alignment: If your car is shaking or pulling to one side it could be a sign of an alignment issue. Because uneven or accelerated tire wear may indicate an alignment problem, it’s a good idea to have your car’s alignment checked at least once a year.

Rotation: Unless your car manual has a specific recommendation, the Car Care Council recommends having tires rotated every 6,000 miles to promote uniform tire wear. Unbalanced wheels can cause rapid wear of shock absorbers and struts, and wheel balance can change as a result of normal tire wear. Rotating the tires to keep their sizes equal is critical on full-size four-wheel drive vehicles as a difference of only 1/4 inch between the outside circumference of the front and rear tires can cause expensive damage. Replacing all four tires at the same time, rather than just the front or rear tires, is highly recommended for these vehicles. 

Tread: Use the penny test and visually inspect tires for sign of uneven wear. If the tread depth falls below the minimum legal requirement or the sidewalls become severely cracked or punctured, tire replacement may be necessary.

Courtesy of Car Care Council

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Toyota’s electric race car gets ready to hit the track and defend its title at Pikes Peak Hill Climb

 

Toyota is taking the all-electric TMG EV P002 racing car back to Pikes Peak, to defend its title in the world famous hill climb. With its enormous wings and heavy-duty roll bars, the P002 is not your average EV. Powered by a 42 kWh lithium-ceramic battery pack, the P002 has a top speed of 143-mph.

Toyota is certainly serious about taking its electric vehicle know-how to the track. Having already established an EV track record at the treacherous Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany, Toyota is heading back to the annual Pikes Peak Hill Climb, to defend its title in that high-altitude test of man and machine. 

The TMG EV P001 single-seat racing car set the benchmark time in the electric vehicle class last year at Pikes Peak, with a time of 10 minutes 53 seconds. Back with an updated model, the P002, Toyota intends to maintain its dominance and, more than likely, break the existing class record.

To do that, Toyota’s engineers have substantially increased power and downforce. At Pikes Peak, where race cars are right on the edge (of a cliff!), ultimate horsepower and top speed are less important than traction and a punch of acceleration out of tight corners.

Toyota Racing Development USA, which is based in Salisbury, North Carolina, has reduced weight of the P002 and tripled the levels of aero grip compared to the previous P001. Attention has also been paid to the electric powertrain, which now delivers the equivalent of 536-hp and a mammoth 885 lb.-ft. of torque. A new ceramic braking system has also been added to the P002.

Courtesy of NY Daily News

Preserve your car during long-term storage

If you are not going to use your car for more than a month, store it properly to prevent unnecessary damage and repairs upon your return.

• Fill the gas tank to help prevent condensation from accumulating in the gas tank. Add a fuel stabilizer and drive the car around a bit to distribute the additive to engine parts.
• Wash and wax the car thoroughly to protect the finish.
• Place a vapor barrier on your garage floor. A 4-mil polyethylene drop cloth will do.
• Disengage the parking brake to help avoid brake corrosion.
• Put the car on jack stands to take the weight of the vehicle off the wheels and tires.
• Disconnect and remove the battery to keep it from draining. Place the battery on a trickletype charger. Or periodically drain the battery, using a small light bulb, and then recharge it with a low-volt charger.
• Plug the tailpipe with a rag to prevent moist air from infiltrating into it.

Courtesy of Reader's Digest