Thought it was over? Well, whether you like it or not, the answer to that question is yes, and no. No in the fact that nearly 17000 Lexus sedans were recalled because of an issue in/with the fuel system. According to the NHTSA, during a crash test involving the Lexus HS 250h and a wall moving 50 mph, the vehicle would begin to dangerously leak fuel, which could obviously lead to disastrous fire hazards. Unfortunately, that’s not the only recall in the mix for Lexus. It seems as if another recall, this time of theLexus LS 460, could come about because of an engine stalling problem. It is important, however, to note that this recall has not yet gone to the dealerships, because Toyota is taking a closer look at the issue before it causes unnecessary worries with its already stretched customers. Also important, according to “WWW.familycarguide.com“, is that the problem has seemed to originate from the Japan Home Market, but if recall action is taken, it will be worldwide.

So, you may be wondering. In what way does this age of recalls seem to be ending?

One of the biggest issues in both the government and consumer eye during the very large and messy floor mat recall was the swiftness and efficiency in which the company dealt with the issues at hand. In these more recent recalls, it is apparent that the company is doing a better job at reporting and dealing with problems. There will never be a complete end to recalls, but Toyota is doing everything in its power to make the recall procedure as pleasant as possible.

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Toyota just announced a Mississippi Toyota plant will resume production and will hire approximately 2000 team members. The main product of the plant, the Corolla Compact Sedan, is one of the best selling vehicles in Toyota’s utility belt of reliable and efficient vehicles. While construction of the project was stopped in 2008 because of the economic condition at the time, but the fact that construction is resuming could be a sign that everything is getting better, and possibly for the forseable future.

Opening late 2011, the plant will give a give a big boost in positive publicity for the company. Over the last few months, it seems like nothing is stopping Toyota from recovering fully from it’s former… troubles. From its aggressive ad campaigns to it’s recent deal with Tesla, Toyota is doing everything it can to ensure its customers stay with them for the future.

Another thing to note is the sudden surgence of Corolla manufacturing in the U.S. With this plant becoming revitalized and its partner in Corolla manufacturing in California just now coming into existince, it seems like Toyota is expecting more demand for this relatively new mid-sized sedan. With a sleek design and a solid, strong engine causes it to jump to the front of the contest in its category.

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In recent weeks, news sources around the world have been in debate over the growing partnership between automotive giant Toyota and electric vehicle producer Tesla. Both known for their vehicle efficiency, a recent business deal in which Toyota sold the NUMMI plant to Tesla and agreed to buy a large portion of the companies stocks brought the two “green” companies together for the first time. Fanatics, reporters, and analysts since then have been trying to find out if in fact a Tesla – Toyota vehicle is on the way, and it seems there are two distinctive sides developing.

On the one hand, it seems unavoidable. Toyota and Tesla, both with such ecologically friendly ideals, could no doubt cooperate and come up with something magnificent. With Toyota’s experience in the industry and Tesla’s world-known batteries, there is a lot of potential there.

Kyodo News, a Japanese news agency, “citing unnamed sources within Toyota, says the two companies will develop a prototype in the coming months. Engineers from Toyota met their counterparts from Tesla earlier this month to discuss the project. They will check the reliability of the batteries to be used in the vehicle and see if the computer control system will work during the developmental period.” (www.Wired.com) This report definitely excites those looking forward to a Tesla-Toyota generation of green vehicles.

Toyota, on the other hand, has flat out denied any electric vehicle in the mix between the two. In fact, they told Bloomberg “Toyota Motor Corp … said it doesn’t yet have a formal plan to develop an electric car with startup Tesla Motors Inc., after a report that such a project will occur this year.” But that may be a little confusing for people who have been following the development. Just at one of Tesla’s news conferences, in fact, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said “We’re going to create electric cars together”. Confusing, right?

What this chain of events means is somewhat difficult to discern, but there is one main possibility. If what everyone is saying is relatively true on some level, then consumers can probably expect a Toyota – Tesla vehicle in two-or-three years time, but to be 100% sure, I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see.

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For years, the Lexus brand has been known for its superior quality and luxury in the automotive industry, and this reputation of outstanding customer satisfaction clearly shows in Toyota’s swift reaction to an issue in South Korea. The company found, in an ongoing investigation, that several of the vehicles located in S. Korea had an “off-center” steering wheel, which made it difficult for the operator of said vehicle to safely maneuver it on the busy streets of S.K. A Toyota Korea executive, according to Asia In Focus via COMTEX, stated “A recall is certain. We just need to finish our ongoing investigation to determine when it will be made and how many (vehicles) will be subject to it.”

Why is this important to the United States?

Well, over the past year Toyota has been questioned over its procedures dealing with recalls and manufacturing errors. What this shows is that Toyota is more than capable to deal with any recall issue it comes upon, and in a swift and efficient matter. This recall also shows the very accurate and thorough quality control Toyota Parts

have to go through to stay in the market. Customer safety is on the top of Toyota’s list no doubt, and issues like an off-center steering wheel in Toyota’s eyes needs to be dealt with quickly and precisely in order to keep the trust of their loyal customers.

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While the U.S. may be the foremost sales location for the 2010 Prius and other Toyota vehicles, India has of late been demanding more of the ecological/consumer friendly and innovative Prius than ever before. When introduced, Toyota estimated it would sell about 12 units to the more wealthy citizens of India. Since its introduction in March, however, the automotive company has sold 80 cars, and delivered 45 of them so far. What in the world, you ask, could bring about this more than 650% sales gain? More so, why did Toyota’s thoughts so vastly underestimate the Indian’s interests in hybrid technology?

Many environmental and political factors in the country had to do with this seemingly overwhelming reaction. In the past, when hybrid models such as the Honda Civic reached the Indian market, Indian consumers did not see the need or reason to pay high dollar for a vehicle that is “green”. But, with a new and innovative generation rearing its head in India, people have started to realize the complexity, importance, and impact a vehicle like the Prius has/can achieve.

Another economical power, one that has been around ever since the beginning of the mass-automotive industry, had very possibly the most affect out of all the factors. Gas prices, always an issue to the economy, are very important in the Indian infrastructure. The government largely has control over the prices on petroleum products, and with their de-regularization tactics for the prices, consumers are forced to find cheaper and more fuel efficient transportation options when the price of gasoline rises steadily. What better place to look for cheap, reliable, and efficient vehicles than Toyota and its 2010 Prius?

As in the United States, what vehicle you own is a sign of status in India. Not everyone can afford one, so those that do are seen as very successful and wealthy. It is a combination of this urge to show off wealth and the growing concern for nature’s deteriorating environment that draws people in India and around the world to the Toyota Prius. Built with Genuine Toyota Parts, it is designed to last more than a lifetime and to minimize an individual’s carbon footprint. Globally, Toyota Motor Corporation has sold nearly two million units of the Prius since 1997.

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In case you haven’t noticed, Toyota has been in the news lately, and for many things: some good, and some strange. Overall, May, with Toyota’s 7 percent sales gain, was a very large month for Toyota, and both its public image and overall business ideals have come out for the better.

One of the biggest moves Toyota made was in it’s partnership with Tesla. I know it has been mentioned before, but this partnership really could mean big things for Toyota. New minds, new ideas, and new opportunities were opened at the NUMMI plant, but that’s not the only thing people have been talking about…

Before the end of the month, Akio Toyoda, the CEO of the company made a bold statement towards the top engineers at Toyota. While quality is definently at the top of his list, Mr. Toyoda believes it is a good idea to give  the Toyota name a more defined look and feel. According to Automotive News, Akio Toyoda said “I wanted a car that shows what we are aiming for, something affordable, fun to drive and good for the environment.” So, who knows? Maybe Toyota will create the first 21st-century cleaner, greener, and more reliable muscle cars!

Ok, so we’ve covered a new deal in an old plant and a company that usually focuses on quality, trying to infuse that quality with a fun and exciting driving experience. What next, you may ask?

Well, the end of may also saw the beginning of a new ad campain advertising the Lexus LFA Supercar. While the vehicle is obviously not for the everyday consumer, the ads show the company’s legitimate attempts to turn it’s public image around to a company of quality, reliability, and, now, one of excitement and new innovations.

Now, to end on a more humerous note, the Brave New Workshop became “inspired” by Toyota and their recalls, and this month unveiled their latest musical play, “Toyota! The Runaway Musical Hit!” The troupe, on their website, pitch the show as follows: “Prepare yourself for an unstoppable musical ride, that will leave you humming, toe tapping, and recalling the lyrics all the way home.” While it is a somewhat crooked and odd way of reacting to the serious issue the recalls  presented, it has no doubt been all over the news in Minneapolis, the play’s hometown, and the rest of the country.

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For the last thirty years, the NUMMI automotive plant in California has been the site of an unexpected and unusual partnership. Two of the largest automotive giants, Toyota and GM, relied on this plant. Toyota, on the one hand, saw NUMMI as an opportunity to keep itself firmly planted in the United States infrastructure, and GM saw it as an opportunity to learn from Toyota’s legendary quality assurance programs. But, because of several economic and business situations, it was not meant to be.

Nearly a month ago, Toyota pulled out of its deal with the NUMMI plant. As you can imagine, many people, especially those who were out of a job, were not very happy about the situation. Toyota, however, always mindful of its customers opinions, found a solution to the problem: a solution that would not only assist new and creative ideas, it would create countless important jobs for the people of California. To do this, Toyota made a deal with a relatively new automotive company, Tesla Motor Corp. Toyota realized that they had something to bring to the table, and took the opportunity presented to them.

It really worked out as a fantastic situation for Toyota to raise confidence in their buyers, but it would seem that this could be more than meets the eye. Tesla is known for its aggressive all-electric philosophies, and when Toyota purchases $50 million in public shares via the agreement, they will gain an insight to the technology and ideas Tesla is working to develop.

Whether this deal will end well for either company, we will fait and see, but in the grand scheme of thongs, it is a fairly small investment on Toyota’s part.

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Most everyone has heard the term “black box” in the news, usually associated with aeronautical crashes in the news. But after the recent safety issues the automotive industry has been facing, Toyota is beginning to ship and develop these event recorders for their automobiles. This technology has existed for decades in airplanes, but this will be one of the first instances where a “Black Box” will be implemented on consumer vehicles.

One of the big pushes on this implementation has come from congress. They want these recorders to be installed on every vehicle, and Toyota seems to believe it’s not a bad idea. Over the last month, they have shipped more than 150 of these boxes to the U.S. to be sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as well as the U.S. government. It is unsure where the rest of these boxes are being sent to, but Toyota says they are using it to train their engineering and technical staff’s to manipulate this technology and make it compatible with today’s vehicles.

Whether the Toyota vehicles of the future will have this little bit of airline technology is debatable, but it is definitely something to keep your eye on. It has the potential to record essential data that could help solve problems faster and more efficiently, and it is something that Toyota is currently moving toward.

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Hydrogen fueled vehicles have long been the automotive maker’s dream. Hydrogen, element 1 on the periodic table, is the same material that fuels massive stars and our sun, so naturally engineers have long been trying to harness this immense untapped power. The problem, however, is not that the technology doesn’t exist, it’s just too expensive. Any attempt to prototype a hydrogen fueled vehicle has resulted in a million dollar price tag, which is obviously not quite realistic for globalization. Over the last ten years, Toyota has been chipping away at this price tag, finding new and innovative ways to cut cost while keeping quality, and at this point hope to unveil a sedan-sized retail vehicle for about $50,000! Compared to the turn of the century, that is 90% lower than estimates made by other automotive companies. Hydrogen fueled vehicles would produce virtually no toxic emissions: the only tailpipe exhaust coming out of a Hydrogen vehicle is H20 (water). They are twice as efficient as conventional gasoline vehicles, and are nearly as quiet as electric vehicles.

Bloomberg news reported on this astounding information, and received an interview from Yoshihiko Masuda, Toyota’s managing director for advanced automotives. In the interview, Masuda stated “The first model will be a sedan with driving range equal to a gasoline-powered car, with some extra cost.” This means that the hydrogen car will defeat many problems electric cars have run into in the past. Instead of just a city-commuter car, it will be able to travel on interstates, make those family vacation trips, and not have to be recharged every 100 miles. Bloomberg also reported “our target is, we don’t lose money with introduction of the vehicle,’ Masuda said in Torrance, California, where Toyota’s U.S. sales unit is based. ‘Production cost should be covered within the price of the vehicle.”

So, how does an automotive company manage to cut down $950,000 per vehicle? It’s all in the platinum. Platinum, one of the rarest metals on earth, acts as a catalyst in hydrogen-powered cars. It speeds up reactions, which allows hydrogen fuel cells to yield high amounts of energy. Toyota, in its research and development, has found ways to cut back on Platinum use, which extremely cuts back the price of the vehicle.

While hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles may seem like a good idea, there are many challenges for that end of the industry. While hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements in the universe, it does not occur in a pure form very often in nature. More often than not, Hydrogen must be extracted from other elements, such as methane. This process, as you can imagine, produces greenhouse gases as well. So, in order for Toyota’s extreme innovations, the infrastructure of the hydrogen-producing industry must be upgraded to house the hydrogen usage Toyota’s retail vehicle would use.

Toyota expects to have this Hydrogen vehicle showroom ready in 2015, after further price reductions.

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If you haven’t noticed Toyota’s numerous television ads advertising their spectacular spring sales, you’ve either been living under a rock, or blind.On nearly every major station, Toyota has been airing commercials highlighting the spectacular deals of vehicles currently available at dealerships.

This last month, Toyota has reported over a 24 percent sales gain from a year ago. The company reportedly sold 139 thousand vehicles in the US last month, showing that both the U.S. economic losses and the recall woes are beginning to give way to better auto sales.

One big factor in the leap in sales has to do with the great incentives offered by dealerships around the area. Olathe Toyota, one of the most successful in Kansas City Metro area, is offering zero-percent financing for seven models, free maintenance for two years to all new customers, and several interest free loans that are available to buyers. All this in order to make sure business stays good, and give you, the loyal customer, a great deal on a great vehicle.

Toyota in the past has had some pretty impressive deals, but none quite like this. The incentives are so aggressive, in fact, they have forced competition into trying to meet these great deals, but none have even gotten close so far. If you are interested in buying a new car made with great Toyota Parts for a great price, your nearest Kansas City Toyota Dealership is the place to go!!!

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