The Corolla Blog - Have you ever wondered?

New Toyota Blog now up and running

Ed — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:12:25 PDT

We have some exciting news!

Toyota has decided to combine the Auris, Corolla and Masters of Africa blogs into one – The Toyota Blog (http://www.toyotablog.co.za/) This will allow you to access anything Toyota related in one place, rather than 3.

The Toyota Blog went live on 13 October 2009 and offers you everything from vehicle information, motorsport news, videos and photos, competitions, interactive forums and much more.

Join our new fanpage on Facebook, ToyotaSA and follow us on Twitter @ToyotaLive (http://twitter.com/ToyotaLive)

Have you seen the new Toyota Hilux Buddy advert? Visit the new Toyota blog to take a sneak peek of this advert that will flight for the first time tonight on South African TV.

Stable trend in Vehicle Sales continues through August

Ed — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:52:40 PDT

Vehicle sales reported by NAAMSA for August show a continued stable trend with total sales of 33 867 units for the month.

"While the market trend remains stable August sales will have been buoyed marginally by a carry over of units that were not reported as sales in July because of strike action in the last few days of the month," says Andrew Kirvy, Toyota's Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing. "Nonetheless the signals in the industry remain positive with dealers reporting improved showroom traffic."

Toyota recorded sales of 7 710 units for the month and was also the leader in export sales with 2 710 vehicles sold to markets outside of South Africa. The Hilux was once again the star performer in the market as the overall best selling vehicle with sales of 2 378 units.

Toyota's Fathers and Sons cricket coaching day a huge success at Supersport Park

Ed — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:37:13 PDT

The first of this year's Father and Sons cricket coaching clinics was a huge success at the Supersport Park in Centurion with a turnout of over 1500 people attending.

With the likes of Shaun Pollock, Morne Morkel, Paul Harris and Neil McKenzie coaching the children, the parents got to enjoy some off field entertainment such as spa treatments and a stadium tour.

It is Toyota's objective to ensure that family fun and cricket become one. Star batsman Neil MacKenzie couldn't help but feel overwhelmed, "Day's like today are so important as it gives us players the chance to share some of the skills that we have been lucky enough to learn."

Toyota Fathers & Sons Cricket Coaching 2009

Ed — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:32:59 PDT

It's here again - Toyota's Fathers and Sons Cricket Coaching Day! We've had quite a number of people contact us enquiring about this event so we're happy to announce that registration is open.

These cricket days are a special celebration of the father-son bond and a wonderful opportunity for families to spend some time together, taking part in many exciting activities. As was the case last year, cricket legend Shaun Pollock will be in attendance along with the Proteas.

Tickets are R90.00 per person (lunch included) and sons must bring their own cricket bats. You can find more information at http://www.toyota.co.za/Lifestyle/FathersSons/Default.aspx

If you're attending, please come back to this blog to tell us all about it and maybe even share your pictures.

Toyota creates a humanoid robot that can run!

palesa — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:12:50 PDT

A few weeks ago we wrote about the "violin playing Toyota robot. That one was actually one of the Toyota's Partner Robots, robots that are designed to function as personal assistants for humans.

In the attached video, the 1.3m and 50Kg Toyota humanoid robot displays an impeccable sense of balance as he (or she?) jogs on-the-spot and runs (at 7 km/h). It's also impressive to see balance recovery after it gets pushed.

Watch the video to fully appreciate this display of advanced robotics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv35ItWLBBk

[via]

Warning: Email being circulated about winning a Toyota

Ed — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:37:40 PDT

Toyota South Africa warns the public against fraudulent emails informing recipients that they have won a Toyota.

Toyota Motor Corporation and its affiliated companies have no involvement with the following competition currently in circulation.

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TOYOTA INTERNATIONAL LOTTO (HEADQUARTERS) Customer Service Department Affiliate of Toyota Japan . #28 Kanashiwa road Tokyo JP

We are pleased to inform you of the announcement made today, You are among the winners of the TOYOTA CAR INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses of individuals and companies from all part of the world as part of our electronic business Promotions Program.

As a result of your visiting various websites we are running the E-business promotions for. You/Your Company email address, attached to ticket number 343- 221-8756, with serial number 454-17 drew the lucky numbers 3, 8, 13,22, 27, 41 and Bonus number 12 , Your INSURANCE Number: FLS433/ 453L /GMSA and consequently you won in the Second Category of the TOYOTA FORTUNE LOTTO DRAW.

You have therefore been approved for the payment of the sum of US$500,000. 00 in cash, including a Toyota car which is the winning present /amount for the Second category winners. This is from the total prize money of US$2,650,000.00 shared among the international winners in the Second category.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Please be informed that your won fund of the sum of US$500,000.00 is now with the payee center. Contact our agent and give them your full names so that they will re-insure your winning fund under your full names. Together with the port where your winning car should be shipped to.

To begin your claim, please call our claim agent or send email immediately to:-

Certificate Agent, Toyota Email Lotto Agent Monk Email:mgmonk@yahoo.cn Telephone: 008613527654635

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, Please quote your

1, Names in full:
2,Country of Residing:
3, Nationality:
4,Residential Address:
5, Date of Birth/Age:
6, Marital Statue/Sex:
7, Tel/Fax:
8, Mobile No:
9, Occupation:
10, Company:
11, Ticket No:
12,Serial No:
13,Ins.No:
14,Lucky No

Sincerely , Mrs. Ing Chunny Liu Hon Online Coordinator www.toyota.com.cn

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A bit of Toyota history

Craig Hannabus — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:06:48 PDT

Toyota is known for being one of the most forward thinking and innovative corporations in the world. Where did it all begin? What were the first steps Toyota took to greatness? Have a look at this nifty timeline below :

1933 - Automobile department established within textile loom maker Toyoda Automatic Loom Works -- now Toyota Industries Corp - founded by inventor Sakichi Toyoda

1935 - First vehicle, the Model G1 truck, built. First Toyota dealership established

1936 - Production starts of its first car, the Model AA

1957 - Crown becomes first passenger car made in Japan to be exported to the United States

1962 - First overseas vehicle plant, in Brazil

1964 - First Asian vehicle plant outside Japan, in Thailand

972 - Cumulative production in Japan reaches 10 million vehicles

1984 - Toyota's first U.S. car assembly plant, a joint venture with General Motors Corp. (GM.N), opens in California

1989 - Toyota launches luxury Lexus brand in North America

1992 - First European car plant begins production in Britain

1997 - Prius, the first mass-produced hybrid car, launched

1998 - Toyota takes majority stake in mini vehicle maker, Daihatsu Motor Co.

1999 - 100 millionth Toyota vehicle produced in Japan

2001 - Toyota takes majority stake in truck maker Hino Motors Ltd

2003 - Toyota makes 6.78 million vehicles and overtakes Ford Motor Co in annual sales to become world No.2 behind General Motors

2005 - Toyota takes minority stake in Fuji Heavy Industries, maker of Subaru cars, for cooperation in vehicle technology development and use of its U.S. factory

2006 - Toyota takes minority stake in truck maker Isuzu Motors Ltd to beef up diesel engine technology

2006 - Toyota's group global sales of 8.808 million vehicles exceeds GM's by 128,000, making it the world's biggest automaker, authoritative industry magazine Automotive News says. (This figure excludes cars made by a Chinese joint venture in which GM holds a minority stake)

Toyota has come a long way. From making looms to top of the range cars, it's been quite a journey. Hope you've enjoyed the ride.

Source: Reuters

Toyota robot plays the violin

Ed — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:17:42 PDT

Toyota has always wowed with its technological achievements and this time is no different. In 2007 they created a robot that can play the violin!

The robot displays an impressive level of co-ordination and precision. It gets all the notes right but can it ever play as expressively as a human being? See for yourself in the attached video (or on YouTube) and witness the robot's fascinating musical performance.

Vehicle Sales Show Signs Of Stabilising

Ed — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:15:30 PDT

The NAAMSA vehicle sales report for May shows total sales of 28 972 vehicles including sales reported by AMH. Although down by 32,9% on May last year the market performance for the month was ahead of the overall performance for four month period January through April and assisted in decreasing the year on year gap to 35,8%.

"Sales of passenger and light commercial vehicles show signs of stabilising at a new level around 35% down on 2008," says Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of Toyota South Africa. The heavy and extra heavy truck sectors are however a concern as sales in these sectors continue to decline. Heavy vehicle sales were down by 48% in May and extra heavies down by 61% for the month compared to May 08.

“While the motor industry, and the global economy, are certainly not out of the woods yet there are indications that a more positive mood could be emerging and that we may be near the bottom of the economic trough. The focus through the coming months will however be on stabilisation rather than any prospect of growth.

"Consumers will increasingly feel the positive impact of a significant decrease in the interest rate over the past months with indications of more to come. Another positive is the current strength of the Rand that will act to reduce imported costs. These factors can only be expected to impact some months down the way as confidence builds."

Toyota continued its market leadership with a 21,3% market share for the month with a total of 6 167 sales. The Hilux dominated individual model sales for the month with 1 984 units in support of Toyota’s 35% share of the light commercial vehicle market. Toyota was the leader in medium commercial vehicle sales with the Hino 300 Series together with the Dyna and was also the leader in heavy vehicle sales (8501-16500kg) with the Hino 500 Series.

Automark goes online

Ed — Wed, 27 May 2009 00:53:34 PDT

With new car sales dropping in excess of thirty percent every month, year on year, the car industry is in a dire situation. With the recession resulting in potential buyers having less disposable income or access to credit people are trading down either to smaller or second-hand cars.

While new car sales are lagging, the used car market is still selling as many cars as before. Current figures show us that used cars outsell new cars by a factor of two to one and that they are losing less value than ever.

What second-hand car buyers are so desperate for is an easily accessible, reputable location to find second hand cars. Automark, the Toyota second hand car brand has recently launched a new, user-friendly website to address this need.

The new site is built on a technology known as Ajax and what this means is that the site works like an application on your computer. Explains James Smith, Toyota’s Manager for Web Communication Systems:

“Essentially you need to download and install the website much like you would when installing a programme on your computer. Simply put, the site loads a little slower to begin with but what this means is that there is no reloading of any pages when searches or filtering occurs. The slightly longer initial load times result in instantaneous searches as well as instant filtering.”

“The site is uniquely positioned to allow for people with no technical competence to easily find the car that best suits their need while at the same time allow for more efficient interaction with dealers.”

He adds that a fairly large amount of time was spent looking at the current websites available for buying cars online while developing the Automark site.

“What was discovered in this comparison process was the lack of visuals and as such the emphasis on the new Automark site is to provide a visual experience for car buyers. For many buyers it is the looks that provide the added push to make the purchase of a vehicle. The Automark site has strong emphasis on imagery to provide a stimulus resulting in the purchase of a vehicle.”

Users can search either via car make, price or by car type. The site then allows the user to filter their results down even further by categories such as model year, province and accessories. In order to help a user decide there is also the ability to make a comparison between four different vehicles. Once chosen you can compare kilometres, price as well as accessories. When searching for vehicles the user is also given a list of 'recommended vehicles', making the process of finding a vehicle even easier.

With online shopping slowly becoming more and more prevalent in South Africa a potential buyer could actually buy a car directly from their bedroom and have it delivered once financing has been approved.

Visit the site on www.automark.co.za

Red Devil - My Toyota Corolla

TOYCOR — Tue, 19 May 2009 05:50:26 PDT

I bought a brand new Toyota Corolla 1.8 auto exclusive only to rush the guys at the dealership so I can take delivery of my vehicle, but the main reason was to ensure its crisp new rosy look without too many hands touching it. I had all the accessories fitted on it and it was looking red hot; in fact, too good to drive.

I named it the Red Devil like my soccer team, Man Utd because it was already a winner in every field. The joy to drive it was a memory of its sleek look yet that added power when you needed and turned heads when passed by. It moved like a boat, so graceful and elegant. I had the entire car waxed and this added a layer of gloss to its body, which stood out amongst the other red cars.

When I washed it the water would ripple of its body allowing me quick access to wipe its sleek curves. I would never take it to a car wash, because it gave my sheer pleasure washing it, yet this big body, but the end result was this shiny smooth, sleek, elegant look, which was fit to enhance any showroom. I would not allow anyone to eat or drink in my car. Sometimes it just fascinated me by looking at this Red Devil and I wouldn't want to drive it, because of its beauty.

This Red Devil saved the life of my daughter and wife who were hijacked on the 14/05/2009 at gunpoint and this beauty was taken away. I firmly believe it was for my beautiful car and the sheer brilliance of my wife handling of the situation that saved the day, that turned their attention when they noticed this prize started. My entire family loved and cherished this car. Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Red Devil forever.

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Do you have a Corolla memory to share? Log on to the Corolla Blog and click on "My fondest Corolla Memory" to get started. You could win a Corolla-branded item for your effort!

Toyota comments on Naamsa sales figures for April

Ed — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:09:21 PDT

NAAMSA vehicle sales statistics for April report total sales of 26 283 units including those of AMH, a 43,7% reduction from the 46 643 sales reported for April last year. Passenger vehicles accounted for 16 748 of those sales, light commercial vehicles 7 481, medium commercials 691, and heavy commercials and busses 1 511 units.

“Economic activity in general, and sales of big ticket items in particular, will have been stunted by the considerable number of holidays during the month with a reduced number of selling days directly impacting on sales performance,” says Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of Toyota South Africa. “This will have been compounded by the fact that the short working weeks provided opportunities to optimise leave availability.

“If we remove the anomalies caused by the proliferation of public holidays the indications are that the vehicle sales trend has now entered a level phase.

“Locally a further reduction in interest rates with the promise of more to come will boost consumer morale as will the improved value of the Rand. The former will act to increase disposable income while the latter will provide respite from imported pricing pressures, especially with regard to fuel prices. Continued aversion to lending by the banks and the high interest rate premiums being charged on asset finance will remain impediments to growth in vehicle sales for at least the next few months. Loosening up the asset finance logjam is fundamental to any renewed growth in sales.”

Toyota continued to lead sales with a market share of 22,2% for the month from 5 824 sales. Export sales of 4 088 units represented 35,6% of the total to give Toyota 26,2% share of domestic and export sales.

The Hilux was once again the top selling vehicle in South Africa with deliveries of 1 653 units, a figure that was greater than any other manufacturer’s total LCV sales for the month. The popular Quantum was the second best selling light commercial for the month. Toyota accounted for 34,2% of light commercial vehicle sales in April.

The first month of truck sales under the Hino banner within Toyota SA saw the company at the top of the medium commercial sales log with 141 sales. Hino was also the sales leader in the Heavy Commercial Vehicle category (8501-16500kg).

Toyota SA president promoted to a key position

Ed — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:44:50 PDT

South Africans are known for making their mark internationally. The latest South African to join the ranks of international heavy-hitters is Dr. Johan van Zyl. Currently the President and CEO of Toyota SA, he has now become one of only five non-Japanese to be promoted to the position of Managing Officer within Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC).

Following a board meeting scheduled for June 2009 to confirm this appointment, Dr. van Zyl will take office as Managing Officer, but will also remain President and CEO of Toyota SA. TMC has only 50 Managing Officers globally and this appointment essentially makes Dr van Zyl part of the company’s global management team, reporting to the TMC Board. It sounds like he's going to be quite a busy man.

“I am extremely excited about this opportunity and although I’m sure I’ll be much busier, it is business as usual at Toyota SA and my commitment remains firmly with this company,” he said.

“An appointment of this nature is indeed a vote of confidence in South African management and I am proud that this could be achieved without my leaving the country, but remaining here to help build this great nation and company.”

Toyota Children's website - learning the fun way

Ed — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:16:17 PDT

Toyota Japan has a hidden treasure: a website aimed at children that presents an entertaining way to educate the young ones on of various aspects of car making as well as a dash of Toyota history and its activities.

The website is choc-a-bloc with information regarding interesting topics such as how cars are made and achieving environment-friendliness. Most of it is told through bright and amusing animated characters. In fact, I think that anybody of any age wanting to learn these various topics could find this website useful in its uncomplicated approach to learning.

Try it out for yourself at http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/kids/ and remember to share it with the kids.

Toyota Optimal Drive Corolla

Craig Hannabus — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:49:33 PDT

Back in February I took a look at Toyota's new Optimal Drive engine. Toyota have released their new Corolla 1.3 Optimal Drive and it's time to see if this really is the fuel efficiency breakthrough we've been waiting for.

Before I leap right in and tell you what the outcome was, let's re-cap and take a look at what the Optimal Drive was supposed to deliver. The Optimal Drive promised almost 15-20% more fuel efficiency. It was also said that the engine would be more powerful (3-5%) than other engines of the same class. But what about the environment? Toyota claimed a drastic reduction in CO2 output, making this one of the worlds 'greener' engines.

The good news is that Toyota delivered on all their promises. The new 1.33 litre Dual VVT-i engine now fitted as standard to the Corolla 1.3 delivers top-level dynamic performance with reduced noise levels and excellent environmental performance. Compared to the 1.4 litre engine that it replaces, the new engine offers as much as a 17% saving in fuel consumption together with an increase of 4% in power. CO2 output was also drastically reduced.

Twenty-nine of South Africa’s top motoring journalists drove the new Corolla 1.3 on economy run type events held in Durban, Cape Town and Gauteng. During these three regional launches the journalists were required to drive the new Corolla 1.3 over a route consisting of urban, extra-urban and highway driving conditions within a set time limit. Average speeds for the different routes were just over 80 km/h.

Although Toyota claims an average fuel consumption of 5.9 litres/100 km for conditions similar to those experienced by the journalists for this latest Corolla model, the journalists attained an average figure of just 5.27 litres/100 km – nearly 19 km (18.98) per litre! That's definitely a milestone figure.

The engine in the new Corolla is smaller and 13 kg's lighter. Another interesting change is the change in transmission. The replacement of the traditional 5-speed transmission with a new 6-speed transmission will allow for greater flexibility and dynamic performance.

I wait with great anticipation.

Be safe this Easter weekend...and enjoy it!

Ed — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 01:12:53 PDT

The Easter weekend is about to start and most of us will be enjoying a well-needed break from the usual hustle and bustle.

It's also a time where many will find themselves on the road to various places around the country. Safety on the road should be utmost on your mind should you be one of these travellers. Fortunately the people at Arrive Alive have put together a list of safety tips:

Road Safety Tips for Easter in South Africa:

Obey the rules of the road and carry your drivers license with you.
Plan the route to your holiday destination and give yourself enough time to reach the destination
Make sure that your vehicle is in a roadworthy condition before departure. All lights and indicators, windscreen wipers, brakes, steering, exhaust system and tyres should be carefully examined for faults.
Do not overload.
Try to avoid driving after dark if possible.

Read the rest of the list at the Arrive Alive blog.

The Corolla Blog would like to wish you and your respective families a happy and safe Easter weekend!

NAAMSA vehicle sales display level trend in March '09

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 01:04:58 PDT

Vehicle sales statistics released by NAAMSA show a levelling of sales through March. Total vehicle sales were 36 331 units including sales by AMH. Passenger vehicles accounted for 23 363 of those sales, light commercials 11 315, medium commercials 672, and heavy trucks and buses 1 006 units. March numbers reflect a slight improvement over January and February but are still down by 30% on March 2008.

“March was the third month in a row where we saw a relatively constant sales pattern, albeit in a market that is 30% down on the same month in 2008 and 34% year to date,” says Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of Toyota South Africa. “If this trend towards stability continues it will offer some respite for the industry as it will then be unlikely that we will see further cuts in production as we start to build on a new low volume base.

“The significant downward pressure on interest rates is acting to boost confidence. Typically any notable change in buying patterns lags behind interest rate cuts by as much as 18 months, so welcome as they are, lower interest rates will not provide a quick fix for durable goods sales. Continued interest rate reductions will however provide a degree relief that will allow people to start planning for new purchases some time down the road.

“Right now vehicle sales are being constrained to quite a large degree by the finance houses as they act aggressively to consolidate their positions. We are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of declined applications for finance, many of which would have been approved as a matter of course just months ago. This clearing of this bottleneck will be fundamental to an improvement in vehicle sales.”

Toyota continued its market leadership with a 26,3% share of the market. Export sales of 8 457 units secured 47% of all exports.

Combined domestic and export sales by Toyota were 33% of the industry total.

Toyota vehicles held the top three positions in the overall sales log with the Hilux the top selling vehicle for the month with 2 500 deliveries. The Corolla range was second with 2 070 sales, and the Yaris third with 1 747 units for the month.

Top awards for Toyota models

Ed — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:09:46 PDT

Toyota and Lexus recently received a number of top accolades from the media, including a CAR Magazine Top 12 award and four Best Buy awards from TopCar.

In the current economic trend, it becomes more and more imperative to make the right vehicle choice when purchasing a vehicle and to this extent both CAR Magazine and TopCar annually brings out their coveted Best Buy Guides.

CAR Magazine’s annual Top 12 Best Buys has become synonymous with quality and insightfulness into the car buyer’s mind and over the past decade Toyota has always held its own on this prestigious list. This year saw the face-lifted Hilux being crowned the best double cab, while Lexus received the Green Award for introducing sporty hybrids.

The CAR winners were chosen by the combined editorial team of CAR magazine and its website offspring, CARtoday.com. Using the well-established “four Ps” voting criteria of package, price, performance and personality, the panel determines a winner in each of 12 categories that represent the major segments of the South African passenger vehicle market.

With over 1 500 vehicles available, making the right purchasing decision is becoming increasingly difficult , and the Top 12 programme is aimed at highlighting the best value-for-money buys in each of the categories.

TopCar’s Best Buy Guide is much more comprehensive and is broken down into twelve digestible segments with five cars in each segment. Real world factors such as price, warranties and service plans, after-sales service, consumer satisfaction surveys and residuals were taken into account when drawing up a list of vehicles for this ‘bang for your buck’ guide.

Toyota and Lexus were represented in all but four of the twelve categories, with the following vehicles taking top honours in their segments:

Segment	Winning vehicle
Compact Sedan	Corolla 1.8 Advanced
Medium Executive Sedan	Lexus GS450h SE
Large SUV	Fortuner 3.0 D-4D 4x4
Leisure Bakkie	Hilux 3.0 D-4D Raider 4x4

Toyota’s Corolla – a true motoring legend

Ed — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 06:52:47 PDT

If the measure of a legend is universal and timeless appeal then there’s a powerful argument for immortalising the Toyota Corolla for all time in the automotive hall of fame. Superb driving dynamics, sleek youthful styling and a solid reputation for reliability and durability are all virtues that have made the Corolla South Africa’s, and the world’s, most popular car.

The Corolla has its roots in a Toyota philosophy that desired to bring family motoring within the reach of the masses in Japan. The first attempt at reaching this goal was the Toyota 1000, built in the early sixties and a model that provided valuable experience for Toyota in the emerging family market in Japan. In September 1966 Toyota announced the Corolla as the successor to the Toyota 1000. The first vehicles came off the then, all-new, Takaoka assembly line in November of that year.

Since that time, the Corolla has been a major global success for Toyota with the model produced in 16 countries, spread over five continents, and sold in 140 markets across the world.

More than 32 million Corollas have been sold globally, entrenching it as the world’s top selling model. The Corolla became South Africa’s top selling car in 1982 with total sales in our market currently heading for 1,2 million. This popularity is backed up by the fact that the Corolla is a two-time winner of the prestigious South African Guild of Motoring Journalists’ Car Of The Year award.

The Corolla has always been recognised as one of the best engineered and most durable cars on the market. This core strength has been maintained, indeed built on with each new generation with the latest model, released in late 2007 – the tenth generation Corolla – adding a more emotional dimension to the brand through premium quality, comfort, more sporty styling and excellent driving pleasure.

The ongoing development of the Corolla through each new generation of the model continues based on the philosophy of Kaizen (constant improvement). In line with this philosophy, Toyota has introduced its newest small engine technology to the Corolla range with an all-new Optimal Drive1.3 litre petrol engine replacing the existing 1,4 litre engine in the range.

The change to the 1.3 litre engine is in line with Toyota’s quest for ever improving economy of operation and reduced emissions without any sacrifice in driving pleasure and performance. This new Dual VVT-i engine is the result of the focused approach adopted by Toyota engineers to develop new technologies that enable improved combustion efficiency, reduced weight for the engine and transmission package, and a reduction in friction in the engine. The result is a range of engines that produce more power but are at the same time more efficient with improved fuel economy.

The objective of Toyota’s Optimal Drive philosophy is to introduce a range of advanced technology engines that will power the majority of the vehicles produced by the company by 2010. The Optimal Drive concept is a key element in the achievement of an overall average CO2 target of below 140g/km.

The new 1.3 litre Dual VVT-i engine now available in the Corolla delivers top level dynamic performance with reduced noise levels and excellent environmental performance. Compared to the 1.4 litre engine that it replaces, this new engine offers as much as a 12% saving in fuel consumption together with an increase of 4% in power.

The engine package is smaller and a full 13kg lighter than the unit it replaces. The space and weight saving drive is carried through to the transmission with an all-new 6-speed manual unit replacing the 5-speed manual transmission that is used together with the 1.4 litre engine. The 6-speed transmission is now also fitted to the Corolla 1.6 models.

Toyota’s Optimal Drive 1.3 engine as fitted to the Corolla 1.3 provides real gains for the user in terms of economy, performance, and lower emissions. With maximum power increased to 74 kW and with the improved flexibility offered by the 6-speed transmission an improvement in dynamic performance is immediately felt.

The average fuel consumption target set for the Corolla 1.4 by Toyota engineers was 6,7 l/100km. The target for the same car fitted with the 1.33 engine and 6-speed transmission is 5.9 l/100km. At the same time CO2 emissions are reduced from 158 g/km to 138 g/km, an improvement of 13%.

The application of Toyota’s Optimal Drive concept to the Corolla 1.3 is a real world example of Kaizen working to the benefit of the customer and the environment.

All images: MotorPics

Mrs Manson's Corona, "Bessie"

Ed — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 07:37:53 PDT

Mrs Muriel Manson of Ridgeview Retirement Village in Boksburg, is the proud owner of this 1974 Toyota Corona (Bessie). She has enjoyed many miles of trouble free motoring. "Bessie" was bought new, has her original upholstery and apart from normal services, the only major repair was to her gearbox in March 2008.

Mrs Manson says she has never been in an accident and has had many offers of purchase for "Bessie" but her answer is always no!

Toyota introduces pre-crash safety features

Ed — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 02:22:03 PDT

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has announced the development of pre-crash safety technology which detects probable collisions and automatically makes several adjustments to the interior of the car to protect passengers.

The Front-side Pre-crash Safety System uses radar to detect any cars or obstacles moving into the vehicle’s path, and if there is a high probability of a collision, safety functions within the car are activated:

When the system picks up that there might be an accident, an alarm is sounded, which could possibly assist the driver in averting the crash through early braking or steering.
When the driver steps on the brakes, Pre-Crash Brake Assist applies additional braking force.
Motor-powered seatbelts immediately restrain the passengers.
Depending on whether a front or rear collision is detected, all seats in the car automatically move either upwards to downwards – into a position in which seatbelts and airbags can have maximum effect.

This new technology forms part of TMC’s Integrated Safety Management Concept and is designed to help vehicles respond better to a broader range of accidents, thereby reducing accident and injury severity.

Honouring Toyota's top dealers

Ed — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 01:16:17 PDT

Unitrans Motors made a clean sweep at Toyota South Africa’s annual Dealer of the Year Awards held in Durban recently, with two of the group’s outlets taking top honours – East Rand Toyota scooped the Toyota Dealer of theYear, and Limpopo Truck Centre’s Hannes Pretorius walked off with the inaugural Hino Dealer of the Year Award.

This is the second time in just five years that East Rand Toyota has walked away with the top dealer award. The dealership opened its doors in April 2004 and since then has consistently achieved top ratings in Customer Satisfaction studies and was also one of the first dealerships in the network to achieve environmental ECO III status.

Pretorius, who has been with Toyota South Africa for more than 40 years, said he was deeply humbled and honoured when he received the Hino Dealer of the Year Award.

The dealer awards are presented annually as part of Toyota South Africa’s ongoing commitment to dealer development and improvement. The awards celebrate excellence amongst dealers and are highly prized.

Toyota introduces world’s first rear seat centre airbag

Ed — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:46:29 PDT

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) continues to make strides in safe vehicle technology with the development of the world’s first rear seat centre air bag.

Soon to be launched in Japan, the airbag is fitted in a fixed rear seat centre console, and when the vehicle is hit on the side, the airbag deploys, acting as a barrier. The positioning of the rear seat centre air bag helps minimise injuries to back seat passengers.

This is just one of the many ongoing initiatives which form part of TMC’s Integrated Safety Management Concept. The organisation also takes part in a number of initiatives aimed at creating a safer traffic environment.

February vehicle sales down 35%

Ed — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:09:59 PDT

With February vehicle sales down 35.6% when compared to the same month last year, it’s evident that the vehicle market is feeling the effect of the credit crunch and the global economic turmoil.

Toyota achieved a market share of 22.9% in February with 7 453 sales. The company exported 6 802 vehicles for 45.5% share of export sales. In the combined domestic and export market Toyota accounted for 30% of sales.

“Although our banking and credit systems have proven to be more resilient than those in the developed economies of the world we are clearly not immune to the impact of the meltdown in those economies,” says Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of Toyota South Africa. “There is understandably a high level of caution being exercised by potential buyer.”

Van Zyl attributes the down turn in vehicle sales to the difficulty experienced by consumers in terms of obtaining vehicle finance, and he cautions that the lowering of interest rates is no “quick fix”. “We will only feel the impact of lowered interest rates around mid-year and we anticipate that interest rate reliefe will assist in levelling off the market as opposed to triggering a growth phase.”

Toyota’s overall top selling vehicle for the month was the Hilux with 1 900 units delivered for the month, followed by the Corolla with 1 686 units. In the medium commercial sector the popular Dyna was the top selling vehicle with 228 sales.

Toyota MTN Cycle Parks

Ed — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:09:32 PST

If having fun, getting dirty and being outdoors is your idea of a good time then the Toyota MTN Cycle park situated in the heart of Fourways in Sandton is just the place for you.

We recently attended the open day for the cycle park and despite the rain and rather muddy conditions I was surprised at the amount of a fun someone like myself, who is not particularly into cycling could have.

Much careful, strategic thought went into the design of the cycle park to ensure the ultimate experience for the riders and while to the untrained eye the park may appear to be a few mounds of dirt, to the cycling enthusiast, this is Mecca.

Using the International Mountain Bike Association trail colour coding system, as used the world over, the Toyota MTN Cycle Park provides riders with a park that truly lives up to international standards. Clearly it must since the likes of SA BMX Champion Sifiso Nhlapo was seen spinning a few tricks for the crowd.

With a range of activities and offerings available such as ‘Dirt Jump Heaven’ and ‘Free Ride Friday’, the Toyota MTN Cycle park is sure to pique the interest of the novice as well as the well seasoned rider.

For those who are not all that keen on the cycling, the park also offers a great opportunity for the family to get outdoors, enjoy a fresh cup of Seattle coffee on the wooden decks and enjoy the feast of entertainment provided by the “hooligans” that frequent the park. The Toyota MTN Cycle Park is a must-do and its fantastic to see a resource being provided to help cultivate future cycling champions!

For more information and contact details be sure to visit: http://tinyurl.com/d3wfzb

Toyota 'human touch' and 'factory' adverts

palesa — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:16:33 PST

The Toyota "Human Touch" advert from 2006 is one of my favourites so I thought to share it along with the Factory advert with the Corolla Bog community.

The first video in the playlist is of a Toyota factory where production of the cars is done by factory workers with machine precision but with that additional human touch. I love the red and white uniforms and the sharp, clinical look of the whole video. The Yaris hatch features more than the others Toyota cars and does some seriously impressive turns around the factory's gravel circuit.

The second video shows a man who drives a car that has salarymen performing functions such as moving windscreen wipers, holding airbags, actually 'being' the car seat and others. My first reaction to this ad was a raised eyebrow and then complete enjoyment. It's funny.

What are your thoughts?

Via

MPH Live Motor Show

Ed — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:37:04 PST

One of my favourite shows at the moment is Top Gear. A chance to see guys like Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and of course The Stig would be a great opportunity. Lucky for me, these guys are going to be coming to South Africa very soon. Actually, they're probably here already, their first show is on Thursday.

Of course, it's not the Top Gear show, it's the MPH Live Motoring Theatre. An hour and a half of stunts, thrills, and spills, brought to you by BP Ultimate and hosted by the Top Gear guys and well known motoring enthusiast and 5fm DJ, Sasha Martinengo. Not only will you be treated to never before seen stunts, but there's a full on motor show, 4x4 stand, and a car sales gallery. It sounds like it's going to be one heck of a great show.

The Top Gear Live theatre show will comprise up to 16 different scenes or sequences. The Top Gear presenters will play host and in the spirit of the ‘ambitious but not always successful’ Top Gear style, will undertake a number of activities to amuse and entertain visitors. It should be hilarious (as all Top Gear shows are).

For further information please go to www.mphjoburg.co.za

MPH Johannesburg

Exhibition Times

Thursday 29th Jan
16h00 to 23h00

Friday 30th Jan
16h00 to 23h30

Saturday 31st Jan
09h00 to 23h00

Sunday 1st Feb
09h00 to 20h00

Live Motoring Theatre

Thursday 29th Jan
8PM (Gala Evening)

Friday 30th Jan
6PM, 8:30PM

Saturday 31st Jan
11AM, 2PM, 5PM, 8PM

Sunday 1st Feb
11AM, 2PM, 5PM

TICKET PRICES

Top Tier – R350

Premium Tickets - R290

Standard Tickets – R200

Children under 12 - R100

Looking ahead to 2009 in the Motor Industry

Ed — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:55:46 PST

NAAMSA vehicle sales figures for December 2008 show total deliveries of 32 765 units for the month, a number that took total vehicle sales for the year to 533 327 units, which is 21% down on the 676 098 sales for 2007. In contrast vehicle exports of 284 213 vehicles were up by 66% on 171 237 exports for the previous year, due mainly to the success of Toyota’s Corolla and Hilux export programmes.

“Right from the start of 2008 we believed that the South African motor industry would endure a period of consolidation with significantly reduced sales volumes off a high base. High commodity prices in the first half of the year, crude oil in particular, impacted on disposable incomes as did continued upward pressure on interest rates. A total wild card was the devastation of the global financial system brought about by unmanageable levels of toxic debt accumulated in the system over years of global over indulgence. This situation accounted for a drop in sales of between 4 and 5% more than expected."

- Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of Toyota S.A.

Toyota was the leader in all major market segments and the company enjoys the distinction of having the top selling model range in 2008 with the Hilux of which 29 481 were sold during the year. The Toyota Yaris came in third with 26 102 units followed by the Corolla with 24 714 sales for the year. The success of the Quantum gave Toyota another top six seller with 20 602 of these versatile ‘people and freight’ carriers sold during the year.

“Looking ahead into 2009 we see continued downward pressure on vehicle sales with initial forecasts of 410 000 units for the year, a figure that will be the lowest seen since 2002. While the pressure is coming off interest rates, with sustained downward movement expected through the year, and significantly lower fuel prices evident, we will have to manage the current low Rand value. Inevitably this will require an adjustment in vehicle prices to cover the higher cost of imported content and fully imported vehicles.

Top selling models:

Toyota Hilux 29 481
VW Polo 29 476
Toyota Yaris 26 102
Toyota Corolla 24 714
Opel Corsa Utility 21 297
Toyota Quantum 20 602

Information courtesy of Toyota Media

Happy new year!

Ed — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:08:10 PST

Did 2008 fly by or what? It's hard to believe it's already 2009. We're pretty excited here at the Corolla Blog. We're expecting this year to be even better than the last. Once again we'll be covering all the latest Toyota innovations and developments as well as another exciting rally season to look forward to. Don't forget our competitions, with great Toyota gear up for grabs.

We're looking forward to watching our community grow and thrive. If you have any Corolla related stories or experiences, feel free to blog them right here. We're always keen to hear how your Corolla has changed the way you drive. If you haven't registered yet, go here.

With all that said, we hope you have a brilliant 2009, keep safe, and most importantly, have fun!

The Toyota logo

Ed — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:22:34 PST

Have you ever wondered about how the current Toyota logo came about? What do the ovals that cleverly construct the "T" mean?

On Toyota.co.jp, the meaning behind the logo is explained as follows:

"The current Toyota Mark consists of three ovals: the two perpendicular center ovals represent a relationship of mutual trust between the customer and Toyota. These ovals combine to symbolize the letter "T" for Toyota. The space in the background implies a global expansion of Toyota's technology and unlimited potential for the future."

If you'd like to know the meaning behind other car manufacturers' logos, see A History of Car Logos. the Toyota section isn't quite as what's stated above but it's all interesting nonetheless.

Source: Toyota.co.jp via Toyota Open Road Blog