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Scion testing updated FR-S

It looks like Toyota is preparing a mid-cycle update for its critically acclaimed GT86, known here in the US as the Scion FR-S or Subaru BRZ. As far as updates go, this one looks to be rather average. Hidden behind the camouflaged front and rear ends, we have new headlights and taillights, which according to our spies looked to be of the LED variety. We wouldn't be shocked to see the GT86 get LED taillights, although fitting the top-of-the-line headlights seems less likely. Supporting that position are the images we have of the actual headlights in action, which don't look quite bright enough to be full LED units. Instead, we'd expect some new form of running light, perhaps with bi-xenon low beams. Aside from the lamps, the front bumper gets a larger, more prominent lower intake, while the rear end sports a redefined bumper that houses larger dual exhaust tips. The size of the spoiler has been increased, too. According to our spies, we should also expect powertrain enhancements – which we can only hope means more power – as well as upgrades to the interior of the GT86. While it's possible that the updates being tested in Germany could be exclusive to the European market, that seems unlikely. We'd expect the same new enhancements to at least find their way to the Scion, if not its Subaru-badged twin. Check out the full battery of spy photos up top. Related Video:

Toyota reports huge quarterly profit increase, raises forecast for the year

Toyota isn't just the world's largest automaker - so far its the biggest winner for quarterly profits. With an enormous $5.5 billion take during Q2, Toyota took advantage of the weak Japanese yen and strong US demand to record a 94-percent improvement in profit over the same period from last year. So far, Toyota brought in larger profits than Ford and General Motors combined.
Toyota is showing no signs of slowing down either, as it has bumped up its forecast for full-year global production, going from 9.94 million to 10.12 million vehicles, on the back of a 13-percent drop in the buying power of the Japanese yen versus the US dollar. That strong exchange rate is largely responsible for Toyota's big jump in profits, although it also managed to shift 1.3 million vehicles in the US market this year. Strong Camry sales have also helped. But while Toyota is raking in the cash, it actually saw a small drop in market share, down 0.1 percent to 14.3 percent of the US market.
As is the case with most automakers, Toyota seems flummoxed by Europe, where it recorded less than one percent of its revenue. Still, as Automotive News points out, Toyota only maintains a 4.5-percent market share in Europe and is far less dependent on the continent than other manufacturers. Toyota also struggled at home, much like Honda. With 525,777 units sold, JDM sales were down almost 51,000 units, although Toyota still saw its operating profit jump from $3.5 billion to $4.6 billion.

Toyota retires robots in favor of humans to improve automaking process

Mitsuru Kawai is overseeing a return to the old ways at Toyota factories throughout Japan. Having spent 50 years at the Japanese automaker, Kawai remembers when manual skills were prized at the company and "experienced masters used to be called gods, and they could make anything." Company CEO Akio Toyoda personally chose Kawai to develop programs to teach workers metalcraft such as how to forge a crankshaft from scratch, and 100 workstations that formerly housed machines have been set aside for human training.
The idea is that when employees personally understand the fabrication of components, they will understand how to make better machines. Said Kawai, "To be the master of the machine, you have to have the knowledge and the skills to teach the machine." Lessons learned by the newly skilled workers have led to shorter production lines - in one case, 96percent shorter - improved parts production and less scrap.
Taking time to give workers the knowledge to solve problems instead of merely having them "feed parts into a machine and call somebody for help when it breaks down," Kawai's initiative is akin to that of Toyota's Operations Management Consulting Division, where new managers are given a length of time to finish a project but not given any help - they have to learn on their own. It's not a step back from Toyota's quest to build more than ten million cars a year; it's an effort to make sure that this time they don't sacrifice quality while making the effort. Said Kawai, "We need to become more solid and get back to basics."