1979 Toyota Fj40- Chevy Fuel Injected V8, Automatic on 2040-cars

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Toyota, PSA extend partnership with new European van

Toyota and PSA Peugeot Citroen collaborate on a number of vehicles. One of them is a small van jointly developed by the two automakers but marketed individually under their own brands across Europe. Now they've announced the extension of that collaboration, and revealed the first image and details of their new product. Set to be unveiled at their respective booths at the Geneva Motor Show this coming March are the new Toyota ProAce, Peugeot Traveller, and Citroen Spacetourer. They replace the Toyota model of the same name as well as the outgoing Peugeot Expert and Citroen Dispatch, and will each be made available in private and commercial shuttle forms. Although technical specifications have yet to be announced, each will share the same underpinnings and mechanical components, leaving only the parts you can see changing from one brand's version to the next. Expect engines to range from 1.5 to 2.0 liters and burning gasoline or diesel, but the latter will undoubtedly prove the more popular option in Europe. No mention was made of a replacement for the Fiat Scudo, another badge-engineered version of the same van program in its current form. That would seem to suggest that Fiat Professional is either preparing to go it alone with the next-generation Scudo, or phase out the model altogether. The current Scudo slots in between the smaller Doblo (imported to the US as the Ram ProMaster City) and the larger Ducato which was also jointly developed with PSA and sold as the Citroen Jumper/Relay, Peugeot Boxer, and here in America as the Ram ProMaster. The ProAce and its cousins are made by PSA at its Sevel plant in Valenciennes, France. Aside from their vans, the Japanese and French automakers also collaborate on the city car platform sold alternately as the Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108, and Citroen C1. Fiat also partners with PSA on the smaller Fiat Fiorino/Qubo, Peugeot Bipper and Citroen Nemo. All of which just goes to show what a tangled web they weave in the European market, especially where commercial vehicles are concerned. NEW STAGE IN THE CO-OPERATION PROGRAM BETWEEN PSA PEUGEOT CITROEN AND TOYOTA PSA Peugeot Citroen and Toyota Motor Europe (TME) reveal today the new Citroen SPACETOURER, Peugeot TRAVELLER, and Toyota PROACE. They will be available in MPV versions for private use and in shuttle versions for business use. Both companies therefore confirm the continuation of their co-operation agreement signed in 2012.

Tier 1 suppliers call GM the worst OEM to work with

Among automakers with a big US presence, General Motors is the worst to work for, according to a new survey from Tier 1 automotive suppliers, conducted by Planning Perspectives, Inc.
The Detroit-based manufacturer, which has been under fire following the ignition switch recall and its accompanying scandal, finished behind six other automakers with big US manufacturing operations. Suppliers had issues with trust and communications, as well as intellectual property protection. GM was also the least likely to allow suppliers to raise their prices in the face of unexpected increases in material cost, all of which contributed to 55 percent of suppliers saying their relationship with GM was "poor to very poor."
GM's cross-town competitors didn't fare much better. Chrysler finished in fifth place, ahead of GM and behind Dearborn-based Ford, which was passed for third place this year by Nissan. Toyota took the top marks, while Honda captured second place.

Toyota Prius sets a different kind of Nurburgring lap record [w/video]

Scroll down the leaderboards of Nürburgring lap times and you'll see mostly racing cars, supercars and sports cars. Delve deep enough and you'll eventually get to hatchbacks and sedans, albeit the most performance-focused of their kind. But a hybrid? Sure, the Porsche 918 Spyder posted the top time for a street-legal series production car, and it's technically a hybrid, but we're talking about another kind of hybrid here. We're talking about a Toyota Prius.
That's right: the Prius just set a lap record around the Nordschleife. But it wasn't for the lap time. In fact, miles per hour barely factored in (except for staying above the minimum 37-mph average speed mandated on the vaunted racing circuit). No, this was about miles per gallon.
Toyota took one of its Prius Plug-In hybrids to the Nürburgring, topped up the battery, put on a set of low-rolling-resistance tires and put automotive journalist Joe Clifford behind the wheel with a mandate to use as little fuel as possible. After one second shy of 21 minutes, the Prius completed its lap having used just five tablespoons of fuel.