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eBay find of the day: Ed Begley's Toyota RAV4 EV

You might know Ed Begley, Jr. from his Emmy-nominated role on St. Elsewhere or as one of the dead drummers in This Is Spinal Tap, his appearances on Arrested Development, Six Feet Under, and Battlestar Galactica, his reality show Living With Ed or from his years as an environmental activist (or, better yet, from previous coverage of him on AutoblogGreen). Ed Begley, Jr. has been advocating on behalf of our planet for several decades now, and the man walks the walk, too. He has done loads of work with environmental organizations. He's got his own line of environmentally friendly cleaning products. Begley is even in a long-standing rivalry with his friend Bill Nye (yes, The Science Guy) to have the lowest carbon footprint. Since 2002, he's been driving the drive as well. That's when he purchased a Toyota RAV4 EV, which is now up for auction on eBay. This car has 119,000 miles on it, but it had its battery replaced in early 2011, and it should have another seven years or so left in it. It's white with a charcoal interior, and has a little bit of cosmetic wear and tear, the normal sort of stuff for a vehicle with over 100,000 miles on it. It was in one accident back in 2003, but doesn't show any other issues. All service history is available from the dealer that sold it in the first place and maintained it since. Additionally, this RAV4 EV comes with a White Clean Air Decal, which allows the driver use of the HOV lane in California. Mr. Begley will even autograph the inside of the hood if you want him to, but it's doubtful the car comes with a Cinco-Fone. The buyer will also get to meet Begley is person and get some photos. Back in 2002, the car sold for $42,000. The current bid is $4,650 with six days to go, and the reserve has not yet been met. Check out the auction for more details.

2014 Toyota Highlander greets the world with NYC debut

Toyota has pulled the wraps off its all-new, 2014 Highlander in New York this morning, giving Americans a first look at what is sure to be a heavyweight in the mid-size crossover segment.
The new third-generation Highlander will come with the buyer's choice of three different powertrain options. The base model will be powered by a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission with front-wheel-drive. Next up the ladder is a 3.5-liter V6, also mated to the 6AT, which can be had with either front-or all-wheel-drive. Finally, the Highlander Hybrid will be equipped with all-wheel drive, its 3.5-liter V6 mated to an electric motor, all hooked up to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The automaker has not released any specs for fuel economy or output yet, though we're promised increases in both power and efficiency.
While not a revolution in terms of styling, Toyota has cleaned up the bodywork for the new model, offering a crisp, conservative look for the slightly larger Highlander. The vehicle is some three inches longer and an inch-and-a-half wider than the outgoing model, yet it has a lower roofline. Black plastic-clad wheel arches make an attempt to butch up the crossover, though to our eyes, the Highlander still has the look of a minivan around the rear view.

2015 Toyota Camry targeting 'more emotional' design

There are many ways to describe the Toyota Camry: "comfortable," "economical," "affordable," "reliable" and "dull as a bucket of mayonnaise" would all be accurate. It's this last one that the Japanese brand is seeking to change. While we aren't expecting it to suddenly sprout a high-revving V8, a rear-drive layout or razor-sharp handling, a report from Bloomberg suggests we should at least expect a more evocative design from one of the best-selling cars in the country.
The next Camry update, due for 2015, should have a "more emotional, more impactful design," says Kevin Hunter, head of Toyota's US design studio. That's according to Bloomberg, who caught up with the styling boss at this week's Detroit Auto Show. "Camry's taken some hits on styling, but it's still selling well. But we need to create better design for Camry in the future."
Toyoda wants to see waku-doki in his company's designs - heart-racing qualities