2006 Toyota Tacoma Sr5 Prerunner V6 on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: Toyota to go electric with Aygo? Renault Zoe bests BEVs in e-Rallye Monte-Carlo

Toyota could sell the Aygo hatchback as an EV. Toyota Europe CEO Johan van Zyl says that the A-segment city car could be a candidate for all-electric power. "We see a stronger growth of that type of thinking in cities where they're saying, 'We'd rather have emissions-free vehicles so it should be a plug-in or a pure-electric vehicle,'" he says. As the Aygo is produced alongside and shares most components with the Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1, it's possible those cars could see a plug-in version in the future as well. Read more at Hybrid Cars. The Renault Zoe took first and second place in the battery electric category of the 2016 e-Rallye Monte-Carlo. Defending Renault's title for a third year, two of the updated Zoes with improved range topped the category, taking second and third place overall. A hydrogen powered Toyota Mirai bested the Renaults by taking first place overall. 34 crews entered the competition, which took them from Fontainebleau, France to Monaco over four days. Read more from Renault. Teslarati talks to Youseph Tanha (AKA Yoshi) about his Tesla Transformer comic art project. Tanha, who cohosts the TransMissions podcast, commissioned artist Brendan Cahill to sketch a comic book cover featuring the Tesla Model X as a Transformer. The result is the Voltic (a name borrowed from Grand Theft Auto 5), an impressively reimagined Tesla Transformer that launches missiles from its falcon wing doors. While it doesn't necessarily fit into IDW's Transformers storyline, the commissioned piece does capture the imagination of comic fans and Tesla enthusiasts alike. Read more at Teslarati. Singapore is launching an EV carsharing program. The nation's Economic Development Board and Land Transport Authority have commissioned Bollore Group's BlueSG to operate the fleet of 1,000 EVs and 2,000 charging points by 2020, with 125 cars and 250 charging points available by the middle of next year. The program – sort of similar to the BlueIndy program in Indianapolis – is part of an effort to reduce pollution. "The future of transport in Singapore will look very different from today," says Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Khaw Boon Wan. "Most people will not see the need to own a car." Read more at Wards Auto.

Toyota will race C-HR CUV in 2016 Nurburgring 24 Hours

There won't just be traditional racecars competing in the 2016 Nurburgring 24 Hours; Toyota Gazoo Racing will take the bizarre route of prepping the C-HR crossover for the grueling event. The squad will enter more conventional machines, too, including a Lexus RC and RC F for the race that will run from May 26-29. Details about the C-HR Racing are scant at the moment. "We decided to take on the new challenge of creating ever-better cars using a crossover rather than a pure sports car," the company's announcement said. It makes no mention of the vehicle's specs, but the included photo show the CUV with a more aggressive front fascia, vents along the hood, and a big wing at the rear. The driver lineup includes Masahiko Kageyama, Kumi Sato, and another person to be announced later. Toyota will reportedly introduce the production version of the C-HR at the Geneva Motor Show, and the final one will allegedly carry over the current rakish shape and hybrid powertrain. The company also showed it with Scion badging at the 2015 LA Auto Show to suggest a likely arrival in the US. This year will mark a decade of Gazoo Racing's competition in the 24 Hours of the 'Ring. The squad notably raced the LFA there for several years, but it showed a willingness to bring weirder vehicles too like a Lexus CT 200h in 2011. Nothing has been quite as odd as racing a crossover there, though. Toyota GAZOO Racing Celebrates Decade of Participation in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring with Triple Entry for 2016 Race Toyota City, Japan, January 15, 2016-Toyota GAZOO Racing announces the entry of three vehicles-a Toyota C-HR Racing*, a Lexus RC, and a Lexus RC F-in the 44th 24 Hours of Nurburgring endurance race to be held in Germany from May 26 to 29, 2016. The 24 Hours of Nurburgring plays an important role in Toyota's motorsports activities for building ever-better human resources and vehicles under intense racing conditions. Beginning in 2007, the 2016 event marks the 10th year of Toyota's participation in the race under the banner of GAZOO racing. When asked to look back over the last ten years, team representative Akio Toyoda said, "I remember GAZOO Racing first taking on the challenge of the Nurburgring in 2007 in an Altezza like it was yesterday. There are so many memories running through my mind–the interaction with the roads of the Nurburgring, whose characteristics seem to change with each shift in the weather, the meeting and parting with new and valuable friends.

New version of Toyota FT-1 Concept gets racy for Gran Turismo 6

Gran Turismo 6 has been the preferred marketing springboard for quite a few brands and concept cars since its debut last winter. Specifically the GT Vision concept idea - allowing manufacturers a built-in place to offer up new, original, drivable content - has enticed the likes of Mercedes, Nissan, Volkswagen, Toyota and more to dream big on the digital stage before pulling the sheets back on real concept cars.
In fact, Toyota teamed its live reveal of the FT-1 Concept at the Detroit Auto Show with an in-game launch of the car, just this past January. Looking for a second bite at the GT6 apple, Toyota has just released a teaser video for a new, FT-1 Vision GT version of the same concept.
The company isn't giving us much to go on save for the 30-second video, saying only that the concept was penned by Toyota's Calty Design Research team in California, and that it will "soon be available for download." By the looks of it, the new FT-1 seems to be more of a racecar than the original, without obvious changes to the basic form. No word on whether or not there's a physical concept car in the offing at a yet-to-be-named auto show. Stay tuned.