Advertising:
Certified 2012 Tacoma Double Cab Trd Sport Long Bed 4x4 Navigation Camera Video on 2040-cars
US $28,500.00
Year:2012
Mileage:48714
Color:
Location:
Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States
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THANK YOU FOR VIEWING OUR BEAUTIFUL, 1-OWNER, 100% CARFAX CERTIFIED, TOYOTA CERTIFIED WHICH COMES WITH A 7 YEAR / 100,000 MILE TOYOTA POWERTRAIN WARRANTY PLUS A 12 MONTH / 12,000 MILE COMPREHENSIVE WARRANTY PLUS A LOW 2.90% APR UP TO 60 MONTHS, 2012 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB 4.0L 6 CYLINDER AUTOMATIC TRD SPORT EDITION 4X4 'LONG BED' WITH NAVIGATION, REAR BACK UP CAMERA, 18" CHROME CLAD WHEELS, STEP BARS, TONNEAU COVER, TRD SPORT PACKAGE, V6 TOW PACKAGE, BLUETOOTH, SIRIUS XM, TOUCH SCREEN, ALL WEATHER FLOOR MATS, NEW TIRES, ETC IN BARCELONA RED PAINT WITH GRAY SPORT FABRIC SEATS AND 48,714 ORIGINAL 1-OWNER MILES! WE ARE A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND WE ARE OFFERING THIS CERTIFIED TACOMA 4X4 TRD SPORT LONG BED WITH NAV AT A SPECIAL, DISCOUNTED 'BUY IT NOW' PRICE ON EBAY FOR A VERY LIMITED TIME. PLEASE VIEW THE COMPLETE LISTING INCLUDING 24 PHOTOS ALONG WITH A DETAILED VEHICLE DESCRIPTION ALONG WITH THE CLEAN CARFAX REPORT. THERE IS A 3 MINUTE YOUTUBE VIDEO SHOWING THIS TRUCK INSIDE & OUT BELOW, JUST CLICK TO START. WE ALSO INCLUDED THE ORIGINAL WINDOW STICKER INFORMATION BELOW. PLEASE CONTACT SCOTT LONG @ (866)226-0570 OR (814)659-1908 OR EMAIL TO LAUFORD@AOL.COM WITH ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR VIEWING AND BE SURE TO VIEW ALL OF OUR EBAY LISTINGS ALONG WITH OUR 100% POSITIVE FEEDBACK!
YOUTUBE VIDEO WARRANTY SINCE THIS IS TOYOTA CERTIFIED, THE NEW OWNER WILL RECEIVE 7 YEAR / 100,000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY AND IS VALID FROM THE ORIGINAL SALE DATE WHICH WAS FEBRUARY 28TH, 2012. YOU WILL ALSO RECEIVE A 12 MONTH / 12,000 MILE COMPREHENSIVE WARRANTY FROM THE DAY 'YOU' PURCHASE THE VEHICLE. WE ALREADY COMPLETED ALL RECOMMENDED SERVICE INCLUDING OUR 160 POINT TOYOTA INSPECTION AND COMPLETED A FRESH OIL CHANGE AND NEW STATE INSPECTION FOR THE NEW OWNER! CONDITION WOW, WHAT A SHARP, EXTREMELY CLEAN & BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAINED 2012 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB 4.0L AUTOMATIC 'LONG BED' TRD SPORT 4X4 WITH NAVIGATION IN BARCELONA RED PAINT AND 48,714 ORIGINAL 1-OWNER MILES. BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAINED AND INTERIOR IS EXCELLENT AND WAS A NON-SMOKER'S VEHICLE. THE PREVIOUS OWNER WAS A MATURE GENTLEMAN AND ALL SERVICE WAS COMPLETED BY A MASTER CERTIFIED TOYOTA TECHNICIAN. TIRES ARE BRAND NEW AND JUST INSTALLED A MONTH AGO. BODY IS CLEAN AND FREE OF ANY MAJOR DINGS, SCRATCHES OR DENTS. I WOULD PERSONALLY RATE THIS TOYOTA A 9.999 ON A 1-10 SCALE. I COULD ONLY FAULT THIS TACOMA FOR A SMALL 1" FLAW HERE OR THERE AND I POINTED THESE OUT IN THE VIDEO. VERY MINOR BUT I LIKE TO PROVIDE A VERY THOROUGH INSPECTION FOR ALL OF MY EBAY LISTINGS. THIS TOYOTA IS A CLEAN TITLE VEHICLE WITH A CLEAN CARFAX WHICH WE INCLUDED WITH THIS LISTING AND THE ENTIRE HISTORY REPORT CAN BE EMAILED UPON REQUEST. OVERALL THIS IS A SUPER CLEAN AND WELL MAINTAINED TOYOTA CERTIFIED TACOMA LONG BED. I PERSONALLY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND TEST DROVE THIS TACOMA AND IT FEELS LIKE NEW. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR A CLEAN, BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAINED TACOMA DOUBLE CAB TRD SPORT 4X4 LONG BED WITH NAV 4X4 WITH ALL THE TOYS IN A GREAT COLOR, THIS IS YOUR NEW TRUCK! JUST SERVICED AND READY TO GO! WE HAVE BOTH SETS OF KEYS, ORIGINAL WINDOW STICKER INFORMATION, ORIGINAL FLOOR MATS AND ALL OWNER'S MANUALS FOR THE NEW OWNER! BE SURE TO VIEW ALL 24 PHOTOS ALONG WITH FREE CARFAX REPORT! TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NO CHARGE 100,000 MILE TOYOTA WARRANTY! 1-OWNER! CERTIFIED! ABSOLUTE CREAM PUFF! 2.9% FOR 60 MONTHS! ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT LIST MECHANICAL & PERFORMANCE CARFAX SUMMARY
SCOTT LONG (866)467-8395 - TOLL-FREE (814)659-1908 - CELL PHONE (call or text) VICE PRESIDENT OF INTERNET OPERATIONS / EBAY SPECIALIST FORD-LINCOLN-NISSAN TOYOTA-SCION-BMW CHRYSLER-JEEP-HYUNDAI DODGE-RAM TRUCK-EQUUS FAX (814)269-2346 EMAIL lauford@aol.com The top 5 reasons why our customer's travel hundreds and even thousands of miles to purchase from US instead of their local dealer: 1. Each of our vehicle's go through a multipoint 160 point inspection, and each vehicle has a unique description which I do personally on every vehicle. 3. Deal directly with a Manager and eliminate the salesperson! NO BACK & FORTH! I specialize in handling ALL Ebay transactions and I personally inspect the vehicle and take all photos & videos. Most of our customers have never purchased a vehicle through Ebay or over the internet and I am dedicated to walk you through the entire process from start to finish and make it a smooth and easy transaction. 4. We are set up to cater to the eBay buyer, and our main focus is selling cars in this market. 5. Each vehicle has a 100% Satisfaction guarantee! Check our 100% perfect feedback on ebay! (Ebay Seller since 2002!!!)
FREE AIRPORT PICK-UP: If you decide to fly in and drive your new vehicle home, we offer free airport pick-up from either of our local airports which are the NO ADDITIONAL FEES: we waive all vehicle prep fees and dealer fees for Ebay members only. This will save you up to $500 over what other dealerships may charge you. The only additional fees will be your state sales tax, documentary, and plate fees for this purchase. You only pay sales in your home state. No additional fees is one of the many reasons we have sold cars in all 50 states. SALES TAX: You will only pay sales tax in your home state. You will only pay sales tax in HOURS: Monday – Tuesday – Wednesday– Thursday – 9am - 8pm APPOINTMENT ONLY – CALL AHEAD (814)659-1908 OR EMAIL LAUFORD@AOL.COM Friday – Saturday – Sunday - CLOSED Please call or text Scott Long at 814-659-1908 or email to lauford@aol.com to schedule an appointment OR check availability today! VISIT US: IF YOU WISH TO COME AND VISIT OUR DEALERSHIP IN PERSON, PLEASE CALL AHEAD or TEXT to (814)659-1908 TO MAKE SURE THE VEHICLE IS AVAILABLE AND WHICH DEALERSHIP THE VEHICLE IS LOCATED AT AS I WORK OUT OF ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS. Please call to confirm vehicle has not already been sold, vehicle's can sell at any moment. EBAY PRICE POLICY: Our Ebay pricing policy is VALID ONLY WITH SCOTT LONG, Ebay & Internet Manager - this helps eliminate confusion with our normal sales staff and guarantees you the Ebay price. TRADE-INS ACCEPTED: in most cases we accept trade-ins and we can appraise your trade-in before you make the trip to our dealership. Please call Scott Long 814-659-1908 or email to lauford@aol.com for an appraisal. Here is a example of what I need to evaluate your vehicle: Year, Make, Model (see example) 2005 Toyota Camry LE 4 Cylinder VIN # (need full 17 digit vin#) Mileage (estimated mileage upon arrival) Condition example: (brand new tires 3,000 miles ago, paint has minor cosmetic flaws and a small ding on driver door, interior was a non-smoker) Color example:(silver) Options example:(fabric interior, moonroof, remote starter, power seat) History example:(1-owner, clean carfax, no accidents, just had new brakes & rotors installed last month) DIGITAL PHOTOS ARE A PLUS! (5-10 photos are greatly appreciated but not required for a trade estimate) Payoff amount, monthly payment, and bank example:($8,500, $280 a month, First National bank) METHOD OF PAYMENT: FINANCE, CERTIFIED CHECK, OR CASHIER'S CHECK ABOUT US
WE ARE A FAMILY OWNED AUTO GROUP IN
RECENT CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS: When I decided I wanted to get back into a truck after recently purchasing a car, I knew my options were limited both to the cost of the truck as well as the value of my trade in. Scott at Laurel Toyota went ahead and provided bottom line pricing on a truck that met my exact desires and was able to arrange a fair trade in value for my previous vehicle. Living over 300 miles away from the dealership, needless to say I was a bit apprehensive at both the idea of buying a car out of state as well as making arrangements to actually take the vehicle home. Scott was able to assuage my fears and facilitate the entire process. One week after I found the truck I wanted I was driving it home. No high pressure F&I to deal with, asked if I was interested in any extended warranties and such, I politely declined and that was it. I really hope local dealers understand that is an absolutely phenomenal way to do business. Scott (sales) and Zack (F&I) were both great and I am very happy with my decision to purchase a vehicle from Laurel Toyota. Scott made every effort to answer any question in a timely fashion. He was great from the initial meeting through the delivery process. Great buying experience. Found the vehicle online and asked for more information about it. Scott Long responded immediately! He was very friendly and knowledgeable. We were able to set everything up through emails during the week and I got my car that Saturday. The price was great! Went over every detail of the car and answered any question I had. I love my new (used) car! I recently purchased a new 2014 Mustang GT premium. i knew going in the basic kind of car i wanted. they didn't have what i wanted at the dealership so they searched all nearby dealers and couldn't find what i was looking. we ended up placing a custom order threw ford to get the exact car i wanted. he quoted me a price, after incentives including taxes, and all applicable fees. i took my vehicle specs and the price he gave me and contacted local dealers to see if they could beat Laurel Fords offer, and they either offered a higher amount or didn't answer back at all. it was the best deal within 75 miles of where i lived. i decided to place the order threw Laurel Ford and it took about 9 weeks to get built and delivered. they kept me updated on my vehicle status with weekly emails. they did not pressure me into buying any additional upgrades or packages. when i the vehicle finally came i was relieved to find it was exactly what i wanted but also the price i paid was the exact price he quoted me 9 weeks prior. they are very transparent with their offers, so if they say this is what you will pay, you can expect to pay that and not a penny more. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable of the car and helped me get acquainted with all its gadgets. i also want to mention i traded in my old car towards this purchase. they gave me the highest amount Kelly Blue book said my car was worth. it was overall a pleasant experience. i will buy from them for life and recommend them to anyone interested in a new car. Purchased New Sienna based on the ebay deal, Scott Long was the Sales rep for the Dealership. My transaction was smooth, friendly and in timely manner. The car was as described, and paper work only took minutes. Scott coordinated the time perfectly so I would have pleasant experience. He even gave course on the options/gadgets on the car. Since I had limited time, he even offered to help me at later time if I had any questions related to the car options. I would shop again at Laurel Toyota, Thanks Scott. Recently purchased a 2009 Subaru from Laurel Toyota, represented by Scott Long on eBay. The whole transaction was fast, smooth and friendly. The vehicle was exactly as represented in the detailed description and posted video, and the roof racks were installed as requested. They brought the vehicle to the airport and the transaction was done and the car on its way home to Colorado in less than half an hour. I had no trouble reaching Scott by both phone and email to get answers to some logistical questions, and he's easy and pleasant to deal with. Subarus are premium priced in Colorado; this car was priced better at a significantly lower milage, with warranty coverage, and in much better condition than anything we found locally. Worth the cross country drive, and when next I need a vehicle, I'll contact Scott first. Overexcited!! Costumer. Scott is the man!!!! Drove home six hours with the used car I bought ,had a real pleasurable ride. The car performed excellent, the interior was fresh like new. The entire transaction was very smooth from start to finish. We took delivery yesterday morning, October 30th. The Acura MDX is all we hoped it would be. This thing has more whistles & and bells than I imaged. Recently purchased a 2010 Mercury Mariner from Laurel Ford in Windber, PA. Scott Long assisted us in the purchase. Mr. Long treated us as though we were purchasing a brand new car. He explained every detail of the vehicle with confidence and pride. Mr. Long was extremely professional in every regard, but very personable at the same time. Purchasing "used" cars in the past have never been a positive experience as dealers/salesman seemed more bothered to be assisting on a used vehicle vs a new one. Scott made us feel very important and it was truly a great experience. I will highly recommend Laurel Ford and Scott Long to friends and relatives. I contacted Scott in reference to a vehicle they had listed on the internet. I was able to negotiate the entire purchase, finance, and extended warranty of this vehicle via e-mail in less than 24 hours. The next day I flew to Pittsburgh, Scott had their delivery personnel pick me up at the airport, take me to the local McDonald's to look over the truck, complete the paperwork, and I was on my way home (North Carolina)! This was the best vehicle buying experience I have had! Price was great and the ease of the transaction was priceless! Thank you Scott! This is the second vehicle I bought from Scott and it wont be my last, Scott and laurel dealership there the greatest !!! Fast service when i told Scott what I was looking for he had it the next day Drove 4+ hours from Buffalo, NY for the truck of my dreams, and this dealership was worth every mile. Excellent service, communication, and attention to detail. Would reccomend them any day!! Friendly, no pressure sales, quick paperwork and minimum fees. Good old-fashioned service and support to customers. Hard to find such service and support today First time ever buying a truck on the computer, did not even see it in person, just pictures, so was very hesitant. The salesman, Scott Long, could not have been nicer nor more honest, made a deal onthe phone, including my trade in, that was very fair. When I got to the dealership to get my truck after a 4 hour drive, everything about the truck and deal was EXACTELY as we had spoken about! No add ons, no BS, nothing additional! Scott did a great job and the actual sale took only a few minutes as they had everything ready when I got there. This dealer was definately worth the drive and when I buy another I will certianly call them with no hesitations! I would also recomend them to anyone! Laurel Ford/Lincoln and representative Scott Long provided exceptional service, follow up and warranty integrity. Without question the best I've ever experienced in 40years! I am from Atlanta and worked with Scott Long to purchase a new 2014 Toyota Tundra. Even though I had to drive 12 hours to get to Johnstown, PA to pick up the truck working with Scott was very easy. We conducted all the negations and details including my trade via email. The entire process could not have been easier and I am very pleased with the purchase process and my new truck! I was nervous about purchasing a car on-line, but I could not have had a better experience. The car actually turned out to be better than advertised and the service I received was incredible. Scott was patient with all of my questions and made me feel very comfortable before I purchased a one-way plane ticket to fly to Pittsburgh and pick up the car. He even arranged to have the car delivered to me at the airport so I did not have to drive the two hours to the dealership. The guys that met me with the car were extremely friendly and just added that much more to the adventure. I had been looking for a new Toyota Highlander for 6 months prior to purchasing and this would be my first Toyota purchase. Then I found this Toyota Highlander on-line at Laurel Toyota and I was connected to Scott Long. Right from the get-go he kindly answered all of my questions about the vehicle and patiently worked with me over two days as we worked out the details about my trade-in and price over the phone and email. With most of the details worked out over the phone and email,I planned on making the 100 mile trek too see if we could finalize the deal on a Saturday. I, however, could not make it for personal reasons. He kindly held the vehicle for me until Monday no questions asked. So on Monday, I made the trek still hesitant that something was going to be wrong with the vehicle due to the excellent price! Dear Scott, This is a excellent dealership to consider a new vehicle with. I found a new tundra that I liked via internet and did my entire deal through email. I emailed pictured of my vehicle and was given a trade value that day. I drove 4 hours from NY to pickup a truck that I dont feel any local dealer could of helped me on in price! My hats of to the team at Laurel Toyota and anybody that is looking to purchase from them feel confident as you will be treated the way you should when purchasing a new vehicle. J. Nichols I contacted Scott in reference to a vehicle they had listed on the internet. I was able to negotiate the entire purchase, finance, and extended warranty of this vehicle via e-mail in less than 24 hours. The next day I flew to Pittsburgh, Scott had their delivery personnel pick me up at the airport, take me to the local McDonald's to look over the truck, complete the paperwork, and I was on my way home (North Carolina)! This was the best vehicle buying experience I have had! Price was great and the ease of the transaction was priceless! Thank you Scott! Brenda C. Charlotte, North Carolina Drove 4+ hours from Buffalo, NY for the truck of my dreams, and this dealership was worth every mile. Excellent service, communication, and attention to detail. Would reccomend them any day!! Dan H. Buffalo, New York First time ever buying a truck on the computer, did not even see it in person, just pictures, so was very hesitant. The salesman, Scott Long, could not have been nicer nor more honest, made a deal onthe phone, including my trade in, that was very fair. When I got to the dealership to get my truck after a 4 hour drive, everything about the truck and deal was EXACTELY as we had spoken about! No add ons, no BS, nothing additional! Scott did a great job and the actual sale took only a few minutes as they had everything ready when I got there. This dealer was definately worth the drive and when I buy another I will certianly call them with no hesitations! I would also recomend them to anyone! This was the 3rd vehicle I purchased from Laurel Ford Lincoln. Everyone was great from start to finish. Scott Long listened to what I wanted in my new car and was very easy to deal with. Ryan had all paperwork ready when I arrived and was less than 15 minutes! I highly recommend Laurel Auto Group to anyone looking for a great deal and wonderful people to work with. I will be back again!! Good job
LOCATIONS OF SOME OF OUR EBAY CUSTOMERS WHO MADE THE TRIP TO OUR DEALERSHIP HERE IN
JUST TO MENTION A FEW IN THE PAST 14 YEARS! I PERSONALLY SOLD OVER 3,300 VEHICLES OVER THE INTERNET IN ALL 50 STATES AND 15 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES! WE SHIP CARS NATIONWIDE!
L@@K AT WHAT OUR PREVIOUS EBAY CUSTOMERS HAVE SAID ABOUT US!
SCOTT LONG (866)467-8395 - TOLL FREE (814)659-1908 - CELL PHONE (call or text) VICE PRESIDENT OF INTERNET OPERATIONS / EBAY SPECIALIST FORD-LINCOLN-NISSAN TOYOTA-SCION-BMW CHRYSLER-JEEP-HYUNDAI DODGE-RAM TRUCK-EQUUS FAX (814)269-2346 EMAIL lauford@aol.com |
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Toyota Tacoma for Sale
1991 toyota ext. cab 4x4 truck w/ v6 3.0l
1989 well-maintained, well-running toyota 4wd pick-up extended-cab(US $5,295.00)
1989 toyota extend cab v6 5 speed 1 owner 68,631 miles
2.7l auto 4x4 shift on the fly cd am/fm radio great work truck! we finance(US $18,266.00)
2008 toyota tacoma trd sport sr5 4x4 crew cab pickup 4-door 4.0l v6 3" lift(US $17,490.00)
2012 toyota tacoma base crew cab pickup 4-door 4.0l(US $28,000.00)
Auto Services in Pennsylvania
Wyoming Valley Kia - New & Used Cars ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service, New Car Dealers, Used Car Dealers
Address: 560 Pierce St, Shavertown
Phone: (570) 714-9924
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New Car Dealers
Address: 1920 Bedford St, Beaverdale
Phone: (814) 262-2140
Suder`s Automotive ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Automotive Tune Up Service
Address: 1315 Randall Ave, Wycombe
Phone: (215) 949-1182
Stehm`s Auto Repair ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service
Address: 1601 Cinnaminson Ave, Andalusia
Phone: (866) 595-6470
Stash Tire & Auto Service ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service, Tire Dealers, Mufflers & Exhaust Systems
Address: 939 Boston Hollow Rd, Mckeesport
Phone: (412) 754-1055
Select Exhaust Inc ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Mufflers & Exhaust Systems
Address: 5045 Pottsville Pike, Port-Clinton
Phone: (610) 916-1111
Auto blog
Automakers paying Chinese dealers for lower-than-expected sales
Sat, Jan 10 2015The Chinese dealers vs. foreign manufacturers story won't quit. It began with a story on the struggles faced by FAW-Toyota joint venture dealers, with supposedly 95 percent of the showrooms losing money, and 10 percent of them doing so poorly that they'd have to exit the business. The problem is mandated sales targets, most set when the country's economy was racing. Now that things have slowed, China's dealers are swimming in unsold cars and the costs to keep them. In the case of FAW-Toyota, dealers asked Toyota to hand over 2.2 billion yuan ($355 million) to help address the situation. That was followed by a report noting the issues that Honda, BMW, and Nissan dealers are having with the same issue, revealing that the Chinese Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) had taken the highly unusual step of writing to the Chinese government to complain. Now Reuters reports that CADA is not only pressing its case even harder, it's being open about it: it announced that BMW agreed to pay dealers 5.1 billion yuan ($820 million) to alleviate poor profits last year. Unnamed sources said Audi has thrown 2 billion yuan into the kitty for subsidies, and Daimler has contributed "about 1 billion yuan" to its dealers. The battle isn't just about 2014, but how business will be run in 2015 as well: Chinese Porsche dealers have requested the automaker lower its 2015 target of 64,000 cars, which would be a 40-percent increase on its 2014 sales of 46,931 vehicles. One analyst called it "shocking" that the CADA has taken its fight public, while CADA comments continue to imply that dealers have been railroaded to the cliff's edge without recourse. "Due to the difference in status," it's deputy secretary said, "individual dealers are not willing to, or don't dare to, talk frankly with the carmakers...." Both parties need one another, so they'll figure out a way to make it work – but that could mean acknowledging the Chinese market is behaving more like a mature one, not an emerging one. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images Earnings/Financials Audi BMW Porsche Toyota Car Dealers Luxury
2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid
Mon, 21 Oct 2013People, us included, make a big stink about the importance of family sedans. There's no doubt they're critical - they represent a huge slice of the market's annual sales and profits. However, despite accounting for far fewer transactions than the midsize sedan segment, the fullsize sedan is getting attention from manufacturers now that our market's entire lineup of those (slightly) smaller four-doors has turned over in the last two years or so. As most of the fullsize segment's mainstays derive a fair bit of their platform and powertrain technologies from their midsize cousins, these larger four-doors offer the potential for fatter profit margins, too. And with the newly stylish duds found on many of the industry's most successful midsize sedans, it's only right that automakers no longer think about fullsizers as big, squishy, vanilla family haulers with flat seats, vague steering and a thin layer of 'luxury' in the form of faux wood trim.
As manufacturers have again started diving into large sedans feet-first, the cars themselves have become sharper. The interiors are now of a higher quality and loaded with tech, while the exteriors have become further extensions of each manufacturer's design language. There's perhaps no greater example of this than the Chevrolet Impala and Ford Taurus, two models that evolved from subpar offerings into market leaders. This segment-wide transformation happened quite quickly, whether because of coincidental timing or because manufacturers are trying to get more out of their big cars, recognizing they account for a small portion of overall sales (just 3.5 percent of the new-car market in the first half of 2013).
The 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid is one such vehicle. We remarked on the changes to the V6 variant last year, and while we previously had a quick steer of the gas-electric hybrid, we figured the new model was worth a closer week-long look.
Child cobalt miners: Automakers pledge ethical minerals sourcing for EVs
Wed, Nov 29 2017BERLIN - Leading carmakers including Volkswagen and Toyota pledged on Wednesday to uphold ethical and socially responsible standards in their purchases of minerals for an expected boom in electric vehicle production. Demand for minerals such as cobalt, graphite and lithium is forecast to soar in the coming years as governments crack down on vehicle pollution and carmakers step up their investments in electric models. To cover its plans for more than 80 new models by 2025, Volkswagen alone is looking for partners in China, Europe and North America to provide battery cells and related technology worth more than 50 billion euros ($59 billion). Talks with major cobalt producers, including Glencore, at VW's Wolfsburg headquarters last week ended without a deal. More than half of the world's cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country racked by political instability and legal opacity, and where child labor is used in mines. On Wednesday, a group of 10 leading passenger-car and truck manufacturers announced an initiative to jointly identify and address ethical, environmental, human and labor rights issues in raw materials sourcing. The partnership dubbed "Drive Sustainability" consists of VW, Toyota Motor Europe, Ford, Daimler, BMW, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo Cars and truckmakers Scania and Volvo. The alliance "will assess the risks posed by the top raw materials (such as mica, cobalt, rubber and leather) in the automotive sector," said Stefan Crets of the CSR Europe business network. "This will allow Drive Sustainability to identify the most impactful activities to pursue" to address issues within the supply chain.Reporting by Andreas Cremer.Related Video: Image Credit: Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post via Getty Images Green BMW Ford Honda Jaguar Land Rover Mercedes-Benz Automakers Toyota Volkswagen Volvo Green Automakers Green Culture Electric Scania ethics mining