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Toyota bids farewell to FJ Cruiser with Ultimate Edition at SEMA

Happy trails, to you... As we reported back in August, the FJ Cruiser is headed to the great automotive graveyard in the sky, and Toyota is offering a fitting eulogy in the form of the 2014 Trail Teams Ultimate Edition, which was just unveiled here at the 2013 SEMA Show.
Unlike many special edition models, the Ultimate FJ Cruiser earns its name with a host of parts from Toyota Racing Development, starting with TRD Bilstein race shocks that Toyota says improve damping, articulation and high-speed stability. The front shocks measure 66 millimeters and feature TRD race coil springs, with geometry that improves the approach angle; the 50mm rear units are equipped with remote reservoirs to diminish damping fade.
A new one-quarter-inch thick aluminum TRD front skid plate offers protection for the underbody bits, and the outfit is completed with a BF Goodrich A/T KO tires on 16-inch bead lock wheels, rock rails and a roof rack. Check out the high-res image gallery above and the press release below for all the rest of the details.

Weekly Recap: Toyota propels hydrogen fuel cells

Toyota is serious about hydrogen fuel cells, and it wants the auto industry to follow suit. The Japanese automaker said this week it's releasing 5,680 fuel cell patents from around the world, including technologies used on its upcoming sedan, the 2016 Mirai. The move is unusual, but not unprecedented, as Tesla similarly released its electric vehicle patents last year. The idea for Tesla, and now for Toyota, is to spur development of alternative propulsion. "By eliminating traditional corporate boundaries, we can speed the development of new technologies and move into the future of mobility more quickly, effectively and economically," said Bob Carter, Toyota Motor Sales senior vice president of automotive operations, in a statement. Toyota's fuel cell patents will be free to use through 2020, though patents related to producing and selling hydrogen will remain open forever. Toyota said it would like companies that use its patents to share their own hydrogen patents, but won't require it. "What Toyota's doing is really a logical move, and really a good move for the industry," Devin Lindsay, principal powertrain analyst with IHS Automotive, told Autoblog. The announcement was made at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It comes as Toyota prepares to launch the hydrogen-powered Mirai in a limited number late this year in California. The launch will be extended to the Northeastern United States next year. Toyota also has announced plans to support networks of fueling stations in each region to try to smooth consumer adoption. The Mirai has a 300-mile range on a tank of hydrogen, and it takes about five minutes to refill. Fuel cells have been receiving increased attention recently, and Audi and Volkswagen debuted hydrogen-powered cars at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. Honda, another proponent of the technology, also showed its updated FCV concept in November in Japan. The company, however, has delayed its fuel cell sedan a year until 2016. Like Toyota, Honda says its hydrogen-powered car will have a range of 300 miles or more. Meanwhile, Hyundai currently offers leases for fuel-cell powered Tucsons, which have a 265-mile range, in Southern California. Despite the optimism some automakers have for fuel cells, the technology still faces barriers. A lack of filling stations has long held it back, and many consumers are not familiar with the potential benefits.

Toyota i-Road is no less strange in the flesh

We've seen plenty of three-wheeled creations in our day, but none quite like the Toyota i-Road Concept. The "personal mobility vehicle" offers seating for two with driver and passenger positioned in a tandem position. While that may sound more like a motorcycle than a car, the closed cockpit means riders don't need a helmet. The design also takes a page from the 2008 Peugeot HyMotion3 Concept with an articulating front suspension that allows the driver to lean through corners thanks to "Active Lean" self-balancing technology. Unlike the funky Pug, however, the i-Road is a fully electric plug-in vehicle.
While there are just five-horsepower on hand from an electric motor, the i-Road should serve up a range of around 30 miles thanks to its lithium-ion battery, and Toyota claims the cells can be topped off in three hours with a "conventional domestic power supply." Sounds majestic. Take in the full press release below.