2014 Toyota Venza Le on 2040-cars

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2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser Ultimate Edition

Introduced at the end of 2006, this is the last year for the Toyota FJ Cruiser, the reincarnated FJ40-series Land Cruiser that will shortly journey to Takama-ga-hara, the Plain of High Heaven. In its first model year, we drove it to SEMA and found it, shall we say, coarse. It bobbled on the freeway and droned in the cabin, its boxy interior providing four bounce-boards for unpleasant frequencies. Tall mirrors helped one work around the eclipse of vision aft of the B-pillars, but navigating traffic required forethought and technique. Its turning circle was measured in kilometers. For the first two years of its life, it needed premium gas. It may have been fun to look at, but we couldn't wait to get out of it.
That's not the case anymore, and now the FJ Cruiser is poised to join a long list of vehicles that got better and better, then got axed.
Driving Notes

Here's what you had to say about the Tokyo Motor Show

We obsessively covered the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show. You, our readers, provided the color commentary. Read on and, of course, leave your comments below. Subaru Viziv Performance Concept: Remember the WRX concept they showed in 2013, and what the production version looked like in 2015? Pepperidge Farm remembers. wooootles 2 foot high wing on the trunk or gtfo :) sc0rch3d Mazda Kai Concept : Dear Honda, this is how you dynamically style a hatchback. Thank you. Dfelix70 Kudos to KODO design. There are so many things I love about this "Kai" car: the awesome split panoramic sunroof, the Jaguar-esque tails (sporting an "eyebrow up"... ala The Rock), a sleek family resemblance to the already beautiful CX-5 and CX-9. Seems suspiciously close to being a production ready Mazda3 — save for a few fanciful bits (door handles, mirrors etc). If it doesn't get too watered down by the time it hits the streets ... take my money! Randy Ross Mitsubishi e-Evolution Concept: As an 06 IX and 12 X owner, this is so upsetting. I will never buy this or care to give it another look. Hope you are glad you killed my favorite track-ready car to produce this electric junk. AcidTonic Picture the GT-R going away for a few years and coming back as an SUV. This is ridiculous. Surely someone in marketing could've came up with another cool name. Evo The Evo sedan is dead, whether this exists or not. I don't mind. Lada1200 Honda Sports EV Concept : I sure would like to see this "less is more" design aesthetic spread to their gas-powered production line. RustyShackleford Love it. I see glimpses of late 1970 Scirocco with Honda flair. Gintonics I just want ONE question answered in the affirmative, and that is... "RWD?" Henadenk AND A FEW FROM FACEBOOK: Toyota's press conference: Wake me up when they talk about the Supra. David Levinson Yamaha Cross Hub Concept: All I can think is modern day Brat, which has its own kind of charm. I'm assuming that it's a unibody design, but it seems happy to be its own thing rather than that crossover pretending to be a pickup called the Ridgeline. Would definitely take the Yamaha over the Honda, although I doubt it'll come to the states. Cole Henry Mazda Vision Coupe Concept: Face: KIA K7, Tail: Aston martin. Harold Shin A bit British, no? Jim Lykas Related Video: News Source: Honda, Toyota, YamahaImage Credit: Subaru, Mazda, Mitsubishi Auto News Green Tokyo Auto Salon Tokyo Motor Show Honda Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Toyota 2017 tokyo motor show

Toyota renews Supra trademark, we renew frothing at the mouth

Enthusiasts have been begging for a new Supra practically since Toyota stopped selling its fourth generation in the US way back in 1998. We've been hearing rumors about a successor for years, but the Toyota FT-1 Concept from the 2014 Detroit Auto Show is the first tangible sign from the automaker that a new generation may be on the table. To temp us even more, the Japanese company reportedly filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office last week to renew its 2010 trademark for the name "Supra."
Granted, these kinds of trademark updates aren't uncommon, as automakers don't want to lose their rights to nameplates (even if they have no immediate plans to use them). However, Toyota briefly abandoned its rights to the Supra name entirely. According to The Motor Report, the original trademark was continually renewed until 2006, but the Japanese automaker let it lapse in the US until applying for it again in 2010.
The FT-1 Concept in Detroit was created at Toyota's Calty Design Research center in California and carries cues from the 2000GT, Celica and Supra in an ultra-curvy body. Officials did not disclose anything about its powertrain. Toyota is also co-developing a future sports car platform with BMW that will underpin models from both companies, but few other details are konwn, and it isn't yet clear that the joint venture has anything to do with a future Supra. Hope springs eternal.