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Toyota mini doc chronicles Tundra towing Space Shuttle Endeavor

Toyota has worked up a quick video detailing the brand's involvement in the transportation of the Space Shuttle Endeavour last year. As you may recollect, the California Science Center ran into a hitch when it came to moving Endeavour from LAX to its new home. While most of the route would be covered by a robotically controlled transporter, one portion of the route directed the shuttle over an interstate. Unfortunately, the bridge across wasn't designed to stand up to the weight of the shuttle and its motorized sled.
The Science Center would have to remove Endeavour from its transporter and place it on a lighter, non-motorized sled. That's where longtime Science Center sponsor Toyota came in. As it turns out, the automaker had to prove to the California Science Center that a Tundra could actually tow the massive shuttle, so engineers put on a little demonstration with a stock truck pulling the equivalent weight over flat ground for the same distance. Once the Science Center was satisfied that the Tundra could pull it off, the move was green lit and the rest is history. Check out the short documentary below for yourself.

Toyota's Euro Aygo spied in prototype form

The five-door version of the next-generation Toyota Aygo, a Euro offering cloned by the Peugeot 107 and Citroën C1, has been caught out on the town wearing all black. Facelifted early last year, predictions are that the next version of the city car will be slightly lower and wider than the current car, with improved ergonomics and materials. Based on what little can be seen for now, a new intake and headlight treatment should be on the menu in front, with taillights placed higher on its backside.
A three-door version is expected, but a gasoline-hybrid model is also rumored, along with power and fuel economy improvements to the three-cylinder engine that presently puts out 67 horsepower and 69 pound-feet of torque.
We should see it next year, along with the new Citroën C1 and Peugeot 108.

Toyota explains what names like Camry and Yaris mean

Ever wonder where automakers get the names for their cars? You're not alone. The sitcom Seinfeld opened Episode 94 - the one where George Costanza buys a Chrysler LeBaron instead of a Volvo - with a bit about nameplates like Integra, Supra and Impreza. Toyota, clearly, is not exempt from choosing evocative but enigmatic names for its models, and now the Japanese automaker is taking us through the etymology of some of its nameplates.
Names like Supra may require no clarification, but what about Camry? That comes from the Japanese word kanmuri for Crown (which is, incidentally, the name of another Toyota sedan).
Yaris? According to the company, it's "an amalgamation of words from Greek mythology and German. In Greek mythology, 'Charis' was a symbol of beauty and elegance. Toyota swapped the 'Ch' with 'Ya' - German for 'yes' - to symbolize the perceived reaction of European markets to the car's styling."