2007 Toyota 4wd Crewmax 145.7 5.7l Sr5 on 2040-cars

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2017 Toyota 86 Drivers' Notes | Fun, even with an automatic

The Toyota 86 is a car that enthusiasts begged Toyota to build for decades. It's small, lightweight and rear-wheel drive. Thanks to a partnership with Subaru that resulted in the BRZ, this stylish coupe hit the streets in 2012. In the U.S., the car was originally known as the Scion FR-S but was rebadged as a Toyota after Scion was axed last year. Along with a new name, the 86 received updated styling both inside and out as well as a revised suspension and a slight bump in power, at least for the manual models. This Hot Lava-colored car doesn't feature Toyota's slick six-speed manual. Instead it rocks a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. While some enthusiasts may look down at that, automatics make up more than half of 86 sales. Still, the bones are there, and some people don't think the automatic is all that bad. Either way, we can't encourage enough people to buy these cars, as we want Toyota and Subaru to keep building them. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: When I first slid behind the wheel of the 86, I was surprised to see the gear selector and paddles. It's one of those cars that you don't think of as having anything but a manual transmission. Also, in an interior where all the controls and displays are underwhelming, a set of paddle shifters stands out as one of the few tactile objects in the cabin. I ended up using the paddles quite a bit, and found that I actually enjoyed using them, so much so that I'd actually consider opting for the automatic transmission were I to buy an 86. Despite shifts that aren't as razor sharp as they could be, the car's high-revving engine means that it still feels great to use. Riding an engine like this up to its redline, filling the cabin with noise, is the sort of thing that'll give you goosebumps. Being able to keep both hands on the wheel while shifting is a good thing for engagement in this car, based on my time with it. Plus, when I got stuck in traffic, I didn't have to wear out my left leg. The other brilliant thing about the Toyota 86 is its sense of balance. I loved the way it communicated its load distribution when cornering, whether on or off the throttle or brake. The fact that the nose of this car snaps right to where you want it when you start dialing in steering angle is satisfying. And its low stance and good view out the windshield make it really easy to place on the road.

Recharge Wrap-up: New and old Audis get greener, as does US electricity

Audi has made environmental improvements to the its TT while boosting performance. The new TT sees an 11-percent reduction in emissions, and up to 14 percent more power. Audi says that each TT will save around 5.5 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over its lifecycle. Additionally, the TT's manufacturing process has been cleaned up a bit, reducing emissions by about nine percent. Read more in the press release, below, or see Audi's lifecycle assessment here. Speaking of greening up Audis, Al Swackhammer of Washington converted his 1960 Audi DKW 1000S to run on electric power. Swackhammer first fell in love with the Audi Ur-Quattro, became an enthusiast of Audi and Volkswagen cars, and has owned nothing else ever since. With his DKW, he combined his passion for the classic car with his responsibility to the environment. "I am pleased that I did this project," says the happy owner, "and I enjoy driving it very dearly." Meet the man and his beloved electric Audi DKW in the video below. Toyota has chosen a sustainable design firm, Corgan, as the lead architect for its new North American headquarters. The new campus will be built in Plano, TX, and will be the workplace of about 4,000 Toyota employees. Corgan, who has already done 47 LEED certified projects, is already designing a temporary office for the site while it finishes the project. Toyota expects to begin working from the site in late 2016 or early 2017. Learn more in the press release below. In July, all new electrical generating capacity in the US came from renewable sources. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Office of Energy Projects' newest "Energy Infrastructure Update" report says new electric generation put into service last month came from wind (379 megawatts), solar (21 megawatts) and hydro (5 megawatts). So far this year, 53 percent of new energy generation capacity has come from various renewable sources, and none from coal or nuclear. Currently, renewable energy accounts for 16.3 percent of the US electric generation capacity, providing about 14 percent of actual electricity. Read more in the press release from the Sun Day Campaign below. Positive life cycle assessment for the new Audi TT Compact sports car scores high for dynamic performance and efficiency Emissions reduced by 11 percent compared with predecessor Customer benefits from the very first mile Ingolstadt, August 18, 2014 – Dynamic performance and efficiency: The new Audi TT* impressively combines both qualities.

eBay Find of the Day: Back To The Future Marty McFly 1985 Toyota SR5 pickup tribute

With DeLorean time machine replicas thick on the ground, it was only a matter of time before someone started recreating the other vehicles in the McFly garage. At the end of the first Back to the Future movie, Marty returns to 1985 to find his sweet-looking Toyota SR5 truck all waxed and ready for his date. That truck always did look great in the movie, and now's your chance to own this close facsimile.
This Back to the Future replica Toyota is on eBay with a price of $14,500, which the seller claims is half of what's been invested. Perhaps that's true, but it's still a nearly 30-year-old truck that's covered 280,000 miles. The seller does say the 22RE engine has been recently rebuilt, along with the rest of the drivetrain, and there's new paint, too. The attention to detail is admirable, and if you've always admired Marty's '80s-chic 4x4, now's your chance to own it.