2007 Toyota Tundra Base Standard Cab Pickup 2-door 4.7l on 2040-cars

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Toyota finds profit in Europe thanks to hybrid sales

In the land of diesel, Toyota appears to be making money its own way and thereby making more of it. The Japanese automaker is taking on Europe's diesel-centric ways by substantially boosting sales of hybrids on the continent. That, along with cost cutting measures, has increased the company's European profitability, Automotive News says, citing recent remarks by Toyota's European operations chief Didier Leroy. Toyota, which lost money in Europe between 2008 and 2011, started turning things around two years ago by cutting labor at places like UK factories while consolidating production of models such as the Auris and Yaris hybrid vehicles. During the most recently completed financial year, Toyota Europe reported earnings that were up 75 percent from the year before, despite revenue being up just five percent. The company also aims to sell at least 1 million vehicles in Europe by next year and is boosting sales in countries like Russia. Late last year, Didier told Bloomberg News that Toyota's European market share was rising about one percentage point a year, while production at Toyota's factories in countries like France, Turkey and the UK were running at full capacity. Toyota estimated at the time that hybrids accounted for about a fifth of Toyota's European sales.

Toyota Crown celebrates 60 years

Toyota offers a robust lineup of cars in North America, but while the Crown may not be one of them, that wasn't always the case. And this year, the company's longest-running nameplate is marking its sixtieth anniversary. First introduced way back in 1955, the Crown was Toyota's first major export. It became the first Japanese passenger car to reach the US market when the first-generation Crown was launched here in 1958, and marked the company's arrival in Europe when the second-gen model arrived in Denmark in 1963. It started building the Crown in Australia in 1967 and in China more recently in 2005. The Crown is now on its fourteenth generation, and to mark its birthday, Toyota is launching the sedan for a limited time only in sky blue and bright green. Jan. 08, 2015 Toyota 'Crown' Turns 60 Sixty years ago this week, Toyota launched the "Crown", a luxury sedan that would go on to become the company's longest-running passenger-car nameplate and a significant vehicle in the history of the Japanese automobile industry. In 1958 the Crown became the first Japanese passenger car to be exported to the United States, and also started Toyota's passenger car exports to Africa in 1957 and Europe in 1962. Now in its 14th generation, its foremost models are the Crown Royal deluxe saloon and the Crown Athlete sports sedan, both with hybrid powertrain options. In Japan, Toyota is marking the anniversary with the introduction of limited-time-only sky blue and bright green exterior body colors. Toyota Crown Milestones January 1955 First generation launched April 1957 Exported to Ethiopia, Africa August 1958 Exported to the United States October 1962 Second generation launched December 1963 Exported to Denmark, Europe February 1965 Exported to Canada February 1967 Assembly begins in Australia September 1967 Third generation launched February 1971 Fourth generation launched October 1974 Fifth generation launched September 1979 Sixth generation launched August 1983 Seventh generation launched September 1987 Eighth generation launched October 1991 Ninth generation launched December 1995 10th generation launched October 2001 11th generation launched December 2003 12th generation launched March 2005 Production begins in China February 2008 13th generation launched December 2012 14th generation launched

Lexus LX to get diesel engine?

Australian consumers appear poised to get another diesel-burning luxury SUV in the near future, and word is it's coming from Lexus, of all automakers. Sean Hanley, chief executive of the company's branch in Oz, recently told Aussie website Drive that he's "pretty confident" that the new engine for the LX is getting the green light.
Like in the US, the LX in Australia is currently only offered with a 5.7-liter, gasoline-burning V8. However, sales of the big SUV are presently minuscule Down Under, with Drive reporting just 153 LX570s sold in all of Oz last year. Hanley is negotiating with Japan to get the new diesel in hopes of boosting flagging sales. If his efforts are successful, it would be the first diesel engine offered in a Lexus there. Hanley didn't specify exactly which mill the SUV would get. However, given the LX's close relationship with Toyota Land Cruiser, the diesel 4.5-liter twin-turbo V8 already available in the Toyota in markets outside of North America seems like a natural choice.
Don't expect the variant to be hopping across the Pacific, though. Lexus spokesperson Allison Takahashi tells Autoblog she has heard "nothing" about an oil-burning LX coming to the US. That's not a huge surprise, though, because neither Toyota nor Lexus offer any diesels in their lineups today. Also, Lexus has only sold 1,981 LX570s through June, which only placed it ahead of the LFA supercar in the brand's sales. It's probably just not worth certifying the engine for such a low-volume model.