Sunday, April 1, 2012

2010 TOYOTA FT-86G Sports Concept car pictures

2010 TOYOTA FT-86G Sports Concept
TOYOTA car pictures. 1600 x 1200 pixels.


2010 TOYOTA FT-86G Sports Concept
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Sports-car lovers will be treated to a tantalising glimpse of Toyota's future with the unveiling of the Toyota FT-86G Sports Concept at the 2010 Australian International Motor Show.

The dramatic show car previews a rear-wheel-drive sports coupe that is destined to add appeal and excitement to the Toyota brand post 2012.

As the concept car illustrates, the production model is the spiritual successor to Toyota's sports-car heritage that features names such as Supra and MR2.

Its named is derived from the AE-86 Corolla - a small, light-weight, rear-wheel drive coupe from the 1980s that has achieved cult status.

Toyota's aim is to bring a new level of excitement to Toyota showrooms and customers, connecting with younger drivers and promoting the fun of sports-car driving.

The Toyota FT-86G is the second concept revealed by Toyota in the past year that points to a next-generation production sports coupe.

It has gained tweaks to performance and styling that make it sleeker and more aggressive than the Toyota FT-86 concept shown at 2009 Tokyo Motor Show.

The "G" suffix signifies a sports conversion that has stretched the original by 30mm, widened it by 20mm and lowered it by 30mm (4190mm × 1780mm × 1230mm).

Sharper looks come from a totally redesigned front end that incorporates a larger air intake with visible intercooler, as well as a vented bonnet.

At the rear, a large carbon-fibre wing, diffuser and oversized twin exhausts contribute to the edgier styling.

The Toyota FT-86G Sports Concept sits on low-profile Bridgestone 19-inch rubber - 245/40 at the front and 275/35 at the rear, while Recaro sports seats complete the "G" conversion of the dynamic four-seater.

The concept retains classic sports-car underpinnings with a front-mounted 2.0-litre engine - now boosted with a turbo - driving the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission.

Toyota's plan to return to the sports-car market is in response to the edict by global president Akio Toyoda for the company to re-connect with younger buyers by producing fun-to-drive models.

"It is often said that young people today have drifted away from cars, but I feel it may not be the customers who have drifted from cars but us, the manufacturers," Mr Toyoda said. "I believe it is the mission of auto makers to provide the fundamental excitement of automobiles to customers, regardless of the era."

2009 TOYOTA Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept

2009 TOYOTA Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept
TOYOTA car pictures. 1600 x 1200 pixels.



2009 TOYOTA Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept
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Toyota is unveiling a new Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show, signalling further progress towards its ambition of building the ultimate eco-car. Presentation of the new concept comes ahead of a test programme that will see more than 500 cars leased to customers worldwide for real-world evaluation of performance and monitoring of driver attitudes and experiences.

Using lithium-ion batteries, the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid provides clean, fuel-efficient electric-powered running in urban areas for longer distances and at higher speeds than the conventional, third generation full hybrid Toyota Prius. Over longer distances, or when the limit of battery power is reached, the system automatically shifts to conventional petrol power. Advanced battery technology allows for full recharging in around an hour and a half and the extended EV capability brings CO2 emissions down to around 60g/km.

The plug-in hybrid concept
Europe's population is increasingly urban-centred and Toyota research into commuting patterns shows that in the UK and France, more than 80 per cent of car journeys cover a distance of less than 25km; in the UK around 80 per cent are less than 10km long. These figures confirm the potential for electricity in providing short to mid-term sustainable mobility.

The environmental benefits of electric cars for urban commuting are well-documented, but vehicle development has been hampered by the drawbacks of the weight, size and cost of the large capacity batteries needed to provide even a modest driving range, and the lack of an adequate recharging infrastructure.

Toyota is addressing both these issues with the launch of the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept. It believes that progress in battery technology makes plug-in hybrid architecture the most workable solution for an electrified powertrain. The system overcomes the issue of a limited cruising range by enabling an automatic switch to a traditional full hybrid petrol-electric system once the vehicle reaches the limit of its EV (electric vehicle) driving range.

The concept model is a development of the new, third generation Prius, and builds on the core technology of Hybrid Synergy Drive specifically to meet the needs of urban motorists. It is a full hybrid vehicle in which both the electric motor and petrol engine can drive the wheels: a fully electric EV mode is used for shorter distances, while the petrol engine provides a true long-range capability.

As well as avoiding the limited range traditionally associated with electric vehicles, Toyota has also achieved a compact and practical packaging design for the battery pack. Toyota Prius Plug-in can be also be quickly recharged, from a conventional household electricity point, or a public charging post.

More than 500 Prius Plug-in cars will be released around the world early next year for lease programme, with more than 150 of these on the road in Europe. This will let Toyota evaluate all the technical aspects of the new model in a real-world environment, an essential step in preparing the vehicle for a potential market launch. The lease programme will also yield valuable intelligence on market response and which characteristics drivers find appealing, and why.

Performance
The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept's powertrain is similar in format to the Hybrid Synergy Drive used in the new Prius, but with the nickel-metal hydride battery pack replaced by a new, high-output lithium-ion battery - a first for a Toyota hybrid vehicle. The new battery is more compact and has a higher volumetric energy density, so it does not compromise vehicle weight and packaging. Perhaps more importantly, it can be recharged much more quickly than the nickel-metal hydride type: the battery in the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid can be fully recharged in one-and-a-half hours from a 230v power supply.

The battery allows strong, seamless acceleration up to a maximum 62mph (100km/h) in EV mode. On a full charge, it can cover approximately 12.5miles (20km) in EV mode, six miles further than the nickel-metal hydride battery in the latest Prius model. Over longer distances, the car operates as a regular full hybrid.

The car's extended EV performance has a significant impact on emissions, with CO2 output dropping to less than 60g/km and, as with other full hybrid models, reduced NOx and particulates (PM) levels. Even greater CO2 savings can also be gained if the electricity used to charge the battery is drawn from renewable sources, such as windmills and solar panels. Simply put, the lower the percentage of energy derived from fossil fuels, the better the car's well-to-wheel CO2 performance.

Convenience
The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept is every bit as comfortable, convenient and practical as the latest generation Toyota Prius. As in its sister model, the air conditioning can be activated remotely, when the vehicle is plugged, enabling the cabin to be brought to the right temperature before setting off.

To help drivers maximise the benefits of driving in EV mode, it is equipped with a Hybrid System Indicator, which includes information on the EV driving range, based on the level of battery charge. An engine starting point display has also been added to emphasise the increase in EV driving range.

The Electro Multi-Vision screen on the dashboard also offers a display that highlights the plug-in hybrid's contribution to reducing CO2 emissions, showing a computer graphic image of single tree that gradually increases to whole forest as the battery charging process takes place.

As a significant development in environmentally responsible mobility, the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept offers commuters and people who live in urban areas all the benefits of an electric vehicle, with none of the drawbacks.

Technical Specifications

    * ENGINE
          o Displacement: 1,798 cc
          o Max. power: 97 bhp @ 4,000 rpm
          o Max. torque: 142 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
    * MOTOR
          o Type: Permanent magnet synchronous motor
          o Max. output (bhp): 79 bhp
          o Max. torque (Nm): 207 Nm
    * HV BATTERY
          o Type: Lithium-ion
          o EV cruising range: 12.5 miles
          o Recharging time
          o 100V: 180 min (target)
          o 200V: 100 min (target)
    * EMISSIONS
          o CO2: < 60g/km
    * EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS
          o Overall length: 4,460 mm
          o Overall width: 1,745 mm
          o Overall height: 1,490 mm