Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA, Tuners, Crossovers/CUVs, Toyota
SEMA Preview: Toyota Venza AS V by Five Axis
Toyota gave a sneak peak of its two tuned Venzas ahead of their unveiling at SEMA, and the first, designed and executed by Five Axis, is an attempt to portrait the jacked-up wagon as the go-to vehicle for active lifestyle types.
The Venza AS V (Active Sports Versatility) features a custom body kit, Five Axis-designed AD R6:F_SPEC 20x10.5-inch deep dish wheels wrapped in Yokohama Advan ST tires (305/45s all around), TRD big brakes with six-piston calipers gripping 15-inch discs up front and four-piston calipers clamping 13.6-inch rotors in the rear, along with a custom rear cargo unit and a Magna Car Top cargo lifter mounted on the rear bumper.
All the details are in the press release below the fold and expect more live images to follow in a few weeks.
[Source: Toyota | Image: Jalopnik]
PRESS RELEASE
Toyota Venza AS V By Five Axis To Debut At 2008 SEMA Show
October 16, 2008 – Torrance, CA - To illustrate the versatility of the new 2009 Toyota Venza a specially modified show vehicle by Five Axis will make its public debut at the 2008 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas from November 4-7.
The Five Axis Venza Active Sports Versatility (AS V) was created to illustrate the versatile applications of the new 2009 Toyota Venza with an emphasis on active sports. It is outfitted with several features offering unique solutions for the transport and storage of all types of winter sports equipment.
The rear of the vehicle houses a very unique utility system. Created by Magna Car Top Systems, an Integrated Cargo Carrier (ICC) stow away rack system provides numerous opportunities for transporting a variety of wet and dry goods such as skis and bicycles.
To complement the ICC system, Five Axis designed and created a multi-purpose rear cargo unit that allows for storage of various items. This hideaway design offers both privacy and protection from other heavier items that can be easily stored on top of the unit. The system also allows for isolated storage of messy items, offering further protection to the interior.
ASV exterior body enhancements include new front and rear bumpers and over-fenders for a more rugged appearance. Wider 20 x 10.5-inch wheels and larger diameter tires also complement the new look of the Venza AS V.
To best illustrate the active sports theme, an emphasis on winter sports was chosen. The Magna Car Top Systems' ICC unit is fitted with a unique snowboard and ski carrier. At the SEMA Show the Venza ASV will be hitched to a trailer mounted with a snowmobile to display its towing capability.
Finally, a Five Axis custom-blended earth tone color palette of Lunar White and Bronze accents finish off the exterior for a fresh reference to some of latest trends in winter fashion.
TOYOTA VENZA AS V (ACTIVE SPORTS VERSATILITY)
Designed by Five Axis
Exterior Modifications:
•Five Axis custom body enhancement
•Five Axis custom paint and accents
•Five Axis AD R6:F_SPEC wheels
-Front 20"x10.5"
-Rear 20"x10.5"
•Yokohama Advan ST tires
-Front 305/45ZR20
-Rear 305/45ZR20
•Five Axis custom exhaust finishers
•Custom multi-purpose rear cargo storage unit
•Magna Car Top Systems Integrated Cargo Carrier
Brake Modifications:
•TRD Big Brakes
-Front 15" diameter
-Rear 13.6" diameter
•TRD forged calipers
-Front 6 piston
-Rear 4 piston
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Torrent 7:34PM (10/17/2008)
goddamn it's just so ugly.
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hyundaifans.com 11:18PM (1/12/2009)
Its not that bad. Ugly is the 2010 Prius!
Justin C 7:45PM (10/17/2008)
Uh, going to have to agree with Torrent...that's definitely the ugliest car I've seen in a while. Of course, ranking as probably the ugliest I've ever seen is this: http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/22/and-you-thought-the-cayenne-looked-fugly-i-stock-i/
Lol.
Gabagool 8:02PM (10/17/2008)
So will you take ugly but something that gets good MPGs and is practical, or will you get something that looks great but you can not afford (subprime)
Torrent 8:14PM (10/17/2008)
Why do I have to choose? I can get everything: good looks, high MPG's and I can afford it. They're called subcompacts.
jgp 8:31PM (10/17/2008)
You can have both. Get thee to a Mazda6 or Hyundai Sonata.
Flashpoint 11:03AM (10/18/2008)
Pacifica
Hamud 7:38PM (10/17/2008)
Nice looking, just get rid of the brown painting.
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Duncan 7:38PM (10/17/2008)
So, explain to me again the rationale behind the Venza. If I'm getting it right, it's a less capable, uglier, cheaper RX 350?
And then Five Axis, who have done so much more with so much less in the past, come up with a 1970s-style two-tone job and a weak body kit, then tie it together with the most mismatched wheel/tire combo I've seen in a while. (And that includes Hummers rolling on 30s, by the way.)
Good work, Toyota. You've once again proven that you have no grasp whatsoever of what makes cars cool.
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fixitfixitstop 8:16PM (10/17/2008)
I thought the Highlander was the uglier, cheaper RX350.
Duncan 8:31PM (10/17/2008)
Well, the Highlander at least has seven seats and a hybrid option. The Venza, as if to prove its uselessness to the Toyota lineup, offers neither of those things. (Hell, even the RAV-freaking-4 gives you more to work with than this atrocity.)
Seriously, I have no idea why this thing exists. Keep in mind that Pontiac tried this idea once before - only they called it an Aztek, and the world shunned it. But because this carries the official Toyota "badge-of-instant-respect", it will be somehow revered as a masterpiece of automotive design.
catgirlshyla 8:57PM (10/17/2008)
Lexus RX is the rebadged Toyota Harrier. The Lexus LX is the Rebadged Toyota Highlander.
psarhjinian 9:19PM (10/17/2008)
No, the LX is a rebadged North American Land Cruiser (or the LC is a decontented LX, take your pick). They're a unique platform.
The RX and Harrier are the same car, with Harrier being the Japanese badge (much like the Mazda 6 and Atenza are the same car); they share platforms with the Highlander (Kluger in Japan), but they're not rebadges any more than the Altima is a rebadge of the Maxima.
The Venza uses the same SXV platform as the Camry, Avalon, ES, RX, Sienna and Highlander. These are platform mates, not rebadges. Rebadges are things like the Cobalt/G5 or Aveo/G3.
P.V. 10:12PM (10/17/2008)
I believe you are right. This is more of a competitor to the Nissan Murano, Ford Edge, and Mazda CX-7 (by the way, this "tuned" version looks exactly like a perverted Edge). Apparently, Toyota needs to fill up every niche possible.
The Harrier is an archaic name, as the Lexus brand (RX included) has been sold in Japan and other Asian countries for a few years now.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but:
Camry platform = Camry, ES, Highlander, RX, Sienna
Avalon (stretched Camry) platform = Avalon, Venza
Land Cruiser platform = Land Cruiser, LX
jgp 2:04AM (10/18/2008)
@psarhjinian: Actually, the LX has a distinct name in the Japanese market: Toyota Land Cruiser Cygnus. "Land Cruiser" is sort of a sub-marque in Japan: the Lexus GX is sold there as the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.
Toyota actually does more badge-engineering in the JDM than the USDM, though. Look up the Allion/Premio/Avensis (same car, minor styling differences, different dealer networks), Corolla/Auris/Blade (ditto, but the Corolla has different body styles), and Mark X/Crown/Lexus GS (like the above, but with major styling differences) for some good examples. There used to be a few more: Altezza (Lexus IS in US)/Progres/Brevis and Mark II/Cressida/Chaser/Cresta come to mind; the former set actually used a shortened version of the latter set's platform (the latter set eventually got whittled down over time, and their successor, the Mark X, was finally merged into the Crown/GS platform). They had Corolla/Sprinter for ages, which became Corolla/Allex/Runx and finally Corolla/Auris/Blade. Corona/Carina/Caldina/Celica was the ancestor of Allion/Premio/Avensis/Celica (and then the Celica was killed...). And I've just scratched the surface...I haven't even mentioned the 80s/90s semi-pillarless hardtops based on some of the aforementioned platforms.
Joseph 7:48PM (10/17/2008)
Active Sports Versatility??? Are you kidding me? Just when I thought they couldn't possibly come up with a new segment in this already incredibly diversified market... lol
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HAWC1506 7:56PM (10/17/2008)
Well, at least this grille is better than the original...not by much though. Lipstick on a pig makes the pig still a pig.
^I'm beginning to really like that lipstick-pig saying!
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CamryFan 8:06PM (10/17/2008)
Not to bad, not great either
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Noidor 8:37PM (10/17/2008)
Does anyone else see a new generation Lincoln front end?
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Cardude 8:56PM (10/17/2008)
It's pretty, looks a lot like a new age Minivan.
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