Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of the Diesel Dually Tundra

Toyota has earned its reputation for producing fuel efficient vehicles, but one dent in the Japanese automaker's armor has been the gas-guzzling Tundra and Sequoia. To help rectify the situation, Toyota Engineers have been working hard on a 4.5L clean-diesel powerplant that will substantially improve fuel economy for the body-on-frame trucks. The 4.5L engine is reportedly scheduled to arrive Stateside by 2010, and it's a no-brainer in light of the fact that both Ford and GM are offering similarly sized oil-burners for their trucks and SUVs.

You may remember the Dually Tundra fantasy truck that was shown last year at SEMA. Well, this news means the mega-sized diesel may not be far from reality. Inside Line is also reporting that Toyota may be delivering a monstrous 7.0L diesel for a commercial-grade Tundra, with a possible production date around 2011-2012. Toyota still hasn't given the go-ahead for a heavy duty Tundra, so the king-sized diesel powerplant likely will arrive only if the larger Tundra does, too.


[Source: Inside Line]

What's built in the States, stays in the States. At least that is how it used to be with one of the world's largest automaker. (The one exception is the Toyota Avalon sedan -- exported to the Middle East last year.)

Toyota has now announced that it will ramp up U.S. vehicle production in Indiana and begin exporting vehicles to other booming markets around the world. The first to leave our shores will be the Toyota Sequoia, as it heads to buyers in the Middle East later this year. The Toyota Sienna minivan will follow, as it will be shipped to China and other markets as early as 2010. This news should be welcomed by workers and suppliers at the automaker's plants as Toyota recently slowed production at several facilities. This new trend of shifting production towards exporting vehicles may help keep them running at capacity, and keep everyone on their jobs.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

Although Toyota has recently claimed the title of the World's Largest Automaker in terms of global sales, the Japanese-giant is finding out that life at the top isn't all it's cracked-up to be. While the Camry, Corolla, Yaris and Prius sedans are reportedly brisk movers, the same thing cannot be said about Toyota's line of trucks and sport utility vehicles. Toyota has cut Tundra and Sequoia production already, but dealers are still declining to purchase them, pushing the number of unclaimed units to an all-time high. Automotive News quotes an unnamed Toyota dealer as saying, "Last month, Southeast Toyota had 9,700 vehicles that had been turned down twice by dealers and are either sitting at the port or at sea. That's a significant number." Right now, Toyota/Scion has a high 58-day supply of available inventory on hand.

Some dealers, though, see the high number of available units as a blessing-in-disguise. "We've been asking for more inventory for two years and now we finally got it. This is a great opportunity. You have to take it when you can get it," says Steve Cain, general manager of Lewis Toyota-Scion in Topeka, Kansas. Regardless of your viewpoint, we expect that Toyota will align itself with market realities in order to bring production in line with actual sales sooner rather than later. In other words, if you've been in the market for a Toyota truck, chances are good you'll get a decent deal.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

In a rare move for Toyota, the auto company will be slowing production of the Tundra pickup and the Sequoia SUV due to lagging sales. Last year, Toyota sold 196,555 Tundra's, which was just a bit shy of their stated goal of 200,000. Still, it was enough to make the Tundra the fourth-best-selling truck in America, and very close to the GMC Sierra at third. Significantly, those 196,555 sales represent a 57-percent gain in Tundra sales as compared to 2006. Still, Toyota is not selling as many Tundra's as they had hoped, forcing them to slow down their production cycle. Last month, Toyota sold over 10,000 fewer Tundra's than they are capable of producing. No jobs will be lost at either the Princeton, Indiana plant or the San Antonio, Texas plant where Tundra's and Sequoia's are built.

Those in the market for a new truck are very close to welcoming the redesigned '09 Ford F-150 and '09 Dodge Ram to the stable of choices. Despite this announcement, we're nowhere near ready to count Toyota out, and we're sure that they are well aware that they are in the middle of an uphill battle where consumers will have more quality pickups to choose from than ever before.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Lexus has added its bigger, more powerful 5.7L truck engine to its premium SUV, and as a result, the new LX 570 has a bigger price to go along with it. The upscale 'ute's base sticker grows by a knee-wobbling $6,405, starting at a rather monumental $73,800. For those scoring at home, that's about $18,000 more than the Cadillac Escalade, and within $3,000 of the top-end Mercedes GL550. While the LX 570 surpasses the outgoing LX 470 in both power and luxury, a $73,800 price tag is a substantial pill to swallow, even in this admittedly pricey segment.

[Source: Detroit News]

The 2008 Toyota Sequoia is bigger, badder, and pricier for the 2008 model year. The fully-redone SUV now starts at $34,150 for the base model, and shoots all the way to $55,800 for the top-end Platinum edition. The outgoing model started $1,000 cheaper at $33,160, and the higher end Limited will now run you about $3,000 more, up to $45,225. The main reason for the Limited model's jump in price is that same 381 hp 5.7L V8 and six speed auto that powers the Tundra is found under hood.

Unfortunately, Toyota also felt the need to use the same hideous interior as its largest truck, which is a full-size bummer. Overall, though, the Sequoia's added size, the new optional 5.7L V8, and 13% jump in fuel economy combine to be much more impressive than the outgoing model's offerings, making the 3% price jump a decent deal overall. Toyota's full press release is available after the jump.



[Source: Toyota]

click above image to see high-res gallery of the 2008 Sequoia

Toyota rolled out the 2008 Sequoia today and as expected, it is essentially a Tundra in SUV form. The Sequoia's front end and interior take design cues straight from its pickup truck brethren. The new model will also get the option of the 381 HP 5.7L V8 engine mated to a six-speed transmission. While on the surface the new Sequoia is based off of the Tundra, it is also designed with an active family lifestyle in mind. The addition of independent front and rear suspensions offer a more comfortable ride for lengthy trips along with increased handling and stability. It is also rather capable of clambering over rough terrain as was demonstrated live on stage. The rear seats and the third row are more adjustable for better storage, access and comfort, as well. Toyota also threw in more electronic gadgets to keep up with consumer demands. A JBL synthesis 14-speaker sound system is available complete with Bluetooth connectivity, MP3 player ports, XM satellite radio and a rear DVD player.

Follow the jump for the complete release from the Toyota camp. Also check out our hi-res images from the live unveiling along with Toyota's own photography in the gallery below.