Autoblog

Joint manufacturing ventures allow both automakers to share resources and platforms, but unfortunately, it also means they share problems. Such is the case with GM and Toyota, whose NUMMI plant in Fremont, California, put out 540,000 Toyota Matrixes, Corollas and 123,00 Pontiac Vibes with faulty bolts that hold in the glass on the two front doors. The 660,000 2003-2004 vehicles equipped with power windows are being recalled after 500 complaints, 36 claimed injuries and one crash (?!) were reported. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is calling for both automakers to recall the affected vehicles and replace the faulty bolts at no charge.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Photo: David Guimaraes

If you're an automaker and want to tap into the knowledge base of your most fervent fans, what better place to go for input than one of the many model-specific forums on the 'Net. Supposedly, that's exactly what happened over at Club4AG.

The site's founder, Moto Miwa, has been in contact with one of the chief engineers tasked by Toyota to begin developing the oft-rumored sports car that's been making the rounds on the Web. The unnamed engineer worked on the original AE86 Corolla, along with a host of other projects including the 2nd generation Prius. While Toyota's ubiquitous hybrid isn't what anyone would consider sporty, the man behind its development, who's now working on the coupe, is apparently quite the petrolhead.

In preparation for a meeting with Toyota's engineer, Miwa asked the Club4AG crew with what they want the new coupe to come equipped. Naturally, the consensus involved repeated pleas for something lightweight, rear-wheel-drive, a DOHC four-cylinder that trades big power for responsiveness, and a chassis and engine that's designed for modification.

Here's hoping that Miwa's Man on the Inside heeds the advice and brings an entertaining whip to those of us with shallow pockets and a penchant for wrenching.

[Source: Club4AG via Winding Road]

Click the image above for a gallery of high-res pics.

Toyota has finally announced pricing for the 2009 Matrix and Corolla that made their unceremonious debut back in November at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. Both models get a bump in their sticker, with the Corolla costing $845 more than the outgoing 2008 model, while the Matrix increases by $680.

The base Corolla, whose nomenclature has been changed from CE to "Standard", starts at $15,250 sporting a five-speed manual, while an automatic model will set you back another $800. The LE and XLE models start at $16,650 and $17,550, respectively, both equipped with an automatic tranny and the 132-hp, 1.8-liter four. Care to upgrade a bit? You can now get the new 2.4-liter four producing 158 hp and 162 lb.-ft. of torque in the XRS version starting at $18,760 with a manual or $19,950 with an automatic that Toyota notes can be "shift sequentially."

The Matrix, which Toyota claims redesigned the crossover segment, but in reality is just a five-door Corolla, comes in three flavors: Standard, S and XRS. You can equip the warmed-over hatch with either the same 1.8-liter or 2.4-liter four found in the Corolla, mated to either a five-speed manual or a four- or five-speed automatic. All-wheel-drive will be an option on S-trim models that will come standard with the 2.4-liter four-pot and "Super ECT" four-speed gearbox. Pricing for the standard matrix starts at $16,190 if you row the gears yourself, while the max'd out XRS models shoots up to $21,850 with an auto 'box. None of the prices listed above include the $650 destination fee.

All the details and trim levels are available in Toyota's press release after the jump.

click above for high resolution gallery of the Toyota Auris SR180

The bucket of parts that makes up the Toyota Corolla also gives life to several other vehicles worldwide. In the UK and other parts of the world, they get the Auris, a three- or five-door hatch-type-thing. While Toyotas in the United States are sleepy affairs, the Auris is ringing in 2008 with a sporty, well-equipped SR180 version. Looking great with a lowered suspension from Toyota Motorsport and blacked out rear glass, the Auris appears intimately involved with the pavement. There's a subtle spoiler atop the hatch, which always gives a nice finish to the back end of this style car, and the wheel arches are nicely filled with 17-inch alloy rims. Underhood, Toyota's D-4D Diesel provides 175 horsepower and a whopping 294 ft-lbs of torque through a six-speed manual while returning 38 mpg (US) on a combined cycle.

Equipment levels are up, providing the driver with such goodies as dual-zone climate control, automatic headlamps and wipers, and cruise control. Stability and traction-control systems are standard, too. It all sounds and looks very good until you run the roughly £18,500 price through a currency conversion – coming out the other side at about $37,000 greenbacks. Some people would sell a kidney on eBay for the opportunity to get something like this Stateside, and it certainly is a rare Toyota that makes us say "That's cool." If you're someplace where you can take advantage of it, order yours now for January delivery.

[Source: Toyota]

A faulty seatbelt that traps an occupant in a vehicle and leads to his death is a horrible tragedy. If the defect were given a pass at the manufacturing plant, it goes beyond tragic to criminal. Toyota is now facing two lawsuits in California, both centered around manufacturing defects that may have been ignored at its joint-venture New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. plant.

We reported earlier on the first lawsuit filed by Katy Cameron, a NUMMI worker who alleges that vehicles with serious problems were passed out the door, even though the NUMMI plant purportedly subscribes to the "Toyota way" of manufacturing. Instead of empowering workers to spot and correct defects, even stop the assembly line to make things right, management at the NUMMI plant allegedly discouraged Cameron by demoting her.

A second lawsuit has also been filed by the Singh family, who are blaming the seatbelt latch in their 2002 Corolla for the death of Raminder Singh. The Singhs were involved in an accident that led to an engine fire, and while 19-year-old Gurinder Singh was able to exit the vehicle, his father remained trapped by his seatbelt despite Gurinder's efforts to unlatch it.

A spokesman for Toyota has been quoted as saying, "as heart-rending and tragic as this collision was, Toyota has an altogether different view of the facts." The facts will hopefully come to light during this civil trial, which heard opening statements on Tuesday.

Thanks for the tip, Jon!

[Source: Money/CNN]

UPDATE: Video of the Corolla and Matrix tuners is available after the jump

Click the image above for a dozen live high-res pics

It's got to be the shortest tuner turnaround time ever. Toyota unveiled the new Corolla and within minutes took the wraps off this SEMAfied version, dubbed the S3. Much like the Matrix Rally that shared the stage, the S3 is fitted with a supercharger and an intercooler, a set of awkwardly sized and horrendously designed dubs, plus some body adornments and interior trim that makes it everything a Corolla isn't.

Check out our full gallery of images below and compare it to its sedate sibling here.

UPDATE: Video of the Corolla and Matrix tuners is available after the jump

Click the image above for a gallery of high-res pics.

Toyota unleashed the new Matrix in a Halloween-infused joint press conference here in Vegas. The production version of the new (Corolla) Matrix debuted across the street, but we were on hand to see the Rally version unveiled on the floor at SEMA. The new design lends itself well to some modifications, but like most of the vehicles here at the show, it's more about flash than function. The front-mount intercooler helps feed a supercharged version of the Matrix's 2.4-liter four. The OZ wheels and upgraded brakes speak to the concept's functionality, as does the stripped out interior, added fuel cell and multi-point rollcage.

We'll have more details on the production version momentarily, but in the meantime, check the gallery below. Also, in case you missed it, you can check out the new Toyota Corolla right here.

UPDATE: Video of the 2009 Corolla unveiling has been added after the jump.

click above image to view more high-res shots of the 2009 Toyota Corolla

Finally got official shots from Toyota of the 2009 Corolla added to the gallery. While we're waiting for live shots of the car to arrive, we'll tell you a little bit about Toyota's new small car. The 2009 Corolla will come in five trims: Standard, LE, XLE, the "sporty" S and even "sportier" XRS. The car is about the same size as the last model, but the A- and C-pillars have been pushed out to give the greenhouse a more rakish look. Meanwhile, S and XRS models get a body kit that includes a chin spoiler, fog lamps, rocker moldings, spoilers and even an underbody engine cover to improve airflow beneath the car. Engines include the base 1.8L four-cylinder with dual-VVT-i producing 132 HP and 162 ft-lbs. of twist. The XRS alone gets a 2.4L producing 154 HP and 162 ft-lbs. of torque. Cars like the Honda Civic Si sedan shouldn't worry. S models also get 16-inch wheels that are unfortunately capped with wheel covers, while the XRS sports 17-inchers that are pure alloy.

There's no word on pricing yet, but the 2009 Toyota Corolla will be available in dealerships this February. Check out Toyota's full press release after the jump for more details.

Check out the simultaneous debut of the Corolla's sibling, the 2009 Toyota Corolla Matrix, by clicking HERE.

UPDATE: We figured it out. The car below is the Australian Corolla sedan, though what's to say the 2009 model destined for U.S. shores won't share the same front end?


Stranger things have happened, you know. We're about a week and a half away from the 2009 Toyota Corolla's official debut at this year's SEMA show in Las Vegas, and media will get to preview the new small car this week. It could just be, however, that a dealer somewhere spilled the beans by accidentally publishing a pic of the new Corolla in its weekly circular. Do we think that's the case? Hardly. It's probably just a Toyota model of which we're not aware, perhaps a Camry derivative. But hey, we've been wrong before. Muchos gracias to anyone who can correctly identify the car if it is, in fact, a current model.

Thanks for the tip, Peter!

[Source: Carspace]

The Wall Street Journal has confirmed what's been alluded to in the past, but this time, it's from the top. Volkswagen's CEO Martin Winterkorn plans to price its U.S. offerings more aggressively in a bid to better compete with the likes of Toyota.

Currently, the Jetta starts around $17,000, while a comparable (?) Corolla is about $2k less. Same goes for the Passat and Camry segment, where the VW's mid-size sedan has close to a $4,000 premium over its Toyota counterpart.

Interestingly, Winterkorn admits, "We have definitely added too many technical items that (American) customers don't want to pay for." What those particular features are escapes us, but as long as they work, that's all that matters.

[Source: Wall Street Journal]