Qualifying analysis - flying Hamilton surprises Red Bull

The first day/night qualifying session proved a complete success on the dramatic new Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, where Lewis Hamilton’s pace in the McLaren surprised Red Bull duo Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. This trio seems to have a small but crucial advantage over the Brawn duo of Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button.

For the record, the fuel weights were: Hamilton, 658.5 kg; Vettel 663, Webber 660, Barrichello 655, Button 657, Toyota’s Jarno Trulli 661, BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica 654.5, BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld 664, Williams’ Nico Rosberg 665 and Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi 661.5.

McLaren
Lewis Hamilton, 1m 40.948s, P1
Heikki Kovalainen, 1m 40.983, P13, will start P18
Hamilton was delighted with the MP4-24, saying it felt the best it had all season. He used KERS for all it was worth, and said things just got better and better as he regained the advantage from the speedy Red Bull duo. Kovalainen’s chances were damned straight away in Q2; he had just set the first fast time when he suffered a gearbox failure. The unit required replacement, leaving him with a grid-place penalty that dropped him from 13th to 18th.

Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel, 1m 41.615s, P2
Mark Webber, 1m 41.726s, P3
Vettel admitted that he and Webber were surprised by Hamilton’s pace, especially when it transpired that he wasn’t that much lighter on fuel. Both felt they got the best from their RB5s and said the cars were working well. They also thought that McLaren’s KERS was particularly advantageous here.

Brawn GP
Rubens Barrichello, 1m 41.786s, P4
Jenson Button, 1m 41.892s, P5
Barrichello said he was happy with the way his car improved as the temperatures dropped for qualifying. Button was very quick all through practice and Q1 and Q2, but with a fuel load in Q3 he started to get serious vibrations which led to debilitating understeer.

Toyota
Jarno Trulli, 1m 41.897s, P6
Kamui Kobayashi, 40.777s, P12
Trulli felt he got things right in all of the sessions and was happy with sixth, especially as Button only marginally improved on his time. Kobayashi had hoped to make Q3 in his first fully dry Formula One qualifying. In the end he was philosophical to miss out by just a couple of tenths.

BMW Sauber
Robert Kubica, 1m 41.992s, P7
Nick Heidfeld, 1m 42.343s, P8
Kubica rued Friday’s loss of time after his second session engine failure and said that the lower track temperature in qualifying had a deleterious affect on his F1.09’s handling. Heidfeld was quite happy on the greater fuel load and said that his marginal chance of a final improvement might have been frustrated when he came across Webber late in the lap.

Williams
Nico Rosberg, 1m 42.583s, P9
Kazuki Nakajima, 1m 41.148s, P14, will start P13
Rosberg made the top 10 again in his final race for Williams, and felt that ninth was the best he could have expected as his FW31 struggled on the open sections of the circuit. Nakajima didn’t manage to get his last lap together in Q2.

Toro Rosso
Sebastien Buemi, 1m 42.583s, P10
Jaime Alguersuari, 1m 41.689s, P15, will start P14
Buemi admitted that he had hoped for better than 10th after shining all through practice, but said he was happy overall given his fuel load. Alguersuari lost valuable track time when he didn’t run at all in the morning, for reasons the team didn’t divulge, and never managed to catch up.

Ferrari
Kimi Raikkonen, 1m 40.726s, P11
Giancarlo Fisichella, 1m 42.184s, P20
Once again Raikkoinen got the most out of the ageing F60, and Fisichella didn’t, and prospects for regaining third place in the constructors’ championship from McLaren appear weak.

Renault
Fernando Alonso, 1m 41.667, P16, will start P15
Romain Grosjean, 1m 41.950s, P19
Renault struggled throughout practice and qualifying here, and 16th and 19th indicated the depth of the problem.

Force India
Vitantonio Liuzzi 1m 41.701s, P17, will start P16
Adrian Sutil, 1m 41.863s, P18, will start P17
Liuzzi was really happy with his VJM02 on his first run in Q1 and believed he had the pace to get through to Q2. But the second set of soft tyres changed its behaviour for the worst as it lost grip. Sutil also complained of oversteer.

Reference: F1.com

Toyota Creates New Plants to Offset CO2 Emitted By Prius Factory

Toyota has created two new flowers that will help with the factory being more environmentally friendly.  They are being planted around the Prius Factory and helping to reduce the CO2 that is being emitted into the environment.  The plants are derivatives of a cherry sage plant and the gardenia and are capable to absorb nitrogen oxides and take heat out of the atmosphere.

Toyota flower

Here is a link to the original article

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=66761&vf=1

BREAKING NEWS: Press denied Access to Negotiation

After several discussions, it has been noticed that the press is often pushed back from discussion rounds. From our perspective, it is absolutely unacceptable that journalists are driven aways from rooms where world’s important decisions are taken. People must have access to information. That is why, considering such a drift, we solemnely protest against this practice

 

By Guillaume BOURGUET

 

More news at: Theliberaldaily.wordpress.com

Hampton Township Toyota

DIEHL TOYOTA OF BUTLER

In 1995, Matt and Corina Diehl bought Trostle Team along with Bob Preston as partner and opened Preston Automotive Group, Inc. which they eventually bought out in 2002 and renamed Diehl Automotive Group Inc. The Diehl’s expanded the business with the purchase of Keck Chrysler which was moved to the Pittsburgh Road location. In 2004, Diehl Automotive Group became North Pittsburghs exclusive Sprinter dealer followed by the addition of Scion, a division of Toyota Motor Corp. Toyota Cranberry.

The dealerships commitment to providing customers with an experience far exceeding their expectations and really understanding customers’ wants and needs. Diehl Chrysler Jeep Dodge became the first dealership in Pittsburgh area to become a five star dealership for Daimler Chrysler, which sets high standards for customer focused processes and satisfaction levels.

In an effort to give back to the community for supporting the dealership, Diehl’s supported community agencies and causes specifically those programs with an emphasis on children. It’s hard to find a school, athletic team, academic program or extra curricular activity that Diehl Automotive Group has not supported.

CLICK HERE FOR MAP AND DIRECTIONS

SALES HOURS

SERVICE HOURS

PARTS HOURS

RENTAL HOURS

COLLISION HOURS

Mon, Tue & Thur: 8:30am-9:00pm

Wed & Fri: 8:30am-6:00pm

Sat: 9:00am-4:00pm

1-866-573-6181

Mon-Fri: 8am-5pm

Sat: 8am-Noon

724-282-9399

Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm

Sat: 8am-Noon

724-282-1055

Mon-Fri: 7:30am-6:00pm
Sat: 8am-Noon

724-285-5900

Mon-Fri: 8:00am-6:00pm

724-282-6177

 

Diehl Toyota X Diehl of Butler X Butler Pennsylvania X Toyota X new and used cars X Diehl toyota X Butler toyota X new toyota X used toyota X Butler used cars X Butler new cars X Pennsylvania new cars X pittsburgh area Toyota Dealer X camry X 4 runner X wexford toyota X toyota wexford X hampton X new castle X shaler X shaler toyota X shaler camry X camry shaler X 4 runner wexford X highlanders for sale pittsburgh X highlander pittsburgh X highlander loaded X scion pittsburgh X scion wexford

TOYOTA - back in the future

Va plac masinile? Cu siguranta da. Ce vedeti la ele? Motoare puternice, caroserii dementiale, viteza, acceleratie, sisteme de franare, senzori si tot felul de inventii si inovatii tehnice de parca totul ar fi anorganic, fara viata. Cei mai trecuti de prima tinerete, va mai amintiti cum va indemnati vechea Dacie, cum vorbeati cu ea si cand la un moment dat v-a salvat viata (mie, mi-a salvat-o).
Metalul, plasticul, fibra de sticla, otelurile speciale, au viata. Sa nu radeti, au energia acumulata de la cei care le-au atins, iar cei care le-au atins sunt samurai, “samurai Toyota”. Codul lor de conduita, bushido, la Toyota se numeste kaizen “Dezvoltă performanţa companiei prin dezvoltarea oamenilor”.
Toyota este un nume japonez si reprezinta Tara Soarelui Rasare pe mapamond.
Site-ul Toyota este bine facut, are tot ce-I trebuie, dar ganditi-va, nu vindeti numai masini, vindeti si spiritul celor care le-au construit si conceput. Intoarcerea la radacini cred ca ar schimba un pic imaginea masinilor de pe site. O parere personala, doar atat.

 

 

 

 

Acest articol a fost scris pentru SuperBlog 2009

Vendas globais da Toyota caem 20% em 9 meses

Agência Estado

A montadora japonesa Toyota Motor disse que suas vendas globais de veículos caíram 20% no período de janeiro a setembro deste ano em comparação com igual intervalo do ano passado, para 5,65 milhões de unidades. A queda das vendas nos Estados Unidos, Europa e Japão ofuscaram o desempenho positivo na China. Apesar do declínio, o resultado superou o da Volkswagen, que vendeu 4,76 milhões de veículos nos nove primeiros meses deste ano. Apenas no terceiro trimestre, a Toyota vendeu 2,08 milhões de veículos, 7% a menos que em igual período do ano passado e 420 mil unidades a mais do que sua concorrente alemã. A General Motors ainda não divulgou seus números referentes ao terceiro trimestre e aos nove primeiros meses do ano.

A concorrência entre a Toyota e a Volks tem se intensificado após a japonesa anunciar em março seu primeiro prejuízo anual em 59 anos, resultado do colapso da demanda por automóveis nos EUA e em outros mercados importantes. A Volks, ao contrário, registrou um aumento de 15% de seu lucro líquido em 2008, por causa de sua exposição limitadas aos EUA.

“No curto prazo, a Toyota vai ampliar suas vendas”, já que os subsídios e incentivos fiscais para estimular a demanda por veículos eficientes elevarão a procura por carros biocombustíveis no Japão, ao mesmo tempo em que os programas governamentais expiram na Europa, disse o analista Yasuaki Iwamoto, da Okasan Securities.

Ainda assim, o diferencial entre a Toyota e a Volks pode voltar a diminuir quando os programas japoneses acabarem. A GM, por sua vez, encontra dificuldade para ampliar suas vendas, já que tem reduzido capacidade de produção nos EUA, apontam analistas. “O crescimento virá dos mercados emergentes. A Toyota não possui necessariamente força aí”, enquanto a Volkswagen tem boa posição na China, disse Tatsuya Mizuno, da Mizuno Credit Advisory.

Fonte: Agência Estado | www.aeinvestimentos.limao.com.br

Recent Reviews of Our Vehicles

Outlander Reviews

KBB names Outlander one of the “Top 10 Tailgating Cars in America”.

Lancer Sportback Reviews

Saskatoon [CAN] Star Phoenix 9/4/2009
“The Sportback performed flawlessly.  Doing the day-to-day things is a lot easier when the vehicle is suited to the task, and the Sportback rose to the occasion every time.”
“Working the transmission was considerably more fun than just leaving it in drive. Mitsubishi has chosen to have actual gear ratio “steps” in its CVT transmission. This means that when you give a tug on the paddle shifter, you can actually feel a gear change.”

Weekly Voice [CAN] 9/5/2009
“Thanks to its extra-roofline, there is much more space for you to haul your stuff in. So if you have baby strollers to lug around, this would come in handy.”
“The ride is quite plush, think of it as a mini Cadillac and you’ll get the idea.”

Carconnection.com 8/7/2009
“The Sportback appears a bit roomier than the Subaru Impreza WRX in the cargo area….Also of note is that the hatch opens down all the way to the bumper, for especially easy loading.”
“No manual transmission is offered on the Ralliart Sportback as of yet, but the Twin Clutch gearbox remains a favorite of TheCarConnection.com, pulling off quicker shifts under power than almost any skilled driver would be capable of, while not bringing the fuel-economy penalty in real-world driving that often accompanies traditional automatics.”
“Overall, there’s a lot to love in the Sportback’s package, including a lot more practicality without a significant difference in the driving experience versus the sedan.”
“The Ralliart trumps the WRX in steering feel.”

Lancer Ralliart Review

Autocraze.com 8/28/2009
“Has loads of power, handling is great, has a dual-clutch transmission and an AWD system that offers some of the finest rallying experiences.”
“Offers an experience like no other machine in its range.”
“Mitsu has gone absolutely bonkers on this one, trying to make one of the best rally cars available to the common man.”
“I have no qualms about the Ralliart. It just has so much to offer. This is the perfect machine to tackle down winding corners on the highest mountains without the fear of falling of the cliff.”

CNET 8/20/2009
“With its dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel-drive system, the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart delivers exciting performance on twisty roads.”
“An excellent car for weekend sport driving.”
“The Lancer Ralliart squeezes power out of a 2-liter four-cylinder engine through the use of a turbocharger and variable valve timing, then puts it to the wheels that need it most with its advanced all-wheel-drive system. The result is some of the most impressive cornering performance on the most difficult roads we’ve found.”

Carconnection.com 8/8/2009
“Mitsubishi detunes the Evolution’s engine but at the same time makes it more drivable for most everyday users in the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart. The results are impressive.”
“The 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart might be the new king of the budget thrill rides.”
“The 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart’s body is as sound as they come.”

Examiner 8/4/2009
“The Ralliart bridges the gap between the fun Lancer GTS and the awe-inspiring Evo by taking the best points of each and placing them in a balanced, affordable package.”
“Driving the Ralliart is a joy…perfect for a brisk drive down a winding country road….The Ralliart moves sinuously through curves – not as flat as the Evo, but definitely a true sports car.”
“Subaru’s latest interpretation of the Impreza line has met with lukewarm support from the press and enthusiast community, so Mitsubishi is poised to capitalize on that weakness with the Ralliart.”
“The bottom line on the Lancer Ralliart is that Mitsubishi has hit that same sweet spot formerly occupied by the Porsche 356SC and the Ferrari GT Berlinetta Lusso. Those are the cars Ferry Porsche and Enzo Ferrari chose to be their own daily drivers. Why not choose a Lancer Ralliart for yours?”

Eclipse Spyder Review

London [ONT} Free Press 9/4/2009
“I’m a sucker for this car, which I still think is one of the prettiest on the planet.”
“The GT-P gets a new dual exhaust, which not only produces a great sound but unleashes a few more horses from the 3.8-litre V6.”
“The top folds down into its own dedicated compartment, hidden from sight by a hard tonneau cover. That means the top and its mechanism don’t intrude into the trunk, which is a useful 147 litres – a bonus in a car this type.”

888-501-4860 – 6120 S. Broadway, Littleton, CO 80121

Contact Us

Click Here for Videos

Curtas - Do Chile

Dando uma passada pelo site do piloto Gustavo Carvalho, essa foto de um evento em Santigo do Chile do qual ele participou me chamou atenção: a brasileirissima Master Power estava presente no evento, tendo como garoto-propaganda um Toyota Supra! Prova de que tecnologia brasileira faz bonito em qualquer lugar do mundo! E aguardem, brevemente uma matéria sobre a carreira (e os carros) do Gustavo, nome sempre presente em eventos e apresentações por todo o país,  aqui para vocês.

Thiago Marinelli

Toyota Prius é escolhido o Carro do Ano no Japão

Após receber vários prêmios, o Toyota Prius obteve mais uma conquista nesta semana. No Salão de Tóquio, o modelo foi anunciado como o Carro do Ano do Japão 2009. O híbrido foi apontado por um juri especializado, composto principalmente por jornalistas esportivos de toda a terra do sol nascente, sendo considerado o melhor veículo lançado entre 1º novembro do ano passado e 1º de outubro de 2009. O segundo colocado foi seu grande rival, Honda Insight.

Além do Carro do Ano 2009, outras categorias foram anunciadas no evento da capital japonesa. No segmento de veículos importados, o vencedor foi o Volkswagen Golf VI. Entre os “mais divertidos”, a vitória ficou para o Nissan 370Z, lá conhecido como Fairlady Z. O Mitsubishi i-MiEV foi eleito o mais avançado tecnologicamente, enquanto o Subaru Legacy venceu como melhor custo-benefício. A menção honrosa ficou para o Honda Fit, eleito o melhor veículo da década por conquistar 22 prêmios desde seu lançamento.

Neste ano, o prêmio completa 30 anos de história. Por isso, ganhou espaço próprio no Salão de Tóquio, contando com uma série de vencedores expostos no maior evento automotivo do país.

Toyoa inicia, finalmente, suas vendas na Coreia do Sul

Até então, a Toyota não atuava no mercado sul-coreano como marca. O Grupo estava representado somente pela fabricante de luxo Lexus, presente desde 2000 naquele país. Agora, a gigante japonesa pretende investir contra os rivais coreanos, como eles têm feito em vários mercados “dominados” pela empresa. A intenção é diminuir os 70% de fatia do mercado do conglomerado Kia-Hyundai.

Inicialmente, a marca japonesa oferecerá o sedã Camry e sua versão híbrida, o utilitário-esportivo RAV4 e o híbrido Prius. A empresa terá uma pequena rede com apenas cinco concessionários neste primeiro momento, estando três deles localizados na capital Seul. A meta é chegar a 500 unidades mensais neste ano, passando para 700 carros/mês no ano que vem.

Prius is STILL the Most Fuel-Efficient Car

Well, here’s some car-related news that’s worthy of attention.
Last week, United States’ E.P.A. (Environmental Protection Agency) has released its latest list of fuel-efficient vehicles. And guess what car won first place in the list of top 10 economical cars? The Toyota Prius… again! According to the Japanese article at carview.co.jp, this is the 4th consecutive year in which the Prius has emerged victorious among a multitude of green cars.

Amazingly enough, the latest Prius has managed to run 21.68km per litre in the city (that’s 51MPG!) and 20.4km/l (48MPG) on the highway.

EPA's Greenest Car: Toyota Prius

Here is the top 10 list:

1：Toyota Prius
2：Ford Fusion Hybrid
3：Honda Civic Hybrid
4：Honda Insight
5：Lexus HS250h
6：Nissan Altima Hybrid
7：Ford Escape Hybrid
8：Smart ForTwo
9：Toyota Camry Hybrid
10：Lexus RX450h

It’s interesting to note that 9 of the top 10 vehicles are hybrids, cars that move by means of an electric motor as well as an engine. The only non-hybrid car in there is the tiny Smart ForTwo (which I am personally quite fond of, because it’s so cute). Even better is the fact that 7 of the cars are Japanese: 4 Toyota/Lexus, 2 Hondas, and a Nissan.

For a more detailed list, check out this link: Most and Least Fuel-Efficient Cars.

As you can see on that link, on the other end of the fuel-efficiency scale are big expensive supercars like the Lamborghini Murcielago, Ferrari 612 Scaglietti and the Bentley Continental. While the MPG figures for those cars are pretty depressing to look at, I guess that if people can afford those cars in the first place, they won’t have any trouble keeping their gas tanks filled. I wish I were one of them!

On another note, I must mention that I have fallen in love with the 10th car on the list: Lexus RX450h. Without a doubt, this is one of the most beautiful luxury SUVs I have ever set eyes on!

Lexus RX450h

2010 Toyota 4Runner information Release!!

Check out the new 2010 Toyota 4Runner Video! You can get yours at www.davidbruce.com!!  Amazing new design.  I’ve put more details below the video!

 

That’s not to say it’s not still as friendly on the road as any Toyota; ever since the original hit the roads in 1984, the 4Runner has been as much about comfort as it is about capability. But unlike some of the mid-sized SUV competition, Toyota has adhered to the 4Runner’s off-road roots as well, sharing the same body-on-frame platform as the FJ Cruiser and growing both longer and wider than the current 4Runner.

Three trims are available on the 2010 4Runner: Trail, SR5 and Limited. SR5 and Limited grades add a chrome-plated grille insert, fog lamp bezels and front bumper molding to the Trail’s basic layout, plus color-keyed front and rear over-fenders and chrome-plated side molding, roof rack and rear bumper. Integrated side-mirror turn signals are also standard on SR5 and Limited grades.

Gone is the option of a big V-8 engine, but nothing is really lost with a new 4.0-liter V-6 engine providing 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque, up 34 horsepower from the previous V-6 and even 10 horsepower more than the previous V-8. Toyota has done its best to balance power and efficiency in this engine, leveraging Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) to help deliver low-end grunt and cruising efficiency.

Together with a more slippery exterior, the new 4Runner is good for an estimated EPA rating of 17 mpg in town and 23 mpg on the highway for two-wheel-drive models, with the all-wheel-drives good for 17 mpg in town and 22 mpg on the highway. That’s an improvement of 1 mpg city and 2 mpg highway across the board over 2009 models.

For those that want slightly more efficiency and don’t need the towing power of the V-6, a 157-horsepower, 2.7-liter four-cylinder is also available, rated at 18 mpg city and 23 mpg highway. The four-cylinder is only available with a four-speed automatic transmission.

A wide range of two-wheel-drive and part-time and full-time four-wheel-drive powertrain options are available, with the 4Runner Limited topping the off-road range with full-time four-wheel drive, a locking center differential and a three-mode console-mounted switch. To help increase off-road grip, all 4×4 models get a standard A-TRAC force distribution system, ensuring any one wheels with grip gets the power. A Crawl Control system is also standard on Trail grade models, which helps keep vehicle speed low for navigating particularly tricky or steep terrain.

Exterior styling is another major change for the 2010 Toyota 4Runner, with a new wider, more rugged fender and bumper design accenting new headlights and taillights that improve nighttime visibility. Seventeen-inch aluminum alloy wheels are standard on SR5 and Trail models, with 20-inch wheels standard on the Limited, with all models getting a full-size spare.

It’s not all about getting over big rocks or down to the hardware story, however. The 2010 4Runner also offers a lot of entertainment features, including a standard five-speaker (Trail) or eight-speaker (SR5) CD stereo system with XM satellite radio capability. A premium 15-speaker JBL audio system is available, and adds Bluetooth, iPod and MP3 control. When it’s time to tailgate before the big game, the 4Runner’s premium JBL sound system even has a “party mode” that biases output to the rear of the vehicle and cranks up the bass.

Safety is a big concern with the new 4Runner as well, and all models get the Star Safety System, which is Toyota’s name for a slate of electronic aids including stability control (VSC), traction control, electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), brake assist and ABS. Passive safety features include eight standard airbags for front, side and knee airbags in the front row, and side curtain bags for the second and third rows.

Toyota’s foray into the telematics field with Safety Connect also makes its way into the 2010 4Runner, and is available both with and without the optional navigation system. Safety Connect offers: Automatic Collision Notification, Stolen Vehicle Location, Emergency Assistance Button and Roadside Assistance.

Nudy, Nudy, Nudy

Czy to hasło pasuje też do Toyoty Auris? Poniekąd tak…

Nudy, nudy, nudy – tak swym aksamitnym głosem niezapomniany Jan Himilsbach określił za czasów komuny Dziennik Telewizyjny.

Czy to hasło pasuje też do Toyoty Auris? Poniekąd tak…

Gdy Honda zaprezentowała obecną generację modelu Civic, Toyota ponoć opóźniła premierę nowego modelu, tylko dlatego by nie wyglądał przy Civicu staroświecko i zachowawczo.
Efekt końcowy wysiłków połączonych sztabów projektantów i stylistów jest raczej mizerny. Inwencji wystarczyło im jedynie na nową nazwę i konsolę środkową. Ach tak, i jeszcze na zegary, które złotawym podświetleniem mają korespondować z nazwą.

Przypatrując się Aurisowi możemy stwierdzić, że to idealne auto dla osób, które nie lubią rzucać się w oczy. Chyba tylko Nissan Tiida może być na tym polu równie skuteczny. Przy Aurisie, nawet wszystkim znany i opatrzony Golf, wydaje się być fascynujący. Jeśli masz zamiar kupić to auto, pamiętaj o alarmie. Bynajmniej nie po to, aby ustrzec się przed kradzieżą – mając alarm masz szansę znaleźć swój samochód pod hipermarketem przechodząc obok niego. I to za pierwszym razem!

W porównaniu do poprzedniczki Corolli, Auris urósł głównie w górę. Powiększył się także wzdłuż i wszerz, co daje się odczuć w kabinie gdzie siedzi się wyżej i nad głową jest sporo miejsca. To dobrze, jednak żadna z tych zmian, bynajmniej, nie rzuca na kolana. Jakość użytych materiałów też nie jest dla Toyoty powodem do dumy, są one co najwyżej przeciętne.

Nasuwa się tutaj pewne spostrzeżenie odnośnie tworzyw oraz materiałów, które, poza Aurisem, odnosi się również do innych samochodów. Utarło się, mianowicie, że dobre materiały użyte szczególnie do górnej części kokpitu powinny być miękkie. To znaczy – im bardziej miękkie tym lepsze! Bezspornie samochody dostają za to więcej punktów w testach porównawczych, które znajdziecie w przedrukach niemieckich magazynów motoryzacyjnych.
Świetnie, tylko, po co to wszystko? Co za różnica, w końcu, czy kurz leży sobie na miękkim i wygodnym materiale, podczas gdy np. nasze kolana doświadczają kontaktu z twardymi jak skała tworzywami używanymi ( kolejna zagadka kosmiczna) w miejscach gdzie nasze ciało może mieć kontakt z powierzchnią wnętrza auta.  Dawniej deska rozdzielcza wyłożona miękkim materiałem była czymś oczywistym, nawet w Maluchu, teraz stanowi nie lada luksus i chyba już tylko Maserati dba o to, aby kabina wyłożona była materiałami przyjemnymi w dotyku.

Wracając do Aurisa…..wydaje się być nudny jak 50-letnia pani w okienku w urzędzie, ale za to prawie doskonały pod względem ergonomii i wygody obsługi.
Prawie. Rzeczona pani z okienka, bowiem pod względem unikania pracy przypomina świetnie wyprofilowany bolid mogący mknąć przez tor obowiązków płynnie i bezkolizyjnie – jej ergonomiczna postawa w stylu „jem przecież” pozwala unikać niepotrzebnych ruchów oraz zbędnego wysiłku. Pod tym względem podniesiona w Aurisie konsola z wysoko umieszczoną dźwignią zmiany biegów jest wygodna i poręczna. Mamy, zatem wnętrze, w którym nudny kolor współgra z ergonomią i ułatwieniami mającymi spore znaczenie dla kierowcy. Z drugiej strony mamy absurdalność rozwiązań mających na celu zapchanie dziury – z braku pomysłu projektantów straszący nas swoją obecnością przy jednoczesnej nieporęczności. Na co komu półeczka pod konsolą, taka mała i umieszczona pod tak dziwnym kątem, że chyba nawet gekon miałby problem, aby się na niej utrzymać przy spokojnej jeździe.
Ciekawe są za to uchwyty na kubki i butelki umiejscowione pod bocznymi kratkami nawiewów. Poręczne, wygodne, pomysłowe. Brawo! W końcu nawet pani z okienka miewa lepsze dni.

Smutna i bez polotu jest kolorystyka wnętrza. Szarości, połączenia z kolejnymi szarościami – całość robi nieprzyjemne wrażenie niezbyt zadbanego samochodu. Z tyłu złe wrażenie pogłębia wysoko poprowadzona linia szyb. Jeżeli zamierzacie wozić Aurisem dzieci możecie być pewni, że będą one notorycznie krzyczeć, wymiotować i uprzykrzać wam maksymalnie jazdę ze względu na to, że nic nie mogą zobaczyć przez szybę.

Pochwalić w Aurisie należy, wydajną i prostą w obsłudze klimatyzację, oraz fabryczne audio o przyzwoitym brzmieniu. W sam raz na długie nocne podróże (żadnych dzieci na tylnym siedzeniu) – wtedy kolorystyka wnętrza nie przygnębia, a bursztynowe zegary i dobra muzyka poprawiają nastrój. Na plus zaliczyć należy liczbę i pojemność schowków – w końcu każdy, prędzej czy później wpuści kobietę do auta, a poza wspomnianą półeczką pod konsolą z dźwignią zmiany biegów każda kobieta doceni ładowność wnętrza, gdzie oprócz torebki, (co najmniej 10 kilo ładowności) można poupychać kosmetyki, chusteczki, części garderoby i wiele, wiele innych, o których się nawet filozofom nie śniło.
Poza tym, osobiście przypadły mi do gustu duże lusterka niwelujące w dużej mierze efekt martwego pola. Niestety, widoczność do tyłu, przez tylna szybę, nie jest mocną stroną Aurisa, ale obecnie trudno znaleźć w tej klasie auto o przejrzystej karoserii. Widocznie konkurencja biorąca przykład z Volkswagena doszła do wniosku, że skoro można wygrywać testy porównawcze pomimo szerokiego tylnego słupka, od wielu lat utrudniającego manewrowanie Golfem, to, po co się starać? Lepiej zaproponować, za dopłatą, czujniki parkowania. W niektórych autach ma to jeszcze uzasadnienie w postaci pięknej linii nadwozia i pojemnym bagażniku – np. Fiat Bravo lub Honda Civic. Niestety w Aurisie nie znajdziemy żadnej z wymienionych zalet. 354l pojemności to postęp w stosunku do poprzednika który nie miał nawet 300l bagażnika. Także w porównaniu z Golfem nie ma się, czego wstydzić, ale przy Hondzie Civic (485l) pachnie malizną.

Zaglądając pod maskę zobaczymy kilka plastikowych osłon – ta z napisem “Valvematic” skrywa silnik bez przepustnicy. Bez paniki – to nie jest powód do akcji serwisowej. W tym silniku tradycyjną przepustnicę zastępuje skomplikowany system sterowania zaworów. W przypadku takich nowinek stawiamy pytanie – czy w praktyce mamy z tego rozwiązania jakieś korzyści?
Osoby, które po 132 konnej Toyocie spodziewają się rakiety mogą się rozczarować. Moment obrotowy wynosi zaledwie 160Nm, a masa auta, w zależności od wersji, to, co najmniej 1350kg.
Pozwala to przyspieszyć do setki w 10s, choć subiektywnie trwa to o wiele dłużej.
Auto nie sprawia wrażenia zrywnego, owszem przyspiesza, ale nie jest to coś, co można nazwać „kopem”.
Wyprzedzanie na trasie nie należy do przyjemnych, bo choć powinniśmy być pewni, że Auris da radę, to jednak nie możemy i powoduje to psychiczny dyskomfort i nie najlepiej wpływa na opinię o Toyocie jako bezpiecznym samochodzie. Sytuację poprawia nieco precyzyjna, 6 biegowa skrzynia, pozwalająca na szybką redukcję, w razie potrzeby. Dodatkowym “bajerem” jest lampka sugerująca zmianę biegu na wyższy – to na wypadek gdybyście zapomnieli, że nie jedziecie automatem.
Stosowanie się do niej ma obniżać zużycie paliwa, ale tak naprawdę to, że Auris pali niewiele zawdzięczamy wspomnianemu wcześniej systemowi Valvematic.

Auris nastraja do spokojnej jazdy, jest wtedy cichy, ekonomiczny (średnio 6,5 l/100km) i komfortowy. Dla statecznych i niewymagających osób jak znalazł. Kierowcy o sportowych zapędach powinni raczej poszukać czegoś innego. Zawieszenie jest sprężyste i dobrze wybiera nierówności, ale na szybko pokonywanych zakrętach auto dość mocno się przechyla, co w połączeniu z wysoką pozycją za kierownicą skutecznie zniechęca do ostrej jazdy.

W testowanej wersji Prestige, Aurisa można określić mianem wszystko mającego.
Wg. konfiguratora na stronie producenta liczba płatnych dodatków wynosi zero, a bezpłatnie wybrać wykończenie w beżowym odcieniu. Polecam głównie tą drugą opcję. Co prawda jasna tapicerka nie jest zbyt praktyczna, szczególnie gdy macie dzieci, ale dzięki niej nie będziecie mieli wrażenia że oglądacie świat w odcieniach szarości.

Za ok. 80.000zł otrzymacie w pełni wyposażony samochód który legitymuje się niską utratą wartości i legendarną niezawodnością. Konkurencja wypada podobnie w kwestiach ceny, ale za te pieniądze z pewnością da się kupić o niebo ciekawszy samochód.

Gran Turismo 5, promessa de beleza e realismo em alta velocidade!

Gran Turismo 5, promessa de beleza e realismo em alta velocidade!

Meus amigos, enfim um post sobre CORRIDA DE CARROS, e pra começar, que tal o game Gran Turismo 5 para PS3, que já é muito comentado antes de seu lançamento que é previsto para 2010.

Bom, para quem nunca ouviu falar, Gran Turismo é um simulador de corrida, que conta com centena de carros, e na nova versão , estarão disponíveis pela primeira vez na série as Ferraris. Os jogadores também podem correr em Audis, BMWs, Dodges, Nissans, Toyotas, entre outros modelos de carros.

Uma das inovações desse título é o multiplayer online, que permite que até 12 carros disputem o primeiro lugar, enquanto, nas partidas offline, são permitidos 16 corredores. O menu do modo online tem o nome de My Page e pode ser personalizado, mostrando as condições climáticas e a paisagem de onde o jogador de encontra no mundo real, bem como a localização das pessoas na lista de amigos do jogador.

Versão cockpit

 

É isso aí !!! A visão de cockpit é outra novidade de GT 5, possibilitando que o jogador tenha um ângulo de câmera de dentro do carro, vendo o volante, o painel e os espelhos retrovisores, claro que isso não é uma novidade para os exímios gamers desta plataforma. Os gráficos do interior do carro são bantante detalhados e o som do motor é diferente, dependendo se o ângulo de câmera é de dentro ou de fora do veículo.

Alta qualidade gráfica

 

Assim como os títulos anteriores da série, GT 5 apresenta alta qualidade gráfica, com grande detalhamento dos carros e da pista. Nos momentos em que se está dentro da garagem, aparece a equipe fazendo ajustes no veículo, com modelos de personagens bastante detalhados e expressivos.

Previsão de lançamento

 

Embora a Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. não tenha esclarecido o motivo por trás do adiamento do game que seria para o fim de 2009 para o início de 2010 , há indícios de que um problema com a licença da NASCAR, recentemente adquirida pela EA, tenha sido a principal causa. No entanto, com o tempo extra de produção, a produtora vai implementar o sistema de danos em todos os mais de mil veículos do jogo, e não apenas nos 170 originalmente previstos.

Sistema Online

 

Gran Turismo 5 prevê um modo online completo com lobby, sala particular, sistema de chat (texto ou voz), álbum de fotos e de replays, inclusive uma opção para subir os vídeos diretamente no site YouTube. O modo de fotografia permite captar imagens durante a corrida, como antes, mas também há um ambiente específico para tirar fotos.

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. publicou mais algumas screenshots de Gran Turismo 5. confira:

Texto adptado dos sites: FinalBoss e Baixaki Jogos

 

Formula 1 Giappone: Analisi

Sebastian Vettel – Ormai è tardi. Per fare il fenomeno. Quest’anno ha buttato al vento varie occasioni, soprattutto in Turchia quando commise un errore perdendo la testa della corsa (finì terzo) e a Singapore, quando poteva tranquillamente arrivare secondo ed invece un problema nella corsia box lo ha fatto scivolare quarto. Con 7 punti n più ora Button sarebbe stato a tiro, senza considerare i mille problemi avuti al propulsore che lo hanno penalizzato in altri GP.
Purtroppo con i se e con i ma non si vincono i mondiali e l’unica cosa che può fare ora Sebastian è attaccare e basta; gli sta riuscendo bene per ora, probabilmente otterrà risultati simili anche nelle ultime due gare ma il grosso punto di domanda è: riuscirà il suo motore (l’ultimo che gli è rimasto) a sostenere altri due GP? Comunque sia, il più forte tra quelli che si giocano il mondiale rimane lui.

Jarno Trulli – Canto del cigno? In Giappone Jarno sfodera una gara d’altri tempi, riuscendo a balzare davanti ad Hamilton grazie a un ritmo che definire da qualifica è poco.
La Toyota è una squadra in netto ridimensionamento e le sue prestazioni oscure non hanno permesso ai piloti di realizzare costantemente buoni risultati; per questo per il prossimo anno tutto è in discussione, anche Jarno.
Sarebbe meglio forse per Jarno riuscire a trovare un team che possa portarlo in vetta, ma ormai sembra tardi.

Lewis Hamilton – Beffato. Da un grande Jarno Trulli. E’ incredibile notare come guidi sciolto su una pista che non conosceva affatto e oltretutto una delle più difficili del mondiale. Dimostra che la classe non è acqua ma non è abbastanza e nonostante una McLaren migliorata tantissimo deve accontentarsi del gradino più basso del podio.
Questo risultato serve tanto alla squadra che sta recuperando tanti punti alla Ferrari e rischia di arrivare terza nel mondiale costruttori; poco importante per la gloria, molto per il portafogli.

Kimi Raikkonen – Costante. A parte Singapore, conferma il trend positivo in fatto di punti mondiali; conferma pure che da quando Massa non c’è, lui è l’unico a portare fieno in cascina Ferrari.
Semmai la rossa riuscirà ad arrivare terza nel campionato costruttori sarà solo merito di Kimi visto che la monoposto non viene sviluppata da mesi e mesi.
Viene aiutato dalle squalifiche in griglia e imposta una gara che, se avesse avuto gomme morbide fin dall’inizio, poteva rivelarsi ancor più positiva. 2010 in McLaren?

Nico Rosberg – Graziato. Ci sono dubbi sulla regolarità della sua manovra sotto safety car, quando recupera tanti secondi sugli avversari; i commissari lo graziano e lui conquista l’ennesimo buon piazzamento disintegrando ancora una volta il compagno di team.
Nico è cresciuto ed ora lo aspettiamo nel 2010 all’esame Brawn GP; con un top team dimostrerà di che pasta è fatto fino in fondo.

Rubens Barrichello – Inesistente. Non bastano questi risultati per aspirare al mondiale; i punti da recuperare a Jenson Button ora sono 14 in due gare e, se anche in Brasile riuscisse a vincere, non è detto che il compagno perda cosi tanti punti. Gli errori e le sfortune della prima parte di stagione ora pesano tantissimo e oramai a Rubens non rimane altro che pensare ad un pre-pensionamento in Williams nel 2010.
Ma non si sa mai..

Jenson Button – Troppo cauto? Anche in questo GP raccoglie un punticino prezioso; il suo rivale in casa è sott’occhio, mentre quello in Red bull sta recuperando a spron battuto.
Ora deve tirare fuori i denti per attaccare e portare a casa almeno 6 punti che gli garantirebbero il titolo e secondo me riuscirà a vincere.
Per poi ricadere nell’anonimato, dove in verità è sempre stato.

Giancarlo Fisichella – Delusione. Per ora il bilancio è in negativo; il pilota chiamato per lavare l’onta degli ultimi posti ottenuti da Badoer con la Ferrari non ha portato a casa i risultati sperati.
Si pensava potesse arrivare costantemente in zona punti e invece Giancarlo ha timbrato ZERO per tre gare consecutive.
Nelle ultime due deve assolutamente aiutare Kimi a salvare il terzo posto nel mondiale costruttori altrimenti (a parte la vittoria di Raikkonen a Spa), la stagione verrebbe classificata sotto la voce disastro.

Formula 1 – Movimentata. Ancora una volta molto probabilmente il titolo si assegnerà all’ultima gara; un caso? Non lo sappiamo ma oramai non dovremmo più stupirci di niente visto i poteri forti che tirano i fili del circus.
Detto questo è positivo notare come ancora i piloti facciano la differenza ogni tanto, soprattutto quando le difficoltà aumentano; la dimostrazione è data dai tanti incidenti dei cosiddetti piloti-new generation, abituati a correre in tracciati con vie di fuga grandi come aeroporti.
Ci vuole un gran talento non solo per andare forte, ma anche per non finire a muro.
E in un circuito difficile come Suzuka non è un caso che abbia vinto Vettel.

Toyota consolidates European ad duties with Saatchi & Saatchi

Here’s the article at BrandRepublic:

LONDON – Toyota is to realign its European ad agency arrangements by pooling all work for the main Toyota marque into Saatchi & Saatchi. CHI & Partners will handle the Lexus creative and digital accounts.

Agencies have previously been assigned to campaigns on a project basis. Saatchi & Saatchi and CHI have worked on ads for both marques, while CHI also created Toyota’s recent ads promoting its range. Both agencies worked on this summer’s ‘Follow me’ campaign for the Toyota Prius.

The change in arrangements comes as Toyota prepares to launch a global marketing assistance and co-ordination division, led by the firm’s president, Akio Toyoda. The team, to launch in January, is intended to build a more co-ordinated approach to global marketing and ‘create a unified message’.

In August, Lexus announced plans to become a hybrid-only marque in the UK. Toyota recently appointed John Thomson as UK marketing director.

Toyota spends more than £25m on advertising in the UK, while Lexus has an annual adspend of about £13m, according to The Nielsen Company.

The Toyota has a rare and laudible combination of safety features and practical design.

The Toyota Rav4 offers new features that are not only ground-breaking, but also practical and safe, in keeping with its innovative but dependable image. Toyota Verna is packed with its new features such as DVD entertainer and tire pressure monitor system. With this, Toyota RAV4 was able to put together technology and safety at a very affordable price.

Toyota’s RAV4 variant provides its owners with more safety features such as airbags and seat belts. The vehicle stability control feature adds to the overall safety for the vehicle. This feature is engineered to assist in maneuvering the RAV4 model, particularly when highway conditions aren’t ideal. To keep out of children the system is protected with rear door locks and restraint system. The RAV4 makes an excellent family car, and has a sporty exterior as well, so you don’t have to feel too practical.

Apart from normal features, Toyota RAV4 provides variety of entertainment option in addition. These options are comprehensive for the whole family and include features of AM/FM radio, CD player, MP3 or WMA player with playback capability and also six speakers in total. Car owners can also choose to add a 6-disc in-dash changer, a WMA and MP3 player with playback capability, three additional speakers making it to a total of nine speakers, and a radio that is capable of both Bluetooth and satellite.
The RAV4 offers the luxury of heated front seats, and has a powerful air conditioning system for the warmer part of the year, ensuring that you will always be comfortable.
Because the seats in the third row are able to be folded, there is a lot of space available in the Toyota RAV4.

Ever wonder how fast your car travel compare to the fastest and most expensive cars in the world? Visit thesupercars.org to get the latest info about the most powerful car and also take a look at preowned Toyota RAV4.

Learn More by Checking Out the Site Below
used Toyota RAV4.

Toyota to unveil green sports car at Tokyo Motor Show

Associated Press

 Besides showing off its well-known hybrids, Toyota will take a slightly different tack at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show to display a green sports car with a special kind of gasoline engine. The FT-86, inspired by a sporty Corolla model from the 1980s called AE86, has a Subaru engine from Toyota partner Fuji Heavy Industries, whose pistons are positioned horizontally, instead of vertically as in standard engines. Subaru and Porsche SE are among the few automakers in the world making that type of engine, which allows for a quiet drive and a low-sitting mean look that’s a trademark of sports cars. Toyota chief engineer Tetsuya Tada said the ruby-red sports car, debuting at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month, will appeal to car enthusiasts who remember the fun-to-drive “spirit of 86.” It will cost $33,700 and have the fuel economy of an equivalent standard car, he said.

The Smallest Car in the World?

Hi everyone, it’s Maki here again. This is my first post on this blog in a few weeks, so let’s hope I can make this at least a little interesting to read.

These days, with fuel price and the prices of so many other things on the rise, many people are turning their attention to cost-efficient small cars. In fact, there are so many small hatchbacks in Japan today that it’s practically impossible to keep track of all their names.

And actually, these cars actually make a lot of sense: most of them can seat up to 5 people, carry luggage in the back (albeit not very large ones), require a refill only once in a blue moon, can effortlessly conquer narrow roads, and most importantly, will get you where you want to go. So, unless you need to drive on muddy hills, carry tons of luggage or have a large family, there is no need to own a big car; for many people, a small hatch can be just the kind of car they need.

Let me show you a few examples of popular small Japanese cars that are commonly found in stock at Autocom Japan. (To see the entire stock list click here)

Toyota Vitz

KSP90

Honda Fit

GD1

Nissan March

AK12

Toyota Ist

NCP61

Suzuki Swift

ZC11S

They are all good, reliable machines.
My intent today, however, is not to show you every little detail of these cars to show you how good they are; I don’t know well enough about them to do that. Instead, I’d like to show you how small cars can possibly get and still be functional as… well, a car.
So which of the cars above is the smallest? To be honest, none of them are.They are, in fact, giants compared to what is known today as “the smallest car ever to go into production”: the Peel P50.

And here’s a photo of it. Isn’t it the cutest thing?

It looks like a cyclops with its single headlamp. Ok, so I have to tell you first that this is NOT a Japanese car, it is 100% British, manufactured by Peel in the Isle of Man during the early 1960’s. (People often say that we Japanese are the best at making small things, but it looks like the Brits have beaten us to it this time) The car seats only one adult, weighs less than 60kg, and its engine capacity is no more than 49cc.
Instead of writing about this as if I know everything, I should just refer you to its wikipedia article here, from where I got all the info. I did not know of this vehicle’s existence until I happened upon a video of famed British TV show Top Gear, in which presenter Jeremy Clarkson, who is 6ft5in tall, crammed himself into this tiny little car and drove himself around London. In my honest opinion, it’s one of the best Top Gear features ever, and a timeless classic.

Here is that famous Top Gear video clip for everyone to see:

According to Wikipedia, the Peel P50 can do 100MPG(!!). I’d say that’s more than economical enough for me! Of course, a car of this size is way too small to drive around safely in these days, and I’m sure everyone wants cars that seat more than a single person. Still, it’s interesting to see the kinds of small cars that people have been making decades ago, and how they have changed over the years.
By the way, this little Peel is now a vintage car and costs many, many times more than any of the Japanese cars pictured above. Amazing!

Best Selling Toyota Car Is The Toyota Corolla Heres Why

The Toyota Corolla is perhaps one of the best selling Toyota cars in the world. A consumer is the most happy when they can see their savings in dollar amounts. Toyotta Corolla is best known for its modern and conservative style. So now this seems to stop since the new Toyota Corolla is now longer, lower, wider, and surprisingly sporty like a Toyota Camry, all of which makes it look better. Toyotta Corolla ia a blend of both comfort and efficiency for many people.

Although, the Toyota Corolla is not the most fashionable it still has some promising feature. On the car’s outside, there are aerodynamic halogen headlamps with daytime running lights and integrated fog lamps, alternating windshield wipers, remote controlled door handles with helpful color keys, rear underbody spoilers and mudguards and 16-in wheels with full wheel covers and either P205 or 55R16 tires.

The interior houses a multi-information system that displays the outside temperature, the amount of total distance that has been traveled since starting the vehicle along with the normal speed and driving range, system for monitoring the direct tire pressure, steering system which is powered by electricity, warning lights which assists in controlling the traction and stability of the vehicle, leather-trimmed steering wheel with audio controls which has provisions for tilt/telescopic adjustments, six speakers, a CD player with playback capability which is compatible in AM/FM modes which also holds a MP3/WMA satellite radio, air conditioning system with air filter which does not employs CFC, seats which are made up of exclusive sport fabrics, a rear bench seat that can be split 60/40 and also can be down folded, a couple of auxiliary power outlets with 12 volts capacity, and a rear window defogger which is powered by electricity is durable and it comes with a timer. Instrumentations such as an optitron sport meters that has speedometer, coolant temperature along with fuel level gauges, tachometer, and a digital odometer are also provided to the car owners by Toyota Corolla in addition to a twin trip meters that can display outside temperature.

What are the most expensive and fastest cars in the world? To find out, visit thesupercars.org and check it out for yourself. Also, have a look at Toyota Corolla auctions.

Other Site Worth Visiting
used Toyota Corolla for sale.

It's Hard to Say You're Sorry...

It seems that lately, apologies are de rigeur in the automotive business. A while back, GM apologized in full-page ads for poor build quality and for building cars that customers simply didn’t want.

Friday, it was Toyota’s turn. Actually, it was Toyoda, as in Toyota president Akio Toyoda, making apologies. As reported in The New York Times and numerous other sources, Toyoda apologized for the deaths that led to a 3.8 million-car recall, as well as for poor market performance and lack of responsiveness to customer needs.

This is not the first time for either of these companies. In 2007, Toyota’s then-CEO Katsuake Watanabe apologized for the large number of recalls and quality problems. At that time, they had recalled almost 10 million vehicles in a three year period.

And GM apologized for poor quality way back in 2003. At that time, they said they had seen the error of their ways and had “turned the corner”.

What’s depressing about all this is not the fact that they feel the need to apologize. It’s the lack of progress since the previous apology. Different leaders, different circumstances, but it seems that in both cases, the fundamental problems haven’t been addressed.

In GM’s case, it’s frustrating because they have now taken billions of dollars of government cash, and they haven’t shown any real signs that they can get themselves straight. They’re still spinning their wheels, and burning our money in the process.

And in Toyota’s case, the real risk is that their entire sales model is based on quality. Let’s face it, Toyotas aren’t exciting to drive, they’re not particularly pretty to look at, and they’re certainly not inexpensive. People buy Toyotas because they believe they’ll never break. But once that reputation is tarnished, it’s very hard to restore.

Rather than apologizing, both Toyota and GM should get to work on the difficult business of restoring their reputations, and that can only be done by fixing the problems. Actions speak louder than words, and now is the time for action.

Fantasy Racers - Japan

So the Japanese Grand Prix is over, Button isn’t champion, Barrichello nibbles a little out of his lead and Vettel scored a dominant win from flag to flag.

Sadly, there was little action on track other than the pit stops – A couple of good overtaking moves but the racing was largely processional.  However, there was some controversy at the end of the race.  Alguersuari had a bad accident at the 130R (but is OK) which brought out the safety car.  Rosberg used this opportunity to make his planned pit stop and jump ahead of both the Brawns and Heidfeld.

However, after the race, Button suggested that Rosberg drove too fast before the safety car and gained an unfair advantage.  At the time of writing, Brawn have complained to the stewards as Williams have had to explain themselves.

Now, I only have the lap times and gap times from the FIA Media Centre – and I can tell you that on the lap where the safety car came out, these were the following lap times:

• Rosberg: 1:39.697
• Button: 1:45.382
• Barrichello: 1:45.686

Rosberg’s lead was 24.559 seconds and his pit stop took 24.888 seconds – so he would not have made the positions up on the track without the safety car.  Rosberg is adamant that he kept the correct pace on the way to the pit lane, however the gaps suggest to me that he did gain an advantage and so I would not be surprised to see him penalised.  So that’s the second race in a row where he makes a fundamental and costly pit lane error.

Driver Scores

But how does that translate into the Fantasy Racers scores?  Let’s have a look at the driver scores from the Grand Prix today. By the way, for more information on my calculation methods, please visit my page on Fantasy Racers Explained…

(Note:  Once Danny has set the scores, they will not be changed if penalties are applied afterwards, in accordance with the Fantasy Racers rules…)

With Vettel taking pole and winning, he scores a lot more points than anyone else.  Only the Toro Rossos and Glock did not finish the race, so most teams would have scored well.  I have Glock in my team, but I like the guy and don’t want to drop him.  I hope he can race in Brazil, but his leg looks pretty munted!

Championship scores

How is the championship going?  Let’s have a look at the scores:

Button leads Barrichello by 329 points, who subsequently leads Vettel by 151 points.  So Button is almost the Fantasy Racers Champion, with Barrichello and Vettel still with a very small chance of winning.  Hamilton and Glock have gained a place, but the order has not changed much…

Average Points Per Race

Pretty much the same as the last race.  Note that Grosjean does not score as well as Piquet, but Alguersuari does better than Bourdais.  So why did Renault go through all the pain and suffering if the guy replacing him is just as rubbish?  The mind boggles…

Points Per Million

Again, little change here, except Glock drops a place (having not raced).  What is surprising is that so many front runners (except for the Brawn drivers) are not that great value for money…  Perhaps there is some balancing here as a lot of ‘cheap’ drivers are needed to score as many points as an ‘expensive’ one?

Last 3 Grands Prix

So on average, Vettel and Hamilton have had the best run of the last three races, but Button, Alonso and Raikkonen have had strong showings too.  Not a great showing for LIU-WEB-BUE-ALG-GRO however, who all fall below the average.

My Team

I am exactly where I was last week: 46th in the Sidepodcast League and 4th in the Pitlane Fanatic League. My team lies 273rd overall which means I have dropped 13 places. Meh, pretty stagnant I suppose, but it looks like the usual story with the drivers:

Adrian Sutil
Force India F1 Team
6.60m – 61 points

Jenson Button
Brawn GP
11.70m – 93 points

Robert Kubica
BMW Sauber F1 Team
5.20m – 83 points

Rubens Barrichello
Brawn GP
10.70m – 103 points

Sebastian Vettel
Red Bull Racing
12.20m – 223 points

Timo Glock
Panasonic Toyota Racing
6.70m – 0 points

Kubica has been pants all year but it’s too late to change him now.  Sutil was unlucky after being shoved off by Kovalainen (sorry Amy!), but my team basically suffered because Glock did not race.  Get well soon Timo, there’s always a place for you at RubberGoat Racing!

So Button didn’t become champion today – and it looks like the fight will go down to the wire.  It will definitely be an interesting finish, with Rubens really fired up and Vettel still in with a chance too.  It’s certainly not over yet!

What did you think of the race today and how did your team do?  Who is going to be champion?  Post me a comment so we can all see what you think…

Carbon Reduction - changing behaviour

Most people who know me would suggest that I am not the most ‘green’ person on the planet– primarily attributable to the car I drive. I make no apology about this – I like fast cars and I can’t afford a Tesla!

But the label I attract is a little unfair as I do try to do my bit. Honest

I have some issues about the statistical ‘evidence’ we are given. If you Google ‘green issues’ and try to establish where Co2 emissions come from you get very different answers.

It does seem to be fairly well established that Buildings account for half of all carbon emissions. Whereas only 2% comes from planes. So flying is ok then? And my car is much smaller than a plane…

Lies lies and statistics? But buildings and their energy consumption come high up the tree on most of the surveys.

But there is another reason to look at carbon footprint. Reducing the carbon output of a building normally has a direct correlation with costs. One of my clients pays over £1m per year on his electricity / gas. What was interesting was that he can negotiate the best rates (being a large user) but much of the use is out of his hands. People leave lights on!

What is needed is a change of behaviour.

One of my friends, Ben Randal, is running a company in Nottingham who are concentrating on just that. It is a start up company based at BioCity.

Outerarc have developed some clever software which allows measurement in real time of energy usage and then displays the information graphically. The really clever bit though is that the system then can make recommendations – and ‘nudge’ users into changing behaviour.

There is a great video on Ben’s website – click on Carbon Cup TV

Real time measurement is already in place at two buildings I manage – No1 NSP and Castle College’s Highfields Automotive and Engineering Training Centre – where the Toyota Academy is based. It is early days but the systems are generating a lot of interest – and hopefully we can demonstrate cost savings and a carbon reduction.

Not sure I need Ben to put his system in my car just yet!

Japan Qualifying - We are Confused!

Time for Qualifying Analysis for the Japanese Grand Prix.  What a qualifying session today!  Cars going off left, right and centre, three red flags, penalties all around and poor Glock getting injured!

To be honest, there’s way too much info to summarise but I will give it a go anyway.  Webber could not qualify as he damaged the car in the morning practice session, Alguersuari went off at Degner in Q2, causing the first red flag.  When Q2 was restarted, Glock went off at the last corner after the Casio chicane before anyone could set a time.  He sustained a wound on his left leg and was airlifted to hospital.  The car was wrecked and he may not be able to race tomorrow, but at least he is OK.

This meant that there was a mad rush to set a time in Q2, with most drivers leaving it late with only one run.  This plan fell apart because Buemi hit the wall coming out of the Spoon Curve and caused a yellow flag.  Button, Barrichello, Alonso and Sutil did not lift off through the yellow flag in order to set a time and have all been given 5-place grid penalties as a result.  As Buemi drove his damaged car back to the pits and impeded other drivers, he was also penalised 5 places.  However, this was after qualifying and Button, Barrichello, Buemi and Sutil all progressed into Q3.

Q3 was also manic – Kovalainen, who is under pressure to deliver this weekend in order to secure a drive in F1 in 2010 had a scrappy qualifying session, barely making it out of Q1 after spinning at the Degner curve.  This curve proved to be his undoing in Q3, as he spun again and hit the wall, causing the final red flag of the day.

So only eight drivers set times in Q3, and this is what they looked like:

(Note:  I have decided to run my analysis before the penalties were issued – it is too confusing otherwise.  The final grid will be addressed at the end of the post)

The top eight are very close – all within a second of each other.  It is amazing that with Friday being washed out, how close the whole grid was this weekend!

But how heavy were the cars when they qualified in Q3?

Kovalainen is much heavier here, probably because he did not get the chance to do any Q3 running.  Most of the others are on about the same weight, which means that the pace of the front runners is quite genuine.  However, let’s have a look at how the fuel weights affected the times by recalculating the lap times on the lowest fuel load possible:

Indeed, most cars were running an honest pace today, with Sutil running a little light (and dropping one place) and Raikkonen running a little heavy (gaining two places).  There is talk that Brawn fuelled their cars heavy as they expected to be penalised…

Here is the Mega-Graph, which puts it all together:

And here is the graph with fuel corrected versus Q3 Times:

Revised Grid and Race Predictions

As stated earlier, five drivers have been given grid penalties.  AUTOSPORT are reporting that no official decision has been made on the starting order as it may depend on the order in which the penalties were handed out (link to the article).

However, this is the provisional grid which they think will apply tomorrow:

Predicting the race will be difficult tomorrow, however Vettel will have been mightily helped with getting the big score over the Brawns that he needs to stay alive in the championship, on a circuit suited to the Red Bulls.  I must say, it is suspiciously good timing for this to happen, isn’t it?  Hmm, for those of you who love a good conspiracy you must be licking you lips over that one

I think Vettel will take it tomorrow – he has the car and the speed.  I would love to see Trulli and Toyota do well (and for that matter, for Glock to race) because they need a good result to convince the boardroom that it is worth staying in F1.  I might pick Hamilton to be the other guy on the podium, but that’s because I am a bit biased.

The Brawns?  Well, one of them might score a few points, but the margin won’t change much.  If it rains though… I had better stop before my head explodes!

Let me know what you think and who you think will win tomorrow.  And remember to join me in Live Commenting during the race over at the good guys on Sidepodcast

Don’t forget to vote in the poll below either, it’s just for fun though!

View This Poll
polls

First Hybrid Car For The Public The Toyota Prius

The market is made available by the automobile giant, Toyota. Prius is the very first hybrid car in the world.
Even with the current unease and uncertainty in the automotive industry, Toyota remains as commited as ever to this perennial favorite model. The Toyota Prius is the right car for the person looking for one that is dynamically styled, fuel efficient, environmentally friendly, with ease of use and advanced technology.

The dynamic style of Toyota Prius is the interesting aspect which is very evident to both its interior and exterior side The design of toyota prius is both unique and also intricate on the exterior side. While on the other side, the interior is both cozy and comfortable. And on top of all that, this vehicle was invented with the drivers safety and comfort, and convenience in mind.

Even when the engine is idling the Toyota Prius still has only minimal emissons, making it even more environmentally conscious. Here environmental friendly materials are used like plastic made up plants were used instead of plastic made up of oil.
Having the control panels within the driver’s reach has made it easier to use and it gives the driver control over many of the car’s features. In fact a number of engine features can be controlled using this buttons. The new features of the Toyota Prius are advanced technology.
The Prius has a push button start, technology that they are proud of.
There also exists a rear view monitor and DVD navigation. On the other hand, its fuel efficiency is manifested through its 46 mpg fuel consumption.

Have you ever seen a supercar? Check out some of the coolest and most exotic cars in the world at thesupercars.org and also check have a look at used car Toyota Prius.

Other Site Worth Visiting
used Toyota Prius for sale.

F1: Jarno Trulli Career Profile

Nationality – Italian
Debut – Australian GP, 1997
Teams – Jordan, Renault F1, Toyota
Races – 216 (213 Starts)
Point(s) – 236.5
Win(s) – 1
Podium(s) – 10
Pole(s) – 4
Championship(s) – 0
Best Race Finish – 1st (X 1)
Best Championship Finish – 6th (2004)
Updated – Singapore GP, 2009