See high resolution images of the Etios TRD and Etios Liva TRD

The cars that will burn rubber are Etios and Liva specially developed by TRD (Toyota Racing Development), an in-house tuning shop for all Toyota, Lexus, and Scion cars. Here we have two videos demonstrating of what to expect from TRD Etios.

Want more dope on Etios Motor Racing series? Head to their website www.toyotaetiosmotorracing.in

In a bid to keep the cost low, Toyota compromised on the aesthetics of interiors. The grey tone interiors became the weakest link of the entire package. Took a long time for Toyota to figure out the Achilles heel but they have finally set the records straight.

Toyota India presented a Liva with revamped interiors at the 2012 Indian Auto Expo. Here we have images from the Expo. The new one is on the left and the old one is on the right for comparo.

As one can easily notice, the dull grey tone is passé and is replaced by a jet black tone. Changes have been made to the music system panel as well. The gear knob is now silver and not a flashy red one. We also noticed that the fit and finish of the panels have been improved dramatically.

Toyota also claimed that they have worked on the NVH levels of the Liva to make it quieter at high speeds (another major problem in the Liva). However, since we haven’t driven the new one, we cannot vindicate that claim.

Do you like the new interiors of the Liva?

Toyota is watching Nissan ready the Altima successor that appears like a Sunny XL for the budget-minded customer and Honda preview the next generation Accord using a concept car at the warning-filled Detroit show. Kia ramping up production due to a large demand for the Optima serves as a stark reminder to Toyota that times are changing fast.

The following comment issued by Jim Lentz from the sales arm of the American operations sums up the situation in Toyota’s camp -

We haven’t seen anything like this since back in the ‘90s, when Ford made a push with the Taurus.

TKM showed the global version of the Camry at the Delhi Auto Expo, expected in the market by June-July 2012.

• 16 valve DOHC, 4 Cylinder Petrol engine
• A full racing inspired body kit
• 17 inch alloys
• Sport suspension
• Lots of racing stuff such as sporty steering, muffler, racing seats with harness etc
• And a fire extinguisher as well.

Toyota has always fostered racing in local markets such as Japan and Thailand. Toyota India will launch the Etios Motor Racing in India aiming to foster motorsports in India and trying to put it in the reach of common man.

The company will be looking for drivers across 22 cities aged between 15-24. They will be trained and groomed and finally 25 of them will be selected for the final racing series which will commence in the third quarter of 2013. The winners will get the opportunity to represent Toyota in international racing events.

Also, Toyota Customers will get an opportunity to experience these cars on racing circuits soon. That’s a pretty good reason to book your Liva eh?

Want to see more images? Click on the slide show

Can’t see them? Head to our Flickr page

The new Innova is priced between Rs. 9, 40,200 rupees to Rs.13, 19,000 rupees ex-showroom Delhi

The Fortuner facelift is priced at (in rupees, ex-showroom Delhi)

4X2 MT – 19, 99,000
4X2 AT – 20, 69,000
4X4 MT – 20, 99,000

We’re pasting a part of Toyota’s press release to elaborate on these two important models. Click through to read on and see the images.

Press Release – Toyota Fortuner and Innova facelifts

The new Added features are as follows:

Exteriors and Styling: The new Innova comes with a prestigious looking front grill, new warp around headlamps, fog lamps, new design alloy wheels and a newly designed bumper that enhances the exteriors and luxurious image of the vehicle. New rocker molding and three dimensional fog lamp adds to the sporty appearance. The new sharper and wider rear garnish with embossed model name comes with a hidden camera. A firm stance with a sportier, more dynamic design puts the new Innova in a league of its own.

Interiors and Luxury: The interior of the New Innova has also been spruced up to add to the comfort and luxury. The new interiors score high on aesthetics and yet keep the thoughtfulness that characterizes the vehicle. From the appealing colours of the upholstery to the leather – wrapped steering wheel, its one royal ride on board the New Innova. The light colour design with horizontal flow theme, dual tone seat covers and dark wood finish interiors offers you a wide variety to choose from. The new luxury features offered include Touch screen , DVD, Display Audio with USB , Aux and Bluetooth, steering wheel with audio, MID and Bluetooth control switches.

The New Fortuner the undisputed leader in its segment and the Real Urban SUV takes style and sophisticated luxury to a new level.

2WD and 4WD – The New Fortuner has been introduced in 2WD with 5 speed manual transmission and 2WD with 4 speed automatic transmission. The New Fortuner is available with a 3.0 litre D-4D Diesel engine in 4WD and 2WD. The full time 4WD with 5 speed manual transmission allows you to master that much needed power to manoeuvre all types of terrain while the 2WD with 5 speed manual transmission gives you a smoother driving experience in city conditions. The 2WD with 4 speed automatic transmission lets you cruise ahead conveniently even in congested city traffic while the 4WD gives the much needed power for all types of terrain.

Exteriors – The New Fortuner with its longitudinally flowing front bold design, boldly carved new inverted trapezoidal grill and imposing presence gives you a distinctively new look. The Automatic HID headlamps, new sophisticated alloy wheels and body coloured ORVM with turn signal indicators enhance the stylish exteriors. The new Fortuner also comes with clear -lens rear combination lamps, sharper and wider rear garnish with embossed model name and a back camera housed under it, for easy city driving.

Interiors – The interiors get a luxurious look with black wood finish. Luxury features like the 2DIN 6″Touch screen, DVD, Display Audio with USB, Aux & Bluetooth are offered in the New Fortuner. The leather wrapped wood finished steering wheel bring the audio, Bluetooth and multi-information controls to your -fingertips. A 6-way power adjust driver seat makes it a more convenient and comfortable ride. With this the “Real Urban SUV” now gets the cutting edge.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor at Auto Expo 2012

can’t see the slideshow above? Head over to the Toyota at Auto Expo 2012 Flickr page for the gallery.

Fresh of the oven will be the facelifted Fortuner and Innova. Major design changes have be done to the front and the rear fascia to make them look fresh and updated. Although nothing has changed mechanically, the Innova and Fortuner will get a touch screen media center and the Fortuner will also get with an Auto box.

The star at the Toyota pavilion will be the new 2012 Camry. Of course, we will be getting the European/Japanese version and not the American one. But finally, Toyota has decided to revive the Camry badge from slumping sales by opting the CKD route instead of the CBU one.

Another eye catcher will be the all new Prius carrying the baton of Toyota’s eco friendly technologies. The new one features a different front and rear bumper and air-dam at the front. Interior changes are limited to a new touch screen info-tainment system.

IndianAutosBlog readers have seen this one coming as we uploaded brochure scans very recently.

Exteriors changes on 2012 Toyota Land Cruiser:

• A boxier front bumper with new fog lamps
• Redesigned headlamps with integrated LED strips (LEDs are the norms these days)
• A revamped front grille with chrome slats.
• OVRMs with turn signals
• Redesigned tail lamps
• New alloy wheel design in 18 and 20 inch size options

2012 Toyota Land Cruiser Interior changes:

Not much has changed on the interior front. Toyota has fitted an improved TFT screen and added new colors and trim materials for the cabin.

2012 Toyota Land Cruiser Technology changes:

The Multi-Terrain Select system now comes with “Craw Control” which assists in low-speed off-roading on difficult terrain. The new Land Cruiser also features a turn-assist function that decreases the turning radius at very low speeds.

The Land Cruiser continues to be powered by a 4.6-liter V8 delivering 318PS at 5,600 rpm and 460Nm (339.2 lb-ft) of peak torque at 3,400 rpm mated to an automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system.

Source: Carscoop.blogspot.com

What powers the new Toyota Corolla Altis?

The biggest change in the new Corolla Altis is the new engine. The older ZZ engine is out and in comes the 1.8L 2ZR engine with VVT-i delivering the firepower. Power has been pushed up by 7 bhp to 138 bhp @ 6,400 rpm and the engine delivers a healthy torque of 173 Nm at 4,000 rpm.

The additional power and torque has not massively altered the Corolla’s performance in a straight line. However the engine feels more responsive and the power delivery is very smooth and linear. Adequate amount of torque at lower rpm makes it very easy to drive in city traffic. The car is quick off the blocks with the 0-100km/hr sprint taking under 10 seconds.

Once on the highway, a blast from 0-140 km/hr is child’s play for the new Altis. It is only after the 140 km/hr, one feels that the engine is slightly strained. The engine is completely out of breath at 180 km/hr.

The test car came with an all-new 7 speed CVT-i gearbox. This is one of the finest automatic boxes I have driven. The gear shifts are seamless and almost instant. Most autoboxes suffer from inconsistency when its time to overtake as there is a slight delay between putting your foot down and the box recognizing a down shift. The Altis’s CVT does it seamlessly!

There is a manual mode as well but I realized that the autobox was brilliant when left to its own. Despite being a CVT there is very little rubber band effect. Only at higher rpm is there a lot of revving without the car actually going anywhere.

How does the Altis handle?

Although there was no mention in the press release of a tweaked suspension, one notices a significant reduction in body roll. The outgoing model was very famous for luxurious ride that could even absorb lunar craters. I am delighted to report that the USP is retained.

The suspension setup gives the Altis is true identity – a back seat car. Rivals can learn by studying the way the Corolla manages the Indian roads. The suspension setup, as one would imagine, is on the softer side. Hence there is slight hesitation when cornering at high speeds. The electric steering which does not weigh-in properly at high speeds does not help the situation.

The Corolla Altis offers a four-disc setup, the front ones being ventilated and the rear ones solid. There is huge scope for improvement as the brakes have a very spongy feel when you touch the pedal. The 195/ 65 R15 tires can also be improved to provide better grip when braking hard.

What is the fuel economy?

No matter how hard or leisurely we drove the average FE remained stable at 9.6 kmpl. The car gets a slick new ‘eco mode.’ Essentially, a green ‘eco’ light pops up on the dashboard every time you gets your revs right. Despite of driving a stretch of 200 kms in eco mode, I simply couldn’t manage double digit figures.

What about safety?

The Corolla Altis has a very small list of safety features which include:

• Dual SRS Airbags
• ABD with EBD
• Seat belt warning beep
• GOA (Global Outstanding Assessment) body that provides structural rigidity

Things that that I don’t like:

• There is a strange jolting when you choose the different gear modes
• The eco mode fails to return double digit economy figures
• There is no eagerness to get in and out of corners. You have to push it really hard
• The engine’s response is brilliant when you are doodling in the city but there is a strange lack of power on the highways.
• There is a startling rubber band effect at higher rpms
• No traction control or curtain airbags
• No paddle shifters

Overall, this is a thinking man’s simple car. It may not set your pulse racing but can definitely take away the toils of day-to-day driving without complaining – thanks to Toyota’s quality and reliability promise.

At the end of the day, it is hard to argue with a car that has found so many homes across the world. Despite the bumped up prices, the Corolla is still a very potent sedan for your day-to-day driving needs.