Toyota Says it Sold More Prius C in Three Days than the Volt and Leaf Combined in a Month

According to Toyota, the newest member of its Prius family of hybrids, the Yaris-sized Prius C, is off to an extremely good start since going on sale in the States on March 12.

In its first three days on the market, the Prius C sold 1,201 units, with Toyota making it a point to note that it surpassed the combined sales of the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf for the entire month of February. In other related news, our local grocery disclosed that it sold more apples in an hour than Prius C in a day.

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Subaru Kicks Off Series Production of BRZ and Toyota 86 in Japan

Subaru held a special ceremony today at its Gunma factory in Ota-city, Japan, to mark the series production start of the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 (named GT 86 in Europe) rear-wheel drive coupes. The presidents of both companies attended the event.

The factory, which will produce both models as well as the Impreza by March 2013, underwent several changes to cope with the extra capacity.

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Oops…Toyota 86 Coupe Drifts Into a Metal Barrier in Japan

Drifting a lightweight, rear-wheel drive coupe like the Toyota 86, which is Japan's version of the North American Scion FR-S and the European Toyota GT 86, on a wet parking lot can be loads of fun just as long as you accept the increased risk of losing control.

Which is what happened to one of the drivers trying out the 86 at a parking lot in Odaiba, Japan, last Friday on March 9.

Fortunately for the driver, he didn’t hit the metal barrier hard thus reducing the damages to the car. If you want to see what happened, head past the break for the video.

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California Judge Says Toyota can’t Force Arbitration in Most Sudden Acceleration Lawsuits

The case of the sudden accelerating Toyotas has entered a new phase as U.S. District Judge James V. Selna in Santa Ana, California, today said that the Japanese carmaker cannot force named plaintiffs seeking group status for a lawsuit to arbitrate rather than going to trial.

Judge Selna has presided over the litigation since 2010 and is the one who reinstated the lawsuit in October 2011, just 10 days after it was initially dismissed due to a lack of jurisdiction.

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Toyota Recalling Close to 700,000 Camry, Venza and Tacoma Vehicles

Another quality bug has hit Toyota as the Japanese automaker has issued two separate recalls that combined cover approximately 681,500 vehicles.

The first safety recall involves 70,500 Camry sedans from 2009 and 116,000 Venza crossovers from 2009 to 2011 to replace a stop lamp switch.

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Toyota to Debut Redesigned 2013 Venza Crossover at the New York Auto Show

Excuse the interruption but we're taking a quick break from our Geneva Motor Show coverage to bring you some...ahem...mildly interesting news on the Toyota Venza crossover.

The Japanese automaker has just confirmed the presentation of the redesigned 2013 Venza at the upcoming New York Auto Show in April.

Toyota also released the first official image that partially reveals the tweaked front headlamp and grille assembly. According to the automaker, the styling changes will also include a new lower grille, fog lamps and rear taillights along with a fresh set of alloy wheel designs and exterior colors.

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New Toyota FT-Bh Concept Breaks Cover in Geneva

Motor shows and Toyota hybrid concepts go hand in hand and at the 2012 Geneva Salon, the Japanese company lifted the covers off a new prototype model named the FT-Bh, an ultra-lightweight supermini that makes use of viable methods and materials for its construction.

The concept is close in size to today’s Yaris, at 3,985mm long, 1,695mm wide and 1,400mm tall, with a 2,570mm wheelbase, but it tips the scales at just 786kg (1,732 lbs).

And this despite the fact that its hybrid powertrain, which comprises a two-cylinder, 1.0-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine with an electric motor, is heavier than the three-cylinder 1.0-litre unit (weighing about 60kg / 132 lbs) used in the Yaris.

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Toyota Refutes CNN Report that it Knew About Unintended Acceleration Problems Since 2006

The sudden acceleration-related problems that plagued Toyota's vehicles and which were blamed for several accidents, injuries and deaths, led to a huge recall campaign, a massive fine and even a Congress inquiry. And it is not over yet. Not only because of the pending lawsuits, but also due to a report from CNN on its Anderson Cooper 360 program that aired on Thursday.

The news network claims that it has uncovered a 2006 Toyota internal memo marked “confidential” that described the results of the adaptive cruise control software in the model bearing the internal code 250L that is the Lexus LS 460.

According to CNN’s translation of the original Japanese document, the report stated: "The cruise control activates by itself at full throttle when the accelerator pedal position sensor is abnormal." It also suggested that the carmaker would have to implement "a fail-safe overhaul" for another production model, the 180L, i.e. the Toyota Tundra.

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Toyota 86's Chief Engineer Says Roadster Version is in the Works

Even though convertibles hold a much smaller slice of the sports car market than coupes, Toyota doesn't seem willing to leave Mazda and its MX-5 roadster to dominate the entire segment.

And why should it after the presentation of its (GT) 86 and Scion FR-S rear-wheel drive coupes, both which are sister models to the Subaru BRZ.

Speaking with German car magazine Autobild, the 86's chief engineer, Tetsuya Tada said that the company is working on the development of an open top model. "The GT 86 was designed from the outset to be built as a convertible," Tada told the publication.

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Journalists Drive a Toyota Avensis Diesel for 904.9 Miles on a Single Tank

Supercars like the brand-new 740HP Ferrari F12berlinetta may be what most of us dream about, but when we…touch back on Earth, we have to face the harsh realities of life.

With the current fuel prices making stopping at a gas station almost as…cheerful as a visit to the dentist, it helps if your everyday means of transportation nips rather than guzzles fuel.

UK Banzai Magazine editor Joe Clifford and journalist Andrew Biddle took a Toyota Avensis Tourer powered by a 2.0-liter D4-D diesel engine linked to a six-speed manual transmission and traveled from one end of Britain to the other.

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