PODIUM FOR HILUX IN DAKAR RALLY

Toyota HiLux has completed a dream run in the world's toughest off-road race, achieving a podium finish in the 2012 Dakar rally.
The double-cab petrol HiLux clinched third spot in the gruelling endurance event after two weeks of competition in the wilds of Argentina, Chile and Peru.
Dakar is the ultimate endurance test with this year's rally covering 8,300km, including 4,200km of special competitive stages through some of the toughest terrain in the world.
The Toyota Motorsport HiLux was prepared by the Imperial Toyota team and piloted by South African Giniel De Villiers and German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz.
Toyota HiLux also finished in outright sixth and 11th place.
In the T2 production class, Toyota dominated with seven of the top eight finishers, including class victory for Spaniard Javier Foj in a Toyota LandCruiser.
Toyota Australia executive director sales and marketing Matthew Callachor said the result confirmed the reputation of Toyota and HiLux for rugged, dependable vehicles that thrived in the toughest conditions.
"Just to finish the Dakar is an achievement, so to have three HiLuxes in the top 11 placings is remarkable in an event renowned for breaking vehicles," Mr Callachor said.
"Success at Dakar demonstrates why Toyota HiLux has a well-deserved reputation for being 'unbreakable'," he said.
Competing in the 33rd Dakar were 465 drivers and riders with 171 cars, 185 motorcycles, 76 trucks and 33 quads.
The world's longest and toughest motor race consists of 14 special stages cover 4,200km of rugged terrain that includes river crossings, narrow mountain tracks, spectacular canyons, dry river beds and sand dunes.
It includes a high-altitude crossing of the Andes from Argentina into Chile at 4,700 metres above sea level and temperatures as high as 45 degrees Centigrade in the dry and arid Atacama Desert in Chile.
The competition stages are linked by 4,100km on normal roads.

TOYOTA REVEALS NS34 ADVANCED HYBRID CONCEPT

Toyota today revealed the NS4 advanced plug-in hybrid concept vehicle at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The NS4 presents a Toyota vision for future mobility with a focus on connectivity and the human interface.
Toyota engineers were challenged to design a new mid-sized concept for potential global market introduction by 2015.
The NS4 concept is a dedicated plug-in hybrid, separate from the Prius family, designed with future mobility requirements in mind.
'In this digital age, cars are becoming another spoke in the wheel of our electronic connectivity,” said Jim Lentz, president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.
'NS4 demonstrates Toyota's take on the human connection to the car with technology that considers both emotional and rational relationships, person-to-car and car-to-society.
'The continued success of our conventional hybrid vehicles has laid strong groundwork for market acceptance of future advanced technologies.
'NS4 demonstrates Toyota's ongoing commitment to enhancing the safety, efficiency and convenience of future mobility for people everywhere."
NS4's advanced powertrain targets a next-generation Hybrid Synergy Drive plug-in system that is smaller and lighter with improved fuel economy, better acceleration and longer electric range, while maintaining a short charge time.
Sleek, futuristic styling
The NS4 concept signals a new styling direction for Toyota, aimed at creating an emotional connection with consumers.
Styling lines reflect a new take on aerodynamics with a low vehicle height and cabin-forward tilt.
The distinctive open trapezoid grille is accented by a floating lower spoiler and wing-like daytime running lights wrapping around to a sculpted fender.
Rear lamps wrap around the sides of the vehicle to quarter sections layered into blistered fenders, while the rear lamp wings create a sharp edge and the effect of a rear spoiler.
The A-pillars are ultra thin for improved driver visibility while maintaining roof-crush integrity. The roof-line profile, liftback design and powered swan-wing doors create greater accessibility and efficient functionality.
Increased connectivity
The NS4 concept has a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) that is built around a multi-touch screen with the look and feel of a smartphone.
Simple and intuitive, it conveys information quickly with minimum distractions and maximum driver awareness. It will also direct air-conditioning, audio, battery-charge and navigation functions.
The HMI system is even capable of 'learning” driver preferences and habits to anticipate driver responses in specific environments and situations.
State-of-the-art safety features
The NS4 introduces a next-generation Pre-Collision System (PCS) with lane departure, rear-end and pedestrian collision-avoidance technologies designed to predict collisions under certain circumstances and help avoid them.
Using millimetre-wave radar, stereo cameras and near-infrared beams, it can help avoid collisions by applying the brakes and manipulating steering.
Adaptive Driving Beam headlights help prevent blinding glare to oncoming drivers and pedestrians at night.
NS4's pop-up bonnet structure automatically raises the rear of the bonnet to increase the space underneath, helping to reduce pedestrian head injuries caused by a collision with the front of the vehicle, within certain speed ranges.
A Blind Spot Monitor detects a vehicle in the adjacent lane and visually alerts the driver with indicators in the upper dash.
NS4 introduces four new glass technologies to improve driver visibility and reduce fuel consumption:

• Hydrophobic coating – Fluorine-coated glass causes rain drops to form into semi-spherical shapes for improved visibility.
• Anti-fog film – A high-performance resin with anti-fogging characteristics and increased durability.
• ofHigh ultraviolet (UV) absorbing inner-layer – Removes 99 per cent of harmful UVA and UVB rays.
• Anti-solar film with radio-wave transparency – Reduces the internal vehicle temperature and improves electronic device functionality

Inner and outer rear-view mirrors have been replaced with cameras that provide the driver with a wider view than conventional rear-view mirrors.

TOYOTA WINS 2011 SALES RACE

Toyota has overcome production disruptions caused by a tsunami in Japan and floods in Thailand to be the top-selling automotive brand for 2011.
Official figures released today show Toyota's market-leading performance helped lift the automotive industry past one million sales for only the fourth year.
Australians bought 1,008,437 new vehicles in 2011, of which 181,624 carried the Toyota badge - a level never reached by any other car company.
It was the ninth year in a row Toyota has been Australia's most popular automotive brand.
Toyota's total was more than 55,500 ahead of its nearest rival - an additional 1,000 sales every week.
Toyota's executive vice president David Buttner said Toyota's sales result was restricted by lack of supply due to the impact of the natural disasters.
"Those missing Toyota sales are due to vehicles that simply were not built due to the disruptions that occurred to production," Mr Buttner said.
"There is no doubt that, if those vehicles had arrived at Toyota dealerships, our sales in Australia would have topped 200,000."
Toyota's Corolla was Australia's best-selling vehicle for five months of the year - in January and from September through to December. A total of 36,087 Corolla sedans and hatches were sold to local motorists.
Corolla was pipped by HiLux as Toyota's biggest seller for the year with 36,124 deliveries. HiLux was Australia's best-selling ute, best-selling four-wheel drive and best-selling light-commercial vehicle. It was the outright best seller in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Camry was Australia's top-selling mid-size car for the 18th year in a row - an unbroken run that began in 1994. The seventh-generation Camry went on sale in late 2011 and will be followed by the Camry Hybrid in 2012.
Toyota was the only manufacturer with three vehicles among the top 10 sellers - HiLux, Corolla and Camry.
HiLux two-wheel drive, HiLux four-wheel drive, Camry, LandCruiser wagon and HiAce bus were all leaders in their respective market segments in 2011.
Mr Buttner said Toyota was Australia's leading automotive exporter with Camry, Camry Hybrid and Aurion sedans shipped to the Middle East and other markets.

FJ CRUISER: 4x4 OF THE YEAR

Toyota's FJ Cruiser capped off its first year on sale in Australia by winning 4x4 Australia magazine's 4x4 of the Year title.
FJ Cruiser beat the Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel, Range Rover Vogue TDV8 and Mercedes-Benz G 350 BlueTEC to take the top prize.
4x4 Australia editor Fraser Stronach said FJ Cruiser had finished the competition strongly, winning favour with the six experienced judges.
"Coming into the week-long 4x4 of the Year test, the FJ Cruiser was very much the outsider and a good deal behind," Mr Stronach said.
"But as the testing unfolded and the kilometres rolled by, the FJ proved itself to be the real deal and not just a ‘look-at-me wannabe'.
"Don't be fooled by the FJ Cruiser's toy-car styling as, underneath, lies the well-proven and robust mechanicals of Toyota's immensely popular Prado."
Toyota Australia executive vice president David Buttner said the award recognised Toyota's concerted effort to bring exciting new products to the market.
"FJ Cruiser underlines Toyota's prowess in four-wheel drive vehicle design backed by popular retro styling," Mr Buttner said.
"It is the latest vehicle in the Toyota range to bring renewed energy to our brand alongside the Rukus and the upcoming 86 sports car."
4x4 Australia magazine will publish the 4x4 of the Year feature in its February 2012 edition.