2012 Toyota Highlander on 2040-cars

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Toyota Prius line may not reach 2013 sales target

2012 was a good year for the Toyota Prius line, the hybrid that started it all moving 236,659 units, being the best-selling model in California for the year and the Prius C (pictured) being deemed the most reliable car of 2012 by Consumer Reports. Then 2013 happened, and gas prices dropped more than expected, and people haven't been buying the little hybrids like they used to.
A report in Bloomberg says Toyota set 250,000 units as the Prius family's sales target for this year, but hits like the double-digit drop in year-on-year performance in February have helped lower 2013 sales by 8.4 percent compared to 2012, making the objective "a challenge" to reach. The declines in Prius sales come even as hybrid sales overall were up in the first couple of months this year, including sales of other Toyota and Lexus hybrids. Jim Lentz, Toyota's North American chief, said the Prius target would be adjusted if necessary.

Redesigned 2014 Toyota Tundra spied testing in Canada

When Toyota first announced that it would be bringing the 2014 Tundra pickup to next month's Chicago Auto Show, we weren't quite sure if the truck would fall into the "all-new" or "refreshed" category. After seeing this latest set of spy shots, we're striking "all-new" from the record, but the enhancements do appear to be more than just a simple nip/tuck.
While the overall shape and greenhouse haven't really changed, heavy cladding found on the front fascia suggests that a totally redesigned nose is in store, with a fully reworked grille flanked by new headlamps. Smaller styling details are hidden by the big panels of camouflage, but we anticipate a few minor tweaks to the rest of the pickup's design when all that black tape finally comes off.
Mum's the word on powertrain enhancements (if any), as well as any changes that have been made to the chassis. But with the updated 2013 Ram 1500 already on the street, the recent unveiling of the updated 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra twins, and a preview of what's to come from the likes of Ford, we certainly hope Toyota has injected enough new blood into its 2014 model year pickup to keep it competitive in this American-dominated segment. We'll know for sure come Chicago.

Toyota CamRally is vanilla spiced

We weren't quite sure it was possible, but NASCAR driver Parker Kligerman and the other folks behind this Toyota Dream Build Challenge vehicle (check out the other cars in the challenge) have made the Camry, a versatile but vanilla family sedan, into a performance car to be reckoned with. And by stripping it (literally) of its versatility and injecting some spice into it, this rally-spec Camry does indeed appeal to the enthusiast crowd.
The appeal starts with the CamRally's vintage Toyota racing colors of red, orange and yellow painted on a widened body. Those wide fender flares and rocker panels, paired with the revised front and rear fascias (and massive rear spoiler), lend the car an aggressive look without being tacky, and enhance the aerodynamics. But peel back the skin and you'll find plenty of performance upgrades to back up the looks.
While Toyota doesn't say how much horsepower it makes, the CamRally's V6 is turbocharged, and we assume the car's brake upgrade is indicative of the engine's increased output. The stripped interior only contains what's needed for rally racing, including bucket seats, a motorsport steering wheel covered in Alcantara, a carbon-fiber dashboard and a roll cage.