Toyota Of Wallingford

Toyota is still holding strong in the consumer market, and execs at the Japanese auto maker are pledging that their Prius branded vehicles will be the best selling cars in America by 2020.

Toyota is working on a line of vehicles that will hold the Prius name, including an MPV and possibly a crossover or coupe. There is also a Plug-in Prius coming later this year. Prius is, without a doubt,  the best-selling hybrid vehicle in America and around the world. Bob Carter, Toyota America's VP of Sales, told Auto News that the Prius nameplate "will be the #1 selling vehicle in the US by the end of the decade." With only 9 years to go, that's a lot to ask for. We think Toyota can pull it off.

Toyota's Prius also has to compete with a slew of hybrid cars and plug-ins from other auto makers, both foreign and domestic, and ranging from affordable to insanely expensive and luxurious. The amount of electric cars and hybrids from major automakers (not to mention start-ups) hitting the road in the next few years doesn't make Toyota's claim any easier to fulfill.

Prius posted its best-ever December in 2010, moving over 15,000 units last month and over 140,000 total units for 2010, or 8% of Toyota's total US sales. That's a 0.9% increase over 2009.

Despite overall Toyota sales being down slightly, and the Camry and Corolla still managed to take the 3rd and 5th best-selling vehicle positions for 2010, Prius is still sitting pretty with the majority of hybrid car shoppers.

Test drive an all new Toyota Prius and add to the legacy today at Toyota of Wallingford.

The 2011 Consumer Electronic Show was a momentous occasion for Toyota. After watching Ford monopolize in-car connectivity for four years and Kia enter the arena last year, the company had the opportunity to unveil its all-new Entune Multimedia System. Entune will debut on select Toyota models later this year.

How does Entune Work? 
Similar to competitors' systems, Toyota's Entune Multimedia System uses the drivers' mobile phone data plan for connectivity. Users can simply download the Toyota Entune app to their smart phone and synch it to the car via Bluetooth. Effectively, it provides a safer, more efficient way to interact with the phone - reading text messages, playing music, and more - without ever touching it. To interact with Entune, drivers can use their choice of in-car controls or a voice recognition system.

"Consumers have grown accustomed to having the world at their fingertips through their mobile phones," says Jon Bucci, Vice President of Advanced Technology, Toyota. "And unlike other industry solutions, Entune allows drivers to interact with informative and entertaining mobile content without fumbling with their phone?"1

Features of the Toyota Entune Multimedia System:

-    OpenTable - Allows drivers to make reservations at restaurants, on the go
-    Iheartradio, Pandora, and USB auxiliary radio connections - Provides drivers with infinite music options
-    The ability to purchase movie tickets, on the go
-    The ability to receive real-time, personalized weather, stock, traffic, fuel-price, and sports updates
-    Interacts with the car's navigation system, with access to Bing Maps as well as the Bing Search Engine



[SOURCE]
1. http://rumors.automobilemag.com/toyota-unveils-entune-multimedia-system-ces-takes-ford-sync-kia-uvo-11883.html

2011 Toyota Highlander and Toyota Highlander Hybrid crossover sport utility vehicles are not only designed to be stylish. They feature additional standard amenities and updated technologies, making them leaders in the segment of active and passive safety features.

The 2011 Toyota Highlander design showcases a new front fascia, hood, and fenders. The profile is sleeker with chrome-accented black rockers. To complement the new look, the headlights, taillights and 17-inch alloy wheels are also redesigned. In addition, the Limited Grade offers larger 19-inch wheels and silver roof rails, and the SE grade has a new power-lift gate.

While the 2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid shares the new fenders and hood with its gas-run counterpart, it is easy to distinguish with a unique grille and bumper design; color-keyed, chrome-accented rockers; and vertically stacked fog lamps. The blue lens covers on the projector-beam headlights and redesigned taillights also serve to differentiate the Highlander Hybrid. 

Daytime-running lamps are standard on all 2011 Toyota Highlander models, as is a 50/50 split third-row seat and manual rear climate control. The new Tech Audio is standard for SE and Limited grades. Aimed at keeping passengers connected with their personal and social lives, it features a USB port, integrated XM Satellite Radio with a 90-day trial subscription, and Bluetooth®.

Tech Audio is an option in the Base grade and comes as part of a  comprehensive package, which includes: a backup monitor with 3.5-inch multi-information display, an eight-way power driver's seat, tonneau cover, engine immobilizer, easy-clean fabric interior, flip-up liftgate window, fog lamps, and black roof rails.
 
The 2011 Highlander Hybrid Base grade offers a new Leather Package that includes leather-trimmed front seats with seat heaters, leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob, power moonroof, HomeLink®, auto-dimming rearview mirror with compass, plus an engine immobilizer with a security alarm. The optional navigation system, which was previously available only for the Limited grade, is now available for the SE grade. The Limited now has standard automatic climate control for the rear and an updated perforated leather interior.

Yes, Tesla has big investments of its own, but the company needs something to help with their $50 Million dollars per year budget. That's where Toyota stepped in. Sure, Tesla is a powerhouse, and not going anywhere soon - something Toyota knows, which is why they've joined with manufacturer to make an all-electric RAV4.

This move could help Tesla, according to the Wall Street Journal, earn  something in the ballpark of $60 Million dollars.

"It's hard to say how much of their half-billion in funding they've spent," adds Crunch Gear, "but if they're sourcing out their tech, it probably indicates it's going to be a close call, though they do expect profitability once they release the more marketable Model S."

In the meantime, "deals like this should keep gas in the tank" - or should we say, electricity in the power cells? Tesla tried everything it could to be profitable over the years, while building electric cars that could help the environment. Now, with the help of Toyota, they may just do it.

Check out the all new, all electric RAV4 by heading over to Toyota of Wallingford.




[SOURCE] http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/12/17/toyotas-electric-rav4-expected-to-bring-60-million-to-tesla/