Toyota Halftime Handoff Week 12 Winner -- Adaptive Action Sports

Adaptive Action Sports believes in encouraging individuality and creativity while building independence and self-confidence. Their mission is to create and promote sport camps, events and programs for youth and young adults living with permanent physical disabilities. Congratulations to this outstanding organization!

2013 Toyota Prius C Compact Hybrid on Sale in Japan, Detroit Launch Coming

Less than three weeks hence, the 2013 Toyota Prius C--the first compact hybrid hatchback from Toyota's expanding Prius line--will be officially introduced for the U.S. market at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show.

It was first unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show early this month, under the model name Aqua, and it went on sale in Japan this past Sunday.

According to Bloomberg, Toyota has high aspirations for the Prius C, hoping to sell as many as 12,000 of the car a month in Japan alone.

2013 Toyota Prius C, as shown at 2011 Tokyo Motor Show

The hybrid hatchback should draw interest among Japanese buyers eager to see this new, smaller full hybrid from the world's leading maker of hybrid-electric vehicles.

In its home market, the car we know as the 2013 Toyota Prius C will compete with both the mild-hybrid Honda Insight and the Honda Fit Hybrid, a model we don't see in the States that has proven popular in Japan.

 

The EPA has not yet released gas-mileage ratings for the 2013 Toyota Prius C, though on the less strenuous Japanese cycle, it was rated at 82 mpg (35 km/l).

2013 Toyota Prius C, as shown at 2011 Tokyo Motor Show

It's possible it could be rated as high as 60 mpg in the U.S., though Toyota has said only that the Prius C will deliver higher mileage than the Prius hatchback's 52-mpg city rating.

Toyota has expanded its well-recognized Prius hybrid lineup by adding a Prius V wagon, now on sale (in fact, our holiday test vehicle is the Prius wagon). The 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid will reach U.S. dealers by March.

The 2013 Prius C will go on sale "during 2012," Toyota says, probably over the summer.

Even before the 2013 Toyota Prius C hits U.S. dealerships, however, it's being modified in other markets. As our sister site Motor Authority reports, Japanese customizers have already developed body kits and other performance enhancements for the Aqua.

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Courtesy of Green Car Reports

Marvel & Toyota Yaris present: The Incredible Drive, Part 1

The first episode of the Marvel/Toyota universe features one Dr. Bruce Banner, also known as The Incredible Hulk. After a brief cameo by Red Hulk, Mr. Banner hooks up with Dr. Strange and the two of them go on a road trip. In a Toyota Yaris, of course...

What effect has the Toyota Camry had on you? Toyota wants to hear your story!

Share your Camry Effect!

Your Monday Maintenance Tip: Oil Changes

An oil and filter change involves draining out the old motor oil and replacing it with fresh, new motor oil. The oil filter also gets replaced at the same time.

Should I do this service when it's recommended?

In general, yes. Changing your vehicle's oil is one of the most important things you can do to avoid bringing large bags of money to your mechanic later on.

However, there's a lot of controversy about exactly when engine oil gets old and how often it should be replaced with new oil. Because there are many factors at work -- how you drive, the condition and age of the engine, the external environment you drive in, and stop-and-go versus highway driving -- it's an inexact science. Owner's manual recommendations for oil and filter changes vary from 3,000 to 10,000 miles.

We recommend that you change your oil and filter every 5,000 miles. That's our best estimate. It may be too soon for many people and too late for a few, but for the vast majority, 5,000-mile oil changes will help your engine last to a ripe, old age.

You may want to consider changing your oil more frequently if:

• You drive like a knucklehead: jackrabbit starts, heavy acceleration or high-speed driving
• You live where the climate is extremely hot or cold
• You often drive on dirt roads
• Your engine is old and burns oil
• You frequently carry heavy loads (several mothers-in-law or other cargo)

Why do I have to do this?

Oil undergoes thermal breakdown due to high operating temperature. When this occurs, the oil becomes less effective as a lubricant. And without a good lubricant (read: expensive), parts of the engine rub together and wear each other out.

Oil also contains additives that have the ability to neutralize acids. Over time, these additives get used up and stop being effective.

Finally, oil can absorb water, dust and combustion byproducts and also hold them in suspension. Eventually, the oil gets saturated with this stuff and can't absorb any more. Then that stuff remains in the engine and can cause corrosion.

What happens if I don't do this?

Your engine won't last as long as it could. Oil serves many crucial functions, and clean oil performs those functions better than dirty oil. Oil is relatively cheap, and changing your oil every 5,000 miles is a very cheap insurance policy against major repairs down the road.

Courtesy of CarTalk

Stronger roofs lead to another record year for award - Announcing winners of the 2012 Top Safety Pick

The list of winners of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick award is longer than ever this year, with vehicles in nearly every size category the Institute evaluates earning accolades. From minicars to sedans to pickups, consumers have a record number of choices among 2012 models.

In all, 69 cars, 38 SUVs, 5 minivans, and 3 pickups earn Top Safety Pick. The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on ratings in Institute evaluations. The ratings, which cover all 4 of the most common kinds of crashes, help shoppers pick vehicles that offer the highest levels of crash protection. Because the federal government now requires all 2012 and later passenger vehicles to have electronic stability control to help drivers avoid loss-of-control crashes, ESC no longer is a requirement to win as it was in prior years.

The winners' circle includes 18 new recipients for 2012, while 97 models that previously qualified for the 2011 award carry over to 2012.

"For the second year running a record number of models qualify," says Institute president Adrian Lund. "It's tough to win, and we commend auto manufacturers for making safety a top priority."

That commitment to protecting people in crashes is evident in the fast pace of design improvements automakers have made during the past year. Initially 66 vehicles qualified for last year's award as less-than-perfect rollover ratings held back many contenders. Later the number climbed to 100 as manufacturers redesigned roofs to make them stronger or introduced new models to win. The Institute's rolling test schedule allows for recognition of additional winners throughout the year, so many 2012 models qualified for a 2011 Top Safety Pick.

Again this year every major automaker has at least one winner. Subaru remains the only manufacturer with the distinction of earning awards for every model it builds. Subaru picks up 5 awards, including one for the redesigned Impreza, a small car.

Toyota/Lexus/Scion has 15 winners for 2012, more than any other auto manufacturer. General Motors is next in line with 14, followed by Volkswagen/Audi with 13, and Ford/Lincoln and Honda/Acura with 12 awards apiece.

Honda improves: Ten of the 18 new additions are Honda/Acura models, including the midsize Accord sedan, which hasn't earned Top Safety Pick since the Institute toughened criteria to win the 2010 award by adding a test to assess roof strength in a rollover crash.

Vehicles rated good for rollover protection have roofs more than twice as strong as the current federal standard requires. The Institute estimates that such roofs reduce the risk of serious and fatal injury in single-vehicle rollovers by about 50 percent compared with roofs meeting the minimum requirement. A new federal standard for roof strength will phase in beginning with 2013 models.

Roofs on the 2009 Honda CR-V and 2010 Pilot scored marginal ratings in prior Institute tests, while earlier models of the Accord, CR-Z, Fit, and Insight rated acceptable. Now all of these 2012 models earn good ratings and Top Safety Pick.

"Honda/Acura deserves credit for most-improved status," Lund says. "The automaker buckled down and upgraded roofs on 10 models that missed winning last year because of rollover protection. Now, the automaker has winners in the minicar, small car, midsize car, small SUV, midsize SUV, minivan, and large pickup categories."

Another midsize sedan, the Toyota Camry, earns its first-ever Top Safety Pick. Last year, the Camry missed the mark because of a marginal rating for seat/head restraints. The Toyota Yaris also earns its first Top Safety Pick award. Toyota upgraded the roof and seat/head restraints of the 4-door hatchback model to win. Good ratings secure the Yaris a spot alongside 3 other minicars, the Fiat 500, Ford Fiesta, and Honda Fit, as 2012 winners.

"It's great to see the Accord and Camry, 2 of the top-selling midsize cars in the U.S. market, join the Top Safety Pick ranks this year," Lund says. "The Accord previously won the 2009 award but has been missing from the list since then."

With fuel efficiency and reduced emissions on many buyers' wish lists, the winners' circle includes more green choices. Toyota's all-new Prius v is among them. Roomier than the original, the v hybrid brings to 15 the number of winners available as hybrids. The plug-in electric Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, winners in 2011, also earn this year's award.

For drivers who need to haul loads, the Ford F-150, Honda Ridgeline, and Toyota Tundra are good choices in the large pickup category. Small pickups continue to be shut out. None the Institute has evaluated qualify for the award.

"When we launched Top Safety Pick in 2005, consumers had 11 models to pick from. Six years later, finding a winner that fits most budgets and lifestyles is easy," Lund says. "It's a testament to the commitment automakers have made to going above and beyond minimum safety standards."

About the award: The Institute awarded the first Top Safety Pick to 2006 models and then raised the bar the next year by requiring good rear test results and ESC as either standard or optional equipment. In 2010, the Institute toughened criteria by adding a requirement that all qualifiers must earn a good rating for performance in a roof strength test to assess protection in a rollover crash.

The Institute groups winners according to vehicle type and size. Lund advises consumers to keep in mind that size and weight influence crashworthiness. Larger, heavier vehicles generally afford better occupant protection in serious crashes than smaller, lighter ones. Even with a Top Safety Pick, a small car isn't as crashworthy as a bigger one.

How vehicles are evaluated: The Institute's frontal crashworthiness evaluations are based on results of 40 mph frontal offset crash tests. Each vehicle's overall evaluation is based on measurements of intrusion into the occupant compartment, injury measures recorded on a 50th percentile male Hybrid III dummy in the driver seat, and analysis of slow-motion film to assess how well the restraint system controlled dummy movement during the test.

Side evaluations are based on performance in a crash test in which the side of a vehicle is struck by a barrier moving at 31 mph. The barrier represents the front end of a pickup or SUV. Ratings reflect injury measures recorded on 2 instrumented SID-IIs dummies representing a 5th percentile woman, assessment of head protection countermeasures, and the vehicle's structural performance during the impact.

In the roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against 1 side of a roof at a displacement rate of 0.2 inch per second. To earn a good rating for rollover protection, the roof must withstand a force of 4 times the vehicle's weight before reaching 5 inches of crush. This is called a strength-to-weight ratio.

Rear crash protection is rated according to a 2-step procedure. Starting points for the ratings are measurements of head restraint geometry — the height of a restraint and its horizontal distance behind the back of the head of an average-size man.

Seat/head restraints with good or acceptable geometry are tested dynamically using a dummy that measures forces on the neck. This test simulates a collision in which a stationary vehicle is struck in the rear at 20 mph. Seats without good or acceptable geometry are rated poor overall because they can't be positioned to protect many people.

Toyota's Winners:

Toyota Yaris
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Prius
Toyota Camry
Toyota Prius v
Toyota Avalon
Toyota Highlander
Toyota Venza
Toyota Sienna
Toyota Tundra

Courtesy of IIHS.org

Toyota Halftime Handoff Week 10 Winner -- Shane's Inspiration

Shane's Inspiration constructs playgrounds that are accessible to all children, even those in wheelchairs and with physical disabilities. These spaces allow disabled and non-disabled children to interact and learn about one another through the act of play. Congratulations!

Today in History: Indy "Brickyard" is completed

On this day in 1909, workers place the last of the 3.2 million 10-pound bricks that pave the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana (a town surrounded by the city of Indianapolis). Since then, most of that brick has been buried under asphalt, but one yard remains exposed at the start-finish line. Kissing those bricks after a successful race remains a tradition among Indy drivers.

In 1908, the auto-headlight mogul and race promoter Carl Fisher decided to build a five-mile track that would give carmakers a safe place to test and show off their vehicles. He signed up three partners and bought 320 acres of farmland on the edge of Indianapolis, across the street from his Prest-O-Lite headlight factory. The original plans for Fisher's "motor parkway" called for a three-mile "outer" loop and a two-mile course through the infield, but they were hastily redrawn when someone pointed out that such a long track would not fit on the parcel unless all the grandstands along the straightaways were eliminated. As a compromise, Fisher and his construction superintendent decided to build a 2.5-mile banked oval with grandstands on all sides.

Instead of the concrete surface that other racecourse builders were using, Fisher covered his track with a sticky amalgam of gravel, limestone, tar, and 220,000 gallons of asphaltum oil. For months, 500 workers and 300 mules laid layer after layer of the gooey mixture on the Indy loop and pulled steamrollers across it, pressing the roadway into a solid mass.

In August 1909, the Indy speedway was ready to open. The first race at the new Motor Speedway, a motorcycle race on August 13, was a disaster: the new track was so abrasive that it popped everyone's tires, and workers had to take a few days to sand it down before the event could continue. Even after that, the rack was still a mess: As racecar teams arrived at the speedway to prepare for the 300-mile Wheeler-Schibler race, one historian reported, "drivers were quickly covered with dirt, oil, and tar...the track surface disintegrated in the turns, [and] flying gravel shattered goggles and bloodied cheeks. Driving at Indy was like flying through a meteor shower."

On the first day of that first car race, driver Wilford Bacuque and his mechanic were killed when their Knox flipped over and bounced into a fence post. Then, three more people died when driver Charlie Merz shredded a tire and went flying into the stands. After AAA threatened a boycott, Fisher agreed to suspend all races at the Indy track until he could put down a safer surface.

He decided on bricks because traction tests confirmed that they were less slippery than gravel and sturdier than concrete. When the "Brickyard" opened, it was much less dangerous than it had been, and only seven people were killed there between 1909 and 1919. The speedway kept its brick track for nearly 50 years. Today, the speedway has an asphalt surface.

 

Courtesy of History.com

Toyota tweet campaign leads to $500 credit

Toyota is making tweeting really, really profitable. It has launched the second year of a Twitter-based promotion in which customers who tweet about plans to buy or lease a Toyota vehicle can earn a $500 prepaid debit card.

The Shareathon program adds another sweetener this year. If friends of the customers re-tweet the original message, those rewards rise by $50 up to a maximum of another $500. That raises the ante to a total of $1,000.

"This year, Shareathon not only rewards shoppers for tweeting about their plans for a new Toyota, but is also a fun and unique way for us to engage their friends and followers," said Kimberley Gardiner, social media manager for Toyota. "Last year's Shareathon was such a huge success that we decided to add an incremental element to expand the social footprint and impact of the program."

Those who want to give it a try have to register anytime between Monday and Dec. 21. Then they have to purchase or lease a new Toyota before Jan. 3 to be eligible for the certificate.

 

Courtesy of USA Today

Statement from Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Regarding the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Five-Star Composite Rating for All-New 2012 Camry

We are very pleased that the all-new 2012 Camry has earned a five-star composite safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The fact that the Camry earned this five-star overall score after enduring a more rigorous NHTSA testing procedure targeted at raising the bar for overall vehicle safety is testament to the strong design, and safety-focused engineering consumers can expect in the nation’s top-selling car.

The redesigned 2012 Camry features a reinforced body structure that utilizes high-strength steel construction to help withstand cabin deformity during certain severe collisions, absorb impact energies and help enhance occupant safety. Each Camry is also equipped with a class-leading 10 standard airbags to help protect occupants in the event of a collision. Like all Toyota models, the 2012 Camry is equipped with Toyota’s Star Safety System™ standard, which includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist. The Star Safety System™ also features the standard Smart Stop Technology brake-override system, and a tire pressure monitoring system as standard equipment.

Vehicle safety and the development of technologies that forward the safety mission, such as Camry's available Blind Spot Monitor, remain a priority at Toyota.   Our designers and engineers will continue their efforts toward occupant safety, and, in doing so, help raise the bar for vehicle safety industry-wide.

Courtesy of Toyota

You read about the Toyota Fun-Vii last week. Now see the concept in action!

Your Monday Maintenance Tip: Air Filters

What is it?

The air filter stops airborne contaminants from getting sucked into your car's engine. It's a paper filter that stops debris such as dust, leaves and wayward pelicans before they get inside the engine and do damage.

Should I do this service when it's recommended?

Yes.

Why do I have to do this?

Because, eventually, your air filter will get plugged up.

What happens if I don't do this?

If your air filter gets too dirty or clogged, your engine won't be able to suck enough air into the combustion chambers. The engine will then run rich (i.e., too much gas and not enough air). When this happens, your car will lose power and run roughly. Your Check Engine light also may come on.

If you really neglect the air filter for a long time, your car may stop running altogether. While permanent damage is unlikely, it is possible. If an air filter were sufficiently dirty and damaged, it could allow harmful, abrasive contaminants into the combustion chamber.

Courtesy of CarTalk

Toyota Halftime Handoff Week 9 Winner -- Big Sky Youth Empowerment Project

Congratulations to the latest Toyota Halftime Handoff winner, Big Sky Youth Empowerment Project! Their mission is to meet the demand for creative programs targeting high school-age, at-risk youth. They will receive a $10,000 donation to continue their efforts.