toyota

Chrysler has named Jim Press as a president and vice chairman, CEO Robert Nardelli said Thursday.

Press, former president of Toyota Motor North America, was the first non-Japanese person to be appointed to Toyota's board of directors in the company's history. He was appointed to the board in June, after working at Toyota for 37 years.

Press' resignation from Toyota is effective September 14. That same day, Shigeru Hayakawa, the current Toyota Motor North America vice president and managing officer, will become president, according to Toyota.

Press leaves Toyota to serve under Chrysler's Nardelli, alongside Tom LaSorda, … Read more

In the midst of all the bleak news for the American car industry, there was a ray of hope of sorts. A recent survey on "retained value" (what percentage of retail price a car maintains on the used market) has the Hummer coming in the top 10. As Autoblog reports:

"[T]he new Power Information Network retained value rankings for the automakers came out, and while the top ten list is pretty much owned by imports, Hummer crashes the party, coming in at the #8 spot. Hummer vehicles retain 63% of their original value, an increase of … Read more

Plug-in hybrids have emerged as the favorite form of transportation for reducing greenhouse gases in the near term, but calculating their energy efficiency can be a little complicated.

Plug-ins won't conk out after 130 to 200 miles, like electric cars, and they don't require major technological breakthroughs, like hydrogen cars. Converting a Prius to a plug-in hybrid costs about $10,000 to $15,000 now--that's part of the reason only about 50 exist--but if car manufacturers decide to make these at the factory, the additional cost may only run $6,000 or so, say proponents. That'… Read more

Cargo space and performance are the most important car traits among those who post to CarGurus.com, a site that rates cars like TripAdvisor rates hotels.

The No. 1 rated car is the 2007 Jeep Wrangler, according to CarGurus.com's community ratings of the top 10 2007 models, with the 2007 Ford Mustang coming in at No. 2.

The 2007 Toyota Camry, which is known for its gas mileage of 31 mpg on the highway, was No. 3 followed by the also sensible 2007 Honda Accord. The 2007 Ford Focus was also on the list. Except for those three, … Read more

Toyota announced Wednesday that a hybrid car you can recharge from household outlets has been approved for public road testing in Japan.

The Toyota Plug-in HV was formally approved by Japan's transportation, and infrastructure agency and the company said that it also plans to conduct public-road tests (video) in the United States and Europe.

The Plug-in HV has a gas-powered engine with an electric motor similar to the Prius and has a maximum speed of about 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) while in electric vehicle mode. But unlike the Prius, which recharges its battery from an … Read more

On Tuesday, Toyota Motor Sales, which includes the Toyota and Lexus brands in the U.S., announced record sales for the first half of 2007.

Toyota Motor sold 1,331,074 vehicles since the beginning of the year, making it the "best-ever first half of the year" for the U.S. branch, which also experienced record sales for the quarter.

About 725,219 vehicles were sold in the second quarter, with 245,739 of them selling in June alone. The June number is a 6.1 percent increase over June 2006.

The news follows two other major announcements … Read more

The second-annual Hybridfest takes place in Madison, Wisc., on July 21 and 22, so if you love your hybrid and need a summer vacation idea, consider sharing the love with a bunch of other hybrid owners. The organizers want to get 200 hybrid owners to bring their cars and put them on display. Last year, they had more than 160 from 21 states and Canada show up, plus 2,000 people interested in seeing hybrids in action. Toyota, GM, and Ford are sponsors of the event, and should have some of their latest hybrids on hand for test-drives. This year … Read more

Toyota shareholders have approved the appointment of Jim Press, general manager of Toyota Motor North America, as a senior managing director to the company's board.

Press is the first non-Japanese person to ever be appointed to the automaker's board of directors.

The move was interpreted as a sign that the Japanese automaker wants to show the world that it's truly a global corporation.

The news comes amidst Toyota's release of May production and export results for its Toyota, Daihatsu and Hino brands.

The automaker hit its 18th consecutive month of growth in exports, which it attributed … Read more

Is diesel the answer to more stringent emission standards?

Apparently it is, at least from the perspective of automakers.

Ford India announced Wednesday that it is launching a diesel version of the Ford Fiesta, the latest in a string of similar announcements in the industry.

"(This car) will dramatically change customers' perceptions about the traditional diesel vehicle. The car is designed to deliver responsive acceleration, outstanding fuel economy, and reduced emissions consistent with future norms," Scott McCormack, vice president of Ford India, said in a statement.

While environmentalists, consumers and politicians continued to discuss ethanol, hydrogen and electricity, … Read more