Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Media Alert!

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What:
Toyota will hold a press conference at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev., on Oct. 30 at 11:00 a.m. PDT to introduce nine customized vehicles for its SEMA Show display and to announce the winner of the Toyota Racing Dream Build Challenge.

In addition to the four custom builds for the Dream Build Challenge, there will be three based on the all-new Toyota Avalon, a TRD FJ Cruiser and the "Ultimate Fishing Tundra" on display.

The Dream Build Challenge is a build competition among four of Toyota Racing's top drivers, where each driver chose a build team that helped create their "Dream Build" custom vehicle. Toyota will contribute $100,000 to the drivers’ designated charities, with the winning driver's charity receiving $50,000. The winner will be determined by fan voting on the Dream Build Facebook page from Oct. 20-29

Who:
• Toyota Marketing Communications and Motorsports Vice President Ed Laukes to introduce the program
• Television racing commentator and Top Gear USA host Rutledge Wood will be master of ceremonies
Dream Build challengers:
• Alexis DeJoria (NHRA Toyota Fuel Funny Car driver)
• Antron Brown (NHRA Toyota Top Fuel driver)
• Clint Bowyer (NASCAR Toyota Sprint Cup driver)
• Kyle Busch (NASCAR Toyota Sprint Cup driver)

All will be available post-conference for interviews and autographs.

Where:
Toyota's space at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Nev., booth # 24801 in the Central Hall

When:
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 from 11:00 to 11:20 a.m. PDT.

Why:
See nine brand-new and unique custom-built Toyota vehicles, including three based on the all-new 2013 Avalon; be the first to see and hear the winner of the Toyota Racing Dream Build Challenge; interview the players involved.

Courtesy of Toyota News

Monday, October 29, 2012

Hurricane Sandy - Safety Tip

Make sure you stay safe out there. Here is a government safety tip to keep in mind while preparing for Hurricane Sandy.

Be sure to have an emergency kit and a go bag ready in case you have to leave in a hurry. Prepare your vehicles for this as well. Keep them pre-packed and have paper maps ready in case you lose power or your cell phone dies.

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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Free Multi-Point Inspection

Traveling this holiday season? Before you hit the road stop in for a free multi-point inspection and keep you ride running smooth!

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Details: Services includes: comprehensive vehicle inspection, consultation with a factory certified service advisor, and detailed inspection form. Valid only at Sloane Toyota of Glenside. Cannot be combined with any other specials, discounts, or offers. See Sloane Toyota of Glenside for complete details. Offer expires 10-31-2012

Click here for this offer and more!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Scion iQ EV Arrives for Campus and Urban Car-sharing Programs

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Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. announced the arrival of the 2013 Scion iQ EV in the United States. The iQ EV is a battery- electric four-seater city commuter car designed for car-sharing programs, in urban and campus environments.

“Toyota believes battery-electric vehicles have the potential to play a role in future mobility strategies,” says Chris Hostetter, TMS group vice president of strategic planning. “Up to now, cost and convenience issues have limited BEV’s appeal with a broad consumer market. Toyota developed the iQ EV specifically as a city commuter, for use in an urban environment, where driving distances are likely to be short, charging opportunities numerous, and its compact proportions beneficial.”

The iQ EV features Toyota’s newly developed high-output lithium-ion battery which delivers a world-class electric power consumption rate of 104 Wh/km in an ultra-compact and lightweight package. In ideal stop and go driving conditions, the 12 kWh battery provides an estimated range of up to 50 miles on a full charge. The vehicle can be fully charged in approximately three hours at 240V. Its 78-inch wheel base and 13.5 foot turning radius makes the iQ EV highly maneuverable in congested areas where streets are narrow and parking is at a premium.

“Approximately 90 iQ EVs will be available for fleet and car-sharing applications,” said Hostetter. “These programs will further expand Toyota’s comprehensive portfolio of advanced technology vehicles which includes the recently-released RAV4 EV, the Prius Family of gas-electric hybrid vehicles, including the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, and the FCHV-Adv (Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle-Advanced).”

Details on individual iQ EV program partners will be announced in the coming weeks.

Performance and Efficiency
The iQ EV development process strongly focused on the conservation of power consumption. A compact lightweight body, power-saving electrical equipment, and the application of experience gained from hybrid and plug-in hybrid development resulted in excellent all-around performance. The iQ EV is replete with energy conserving features such as regenerative braking, heat pump air conditioning with a pre-conditioning option, LED high-mounted stop light, heated front seats, and a heated windshield defroster. The iQ EV is equipped with a timer to match charge completion time with the time the vehicle will actually be driven, to help reduce battery degradation. In addition, there are three driving modes to select from: D range controls the vehicle to use the least amount of power during city driving; S range increases acceleration performance for brisker driving; and a B range that maximizes regenerative braking efficiency. Maximum output from the drivetrain is 47 kW (63 hp) with a maximum torque of 120 lbs.-ft. In S range the iQ EV accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 13.4 seconds, and from 30 to 50 mph in seven seconds. Its top speed is 78 mph.

Styling
The iQ EV’s styling is simple and bold. On the exterior, the front bumper’s simply constructed charging port lid emphasizes the EV’s iconic lack of an upper grille. Its trapezoidal motif highlights the appearance of a low center of gravity. A wide rear bumper conveys a strong stance. Two exterior colors are available: Silver and Super Red. For a sleek impression, the body is two-toned: the upper half and rear hatch are black, a theme that is carried through in the black front headlamp casings, black battery cooling air inlets, and wheel caps which are punctuated with a series of black vents.

The interior features a high-contrast black and white color scheme with metallic and ice-blue accents. The leather wrapped steering wheel and white steering pad cover convey a premium feel. The strongly contoured center console symbolizes the battery mounted below the floor; while the plug patterned seat fabric with blueish-grey and white stitching completes the iconic theme.

Audio Visual Navigation System
The iQ EV is equipped with an HDD navigation system and an exclusive AVN unit with several EV driving support features. The screen is a refined seven-inch Video Graphics Array LCD, which displays audio information or vehicle information (such as power consumption and energy flow information) in a split screen with the map on the main navigation screen. An available range map displays an estimate of the distance the iQ EV can travel on its current state of charge.

Safety
The iQ EV is equipped with 11 SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) airbags including knee, side, seat cushion, front and rear curtain, and a rear window curtain airbag. The front passenger seat is equipped with an occupant detection system. The iQ EV’s multiple load path body is designed to absorb and disperse frontal collision impacts through the body shell. The front tires have been moved forward so collision impacts are dispersed to the tires, helping to reduce impact to the cabin. Other impact dispersing features include front suspension members arranged in a cross hatch pattern and a larger dash cross member for offset impacts. A cross hatched constructed battery frame joined to the body frame helps enhance the rigidity of the cabin and helps disperse the energy of collisions from any angle.
Like all new Toyota vehicles, iQ EV comes standard with the Star Safety System™, which combines Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA) and Smart Stop Technology (SST). The iQ EV is also equipped with Hill start assist control and a vehicle proximity notification system to alert pedestrians of the vehicle’s approach.

Production
iQ EV is manufactured at Toyota’s Takaoka Plant in Toyota City. Production began in September 2012.

Courtesy of Scion Newsroom

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

TMC to Participate in 19th ITS World Congress

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Toyota City, Japan, October 15, 2012—Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) will host a corporate display booth at the 19th ITS1 World Congress in Vienna, Austria from October 22 through October 26, 2012.

The ITS World Congress is the world's largest ITS-related international conference.  Held annually in Europe, the Asia-Pacific and the Americas on a rotating basis, the congress invites ITS-related groups (government, research bodies and commercial enterprises) from a wide range of countries and regions to use information sessions (including presentations of technical papers), exhibitions and technical tours to showcase their latest ITS research findings and products.

TMC has participated in the World Congress since it began.  This year, TMC will present information on three high-priority ITS projects: vehicle-infrastructure cooperative systems, energy management and urban transport systems.

With regard to vehicle-infrastructure cooperative systems, TMC will present information on applications that use wireless communications enabled by systems installed in roadside infrastructure and in other vehicles to notify drivers about cars traveling in the driver's blind spot and other unseen hazards.

TMC will also present information on energy management through the exhibition of a Prius Plug-in Hybrid, a next-generation environment-friendly vehicle that has been available in Europe since August of this year, along with the results of the low-carbon society demonstration project being conducting in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, as well as future initiatives.

In addition, TMC will for the first time at the World Congress exhibit concepts and specific software applications in the area of urban transport systems.

In October of next year, the 20th ITS World Congress2 will be held in Tokyo, Japan.  TMC plans to use exhibits, sessions and test rides to introduce the vision of a future society where people can travel in cars safely and securely and where homes, vehicles and information systems are linked.  TMC seeks to create such a society based on the concept of being "rewarded with a smile by exceeding your expectations", a key idea from the Toyota Global Vision.

Courtesy of Toyota Global News

Monday, October 15, 2012

The Toyota Tundra tows the Space Shuttle Endeavour!

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There are publicity stunts, and then there's using a Toyota Tundra to tow the 145-ton Space Shuttle Endeavour across interstate 405 in Los Angeles. That's exactly what happened Saturday night when Toyota lent a hand pulling the retired spacecraft over a bridge en route to the California Science Center. As it turned out, the Manchester Boulevard Bridge couldn't stand up to the weight of both the shuttle and the traditional tow vehicle, which sent organizers searching for something a little lighter to cover the five-minute drive across the bridge. As a 20-year sponsor of the science center, Toyota stepped in to help out.

The company developed a special tow dolly with Sarens Group, an engineering and heavy-lifting firm, just for the effort. A bone-stock 2012 Toyota Tundra CrewMax 4x4 did the deed, though something tells us this little stunt greatly exceeded the machine's tow rating.

Courtesy of AutoBlog

Friday, October 12, 2012

Space shuttle begins 2-day road trip to California Science Center

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LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Space shuttle Endeavour has hit the road.
 
The black and white winged orbiter, which is the youngest in NASA's now retired fleet, left Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) atop a self-propelled, overland transporter in the early morning hours on Friday, Oct. 12. The motion signaled the start of a 2-day road trip to deliver Endeavour to its new exhibit at the California Science Center (CSC).
 
Endeavour emerged at 11:25 p.m. PDT (2:25 a.m. EDT; 0625 GMT) Thursday, Oct. 11, from a United Airlines hangar, which served as the space shuttle's temporary shelter since arriving at the airport on a NASA jumbo jet last month.
 
The shuttle then exited LAX through an access road at 2 a.m. PDT (5 a.m. EDT; 0900 GMT), crossed Lincoln Boulevard and turned onto Westchester Parkway, rumbling towards its first "rest stop" along the 12-mile (19 kilometer) route to the science center.
 
At its full speed of 2 miles per hour (3.2 kph), the joystick controlled, blue and yellow transporter slowly but steadily carried the 155,000-pound (70,300-kilogram) Endeavour forward. The shuttle's 78-foot (24-meter) wingspan and 58 foot tall (18-meter) tail required a route that was closed to traffic and cleared of obstacles, including light signals and trees. [Photos: Shuttle Endeavour's California Sightseeing Tour]
 
Endeavour will spend much of the day Friday waiting for crews to raise power lines that are blocking its way.
 
To Infinity (or rather Bed, Bath) and Beyond
Rolling west from the airport on Westchester, Endeavour's route takes it along La Tijera Boulevard to the parking lot of a shopping center on the corner of Sepulveda Parkway, where it will stop for about nine hours.
 
Although not a publicized viewing area for the public, local police departments advised thousands may turn up to see Endeavour waiting for its next move.
 
That won't come until the afternoon, when transformer lines are de-energized and raised. Once ready, Endeavour will travel down Manchester Boulevard, cross into Inglewood and then stop again for six hours as the next set of utility work gets underway.
 
The power line work will result in rolling blackouts following the shuttle's path.
 
Endeavour's second stop of the day, which is expected to span 4:15 p.m. to about 11 p.m. PDT (7:15 p.m. to 2 a.m. EDT; 2315 to 0600 GMT), will park it near the landmark Randy's Donuts with its oversized donut-shaped roof sign. For the shuttle's move, the shop installed a small model of Endeavour inside the hole of the 32-foot-wide (9.7-meter) donut.
 
Tundra crossing
Friday's start and stop moves lead up to the space shuttle Endeavour crossing over the 405 freeway.
 
To meet the weight distribution requirements for traveling the Manchester Boulevard Bridge, Endeavour will trade its computer-controlled transporter for a tow by a 2012 Toyota Tundra pickup truck.
 
The truck, which Toyota says was not modified from what is found on the sale lot, will be driven by Matt McBride, a professional stuntman and precision driver whose credits include numerous car commercials and feature films, such as last year's "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" and "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" coming out in 2013.
 
Astronaut Garrett Reisman, who launched on Endeavour in 2008, will ride in the Tundra with McBride.
Toyota's involvement continues a partnership between the car company's USA division and the California Science Center to provide support and awareness of the space program and education of the public through exhibits and programs. The pickup that will be used to two Endeavour will also go on display at the CSC as part of an interactive exhibit on the physics of leverage.
 
Once over the freeway, Endeavour will be moved back onto its transporter and then will wait on Manchester, out of sight of the public, until daylight Saturday to continue to its first of two celebration events.
 
The road ahead
Endeavour will cover the first 3 miles (4.8 km) of its 12 mile (19 km) journey on Friday. The bulk of its road trip will be accomplished on Saturday (Oct. 13), with its arrival at the science center anticipated around 8:30 p.m. PDT (11:30 p.m. EDT; 0330 GMT).
 
Endeavour's final journey, which the CSC dubbed "Mission 26: The Big Endeavour," will formally get underway with a 30 minute program at The Forum, the former indoor arena of the LA Lakers, on Saturday at 9 a.m. PDT (noon EDT; 1600 GMT). The event, which is expected to draw a crowd as large as 14,000 people, will feature Inglewood's mayor James T. Butts, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham.
 
The celebration is one of three designated public viewing opportunities for Endeavour's move. Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. PDT (5 p.m. EDT; 2100 GMT), the space shuttle will pause again at the corner of Crenshaw Boulevard and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard for an aerial and dance tribute choreographed by "Fame" actress Debbie Allen.
 
The third and final public opportunity to witness Endeavour on the move will be at Exposition Park in Los Angeles, as the shuttle pulls up to the California Science Center.
 
The CSC plans to debut the shuttle on exhibit inside the Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion with its public opening on Oct. 30.

Courtesy of MNN

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Third Annual Taste of Fall Cooking Competition and Exhibition

Do you like trying new foods and wine? Check out the Taste of Fall this Sunday for some great family fun!

The Third Annual Taste of Fall Cooking Competition and Exhibition is taking place on October 14, 2012 at Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse located in East Fairmount Park on 33rd & Oxford Sts., Philadelphia, PA. The event will feature food, wine, and beer tastings, activities, and live music.

There will be plenty of children's activities available as well, so make sure to bring the whole family! Don't forget to bundle up!

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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Toyota Tundra to Tow Endeavour Space Shuttle

Previously planned for the end of the Endeavour’s historic journey, the Toyota Tundra will tow the shuttle over the 405 bridge.

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WHAT: The Toyota Tundra will be towing the space shuttle Endeavour over the 405 Freeway instead of the previously announced route along Bill Robertson Lane in Los Angeles. The tow will assist the California Science Center Foundation in the movement of the historic icon over the Manchester Boulevard Bridge, an area that requires a different tow mechanism than other portions of the route for weight distribution purposes. In preparation to assist in any capacity needed, the Tundra was extensively tested to meet the requirements. This tow of Endeavour by the Toyota Tundra at this location will be the only one its kind taking place along the route.

WHEN: October 12, 2012, Evening
            Exact time TBA

WHERE: Manchester Boulevard Bridge, nearly a quarter-mile span total over the 405 Freeway, near LAX

Courtesy of Toyota

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Get your wheels ready for the winter!

$84.95 Fall Tire Care Special

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Service includes: 4-wheel alignment, tire rotation, inspect brakes, inspect suspension, and check tire conditions. Valid only at Sloane Toyota of Glenside. Cannot be combined with any other specials, discounts, or offers. See Sloane Toyota of Glenside for complete details. Offer expires 10-31-2012

Click here to get this offer http://on.fb.me/Q6qHL5

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Toyota's ultimate smartphone accessory: a mini-car

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Toyota is demonstrating a new single-seater concept car at this year's Ceatec electronics show that works as a giant extension of the driver's smartphone.

The company's "Smart INSECT" vehicle has a pad in its dashboard for mobile handsets, from which it syncs online services while also providing wireless charging. It is billing the electric car as a networked device that will support users on the road much the way their phones do when they are on foot.

The INSECT, whose name stands for "Information Network Social Electricity City Transporter," is packed with features now commonly found on phones and tablets. As a potential driver approaches its front, the car uses facial recognition to identify them, and the individual can then use voice and gesture controls to make queries or open the door and trunk.

Toyota's concept can communicate with its driver's home while on the road, checking whether the front door is locked or the settings of the air conditioning. The car has a large LCD display above the steering wheel that also shows information from the smartphone it is synced to.

"This car is based on the concept of connecting people, cars, and homes. It was developed by an IT engineer and has technologies such as telematics built in," said Yuji Amano, a group manager at Toyota.

The car links into to the "Toyota Smart Center," a platform that connects electric and hybrid cars with buildings and power companies, with the goal of making everything more efficient.

By accessing users' smartphones, Toyota will also gain access to information about its customers beyond their driving habits.

"The car uses data gathered from customers' actions to predict what they will do and suggest information to them," said Amano.

"One example might be in navigation, where the system uses what the user has done so far to suggest a destination."

Another example is advertising. In a demonstration, the INSECT takes a young woman to her favorite convenience store, then suggests a new snack that has recently gone on sale.

The car is based on Toyota's Coms personal electric vehicle, which sells in Japan for about $9,000. The Coms can reach speeds of 60 kilometers per hour, and can drive for about 50 kilometers on a six-hour charge.

The Ceatec show, Japan's largest consumer electronics exhibition, runs in Makuhari, just outside of Tokyo from Tuesday through Thursday.

Courtesy of ComputerWorld

Monday, October 1, 2012

Win tickets to the Philadelphia Flyers!

Hey Sloane Toyota Fans! Want to win 2 tickets to see the Philadelphia Flyers?

Enter our contest by clicking here http://a.pgtb.me/372KZW

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