Toyota’s parnter, Tesla Motors’ CEO, Elon Musk, CEO said that he expects Japan to become the company’s largest electric vehicle market outside of the U.S. Musk also predicted that the niche luxury auto maker’s U.S. customer base will expand steadily overseas, and the goal is that sales will be evenly split between the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

“We do believe Japan will be our No. 2 country in terms of sales, over time,” Musk said, speaking at a joint press conference with the CEO of Toyota Motor Corp. “Japan is a key market for the kind of product we produce,” he added. The first Asian Tesla showroom was opened in Tokyo as Musk announced plans to enter the European market with dealerships in Paris, London, and Monaco.

Tesla has sold 1,500 of its $100,000 Roadsters that debuted this year, and it plans to launch a midsize sports sedan for 2012. Two of Tesla’s major shareholders are Panasonic Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp., which offers strong ties to the Palo Alto, California automaker in the Japanese auto market. Toyota invested $50 million in Tesla and plans to fork over another $60 million for Tesla to build  all-electric Toyota cars, such as the  RAV4 SUV using Tesla’s battery technology, and Panasonic, which provides battery cells for Tesla’s all-electric cars, invested another $30 million earlier this month.

Commercial sales of the all-electric RAV4 will begin in 2012, but no official word has been reported regarding whether there will be mass production of Toyota’s first all-electric SUV. Some analysts say that Toyota plans to sell its own, independently developed electric vehicle in the U.S. from 2012.

“The decision at the end of the day is Toyota’s,” Musk said. “But there’s a good chance we will do final assembly of the initial fleet of RAV4 EVs at NUMMI”

Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota, said that an ultra mini-car is being developed independent of Tesla, based on its British and Japanese market iQ model. “In Japan, I think customers are probably saying they would use electric vehicles to commute short distances, so we are considering the iQ-based EV,” Toyoda said.

Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. reported October U.S. sales fell 4 percent from a year earlier. Still being affected from a series of safety recalls this year, Toyota was the only major automaker to post a sales decline last month as the overall industry advanced 13 percent.

Toyota’s U.S. sales are up 1 percent year-to-date, compared to an overall market that is up 11 percent.

Carter told journalists the new Toyota Care campaign that includes routine maintenance as standard for all vehicles has improved showroom traffic and Toyota is prepared to continue to offer incentives in addition to Toyota Care for new Toyota cars and trucks.

A series of financing and leasing incentives will be offered in late November during Toyota’s annual Toyotathon sales event.

“You will see an enhancement to marketing and incentives but [they] will remain consistent in the APR and lease arenas,” he said. “They will be the best deals of the year — leasing and APR deals are moving the market.”

Carter also stated that some light truck rebates will be offered as cash incentives because that’s what is typical in those segments, but most will remain leasing and finance deals to protect the brand.

Ac coring to analysts; “Toyota’s lingering image problems from recalls and the aggressive discounts the automaker used earlier in the year may cut into sales in the fourth quarter.”

To learn more about new incentives and rebates, as well as the new “Toyota Care” program that are being offered on all new Toyota vehicles, contact your local St. Louis Toyota dealer, Spirit Toyota today.

According to a Santa Ana federal judge’s tentative ruling, the class action unintended acceleration cases against Toyota Motor Corporation will not be dropped.

Attorneys for Toyota presented a motion to dismiss the class action suit regarding  owners’ claims of economic loss related to unintended acceleration in Toyota cars.

The lawsuit that is in its pre-trial filing status before Judge Selna, is a claim by Toyota owners stating that Toyota indirectly reduced the value of Toyota vehicles by withholding information that would lead to discovery of defects which caused unintended acceleration.  Such disclosure would have subsequently led to repairing Toyota vehicles in a more timely manner.

Cari Dawson, a Toyota attorney argued in court that the Toyota vehicles in question “produced as promised.”  Dawson went on to say; “These cars have not malfunctioned, their owners have not had to pay any money for repairs or retrofit, and they have not suffered any loss. Dawson also stated; “economic loss can’t be speculative, based on losses owners may never suffer if they don’t see their cars or if market conditions change.

According to Toyota, the hearing was not  seen as a loss, but rather that the “burden of proof” is placed on the plaintiff attorneys.  Toyota stated; “Today’s hearing did not address the merits of plaintiffs allegations and did not consider any evidence.”  “The court requires a basic assumption that the plaintiffs’ allegations are true, even though they are unproven. The burden is now squarely on plaintiffs’ counsel to prove their allegations, and Toyota is confident that no such proof exists.”

Toyota has maintained that the company feels there is no evidence of electronic defects in any of the vehicles (over 4,000) that were examined by Toyota and federal safety regulators.  Without evidence of any defective components, the automaker feels the plaintiffs’ complaints will be difficult to prove.

During the same meeting the Toyota Motor Company promised to begin expanding its hybrid line. The growth in demand for such models has a great deal to do with the decision to expand. They will be expanding their line of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles within the United States. In order to keep manufacturing costs at a minimum Toyota has been licensing their hybrid technology to competitor manufacturers.

The Prius was the pioneer of hybrid models. Since its debut over a decade ago its sales have surpassed 20.1 million units. It was first debuted in Japan, three years later the model was introduced to the American market. It is the world’s best selling gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle.

Currently the auto maker is aiming to sell 1 million hybrid units per year. In addition they want to be able to offer a hybrid version of every model in their lineup by the 2020’s. By 2013, Toyota is aiming for a total of 2 million hybrids units sold in the United States. The sales for Toyota in the United States in 2009 totaled 1.77 million, which marked a decrease from sales in 2008.

This is not the first time Toyota has offered complimentary maintenance plans. In fact, they started doing this in the spring of 2010 just as a part of a seasonal event. The response was overwhelming. They decided to extend the offer and make it a permanent fixture for new car sales. It is their way of boosting confidence in their Toyota cars.

“The two complimentary maintenance plans were developed to help improve overall cost of ownership and provide invaluable peace of mind for our customers,” said Bob Carter, Toyota Division group vice president and general manager. “The new programs were inspired by owner feedback and once again reflect how Toyota listens to its customers.”

Marketing for the new programs will be airing upon the effective date of both programs. There will television ads, as well as, print ads and online ads. They will highlight the benefits of the two programs. As mentioned previously, both programs will cover all regular vehicle maintenance as outlined in the owner’s manual. This will include oil and filter changes, tire rotations, lubrication of key chassis parts and components, a 19 point inspection and 24 hour roadside assistance. Full details of the programs are available at your local Toyota and Scion dealer.

The first suggestion for retaining a vehicle’s value is to begin by purchasing a vehicle that will hold it value well. For instance, many Toyota cars are known for their safety, reliability, and their ability to run forever, making them highly valuable, even for the used Toyota models. The trick is to find a vehicle with several popular features. The more features you can have on your vehicle, the higher the chances of it appealing to a larger group of people when you’re ready to sell.

Toyota’s are known for holding their value. However, a vehicle is only as good as its maintenance. A poorly maintained vehicle will quickly lose its value. It will also be apparent to dealers or other buyers that the vehicle has not been properly cared for, thus lowering its resale value. Each time you have your vehicle serviced keep the receipt. Any new buyer will appreciate the effort you’ve put into proving the health of your vehicle.

Along with maintenance, it is equally as important to keep your vehicle clean. Just as you would schedule maintenance, you should schedule to have your vehicle professionally cleaned and detailed. This is a great way to keep it looking as close to a new vehicle as possible.

The 2011 Camry has shown to have the perfect blend between performance and fuel economy. Those happen to be two of the most important attributes car buyers are looking for in their vehicles. Thanks to the precision handy work of the Toyota manufacturers, the 2011 Toyota Camry offers one of the smoothest rides and tightest handling on the market. The body styling and structure was designed to absorb the brunt of the impact during the event of a vehicle collision. They used high-strength steel for the B pillar and rocker panel reinforcements. In turn, it aids in managing overall body deformation in the event of a side collision. The seat frames are also designed to absorb impact during side collisions.

Each of the models in the 2011 Camry line will come equipped with a standard anti-lock brake system, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, and the Brake Assist feature. All features actively take the safety standard of the Camry to the next level.

The favorite features of the Camry have remained throughout the model years. Toyota continues to make the Camry better in order to continue its longtime success. It is still a model that competitors continue to chase.

Powers windows can do severe damage to a child if a child happens to get a finger, hand or wrist caught in the path of the window. In worst cases, it is possible for a child to be strangled by a power window. In order to minimize the risk of your child being harmed by power windows, consider the following;

-    Don’t leave your child unattended in the vehicle at any time. Even a short amount of time left alone would be enough time for a child to get hurt from a window.

-    Make sure your children know the danger of the windows and teach them proper safety practices. If they’re old enough teach them how to safely roll up the window. For younger children, teach the safety of never playing on or near the door arm rests.

-    Always make sure to check the path of the window before rolling it up. Most vehicles have a window lock button located on the driver’s side. It may be best to be in the habit of having one person, the driver, in control of all the windows, and keeping the others locked.

The easiest way to avoid a tire failure incident is to maintain your tires. It is important to keep your tires at the proper pressure. If you are unsure of what the pressure should be in your tires, check the sidewall of the tire. You will find the recommended tire pressure on the tire. If you ever find that your tire tread is wearing down, or there are significant blemishes on your tire, it is time to replace the tire. By turning a blind eye to tire maintenance, you put yourself at increased risk of having a tire blowout.

There are other factors that may increase your risk of experiencing tire failure. Lower profile tires are at higher risk of failure because they are much more susceptible to incurring damage if you have hit a pothole or curb. Also tire failure is much more likely to occur during the summer months rather than the winter months. An underinflated tire and the high heat of the roadways in the summer can be a dangerous combination. The overheating can cause a significant breakdown in the internal bonds of the tire.

Make sure you are adhering to the maintenance schedule provided in your owner’s manual. This should include recommendations for tire care and maintenance. If you have not had your tires checked recently by a professional then schedule a visit today. Call your local Spirit Toyota dealer and have one of their certified technicians inspect your tires.

At, Toyota they created a Driving Simulator, simply to measure the amount of distraction caused to a driver under certain circumstances. The simulator is designed to mimic actual driving as closely as possible. It is a sophisticated system that allows the team to perform tests that are as accurate and as realistic as actual driving.

Toyota has also begun testing upcoming technology in the Driving Simulator. The Pre-Collision System, or PCS, was developed as a tool that will detect a possible imminent frontal collision and then alert the driver, in order to add to the driver’s reaction time. The PCS determines that a frontal collision will potentially take place and then a series of warnings are sent to the driver. Next the pre-collision brakes and pre-collision seat belts are automatically deployed in an attempt to avoid the collision or greatly reduce the damage done by the collision. In early prototype testing the PCS system seemed to be performing its job well, and giving the driver added warning before a potential collision.

The systems developed by Toyota are of utmost importance to the auto maker. The tumultuous start to the year gave Toyota a chance to refocus on their safety standards and begin developing such systems. Although the PCS is not yet available, it speaks poignantly about the direction the company is heading.