Need a short-haul grocery getter? Don’t pick diesel

Interesting Globe & Mail post about diesel engines for city driving:  Globe & Mail

Emergency Summit Called by Automakers Bracing for Production Halt

An earthquake on March 31 caused an explosion at a Evonik Industries, a German manufacturing plant responsible for the largest supply of PA-12 resin, leading many automakers to wonder how it will affect immediate production.


PA-12 is a key material used to manufacture parts like gas tanks and brake components. Last week we reported that concern was growing about how the supply shortage might affect automakers, but it seems that concern grew significantly over the weekend.

Now, an emergency summit is scheduled to deal with the possible disaster. As many as 200 industry officials are expected to attend the meeting, which will occur in a suburban Detroit hotel.


Evonik issued a release saying that it is working with its suppliers and customers to minimize the impact, but it seems that might not be enough to quell automaker concerns. It seems some are turning to possible alternatives, at least in the short run, to bride some of the gap left by the shortage.

DuPont Automotive runs an automotive coating business out of Mt. Clemens, Mich. and might be able to help.
“We don’t make PA-12, but we do have materials that we think may be used in similar materials,” Carole Davies, marketing communications programs manager for DuPont said to Automotive News. ”We’re working with customers to see if we can alleviate some of the pressure (caused by the shortage).”

For now, questions remain about the auto industry’s ability to continue assembly. For now, automakers are left scrambling to find alternative suppliers. More news is sure to surface after the summit is held.

 [Source: Automotive News]

At Peace Arch Toyota we have an excellent selection of new Toyota vehicles. If you are thinking of purchasing late this year you might want to make that purchase a little sooner while inventory levels are high.

Check out our website for our complete selection of new vehicles. Peace Arch Toyota

Winner of Staples Canada “GO ECO” contest will drive away with 2012 Toyota Prius c

 

    Giveaway part of Staples Canada “Easy on the Planet” environmental program

·         Prius c, newest member of Prius hybrid family, is Canada’s most fuel-efficient vehicle without a plug  

RICHMOND HILL, ON, April 13, 2012 – Staples Canada is celebrating Earth Day and raising awareness for sustainability this spring through a special “GO ECO” contest, which offers customers the chance to win environmentally friendly prizes.

One lucky entrant will win the grand prize of an all-new 2012 Toyota Prius c – the newest member of the Prius family of vehicles that are moving hybrids to the mainstream in Canada. It’s the smallest Prius yet. The “c” stands for city because it’s designed to maneuver the cityscape with nimble handling and responsive steering. At the same time, the Prius c offers combined fuel efficiency of 3.7 litres per 100 kilometres. That makes it Canada’s most fuel-efficient vehicle without a plug, the ideal choice for anyone wanting to GO ECO.

With a smart design, advanced powertrain and innovative in-car technology, this is a car that’s as fun to drive as it is helpful to the environment,” said Stephen Beatty, Managing Director, Toyota Canada Inc. “And with gas prices at top of mind for everyone, it's good to know that the Prius c is the most fuel efficient car without a plug.

The contest runs from April 11 until May 31. People can enter at any Staples store in Canada or online. The Prius c winner will be selected in a random draw.

Customers will receive a bonus entry each time they use a Staples reward card during the contest period. Customers who visit and “like” Staples Canada on Facebook, as well as for those who follow Staples Canada on Twitter, will also receive bonus entries.

In addition to the Prius c, there will also be two other major prizes. The person winning the draw for second place will receive a Toshiba Satellite Ultrabook Z830, while the third-place winner will receive an Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4540 all-in-one printer. Plus, special social media prizes will be awarded each weekday during the contest. Anyone who re-tweets in relation to GO ECO or shares GO ECO information on Facebook will be eligible to win an 8GB USB Flash Drive with 100% bamboo casing. 

  

“Staples Canada has a commitment to ‘go easy on the planet’ and the GO ECO initiative is an exciting way to encourage as many Canadians as possible to join us,” said Rick Atkinson, Vice President of Marketing for Staples, Canada. “Our environmental efforts cover a wide range of activities, including developing and sourcing environmentally responsible products, devising programs to eliminate waste and taking strong measures to reduce energy use. In addition, our position as Canada’s largest office products company provides a great opportunity to increase environmental awareness and this contest is a fun way to do that.”

Contact sales@peacearchtoyota.com to test drive the all new Prius "c".

New models and hybrids power Toyota Canada Inc.’s sales in March 2012

The "Prius Family" now available at Peace Arch Toyota

2012 already shaping up to be the Year of the Hybrid,  Passenger cars strong

TORONTO, ON – April 3, 2012 – Toyota Canada Inc. sales were powered by fuel efficient hybrids and robust passenger car sales in March to cap a strong quarter for all three brands.

• Sales of 17,342 Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles in March 2012 helped TCI to first quarter results of 40,386 – representing growth of 11.6% year over year.
• TCI Q1 passenger car sales up 13.4% in March, to 10,384 :: Q1 sales up 23.6% to 22,852
• TCI hybrid sales (Toyota & Lexus) were up 93.3% to 1,819, for the best ever March. Hybrids accounted for 10.5% of all vehicles sold in the month.
• TCI sales were down 1.9% March MTD.

Toyota sales highlights for March 2012 (vs. March 2011)

• Toyota Hybrid sales: 1,556 (up 166.9%)
  • Prius Family sales: 1,039 (up 214.8%)
  • Prius c accounted for one quarter of subcompact sales
  • More than 40% of Toyota’s mid-size passenger car sales were hybrids
• Toyota Car sales: 9,212 (up 12.5%)
  • Camry/Camry Hybrid sales: 2,022 (up 116.7%) :: Camry remained the best-selling mid-size passenger car in Canada for the 5th-straight month.
  • Yaris Hatch sales: 671 (up 55.7%)

“Canadians look for fuel efficiency and value in a vehicle – and they’re finding it with Toyota’s proven line-up of affordable, fuel-friendly, advanced technology hybrid vehicles,“ said Tony Wearing, Senior Managing Director, Toyota Canada Inc. “With five hybrid vehicles on the market – including the very versatile Prius v and the Highlander Hybrid mid-size SUV – Toyota has a hybrid for every need and we anticipate 2012 going down in history as the Year of the Hybrid.”

The all new 2013 Toyota Avalon

Coming to Peace Arch Toyota this fall!

THE SENSATIONAL NEW 2013 TOYOTA AVALON MAKES WORLD DEBUT
AT THE 2012 NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW

NEW YORK, (April 5, 2012) – Toyota revealed the new 2013 Avalon premium mid-size sedan today at the 2012 New York International Auto Show.  The new Avalon is re-conceived for the premium mid-size sedan segment with a progressive and emotionally styled exterior design.
When it arrives to dealerships late this year, the new Avalon will offer improved dynamic performance, a greater degree of refinement, and a highly spacious, comfortable interior experience with an abundance of outstanding convenience technologies.
The new 2013 Avalon is the result of a North American-focused design and engineering effort.  The new sedan’s dramatic exterior and interior design was conceived by a youthful and talented team at the Calty Design Research Inc. facilities in Southern California and Michigan.  The car’s engineering development was principally led by a passionate and dedicated group based at Toyota Technical Centre in Ann Arbor, Mich. Continuing a North American focused theme, the 2013 Avalon will be assembled at Toyota’s facility in Georgetown, Ky.  True to the future product mission set forth by Toyota Motor Corporation President, Akio Toyoda, the new Avalon’s more stylish, bold, sporty exterior design and luxurious interior styling are matched by an enhanced dynamic package, a combination that foreshadows the more compelling and passionate nature of future Toyota products.  

Enhanced Avalon Dynamics

  In addition to its stunning design, numerous structural and chassis improvements were made to the new Avalon to enhance the ride quality, straight-line stability and handling.  The body structure gains improvements in torsional rigidity thanks to additional and strategically placed welds, improved body bracing, and high-strength steel in key areas in order to provide a stiffer chassis and optimize suspension performance.  The new Avalon suspension relies on MacPherson struts with advanced valving and rebound springs to balance handling and agility with ride comfort.  Coil spring rate and front and rear sway bar stiffness was increased from the
current model to help improve body control and body roll.  The Avalon’s electric power steering (EPS) system has been tuned to help deliver enhanced controllability and vehicle agility while also realizing superior linear stability.


The new Avalon offers three distinct drive modes that help tailor dynamic performance to the driver’s needs.  The drive modes - Normal, Eco, and Sport -are made available through driver-selectable switches.  In Sport mode, throttle response is enhanced and steering effort is weighted from centre to offer a sportier character.  Eco changes throttle response and A/C power usage to help improve fuel economy.  Steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters help provide a sportier drive while in the D or S Mode, where the revised throttle helps improve shift  response to help maximize engine power and vehicle performance.

Dynamic Exterior Styling

The new Avalon’s dynamic exterior styling defines a sleek and expressive profile that helps communicate a sense of motion for the vehicle even when it is at rest.  The beltline has been lowered to accentuate a strong stance.  Compared to its predecessor, the new Avalon is a bit more compact yet displays better proportions with a longer, sloping roofline, flared front fenders, and reduced front and rear overhangs, lower vehicle height, and reduced body-to-tire gap.  New 18-inch alloy wheels and tires fill the wheel well to enhance the vehicle’s dynamic exterior expression.  

Key exterior design elements include the square Double-eye PES (Projector Ellipsoid System) headlamps with HID (High-Intensity Discharge)and elegant DRL (Daytime Running Lights) feature available that provide excellent night time visibility while helping define a narrower, more taut and muscular exterior expression.  A wider, more assertive grille design provides a bolder front perspective.  At the rear, high-performance LED combination tail lamps are adopted which are more integrated with the revised rear-body styling.  The dual rear tailpipe outlets further the more cohesive design theme. 

 The Avalon’s premium interior attains a high level of refinement by reducing wind, engine and road noise inside the cabin.  The resultant interior is even significantly quieter and more comfortable than the current Avalon and it creates an ideal environment to enjoy conversation and music.  Sound absorbing materials have been strategically placed around the cabin and body structure while not inhibiting a reduction in overall vehicle weight.  The windshield and front side-glass panels utilize acoustic glass that helps control sound intrusion into the cabin.  Reductions in wind noise have been realized by optimizing exterior shape, specifically cowl and louver sealing, outer mirror shape and position, and wiper-blade position, which have all been developed to dramatically reduce wind noise generation.  Exterior gaps and steps have also been minimized to reduce wind noise around the door glass areas.

The new Avalon’s interior utilizes premium materials and a high degree of craftsmanship to offer an upscale experience.  Rich, supple leather trims the steering wheel, shift knob, and seat upholstery helping add visual and tactile appeal.  Hand-crafted, decorative stitching is adopted for the steering wheel, and soft-touch materials on the dash panel and door trim elevate the vehicle’s sense of tactile luxury.  Smoked chrome-metallic accents are applied to the instrument panel, centre console, door panel, and steering wheel surfaces to help add distinction and exceptional feel.  Available push-button controlled soft white ambient lighting illuminates key regions of the interior to help convey the sense of luxury.  The new Avalon’s centre console includes a convenient console tray that is ideal for the storage of electronic hand held devices.  The new Avalon’s console area is equipped with a USB port, AUX input terminal and three 12-volt power outlets to help facilitate device interface and charging.

        The new Avalon will offer innovative technologies such as advanced capacitive touch switches with positioning and sensitivity that makes them ideal for vehicle system controls.  Other premium in-car technologies include three colour display screens that support the multi-information display, the audio/navigation interface, and the climate control panel.  

 

Safety

Like all Toyota models, the new Avalon will feature 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), Brake Assist, and Smart Stop Technology brake-override system.


The new Avalon helps to prioritize occupant safety with a best-in-class10 airbags system.  A variable ratio brake pedal is adopted that varies the initial and final pedal effort ratios to help realize excellent brake pedal feel.    
In addition to a rearview monitor, Avalon offers an available Blind Spot Monitoring system which is designed to help detect vehicles behind the outer mirrors and to help alert drivers in addition to a new Rear Cross Traffic Alert system (RCTA) that can alert drivers of cross traffic when they are backing up.