Toyota Hybrids: Australian International Motor Show 2008

By Jay Williams - 9/October/2008

Sydney, Australia — One word comes to mind while standing in front of the Toyota stand at the Australian International Motor Show. Green.

That's right people, Toyota has coming out swinging in Sydney, being one of the heavyweights in the development of environmentally friendly cars.

Most other car companies had their own low emissions cars at the annual event, but Toyota's dazzling display of eco technology was hard to ignore.

Heading up the show, Toyota unveiled three hybrid cars with new plans for the Prius and other Hybrid Synergy Drive vehicles.

The Hybrid X is a pretty decent looking concept that Toyota calls "an evolution of today's Prius". 

Toyota says the Hybrid X concept car could be the next generation Prius and shows off "creative solutions that will potentially become signature points of a specific hybrid identity".

If that's not a confirmation of the new hybrid model, I don't know what is. 

Word on the street is that the next generation Prius will be a lot sportier too, using technology gleaned from racing its hybrid Supra.

The new hybrid car is large, about the size of a conventional family car, with a 4.5 metre length and a 1.85 metre width. It's also very low at 1.44 metres.

The Hybrid Camry was also on show, of which the Australian version will be built near Melbourne. 

The left-hand-drive hybrid Camry show car was flown specially to Australia for the motor show display and in just over a year, Toyota will become the first Australian car maker to build a hybrid vehicle locally when the hybrid Camry goes on sale.

Another cool thing to see at the Toyota stand are the various hybrid technology show cases with displays including an interactive pod and the Toyota Scan-Vision, providing show-goers with an X-ray view of hybrid technology.

With Toyota having sold 1.6 million hybrid vehicles globally it is estimated that these vehicles have cut carbon emissions by more than 7 million tonnes and saved motorists 2.7 million kilo-litres of fuel.

With stats like these, Toyota's makes a convincing case for its hybrid future.

Toyota hopes to sell one million hybrid vehicles per year (globally) as soon as possible after 2010, and aims by 2020 and beyond to have it's hybrid Synergy Drive technology across all of it's vehicles.

This is a very positive step for Toyota in achieving a totally environmentally friendly car range.

But it's not just passenger and concept cars that get the hybrid treatment.

Toyota seem to be on the right track having produced a Hybrid Supra HV-R, which is the first hybrid car to win a motor race.

With this highly strung motor racing hybrid technology, Toyota engineers say they have gained valuable data from the race which they are in turn using to make future hybrid systems lighter, more powerful and more efficient. Hybrid X could be sportier? Say no more.

Toyota Australia's corporate manager of product planning Peter Evans said the Hybrid Supra's initial victory was a significant moment in the history of Toyota and motor sport.

"In the toughest of motor sport environments, the Hybrid Supra HV-R has demonstrated the flexibility and performance potential of Toyota's hybrid technology.

"More importantly, data gained by engineers during the race is being used to help make future hybrid systems lighter and more efficient. With the introduction of hybrids and energy recovery into motor sport, the direct benefit that motor sport has on the development of passenger-car technology has been reestablished," explained Mr Evans.

"It also reaffirms that hybrid systems will have a prominent future, both on the track and on the road," said Evans.

Production Toyota Cars

Along with Toyota's quest of pure green vehicles, the Australian Motor Show was also the debut event of new upgrades to its top selling HiLux, RAV4 and Yaris models.

Starting off with the beefy HiLux, one of the country's best selling utes sees improvements such as new styling, tougher front suspension across all ranges and larger front brakes and improved rear suspension for all 4x2 models. 

Also for the first time, the HiLux gets automatic transmission on entry-level WorkMate single and double cabs.

The Toyota RAV4 has been one of the most popular compact SUVs for the past two years and now gains a package of active and passive safety features, including active front-seat head restraints as well as technological and comfort features. All 4-cylinder and V6 models now have vehicle stability control, traction control and hill-start assist control as standard equipment.

Not forgetting Toyota's big selling small-sized car, the Yaris, it also gets increased active safety, comfort and as well as new exterior and interior styling to keep interest levels high.

Adding to Toyota's 'green' theme, the manual transmission versions of the Yaris 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre models now attract a maximum 5-star rating from the Federal Government's Green Vehicle Guide.

Toyota also showed off a mad Yaris performance car, completely tricked out with a camo paintjob, big wheels, a custom 'double' wide body kit, HID headlights, a 6-point roll cage, TRD Recaro RS-G bucket seats, and heaps of TRD instruments, such as the tach and speedo. It's worth seeing if you follow the tuner scene.

Related Links:
- Toyota Aygo Crazy (2008)
- Toyota Camry Aussie Hybrid (2010)
- Toyota Corolla (Road Test)
- Toyota LandCruiser (Road Test)
- Toyota iQ (2008)
- Toyota Venza (2008)
- Toyota A-BAT Concept (2008)
- Toyota Landcruiser (2008)
- TRD Aurion (Road Test)
- TRD Aurion (2007)
- Toyota Corolla (2007)
- Toyota Supra (2010)
- Toyota Tarago V6 (2010)
- Toyota Camry (2006)
- Toyota RAV4 (2006)