After disruptions to its activities over the past two years, the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival (TGR Festival) is expected to be able to proceed smoothly and with a full calendar for Season 5 this year. As before, the highlight will be the Vios Challenge one-make series which has been extremely popular, as well as the GR Velocity Esports Championship.
In the 4 seasons so far, the TGR Festival and Vios Challenge has successfully attracted more than 8 million spectators and online viewers, with social media reach exceeding 19 million, to make it one of the most watched domestic motor-racing events.
“Racing has opened up a multitude of opportunities for Toyota domestically and we will continue to build on this strong momentum to drive both the Toyota and GAZOO Racing brands ahead with exciting activities as well as products,” said UMW Toyota Motor President, Ravindran K.
Season 5 will have 3 rounds and a total of 6 races with Round 1 being run on March 18 – 20), followed by Round 2 in June (24-26) and the third and final round in September (23-25). Two of the rounds will be held at the Sepang International Circuit and one will be a purpose-built street circuit (venue not mentioned yet).
Over the years, the Vios Challenge circuits have been specially designed at venues in Penang, Johor, Terengganu and the Klang Valley. Spectators have liked such circuits as they can be closer to the action – but safely behind protective barriers.
The street circuits (specially built for the races) allow the spectators to be closer to the cars as they race by, adding to the excitement.
4 race classes
The races will again be divided into 4 classes – Promotional Class for local celebrities; Super Sporting Class for top-level and professional drivers; Sporting Class for amateur and gentlemen drivers; and the Rookie Class for young drivers new to racing.
In total, there will be more than a half a million ringgit in prize monies, with RM70,000 and RM50,000 going the overall champion of the Super Sporting and Sporting Class champions, respectively, at the end of the season. This makes the Vios Challenge the most lucrative motorsports event in the country, which has been the case for the last 5 years.
The cars are all similar in performance, so it’s mainly driver skill that makes the difference. The tight purpose-designed street circuits have made for close racing which spectators enjoy seeing.
Affordable series for all
The format of a one-make series in the Vios Challenge has made it attractive and affordable for not only amateur racers, but also the professionals, many of whom are in teams supported by Toyota dealers. Affordability and the level playing field it created also began attracting young drivers to participate and in Season 3, a 16-year-old was remarkably crowned the overall champion in the Sporting Class.
Today, the series has grown to include even talented rookies competing under the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program which is envisaged to provide more young drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 with an impactful and affordable platform to transition into saloon car racing in Malaysia.
Naquib Azlan, one of the talented rookies of the GAZOO Racing Young Talent Development Program who performed impressively in his first season.
Additionally, from the very first season, the Vios Challenge has been the only event of its kind to have a class for local celebrities to race against each other. The races have been crowd-pullers, with fans of the celebrities following them to each venue and cheering for them. Special sessions have been organised at each round so they can also get close to their favourite celebrities.
The celebrities who race have many fans who follow them to each race and in between races, there are opportunities for the fans to meet them.
Additional events
Also included in this year’s GAZOO Racing calendar will be the Vios Sprint Cup, which is run independently from the Vios Challenge. Two rounds are scheduled for April and July in tandem with the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS). Each round will have 2 races with a total of more than RM200,000 in prize monies. The event will provide even more racing and rewards for participating drivers, teams and dealers already signed up to compete in the Vios Challenge.
Last year’s season also saw a night race being run for the first time in the Vios Challenge.
GAZOO Racing will also continue to make its presence felt in the national series by once again entering a team to participate in the Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race (S1K) in November. The race will also see the second running of the Vios Enduro Cup which will have a RM30,000 prize purse.
“Overall, the objective of our racing activities is to contribute to growth of Malaysian motorsports from all aspects – to not only provide an affordable platform for competition; to grow awareness and appreciation for motorsports amongst the masses; and to uncover, develop and provide a conducive platform for the nation’s next generation of young and talented drivers to step up in motor-racing,” said Mr. Ravindran.
Finals of the GR Velocity E-sports Championship in 2020.
E-Sports series in fifth season
Besides the real racing on the tracks, racing will also continue online with the fifth season of the GR Velocity Esports Championship. Billed as one of the most lucrative local online racing series in the country, the championship (first held in 2018) today attracts close to 1,000 participants with more than 1 million online spectators. UMW Toyota Motor continues to have the distinction of becoming the first and the only Malaysian car company to be directly involved with E-sports activities related to motor racing.
New GR products
Expect to see new GR and GR-Sport models during the year, along with enhancement of the GR Garage network and activities nationwide. Besides new models, Toyota and GAZOO will be organizing of GR driving clinics, experiences and activities for the owners to enable them to fully enjoy the high performance of their cars safely. They will be able to fully immerse themselves and get the most from owning a GR vehicle.
The current models available in Malaysia are the GR Supra, GR Yaris and GR Sport Vios. The GR-Sport Vios, assembled at UMW Toyota Motor’s own plant in Bukit Raja, Selangor, is a tribute to the Vios Challenge racing cars. It is also the very first ASEAN-manufactured vehicle to wear the GR badge.
Toyota GR-Sport Vios – first ASEAN-manufactured vehicle to wear the GR badge.
Efforts are already underway to enhance and expand on UMW Toyota Motor’s network of dedicated GR Garages nationwide which are the only outlets that offer GR models. This will include offering a comprehensive aftermarket parts list as well as merchandise for GR and Toyota owners.
GAZOO Racing has also announced the continuation of 3-time Vios Challenge Super Sporting Class champion Tengku Djan Ley as its Malaysian Ambassador. Tengku Djan was instrumental in assisting to develop the GR-Sport Vios.
Special mention should be made of Akio Takeyama who, besides his role as Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor, was also the Chief Motorsports Officer. Besides being a driving force for the racing series, he personally took part in the Vios Challenge for all four seasons, racing together with the celebrities. Mr. Takeyama’s tenure in Malaysia ended recently and he will be taking on a new position in Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan. His successor as Deputy Chairman is Takashi Obata.
“I would like to record my excitement and commitment to chart the way forward for GAZOO Racing to continue to make an impactful and valuable contribution to Malaysia – via our involvement in motorsports and the development of young talent, through more GR experiences and touchpoints through our GR vehicles, the assembly of GR-Sport vehicles in Malaysia, the expansion of the GR Garage network and the offering of performance parts and merchandises for Toyota and GR customers,” said Mr. Obata.
Toyota’s Dream Car Art Contest has been ongoing since 2004 and has seen participation from over 6.2 million children from some 100 countries and regions. It’s an event that invites children to show what their dream car looks like and their idea of the future of mobility through drawings. The best and most creative entries are recognized with awards from the carmaker.
Malaysian children have participated in the contest for over 10 years and in some years, their submissions have won awards. In fact, one of them even won the President Akio Toyoda Award, a special award from the President of Toyota Motor Corporation, in the seventh edition of the contest in 2013.
A chance to attend the World Contest
Each year, national contests are held first to pick winners who will represent their country and these winners will have a chance to attend the World Contest in Japan. For the 2022 Toyota Dream Car Art Contest, the Malaysian winners are Chong Xia Juan in Category 1 (7 years old and under), Choo Yi Zhe in Category 2 (8 – 11 years old) and Liew Jia Xin in Category 3 (12 – 15 years old).
For their efforts, the winners also received special category prizes such as an Apple iPad, Apple Watch and Electric Scooter, as well as vouchers worth RM400 for the other winners.
Future of mobility through children’s perspective
“Despite the pandemic, I am pleased to announce that we received over 2,280 entries. I would like to thank the participants, their parents and everyone involved for making this year’s Toyota Dream Car Art Contest a success! We are very inspired by the imagination and ideas of these children, and I enjoyed looking at the future of mobility through their perspectives. As a leader in mobility, we will continue innovating with a focus on sustainability to pave the pathway to our future of Electrification in Malaysia,” said President of UMW Toyota Motor, Ravindran. K.
At the virtual Toyota Dream Car Art Contest Closing Ceremony, Mohd Shamsor Mohd Zain, UMW Toyota Motor’s Executive Director of Sales, noted that every submission was invigorating and stimulating, brimming with the passion and dreams of the young artists, with those of the three winners having stood out the most. He also applauded the creativity of the participants and hopes that the next generation of great inventors, thinkers and dreamers can be nurtured from this contest.
Leng Yi Shun, who was a Bronze Award winner, won the President Akio Toyoda Award in the 7th Toyota Dream Car Art Contest in 2013.
The three winners, together with the two runners-up of each category, will be accompanied by a parent or guardian to attend the World Contest and Awards Ceremony in August this year.
Click here to know more about the Toyota Dream Car Art Contest (Malaysian event).
The Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 car, running a hybrid powertrain, scored its first win in Rally Sweden, the second round of 2022 World Rally Championship with Kalle Rovanpera at the wheel. It was the Finn’s third victory and added another WRC win to the Rovanpera family as his father had won the event 21 years ago in a Peugeot.
Rally Sweden is the WRC’s only snow event (and one of the fastest) and in the early stages, at least 5 drivers were in contention to win. For most of the rally, all three of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT’s drivers were in close fight for victory on the unfamiliar, high-speed, snow-covered roads (because of the new location nearer the Arctic Circle).
Rovanpera was disadvantaged to be first off the line as the highest-placed driver in the championship, and Ott Tanak of the Hyundai Motorsport team was able to take the opening stage win and build up a lead. However, the Toyota driver regained the initiative early on the second leg and then won the first of Sunday’s 4 stages to extend his lead which he held till the finish.
Hybrid powertrains have issues
Rovanpera’s team mate Elfan Evans was penalised 10 seconds overnight after an incident at the end of Saturday’s final stage, but his hopes of victory were ended in Sunday’s opener. Having started with the centrally-supplied hybrid system deactivated due to an issue, Evans then had a spin in the stage and damaged the front of the car. After stopping to make repairs he reached the end of the stage but, with the hybrid unit not showing the green light as required, was forced to retire in accordance with FIA safety procedures.
Rovanpera’s car also had hybrid issues as did Tanak’s Hyundai i20 N Rally1 car. While disappointing, this was not unexpected (especially in the extremely cold conditions) and Akio Toyoda, the boss of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, expressed a positive view. He said that they ‘gained precious data on how to improve the hybrid system in the harsh cold environment which he hopes can be used not only to win next year but also to provide data to suppliers in the quest to make ever better cars.
Rovanpera’s fellow Finnish driver Esapekka Lappi finished third to complete a double podium finish for the team on his first start for TGR since 2018. Lappi was in a close fight for second position throughout Sunday, ultimately finishing just 8.6 seconds away as he completed a fantastic comeback during the final day.
Solid drive by Ford’s Greensmith
M Sport Ford’s Gus Greensmith with co-driver Jonas Andersson would see their confident and solid drive rewarded with a second consecutive fifth overall finish. The weekend had proven a challenge for the team, with Craig Breen retiring on Friday after getting stuck in a snowbank in the second half of SS2. Once free from the snow, the car was driven back to service where it was repaired for the Saturday stages.
The second day of competition would see Breen claim his first stage win as an M-Sport driver and simultaneously a first stage win for the Puma Rally1 Hybrid on snow and ice. However, further bad luck would see the car suffer an electrical issue, cutting power after a small bump. The crew would utilise the new hybrid technology to allow them to drive some of the stage in full Electric mode before pulling over to make bigger repairs.
Although they were able to find and fix the fault, they would be over their allotted time limit and forced to retire for the day. The final day would see Breen drive through the stages preserving his tyres for the all-important Power Stage where he would take a vital point to go towards his championship tally.
Hyundai team unsatisfied despite podium finish
The podium finish by Thierry Neuville was consolation for the Hyundai Motorsport team but they were far from satisfied with how things went. “There are not really many positives for us to take away,” said Tanak, who was forced to retire due to hybrid problems. “Overall, it has been a frustrating and disappointing weekend. On the plus side, we showed that we had the pace to be competitive.
“We know there is still work to be done, and improvements we need to make on the car, but we have shown we’re getting there. This is an important result, but we hope it’s just the start of our return to the top,” added the team’s deputy director, Julien Moncet.
Rovanpera leads in the Drivers Championship with 46 points, 14 points ahead of Neuville and 19 points ahead of Sebastien Loeb. The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team has collected a total of 83 points after two rounds, with M-Sport Ford 24 points behind, followed by the Hyundai Shell Mobis team 36 points behind the leader.
Round 3 of the WRC moves to Croatia on April 21 and hopefully, the conflict in Ukraine will have ended by then.
The current Toyota Camry was introduced in 2018 in Malaysia and in the normal course of a model cycle, it would be around now that some freshening takes place. Typically, this involves cosmetic changes and perhaps the addition of an extra feature or two so that the model remains competitive against newer rivals with the latest features.
Rarely would you find the model getting a new engine and in fact, powertrains used to be maintained for at least a decade because it cost so much to develop them. But these days, the market is more competitive and so changes have to be more frequent than before.
Dynamic Force engine
That’s the case with the latest Toyota Camry 2.5V which gets a brand new engine. It’s from the Dynamic Force family which is a new range of engines that use high-speed combustion technologies to achieve what is claimed to be world-leading thermal efficiency for production engines. With the significantly reduced energy losses, the 4-cylinder engine produces 209 ps/253 Nm, which represent increases of 25 ps (+13.6%) and 18 Nm (7.6%), compared to the previous engine which had the same displacement.
With the new engine, the development team also took the opportunity to upgrade the transmission, replacing the 6-speeder with a more advanced Direct Shift 8-AT automatic transmission. This makes the Camry the only model in its class (locally) to offer an 8-speed automatic transmission. Though having more gear ratios, the transmission is lighter and more compact, and operates with greater efficiency too.
The Dynamic Force engine was developed together with the Toyota New Global Architecture, or TNGA in short, which is a lightweight, high-performance platform used for this generation. Having developed the engine together with the TNGA has provided better optimization with the engineers having greater flexibility to enhance not just fundamental vehicle performance but also styling.
More intelligent safety systems
The other area which has received upgrading is the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) system. This integrates 5 active safety systems which use a camera and radar. The two sensors scan the road ahead to identify other vehicles as well as recognize lane markings. The information and imagery is then constantly analyzed and if an accident is predicted, the driver will be warned. If no corrective action is taken, then the computer will take its own action, like activating the brakes.
For the new Camry 2.5V, the camera has increased recognition capabilities and can also detect pedestrians and cyclists during the day as well as at night when lighting conditions are low.
TSS includes a lane-keeping capability and this is useful on long journeys. By keeping the car within its lane, the driver will be less fatigued as steering effort is reduced. More importantly, it can warn the driver when he or she loses concentration and the car starts to move out of its lane. Again, if corrective action is not taken, the system will make steering corrections to guide the car back safely.
Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is part of TSS but earlier, it had limitations in speed. With the new Camry, the system has been upgraded to be active at all speeds. This means that the car can even slow down to a stop if the vehicle in front stops, and then resume moving when the vehicle ahead moves. It can make driving in start/stop traffic less stressful and the only thing the driver has to do is steer because a safe gap will always be maintained.
The final sub-system of TSS is Adaptive High Beam which basically adjusts between high and low beams automatically. This is to provide illumination that is as strong as possible but switching to low beams when necessary to avoid blinding oncoming drivers. Incidentally, the headlights have new Bi-Beam LEDs which deliver even stronger lighting.
Besides TSS, the Camry also comes with other driver assistance systems such as a Panoramic View Monitor, Rear Cross Traffic Auto Brake (RCTAB), Blind Spot Monitor, and Intelligent Clearance Sonar (ICS).
While the Rear Cross Traffic Alert was available in the previous model, the system in the latest Camry has been improved with the addition of an automatic braking capability (RCTAB). Besides just alerting the driver of a vehicle approaching from the left or right as the car is being reversed out of a bay, the system will also brake the car if the driver does not stop. This can prevent an accident or reduce the severity if it does occur.
Newly added, ICS is an advancement over having just sensors at the front and rear bumpers to detect obstacles or walls when parking. It is ‘intelligent’ as it will determine if there is a risk of the car hitting an obstacle like a wall or post and if so, the brakes will be applied to stop the movement of the car. This will help prevent damage to the car’s bodywork.
More scope for cabin packaging
With the adoption of TNGA, the 8th generation Camry could be completely redesigned with a wider scope than ever before. This allowed for a completely new interior layout combining functionality, advanced styling and a high degree of personal craftsmanship. The layout has a strong focus on the driver’s area and to improve viewing for the driver, the centre display screen position has been set higher, located above the centre air vents.
Besides the Optitron meters, the driver can also refer to the Head-up Display (HUD) projected on the windscreen ahead of the steering wheel. Information shown is the road speed, gear position, Driving Support System (directions, ACC display, LDA Display, Parking Sensor), audio details and TSS warning alerts. The HUD, adapted from aircraft displays, allows the driver to keep his or her eyes on the road ahead for better driving safety.
New futuristic grey ornamentation has been added to provide an elegant and neat impression. Based on a composite pattern with straight lines and overlapping an organic base pattern, the ornamentation evokes an expansive and layered feel that creates an elegant ambience.
Given the popularity of the Camry as an executive sedan, much attention has also been given to the comfort for the rear passengers. New for 2022 are power adjustment for the rear seats with the outer seats able to recline by 8 degrees for a more comfortable seating position. There are also larger headrests fitted for enhanced comfort. Adjustments for the seat as well as the rear air-conditioning, sun-shade and audio system can be conveniently done on the control panel within the centre armrest – something which you would find in much more expensive luxury models.
Also new for 2022 is the Tri-zone Automatic Climate Control system which allows the driver, front passenger and rear passengers to independently set their own temperature. This system is comparable to those in luxury models, and provides better individual comfort for every occupant.
ON THE ROAD
In earlier years, the Camry was seen as an ‘uncle’s car’, the sort driven by older people who might not care about driving dynamics and performance. But with this generation and its more aggressive, bolder looks, it’s hard to think of it that way. Of course, looks can only go so far and if it’s all looks and no go, then it’s still an ‘uncle’s car’.
The previous 2.5-litre engine gave fairly decent performance and provided smooth propulsion from A to B. With the new powertrain, there is even less noise emanating from the front, and refinement has been raised a notch or two. Power delivery is very linear, a bit slow initially but becoming more muscular as the revs rise. Overtaking can be done confidently as the midrange torque is notably strong.
Toyota’s transmissions have always been smooth and the Direct Shift – 8AT has nearly imperceptible gearshifts. You can, at the press of a button, alter the character to be more sporty but unless pushed hard, you won’t feel a big difference. There are also paddle shifters but it is likely that the ‘intelligence’ of the transmission will make it less necessary to intervene with manual selection of gears.
TNGA is certainly an excellent piece of engineering work, allowing the car to have the comfort levels expected of an executive sedan as well without sacrificing dynamic handling. Thanks to the lower centre of gravity and responsive steering, the car is easy to maneuver, and its agility belies its size (and weight).
The space in the cabin deserves mention and whether you sit in front or behind, there’s generous space all round. We have Toyota USA to thank for this: had they not rejected the original design in 1990, we might still have a conservative narrow-bodied sedan which had been proposed. By insisting on something bigger to suit Americans in particular, we got a car that is today bordering on being a luxury model.
Just as nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM in the old days (because IBM computers were so good and so was their service support), you can’t really go wrong with a Camry… or any Toyota for that matter. The notion that Toyotas are boring cars is also an outdated one and with the new Dynamic Force powertrain, you can have an enjoyable spirited drive while the comfort levels will also please the people sitting behind.
In November last year, 5 Japanese companies – Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Mazda Motor Corporation, Subaru Corporation, Toyota Motor Corporation and Yamaha Motor – jointly announced that they would begin discussions for conducting collaborative research into possible avenues for expanding the range of fuel options for internal combustion engines in the quest for carbon neutrality.
Giving customers more choices
Specifically, the companies intend to unite and pursue 3 initiatives: 1) participating in races using carbon-neutral fuels, 2) exploring the use of hydrogen engines in 2-wheeled and other vehicles, and 3) continuing to race using hydrogen engines. This is in an effort to provide customers with greater choice so that, in Toyota’s words’, ‘no customer is left behind’.
Toyota has been working with Yamaha Motor, Denso Corporation and other related parties to develop a hydrogen engine since 2016. It has entered a Corolla equipped with a prototype hydrogen-fueled engine in 3 races in Japan, with Toyota President & CEO Akio Toyoda also participating in the races.
Toyota has been racing a Corolla with a prototype hydrogen-fueled engine in Japan. It is also known to be developing a GR Yaris to run on hydrogen.
Besides the engine in the Corolla, it has been revealed that there is another engine which Yamaha has been commissioned to develop by Toyota. This is a 5-litre V8 engine that can be used for automobiles which is fueled entirely by hydrogen. Shown to the public recently, the unit is based on the engine of the same size and configuration in the Lexus RC F sport coupe.
The V8 engine in the Lexus RC F. For the prototype engine to run on hydrogen, it has been modified in many areas.
Modifications have been made to the injectors, cylinder heads, intake manifold, and more, and it is claimed to produce up to 455 bhp at 6,800 rpm, with maximum torque of 540 Nm at 3,600 rpm. The 32-valve engine running on petrol has been able to produce up to 472 bhp and 535 Nm, although emission regulations have lowered it to 457 bhp in recent years.
Lexus RC F
5-year experience with hydrogen engine
Actually, Yamaha began developing a hydrogen engine for cars about 5 years ago. Takeshi Yamada from the Technical Research & Development Centre’s Automotive Development Section who is a member of the hydrogen engine development team, recalls having a of sense ‘the depth of potential in the powerplant’ as the project progressed.
“I started to see that engines using only hydrogen for fuel actually had very fun, easy-to-use performance characteristics,” he explained. “Hydrogen engines have an innately friendly feel that makes them easy to use even without resorting to electronic driving aids. Everyone who came to test-drive the prototype car would start off somewhat skeptical, but emerged from the car with a big smile on their face at the end. As I watched this, I started to believe that there is actually enormous potential in the characteristics unique to hydrogen engines instead of simply treating it as a substitute for petrol.”
Another thing that Yamada and the team value in the development process is kanno seino, meaning ‘sensual’ or ‘exhilarating’ performance. One example is the harmonic high-frequency exhaust note produced by the engine’s 8-into-1 exhaust manifold. “This is a challenge we can sink our teeth into as engineers and I personally want to pursue not just performance but also a new allure for the internal combustion engine that the world has yet to see,” declared Yamada.
“Hydrogen engines house the potential to be carbon-neutral while keeping our passion for the internal combustion engine alive at the same time,” proclaimed Yamaha President Hidaka. “Teaming up with companies with different corporate cultures and areas of expertise as well as growing the number of partners we have is how we want to lead the way into the future.”
Yamaha was involved in the development, particularly the 6-cylinder engine, of the Toyota 2000GT, Japan’s first supercar in the 1960s.
Long history of collaboration
Toyota has had a 5% stake in Yamaha since 2019 but the two companies have a long history of working together, going back to the 1960s. Although well known for its motorcycles, Yamaha has great expertise in engines and was involved in the development as well as manufacture of high-performance engines for Toyota models, including the 2000GT, Japan’s first supercar.
In 2020, Toyota (or more specifically, its President, Akio Toyoda) expressed reluctance to make a bigger push towards fully electric vehicles (battery electric vehicles or BEVs) and even felt that it was not the right move in pursuit of carbon neutrality. While the other major carmakers were outlining their EV plans and even previewing models to come, it seemed that Toyota was not going to join the crowd if it meant leaving some customers behind. And being the world’s largest carmaker, that certainly has implications.
However, just a year later, the Toyota President went in front of the cameras and announced to the world that the company would be spending a total of 8 trillion yen (1 trillion yen = around RM37.2 billion) over a period of 9 years from 2022. Of this gigantic amount, 50% would be for the development of BEVs (inclusive of battery development).
And while other carmakers might show a handful of prototype models that will be in showrooms in coming years, Toyoda had no less than 17 models of the Toyota and Lexus brands assembled in the hall. They represented virtually all the segments that the two brands are in, including pick-ups, a segment that the American manufacturers already have fully electric models about the enter the market. And as long as Akio Toyoda is still the boss, we will certainly also get sportscars, even if they no longer run on combustion engines.
The BEVs to come
Only a couple of models among the 17 shown last December are to go on sale this year or in 2023 and, presumably, the others are just having the development programmes started. From Lexus, the closest one to production is the SUV known as the RZ450e but there was also interest in some of the other models that were visible, including a sportscar.
It is likely that top management has signed off on the designs and Lexus can now give a preview of the 3 BEVs that will follow the RZ450e. The three will slot into the segments the brand is now in – sedan, SUV and sportscar – and are associated collectively as the ‘Lexus Electrified’ vision. The brand aims to accelerate sales of electrified models from 2025.
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Of the three, Lexus has provided three bits of information about the sportscar which it says revives the spirit of the LFA. Its targets are a 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) time in the low 2-second range, a cruising distance of over 700 kms, and it will possibly use solid-state batteries.
Charging stations for all
On the issue of charging stations for BEV owners, Toyoda said that this is an area where different parties must collaborate and cooperate. Some of the companies may establish the infrastructure on their own, but that infrastructure should be accessible to all other customers who drive vehicles of other brands.
“Toyota would like to urge related parties to realize that. When it comes to infrastructure, there’s a limit to what each OEM (company) can do to realize the sufficient convenience for customers. Of course, we will try to do what we can do. Regarding the regions where Lexus aims to achieve 100% BEV sales, in North America, there are 1,800 dealers, 2,900 in Europe, 1,700 in China, and 5,000 in Japan. I believe it is important to utilize these locations, and make such infrastructure open and available to non-Toyota [and non-Lexus] owners,” he said during the press conference last year.
Toyota, which last year reclaimed its position as the No. 1 non-national brand after 6 years, started 2022 on a strong note with a total sales volume of 7,528 units (including Lexus models). This was a 96% increase compared to the 3.845 units that were reported in the same month last year.
The Vios remained as UMW Toyota Motor’s bestselling model, accounting for 28% of the total sales volume, while the Hilux accounted for 38% of sales and has been the country’s bestselling pick-up truck for 15 years.
Strong sales helped by promotions
The strong sales numbers have been helped by ongoing promotions such as the ‘Stay Ahead’ campaign which gives buyers savings up to RM4,500. The promotion offers the Vios at monthly instalments from RM540 with 100% sales tax savings of RM2,216. For the sportier Yaris hatchback, customers can own one with H-P loans that have instalments from RM493, plus additional RM2,192 in sales tax savings.
The bestselling Toyota models in Malaysia are the Vios (above) and Hilux (below), with the latter being the bestselling truck in the country for 15 years.
“We are thankful for the government’s decision to extend the Sales and Service Tax (SST) exemption incentives for passenger vehicles until June 30, 2022. This has greatly helped automotive players like us to recover from the impact of the pandemic during the last two years. We also encourage Toyota fans to take advantage of the extended tax exemption to purchase their dream car, coupled with the value-for-money deals UMW Toyota Motor is offering such as the ongoing ‘Stay Ahead’ sales campaign to enjoy the best savings during this period,” said Ravindran K, President of UMW Toyota Motor.
Locally-assembled Toyota hybrid electric vehicles
In support of Toyota’s global agenda to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, as well as similar objectives by the Malaysian government, UMW Toyota Motor will assemble models with hybrid electric vehicle technology. This has started with the Corolla Cross Hybrid which was launched last month which is seeing growing demand
According to Mr. Ravindran, since it was made available for booking in October last year, the Corolla Cross Hybrid has met with positive response, accounting for more than 40% of the total sales of the Corolla Cross crossover SUV. “This shows that Malaysians are in support of environmental sustainability and are taking their first step towards going green through hybrid electric vehicles. We urge our customers to place their bookings early in order to avoid missing out on the SST exemption for better savings,” he added.
While the Corolla Cross Hybrid (above), priced from RM136,550 (without insurance), has the typical high quality and durability that has made the Toyota brand so popular worldwide, UMW Toyota Motor also offers a 5-year warranty with unlimited mileage. More importantly, for the owner’s peace of mind, the hybrid battery pack has a separate which covers replacement of the hybrid battery pack, inverter and Power Management Control Unit if defective during the first 8 years of ownership (with no limit on mileage). Customers can also extend this warranty by 2 years at the time of purchase.
Being a good Corporate Citizen
In addition to the positive sales results, January also saw the company doing its part at a good corporate citizen to help Malaysians affected by the floods. Partnered with Yayasan Raja Muda Selangor through its ‘Back On Your Feet’ programme, the company contributed RM10,000 to Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Lui for the school’s repairs of its flood-damaged premises. The company also donated essential home appliances to the affected community in Sungai Lui such as rice cookers, kettles and gas stoves.
Employees of UMW Toyota Motor went to flooded areas to assist in clean-up work and also brought essential items donated by the company.
“UMW Toyota Motor endeavours to propel society forward by empowering people beyond the road. We are glad to have been given the opportunity to partner with Yayasan Raja Muda Selangor to give back to the community we operate in and help them get back on their feet during these trying times,” Mr. Ravindran said.
Besides initiating a Toyota Flood Assist Program as an immediate response to help flood victims in December, a flood ‘Command Centre’ was also established at the UMW Toyota Motor headquarters in Shah Alam, Selangor, as part of its broadened initiatives. This will also function as a soup kitchen and relief distribution centre for victims in the event of a similar phenomenon in the future. Additionally, up to 100 parking spaces in the compound will be allocated in such situations for flood victims to park their vehicles safely.
For more information on Toyota products and services in Malaysia, visit www.toyota.com.my.
With autonomous cars on the horizon and the involvement of humans in actually driving becoming unnecessary, dramatic driving manoeuvres like cars sliding sideways or doing handbrake turns may become a ‘lost art’. In fact, such manoeuvres would not be done as the supercomputer ‘driver’ would deem them dangerous and its job would be to avoid such things.
This doesn’t mean that the computer isn’t capable of such dramatic actions and the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) in America has demonstrated in a world first. As shown in the video, a sportscar drifts on a closed track and while there is someone inside, he is not actually controlling its movements. Combining a deep knowledge of both vehicle dynamics and control design, TRI’s Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) approach extends the vehicle’s operational domain to the very limits of its performance.
Not a frivolous exercise
While the demonstration is impressive, it was not just a frivolous exercise and the idea behind it programming controlled, autonomous drifting is to ‘teach’ the computer how to avoid accidents by navigating around sudden obstacles or on very slippery road conditions.
“At TRI, our goal is to use advanced technologies that augment and amplify humans, not replace them,” said Avinash Balachandran, Senior Manager of TRI’s Human Centric Driving Research. “Through this project, we are expanding the region in which a car is controllable, with the goal of giving regular drivers the instinctual reflexes of a professional race car driver to be able to handle the most challenging emergencies and keep people safer on the road.”
‘Skills’ comparable to expert drivers
One year ago, TRI and the Dynamic Design Lab at Stanford University set out to design a new level of active safety to help avoid crashes and prevent injuries and fatalities. With the support of automotive performance specialist GReddy and drift legend Ken Gushi, this latest achievement is another step in that journey. By building skills comparable to an expert driver, this technology can amplify and augment a regular driver’s ability to respond to dangerous and extreme situations, helping keep people safe on the road.
“When faced with wet or slippery roads, professional drivers may choose to ‘drift’ the car through a turn, but most of us are not professional drivers,” said Jonathan Goh, a TRI Research Scientist. “That’s why TRI is programming vehicles that can identify obstacles and autonomously drift around obstacles on a closed track.”
This achievement brings TRI researchers closer to understanding the full spectrum of vehicle performance. The software advances announced today calculate a whole new trajectory every twentieth of a second to balance the car gracefully as it goes around the track.
NMPC explained
Combining the vehicle dynamics and control design insights from drifting-specific approaches with the generalized framework of NMPC yields a control scheme that extends the vehicle’s operational domain beyond the point of tyre saturation. This allows the vehicle to drive beyond the notions of traditional open loop stability to where the vehicle is skidding but still controllable due to closed loop driving control.
The NMPC controller can smoothly transition from dynamic, non-equilibrium drifting to grip driving, while accounting for multiple objectives including road bounds. This approach was tested on a Toyota Supra that has been specially customized for autonomous driving research. It is equipped with computer-controlled steering, throttle, clutch displacement, sequential transmission, and individual wheel braking. Vehicle state information is obtained from a dual-antenna RTK-GNSS-aided INS system at a rate of 250Hz, and the NMPC controller runs on an x86 computer.
For the purposes of data collection with expert drivers in a controlled environment, the suspension, engine, transmission, chassis and safety systems (eg roll cage, fire suppression) were modified to be similar to that used in Formula Drift competitions.
Although UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has been promoting hybrids a lot in the past few months, Toyota hybrids are not new to the Malaysian market. While the first model, the Prius which was the world’s first mass-produced hybrid car, was not marketed here, it did make a brief appearance in 2000 to introduce the hybrid electric technology to government officials. However, it would only be 10 years later that the government’s exemption of all duties for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) would see UMWT selling many HEVS. It imported the Prius, by then in its third generation as well as the smaller Prius c and also the Lexus Ct200h. Without the high duties imposed, the models were attractively priced and sold well.
However, when the duty-exemption was withdrawn a few years later, prices shot up again and sales fell to zero. Although the government had hoped that the car companies would follow up after the duty-free period to assemble HEVs locally, only one company chose to do so while the others did not bother. The government instead focussed on encouraging the local assembly of ‘energy efficient vehicles’ (EEVs) for which incentives would be given to offset production costs and lower retail prices.
Last year, UMWT decided that it would move forward with a view towards electrification of its range, in line with the aim of Toyota Motor Corporation to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. However, the company’s strategy does not entirely focus on electrification of its products to the extent that future models will no longer be powered by combustion engines in the near-term. Instead, it has a multi-pronged approach which will be determined by various factors in each country and region.
The more advanced countries have an extensive network of charging stations to support BEVs but in Malaysia, this is still something that is under development. To date, there are only around 500 charging stations in the whole country, mostly in urban areas and mainly in the Klang Valley. In Toyota’s view, that’s not a suitable situation to be introducing BEVs at this time, so it has chosen to start its electrification journey in Malaysia with HEVs. This is more practical as hybrid powertrains are not reliant on a charging infrastructure since they can recharge their battery packs on the move, and the technology cost of HEVs is lower than BEVs so they are within reach of a greater number of customers.
This led to the decision to invest RM270 million in the assembly plant and related expenditures to assemble HEVs locally. It’s the first time that a Toyota HEV is being assembled locally and though this may seem like it was prompted by the government’s efforts to promote greater electrification of motor vehicles as announced in the Budget last October, UMWT made their announcement last July, many months before the government’s announcement. In any case, the incentives are only for BEVs and HEVs will continue to receive the EEV incentives which will still help offset production costs.
Tonight, the launch of the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid represents the culmination of the project to assemble HEVs locally and it would be the first of a range of HEVs to come. As can be seen from the price, it is attractive enough, unlike BEVs which, even with full tax exemption, are starting from RM150,000. Since the Corolla Cross Hybrid is being assembled, UMWT has also decided to include the Corolla Cross with a 1.8-litre petrol engine as well and this is available in two variants.
As mentioned earlier, HEVs are not reliant on external charging so a customer can buy and use one just like any other car with a combustion engine. Hybrid electric technology, which has matured after 25 years, is a ‘transparent’ technology in that the driver doesn’t really see the difference (although the feel might be different). It’s just like the introduction of multivalve engines and EFI in the 1980s and turbochargers becoming common in the 2000s.
For those who may not be entirely familiar with hybrid electric technology, here’s a quick explanation. As the term suggests, the powertrain is a combination of two power sources – a petrol engine and an electric motor (actually the Toyota system has two motors). In some systems, they may work independently but Toyota’s system, now in its fourth generation, is designed to work in a collaborative manner. Running conditions and the amount of energy in the battery pack determine how the collaboration works but basically, the car will move off with only electric power and as the speed increases, the engine will provide the additional power needed to go faster.
While cruising, the system will be varying the use from each power source so at times, the electric motor may be doing all the work, which means no fuel is used and that helps in fuel-saving. It can be quite significant as we discovered on a drive from the Klang Valley to Penang where the average consumption was 6.4 litres/100 kms or 15.6 kms/litre. Other members of the media were able to get even better figures.
The motor relies on electricity supplied by the lithium-ion battery pack so what happens when there is no more? That should not happen as the amount of energy will be constantly replenished while the car is moving. This is done by regenerative braking (where energy lost during braking is converted into energy for electricity) or the generator (the second motor) charges the battery pack. In the event that there is heavy usage of electricity, then the engine will be used more as the recharging takes place.
This self-charging capability takes away the ‘range anxiety’ that users of BEVs may have. This relates to the concern about running out of electricity on a long journey. With a HEV like the Corolla Cross Hybrid, you can still move using the engine and can refuel at one of 3,700 stations all over the country. But with a BEV, you might be stranded by the side of the highway or along some remote country road. It will be a long, long time before BEV technology is so advanced that you can recharge with a portable powerbank like you do now for your mobilephone.
Battery technology has been constantly advancing since the first Prius. In the early days, the battery pack was big and heavy and did not hold a lot of electricity. Since then, the battery packs have become smaller and yet more energy-dense while using more efficient processes like lithium-ion interaction. Their cost has also come down while reliability and durability have improved. For owners’ peace of mind, UMWT offers an 8-year warranty on the battery pack and this warranty, unlike others, includes some hybrid-related systems as well. There’s also an option to extend the warranty to 10 years, but the general vehicle warranty is 5 years with unlimited mileage.
The powertrain for the Corolla Cross Hybrid has a 1.8-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine which is the same as the one in the Corolla Cross 1.8V and 1.8G. It produces 98 ps/142 Nm while the primary electric motor contributes 53 kW (equal to 72 ps) and 163 Nm of torque. Power delivery is via an E-CVT specially engineered for use in HEVs.
There are 4 modes – NORMAL | SPORT | ECO | EV – which the driver can select at the touch of a button while on the move to suit driving preferences or to maximize fuel-saving. The EV mode is a unique mode which gives an experience similar to driving a fully electric vehicle. In this mode, only the electric motor is used so there are zero emissions and the vehicle moves around noiselessly. The distance can be several hundred metres (depending on battery condition and driving speed) and would be ideal when moving around a carpark looking for a space.
The air-conditioning system in the Corolla Cross Hybrid is also unique, specially designed for HEVs. Unlike conventional air-conditioning systems which use an engine-driven compressor to pump the refrigerant around, the system is electrically powered. It can therefore run even when the engine is off, drawing its power from the battery pack. Should the battery pack capacity be low, the engine will restart to recharge it as it continues to power the air-conditioner’s electric compressor.
Appearance-wise, the Corolla Cross Hybrid is not exactly new on Malaysian roads as the non-hybrid model was introduced last April, imported from Thailand. However, due to the long period of shutdown in the middle of the year and some supply issues caused by the microchip shortage, the number on the roads is limited. Now, as a locally-assembled model, you should start to see more of them.
Where is the past, a variant bodystyle of the Corolla would still have some common elements with the sedan (usually the front end), the Corolla Cross Hybrid looks like a different model altogether. Toyota could have raised a Corolla Hatchback and ‘ruggedized’ its looks (as some manufacturers do to create a ‘SUV’) but they instead came out with a new SUV design and placed the model in the family of the all-time bestselling car in the world. To differentiate a Corolla Cross Hybrid and a non-hybrid, there are blue accents on the grille badge, logo on the engine, headlights and the rear badge.
Besides being the first Toyota HEV assembled locally, the Corolla Cross is also the first model with Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) to be assembled in Malaysia. TNGA has been used for all recent new models and has been engineered for variability, allowing engineers a lot of freedom to adapt it to different types of models. It is used for sedans and hatchbacks as well as SUVs and while there is differentiation in designs, there are also many common elements and parts and that is one of the secrets of reducing production costs.
The passenger car-like interior of today’s SUVs was pioneered by the Toyota RAV4 some 25 years ago. This is continued in the Corolla Cross Hybrid andthere is claimed to be significantly better headroom than other competitor SUV models in the same class. The wide body dimensions also allow the centre console to be wider for more storage space.
The blue accents on the exterior that identify the Corolla Cross Hybrid are also evident in the instrument panel. There is a colour 7-inch Multi Information Display (MID) with two styles – detailed and simple. Due to the quietness of operation, a READY indicator is shown to let the driver know when the system is ready to run when the START/STOP button is pressed.
Various types of information are presented to the driver in the MID and one of the displays shows the flow of power and electricity between the engine, motor, battery pack and wheels. The flows are shown in real-time and show the driver when the battery is being recharged and the level of electricity in it.
To help the driver of the Corolla Cross Hybrid achieve the best fuel economy, an ECO display in the instrument panel provides guidance on accelerating optimally. At the end of each journey, the driver can refer to an ECO Score to see how eco-friendly the driving style has been. With such a feature, drivers may be inspired to achieve a good score daily and save more fuel!
A large 9-inch panel in the middle of the dashboard provides information for the infotainment systems, as well as the image from the rearview camera. The system is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto ready so compatible smartphone apps can easily be transferred and accessed from the dashboard. Other connectivity options include USB mirroring, AUX and Bluetooth.
To assist the driver during parking or manoeuvering the vehicle is a 3D Panoramic View Monitor (shown above) which also uses the display on the 9-inch panel. Utilising small cameras on all sides of the vehicle, a 3-dimension view of the surroundings on all sides is presented to the driver. This not only enables easier positioning of the vehicle but also allows the driver to spot hazards or little children that might not be visible from the driver’s seat.
The air-conditioning system operated by an electric compressor has automatic operation to keep the cabin at the desired temperature. Airflow and temperature can be set differently for the driver and front passenger and with the S-Flow function, the airflow will be concentrated only on seats with people sitting on them. Cool air is also carried to the rear occupants by additional vents between the front seats.
Although a HEV has generally lower noise levels than a car with a combustion engine, additional efforts went into making the cabin quieter by adding an insulator sheet under the bonnet to isolate noise from the engine bay. The windscreen glass is also an acoustic type, reducing transmission of wind and other external noises.
Besides the convenience of a Smart Entry & Push Start System to lock/unlock the doors and start/stop the engine, the Corolla Cross also comes with a Power Back Door that opens and closes automatically by just positioning a foot under the rear bumper which has a proximity sensor. This allows for handsfree operation which will be convenient when both hands are holding bags or other items. For safety, the automatic opening will not work if the engine is running.
Instead of being installed in the boot area as in past models, the battery pack is under the rear seat, so no boot space is lost.
Besides the high-strength TNGA platform, the structure of the Corolla Cross is engineered to withstand impact forces from all sides during an accident, reducing or preventing injuries to the occupants. In crash testing and technical evaluation by ASEAN NCAP, the Corolla Cross Hybrid and Corolla Cross, as with many other Toyota models, has received a maximum 5-star safety rating.
The Corolla Cross Hybrid and Corolla Cross 1.8V come with Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.0, a suite of Active Safety technologies that help a driver avoid accidents or reduce the damaging effects should a collision occur. Besides having automatic emergency braking and automatic high beam adjustment among the 5 main systems, the adaptive cruise control is also available at all speeds, maintaining a safe gap from the vehicle ahead whatever the set speed is. It can even bring the vehicle to a complete stop if the preceding vehicle stops without the driver needing to depress the brake pedal. When the vehicle ahead starts to move, it will automatically resume moving as well.
A few car companies have CEOs or Presidents who are ‘car guys’ and who even go racing sometimes but none probably is as passionate about motorsports as Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation. Since becoming President in 2009, the grandson of the company’s founder has been transforming the world’s leading automaker to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Perhaps having started driving in the era of the Japanese auto industry when there were affordable sportscars, Toyoda also came to be a car enthusiast, notwithstanding the fact that his family owned the No.1 carmaker in Japan. And being of the younger generation, he had greater exposure out of Japan where he also had a chance to go racing (although he wanted to be a taxi driver at one time), which he enjoyed greatly to the extent that he created a nickname to use when racing – ‘Morizo Kinoshita’ – in the 2009 Nurburgring 24 -Hour race. Perhaps he wanted to avoid undue attention, being who he is, or maybe he didn’t want his parents to know…
Besides racing and being directly involved in product development, especially of the high-performance GR models, Akio Toyoda has also tried to attract more of the younger generation to have an interest in cars.
When he became President, Toyoda started off promising that Toyota would make cars ‘Fun to Drive, Again’, reviving a tagline used in the 1980s. He gave TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) greater responsibility to not only manage Toyota and Lexus motorsports activities but also to develop products for the new GR high-performance brand.
Since then, enthusiasts around the world have been treated to a number of impressive sportscars and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing itself has also risen in prominence. Notable models like the GR Supra and GR Yaris have made big news wherever they have been launched and today, at the at Tokyo Auto Salon 2022, TGR has unveiled another mouth-watering hot hatch – the GRMN Yaris.
The ‘MN’ in ‘GRMN’ stands for ‘Meister of Nurburgring’, which is a way of paying tribute to TGR’s test drivers who have developed the products on the legendary German circuit. These would include Hiromu Naruse, the company’s chief test driver and head of GAZOO Racing who died in a crash in Germany in 2010. Naruse was Toyoda’s mentor in racing and whom Toyoda was asked to replace as ‘Master Driver’ of Toyota and Lexus.
The GR Yaris has been sold in Malaysia as well and like in other countries, the limited number of units found customers very quickly.
Since its launch in September 2020, the GR Yaris has been involved in various motorsports such as the Super Taikyu Series where the Toyota President himself (65 years old this year) got behind the wheel as Morizo and participated with ROOKIE Racing, and the Japanese Rally Championship, where it won the season championship.
Having been closely involved in the development of the GR Yaris, Toyoda wanted to ‘deliver cars to customers that evolve quickly and can be tailored to individuals in the field of motorsports’. Using lessons learned from motorsports activities, the body rigidity of the GR Yaris has been enhanced. The number of spot welds has increased compared to the GR Yaris, and body rigidity has been further enhanced by applying longer structural adhesive.
The GRMN Yaris is also wider by 10 mm, this increase said to be for improving aerodynamics, while the height has been lowered by 10 mm for a lower centre of gravity. In addition to the lightweight high-rigidity carbonfibre (twill weave CFRP) used for the bonnet, roof, and rear spoiler, removing the rear seats to make it a two-person car has achieved weight reduction of approximately 20 kgs.
The engineers also installed a mechanical LSD, a close-ratio gear transmission, and a low final gear set, which has been improved through repeated ‘breaking and fixing’. Issues under extreme use conditions were identified through driver feedback and quickly resolved. Thus the GR Yaris has evolved into a car that can be driven faster, with improved braking force, grip, cornering and following performance to give the driver more confidence pushing it hard.
Power to all 4 wheels will still come from the 1.6-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder unit already used in the GR Yaris but with higher output. As it is, the G16E-GTS engine produces 261 bhp/360 Nm, making it the world’s most powerful 3-cylinder engine and the lightest and smallest 1.6-litre turbo unit currently in production.
Only 500 units of the GRMN Yaris will be available with sales in mid-2022, only at GR Garages around Japan. Customers will be able to specify a Circuit or Rally package to suit their requirements. Each customer will get a Personalisation program that provides individually tailored customization conducted by analyzing driving data. Steering control, engine control, and drive distribution, hardware including shock absorber damping force, spring rate and aerodynamic components will then be optimized for the best performance with the specific driver.
Expecting the 500 units to be snapped up quickly, TGR is having a lottery for those who are interesting in booking the GRMN Yaris. The basic GRMN Yaris will cost 7,317,000 yen (about RM269,000) while the Circuit package will add another 1,150,000 yen (about RM42,300) and the Rally package will cost an extra 1,061,764 yen (about RM39,000).
