Toyota Has No Plans to Return to Formula 1

A difficult economy forced Toyota to withdraw from Formula 1, but don't expect the automaker to return to the series should the automotive industry improve. Corporate officials -- even those once tied to the F1 program -- admit the racing series doesn't reach its customer base.

"There is a big gap between Formula 1 and Toyota's actual [owners]," said Tadashi Yamashina, Toyota's Senior Managing Director. "President [Akio] Toyoda's stance on motorsports is geared more to the customer."

Although Yamashima himself broke down in tears when Toyoda held a press conference last year to announce the F1 withdrawal, the executive seems to have adopted a new perspective on the race series. In an interview with Automotive News, Yamashima says F1 has grown far too "elitist" for Toyota's tastes.

"For the fortunate few who can afford to [stroll an F1 paddock,], it's fine. I think the best kind of races are those in which people can get in close to the race."

Although F1 isn't on the company's radar, Toyota will remain involved in other motorsports series, including those that do allow spectators to have greater access to drivers and cars alike. Expect Toyota-badged vehicles to remain a part of NASCAR and NHRA, but Toyoda -- a gentleman racer himself -- has pledged to increase the company's activity in grassroots motorsports.

Toyota first joined the F1 grid in 2002, but after seven years of activity, failed to garner a single victory. Along with BMW, the manufacturer was one of two auto companies to walk away from the F1 circus at the end of the 2009 season. Honda withdrew after a dismal 2008 campaign but laid the groundwork for the championship-winning Brawn GP team last year.

Source: Automotive News (Subscription required)

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Mercedes-Benz Electric Vito Endures Cold Weather Testing

Mercedes-Benz Electric Vito Endures Cold Weather Testing
Batteries typically don't perform very well in colder climates, but Mercedes-Benz says its electric Vito van functions as well in the cold as it does in warm weather.

The EV Vito, which will ultimately be offered on the European market by the end of the year, is currently undergoing a barrage of tests to ready it for the real world. First on the list was cold weather testing. The van was whisked to Sweden, where it encountered consistent negative 22-degree Fahrenheit temperatures.

According to Daimler, the van succeeded in its trials. Surprisingly, the 81-mile range offered by the lithium-ion battery packs wasn't impeded by the colder weather. Engineers will continue to test the van in the climate, subjecting it to handling courses and extreme brake tests before moving on to other climatic testing.


The electric Vito will initially be produced in a limited quantity of just 100 units, most of which are destined for fleet duty. A second series of 2000 vans will be produced shortly after the first wave. The commercial van is powered by a 90-kW electric motor, and can reach a top speed of 50 mph. Mercedes says the EV version of its Vito experiences no decrease in payload or cargo room.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

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Verizon Adds 576 Chevrolet Silverado Full-Size Hybrid Pickups for Green Fleet

Telecom giant Verizon, as part of its "green" goals, finalized sales of 576 model year 2010 Chevy Silverado hybrid full-sized pickups from General Motors Fleet and Commercial Operations.

The purchase is part of Verizon's comprehensive sustainability program which it implemented earlier this year. According to James Gowen, chief sustainability officer for Verizon, “By adding 1,600 alternative energy vehicles to our fleet this year we’re conserving fuel, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality in communities across the country.”

The Silverado's two-mode hybrid powertrain, which General Motors developed with German automakers BMW and then DaimlerChrysler, improves the truck's fuel economy by 40 percent city and 25 percent overall for an EPA-estimated 21 mpg city and 22 mpg highway while maintaining the truck's up to 6,100-pound towing capacity. The hybrid, whose standard 6.0 liter V-8 engine delivers an impressive 332 horsepower and 367 pound-feet of torque, can also move up to 30 mph on electric power alone.

Verizon and GM also worked with BrandFX Body Company to develop a custom fiberglass insert to be installed in the truck’s bed. The light weight insert will minimally impact the truck's mileage while securing service equipment such as ladders, wiring, connectors, and television set boxes.

Source: General Motors

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Unlimited Potential: First Look at Rhys Millen’s New Hyundai Pikes Peak Car

When it comes to the “unlimited” class at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the sky is literally the limit. Drivers have been fielding some wild vehicles in the group for decades on end, but none has been quite as intimidating as Rhys Millen’s latest ride, the Hyundai Genesis RMR PM850.

“This is the package I need to break the record,” Millen said. “We are building a car for today’s [course]. The car will have a sleek aerodynamic body, the grip of Toyo Proxy tires, and the power and durability of a Hyundai engine.”

That engine, along with the Hyundai emblems, may be the only thing remotely associated with a production Genesis Coupe. The PM850 looks as if it’d be more at home on the Hunaudières Straight than a Hyundai showroom floor. Closely resembling a contemporary Le Mans prototype, the PM850 makes use of a chromoly frame and roll cage, along with a body crafted entirely of carbon fiber.

Although Rhys Millen Racing started with a stock 3.8-liter “Lambda” V-6, the finished product is radically different than the six-cylinder found in the Genesis Coupe. RMR stroked the engine, bringing its displacement up to 4.1 liters, and then mated the six-cylinder with a HKS T04Z turbocharger, an intercooler, and customized exhaust manifolds. At this point, the team says the engine is capable of producing nearly 750 horsepower.

Harnessing that power may prove to be difficult, but RMR thinks a custom all-wheel-drive system may do the trick. The turbocharged Lambda is mated to a semi-automatic transmission supplied by Weismann, which then channels power through an active center differential to two Quaife differentials. According to Hyundai, the active center diff will allows Millen to send anywhere from 10 to 100 percent of all torque to the front wheels -- important for configuring the car for both the asphalt and dirt portions of the run.

The important question, however, is if the PM850 will be enough to knock Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima from his record, which stands at 10 minutes and 1.408 seconds. The quest is nothing short of a family affair, as Rhys’ father, Rod, set the previous Pikes Peak record in 1994, racing to the top of the mountain in 10 minutes and 4.06 seconds.

“Breaking into the 9s has been a desire of mine for the last 10 years,” Millen said last week. “I finally have the team, support, and infrastructure to put in a serious effort to go after the world record.

“The main focus is to be the fastest car up the hill, slay the monster, and get the record back in the family name -- the Millen name.”

Source: Hyundai/ RMR

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