There are three essential elements at the heart of our products.

Quality & Reliability, Advanced Powertrain Technology with hybrid and Safety.

Speaking about quality, perhaps no model expresses it better than the Toyota Land Cruiser. With 65 years of heritage, it is synonymous with toughness and trustworthy performance in extreme environments. That's why it's known as "the only car that will take you almost anywhere and bring you back!"

I am proud to say that today it is getting even better.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the king of off-roaders,
The new Toyota Land Cruiser!

It is now the only vehicle in its class that uses a body-on-frame construction. That pure engineering quality defines its status as the 'king' among off-roaders. At Toyota, it is our philosophy to always make improvements. So we have developed a new Torsen locking differential for even better handling in slippery conditions.

In the cabin, we have a redesigned dashboard with superior quality trims and finishes, and even higher equipment levels. Ventilated front seats, heated rearseats, a heated windscreen and new Optitron instrumentation are just some of the features that have been added to the specification.

The lead engine is a 2.8-litre diesel that is fully compliant with the latest EU6 Step 2 emissions standards.

For Russia and other eastern markets, we will also be offering 2.7 and 4.0-litre petrol engines.

Safety is, of course, paramount. The new Land Cruiser comes with an expanded range of safety features and Toyota Safety Sense is also available.

Speaking about advanced powertrain, do you realise that it is now 20 years since Toyota started the electric revolution in the motor industry?

That is when we launched the first Prius, an electric car that doesn't have to be charged. It is interesting to see how the technology solutions we pioneered all those years ago...have today become a top priority for so many other manufacturers.

At the time, we said this hybrid car represented our vision of mobility for the 21st century. And we have been proved right! With Prius we defined a new powertrain architecture that we have constantly developed and improved.

Today, within the Toyota Group, we have 16 different hybrid vehicles on sale in Europe, making use of seven different hybrid powertrains. Worldwide, we are approaching eleven million hybrids sold, more than one-and-a- half million of these in Europe. More people than ever are making hybrid their first choice.

Our customers appreciate not just the tangible benefits it offers in terms of environmental performance and cost of ownership, but also the special driving quality it delivers, with smooth performance, silent running and a very low level of vibrations.

As a result, hybrids currently make up 40 per cent of our sales mix in total Europe and even close to 50% in Western Europe. That brings us close to our target of 50% hybrid mix in total Europe by 2020.

Hybrid is not a single solution rather a flexible powertrain architecture that can be adapted to suit different customer needs and driving scenarios.

For example, our Prius plug-in hybrid is based on our full hybrid vehicle architecture, but with a more powerful battery and with the addition of a mechanism for external charging. And by replacing the internal combustion engine of a full hybrid vehicle with a hydrogen fuel cell stack, you have a zero emission car, like our Toyota Mirai.

Even our future battery electric vehicles will be based on the same architecture, where you have an electric motor directly powered by a higher capacity battery.

With this kind of adaptability, hybrid is the backbone of our powertrain programme that will help us cut our vehicle carbon emissions by 90 per cent by 2050 compared to 2010. This is a key target within the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, our strategy for significantly reducing the impact of our products and our business on the worldaround us.

Continuing with hybrid, we listen carefully to our customers opinions. It is not just about hearing what they like about our hybrid technology. We also want to learn from them how we can make our hybrids even more attractive to more people.

It is exactly that kind of feedback that has made us realise there is an opportunity to introduce a higher performance hybrid powertrain. I can announce today that in future it is our ambition to provide our core models with a choice of two hybrid powertrains.

One will provide the traditional benefits of efficiency and fuel economy, like in our current offer. The second will build on this and add more power and a more dynamic driving character. We will reveal more details about these plans early next year.

The prospect of a more powerful hybrid system is part of the inspiration for the new Toyota C-HR HY-POWER design study. Revealed today here in Frankfurt, it symbolises the dynamic and fun-to-drive qualities that have helped make the Toyota C-HR such an instant success for us.

The design is the work of a team at ED², our European design studio. The aim of the designers was to give the Toyota C-HR an even more emotional, powerful look. A look that will resonate strongly with people who enjoy highly individual lifestyles.

Together with Quality and Hybrid, Safety is one of our core values. Our belief is that we should make the best technology widely available to our customers. Last year we said we would make Toyota Safety Sense available across our entire model line-up.

Today I am pleased to tell you that 92 per cent of the cars we are selling across Europe is already fitted with Toyota Safety Sense. That includes 100% of Yaris sales, in the highly cost-competitive B-segment.

Of course, the full benefits of Toyota Safety Sense will be realised as more and more cars are equipped with the technology. But already positive results are being achieved.

Our studies in Japan show that Toyota Safety Sense has reduced rear-end accidents by 50 per cent compared to vehicles not equipped with this technology. And this is not the end of the story! Our ultimate goal is zero accidents.

And the work of our Toyota Research Institute (TRI), in the areas of Artificial Intelligence and Connectivity, will support the introduction of automated driving technologies, helping us to achieve such an ultimate goal.

Has our product strategy delivered? Yes (I believe so)! In the first half of this year our European Toyota group sales are up by 11 per cent compared to 2016. And that brings our Market Share to 4.9 per cent, 0.3 percentage points more than last year.

We expect to reach the one million sales mark by the end of this year. And this growth has not been to the detriment of our profit. Our quarterly financial results show an operating profit increase of 125 per cent compared to last year.

Key drivers of this growth are the successful launch of the new Toyota C-HR,which has achieved a segment share of 11% in just 10 months, and the outstanding sales of hybrid models up by 52 per cent year-on-year!

In our core models the hybrid mix is achieving very high levels 45 per cent on Yaris, 52 per cent on RAV4, 65 per cent on Auris and an exceptional 77 per cent on Toyota C-HR!

So, how are we going to sustain our business moving forward? We will maintain our sustainable growth by making ever better cars.

Hybrid will remain our key differentiator. We will expand our (hybrid) offer with more derivatives. And we will take care of our customers with an ever stronger focus on our "customer-first" approach.

Thank you for your kind attention.

I would now like to invite Koyari san, Chief Engineer of the Land Cruiser, to join me on stage for photographs.

The production model has provided the inspiration for Toyota designers to explore the possibilities for a higher powered hybrid version, with an even more impactful and emotional styling treatment. The result is the new Toyota C-HR Hy-Power Concept, which makes its world debut at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show, created by a team at ED², Toyota’s European design studio in the South of France.

Concept

Toyota’s intention has been to develop the styling of the Toyota C-HR to produce a very desirable vehicle that connects even more strongly with customers who have highly individual tastes and lifestyles, emphasising its stylishness and fun-to-drive character. Further exploring the “diamond” architectural theme of the production model, the new concept displays a high quality execution and attention to detail throughout. The design also reflects the presence of a more powerful hybrid powertrain, heralding a future expansion of Toyota’s hybrid programme.

Exterior

From the start of the Toyota C-HR Hy-Power Concept project the design team knew that they did not want to use heavy customisation or “bolted-on” elements to achieve the impact they were looking for. Instead, their skills were applied to amplifying the inherent qualities of the production car’s design through innovative use of colours, finishes and detailing. In fact, the concept uses exactly the same sheet metal as the showroom car.

Exploring the diamond theme that underpins the Toyota C-HR’s styling more deeply, the team at ED² found inspiration in the natural forces that turn carbon into diamonds and the way in which solid rock can conceal a fiery, molten core.

This thinking led to the use of a new Dark Carbon silver paint with a matt finish to accentuate the interplay between the vehicle’s sharp lines and deeply sculpted surfaces. The effect is heightened by the use of gloss black elements, including the lower front lip spoiler, the area above the Toyota emblem on the front of the car and the wheel arch trims. Dark chrome sustains this effect, witnessed in the headlamp ornamentation, window frames and in the 20-inch alloy wheels.

A dramatic contrast is struck by dazzling use of an anodised Burning Orange finish on the front pillars, the door mirror housings and an accent bar within the headlamp units. The colour is also used as a highlight within the black diamond mesh pattern of the lower grille.

The use of colour, texture and form combine to even greater effect on the concept car’s roof. A unique, “diamond-cut” film covers the entire surface in a faceted, crystalline pattern that flows from darkest black at the rear to brilliant anodised orange at the front, mixing together contrasting matt and gloss planes.

Interior

The interior carries forward the exterior themes to sustain the power of the concept’s design with a tone-on-tone approach the combines black upholstery and trim with Burning Orange details.

The highly supportive seats are finished in black leather with orange headrests and bolsters. Burning Orange yarn has been used to create a unique, asymmetrical quilting pattern of multiple diamond shapes across the seatbacks and cushions. The design is replicated on the inner door panels, which also feature orange arm rests. A further flourish is provided by the orange finish for the highlight trim that extends the full width of the instrument panel and frames the Toyota Touch® 2 multimedia touchscreen.

New high-power hybrid powertrain

The concept has been designed around the use of a new hybrid powertrain that offers more power and performance than the 122 DIN hp system featured in the current production Toyota C-HR. This reflects a significant and strategic future development of Toyota’s world-leading technology that will higher performance hybrid options being made available in all its core models. More details regarding this expansion of hybrid will be revealed early in 2018.

Interview Lance Scott, Chief Designer, Toyota ED²

Lance Scott led the team which produced the Toyota C-HR Hy-Power Concept.

He explains how the project was delivered.

What contribution did the ED² design centre make to the production Toyota C-HR?

Lance Scott: We were involved in the early stages of the project for both exterior and interior design. We developed the original concept exterior that was shown in Paris in 2014 and revised it for the Frankfurt motor show in 2015 as a preview of the main exterior design themes. For the interior design, our proposal was the direction selected during the internal design competition phase and was developed for production.

The production model already has a dramatic and highly distinctive design – what impact did this have on producing an even stronger look for the HY-POWER Concept?

When we started the project, we knew that we didn’t have to make any dramatic changes to the overall design. What we wanted to do was almost to purify or concentrate the unique value of the Toyota C-HR and see how we could give it further emphasis by using a new and unique colour and interior trim execution.

Did the status and success of the model have an influence on how you approached the project?

The fact that the Toyota C-HR is a key model that was recently launched and has been selling well made us aware that we shouldn’t cause any confusion with the show car. We went back to the original brief and the target customer profile to identify how we could accentuate the design while remaining faithful to its original direction.

What challenges and opportunities did the show car design process present?

The challenge was not to stray away from the qualities that define the Toyota C-HR, but to add to them in a fresh and original way. For example, we wanted to retain the high quality of the production car, so we explored different ways of expressing uniqueness in the interior. By using a high-quality leather trim with a unique gradation yarn and stitch patterns, were able to build on the fundamental qualities of the interior ambience.

How did you interpret the Toyota C-HR’s diamond design theme?

The diamond theme prompted us to think about the process by which a diamond is made from carbon. Carbon itself has very interesting qualities and the led us to producing a new fluid carbon exterior colour treatment with a look that is not matt, but not gloss in appearance either. This in turn made us think about molten materials, such has lava, which presents a powerful contrast between its cooled upper surface and red hot liquid centre. This was the inspiration for creating the roof colour and a dynamic pattern that progresses from vivid red to black.

The new Land Cruiser further enhances this reputation with new, more modern and robust exterior styling, more sophisticated, comfortable and higher quality interior design, improvements to its dynamic abilities and user-friendliness, both on- and off-road.

Featuring ergonomically optimised and functionally grouped switchgear, a new dashboard design incorporates the large, 8 inch Toyota Touch® 2 with Go multimedia system, Optitron driver’s meters, and a steering wheel switchgear-controlled 4.2’’ Multi-information Display.

On-board comfort has been enhanced through the adoption of front seat ventilation, rear seat heating and automatic climate control, an electric, heated windscreen and heated washer nozzles, reverse tilting door mirrors, and a new smart key design.

In western Europe the new Land Cruiser is powered by a 130 kW/177 DIN hp 2.8 D-4D turbodiesel. For eastern European markets the model is also available with a choice of 120 kW/161 DIN hp 2.7 VVT-i and 183 kW / 249* DIN hp 4.0 VVT-i petrol engines.

Key to the Land Cruiser’s peerless off-road capability is its highly durable, deformation-resistant, segment-unique body-on-frame construction.

Easy to maintain and repair, its combination of very high strength and proven durability not only offers a high level of damage protection, but also significantly reduced body twist, allowing the driver to optimise both vehicle positioning and control.

In addition, the body-on-frame construction efficiently isolates the cabin from suspension impacts, making even the most challenging off-road conditions more comfortable for vehicle occupants.

Helping even unskilled drivers maximise the vehicle’s off-road performance, the Land Cruiser’s all terrain support systems make it one of the most technically advanced, safe, pleasurable and easy to use four-wheel drive vehicles in the world.

No other SUV can offer the new Land Cruiser’s unique combination of off-road performance and on-road dynamics. Its powerful road presence and high levels of on-board technology hallmark it as a premium 4x4 with the perfect blend of go-anywhere capability, comfort and refinement.

Wherever you want to go, Land Cruiser will take you there. And bring you back.

MORE DYNAMIC, MODERN AND ROBUST STYLING

The exterior design of successive Land Cruiser generations has always combined the stylish aesthetics of a vehicle entirely at home in any environment with the robust image of durability and power expected from a genuine four-wheel drive machine.

The new Land Cruiser builds on this proven, trusted formula with a new design which is visually more agile and dynamic, yet maintains three core strengths essential to the vehicle’s renowned go-anywhere credentials:

Total Practicality -with headlamps and cooling openings positioned to maximise both protection and wading depth; Total Durability -with the powertrain and all functional parts well protected; and Total Capability -with the tight turning circle and generous ground clearance essential for even the most demanding off-road driving.

The new Land Cruiser’s overall length has increased by 60 mm to 4,840 mm (4,565 mm for the 3-door model). It boasts exceptional manoeuvrability, with a minimum turning circle of just 5.8 metres (5.2 metres for the 3-door model).

With newly designed bonnet, radiator grille, headlamps, front bumper and fenders, the front of the Land Cruiser draws on several structural elements from its unique design heritage.

The bonnet has been shaped to enhance downward visibility at the centre. In order to protect the engine bay, it is sandwiched by the bumper sides. Incorporating integral fog lamps, the lower part of the bumper corners kick upwards and the centre section has been shaped like a skid plate to enhance off-road manoeuvrability. And the fender tops have been raised to help drivers more easily locate the vehicle extremities.

Organised into a powerful, single graphic form, the radiator grille and headlamps have been placed high for greater off-road functionality. The grille openings are as large as possible to allow for optimum engine cooling performance, while the headlamp main beams are positioned inboard to avoid damage from obstacles during off-road driving.

In keeping with Land Cruiser heritage, the grille itself features broad vertical bars with slit-shaped cooling openings finished in chrome. Integrating high and low beams, a front turn signal lamp and Daytime Running Lights (DRL) within a distinctive casing, the headlamp clusters may be equipped with either halogen or LED/halogen headlamps, the latter incorporating LED DRL.

Reinforcing the Land Cruiser’s broad, powerful stance, the sharply trimmed lower section minimises the effect of the front overhang on the vehicle’s off-road driving approach angle. Allied to a minimum ground clearance of 215 mm (205 mm for 3-door models), the 31 degree approach, 25 degree departure and 22 degree ramp breakover angles, ensure the model’s off-road abilities.

In profile, the front bumper peak has been raised, and the bonnet, fender line, front bumper and rear bumper are now aligned on the same horizontal axis, giving the new Land Cruiser a more athletic and dynamic posture. The vehicle profile is further enhanced by a choice of six-spoke 17” alloys with new, low RRC (Rolling Resistance Coefficient) tyres, high gloss painted 18’’ alloys, or a new, 12-spoke, machined finish 19’’ alloy wheel design.

To the rear, new elements include a redesigned lamp cluster featuring an LED stop light, a smaller rear garnish plate incorporated within the number plate surround, and a restyled bumper with a kicked up base to the protruding corners.

The new Land Cruiser is available in a choice of ten body colours, including two newly available –Midnight Emerald Blue and Avant-Garde Bronze metallic.

HIGHER QUALITY INTERIOR

The interior of the new Land Cruiser features revised dashboard styling incorporating new designs for the driver’s instrument binnacle and centre console. It combines improved operability with the refined finish appropriate to a premium quality all-terrain vehicle.

The drivetrain-, driving- and comfort-related switchgear has been clearly separated into function-specific zones and ergonomically optimised for ease of use under even the most extreme conditions.

The top of the new centre console tower has been lowered for a more sleek appearance and improved front visibility when driving off-road. It incorporates a new, larger 8’’ full-colour multimedia screen, a flush-surface air-conditioning control panel and the drivetrain-related instrument cluster.

Behind a new leather-clad gear lever reshaped for greater comfort, the driving- and comfort-related switchgear are clearly divided into separate panels for ease of use. The latter now includes heating and ventilation to the front seats.

Finished with a Silver Hairline texture that creates the appearance of sculpted metal, the centre console tower is cushioned between soft pads that support the occupants’ knees.

In the redesigned, four-gauge driver’s instrument binnacle, the precision Optitron meters feature a metallic base panel and spin polished dials with raised scale markings. They flank a 4.2’’ TFT colour Multi-information Display which provides drivers with comprehensive vehicle and infotainment data. Controlled via steering wheel mounted switchgear, the display features on-screen content including driving, vehicle, navigation, audio, driver assistance and warning message information.

The steering wheel itself is also new, now matching that found in Land Cruiser V8 models.

The heightened luxury and sophistication of the new interior design has been further enhanced by new, white illumination for the instrument panel, centre console and door switchgear. And a new interior lighting scheme incorporates LED front footwell, roof head lining and glove box lamps, and door panel illumination for a high quality cabin ambience.

The new Land Cruiser’s interior features a choice of three colour schemes -Black, Brown/Black and newly available Premium Beige. A choice of trim finishes completes the premium quality cabin ornamentation –a silver Hairline metallic finish matching the centre console treatment and newly developed Light Brown or Dark brown wood grain.

DIESEL AND PETROL POWERTRAINS

The 2.8 D-4D is a 2,755 cm³, 16 valve, DOHC four-cylinder engine which develops 130 kW/177 DIN hp at 3,400 rpm. Mated to the 6-speed automatic transmission, the powertrain develops an impressive 370 Nm of torque at only 1,200 rpm, and a maximum 450 Nm of torque between 1,600 and 2,400 rpm. It will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 12.7 seconds, and on to a top speed of 175 km/h. Average fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions are 7.4 l/100 km and 194 g/km respectively.

When mated to the 6-speed manual transmission, the Land Cruiser 2.8 D-4D develops a maximum 420 Nm of torque between 1,400 and 2,600 rpm. It will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 12.1 seconds, and on to a top speed of 175 km/h while returning an average fuel consumption of 7.4 l/100 km and CO₂ emissions of 194 g/km.

The proven, 2,694 cm³ petrol engine generates 120 kW/161 DIN hp at 5,200 rpm and maximum torque of 246 Nm at 3,900 rpm. When mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, the 2.7 litre unit achieves a top speed of 165 km/h and an average fuel consumption of 12.3 l/100 km. When matched to a 6-speed automatic gearbox, maximum speed is 160 km/h and average fuel consumption 12.5 l/100 km.

The 4.0 VVT-i petrol engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and develops 183 kW / 249 DIN hp at 5,600 rpm and 381 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm.

EXPANDED RANGE OF SAFETY FEATURES

High grade Land Cruiser models with automatic transmission come equipped with ‘Toyota Safety Sense’, a set of active safety technologies designed to help prevent or mitigate collisions across a wide range of traffic situations.

Combining a camera and millimetre-wave radar for a high level of detection performance, the Land Cruiser’s Toyota Safety Sense system features a Pre-Collision System (PCS) with a Pedestrian Detection function, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Alert (LDA), and Automatic High Beam (AHB) technology.

Further driver support and safety enhancing systems include a Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) and an upgraded Tyre Pressure Warning System (TPWS).

*207 kW / 282 DIN hp for models sold in Ukraine

Development at the Nürburgring

Right from the completion of the first Yaris GRMN concept in 2015, a prototype was sent to a Toyota facility close to the legendary Nürburgring race circuit in Germany. Here a select group of Toyota tuning specialists from Europe and Japan have honed the car’s handling and performance, working both on track on the famous Nordschleife and on the wide variety of roads found in the immediate neighbourhood – from ultra-fast Autobahns to tightly winding mountain routes. Toyota’s belief is that if the car can prove its capabilities in this environment, it can do so anywhere.

The name GRMN itself declares the special efforts that have been invested in the car, standing for Gazoo Racing tuned by the Meister of the Nürburgring. The team working on the car have developed their skills through participation in motor sport, working side-by-side with racing professionals, and through sports car development programmes. They have also been able to draw on the experience gained by Toyota Gazoo Racing from competing at the circuit.

Even since the car’s show debut in Geneva, work has continued to define the optimum shape of strategic areas of the bodywork. Every part has been painstakingly reconfirmed so that the Yaris GRMN is in perfect trim for the start of production at Toyota Motor Manufacturing France’s Valenciennes plant this autumn. Production will be supervised by a team of TMMF’s most skilled members and each car will undergo a special quality control check, including a specific test drive.

Engine and performance

The heart of the Yaris GRMN is its 1,798 cm³ four-cylinder engine, a 16-valve unit equipped with a Magnusson Eaton supercharger and Dual VVT-i intelligent variable timing for both inlet and exhaust valves. The 2ZR-FE unit is built by Toyota Manufacturing UK and has been specially adapted for use with the smaller Yaris platform.

With a 10:1 compression ratio, it delivers a maximum 212 DIN hp (156 kW) at 6,800 rpm and peak torque of 250 Nm at 5,000 rpm. Driving the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission, the engine enables nought to 100 km/h acceleration in around 6.3* seconds; top speed is electronically limited to 230 km/h.

Installing the supercharger presented a particular challenge, as only very limited space was available in the Yaris GRMN’s engine compartment. The packaging solution combines the supercharger, cooling and air intake together in a single, space-saving stacked unit. Cooling is crucial, so there is an intercooler for the supercharger and an oil cooler, both located in front of the radiator, and an enlarged air intake to support better engine breathing. The fuel system has also been upgraded, using components from a V6 engine.

With kerb weight kept down to just 1,135 kg, the Yaris GRMN achieves the best power-to-weight ratio in its class at 5.35 kg per 1 hp.

Chassis and handling

To ensure the Yaris GRMN’s power is transferred smoothly to the road, the car is equipped with a Torsen limited-slip differential. Chassis stiffness is enhanced with a lateral bar across the engine bay, between the front suspension towers, with further front and rear chassis underbody bracing.

Shorter springs allow the car to hug the ground more closely (24 mm lower than the standard Yaris) and these are teamed with dedicated performance shock absorbers, developed with Sachs, and a larger diameter (26 mm) front anti-roll bar. The suspension is a development of the Yaris’ front MacPherson strut and rear torsion beam design.

To achieve razor-sharp braking controllability, the 275 mm-diameter grooved front disc brakes are fitted with four-piston callipers; 278 mm discs are featured at the rear. The callipers are a stand-out feature, painted in signature Toyota Gazoo Racing white and visible through the slim spokes of the alloy wheels.

The wheels are 17-inch BBS lightweight multi-spoke alloys which not only save weight but also provide sufficient space for larger brakes to be used. Fitted with Bridgestone Potenza RE050 205/45R17 tyres, they also contribute to the Yaris GRMN’s very precise steering feel.

Performance exhaust system

The exhaust has been fully reworked, a task that had to be achieved within very tight space limitations, and with careful attention to underbody heat management. The goals were to reduce exhaust back pressure and control emissions and noise levels. Success in this task has enhanced engine power and produced a rousing exhaust note. The design has also helped reduce the car’s overall weight.

Body and styling

Like its world rally counterpart, the Yaris GRMN uses a three-door version of the new Yaris bodyshell. It introduces a number of dedicated features including a black, wing-type rear spoiler, bespoke rear bumper design, rear diffuser, honeycomb front grille and – again echoing the rally car’s styling – a central oval exhaust tailpipe.

It also sports a special paint finish – white with red and black flash detailing on the bonnet and sills, echoing the livery of the Toyota Yaris WRC, and a black roof with a unique-in-segment black shark fin antenna. The front lip is picked out in red and the LED headlights are given extra visual impact with the addition of a black upper ornamentation.

Cabin design

The cabin is equally an expression of the car’s performance focus, with front sports seats designed specifically for the car by Toyota Boshoku, providing best-in-class body holding and support.

The authentic performance details include an engine start button and a small-diameter, leather-wrapped steering wheel, sourced from the Toyota GT86 coupe and further adapted to suit the special requirements of the Yaris GRMN. There is also an aluminium sports pedal set, aluminium trim detailing and a bespoke, high-grade combimeter with TFT display, designed to reflect the car’s special performance character.

Sales and pricing

Just 400 Yaris GRMN will be available to European customers, including both right and left-hand drive models. The price is €29,900, with market variations for taxes and other local factors.

* Subject to final homologation

Toyota is unveiling further developments of the Auris range at the Frankfurt motor show that will strengthen and widen its appeal in the highly competitive market for compact hatchbacks and wagons. These include the new Auris Touring Sports Freestyle edition and the 2018 model year Auris range.

Hybrid leading Auris’ success

Toyota’s petrol-electric hybrid technology was introduced to the first generation Auris range in 2010 and has steadily increased its share of sales. More and more customers are making it their first choice in preference to conventional petrol or diesel powertrains. Toyota hybrid technology has always been renowned for delivering low emissions and strong fuel economy, but there is also strong user-appeal in its quiet and relaxing drive quality.

In 2016, hybrid versions of the Auris hatchback and Touring Sports accounted for almost 60 per cent of the models’ total European sales. This year the rate of growth has increased further, with almost two thirds of Auris buyers choosing a hybrid.

Toyota has sold more than 1.26 million Auris in Europe across both generations of the model, with around 400,000 of these being hybrid versions. Significantly, the current model has increased its sales volumes every year since its introduction in 2012, reaching more than 144,000 units in 2016.

Auris Touring Sports Freestyle edition

Smart urban styling features distinguish the Auris Freestyle, a new interpretation of the successful Auris Touring Sports wagon.

This special edition model features black wheel arch covers and side skirts, and front and rear underbody protection with an aluminium finish. The purposeful appearance also includes a black front grille, rear privacy glass and bright silver door mirror covers, plus five double-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels with a black and machined silver finish.

In other respects, the new Freestyle model offers customers all the established benefits of the Auris Touring Sports, including an exceptional range of hybrid, petrol and diesel powertrains and a generous loadspace that extends to an impressive 1,685 litres with the rear seats folded – ideal for those who need plenty of room for sports and lifestyle kit.

The Freestyle will be offered as a limited edition model, on sale in European markets from December.

2018 Model Year Auris

The Frankfurt motor show provides first sight of changes to the Auris range for the 2018 model year. The new features amplify Auris’ established quality and style, adding extra contemporary and sporty appeal to the exterior.

The colour choice is extended with a new blue colour available for the popular Auris Bi-tone models. There will also be a fashionable Manhattan Grey option, a new metallic shade that has a more subtle, deep tone rather than a glossy look. This will be available as a full bodywork finish and will also be added to the choice available for Bi-tone models, in an eye-catching combination with a contrast black roof, shark fin antenna, rear spoiler, door mirror housings and front grille. Black side sills will be available as an option and the new black grille will also become a feature of Auris Style grade models.

“Roads train people, and people make cars”; that ethos has been the backbone of the Five Continents Drive project. It is about enabling engineers to get out from behind their work desks to feel the road, to experience first-hand how vehicle performance is impacted by the wide variety of driving conditions around the world and to gather new insights. By connecting with customers in a meaningful way and listening to their feedback, Toyota can better understand their needs and usage patterns.

The Five Continents Drive matches Akio Toyoda’s desire for Toyota to create cars that are fun to drive. “I wanted to change how people who work at Toyota feel through the Five Continents Drive,” he said. “If we try to create cars that will sell simply as a business, we will end up becoming a company that pursues this alone. We can’t build cars if we only take data from the test course. This is why we have to face the roads and the harsh environments in which our customers use our vehicles. The valuable information that we gain will improve the skills of our engineers and help us to create Ever-Better cars.”

INSPIRING FEEDBACK

The first two continents covered on the Five Continents Drive have been completed safely with resounding success and inspiring feedback from those who have participated. From Australia to North America and, most recently, Latin America, nearly 70,000 km of roads, some previously unchartered, have been covered in the pursuit of creating better, cleaner and safer vehicles.

The Five Continents Drive began in 2014 with an opening leg in Australia, where 80% of the most demanding types of roads on the planet can be found. The team travelled cross-country through vast and rugged terrain starting and finishing in Melbourne, home of the Toyota Motor Corporation

Australia headquarters. The expedition took in 20,000 km over 72 days and with 13 vehicles.

The Ever-Better expedition continued into North America in 2015 covering 28,000 km over 109 days with 24 vehicles from across the Toyota range. The expedition was split into two sections with a summer leg starting in Texas, and a winter itinerary venturing into the icy Canadian and Alaskan climate.

In 2016, the journey moved into Latin America, with three legs covering 20,000 km over 78 individual days and 16 different vehicles used. Divided into three parts, the opening leg covered Brazil to Paraguay, the second took in Chile, Peru and Bolivia, and the concluding part covered Argentina and Uruguay.

This year, it’s the turn of Europe. The seven-year cycle will then progress onto Africa and into Asia where the project will conclude in 2020 in Japan. That year will see Tokyo host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Toyota is a TOP partner for the Games, providing sustainable mobility to the entire Olympic and Paralympic movement.

ENGAGING ALL SENSES TO BUILD EVER-BETTER CARS

The Five Continents Drive project is being run under the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing umbrella, as the global brand for Toyota’s motorsport operations.

Kiichiro Toyoda, the founder of Toyota, once said that motorsports are vital to the evolution of car making and the entire auto industry. This belief has been passed down over the generations and embodied most recently as TOYOTA GAZOO Racing.

It represents the company’s commitment to overcoming every limit in the pursuit of creating Ever-Better cars through motorsport. What we learn at the very limits of performance, we seek to transfer into benefits for everyday driving.

But the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing spirit goes even beyond this. Characterised by the ultimate goal of creating Ever-Better cars, the Five Continents Drive project exists to directly develop human resources by exposing participants to the most varied and challenging road conditions around the world. This experience is much more than visual; it’s about sharpening each of the senses to “feel” the roads and cars together and, as a consequence, to develop the skills to make Ever-Better cars.

ONE PASSION, ONE TEAM

By uniting Toyota team members across all continents, the project aims to increase collaboration globally. Driving in a convoy of some of Toyota’s best-loved models, the project is the ultimate test of real vehicles in the real world.

The itinerary takes in some of the most punishing terrains that each continent has to offer, visiting key Toyota facilities on the way. It’s not just going down the paths well trodden; it is about encountering the unknown, and finding new places to drive.

Expedition teams have encountered harsh roads and revived Toyota’s passion and hungry spirit. Driving distances farther than they had driven before, the teams of engineers were able to bring back the intrinsic fun of cars. Thinking about cars holistically and realising that these vehicles are built by their peers, they got a sense of how well loved Toyota cars are by their owners. It is about unity: creating Ever-Better cars that exceed customers’ ever-higher expectations irrespective of culture, values and customs.

FIVE CONTINENTS DRIVE IN EUROPE

Europe is one of the world’s most complex and progressive territories. It is as culturally diverse as it is environmentally with over 30 languages spoken.

Known as the birthplace of the automotive industry, Europe offers a totally different set of challenges and opportunities to the continents that have preceded it on this project. Europe’s unique blend of politics, history, culture and laws has shaped the driving conditions in each of its countries.

The Five Continents Drive route for Europe, which has been developed based on input from a knowledgeable group of Toyota technicians and engineers, tackles the widest cross section of the continent. All in all, more than 20 countries will be visited across two legs over a distance of 19,000 km.

The precise route has been split into two distinct periods, one specifically for the summer months and one for the more treacherous winter conditions. In doing this, the convoy can capture the complete range of climatic conditions that Europe has to offer: from the searing summer heat in Portugal to the claustrophobic humidity in urban city centres and onto the frozen wintry roads of Scandinavia.

The eight-week summer itinerary covers around 13,000 km in the western and southern countries, before arriving at the Toyota Motor Europe headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

The route takes in some of Europe’s most iconic road types, from winding mountainous passes over roundabouts and cobblestones to narrow streets in bustling city centres and the high-speed Autobahn in Germany.

A second four-week winter expedition will take in the north and east, covering 6,000 km. Starting in Copenhagen, Denmark, it will conclude at the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team factory in Puppola, Finland.

SYMBOLIC NÜRBURGRING

The summer expedition also put vehicles to the test on the world famous and technically renowned Nürburgring circuit in Germany. Acting as the midway point in the first route, the venue plays a poignant role for Toyota through its attachment to TOYOTA GAZOO Racing.

“GAZOO Racing” first entered the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2007. Known as the world’s most punishing racetrack, the Nürburgring is symbolic of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, just as it marked a key point in our Five Continents Drive.

With its intense up-and-down hills and rough road conditions, Nürburgring is the only track in the world that features the same environment as the general road. It’s said that running ten laps at Nürburgring is the equivalent to traveling 800 km on public roads. It is arguably the best track in the world to test the limits of both man and machine.

The Nürburgring is known as the “Holy Land” to automobile manufacturers, many of whom conduct test drives of their vehicles. The mountain terrain is utilised well, with a 300 m difference in height and elevation of 17%.

It is precisely the track’s unique challenges that make it such a spiritual place for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing; a place where we can learn and improve.

LONG-LASTING AIMS 

When the winter convoy reaches the finish line in Finland later this year, it will not mark the conclusion of the Five Continents Drive in Europe. All the valuable information, customer feedback and driving experiences gathered by the team will be shared across the organisation worldwide to move one step closer towards the company’s mission of making Ever-Better cars.

First released in 1968, and one year later throughout Europe, the legendary Toyota Hilux is the world’s favourite pick-up, currently selling in 180 countries and regions throughout the world. To date, it has recorded cumulative global sales of over 18 million units.

Renowned for its Quality, Durability and Reliability (QDR), the unstoppable Hilux has proved its invincibility time and again, having conquered the North Pole, Icelandic volcanoes and the Antarctic continent, and also achieving podium finishes in the Dakar Rally Raid.

The Hilux 'Invincible 50' show car embraces the growing market for dual-usage vehicles in the pick-up segment. It reinforces the model's worldwide reputation for toughness and QDR with a range of bespoke accessories which not only make it instantly recognisable as a special edition vehicle, but are also ideally suited to a broad range of both professional and leisure activities.

Externally, the vehicle features matt black high over and side bars, a black front under-run, and black wheel arch mouldings housing unique 18" matt black alloy wheels fitted with robust All Terrain tyres from BFGoodrich -the company which supplies race tyres to Toyota Hilux and Land Cruiser Dakar vehicles.

On board, the Toyota pick-up show car further benefits from a plastic bed liner and a large tool box, model-specific scuff plates, floor mats and a leather hand brake.

Reflecting its ability to satisfy the needs of a growing range of leisure, business and dual-usage pick-up customers, Hilux European sales are expected to top 40,600 units in 2017, beating the previous record of 40,104 set in 2007.

Toyota’s unique 65 years heritage and QDR* Leadership is embodied by the world premiere of the new Land Cruiser. Featuring a segment-unique body-on-frame construction, the new Land Cruiser will take you wherever you want to go. And bring you back.

In addition, the Toyota stand will also feature the hot hatch Yaris GRMN and the new Auris Touring Sport “Freestyle”, which brings a higher degree of personalisation to the Auris line-up.

The Toyota Press Conference takes place at 08:50 on Tuesday September 12^th, on the Toyota stand in Hall 8.

* Quality, Durability and Reliability