James’ flashy kicks earn him an unexpected admirer.
– Courtesy of Toyota Motors
The Pickup Doesn’t Give Up!
Even after driving his truck more than 1 million miles, Glen Allen doesn’t think the old girl has reached the end of the road. She keeps on rolling, even on a long trip.
“I can leave right now, punch your address into my GPS and drive with as much confidence as I have when I drive to the grocery store a quarter mile away,” says Allen, who lives in St. Amant, La.
That’s important for a man who makes his living driving across the country, escorting vehicles carrying oversized loads.
Allen bought his 1996 pickup truck in January 1997 from Price LeBlanc Toyota in nearby Baton Rouge. The truck had six miles on it.
It was his fourth Toyota vehicle, the only brand he’s ever owned. “I bought my first one when I was 21 years old,” he says. “It was an ’84 Xtra Cab, white with gray interior.”
He later bought a ’91 Corolla and a ’93 Toyota pickup truck. “I’ve been very impressed with Toyota’s products,” he says. “I really don’t have the desire to purchase anything else.”
He’s particularly pleased with his current truck. “For a small truck, it has plenty of leg room and head room,” he says. “It’s been a comfortable little truck for me. I can reach anything I need from the driver’s seat.”
Comfort is vital to Allen, who can rack up 90,000 miles a year escorting trucks carrying bulldozers, cranes and other heavy equipment. “I could get a call in the next five minutes telling me to go to Minnesota,” he says. “I never know where I’m going or when I’m going. I’ve got to keep my bag packed.”
Despite the uncertainty, he says, “It’s exciting because I get to go to a lot of places I never dreamed of going. I’ve been to 38 states and Canada. I enjoy taking back roads, running into little hole-in-the-wall restaurants.”
Allen doesn’t spend all of his time on the road. He sometimes spends hours in parking lots while the big trucks are being loaded. But he doesn’t mind waiting because his cabin is comfortable enough for naps. “I get some of my best sleep in my truck,” he says.
Even during Louisiana’s scorching summers. “I can sit in my truck all day long with the air conditioning on, and the temperature never goes up,” he says.
Allen calls his truck “My Little Red Demon.” As for the gender, he says, “I think a vehicle is always a ‘her,’ isn’t it? You treat her nicely, and she’ll take care of you.”
Allen has treated his vehicle nicely. “I don’t dog the truck,” he says. “I don’t hot rod it at all.”
He gets the tires rotated regularly and changes the oil every 5,000 miles. He replaced the original engine at 658,000 miles. “The original clutch looked so good, the mechanic was tempted to put it back in.”
He got the truck painted a couple of years ago because “I wanted her to look good when she turned a million.”
Yes, Allen was confident his truck would reach that milestone. “Once I saw how far the first engine got me, I thought I could get to a million.”
Today, his truck has about 1,080,000 miles on it. Although his family and friends have urged him to get a new truck, he’s in no hurry. “It’s still in great shape,” he says. “Even if I get a new truck, I’ll keep this one for local jobs.”
When the time does come, Allen will probably get a Tacoma “unless I’m just completely blown away by a Tundra.”
In the meantime, he says, “I take care of my truck the best I can and boogie down the road. We spend a lot of time together. She’s the love of my life, what can I say?”
– Courtesy of Susan Pack – Toyota Products
Hybrids are dominating the market
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) in Japan announced its global hybrid vehicle sales totaled four million units through April 2012.
Toyota currently sells 18 hybrid passenger vehicles in 80 countries and regions around the world. This year, hybrid vehicle accounted for 15 percent of TMC’s global vehicle sales. Prius, Toyota’s first hybrid passenger car, went on sale in Japan in 1997. Hybrid technology was later introduced to the U.S. in 2000 with the arrival of the Prius. Since then, the Toyota Division of Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. sold 1.5 million hybrid vehicles in the U.S., accounting for 65 percent of all hybrid vehicles sold in the region. Prius, the iconic hybrid brand, comprises half of all hybrids on the road in the U.S. with sales totaling 1.2 million units through April 2012. The expansion of the Prius has been successful in the U.S. since the Prius v was introduced in to the market in November 2011 followed by Prius c and Prius Plug-in during the first quarter 2012. In that time, Prius family sold 60,859 units in the U.S. “All of us at Toyota would like to sincerely thank our customers, who have made Prius the best-selling hybrid in the industry,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager, Toyota Division. “While we’re proud of this accomplishment, we are not stopping here as hybrids will continue to be a core technology for Toyota.” In addition to the Prius Family, Toyota’s other U.S. hybrid models include versions of the Camry and Highlander, which feature larger displacement applications of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive. Toyota calculates that the total number of its hybrid vehicles sold globally since 1997 have produced to approximately 26 million fewer tons of C02 emissions than would have been emitted by gasoline-powered vehicles of similar size and driving performance.– Courtesy of Toyota Motors
How do you participate in 100 Cars for good?
What a great thing Toyota is doing! Toyota is giving 100 cars over 100 days to nonprofits that could really use a new set of wheels. And voters like you help decide which one gets a new ride every day.
Starting May 14 through August 21, it’s the voters’ turn to do their own good deed by voting for their favorite organizations and causes. All voters have to do is log in to their Facebook profile and use the 100 Cars for Good app to vote on one of that day’s five nonprofit organizations. Each afternoon, the previous day’s winner is announced and a fresh batch of five finalist organizations will be ready to compete for votes. Vote once a day because each vote counts and each day brings another new car to another deserving organization.
– Courtesy of Toyota Motors
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE
Are you ready for a complete electric SUV?
Get ready to pack the family in the most economical and environment friendly SUV. Toyota is charging the path with the RAV4 EV and only priced at $49,800.
On Monday Toyota Motor Corporation stated the electric version of its RAV4 SUV will cost $49,800 when it goes on sale this summer. That’s more than double the $22,650 starting price of the gas version, although the electric RAV4 will be eligible for $7,500 federal tax credit that will narrow the gap.
The electric version of the popular SUV will go around 100 miles on a charge. It takes six hours to fully charge it using a 240-volt charger.
The RAV4 EV widens the electric choices for U.S. buyers. Until now, the only electrics on the market were small cars like the Nissan Leaf and high-end sports cars from Tesla Motors. The RAV4 is the first electric SUV. Tesla designed and built its battery and drive system under an agreement announced two years ago.
Toyota’s initial sales goals are modest. The company expects to sell only 2,600 RAV4 EVs over the next three years. By comparison, it sold more than 15,000 gas-powered RAV4s in April.
“We believe that the RAV4 EV will attract sophisticated early technology adopters, much like the first-generation Prius,” said Bob Carter, head of the U.S. Toyota division. “It’s designed for consumers who prioritize the environment and appreciate performance. We look forward to seeing how the market responds.”
Sales will be limited, in part, because the vehicle will only be available in certain markets. California will be first, with sales in four markets, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, starting later this summer.
– Courtesy of Toyota Motor Corp. and USA Today
Jim Coleman Toyota 