At the Chicago Auto Show, one of the most memorable experiences was a car that wasn't even there. See how augmented reality brought the 2013 Toyota Avalon to life.

Forbidden Fruit: The 2013 Toyota GT 86 Cup Edition!

To celebrate the start of the Toyota GT 86 Cup, a one-make racing series held in Europe and designed for Toyota's popular rear-wheel-drive sports cars, the Japanese automaker has announced a limited run of ‘GT 86 Cup Edition’ special edition models.

Designed to mimic the look of the GT 86 CS-V3 race car built by Germany’s TMG and used primarily in the Toyota GT 86 Cup, the new special edition sports car will be built in a run of just 86 cars, with all of them destined for the European market.

The special edition comes at a 2,860 euro ($3,695) premium over a stock GT 86, a car sold here as the Scion FR-S, though customers do get some notable upgrades, including two VIP tickets for one of the Toyota GT 86 Cup races held at the Nürburgring (many of the races coincide with the VLN series, also held at the famous German race track).

The GT 86 Cup Edition receives 18-inch light alloy wheels from OZ Racing, Pirelli P Zero Nero GT tires measuring 225/40, decals that match those on the GT 86 CS-V3 race car, color accents on the A-pillar, front spoiler and rear diffuser, and special badging on the car’s flanks.

Inside, there’s a sports steering wheel trimmed in Alcantara, Cup Edition labels on the dash and a unique numbered plaque made of brushed aluminum.

The basic powertrain has been left unchanged, which means peak output from the 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine is just 200 horsepower.
The first race of the Toyota GT 86 Cup takes place this weekend at the Nürburgring. 

Courtesy of Motor Authority

Here is your car maintenance tip for the week!

Consider adding oil coolers

If you plan to do a lot of towing and your vehicle is not already equipped with coolers, consider having them added. Aftermarket engine oil and transmission fluid coolers are simple, low-cost addons that operate on the same principle as your car’s radiator. The fluid flows through them, and many small fins absorb and dissipate heat. Cooler operating temperatures of engine oil and transmission fluid can add significantly to the life of your engine and transmission.

Courtesy of Readers Digest

The Toyota Tundra was there to tow the 292,000 pound Endeavor space shuttle. Check out this video showing the historic trip!

Attention All Drivers Out There!

'LIKE' if you're ready to leave winter in the dust. Where is the best place in the Houston area to drive your Toyota on a warm spring day?

Toyota's cutting edge Technology will blow you away!

Introducing the new RAV4 EV

With cutting-edge technology, dynamic performance and modern advancements inside and out. What makes RAV4 EV so extraordinary is getting all that, plus features for the real world.

Simple Tips To Extend the Life of Your Car!

Don’t fill up if you see the tanker

 If you happen to see a gasoline tanker filling the tanks at your local gas station, come back another day or go to a different station. As the station’s underground tanks are being filled, the turbulence can stir up sediment. Sediment in your gas can clog fuel filters and fuel injectors, causing poor performance and possibly necessitating repairs.

Courtesy of Readers Digest

We'd like to wish everyone a safe and Happy St. Patrick's Day weekend! 'LIKE' if you feel lucky to drive a Toyota!

Don't miss this limited time service offer!

For more great offers click here.

My Color is the brand new hit single from Toyota Corolla and the queen of K-pop, HyunA! What do you think fans?

Happy Monday everybody! Car-care tips that save gas

Don't top off

Don't bother topping off when filling your car's gas tank. Any additional gas is just going to slop around or seep out. Why waste your money paying for gas your car won't use? Stop pumping at the first indication that your tank is full when the automatic nozzle clicks off.

Courtesy of Bankrate 

Don't miss out on Toyota's Maintenance Plus Package

 

 Check out our website for more great offers!

 Service includes:

- Up to five quarts of oil
- Genuine Toyota oil filter
- Rotate tires and check air pressure
- Complimentary multi-point inspection
Reference your owner's manual for your vehicle's scheduled maintenance intervals.
Add a tire balance for $24.95. Toyotas only.


Discount taken off regular posted price. Plus fees and tax. Valid with coupon only. Not valid with any other coupon, offer or advertised special. Toyotas only.

 

Toyota's FT-86 droptop!

There's nothing wrong with going topless. And Toyota is proving that its FT-86 (read: Scion FR-S/Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ) coupe is just as excellent with its roof removed. It may only be a concept, but this FT-86 Open previews a new droptop from the Japanese automaker to round out the Toyobaru sports car family. We're finally getting the chance to see the open-air FT-86 in person here at the Geneva Motor Show, and we're already yearning to take it canyon-carving.

Interestingly, the FT-86 retains the Toyota coupe's two-plus-two seating arrangement (we'd prefer a proper roadster setup here), but things still look good for this droptop two-door. We'll be curious to see how the car looks with its folding soft top in place (operated by fancy-shmancy electronics, by the way).

As for production intent, rumors have been flying about a production Scion FR-S convertible, but until we hear it directly from Toyota. Consider our hopes in check but our fingers crossed.

Courtesy of Autoblog

What's the difference between synthetic and conventional oil?

The oil we put in our engines serves multiple purposes. It coats the metal parts and allows them to run on a thin, smooth layer of lubrication, thus reducing friction and wear. It works as an additional coolant, holds by-product carbon particles in suspension until the oil filter traps them, neutralizes acids, and employs solvents to keep the engine clean. That’s a serious resumé and if there’s one thing motor enthusiasts love to do it’s debate the merits of one oil over another. Sooner or later somebody brings up the “synthetic vs regular oil” issue and the conversation is literally off to the races with “experts” pressing advantages and disadvantages with knowing passion. Like most arguments, there are degrees of “rightness” and “wrongness” depending on what you’re driving and how you’re driving it. The oil you use in your family car (even if you have tuned it up to breath a little life into that run to the grocery store) isn’t going to be the same oil that goes into a racing engine. Without trying to put an end to a discussion that has no end, let’s look at a few facts.

Obviously “regular” oils are mineral-based products refined from crude oil taken from the ground. Over the past 20 years these lubricants have been “refined” even further, particularly in the area of viscosity enhancers -- meaning modern oils flow better over a range of temperatures. This, in combination with engines that sport tighter clearances and better machining, allow for the use of thin oils that both reduce friction and improve fuel efficiency. In the world of racing, for instance, very few teams are going to be using motor oil with single rated viscosity. (The exception would be some nitro-burners.) Racers not only want efficient operation and greater power, they want the best lubrication of engine parts as quickly as possible. (Start-ups deliver high engine wear, so you want an oil that gets to work quickly.)

Synthetic oils, which have been around since the 1970s, have the same natural ingredients as “oil oil,” but they are distilled in a chemical plant where the concept of refining goes techno-geek. Try getting your head wrapped around the concept of “synthesized-hydrocarbon molecular chains” and base fluids including “polyalphaolefin, synthetic esters, and alkylated aromatics.” Practically, what the heck does this mean?

Synthetic oils:

• are all season and have multi-viscosity properties, some flowing as much as seven times faster than regular oil.
• can stand extremes of engine temperature (some above 400°F) more efficiently.
• can boost effective horsepower more effectively than thinner regular oils.
• can be used for as much as 10,000 miles before requiring an oil change.
• contain fewer contaminants like sulfur, wax, and other elements that contribute to sludge build-up.

Of course, these synthetic oils are more expensive and there are some things they don’t do, including:

• eliminate the need for oil changes.
• eliminate engine wear.
• or improve miles per gallon received.

The major advantage of synthetics is superior lubrication that significantly reduces engine wear over the long term.

For regular drivers and performance car enthusiasts, proponents suggest there’s a place for both types of oil. Conventional wisdom now suggests that you want to use “regular” oil while breaking in an engine. At this phase of an engine’s life, you want some wear to make sure all the components get properly smoothed down. (On the other hand, there are plenty of performance cars that come from the factory using synthetic oil.) Depending on who you ask, this breaking-in period can be as short as 500 or as long as 5,000 miles. At whatever point you choose, however, the switch from regular to synthetic oil is intended to then slow engine wear down as much as possible. (And you don’t want to mix regular and synthetic as that’s a great recipe for sludge.) At the racing level, of course, a team is going to test various oils, determine what horsepower gain is returned, gauge the viscosity and temperature tolerances -- in short, make a science out of oil choice versus engine benefit.

The best answer to this debate may be that there are virtues to both types of oil. Anything you put in your engine from the new car dealer or any modification you make to your vehicle, whether it's a racer or the family car, has to be looked at in terms of the goal you're seeking to achieve. Without question, the chemical composition of synthetic oils have a quality and uniformity at the molecular level that just isn't found in traditional, "regular" oils. Synthetic oils will continue to be fine-tuned in the laboratory to give even higher levels of performance and benefit. As we ask more of our engines, not only in terms of output but in the areas of clean and efficient operation, no one can afford to rule out synthetic oils as a viable option, on or off the track. Like everything about automobiles, lubrication techniques are evolving rapidly and the days of indiscriminately telling the guy at the gas station to "just add a quart" are definitely over.

Courtesy of topspeedracer.com