Toyota today launched an all-new utility vehicle for the 2009 model year the Venza. The Japanese automaker refers to the car as a “crossover sedan,” which seems like an effort to avoid the use of “station wagon” at all costs. Toyota came up with the designation because the Venza combines “comfort and fun-to-drive performance elements of a five-passenger sedan” with the “utility of an SUV.”

The crossover was designed specifically with the North American market in mind. The Venza will be sold here exclusively, and it was engineered at the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor. The exterior was penned at the Toyota’s Calty design studios in Newport Beach.



Rather than styling the Venza to look like an SUV, the Venza was designed with a “sleek sedan concept” in mind, Toyota says. Nonetheless, it features a spacious interior providing room for five passengers and abundant cargo space behind the second row of seats.

Levers, one on each side of the rear cargo area, allow the 60/40 split rear seats to fold flat, providing additional storage space for extra long items. For added passenger comfort, the rear seats recline up to 14 degrees.

Power will be generated by an available 3.5-liter V6 that will produce 268 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 246 pound-feet of torque at 4,700 rpm with a towing capability of 3,500 pounds. Standard power will come from an all-new 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine.

All Venza models are equipped with an array of standard features including auto dual zone air conditioning, AM/FM six-disc CD, tilt/telescopic steering wheel with audio controls, remote keyless entry, electrochromic rearview mirror with compass, a multi-information display, cruise control, optitron gauges, rear wiper, privacy glass, and much more. On V6 models Venza come standard with dual exhaust tips and is the first Toyota model to ride on standard 20-inch alloy wheels. Four-cylinder models come standard with 19-inch alloy wheels.

Venza will also offer an Automatic High Beam headlight system. When high beam headlights are in use sensors in the Automatic High Beam system will detect oncoming traffic and automatically switch the headlights to low-beam. When the Automatic High Beam sensors no longer detect oncoming traffic the system will switch the headlights back to high-beam mode.

Additional optional equipment will include a navigation system equipped with a JBL audio system, integrated satellite radio capability and Bluetooth technology; a premium JBL audio system with AM/FM six-disc CD changer, satellite radio capability and Bluetooth, rear seat entertainment system, a Smart Key System, back-up camera and a power rear door.

source: leftlanenews

Toyota’s top-selling hybrid sedan is headed for a redesign next year. The popular Prius four-door is expected to once again differentiate itself with unique styling and class-leading mileage.

Although our spy photo shows an evolutionary shape, it doesn’t represent the final design. It was one of three designs Toyota was considering, but we’ve heard the final decision went to a more conservatively styled Prius more along the lines of the Hybrid X shown in Geneva this year.

Toyota officials have said recently that they hope to bring down the cost premium of hybrids while continuing to improve their efficiency. With new less-hybrid-friendly EPA testing procedures, the 2009 Prius may not show huge gains in its stated fuel economy figures, but its real-world numbers should improve beyond the current 40-45mpg range.

What this means to you: If gas prices continue to climb, the 2009 Toyota Prius could be the hottest new car on the market next year.

After an arduous day of preparation, Honda engineers have finally hit the race track in their mule for the next NSX. Seeing this prototype in the light of day reveals proportions consistent with Acura’s Advanced Sports Car Concept, which debuted at the ‘07 North American International Auto show.

The S2000-based body panels used on this mule don’t exactly correspond to the show car, but it may tell us of the direction Acura is traveling with the next NSX.

First of all, the stacked exhaust set-up on this mule looks similar to the placement on the concept. The mule’s large central air-intake at the front suggests that the production NSX may veer away from the styling of the concept, which had a smoother nose with air-intakes mounted wide on the front bumper. Given the lukewarm reception given to the most recent NSX concept, the design transition from concept to production was expected to involve marked styling changes.

The expansive hood on this mule definitely looks large enough to handle a V-8 or V-10 engine.

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After numerous sightings of the 2009 Jaguar XF sedan, they finally have the first spy photos of the upcoming four door’s interior. Caught at a stop sign just outside Jaguar’s technical center, this XF prototype has what looks like a production quality interior.

The navigation screen looks as though it was pulled straight from the current XK coupe while the climate and radio controls have a straightforward looking layout. Also note the start button just under the arm of the driver. You can expect to see the full production version of this S-Type replacement in showrooms next spring.