FastMotoring Motor News In Speed

Last month, the popular Toyota Estima 7-seater MPV for Japan Domestic Market (JDM) gets facelift for the third time since this generation of Estima launched back in 2006. [Note: Don’t ask us why]. The 2012 model of Toyota Estima now come new headlamps with dark-plated (smoke black) style, a bolder front bumper and a ‘two layer style’ front grille instead of ‘V-shape’ from the previous facelift.

Based on the information we gather from Toyota Japan, the 2012 Toyota Estima still remained having the 2.4-litre, 3.5-litre V6 and hybrid variants. The performance of the 2.4-litre variant still maintained with 170PS with a maximum torque of 22.9kgm, coupled with the 7-speed CVT gearbox. For the 3.5-litre V6, the engine output the same 280PS and a maximum torque of 35.1kgm, mated with 6-speed Super ECT auto gearbox.

For the hybrid variant, the exterior styling is pretty much similar with the petrol variants including the bodykit. However, the hybrid powerplant is churning a max output of 190PS with the combination of 2.4-litre engine and electric motor.

Essentially, the 2012 Toyota Estima facelift has turned the MPV to look even more aggressive, cool and futuristic. Likely, this model will be imported from Japan to Malaysia from next year or the following year by the grey-importers as second hand cars.

Photo Gallery: 2012 Toyota Estima JDM

Currently, Toyota sources batteries, inverters and motors solely from their home country in Japan for all its hybrid vehicles, including the most popular Toyota Prius.

After the Massive Japan Earthquake & Tsunami, it has shown the vulnerability of the decision to put all of your eggs in one basket by most of the Japanese Automakers.

As a result, Toyota aims to make hybrid drivetrain components in the United States and elsewhere overseas within 4 years.

“Right now, hybrid component production is too biased toward Japan,” Shinichi Sasaki, Toyota’s executive vice president in charge of global purchasing, told Automotive News in North America.

He said the new strategy calls for making the components at global production centres that will ship the parts to hybrid vehicle assembly plants worldwide. The components likely would be built in North America and other markets such as Southeast Asia and China, he predicted.

Photo Gallery: Toyota Hybrids

In conjunction of 10 Years of Toyota Prius Anniversary Celebration, Toyota releases a sneak peek at an upcoming addition to the Prius family of products in Toyota Prius Facebook Page.

In the photo, the billboard that shows the Prius MPV hiding behind the current Prius with the tagline “The Prius family is getting a whole lot bigger.”

I think this is one of the 4 upcoming Toyota hybrid models that mentioned by Takeshi Uchiyamada – Toyota’s global chief of engineering and product development.

Toyota Motor Corporation plans to introduce 6 new hybrid vehicles model by 2012 on a global basis. Toyota plans 2 new Lexus models and 4 Toyota models with hybrid power plant. Some models will be only hybrid models and some that have a gasoline-engine variant.

All of the hybrids will be totally new model and not next-generation versions of existing hybrid models, said Takeshi Uchiyamada, Toyota’s global chief of engineering and product development.

The recent development of Toyota’s plug-in electric vehicle: Toyota and Tesla announced to debut the RAV4 Electric SUV at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show in coming November 2010.

Based on the current battery technology, it is not feasible to have all-electric vehicles for the entire fleet, Mr. Uchiyamada said. However, he added that the vehicles line-up in the next decade from Toyota will be hybrid and plug-in electric cars.