The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Toyota

  • Toyota partners global firms on vehicle enhancement products

    Toyota partners global firms on vehicle enhancement products

    Toyota Nigeria Limited has taken vehicle maintenance to a higher level with the launch of a new range of automobile enhancement products into the nation’s market.

    The launch was held in partnership with renowned global manufacturers of the items in response to the demand of its customers for quality vehicle maintenance products.

    This is coming a few months after the firm introduced Toyota Genuine Motor Oil, a lubricant made not only for Toyota but also for  other vehicle engines.

    The new vehicle enhancement products include those from Jewelultra Diamondbrite for cleaning/protecting vehicles; smart repair comprehensive tools for minor cosmetics repairs and high-performance abrasives and power tools for professional solid surfaces and innovative sanding produced by Mirka.

    Managing Director, TNL, Kunle Ade-Ojo, said the company embarked on the project in line with its tradition of pushing barriers to satisfy customers.

    Read Also: Renewing the hope of Nigerians

    According to him, the products are useful for customers who want to maintain the interior and external brilliance of their vehicles.

    The Jewelultra Diamondbrite collections, he said, help in fighting the daily onslaught of dirt, UV-rays, acid rain and contaminants that could affect the internal and external glow of a vehicle.

    He added that the treatment comes with a guarantee, ensuring long-term peace of mind for vehicle owners.

    “By offering this extra layer of protection, it enhances the vehicle’s resale value and maintains its aesthetic appeal,” he added.

    He described the HBC Smart repair systems as comprehensive tools used for minor cosmetics repairs on vehicles such as the interior, dent and spot repairs.

    According to him, the HBC promotes sustainability by enabling longer vehicle part life minimizing waste, and curtailing extensive repairs.

    For the Mirka products, they offer high-performance abrasives and power tools which ensure durability and a flawless finish.

    “The products are also perfect for professional solid surfaces and innovative sanding and are produced with the consideration of reducing environmental impact across their product range.

    “As a matter of fact, they offer the best and most efficient sanding experience.

    “The company enhances professional work with outstanding customer support, technical guidance, and training,” Ade-Ojo said.

    He also spoke on the Duxone and Standox products, which he noted as reputed for matchless refinishing.

    The company’s coating systems provide high-end paint technology that ensures brilliant finishes and long-term durability for vehicles, he said.

    Business Territory Director for Central East Europe, Turkey, Middle East and Africa at Axalla Coating Systems, Fadi Medlej, said the company remains number one in the auto refinish globally and available in 140 countries.

    He said the firm decided to come to Nigeria as part of its expansion programme and found a reliable partner in Toyota Nigeria Limited.

    Sales Excellence Manager, CEMA Region, Mirka Limited, Tamirat Yigzaw, said the firm celebrating its 80th anniversary is a solution provider offering the right products for quality job to save time and money.

    Business Manager, Refinish Systems for Middle East and sub-Sahara Africa (Duxone & Standox), Mr. Anand Ramachandran, also spoke on the benefits of the manufacturer/Toyota Nigeria partnership to the customers, stressing that it would bring about value and peace of mind.

  • Toyota suspends production in Japan due to blast at supplier’s plant

    Toyota suspends production in Japan due to blast at supplier’s plant

    Car maker Toyota on Tuesday said it has partially suspended production in Japan because of an explosion at a supplier’s plant.

    Toyota said that 10 production lines at six factories were halted after an explosion the previous day at one of the factories of supplier Chuo Spring in Aichi Prefecture.

    Read Also: Nigerian boy wins Toyota’s World Dream Car contest

    The carmaker said it would check whether the affected production lines could be restarted on Wednesday.

    Toyota has 14 assembly plants across Japan, producing cars for the domestic and overseas markets.

    Recently, the carmaker had to halt domestic production for a day because of a server problem.

    Production was restarted the following day.

    (dpa/NAN) 

  • Nigerian boy wins Toyota’s World Dream Car contest

    Nigerian boy wins Toyota’s World Dream Car contest

    A NIGERIAN schoolboy, Oluwademilade Odumuboni, 10, of Corona School, Gbagada, Lagos, has emerged global grand prize winner of the 2022/23 Toyota Dream Car Art Contest.

    Oluwademilade won the coveted prize after beating 782,852 other contestants from 90 countries.

    The competition is organised annually by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), Japan for school children all over the world, challenging them to draw their dream cars with an inspirational idea.

    Master Odumuboni’s waste converter drawing, with the concept of helping countries, especially African communities, in food production and ensuring clean environment, was adjudged the best globally.

    He was on Saturday September 2 honoured and presented with a prize money of $5,000, a trophy, and a certificate at a ceremony organised by Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL) in Lagos on behalf of the TMC of Japan.

    His school, Corona, was also given $10,000 prize money.

    The prize money awarded to Oluwademilade and the school is meant strictly for educational purposes.

    His Art teacher, Mr Ojeagbega Oserogho, received a laptop for helping the gifted boy to excel.

    Managing Director, Toyota (Nigeria) Limited, Mr Kunle Ade-Ojo, said, “We are very excited and elated. Indeed, we are very proud of the feat that Demilade achieved by also placing Toyota (Nigeria) Limited in the forefront of distributors globally.”

    He said the Nigerian star boy’s unique idea and dream had placed him and Nigeria on the global map of one of the largest Global Art Contests for children.

    Read Also: Nigerian boy wins Toyota’s car contest

    “His unique and truly inspirational idea expressed in an equally creative drawing earned him a global grand prize in the contest, beating over 782,852 contestants from 90 countries/regions.”

    Ade-Ojo said while the parent company, TMC of Japan, initiated the contest in 2004, Toyota Nigeria keyed into it four years later as a corporate social responsibility initiative to help children express their imagination of a future car through drawing.

    The TNL MD declared that his company felt fulfilled with its efforts of 15 years finally crowned.

    “Apart from the shield and prize money from Toyota Motor Corporation that Demilade will be going home with, Toyota (Nigeria) Limited will also present a certificate and trophy to him,” he added.

    The contest, he said, was also meant to drive the children to imagine a peaceful world full of smiles and to promote a friendly society.

    “This way, Toyota is also cultivating a lifetime friendship with all these children while encouraging them to care for our planet and push their imagination beyond limits,” he stated. Ade-Ojo said annually, like other participant countries, three winners are picked in Nigeria from each age category: Category 1 (children not older than seven years); Category 2 (8-11 years); and Category 3 (12-15 years old), making nine winners.

    The shortlisted nine national winners and their drawings are sent to Japan to compete with other drawings received from all over the world.

    The Saturday ceremony was attended by parents of the star prize winner, family members, selected pupils from the school and their teachers led by the Head Teacher, Henrietta Eguagie.

    Also in attendance were the three judges that shortlisted the drawing in Nigeria for the world competition.

    Eguagie commended Oluwadamilade for his remarkable achievement that had brought glory to the school.

    She also hailed Toyota for the initiative of inspiring young people to unleash their creative expression and artistic potential.

    “As one of Nigeria’s leading educational institutions, we are dedicated to utilising this prize money in a manner that directly benefits the learning experiences and development of our students.”

    Specifically, Eguagie listed areas they plan to invest the money as Toyota Dream Car Endowment Fund, Oluwademilade grant for art, establishment of art gallery and exhibition, digital art studio, art and tech competition, among others.

    The star boy, in his response expressed gratitude to the TNL and the TMC for the opportunity to express himself through art; as well as his school, art teachers, parents for their encouragement.

    “I appreciate Toyota for this award and for believing in a little child like me..I’m also grateful for the big award shield; I’ll surely display it in my room and admire it every day when I wake up in the morning. This experience has taught me that hard work pays and that we should never give up.”

  • Toyota unveils ‘world’s safest’ compact car

    Toyota has revealed its new Yaris supermini, complete with a new hybrid powertrain and improved safety systems.

    The Japanese manufacturer claims the latest Yaris has been engineered to be the “world’s safest compact car”.

    This is the fourth-generation model of the Yaris, which has been around since 1999, when it replaced the Toyota Starlet.

    According to Belfast Telegraph Digital, the new Yaris is the first model to be built on Toyota ‘s new GA-B modular platform for small cars.

    Part of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) build system that has overhauled models like the Corolla, C-HR and RAV4, the GA-B allows the manufacturer several advantages.

    For example, most superminis have grown larger down the years. But the new Yaris has had its length reduced by 5mm, while at the same time the wheelbase has been lengthen by 50mm.

    This is aimed to make the car agile and manoeuvrable in cities, but roomy and comfortable inside.

    The height has been reduced by 44mm also, without compromising headroom as the driver and passengers sit lower. However, the car is 50mm wider, which aids cabin space but also give the car a surer profile.

    The previous Yaris had a hybrid option, but the model – due in the United Kingdom in the middle of next year – boasts an all-new 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain.

    This, Toyota said, is more responsive with a 15 per cent increase in combined power (engine and electric motor) and a 20 per cent increase in fuel efficiency.

    The system also uses a new lithium-ion hybrid battery, giving increased output that enables quicker acceleration. As well as being more powerful, the battery is 27 per cent lighter than the old nickel-metal hydride battery.

    The Yaris will also be available in some markets with 1.5 and 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engines, but Toyota expects hybrids to be responsible for around 80 per cent of sales.

    The external design of the new Yaris is bolder, with strong character lines down the side more prominent front and rear wings and sculpted door panels.

    There’s a larger grille and the A-pillar has been shifted back, increasing bonnet length. The bonnet is now adorned with LED lights.

    The cockpit has been extensively re-designed, including the addition of goodies usually found in bigger cars.

    Information is presented to the driver from three interlinked sources: the central Toyota Touch touchscreen, a TFT multi-information display in the instrument binnacle and a 10-inch colour head-up display that projects key data and warnings into the driver’s field of view.

    Better-quality materials have also been introduced, including a soft-touch instrument panel.

    The big boast about safety is also of interest, with Toyota saying the new underpinnings have a lower centre of gravity. This will help with cornering and stability.

    The chassis also has a better weight balance, both front/rear and left/right, which reduces body roll and improves braking, while improved torsional rigidity contributes to better handling.

    Other innovations have improved stability and rigidity, including new front MacPherson strut and rear torsion beam suspension and strategic reinforcements in the cowl, rear pillar, tunnel and rear structure.

    The manufacturer claims the new Yaris is the first car in its class to feature a centre airbag, part of the new Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) system.

    Advanced driver assistance systems fitted as standard include full speed-range intelligent adaptive cruise control and lane trace assist, as featured in the recently launched new Corolla.

  • Toyota to raise stake in Subaru to 20 per cent

    Toyota Motor Corporation said it will raise its stake in Subaru Corp to 20 per cent from 16.8 per cent to boost the companies’ joint development of advanced technology for autonomous and electric vehicles.

    The increased stake will make Toyota’s 14-year-old partner into its equity-method affiliate, meaning the Japanese auto giant will see Subaru’s earnings incorporated into its consolidated financial statements.

    Under a deal struck by the two automakers, Subaru also plans to acquire a stake in Toyota worth 80 billion yen ($741 million), equivalent to the largest Japanese automaker’s additional investment in the smaller partner.

    They will buy each other’s shares through the stock market or direct transactions between them as soon as approval is secured from competition authorities.

    Toyota has been stepping up efforts to consolidate its ties with smaller rivals and tech giants such as SoftBank Group Corp to respond to a shift in consumer demand for electric, connected and self-driving vehicles.

    Toyota agreed in late August with Suzuki Motor Corp on a capital tie-up to jointly work on autonomous vehicles.

    Toyota formed an alliance with Subaru, formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd, in 2005 after purchasing shares from General Motors Co.

    Toyota and Subaru have since cooperated in vehicle development, production and sales. Toyota is already the largest shareholder in Subaru.

    As part of their cooperation, they began selling their jointly developed sports car, branded by Toyota as the 86 and Subaru the BRX, in 2012.

    In June, the carmakers said they will jointly develop an electric sports utility vehicle to be sold under each company’s name by the mid-2020s in the United States.

    Subaru is also among major Japanese automakers that have invested in a self-driving technology startup Monet Technologies Inc, jointly established by Toyota and SoftBank Corp.

     

  • Toyota to raise stake in Subaru to 20 per cent

    Toyota Motor Corporation said it will raise its stake in Subaru Corp to 20 per cent from 16.8 per cent to boost the companies’ joint development of advanced technology for autonomous and electric vehicles.

    The increased stake will make Toyota’s 14-year-old partner into its equity-method affiliate, meaning the Japanese auto giant will see Subaru’s earnings incorporated into its consolidated financial statements.

    Under a deal struck by the two automakers, Subaru also plans to acquire a stake in Toyota worth 80 billion yen ($741 million), equivalent to the largest Japanese automaker’s additional investment in the smaller partner.

    They will buy each other’s shares through the stock market or direct transactions between them as soon as approval is secured from competition authorities.

    Toyota has been stepping up efforts to consolidate its ties with smaller rivals and tech giants such as SoftBank Group Corp to respond to a shift in consumer demand for electric, connected and self-driving vehicles.

    Toyota agreed in late August with Suzuki Motor Corp on a capital tie-up to jointly work on autonomous vehicles.

    Toyota formed an alliance with Subaru, formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd, in 2005 after purchasing shares from General Motors Co.

    Toyota and Subaru have since cooperated in vehicle development, production and sales. Toyota is already the largest shareholder in Subaru.

    As part of their cooperation, they began selling their jointly developed sports car, branded by Toyota as the 86 and Subaru the BRX, in 2012.

    In June, the carmakers said they will jointly develop an electric sports utility vehicle to be sold under each company’s name by the mid-2020s in the United States.

    Subaru is also among major Japanese automakers that have invested in a self-driving technology startup Monet Technologies Inc, jointly established by Toyota and SoftBank Corp.

  • Toyota to build factory in Myanmar

    Toyota Motor Corporation is planning to build an automobile factory in Myanmar.

    An official announcement could come before the end of the month, with construction on the plant to start this year.

    The plant would be located in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone on the outskirts of Yangon and would assemble pickup trucks through so-called knockdown production, in which parts imported from Japan and other nearby nations are put together at the new plant.

    Myanmar has a population of about 50 million people, on par with South Korea and Spain. It is also a young nation, with an average age of 27.9. While it is one of the poorest countries in Asia, it has seen strong economic growth recently and is expected to grow at annual rates of six to seven percent.

    Though only about 17,500 new automobiles were sold in the country last year, the figure more than doubled compared to the previous year. Toyota currently exports about 2,000 passenger and commercial vehicles to Myanmar per year and sees the market as one with strong growth potential.

    As at last December, Toyota had 50 automobile and parts production sites in 27 nations and regions. The Myanmar factory would be a new strategic base.

    The Myanmar government has implemented policies that give preferential tax treatment to companies that produce automobiles locally.

    Suzuki Motor Corporation was one of the first entrants among Japanese automakers. It has two factories in the country assembling compact cars, for which it now commands more than half of the market.

    Nissan Motor Corporation and Corporation are among the other automakers that have a presence in Myanmar.

    Toyota decided to build a new plant in Myanmar because it expects the country of about 50 million people to have strong economic growth going forward. The decision is also partly the result of the Myanmar government’s efforts to lure foreign investment.

    Myanmar’s per capita gross domestic product is only about U.S. $1,300 (about ¥140,000). However, the average age of the country is low and the population is expected to continue to grow.

    Analysts believe Myanmar has the potential to grow into a market similar in size to neighbouring Thailand (population about 69 million), where about 1 million automobiles are sold per year.

    While Myanmar’s automobile market has been characterised by the overwhelming popularity of used Japanese vehicles, sales of new units doubled in 2018 compared to the previous year. This and other signs indicate a growing market for new vehicles.

    The government is also providing preferential treatment to companies that manufacture cars locally. Such factors have enticed several automakers to move into the country.

  • Toyota to build factory in Myanmar

    Toyota Motor Corporation is planning to build an automobile factory in Myanmar.

    An official announcement could come before the end of the month, with construction on the plant to start this year.

    The plant would be located in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone on the outskirts of Yangon and would assemble pickup trucks through so-called knockdown production, in which parts imported from Japan and other nearby nations are put together at the new plant.

    Myanmar has a population of about 50 million people, on par with South Korea and Spain. It is also a young nation, with an average age of 27.9. While it is one of the poorest countries in Asia, it has seen strong economic growth recently and is expected to grow at annual rates of six to seven percent.

    Though only about 17,500 new automobiles were sold in the country last year, the figure more than doubled compared to the previous year. Toyota currently exports about 2,000 passenger and commercial vehicles to Myanmar per year and sees the market as one with strong growth potential.

    As at last December, Toyota had 50 automobile and parts production sites in 27 nations and regions. The Myanmar factory would be a new strategic base.

    The Myanmar government has implemented policies that give preferential tax treatment to companies that produce automobiles locally.

    Suzuki Motor Corporation was one of the first entrants among Japanese automakers. It has two factories in the country assembling compact cars, for which it now commands more than half of the market.

    Nissan Motor Corporation and Corporation are among the other automakers that have a presence in Myanmar.

    Toyota decided to build a new plant in Myanmar because it expects the country of about 50 million people to have strong economic growth going forward. The decision is also partly the result of the Myanmar government’s efforts to lure foreign investment.

    Myanmar’s per capita gross domestic product is only about U.S. $1,300 (about ¥140,000). However, the average age of the country is low and the population is expected to continue to grow.

    Analysts believe Myanmar has the potential to grow into a market similar in size to neighbouring Thailand (population about 69 million), where about 1 million automobiles are sold per year.

    While Myanmar’s automobile market has been characterised by the overwhelming popularity of used Japanese vehicles, sales of new units doubled in 2018 compared to the previous year. This and other signs indicate a growing market for new vehicles.

    The government is also providing preferential treatment to companies that manufacture cars locally. Such factors have enticed several automakers to move into the country.

    According to the Myanmar Survey Research Co., in addition to Suzuki and Nissan, Kia Motors Corp. and Hyundai Motor Co. of South Korea, Ford of the United States, and others are already operating locally.

    As few parts manufacturers operate in Myanmar, automakers assemble cars using imported knockdown parts. The maturation of Myanmar’s auto manufacturing industry hinges on whether or not parts makers move into the country.

    In response, the administration led by Aung San Suu Kyi passed the first major reform of the nation’s corporate law in about a century last year.

    Restrictions on foreign currencies were relaxed and a new investment and foreign economic relations ministry was established to solicit investment.

  • Toyota to build factory in Myanmar

    Toyota Motor Corporation is planning to build an automobile factory in Myanmar.

    An official announcement could come before the end of the month, with construction on the plant to start this year.

    The plant would be located in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone on the outskirts of Yangon and would assemble pickup trucks through so-called knockdown production, in which parts imported from Japan and other nearby nations are put together at the new plant.

    Myanmar has a population of about 50 million people, on par with South Korea and Spain. It is also a young nation, with an average age of 27.9. While it is one of the poorest countries in Asia, it has seen strong economic growth recently and is expected to grow at annual rates of six to seven percent.

    Though only about 17,500 new automobiles were sold in the country last year, the figure more than doubled compared to the previous year. Toyota currently exports about 2,000 passenger and commercial vehicles to Myanmar per year and sees the market as one with strong growth potential.

    As at last December, Toyota had 50 automobile and parts production sites in 27 nations and regions. The Myanmar factory would be a new strategic base.

    The Myanmar government has implemented policies that give preferential tax treatment to companies that produce automobiles locally.

    Suzuki Motor Corporation was one of the first entrants among Japanese automakers. It has two factories in the country assembling compact cars, for which it now commands more than half of the market.

    Nissan Motor Corporation and Corporation are among the other automakers that have a presence in Myanmar.

    Toyota decided to build a new plant in Myanmar because it expects the country of about 50 million people to have strong economic growth going forward. The decision is also partly the result of the Myanmar government’s efforts to lure foreign investment.

    Myanmar’s per capita gross domestic product is only about U.S. $1,300 (about ¥140,000). However, the average age of the country is low and the population is expected to continue to grow.

    Analysts believe Myanmar has the potential to grow into a market similar in size to neighbouring Thailand (population about 69 million), where about 1 million automobiles are sold per year.

    While Myanmar’s automobile market has been characterised by the overwhelming popularity of used Japanese vehicles, sales of new units doubled in 2018 compared to the previous year. This and other signs indicate a growing market for new vehicles.

    The government is also providing preferential treatment to companies that manufacture cars locally. Such factors have enticed several automakers to move into the country.

    According to the Myanmar Survey Research Co., in addition to Suzuki and Nissan, Kia Motors Corp. and Hyundai Motor Co. of South Korea, Ford of the United States, and others are already operating locally.

    As few parts manufacturers operate in Myanmar, automakers assemble cars using imported knockdown parts. The maturation of Myanmar’s auto manufacturing industry hinges on whether or not parts makers move into the country.

    In response, the administration led by Aung San Suu Kyi passed the first major reform of the nation’s corporate law in about a century last year.

    Restrictions on foreign currencies were relaxed and a new investment and foreign economic relations ministry was established to solicit investment.

  • Toyota, Ford recall vehicles

    Toyota Motor Corporation and Ford are recalling some of their models.

    Ford is adding 270,000 vehicles to recall in North America to fix a gearshift problem that could cause them to roll away unexpectedly.

    The addition covers certain 2013 through 2016 Fusion midsize cars with 2.5-litre engines.

    The company is urging drivers to always use the parking brake until repairs are made.

    Ford said a bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission can degrade, causing the cable to detach. If that happens, a driver could shift into park but the car could be in another gear.

    Ford has one report of an injury and three property damage reports. Engineers are developing a fix.

    Last year, Ford recalled 550,000 Fusions from 2013 through 2016 and Escape small SUVs from 2013 and 2014 for the same problem with a different cause.

    Ford said owners will be notified when repairs and parts are ready, and that owners of cars fixed in the previous recall are not affected.

    The 2018 recall covered cars with a number of different engines, including the 2.5-litre .

    Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing is recalling 564 model year 2019 Lexus ES vehicles.

    The vehicles are equipped with a driver knee airbag assembly mounted to the lower instrument panel (IP) that may have been improperly installed, possibly affecting the deployment of the knee airbag in the event of a crash.

    There is an increased risk of injury if the knee airbag does not deploy properly in the event of a crash.

    Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver knee airbag assembly, if necessary free of charge.

    Meanwhile, Toyota (Nigeria) Limited has called on users of Corolla, Yaris, RAV 4, Hilux, Fortuner or Avensis, bought between 2001 and 2017 to confirm the status of their Airbag inflator.