Toyota, Lexus News Recap – April 22
Tim Esterdahl | Apr 22, 2016 | Comments 4
Here is a recap of the Toyota/Lexus news for the week of April 22, 2016
Toyota, Lexus News Recap – April 22, 2016
New Lexus IS to Make World Debut at 2016 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition
Lexus will unveil its redesigned midsize luxury sport sedan, the Lexus IS, at 2016 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition next week.
https://pressroom.lexus.com/releases/lexus-is-2016-beijing-teaser.htm?view_id=43431
Toyota to Pioneer Use of Biosynthetic Rubber in Engine and Drive System Hoses
Toyota will become the world’s first automaker to use biohydrin, a newly-developed biosynthetic rubber product, in engine and drive system hoses. Jointly developed by Toyota, Zeon Corporation, and Sumitomo Riko Co., Ltd., biohydrin rubber is manufactured using plant-derived bio-materials instead of epichlorohydrin, a commonly-used epoxy compound. Since plants absorb CO2 from the atmosphere during their lifespan, such bio-materials achieve an estimated 20 percent reduction in material lifecycle carbon emissions (in comparison to conventional petroleum-based hydrin rubber).
Turning Young Car Tinkerers into Advanced Automobile Technicians, Toyota Donates 45 Engines to Area Tech Schools in North Alabama
High school technical schools in six counties recently got a lot of “educational horsepower” delivered as Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama donated 45 engines manufactured at its Huntsville plant. The donated V6 engines were built on Toyota Alabama’s newest production line.
https://corporatenews.pressroom.toyota.com/releases/tmmal-engine-donation-april15.htm?view_id=43431
Toyota Enters into Multi-Year Partnership with Texas Rangers; Toyota Becomes the Official Truck Sponsor
The Texas Rangers and Toyota announced that the club and the automobile manufacturer have entered into a multi-year partnership. Under the agreement, Toyota becomes the Official Truck Sponsor of the Texas Rangers. The sponsorship will highlight Toyota’s two Texas-built trucks, Tacoma and Tundra. The multi-year partnership extends through 2018 and also provides Toyota with branding and naming rights for 12 of the Rangers’ parking lots adjacent to Globe Life Park in Arlington. A complete list of the Toyota-branded lots is included below. In addition, Toyota receives outfield wall, video board, home plate, and LED signage and becomes the exclusive sponsor of video replays at Globe Life Park in Arlington.
https://toyotanews.pressroom.toyota.com/releases/toyota-partnership-texas-rangers.htm?view_id=43431
Rally RAV4 Prepares to Attack Next Round at Oregon Trail; Ryan Millen and 2016 RAV4 SE Look for Class Win
A well-rested Toyota-Millen RAV4 team are preparing to take on the Oregon Trail rally in Portland, Ore. this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. A lengthy, grueling three-day rally awaits the durable and capable RAV4. The team has rallied after facing challenges at the last event at 100 Acre Wood, and is coming back stronger than ever with their eye on the prize of collecting the championship.
https://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/rally-rav4-oregon-trail-april21.htm
Message from President Akio Toyoda to the Residents of Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu, Japan Following Multiple Earthquakes
https://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/detail/11825358/
Filed Under: Auto News
Toyota to Pioneer Use of Biosynthetic Rubber in Engine and Drive System Hoses?
Do the rats eat that stuff?
That’s a good question since there have been cases of mice, etc. chewing on the soy based wire sheathing Toyota currently uses. I wonder if that is being considered.
Very likely why it is being investigated. All manufactures have similar wiring and this is an industry-wide issue rather than just Toyota.
-Tim
Tim,
I am so glad you posted with your reply.
While my original post above was somewhat of a joke; recently about a month ago one of the local TV stations in the DFW area went into this very subject in great detail.
The 5-minute video and the article posted should answer a lot of questions for those that “really do not know”.
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/loc.....16021.html
Here is the take away from this and many similar reports in the DFW area:
This has been a significant problem since the 70’s and longer. I am personally aware of this problem in both the 50’s and 60’s; this is not a new problem.
This problem is spread equally among all cars makes, sorry there are no exceptions here.
Cars that are kept “longer”, “parked outside”, and parked in newer outskirt areas of new construction just outside major cities seem to be the number one reason mice/rats eat the wiring.
Surprisingly, under those conditions it is somewhat common.
Randy