Auto Racing

(Los Angeles, California) –The all-new 2013 RAV4 crossover SUV made its world debut today at the 2012 Los Angeles International Auto Show.  Toyota’s fourth-generation RAV4, the world’s original crossover sport utility vehicle, arrives early next year.

With a fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine, new six-speed transmission, two-row seating for five, and a host of available in-cabin technologies, RAV4 offers a nuanced balance of performance and all-around capability, including class-leading cargo capacity, striking design, class-leading eight standard airbags, and a compelling array of standard features.  RAV4 will be available in three well-equipped grades: LE, XLE, and Limited.

Performance, Handling, and Efficiency

For 2013, RAV4 will provide a number of powertrain technologies that help deliver an engaging driving experience.  It will feature Toyota’s 2.5-litre four-cylinder, which will produce 176 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 172 ft. lbs. of torque at 4,100 rpm.  The optional V6 of the previous-generation RAV4 will be discontinued.

Replacing the previous four-speed automatic will be a six-speed transmission with Sequential Shift.  First and second gear ratios will be optimized for around-town performance.  To keep engine revs lower at highway speeds and enhance fuel mileage, fifth and sixth gears will be overdrives.

RAV4 front-wheel-drive models have received estimated fuel efficiency ratings of 8.7L/100km in the city and 6.4L/100km on the highway, while LE and XLE all-wheel-drive models are estimated at 9.1L/100km in the city and 6.8L/100km on the highway.  A new Eco mode is designed to promote more efficient driving thus helping to enhance fuel efficiency.

The new RAV4 will provide its active owners a more dynamic drive, with new technologies like Sport Mode, enhancements in suspension performance, and optimized electric power steering.  The spring rates have been optimized, and the shock absorbers have been optimally tuned to help the vehicles handling characteristics.

RAV4 has a MacPherson strut front suspension, double-wishbone rear suspension and four-wheel disc brakes.  The LE will ride on wide opening 17-inch steel wheels with wheel covers, XLE will feature 17-inch alloys, and Limited will be equipped with 18-inch alloys.

In both front- and all-wheel drive RAV4’s, driver-selectable Sport Mode sharpens transmission shift timing and action, and throttle response.  Calibration of the Electric Power Steering assist is also modified in Sport Mode, providing a firmer feel and sharper response to input.  When down shifting the RAV4 six-speed automatic transmission in “S” Mode, engine revs rise with a clearly audible “blip,” adding to the driving experience.

A Toyota first, 2013 RAV4’s with All-Wheel Drive (AWD) will have Dynamic Torque Control, a system that automatically shifts from front-wheel drive (FWD) to AWD when accelerating or when sensors detect wheel slippage.

Dynamic Torque Control has three different drive modes: Auto, Lock and Sport.  In Auto Mode, RAV4 delivers power primarily to the front wheels under most driving conditions, switching automatically to AWD only when needed.  By only engaging the rear axle and delivering power to the rear wheels when needed, Auto Mode helps enhance fuel efficiency and reduce drivetrain wear.

In Lock Mode at lower speeds, RAV4 essentially has a full-time AWD system with power delivered to all four wheels.  At speeds below approximately 40 km/h in Lock Mode, up to 50 percent of engine power is sent to the rear wheels, enhancing traction and helping RAV4 “dig” through sandy or muddy conditions.  Lock Mode reverts to Auto Mode when vehicle speed passes approximately 40 km/h.

As on the front-drive RAV4’s, Sport Mode sharpens shift timing, throttle response, and steering response.  In RAV4 with AWD, Sport Mode has additional benefits.  It can provide smooth and nearly instantaneous torque transfers between the front and rear wheels to help enhance cornering performance.  Under certain conditions, Sport Mode can automatically deliver up to 50 percent of engine power to the rear wheels.

In Sport Mode, the AWD system also can apportion power based on input from the steering angle and yaw rate sensors of the Vehicle Stability Control system.  When turning into and through a corner, power is sent to the rear wheels to maximize traction available at each of the four corners of the vehicle.  Under braking in a straight line in Sport Mode, power delivery to the rear wheels can be momentarily suspended to best leverage the benefits of ABS and VSC.

Exterior Design & Body Structure

The new RAV4’s design achieves strong proportions while conveying the agile and fun character.  Sophisticated and dynamic, the exterior features a progressive silhouette, with a sleek-sloping roofline and an aggressive character line.  The new RAV4’s interior has a premium, sophisticated look with soft-touch accents and driver-centric controls. 

RAV4 pursues the design goals defined by Toyota President Akio Toyoda, with aggressively sculpted front and rear fenders and boldly proportioned taillights that define RAV4’s athletic presence.

In a significant break with its heritage, RAV4 will switch from its side-hinged rear door to a convenient roof-hinged liftgate with a space-saver spare tire stored under the cargo floor.  Standard on the Limited grade will be a one-touch power rear liftgate with driver-selectable memory height settings.

As on other recently introduced Toyotas, RAV4 engineers paid special attention to aerodynamics, the most obvious detail being small vortex generators molded into the taillight cases and near the base of the A-pillars.  Less obvious are the aerodynamic undertrays beneath the passenger cabin that help smooth and control airflow.

Following body-engineering principles debuted in the 2012 Camry and 2013 Avalon, RAV4’s body structure will include high-strength steel to help achieve several significant goals, including a robust and stiff platform that enhances steering and handling precision, and a body structure that is both strong and light.  RAV4 engineers used several grades of high-strength steel to form key structural components in the roof, rocker sills, floor, engine compartment and door frames.  The weight savings were in part invested in sound deadening materials and an acoustic windshield, helping to create a quiet passenger cabin. 

Interior Design & Packaging

The new RAV4’s dash panel is driver-centric and asymmetrical, with primary and secondary controls all within easy reach.  On the passenger side, the sculpted dash panel creates a sense of airy spaciousness.

RAV4’s dash panel and gauges all feature clear blue illumination, which provides crisp visibility in most ambient light conditions, and a unified, coherent appearance at night.

RAV4 will come standard with a manual tilt/telescope steering column, with the LE and XLE featuring a urethane steering wheel.  The Limited grade will have a leather-wrapped steering wheel.  All RAV4 steering wheels will have controls for audio, Bluetoothâ hands-free phone and audio, and the Multi-Information Display (MID).

All RAV4’s will have driver and front passenger seats with high seatbacks and a slim back, enhancing rear-passenger knee room.  The RAV4 LE driver’s seat is six-way adjustable, including seat height.

The RAV4 XLE driver and front passenger will ride in premium bucket seats with sport bolstering, providing ample support of the lower hips, lower torso and shoulders during cornering.  The XLE will have premium fabric with French stitching on the seats and portions of the dash panels.

The Limited will have the same premium driver and front-passenger bucket seats found in the XLE but will also come equipped with an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat with memory, and driver power lumbar.  All RAV4 Limited seats are trimmed in high-quality, breathable SofTex with French stitching.  SofTex also covers the center armrest, and portions of the door and dash panels.   

All RAV4’s will feature 60/40 split/fold second-row seats that recline several degrees to enhance passenger comfort.

In contrast to 2013 RAV4’s compact exterior dimensions, the cargo area is deeper, larger and easier to access than in the previous generation, with just over 38.4 cu. ft. of cargo capacity behind the rear seats.  With rear seats folded, the RAV4 has class-leading maximum cargo capacity of 73.4 cu. ft.

Privacy glass, Daytime Running Lights (DRL), cruise control, power side mirrors, power door locks and power windows are standard on all RAV4s.  RAV4 XLE and Limited feature dual-zone automatic climate control, integrated fog lights, power moonroof with sliding sunshade, and heated outside mirrors with turn signal indicators.

CHICAGO, IL – The official launch of SVT came during the 1992 Chicago Auto Show with the unveiling of the 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning. Now Ford returns to Chicago to celebrate its past and look to the future with the 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible.

In honor of SVT’s anniversary, a commemorative lighted sill plate will be used in the 2013 Shelby GT500 to celebrate the many years of performance vehicles. The 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra offered a 235-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 engine, which demonstrates just how far the products have come in 20 years. The 2013 Shelby GT500 with its 650-horsepower V8 marks the latest offering from one of the oldest and most successful automotive performance groups in the world.

“The Shelby GT500 convertible is every bit the performer that the coupe is,” said Kerry Baldori, SVT Global Performance Vehicles chief engineer. “All of the significant changes we made in the program were instrumental in delivering a convertible that could really shine on the track but can still be driven on a daily basis.”

The 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible with the optional Performance Package is faster around a track than the outgoing model. The new convertible shaved nearly 3.5 seconds off its lap time at Sebring International Raceway compared to the 2011 and 2012 models.

Keys to the improved lap times are the power boost from the new 5.8-liter supercharged V8 producing 650 horsepower, as well as the SVT-designed Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers available on the Performance Package and the all-new chassis tuning.

Accessed on the dash with a simple push of a button, normal mode gives customers a more comfortable ride over road irregularities. Sport mode is all about performance, delivering improved response time on the track and less body roll while cornering with reduced pitch under braking. The upgraded dampers allowed SVT engineers to tune the convertible more aggressively for the track, while still being able to maintain desirable on-road manners.

A new Brembo brake system also is a key enabler in boosting the performance of the convertible. The new brakes offer drivers enhanced stopping power to help keep their car under control, while new six-piston calipers in front along with larger front and rear rotors further improve braking performance. More aggressive brake pads also help the car achieve high deceleration and further robustness for more driver confidence.

Similar to the coupe, the convertible will be offered with a Performance Package that also can be upgraded to a Track Package, complete with an external engine oil cooler, rear differential cooler and transmission cooler for further durability.

20 years of high-performance innovation

Each of the more than 210,000 SVT vehicles produced since 1993 has been designed and developed with the four SVT attributes in mind: Performance, Substance, Exclusivity and Value. These hallmarks still guide the brand’s vehicle development today.

“In the past 20 years, SVT has engineered world-class mid-engine supercars, front-wheel-drive performance cars, rear-wheel-drive muscle cars and high-performance on-road and off-road pickup trucks,” said Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief engineer. “There is no other performance house in the world that can match that diverse résumé.”

Since 1993 more than seven different SVT vehicles have been produced, including several versions of the Cobra and Shelby GT500, the F-150 Lightning performance pickup and F-150 SVT Raptor, the SVT Contour sports sedan, plus both three- and five-door versions of the SVT Focus. Special SVT Mustang Cobra R models were made in 1993, 1995 and 2000.

SVT has joined with Team RS in Europe to form the Performance Vehicles Group to devise a strategy for all future global performance Ford cars. The resulting Focus ST is Ford’s first truly global performance car, giving drivers around the world the opportunity to share the exhilarating performance, excellent handling, addictive sound and sporty design Ford’s ST badge represents. The Ford Fiesta ST Concept also signals the next step in Ford’s global performance vehicle strategy and hints at how a future Fiesta ST model might look when it joins the Focus ST in the global small car portfolio.

New Front Fascia and New Wheels Lead Enhancements

If it’s February in Chicago, it’s time for one thing – sports cars. Bringing a taste of hot performance to the Windy City winter, Nissan today debuted the revised 2013 Nissan 370Z on the floor of the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. The new Z®, which is scheduled to go on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide next June, features a number of enhancements designed to keep the legendary sports car fresh and exciting. For 2013, the Nissan 370Z will once again be available in Coupe, Roadster and NISMO Z configurations.

The updates for the new model year include: •Refreshed front fascia with vertical LED daytime running lights
•Red reflector added to rear fascia (replaces previous black center cover)
•Revised 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels (Sport Package equipped models)
•New 18-inch wheels for 370Z Coupe
•Red-finished brake calipers (Sport Package equipped models)
•Dark-finish fuel gauge trim
•Euro-tuned shock absorbers (Sport Package equipped models)
•And two new exterior colors – Magma Red and Midnight Blue
The NISMO 370Z also adds a new Bose® Premium Audio Package with two additional speakers and two subwoofers, premium gun metallic dark-finish 19-inch wheels, and Nissan GT-R style high-rigidity brake hoses and performance brake fluid. The NISMO 370Z does not adopt the new front fascia/rear reflector, Euro-tuned shocks or Midnight Blue exterior color.

“Since the original 1970 Z® was first introduced our goal has always been to keep the design moving forward. The changes for 2013, though subtle, go a long way in enhancing its dynamic appearance inside and out,” said Al Castignetti, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division, Nissan North America, Inc.

As in 2012, the 2013 370Z Coupe and 370Z Coupe Touring will each be available with a standard 332-horsepower 3.7-liter DOHC V6 engine and choice of 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed automatic transmission. The 2013 370Z Roadster and 370Z Roadster Touring will be offered with the same engine but with the 6-speed manual offered only with the Touring model (the 7-speed automatic transmission is available with both).

The Nissan NISMO 370Z, a tuner-Z® enthusiast’s dream, will once again cap off the lineup – offering racing-inspired exterior and interior styling, a specially tuned suspension and unique super-lightweight forged alloy wheels. Its 3.7-liter DOHC V6 engine is matched with an exclusive H-configured exhaust system design, muffler tuning and optimized ECM (Engine Computer Module) control – creating 350 horsepower and 276 lb-ft of torque. Only one transmission is available, a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission with standard SynchroRev Match®, which allows rev-matched heel-toe-like downshifting.

Additional details on the 2013 Nissan 370Z will be available closer to the June on-sale date.