Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Thanks for the two five-star reviews Cole and Kimberly.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Teams Hustle to Complete their Builds on Time for the Toyota Racing Dream Build Challenge
Customizing a vehicle can often be broken down into a series of tasks that can then be scheduled and executed—at least until the clock runs out. Then all bets are off. And so it goes for the Toyota Racing Dream Build Challenge teams with time to complete their ambitious builds coming to a close in about two weeks, just before voting begins on October 20. And just like a race car, these one-off rides must be ready to go when the green flag drops. Kyle Busch's "Rowdy Edition" Camry is "getting close." Busch's team at Detroit Speed has extensively reworked the Camry's body with strong fender flares, a NASCAR-style splitter and front and rear belly pans to direct airflow under the car. All of these parts have been custom designed and fabricated by hand—a painstaking and time-consuming process. More recently, the team has been scrambling to finish custom interior touches with completely redone seats and a custom electronic entertainment package. Getting a complex collection of custom-built electronics to work seamlessly in his "Tekked-Out Prius" seems to be keeping Clint Bowyer's RKM Performance Center team awake into the wee hours. It's loaded with hi-tech gadgets like side-view cameras that replace the mirrors, 45 feet. of fiber optic interior lighting and a 16-speaker stereo with six crossovers and dual amplifiers. Then there's the suspension which has dropped the Prius "lower than a Sprint Cup car." And, there’s certainly no lack of team spirit as their build will sport no less than 364 copies of the Toyota logo.
Alexis DeJoria's Pre-Runner Tundra concept has her Racer Engineering team working on virtually every aspect of the truck. Long-travel suspension (20 inches in the rear), an elaborate custom roll cage wrapped in leather, and a TRD-supercharged engine are all part of her design to make a serious off-road tool. The team is also squeezing in a JBL audio system and a specially-built fuel cell. It’s all more than enough to keep them busy right up to the due date. Some builds are more ambitious than others, and Antron Brown's “DragQuoia” is a big concept that's challenging its capable builders. The "family dragster" idea means that whatever they do has to leave room for the family to ride safely and comfortably. And they're doing quite a lot. For starters, the Motorsports Technical Center team is lopping more than 2,000 lbs. off the factory curb weight. A TRD blower and nitrous coax the 5.7-liter V8 to pump out more than 650 hp for those "quick" runs to the supermarket. Massive 21.5-inch wide rear tires put the power to the ground, which in turn need big fender mods—inside and out—to keep the hot rubber bits contained in the wheel wells. Fortunately, Junior will have a comfortable perch in the back to view the scenery rushing by, secured with his own five-point racing harness. And between runs, he can watch his favorite DVD on the seat-back media player. Every one of the Dream Build vehicle teams has the chops and experience to deliver for their driver. The simple question on delivery day may come down to this: Which team will be the least sleep deprived.
***Courtesy of pressroom.toyota.com
Monday, October 8, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
Today, kicks off our "Likes for a Cure" promotion!
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
We want to save you money on your next fuel system service with a special offer.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE http://on.fb.me/MqzyuA
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Scion’s ‘What Moves You’ Campaign Highlights Unique ‘Scion Story’ in New Chapter of Brand’s Evolution
Scion today announced the launch of its brand campaign “What Moves You” featuring its own unique “Scion Story.” The campaign launches today at www.scion.com and continues with targeted high-profile broadcast, print, online and out-of-home placements next week. “The recent introductions of the FR-S sports car and the premium micro-subcompact iQ have expanded Scion’s target audience. While these new products have successfully increased awareness of the lineup, many people have only a vague understanding of Scion’s uncommon brand attributes,” said Doug Murtha, Scion vice president. “With this in mind, the ‘What Moves You’ campaign is the first of several important initiatives designed to better familiarize consumers with the brand. “People know that Scion makes iconic vehicles that are built with the highest level of quality, but they might not know what Scion stands for and what makes it unique. We’re truly proud to showcase the brand’s story in the new campaign, to clearly tell people who we are, what we support and more importantly, what moves us.” Appearing prominently on the brand’s website, The Scion Story describes the colorful automotive brand’s history and plainly spells out its core beliefs. For example, it states, “We know that we are not the biggest car brand and we don’t want to be. What we do want is to provide a unique and better alternative that is right for today’s new car buyers.” This story describes Scion’s goal of offering quality cars that owners will want to personalize, with a simple purchase process that is enjoyable, and details the brand’s support of emerging talent in the art, music, design and automotive enthusiast realms. “Since the brand launched nearly 10 years ago, Scion has had an affinity for the creative arts that has resulted in helping more than 1,700 artists follow their passions,” added Owen Peacock, Scion national marketing and communications manager. “Our support of emerging artists is and always has been a cornerstone of the brand, and we bring that to light by featuring them and their personal stories as key parts of the campaign.” Specifically, the “What Moves You” campaign incorporates Scion creative partners, their stories of what moves them and how Scion has supported them to achieve their goals. The broadcast spot features Scion collaborators like artist Neil Krug, automotive designer Troy Sumitomo, professional racing driver Michele Abbate, and musician Prince Terrence and his band Hussle Club.
***Courtesy of pressroom.toyota.com