Williams Auto Group

The Roots of the Leaf are in Dixie. So Where is the Trunk?

 
Nissan USA has announced a deal with the US Department of Energy giving the automaker a $1.4 billion loan to retool Nissan's Smyrna, TN factory to fabricate and assemble the all-new, Nissan Leaf all-electric plug-in vehicle.  Read more about it here.

Nissan is the first automaker to commit to bringing a fully-electric vehicle to the marketplace for both fleets and individual consumers like us, and plans to make the first Leafs available in dealer showrooms by the end of this year.

Stay tuned for further updates, or call 1-800-NO GAS EV (1-800-664-2738) for more information!  Oh, and the Leaf is a hatchback.  There is no trunk...

Congress Goes Postal Over Electric Vehicles

Graphic by edrive.org

Will the U.S. Congress try to help the Post Office deliver email by giving it money to buy electric vehicles?  Well, maybe not, but this article sheds some light on one possible future for the Postal Service and electric vehicles.

According to HR4399, a bill now before Congress, the US Postal Service fleet is an ideal test bed for large scale electrification because of its predictable routes, frequent stops and starts, range of weather and terrain conditions, and high visibility. Post offices could provide the public easy access to EV charging stations with its more than 37,000 brick-and-mortar facilities located throughout the US.  At the same time, this new mission could help provide the Post Office with a "salvation strategy" to counter diminishing demand for its traditional services.  Further, electric postal vehicles could feed excess storage capacity back into the grid during the protracted periods of idleness they experience during the parts of the day when the letter carriers are preparing the mail for route delivery.  The Postal Service currently spends almost $3 billion per year on fuel and maintenance, but the cost of electric vehicles would still require extraordinary financing arrangements for USPS.  One scenario envisions the Postal Service being given authority to issue bonds, to be paid from the savings realized by the use of the energy efficient fleet.  The chart above was developed by evworld.com based on the details of the bill (HR4399) now before the House of Representatives.

Whatever the final outcome, it appears that the future development of the electric fleet will see an intimate involvement between government, the business and scientific communities, and gthe public at large.

Electricity and Muscle

Here's a link to an article in at SFGate.com on this years Detroit Auto Show, which opens today.  Two prominent, if contradictory, trends this year are electric/hybrid vehicles and muscle cars.  Pictured above is a Toyota FT-CH hybrid subcompact concept vehicle.  (Click the pic to read the article).  Toyota this year will look to extend its dominance of the hybrid vehicle market through the extension of the Prius nameplate.  Detroit also marks the first appearance of the Nissan Leaf in an auto show - Nissan's plug-in electric car which has been the subject of much anticipation.  And many other global manufacturers plan to show new hybrid or all-electric vehicles at this year's show.

The other hot segment?  Muscle cars!  Yes, those high-performance street racers are selling well, showing that lots of folks don't mind getting a little spendy for the buzz of good old-fashioned automotive power.  There's some high octane enjoyment for ya!

More Smiles Per Mile?

Europe to Institute Draft!

Are you one of those people who has trouble reading in the car?  Do you get a little queasy from the motion, or is it because the steering wheel keeps knocking the book out of your hands?

No, this is not an admonition against distracted driving, which is, of course, a real problem these days, as evidenced by hands-free phones and lots of new no-texting-while-driving laws.  Rather, let us introduce you to the concept of the Road Train.

First, meet Sartre.  No, not existentialist philosopher/author Jean-Paul Sartre.  No, this Sartre seems even stranger, and refers to Safe Road Trains for the Environment.  It is a Euro-concept designed to increase highway fuel economy by taking advantage of the lower wind-resistance formed when lines of vehicles travel in tandem.  In this arrangement, a lead vehicle will be followed down the highway by a line of vehicles organized in a tightly-grouped, aerodynamic caravan. (We NASCAR fans know this aerodynamic property as drafting!) The kicker is that the caravan of vehicles will be controlled by the lead vehicle, leaving the occupants free to read, eat, sleep, but presumably not talk on the phone or text anyone, since that will still be against the law.  It will also, we imagine, either spell the end of road rage or increase it to a new level, featuring massive road train vs. road train donnybrooks.  Look for at least a ten year turn-around time on this one.

Toyota Moves Forward with Plug-in Plans

As the industry leader in gas/hybrid technology vehicle sales, the strategy of the Toyota Motor Company was to have a hybrid version of its entire model lineup available within ten years.  But, as this article in the NY Times reports, the rush ahead by other industry players is dictating a modification to this strategy.

As the articles states, Toyota now plans to bring a plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle to market next month (limited to corporate and government fleets for now, they say).  After a test period which will allow for the processing of feedback (I wonder if they realized the pun?) from these customers, "several tens of thousands" of the plug-ins are planned to be available for general distribution by late 2011.  Clearly, by accelerating its foray into this alternative to its current alternative-fuel vehicles, Toyota is signaling its intention to be prepared to supply whichever new technologies the marketplace determines are viable.  And as always, we at Williams will be right there with them - on the cutting edge, and moving you forward!

This is upscale....All The Way!

2011 Toyota Sienna

Article by Autoblog-

When the new third-generation 2011 Toyota Sienna shows up in dealerships next February, parents should head straight to their closest dealer after dropping the kids at soccer. Notice we didn't say "Moms." We said "parents." Although other minivan makers have attempted to butch up their people movers in the past, those efforts have been mostly lamentable. Toyota, on the other hand, has actually made a van (there's nothing mini about this new Sienna) that arguably looks sporty enough to chip away at the undeserved mommy-mobile stigma of the class. Don't let that purse tray dissuade you.



And if NASCAR dads drag their feet a bit before heading over to trade in the old Previa or Chevrolet Suburban, they may choose the sportier SE in the showroom come April. While even the base Sienna will boast a design theme that looks surprisingly assertive, the SE adds an aggressive body kit and 19-inch six-spoke wheels to go with its stiffer suspension and remapped transmission programming. There's also a different grille and clear tail lamps. Unfortunately, there won't be a TRD supercharger underhood or even a cold air intake or freer-flowing exhaust to up the power, but on looks alone, this thing might have what it takes to broaden the appeal of minivans to the XY set.

Debuting at the LA Auto Show today, the 2011 Sienna looks like a more macho 2009 Sienna cross-bred with Toyota Venza crossover. The family resemblance is striking, particularly from the rear. Nifty details are to be found all around - things like the cleverly hidden high-mounted rear wiper. Toyota promises that this third-generation Sienna will also drive more like a sedan while still swallowing people and cargo with equal ease.



We've had an advanced in-person look at this model, and the seven or eight people who find themselves filling the seats inside this new Sienna figure to be impressed by the Lexus-like interior with its new three-tone color scheme, ample use of wood, and clever luxury touches. Particularly "wow" inducing are the wooden swoosh across the dash, the second row seats with their integrated retractable leg rests that slide a long way forward to grant access to the power-operated 60/40 Split & Stow third row, and the 16-inch dual view LCD screen for rear seat entertainment. Yes, sixteen.



Built on a revised version of the outgoing platform, the 2011 Sienna has the same wheelbase but is slightly shorter, lower and wider than its predecessor. It will be available in five different trim levels: Sienna grade, LE, SE, XLE and Limited. All-wheel-drive will still be available on V6-powered LE, XLE and Limited models. That V6 is the same 3.5-liter Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) unit available today, with 266 horsepower. The engine is stout enough to give the Sienna a 3,500-pound tow capacity while returning mileage of 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. Also available in Sienna and LE will be the VVT-i 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine with 187 horses and a slight bump in mileage to 19/26.

Source: http://www.autoblog.com

 

 

Well It's Pretty Popular With Us!

Popular Science magazine has always been unarguably nerdtastic, but the Williams Auto Group especially likes the current issue.  Why?  Because two of our brands have garnered honors on the "Best of What's New 2009" list.

Nissan Motors leads the way with two separate mentions.  The first is for the upcoming Nissan Leaf all-electric zero-tailpipe-emissions vehicle, and you can read what Popular Science had to say here.  The second mention is for the Nissan SynchroRev Match Transmission featured in the Nissan 370Z.  Truly amazing technology available right here at Williams!

Toyota is the second Williams Auto Group brand honored on the list, with Popular Science using these wonderful words to describe the Toyota Prius Hybrid: "The best mileage in America"!  (Read all about it here!)  So, if you'll pardon a little self-promotion, we'll point out that when you're thinking cutting edge, fuel-efficient automotive technology, you're thinking Williams!

Toyota Announces Details of Remedy to Address Potential Accelerator Pedal Entrapment

Torrance, Calif., November 25, 2009 - - Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) announced today details of the vehicle-based remedy to address the root cause of the potential risk for floor mat entrapment of accelerator pedals in certain Toyota and Lexus models. Toyota issued a consumer safety advisory on September 29 on this issue and has, as an interim measure, commenced the mailing of safety notices to certain Toyota and Lexus owners on October 30.

 

The models involved are: 2007 to 2010 MY (model year) Camry, 2005 to 2010 MY Avalon, 2004 to 2009 MY Prius, 2005 to 2010 MY Tacoma, 2007 to 2010 MY Tundra, 2007 to 2010 MY ES350, 2006 to 2010 MY IS250, and 2006 to 2010 MY IS 350.

 

The specific measures of the vehicle-based remedy are as follows:

 

1. The shape of the accelerator pedal will be reconfigured to address the risk of floor mat entrapment, even when an older-design all-weather floor mat or other inappropriate floor mat is improperly attached, or is placed on top of another floor mat.  For the ES350, Camry, and Avalon models involved, the shape of the floor surface underneath will also be reconfigured to increase the space between the accelerator pedal and the floor.

 

2. Vehicles with any genuine Toyota or Lexus accessory all-weather floor mat will be provided with newly-designed replacement driver- and front passenger-side all-weather floor mats.

 

In addition, as a separate measure independent of the vehicle-based remedy, Toyota will install a brake override system onto the involved Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES 350, IS350 and IS 250 models as an extra measure of confidence. This system cuts engine power in case of simultaneous application of both the accelerator and brake pedals.

 

Toyota is in the process of completing development of these actions and for the ES350, Camry, and Avalon will start notifying owners of the involved vehicles via first-class mail by the end of this year.  The remedy process regarding the other five models will occur on a rolling schedule during 2010.

 

Dealers will be trained and equipped to make the necessary modifications to these models starting at the beginning of 2010.  Initially, dealers will be instructed on how to reshape the accelerator pedal for the repair.  As replacement parts with the same shape as the modified pedal become available, they will be made available to dealers for the repair, beginning around April 2010.  Customers who have had the remedy completed will have the opportunity to receive a new pedal if they desire.

 

In the meantime, owners of the involved vehicles are asked to take out any removable driver’s floor mat and not replace it with any other floor mat until they are notified of the vehicle-based remedy, as notified in the consumer safety advisory and the interim notice.

 

The brake override system will be made standard equipment throughout the Toyota and Lexus product lines starting with January 2010 production of ES350 and Camry and is scheduled to be incorporated into new production of most models by the end of 2010.

 

The safety of our owners and the public is our utmost concern and Toyota has and will continue to thoroughly investigate and take appropriate measures to address any defect trends that are identified.

 

Owners who have further questions are asked to visit www.toyota.com or www.lexus.com  or contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus Customer Assistance at 1-800-255-3987.

 

public website:  http://www.toyota.com

 

2010 4Runner is Here - Are You In?

The 2010 Toyota 4Runner is now in stock at Williams Toyota of Sayre, PA.  4Runner = Hunting, Hiking, Skiing, Camping, Towing, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Fishing, Snowboarding and lots more.  Do the math:  4Runner = What You Like To Do!  More information awaits you here!