Toyota Owners Club

Huge congratulations to Blake O'Connor who has become the 40th Toyota Star Maker, joining the ranks of the Australian country music elite #TCMF2019.

For humanitarian aid workers working in remote areas, reliable transport is essential and workers must be confident that their vehicle and the essential supplies on board can get them to their destination and back to base again without difficulty There are some important lessons in vehicle maintenance from these expeditions that can be learnt by anyone planning a serious off road trip. Toyota Western, a dealer in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife, got together with engineering experts, Arctic Trucks, the all-terrain masterminds who were behind the Toyota Hilux Arctic Truck AT38 that conquered the North Pole, to give insights into the secrets of expedition vehicle maintenance. Russell Drew and Nick Cranfield, with 34 years of experience in expeditionary vehicle maintenance between them, advise: “If you and your equipment cannot reach your destination then you might as well remain at home. There are various scenarios which could jeopardise an expedition or field mission and expertise is only ever as useful as the vehicle you are travelling in. Here are Russell and Nick’s top 10 tips for effective expeditionary vehicle maintenance. Always conduct a ‘First Parade Check’ of the vehicle before use. Then, throughout the day carry out periodic checks. The nature of the terrain being traversed will determine the frequency of short stop checks. At the end of the day, or after use, the vehicle should be inspected, all fluids topped up and any damage or faults repaired and spare parts sourced. Doing this at the end of the day means you and your vehicle are prepared should you need to make a fast move during the night or early morning. Pay particular attention to tyre management. Off-road vehicles normally carry one spare, so tyres must be checked to ensure they are inflated to the correct pressure and have sustained no damage. Incorrect pressures increase fuel consumption, can affect vehicle handling and stability and make the tyres more susceptible to wear and tear. Regularly check tyre pressures and know when to over-inflate or deflate them to suit the terrain. As a rule of thumb, deflate the tyres to a lower pressure for surfaces such as sand and mud, as this gives a larger contact patch for better grip in these conditions. Remember to re-inflate the tyres when you return to normal road conditions though. Know your vehicle. You need to know which oils and fluids are specific to your vehicle. All fluid levels must be at maximum, not somewhere in between maximum and minimum. Keeping them fully topped up ensures the systems don’t become starved on rough terrain and provides the driver with a benchmark. A measurable pointer that can be monitored to indicate oil or coolant consumption can be useful. Inspect and test the vehicle’s tool kit regularly. Where does the jack go? Does it work? Can you remove all the wheelnuts if necessary? Can you remove the spare wheel and is it fit for purpose? Undo all the wheel nuts and retighten. Ensure you know that you can remove any wheel if necessary. Replace locking wheelnuts, which add complexity, with standard wheelnuts. Think about what would happen if you run out of fuel. Are there any special procedures to bleed and restart the fuel system? What measures can you take to prevent contaminated fuel from damaging the major engine components? After all, you may be in a situation where you have no choice but to refuel from a jerry can or a dubious fuel source. Identify the location of your fuse box and relays and carry spare fuses. If you need to, you can replace a fuse and can ‘borrow’ one from another circuit – for example, if the wiper fuse blows, it can be replaced with rear fog light fuse. Ensure you replace with a fuse of the same or lower current rating, because failure to do this can result in major component failure or, at worst, a vehicle wiring fire. Always check the recovery points on a vehicle. Identify the tie-down points and correct towing points (known as the rated recovery points). Are they fit for purpose? Recovery points can get damaged in rough terrain; you may need to consider alternative attachment points that will not damage the vehicle. Will the shackles in your vehicle’s kit fit the recovery points when you need them in an emergency? Secure all cargo inside the vehicle. All personal kit, supplies and vehicle recovery equipment must be strapped down. When ascending or descending slopes, loose kit can become a missile in a vehicle. Secure the cargo to avoid injury to the driver and passengers and damage to the vehicle interior by a hard object such as a case containing tools becoming airborne. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare. Get the basics right and the rest will follow easily. Just as you would carry a first aid kit in case of emergency, remember, the vehicle could save your life, so respect it. Carry enough basic kit to repair it, including a tyre repair kit and spare auxiliary drive belt and know how to use it all. As you progress on your drive, identify areas where potential repairs could be carried locally. Mark them on a navigation log – you may need to revisit them in the future. Vehicle selection is paramount. The first questions are: what vehicle is everyone using and why? The abundance of Toyotas throughout the developing world will indicate the key points of your vehicle selection. They are more reliable, less complicated and spares are easily acquired, even in remote areas. The Hilux and Land Cruiser models can often be maintained without the need for diagnostic equipment and therefore the complex cascade faults that can compromise a vehicle’s ability to perform in an arduous environment are eliminated.

12 months ago the 2018 Toyota 86 Racing Series champion, Tim Brook, turned his road registered Toyota 86 into a race car worthy of competing at the ...

At 12-years-old, Luke King's dream was to race competitively at the Bathurst 1000. Over the past three years, he's been able to fulfil his childhood fantasy ...

Don't miss a thrill. Open your eyes to the Toyota C-HR.

The responsiveness you want when you need it.

Sit tight, drive safe in the Toyota C-HR with Lane Departure Alert & Steering Assist.

Toyota C-HR with Pre-Collision Safety System, designed to be a step ahead of the unexpected.

Dynamic design, Toyota Safety Sense Technology & available in All-Wheel Drive.

Race 3 highlights from the Newcastle 500 #T86RS.

Race 2 highlights from the Newcastle 500 #T86RS.

Interview with Declan Fraser from the Newcastle 500.

Newcastle Race 1 Highlights.

Newcastle 500 event preview #T86RS.

Toyota has today revealed the all-new Toyota Corolla Saloon, ready to join the 12th generation range alongside the new British-built Hatchback and Touring Sports models presented earlier this year at the Geneva and Paris motor shows All three Corolla models will be introduced in the UK during the first quarter of 2019, marking a welcome return for a Saloon version to the market here after a break of almost 15 years. Details of the UK range, specifications and prices will be announced nearer the on-sale date. Each car in the line-up is designed to fulfil different customer needs: the compact Hatchback aimed at young couples; the versatile Touring Sports for families; and the comfortable Saloon targeting young professionals who want more prestigious styling, on-board space and comfort. The Saloon will become part of the world’s best-selling model nameplate: more than 46 million Corolla cars have been sold worldwide since Toyota introduced the original model in 1966. The Saloon’s styling develops the sleek and dynamic look of the new Corolla line-up, sharing the wide and low stance that’s inherent in its use of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) GA-C platform. It stands apart, however, with different front and rear styling that projects a more prestigious look. The frontal treatment evolves Toyota’s “catamaran” design cues with a striking two-step rendering of the front corners, flanking a strongly projecting lower grille – a feature common to the new Corolla family. The slim upper grille has a pronounced three-dimensional design and connects with the top of the sharply designed headlamp units, wrapping around the corners to emphasise the car’s low and firmly planted appearance. The rear of the car echoes the look of the front through the shape of the bumper and the inverted trapezium design of the bootlid. The rear lamp clusters are specific to the Saloon and are connected by a chrome trim, which further highlights the car’s wide stance. The lights also have a light guide that gives the Saloon a distinctive illumination signature. The spacious and ergonomically excellent cabin is the same as that in the Hatchback and Touring Sports, hallmarked by its high sensory quality and advanced technologies. However, the Saloon has the same extended 2,700mm wheelbase as the Touring Sports, ensuring ample legroom and comfort for rear-seat passengers. Technology highlights include wireless phone charging and an intuitive and easy to use combination of eight-inch multimedia touchscreen, seven-inch multimedia display and 10-inch head-up display. As well as offering design freedom to create a greater distinction between Saloon, Hatchback and Touring Sports versions, the new GA-C platform also guarantees a more rewarding driving experience. A lower centre of gravity, a 60 per cent more rigid body shell and multi-link suspension as standard all contribute to better handling and stability, without compromising ride comfort. The Saloon will be available (according to market) with two powertrain options. The 120bhp/90kW 1.8-litre self-charging hybrid system gives the textbook intuitive and responsive performance customers have come to expect, together with self-sufficient EV all-electric driving capability that requires no plug-in recharging. Low cost of ownership is supported by outstanding fuel economy of 83.0mpg1(WLTP 65.7mpg) and CO2 emissions from just 77g/km1 (WLTP 98g/km). Up to 50 per cent2 of typical commuting journeys can be accomplished in all-electric drive. An improved 1.6-litre petrol engine combines responsiveness with efficiency. Available with either six-speed manual transmission or a CVT gearbox, it delivers 130bhp/97kW with fuel consumption from 48.7mpg1 (WLTP 46.3mpg) and CO2emissions from 131g/km1 (WLTP 139g/km). All Toyota’s TNGA vehicles prioritise the highest active and passive safety standards and the new Corolla Sedan benefits from the latest Toyota Safety Sense systems. These include Pre-Collision System that can detect pedestrians in the car’s path both in daylight and night-time driving, and also cyclists in daylight. Full-range Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with steering assist, Road Sign Assist and Automatic High Beam are also provided. In addition, a new Lane Tracing Assist system is introduced, giving the driver even more support. When the full-range Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Tracing Assist are active, the system makes subtle steering inputs to keep the vehicle centred in its traffic lane, even through gentle highway bends. The new Corolla Saloon is being built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey; Hatchback and touring Sports models are being produced by Toyota Manufacturing UK at its Burnaston plant in Derbyshire. 1 Based on Regulation EC 2017/1153 as amended EC 2017/1231 – pending final homologation 2 Depending on driving conditions