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Japanese automaker Toyota Motor in July last year launched its first new car fitted with a turbo engine in seven years. Director Koei Saga made the decision to release the new car after Honorary Chairman Shoichiro Toyoda asked him three years ago why the company had no such model. At that time, Mazda Motor had just launched the turbo-diesel model for the CX-5 SUV. "We are developing [turbo cars]" Saga told Toyoda.
Toyota has the lead over its rivals in developing eco-friendly models, such as the Prius hybrid car and the world's first commercially available fuel-cell vehicle, the Mirai. But the only major markets for hybrid vehicles are Japan and the U.S. Some 90% of the world's cars are powered by gas or diesel. Toyota's biggest rival, Volkswagen of Germany, dominates the Chinese market because it sells a small turbo car that is affordable and has high fuel efficiency.
Toyota's Lexus NX compact SUV is an attempt to catch up with Volkswagen. During the development stage, the company ran into problems. "I can drink two cups of coffee before [these prototypes] accelerate," Executive Vice President Mitsuhisa Kato said.To stay in the market, Toyota needed to enhance the performance of its conventional engine amid tightening environmental regulations in emerging nations.
A team led by Saga developed new engines, including a turbo one, as fast as it could after being instructed by Toyoda to achieve the world's highest fuel efficiency. The company aimed to increase fuel efficiency by 20% to 30% compared with existing engines.
Maintaining focus
Toyota also plans to launch a new model of a global strategic vehicle, the Camry, at the beginning of 2017. The company made totally new factory lines to improve production efficiency for the upcoming model. The new Camry is also an answer to Toyoda's other instruction to export cars even when the yen is strong.
Other automakers have used their engine technology to diversify. Honda Motor of Japan developed a small jet that has reached the trial stage. Tesla Motors of the U.S., which sold more than 40,000 electric vehicles globally in just three years, has launched a space business. But Toyota Motor Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada says, "We will stick to the car business."
Uchiyamada prompted in-house cross-departmental discussions about the possibility of attaching sensors to all Toyota cars. If Toyota, which sells 10 million cars annually, can attach communication devices or global positioning systems to its cars, it can collect data globally through cloud computing.The information can help analysts understand, for example, road conditions in each country. Movements of windshield wipers can also be tracked to understand weather conditions.
Toyota has the lead over its rivals in developing eco-friendly models, such as the Prius hybrid car and the world's first commercially available fuel-cell vehicle, the Mirai. But the only major markets for hybrid vehicles are Japan and the U.S. Some 90% of the world's cars are powered by gas or diesel. Toyota's biggest rival, Volkswagen of Germany, dominates the Chinese market because it sells a small turbo car that is affordable and has high fuel efficiency.
Toyota's Lexus NX compact SUV is an attempt to catch up with Volkswagen. During the development stage, the company ran into problems. "I can drink two cups of coffee before [these prototypes] accelerate," Executive Vice President Mitsuhisa Kato said.To stay in the market, Toyota needed to enhance the performance of its conventional engine amid tightening environmental regulations in emerging nations.
A team led by Saga developed new engines, including a turbo one, as fast as it could after being instructed by Toyoda to achieve the world's highest fuel efficiency. The company aimed to increase fuel efficiency by 20% to 30% compared with existing engines.
Maintaining focus
Toyota also plans to launch a new model of a global strategic vehicle, the Camry, at the beginning of 2017. The company made totally new factory lines to improve production efficiency for the upcoming model. The new Camry is also an answer to Toyoda's other instruction to export cars even when the yen is strong.
Other automakers have used their engine technology to diversify. Honda Motor of Japan developed a small jet that has reached the trial stage. Tesla Motors of the U.S., which sold more than 40,000 electric vehicles globally in just three years, has launched a space business. But Toyota Motor Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada says, "We will stick to the car business."
Uchiyamada prompted in-house cross-departmental discussions about the possibility of attaching sensors to all Toyota cars. If Toyota, which sells 10 million cars annually, can attach communication devices or global positioning systems to its cars, it can collect data globally through cloud computing.The information can help analysts understand, for example, road conditions in each country. Movements of windshield wipers can also be tracked to understand weather conditions.
