Avalon Advances
Although sedan sales may be dropping, Toyota is still holding strong in the segment and
is offering an all-new Avalon to bolster its position.
Gary S. Vasilash
Editor-in-Chief, AutoBeat Group
Yamaha to Stick with Motorcycles
Motorcycle specialist Yamaha Motor Corp., which has partnered with Gordon Murray Design Ltd. on several concept cars, is no longer pursuing any automotive projects.
Suzuki Predicts $1.3 Billion Loss as Sales Slide
Suzuki Motor Corp. warns that slumping sales in India will cut its net profit 22% to 140 billion yen ($1.3 billion) in the current fiscal year ending March 31.
Sony, Yamaha Partner on Autonomous Video Pod
Sony Corp. and Yamaha Motor Co. have developed a self-driving demonstration vehicle that is fitted with large display screens throughout its interior and exterior.
Mazda, Suzuki, Yamaha Falsified Emission, Mileage Data in Japan
Japan’s transport ministry says Mazda, Suzuki and Yamaha submitted years of false test results for fuel economy and exhaust emissions.
Gordon Murray Launches Low-Volume Manufacturing Firm
Legendary Formula One designer and lightweighting specialist Gordon Murray is launching a low-volume manufacturing company in Dunsfold, England.
Demand for Motorcycles Fades in Japan
Motorcycle makers in Japan are phasing out models as regulatory costs rise and sales decline.
Yamaha’s Conceptual Trike
This is the 05GEN, a three-wheel concept vehicle created by Yamaha Motor Co. for short-distance travel.
Honda to Build Scooters in Japan for Rival Yamaha
Honda Motor Co. and Yamaha Motor Co. are pooling production of 50-cc motor scooters in Japan and will collaborate on new models for the domestic market, The Nikkei reports.
India’s Minda Industries Acquires Spanish Lighting Unit
India-based electrical components supplier Minda Industries Ltd. has acquired the global automotive lighting business of Spain’s Rinder Group for €20 million.
Yamaha Targets Cars, Robots in New 3-Year Plan
Yamaha Motor Corp. says it will spend 130 billion yen ($1.1 billion) over the next three fiscal years on r&d and launching new businesses, including a line of minicars.
Auto Industry Accounts for 10% of Top 100 Global Innovators
Three carmakers—Honda, Nissan and Toyota—and seven predominately automotive suppliers were included in this year’s Thomson Reuters' list of the top 100 global innovators.
Robotic Motorcyclist Targets Performance, Safety Improvements
Yamaha Motor Co. is developing a human-like robot to help improve the safety and driving dynamics of future motorcycles.
Yamaha Shows Motorcycle-Like Sporty Concept Car
Yamaha Motor Co. unveiled its Sports Ride subcompact concept car at this week’s Tokyo auto show.
2016 Lexus RX: Creating the Fourth Generation
The Lexus RX crossover has been enormously popular since it went on sale in March 1998. So when chief engineer Takayuki Katsuda had to develop the fourth generation vehicle, he had quite a challenge. Especially as he had to best the third generation—for which he’d also been the chief engineer.
Gary S. Vasilash
Editor-in-Chief, AutoBeat Group
Motorcycle Makers Team Up on Connectivity
BMW, Honda and Yamaha have announced plans to jointly study and develop connected vehicle technologies for motorcycles and other two-wheeled vehicles.
Yamaha Plans 2-Seat Car
Yamaha Motor Co. tells The Wall Street Journal it will move forward with plans to build a two-seat commuter car and introduce it in Europe as soon as 2019.
Toyota’s Chief Designer Moves to Yamaha
Akihiro Nagaya, the head of Toyota brand design, has been appointed design general manager at Yamaha Motor Co.
Mazda Engine to Power Toyota Small Car
Toyota Motor Corp. will use one of Mazda Motor Co.'s 4-cylinder Skyactiv engines to propel the replacement for its subcompact Yaris five-door hatch in the U.S. next year, Automotive News reports.
Yamaha Ponders Building Gordon Murray-Inspired City Car
Yamaha Corp. may become the first company to adopt an unusual city car architecture and the innovative production process to build it from legendary Formula One race car designer Gordon Murray.
Vehicle Manufacturing in Georgia
It is available with 2WD, 4WD, and 4WD with differential lock.
Art of the Bike: Yamaha VMAX Carbon
Oftentimes, there is but a fanciful relationship between the name of a vehicle and the reality on the ground.
Gary S. Vasilash
Editor-in-Chief, AutoBeat Group
Scion FR-S: Smile
Nowadays, there aren’t a whole lot of chief engineers who get to do a sports car. Tetsuya Tada is one of the lucky ones, as he led the team on the Scion FR-S.
Introducing The 2007 Lexus ES 350 The Car From The 'King of Kaizen'
When you’ve worked on a car in its variations over 19 years, you get a pretty good idea of what’s there—and what can be improved. And if you become the chief engineer, as Hiroyuki Hirata did for the fifth-generation Lexus ES, you’re bound to exceed all previous expectations.
Volvo Squeezes V8 Power Into a V6 Space
In 1999, Jorgen Svensson, the Volvo XC90's chief program engineer, went shopping for a V8.
Genchi-Genbutsu and Creating the Toyota 4Runner
With the proliferation of SUVs on the market right now, the folks at Toyota knew that there was a big challenge in developing the new 4Runner. So Toyota engineers applied a methodology that got them thinking about what really needed to get done.
SPARK OF ANGER
Engineer-turned-inventor Ulf Arens claims his ignition booster improves combustion efficiency, power output, and fuel economy. And a number of independent tests show he may be right. Yet, when he showed it to executives at one domestic automaker, he was ridiculed and shown the door before it could be tested in-house by the platform group that invited him.