CIF
Premium Member
- Messages
- 1,681
- Reactions
- 1,833
IMO ... no worries my friend. I wish I had the depth of knowledge you always bring to your posts!
And to be clear, I appreciate the enthusiasm everyone brings to LE!
Thanks .
IMO ... no worries my friend. I wish I had the depth of knowledge you always bring to your posts!
And to be clear, I appreciate the enthusiasm everyone brings to LE!
I wish Toyota/Lexus would be a bit more adventurous with their hybrid powertrain applications. Many times, it seems the company just errs on the side of adequate. It would be fun to see something like the new 2L hybrid system in the new Corolla Hatchback or an optional 2.5L hybrid system in the UX (maybe rear motor only to help with weight distribution?). My experience is that their hybrid systems seem to punch quite a bit above what their max output would suggest, which is most likely a function of the instant torque from the electric motor(s), but horsepower limitations still apply. If you look at the NX300h, it's impressive that it can achieve the kind of gas mileage that it does on an SUV weighing more than 4000 lbs, but the power is the very definition of just adequate. The same can be said for the new ES300h with its newer generation of the technology. Its acceleration is decent due to the slightly more HP and lighter curb weight, but do luxury car buyers really want "decent" or "adequate"?Lexus hybrid technology seems to be most impressive right now. Hopefully we see some of this added to performance ala a GS 450h which in retrospect was way ahead of its time.
I, too, wish Toyota/Lexus would have more powertrain options, though not just with hybrids. I test drove a 2008 Yaris many years back and thought it was an underpowered lump with the meager 1.5l. If it had the 1.8l (1ZZ/2ZR?) to give it a little more kick, it would have been fine. Similarly, giving Corollas the option to get the Camry's 4cyl as a performance option would be nice. Heck, they already did that with the second Corolla XRS (2AZ). There was even the JDM Toyota Blade Master G Touring Edition (ugh) which was basically a Corolla hatchback with the 2GR.
Finally, if it would fit, it'd be awesome to see a V6 hybrid option on the K platform sedans (Camry, Avalon, ES, Auris) as a top-shelf option. Electric RWD for AWD functionality could be sweet.
Fair enough, but my thought on this occurred a few years back, when I drove that Yaris and realized that Corollas had been stuck at ~130hp for over a decade, yet were growing heavier every year. The M20 should be a solid update.
Edit: And since they won't sell me a Yaris GRMN, at least sell me one with the M20 and a stick. I like little whippable cars around town.
new 2019 Corolla Hatch... have very decent base engines.
I just realized that the Corolla sedan is a carryover model, which is a disappointment.
Others innovated, took risks, moved forward, Toyota didn’t.
New Corolla Wagon and Sedan based on Hatch are coming.
Wagon: https://icdn-1.motor1.com/images/mgl/3x9k1/s1/2019-toyota-auris-wagon-spy-photo.jpg
Sedan: https://icdn-7.motor1.com/images/mgl/ORomo/s1/2020-toyota-corolla-spy-photo.jpg
horsepower wars for people that can't pilot.
I think part of Toyota’s problem is that they just got complacent. There was no sense of urgency in anything they did over the past almost two decades it seems. It’s hurting them now in my opinion.
They were like GM of old: fat, content and happy. Making appliances.
Others innovated, took risks, moved forward, Toyota didn’t.
Only recently did they realize the error of their ways. They overcompensated for the years of neglect by going crazy in the design language. They haven’t done anything with power trains, though, and it’s apparent.
I’m just wondering if it’s too late. Their design language, IMO, is good intentions gone bad. They didn’t need to go wild had they not stood still for as long as they did. And, their engine prowess has yet to be proven again.
Fair enough, but my thought on this occurred a few years back, when I drove that Yaris and realized that Corollas had been stuck at ~130hp for over a decade, yet were growing heavier every year. The M20 should be a solid update.
Edit: And since they won't sell me a Yaris GRMN, at least sell me one with the M20 and a stick. I like little whippable cars around town.
They were like GM of old: fat, content and happy. Making appliances.
Others innovated, took risks, moved forward, Toyota didn’t.
However, it is very hard to say.
Perhaps with electrification just around the corner, TMC realizes that there is presently too many different powertrain and bodystyle choices?
Hence they have reduced the number of powertrains and body styles?
If you were TMC, right now, would you want to pour much money into developing "electric" turbos used in F1 which can accelerate the turbo to 70,000 rpm in just 2 milliseconds to virtually eliminate lag?
Right now, I don't think any auto manufacturer wants to pour much more money into ICE.
Right now, they'd be pouring money into EV's...
That's exactly what they are doing and what the whole industry is moving to in the next decade. The future of automobile is very boring and very efficient. Every technology, when sufficiently sophisticated, will be brutally efficient and boring at the same time. Variety is the result of inefficiency.
Electric turbos are a technological dead end. They are a lot of engineering and cost for very little gains, and they will never be reliable enough for mass market applications due to the need for a extremely fast rotating rotor. The extra cost will always be better spent on actual hybrid components. The general industry consensus is that they will see use on supercars and high-end luxury cars for about a decade and then disappear. F1 engines are very efficient and powerful because they are essentially turbocompound engines, which is a 1950s technology and was a technological dead end back then as well. Toyota will not seriously invest in the technology and focus on full electric instead.
So what's the future for Toyota? Downsized turbo engines or no replacement for displacement?