Tag Archives: Toyota

News

Akio Toyoda’s NASCAR MAGA Moment Raises Eyebrows Across the Auto Industry

In an era where most global CEOs tiptoe around American politics like it’s a shop floor covered in freshly painted bumpers, Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda decided to stomp right across it in muddy boots. And he did so at a NASCAR event, of all places.

The longtime Toyota boss—one of the most influential figures in the industry—arrived at a gathering reportedly hosted by the Automobile Business & Culture Association of Japan (which he leads) dressed not in neutral corporate swag, but in a full Trump–Vance t-shirt and a MAGA hat. It was an image that many online commenters assumed was AI-generated. It wasn’t.

If Toyota’s American PR department had a heart-rate monitor on during the event, it likely flatlined.

Corporate America Is Quietly Playing Along—Toyoda Was Not

Most tech and media giants have been complying quietly with Trump-era pressures: settling lawsuits, greasing political palms, and doing everything short of monogramming towels with “45.” It’s the kind of political calculus companies prefer to keep in the conference room, not in the VIP paddock at a stock car race.

Toyoda, however, took the scenic route.

While U.S. Ambassador George Glass kept things diplomatic in a plain black vest and hat, the Toyota chairman went full campaign-rally chic. Subtle it was not.

“Tariffs Can Be a Win for Everyone,” Toyoda Says — Even as Toyota Prices Rise

Before the event, Toyoda struck a statesmanlike tone, insisting he wasn’t there to debate whether tariffs were good or bad. “Every national leader wants to protect their own auto industry,” he said, adding that Toyota is “exploring ways to make tariffs a winner for everyone”—especially customers.

That talking point is a tough sell when Toyota and Lexus have been quietly bumping MSRPs upward. The 2026 Lexus GX recently climbed $750 with zero improvements to justify it, and the 2026 Toyota 4Runner is up as much as $1,000.

If tariffs are winning, the scoreboard isn’t showing it at dealer lots.

Online Reaction: Swift, Loud, and Absolutely Divided

Users on X (formerly Twitter) reacted with predictable volatility. One swore that Toyota is “clearly another car brand who will never see me as a customer.” Others pleaded for automakers to “handle politics… in a way that’s not noticeable.”

Good luck with that now.

Billions on the Line

The spectacle arrives just as Toyota is preparing to pour an additional $10 billion into U.S. operations—bringing its total American investment close to $60 billion. The White House recently announced that Toyota intends to export U.S.-built vehicles to Japan and open its Japanese distribution channels to American automakers. Japan, meanwhile, has agreed to allow sales of U.S.-made and U.S.-certified vehicles without extra safety testing—a significant shift in a long-protected market.

Most automaker executives have mastered the art of being everywhere politically without ever looking political. It’s an essential skill in a global industry where customers come from all corners.

Akio Toyoda, however, showed up to NASCAR wearing his politics on his sleeve—literally. Whether that was a strategic move, a cultural misread, or a moment of unfiltered candor, one thing is certain:

In a world of carefully choreographed corporate diplomacy, this was a rare, full-throttle, wide-open-throttle PR slide.

If Toyota dealers hear customers bring this up in showrooms, they may want to start practicing their countersteer.

Source: U.S. Ambassador to Japan

NEW CARS

Toyota’s Land Cruiser Family Tree Is Getting New Branches — and They Don’t All Follow the Old Rules

Toyota isn’t exactly shy about expanding the Land Cruiser lineup these days. First came the return of the classic 250-series to America. Then, overseas markets got the bite-sized, retro-cute Land Cruiser FJ—essentially a rugged backpack with wheels. Now, new reports out of Japan suggest that Toyota is preparing to stretch the Land Cruiser name even further, and in a direction few would have expected.

According to Best Car, unnamed insiders say Toyota is developing an all-new SUV and pickup duo that could mark a genuine turning point for the iconic off-roader. And not because they’re bigger, tougher, or even more capable off pavement. Quite the opposite.

A Softer Side of Land Cruiser

Since 1951, every Land Cruiser—from the spartan 40-series to today’s luxe 300-series—has been built on a ladder-frame chassis. It’s the kind of hardware that wins Dakar rallies, hauls aid workers into war zones, and generally refuses to die.

But the upcoming duo? Those same insiders describe them as “the beginning of a new chapter,” and that chapter appears to be unibody.

Yes, unibody Land Cruisers.

Built more like a RAV4 or Highlander than the overbuilt LC300, these new models would prioritize on-road refinement, fuel efficiency, and daily comfort over the bruiser durability the nameplate is famous for. Purists may reach for their pitchforks now.

Two Concepts Provide the Roadmap

If this sounds familiar, that’s because Toyota already teased this direction at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. Two concepts stood out:

  • EPU Pickup Concept — a 199.6-inch unibody, all-electric pickup with an extendable bed
  • Land Cruiser Se Concept — a sleek, three-row SUV aimed squarely at modern family duty

According to Best Car, the production pickup will borrow heavily from the EPU’s styling, setting itself apart from the body-on-frame Hilux, Tacoma, Tundra, and the indefatigable 70 Series.

Imagine a Land Cruiser with a ride smoother than a Camry’s but a brand badge that still whispers “expedition-ready.”

Electric Roots, Hybrid Future

Both concepts were fully electric, riding on Toyota’s e-TNGA underpinnings with dual-motor AWD and big battery packs. But Toyota’s current product philosophy—“multi-pathway,” or, more bluntly, everything all at once—means the production versions may not stick to EV-only.

A modified unibody platform could accommodate:

  • Full EV powertrains
  • Hybrid systems
  • Possibly even range-extended variants, depending on market needs

Think of it not as Toyota hedging its bets, but Toyota being Toyota.

ETA: 2026 for the SUV, 2027 for the Pickup

If the reporting holds, the Land Cruiser Se–based SUV could arrive as early as 2026, perfectly timed for the 75th anniversary of the nameplate.

The pickup may follow roughly a year later, in 2027, which puts Toyota squarely in the middle of the upcoming midsize-EV–pickup showdown.

Will These New Land Cruisers Come to the U.S.?

Signs point to yes.

Current reporting suggests the electric Land Cruiser variant is slated for U.S. production, which helps Toyota dodge hefty tariffs while aligning with its recently announced $10 billion investment in North American manufacturing.

Toyota executives have also openly discussed the need for a more affordable pickup in the U.S. lineup. Slotting below Tacoma, a unibody Land Cruiser pickup could square off against:

  • Ford’s upcoming electric Ranger-sized truck
  • A next-gen Maverick successor
  • Chevy’s eventual compact EV pickup entry

In other words, Toyota sees an opportunity—and the Land Cruiser name has enough cachet to make the move without alienating buyers.

A Broader — and Braver — Future for Land Cruiser

The mere idea of a unibody Land Cruiser may shock the diehards, but Toyota seems to be reading the room: not every buyer needs to ford rivers or survive the Sahara. Many just want something tough-looking, capable enough, and comfortable every day.

If the reports prove accurate, Toyota won’t be “softening” the Land Cruiser legacy so much as expanding it.

The body-on-frame legends will continue.
The new unibody models will bring fresh buyers into the fold.
And the Land Cruiser name—once synonymous with unbreakable utility—may soon represent something broader.

We’ll be watching closely as this story develops, but one thing’s clear:
The next chapter of Land Cruiser is going to look very different.

Source: Best Car

News

Toyota Pushes Hydrogen Tech Into Overdrive at Super Taikyu Final

At this year’s Super Taikyu Final Thanksgiving Festival—held November 15–16—Toyota isn’t just showing up. It’s making a statement. The company is rolling into Round 7 of the 2025 ENEOS Super Taikyu Series with something far more interesting than another evolutive track special. It’s bringing the liquid hydrogen-powered GR Corolla and using the grueling multi-hour endurance format as a live test lab for the hydrogen future it insists is still worth fighting for.

And judging by the tech Toyota is unveiling, “hydrogen future” might not be as far off as the skeptics think.

Liquid Hydrogen, Evolved: The GR Corolla H2 Levels Up

Toyota has treated the Super Taikyu series like its own skunkworks playground for the last few seasons, and the #32 TGRR GR Corolla H2 is now one of the most sophisticated hydrogen-burning testbeds anywhere on Earth.

This car isn’t a fuel-cell EV—this thing burns hydrogen in a reworked internal-combustion engine. Same pops, bangs, and turbocharged fury. Zero carbon.

At Round 3 earlier this year at the Fuji 24 Hours, the hydrogen Corolla hit several milestones:

  • A new liquid-hydrogen filling valve trimmed weight and bumped safety margins.
  • Toyota successfully tested hydrogen combustion-mode switching, giving engineers better control at high load.
  • Most impressively, the team finished the full 24 hours without swapping the high-pressure liquid-hydrogen pump—a huge leap in durability.

The catch? More power equals more pump stress. Running maximum output continuously is still a challenge, so for the season finale Toyota is gunning for the next frontier: full-race max-power durability.

Superconductors in Your Fuel Tank? Toyota Says Yes.

Here’s where things get wild.

Toyota announced it has reached the point where its hydrogen prototype can run with a superconducting motor inside the fuel tank—a device that drives the liquid-hydrogen pump.

Why is this a big deal? Because superconductors offer nearly lossless efficiency when chilled to extremely low temperatures.

Liquid hydrogen happens to sit at –253°C, which is perfect.

That synergy unlocks some huge advantages:

  • Up to 1.3× more tank capacity thanks to a more compact pump/motor assembly.
  • Lower weight and lower center of gravity, improving handling.
  • Reduced boil-off losses because the bulky external flange (a heat leak point) disappears.
  • More compact packaging, meaning future hydrogen performance cars won’t need awkward tank shapes or packaging compromises.

Toyota is essentially discovering a weird new physics cheat code that only works in hydrogen applications. It’s bold, experimental, and frankly the kind of high-risk R&D we wish more automakers were still doing.

The Multi-Pathway Message: Hydrogen Isn’t Dead

Toyota has been almost stubbornly committed to its “multi-pathway” carbon-neutrality strategy—battery EVs, hybrids, plug-ins, fuel cells, and now hydrogen-burning performance engines all get equal development love.

Critics say it dilutes focus. Toyota says customers and markets around the world need options, not dictates.

Bringing a liquid hydrogen race car with superconducting pump tech to a major motorsport event feels like Toyota doubling down on that philosophy.

And honestly? We’re here for it.

Meanwhile: A Little American Flavor in Japan

Alongside the hydrogen fireworks, Toyota is also adding some cultural spice to the festival. As part of a Japan–U.S. automotive exchange event, Toyota will display three U.S.-built models rarely seen on Japanese roads:

  • Toyota Camry (U.S.-spec)
  • Toyota Highlander
  • Toyota Tundra

Visitors can hop in and check them out—an opportunity to experience the size, style, and swagger of American-market Toyotas that simply aren’t sold domestically in Japan. The Tundra alone is a curiosity in a country where kei trucks dominate narrow streets.

It’s a small gesture, but a cool one, reminding fans that Toyota is just as much an American brand as it is a Japanese icon.

Super Taikyu has evolved into Toyota’s hydrogen crucible—an endurance torture test where the automaker can break things, fix them quickly, and break them again. The introduction of superconducting pump technology, integrated inside a liquid hydrogen tank chilled to –253°C, might be one of the most radical motorsport innovations in years.

While other companies chase efficiency algorithms and OTA updates, Toyota is out here reinventing physics inside a race car.

And honestly? We hope they keep going.

Source: Toyota