IS_Mine

"Elsewhere, Toyota last month formed an equity tie-up with truck maker Isuzu Motors Ltd. in a bid to catch up in clean diesels, a rival technology to its signature hybrid system. Last year it took a stake in Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., partly as a way to quickly add production capacity in North America."

Wow. Glad to see that it might happen! Don't know about you guys, but putting performance aside I would not mind seeing a few diesels thrown into our selection.


Got that from CNN Money. The article is about Toyota Overtaking GM in 2007. Pretty interesting read! You should check it out! http://money.cnn.com/2006/12/22/news...ion=2006122210

I apologize if this has already been posted.

encore888

I think this is a needed step, at the least to cover their bases. With the Bluetec clean diesels from Mercedes, there could be a whole new market opening up and Toyota/Lexus doesn't want to be left behind.

Also the IS 220d in Europe has helped their sales, along with hybrids. Lexus Europe recently said they will be adding even more diesels: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/au...sel_boost.html

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

Not sure how I feel about it. Diesels are definitely torque monsters. Something Lexus could use more of...pure grunt.
Diesels are also noisey and leave more emission soot. That's not the Lexus way. Exploring new territory, I definitely like that.

spwolf

Toyota already has more advanced diesels than Isuzu, it is most likely they are looking at more capacity and alternative fuels (LPG, ethanol, etc, what Toyota isnt strong in).

Uneducated US reporters keep claiming how Toyota's diesel lineup is bad compared to Honda's (!!!), while Toyota sells more Diesels in Europe, than Honda sells all of their cars in Europe :-).

Possibly I can see them working on under 1.4cly diesels and larger V6 diesels. Isuzu has lost few diesel contracts in past 2-3 years, so they also have a lot of unused capacity which is an big problem for Toyota.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Perhaps you haven't been in a modern diesel lately. In Europe I was recently in a Peugeot and Mitsibushi diesel vehicles and I could tell no difference in their noise from inside the vehicle at least, from a gasoline one.

As for soot, I'm not sure where things stand these days, but the new 'blue' Mercedes engine is a marvel and was given thumbs up in overall utility and mpg vs. the GS450h recently.

Pearlpower

iTrader: (2)

Them diesels are making a huge comeback and fast. The Euros are bringing them in and Toyota is no dummy as it knows what it needs to compete.

Lexmex

I wish Toyota would bring their diesels down here to Mexico, where diesel cars are prevalent.

spwolf

I was recently in 330d, which is considered the best diesel on the road today (twin turbo inline 6), and of course, you can hear and feel the diesel, especially in low speeds, and of course, in cold weather. It is pretty nice overall, and together with 320d, it is only real choice you have in 3 series in Europe if you want any resale value.

There is no diesel in the world currently that can pass same emission laws as petrol cars (California 2007).

In US, I see nobody in their clear mind choosing an diesel over efficient petrol or hybrid, since gas is relativly cheap... especially in luxury cars. In Europe, if your car is bigger than Corolla, your only option is diesel, if you want any resale value.

Nextourer

The IS220d would be Lexus' first diesel. It's torquier than the 3 series (320d?) but slightly slower to 60 I believe.

LexFather

No its fastest and most powerful in class. But its not a rather smooth engine and well, it is the first gen diesel Lexus, so it won't be fantastic. In the future it will only get better. It finished 3rd out of 4 cars in a CAR mag comparo.

The car is selling like hotcakes in Europe.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

I rode in a Jeep Liberty with CRD diesel over the Christmas holiday. It was noisy on start up, and definitely sounded like a diesel on the outside, but inside, no way could you tell it was diesel. It also accelerated very nicely compared to the last MB turbo diesel I drove.

They're getting better. They run on fuel that can be refined from poor quality crude. They're far more thermally efficient than gasoline engines. If they really can solve the particulate emissions problem, they'll be the engines of the future.

ecr527

I got to test drive a diesel powered Mercedes E class about a year ago, and it in no way produced any soot that I could see and made lots of torque. I can't even imagine what their Bluetec diesels will be like.

I wasn't aware that Toyota bought stake in Fuji. I guess they're picking up the portion that GM recently dropped??

Nextourer

Thanks for the info. I was just trying to remember what Tom Ford said in his Fifth Gear review of the IS220d last year.

encore888

The Fifth Gear review was pretty good actually, they liked the IS 220d a lot.

dunnojack

i already have diesel in my ES350!!!!!