Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Come down and test drive this 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser before it's gone!

Tuesday_we_covina

This pre-owned Toyota is in pristine condition and is waiting for you to drive it off the lot! Click here to see its many features, such as 4 Wheel Drive and off-road capability.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Want to make your friends jealous? Pre-order the 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid from us today!

West_covina

We are taking pre-orders right now for the very first Avalon Hybrid. Click here to take the first step towards owning the vehicle that is the perfect combination of style and feel.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

It has never been easier to schedule your service appointment with us!

West_covina

In order to keep your Toyota running at peak performance, regular maintenance is essential. Click here to request an appointment using our hassle-free online tool.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Toyota continues to raise the bar when it comes to creating alternative energy and reducing emissions

Lancaster

Toyota Powers-Up First of its Kind Stationary Fuel Cell

Furthering its commitment to alternative energy and the environment, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) activated today a new 1.1-megawatt hydrogen fuel cell generator on the Torrance headquarters campus.

The fuel cell will supply approximately half of the electricity for six headquarters buildings during peak demand, while producing zero emissions. Designed and built by Ballard Power Systems, the proprietary Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) stationary fuel cell is the largest PEM fuel cell of its kind. The fuel cell is powered by hydrogen gas fed directly from a pre-existing industrial hydrogen pipeline, also a first for this technology. This direct power source allows Toyota to reduce utility grid electricity usage during peak power demand. The same hydrogen pipeline also supplies a hydrogen filling station adjacent to the TMS campus used to fuel Toyota's and other manufacturers fuel cell hybrid vehicle fleets.

'Supporting alternative energy sources like hydrogen supports Toyota's overarching commitment to lessen our impact on the environment and drive forward innovative technology,' said Bob Daly, TMS senior vice president. 'Not only will this new hydrogen fuel cell generator reduce the environmental footprint of our headquarters campus, but it showcases the power and potential of hydrogen as a fuel source.'

At 1.1 MW, the clean energy fuel cell system on average provides enough power for about 765 homes, twice the capacity of Toyota's existing solar panel system on campus. It is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 3.3 million pounds during summer peak period operating hours, the equivalent to taking 294 cars off the road a year.

The Toyota Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle - Advanced (FCHV-adv) is also powered by PEM fuel cell technology. PEM technology is uniquely suited for stationary applications as it provides quick power availability vs. a long 'warm up' period prior to power generation.

Hydrogen within the dedicated pipeline is provided by Air Products and created from natural gas reformation. To mitigate emissions from the reformation process, hydrogen used on Toyota's campus will be offset with the purchase of landfill generated renewable bio-gas. Operation of the stationary fuel cell creates zero air emissions.

Electricity generated by the fuel cell fuel is expected to save Toyota approximately $130,000 a year in reduced energy purchased from Southern California Edison.

'Our partnership with Toyota demonstrates the flexibility and positive impact fuel cell technology can have for high volume companies,' said Paul Cass, Ballard Power Systems vice president, operations. 'The clean energy fuel cell system provides forward-thinking companies a way to manage peak energy demand or continuously meet power needs.'

Additional project funding was provided by Sustainable Development Technology Canada and California's Self-Generation Incentive Program.

 

Courtesy of Equities

Monday, October 22, 2012

With Halloween just around the corner we wanted to brush up on some fun facts!

Lancaster

  1. Because the movie Halloween (1978) was on such a tight budget, they had to use the cheapest mask they could find for the character Michael Meyers, which turned out to be a William Shatner Star Trek mask. Shatner initially didn’t know the mask was in his likeness, but when he found out years later, he said he was honored.
  2. The first Jack O’Lanterns were actually made from turnips.
  3. Halloween is the second highest grossing commercial holiday after Christmas.
  4. The word “witch” comes from the Old English wicce, meaning “wise woman.” In fact, wiccan were highly respected people at one time. According to popular belief, witches held one of their two main meetings, or sabbats, on Halloween night.

  5.  
    Samhainophobia is the fear of Halloween.
  6. Fifty percent of kids prefer to receive chocolate candy for Halloween, compared with 24% who prefer non-chocolate candy and 10% who preferred gum.
  7. The owl is a popular Halloween image. In Medieval Europe, owls were thought to be witches, and to hear an owl's call meant someone was about to die.
  8. According to Irish legend, Jack O’Lanterns are named after a stingy man named Jack who, because he tricked the devil several times, was forbidden entrance into both heaven and hell. He was condemned to wander the Earth, waving his lantern to lead people away from their paths.
  9. The largest pumpkin ever measured was grown by Norm Craven, who broke the world record in 1993 with a 836 lb. pumpkin.
  10. Stephen Clarke holds the record for the world’s fastest pumpkin carving time: 24.03 seconds, smashing his previous record of 54.72 seconds. The rules of the competition state that the pumpkin must weigh less than 24 pounds and be carved in a traditional way, which requires at least eyes, nose, ears, and a mouth.

Courtesy of Random Facts

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Looking for a truck that does it all? Look no further than this 2013 Toyota Tacoma!

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Adventure awaits you in this new Tacoma with off-road capability and traction control. Click here to see the many other features that come standard in this Toyota.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

We all watched the Tundra tow the Endeavour, now find out what it took to make it happen!

Toyota

How a 2012 Toyota Tundra Towed an Icon


Late Friday night, near two local icons — the notorious 405 Freeway and popular snack spot Randy’s Donuts — another icon hitched a ride to its new home. For most of the way from LAX to the California Science Center, the Space Shuttle Endeavour was going to ride on a modified version of a NASA overland transporter. According to collectspace.com, this rig had originally been used to take the Shuttles from the plant where they were built in Palmdale, California, to Edwards Air Force Base.

 

For this Shuttle’s journey, the transporter would be driven by four robotic vehicles. Overseeing it all was a guy operating a joystick used to steer all four as he walked alongside the Shuttle. There was one problem, though: the weight of the four robotic vehicles plus the Endeavour, approximately 650,000 pounds, was going to be too heavy to cross the Manchester Bridge. The California Science Center would have to figure out another way.

The Tundra in question was a bone-stock CrewMax with a 6.5-foot bed and the 381-horsepower, 5.7-liter V-8, rolling off the same line in San Antonio, Texas, as all Toyota Tundras do. This Tundra used the company’s A-TRAC system and four-wheel drive to provide the traction the truck  would need to move the Shuttle from a stop; of course, the Toyota came equipped with the tow package. Toyota had done tests ahead of time with a higher amount of weight than the Shuttle/transporter combo, and it did well there.

Sitting on Manchester Boulevard, ready to roll, there was still plenty of prep work to complete before the tow began. By the time press and VIPs arrived, the Shuttle had been disconnected from the robotic dollys and waited for its connection to the back of the Tundra, where it would be towed not with a gooseneck or fifth-wheel, but with a regular-size steel hitch. The power was disconnected at Randy’s — there would be no donuts for onlookers — and there were portable lights near and on the bridge to illuminate the move. Power lines had been raised to ensure the immense Shuttle wouldn’t snag them. Light poles and signals were rotated out of the way. Hordes of fans stood along the streets in anticipation of this event.

The dollys were so heavy they had to go over the bridge one at a time. They went over first. Then, after Toyota got video crews and GoPro video cameras set up, there were a couple of tests, and the truck was ready. Despite what people may think, this was a bone-stock Tundra. No, it was not pushed from behind. No, it did not have the advantage of going downhill. Stunt driver Matthew McBride was behind the wheel, and it was not his first time in that seat. If you recall the Tundra ad where the truck is being tested on uphill spiraling ramp in the Mojave Desert, McBride was the driver there as well.

So how did the Tundra do it? By going really, really slowly. The truck was set to take the Shuttle over the bridge at 2.5 mph, in 4-Lo. We had heard it would take about 7 minutes for the pair to get to the other side. But from our vantage point (and admittedly without a radar gun), it looked like the Tundra hauled the Endeavour faster than that.

Cheers of “USA! USA! USA!” could be heard from the crowd as the Tundra and Endeavour crossed the bridge. After hours of anticipation on this evening, and weeks of planning, the bridge crossing was over in the blink of an eye. Once it had completely crossed, the 405 reopened, Randy’s was ready to start making donuts again, and the Shuttle would be reconnected to the robotic dollys and go on the final 9 miles of its final journey. (video by Jim Gleason)

 

Courtesy of Motor Trend

Friday, October 12, 2012

Watch history unfold as the Toyota Tundra tows the Space Shuttle Endeavour!

Friday_toyotas

Click here to watch the countdown, view a tour of the shuttle, and track the progress at The Tundra Endeavour's website!

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

This 2012 Toyota 4Runner SR5 could be the perfect car for you

You are sure to make an impression with this brand new 4Runner. Plus, with off-road capability and tons of safety features, you can take it anywhere! Click here to see all of the details.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

The clock is ticking for ambitious car builders in the Toyota Racing Dream Build Challenge

Teams Hustle to Complete their Builds on Time for the Toyota Racing Dream Build Challenge

Customizing a vehicle can often be broken down into a series of tasks that can then be scheduled and executed—at least until the clock runs out. Then all bets are off. And so it goes for the Toyota Racing Dream Build Challenge teams with time to complete their ambitious builds coming to a close in about two weeks, just before voting begins on October 20. And just like a race car, these one-off rides must be ready to go when the green flag drops.

Kyle Busch's "Rowdy Edition" Camry is "getting close." Busch's team at Detroit Speed has extensively reworked the Camry's body with strong fender flares, a NASCAR-style splitter and front and rear belly pans to direct airflow under the car. All of these parts have been custom designed and fabricated by hand—a painstaking and time-consuming process. More recently, the team has been scrambling to finish custom interior touches with completely redone seats and a custom electronic entertainment package.

Getting a complex collection of custom-built electronics to work seamlessly in his "Tekked-Out Prius" seems to be keeping Clint Bowyer's RKM Performance Center team awake into the wee hours. It's loaded with hi-tech gadgets like side-view cameras that replace the mirrors, 45 feet. of fiber optic interior lighting and a 16-speaker stereo with six crossovers and dual amplifiers. Then there's the suspension which has dropped the Prius "lower than a Sprint Cup car." And, there’s certainly no lack of team spirit as their build will sport no less than 364 copies of the Toyota logo.
Alexis DeJoria's Pre-Runner Tundra concept has her Racer Engineering team working on virtually every aspect of the truck. Long-travel suspension (20 inches in the rear), an elaborate custom roll cage wrapped in leather, and a TRD-supercharged engine are all part of her design to make a serious off-road tool. The team is also squeezing in a JBL audio system and a specially-built fuel cell. It’s all more than enough to keep them busy right up to the due date.

Some builds are more ambitious than others, and Antron Brown's “DragQuoia” is a big concept that's challenging its capable builders. The "family dragster" idea means that whatever they do has to leave room for the family to ride safely and comfortably. And they're doing quite a lot. For starters, the Motorsports Technical Center team is lopping more than 2,000 lbs. off the factory curb weight. A TRD blower and nitrous coax the 5.7-liter V8 to pump out more than 650 hp for those "quick" runs to the supermarket. Massive 21.5-inch wide rear tires put the power to the ground, which in turn need big fender mods—inside and out—to keep the hot rubber bits contained in the wheel wells. Fortunately, Junior will have a comfortable perch in the back to view the scenery rushing by, secured with his own five-point racing harness. And between runs, he can watch his favorite DVD on the seat-back media player.

Every one of the Dream Build vehicle teams has the chops and experience to deliver for their driver. The simple question on delivery day may come down to this: Which team will be the least sleep deprived.

All four of the Toyota Racing Dream Build Challenge vehicles will be unveiled at the Toyota display during the company's press conference on October 30 at the 2012 SEMA Show. Fans can vote for their favorite team beginning on October 20 and may vote once per day through October 29.

 

Courtesy of Toyota Pressroom

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Scion Night 2012 at Knott’s Scary Farm

Scion

Scion Night is coming! Updates will be announced here, as well as on our Facebook and Twitter.  Have any questions? Want more details? Keep reading!

What is Scion Night?

Scion Night at Knott’s Scary Farm is one of the largest Scion owner meet-ups in the country.  Scion continues their successful relationship with the Marines and their Toys for Tots’ donation drive, where Scion has helped collect over 60,000 toys.  If you own a Scion, head to Knott’s on October 17th to gain access to this awesome event!

  • Come in a Scion, bring a toy for Toys for Tots, and drop it off to get a ticket to Knott’s Scary Farm!
  • Walk through the FR-S “Halloween Walk” and check out the Scion family of rides.
  • Hang out with KROQ’s Hard Copy Rebels and DJ Jeremiah Red!
  • Experience the FR-S for yourself by driving it in our private road course.
  • Hungry? Experience some of Southern California’s hottest food trucks.
  • Participate in a variety of amusement areas and hang with other Scion owners
  • Check out new ways to customize your ride with 5:AD, OEM Audio+, Optimize, Beat Sonic, and our other valued partners
  • But wait there’s more…..inside the park, see Ravi Drums and iLumniate light up the stage at Calico Square. You won’t want to miss this!

When is it exactly?

  • Wednesday, October 17th, 2012
  • Parking lot opens at 2pm
  • Knott’s Scary Farm doors opens at 7pm

What is the address?

Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Berry Farm parking lot
8039 Beach Boulevard
Buena Park, CA 90620

Ticketing & Parking Procedure:

  • Bring a toy valued at $10 or more
  • All attendees must arrive to the event in a Scion
  • Receive a colored wristband
  • Park and head to the Toys for Tots drop-off that is the same color as your wristband
  • Drop off your toy & show your wristband to receive a Knott’s Scary Farm ticket
  • No toy, no problem. Toys can be purchased in the parking lot if you forget to bring one.

But Remember…

  • Parking is $20
  • There are only 10,000 tickets available

What is Toys for Tots?

The U.S. Marines runs the Toys for Tots program every year, and their mission is “to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.”

 

Courtesy of Scion.com

Monday, October 1, 2012

This 2012 used Ford Focus has extremely low mileage and is great on gas!

This car has been extremely well maintained, and with features such as remote keyless entry and steering wheel mounted audio controls, this Ford Focus is sure to please! To learn more visit our website.

2012_ford_focus_west_covina

Congratulations to Tommy for this awesome review from a highly satisfied customer!

 

Dealer_rater

"Great service. The sales person Tommy arranged to deliver the car to me personally taking time off of his busy schedule on labor day weekend." - alee603

 

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