Toyota Headed Back to Pikes Peak with New Toy

Toyota is headed back to one of their favorite proving grounds—and they’re bringing an electric car with them.

Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) is going to Pikes Peak on July 8 to put their TMG EV P002 to the test on the Colorado mountain “track” that reaches an altitude of 4300 meters. In 2011, a previous version of the TMG EV P002 set the standing lap record for electric cars at the Nurburgring.

Ludwig Zeller, General Manager for Electric and Electronics explains, “Pikes Peak is a great showcase for TMG’s electric powertrain technology. We already proved at the Nürburgring that TMG is leading the way in developing such powertrains for motorsport and this is another sign of our commitment to this technology. TMG wants to be increasingly involved in electric motorsport and we believe our powertrain technology is an industry-leading combination of performance, durability and packaging. Electric powertrain technology in motorsport is still in its development phase but through projects like this one, TMG is laying the foundations for the future of high-performance and motorsport cars.”

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Revised Ford F-150 Introduced at FFA Texas

Ford introduced their expanded F-150 lineup at a Future Farmers of America ceremony in Bruceville, Texas.

“Like our hardworking customers, Ford is committed to getting the job done right with our industry-leading trucks,” said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas. “The 2013 F-150 demonstrates our commitment to continuously improving our trucks with new features and capabilities, allowing F-Series owners to be increasingly productive.”

For 2013, Ford has added a redesigned grill and advanced MyFord Touch with voice-activated controls, made HID headlamps available, and added a new top of the line Limited trim level, among other minor revisions.

Three new colors—including Blue Jeans Metallic—are also available.

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The World’s Most Reputable Brand? None Other Than BMW.

Google’s loss is BMW’s gain.

The Reputation Institute, a company that provides consults on brand development and reputation, says that not only is BMW the automotive industry’s most reputable brand, but is the world’s most reputable brand regardless of industry.

The top 3 brands were BMW, Sony, and the Walt Disney company. Google fell from the top spot in 2011 to #6 in 2012.

The full report can be downloaded here.

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