2012:Timely return to form for Toyota

THE year 2012 is a big year for Toyota. Their LFA is an astonishing car, but only a handful of people would come out to say that it's a natural beauty in the car world. As a showcase of their capabilities, the LFA entered the record books for being one of the most expensive hypercars that was ever produced. Even then Lexus said that it wouldn't be making money from the project.

Sitting at the top of the car world as the number one car manufacturer at the time, Lexus could afford to do so, and in truth, it made the world sit up and take notice.

For many who weren't familiar with the cars that punctuated their history in motorsports, they now knew that Toyota and Lexus aren't just about cars that are so reliable that they run the risk of being almost sterile.

After the LFA launch, I was pleased to know that I had been mislead during a trip to Toyota's factory in Japan. Yes, that's right. Either through coincidence or sheer cunning genius, Toyota told me during an interview with one of their top executives that they would be focusing mostly on fuel efficient and green technology, on top of maintaining extremely high safety build standards.

"So none of this Formula 1 technology will filter down to the cars you're going to build?" I asked rhetorically, somewhat upset.

I was disappointed to say the least, especially since their Formula One project had arrived with much fanfare in those heady days.

The first hand news during that visit to Japan and their Toyota factory in 2005 meant I had left with a bittersweet taste in my mouth.

Except they did just the exact opposite with the LFA.

While I doubt the executive I had talked to knew about the final direction of the LFA, its arrival meant that if they were serious about performance, this would be the one to do the business. And it does, as its as fast as a Ferrari 599, which I'm pretty sure it means you can't fault them for their efforts in the speed department.

Yet what impressed me the most about the car is how it has the same glorious formula one engine note. That alone managed to do what all the other Toyota and Lexus models up to that point had slightly failed, evoking a ridiculous excitement and emotion.

I exaggerate, well slightly, because the LFA and what it does is streets ahead of the Lexus IS-F and the sights it had on BMW's M3 and the AMG C-Class.

Following on from the previous debacle of recalls in various countries around the world over the last few years, incidences that damaged Toyota's reputation hard built reputation, Toyota is looking for a bright 2012 to draw the line and continue moving forward.

The recent news about losing out to Mercedes Benz and BMW, who came first and second, in terms of sales figures meant the luxury car crown in America has also been snatched away from its premium Lexus brand.

While the majority of their loyal customers are not necessarily swayed by how the next Toyota or Lexus looks, it doesn't hurt for cars to be nice to look at. For others it will probably come down to the characteristics the car and the technology employed.

For Brunei sometime in the first quarter of 2012 they'll be welcoming the arrival of the latest Lexus GS. On paper it has everything going for it, a serious contender to the Audi A6, BMW's 5-Series and Mercedes Benz's E-Class. It's not something new, with the GS taking the fight to its Euro rivals, and doing considerably well.

More importantly though is the joint collaboration with Subaru that has resulted in the FT-86 by Toyota and the Subaru BRZ. The two cars share the same chassis, but for Toyota its a return to glory days of old. The car is a spiritual successor to the AE-86, a cult classic among JDM (Japan Domestic Model) enthusiasts, and catching the imagination of a newer set of fans after a comic book hero in the form of Takumi Fujiwara was inked and then later made into an Anime cartoon, driving an old AE-86 and defeating newer, supposedly better, Japanese sports cars.

It's a watershed moment, not just for Toyota, but for the world over. If you've been reading these pages over the last few months, I touched on the merits of rear wheel drive (occasionally) and the importance of weight (less is more) in today's cars.

The FT-86 really does look good, while being modern it isn't too edgy and out there, like the LFA. The rear wheel drive will appeal to enthusiasts, along with the 200bhp from the boxer engine, while purists will be thrilled to hear that it weighs light, around 2,700 lbs, or approximately under 1,300 kilos.

While many Bruneian drivers will look at that and think that's not enough horsepower to match GTRs and some rally derived turbo cars, they're missing the point.

This is about enjoying and having fun with the car, no not just car, in a Toyota!

This is a car that I hope will get more people's head around to enjoy driving their car, rather than going for straight out speedfests. I'm starting to get a bit tired about supercars, hypercars and hybrid cars getting all the attention. It's about time that something that came along that is relevant to the majority of the driving population around the world.

While it may not arrive in the form of the FT-86, I think we should tip our hats off to Toyota for taking us to this juncture, and for not listening to the accountants and building the LFA. I hope its a trend that continues, and one day, and I know its wishful thinking... but maybe, just maybe it will lead to the revival of another famous name in Toyota's history... the Supra.

The Brunei Times