OK, so a few days after that Yaris-sports-car post, Toyota comes out and shoots me right out of the air and decides to establish:

Committee to Create Interesting Cars (C2CiC, what I call it for short)

Now this is good and all for those Toyota fans still wanting, praying and hoping for another AE86, or better yet, another Supra. What I have read/heard and seen many journalists rant (and with totally good intentions) about how sports cars can be the MOST interesting cars Toyota could create, they may totally go off on a separate tangent. They could keep fueling the fire to their Scion line of xB/xA series of ‘interesting vehicles’. Maybe they could keep trying to be one-on-the-range with all them yankee cowboys and create an even LARGER Toyota Pickup truck.
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Well, its no secret that the current clad Corolla is well over-due for its model year makeover. Toyota has now hung onto the current design, extending the conforming, utilitarian, and conservative (read: boring) outlook for 2 extra years. In some circles I have heard this to be a really interesting strategy:

1. Civic/Mazda3/Lancer are all enjoying a facelift late 2005 Impreza hits the scene in new-dapper present, mid-2006.

2. Celica is retired, RSX is hung, Civic SIR/TypeR is introduced in respective domestic markets, WRX/STI/MazdaSpeed3 readily available

3. Yaris making a nill impact with the dealership offered ‘aero package’ For those that absolutly unaware of Toyota’s new “flagship” sports compact, let me paint you a picture:

Yes, get a good look at that rear. This thing doesn’t have enough horses for you to see it again once you’ve passed it.

WTF is up with Toyota? are they too busy ENJOYING WORLD DOMINATION WITHOUT A SPORTS CAR? WTF???????
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Bye Bye Corolla, hello Auris. Today Toyota introduced the world to the long time top seller’s replacement. The Auris will be available as a 3 or 5 door hatch. Typical of cars available across the Atlantic, the Auris will be available with a whopping 5 different engines. Buyers will have their choice between 2 gasoline engines or 3 diesel mills. Our European readers may not be aware of this, but small cars in North America usually arrive with 1 engine, maybe 2 at the most and we never see a diesel. Driving enthusiasts can choose a six speed manual, while the none sporting can still get sporty with a paddle shift automatic. The really cool thing is that the hottest engine is a diesel, yet will hit 60 mph in about 8 seconds. There is no word if we’ll see the Auris here in North America, but we can keep our fingers crossed.
Toyota Motor Europe press release and more pics after the break
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