New MPV from Toyota & Dahaitsu Also Perodua

Toyota and Daihatsu Launch Compact 7-seater

Tokyo-TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) and Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (DMC) announce today the nationwide launch of a seven-seater compact vehicle with three rows of seats that will be sold in Japan under the Toyota brand as the "Passo Sette"*¹ and under the Daihatsu brand as the "Boon Luminas"*².

The roomy, user-friendly and stylish compacts are small enough to make handling easy and big enough to accommodate seven people. Featuring the driving-assistance features and comforts often favored by female drivers, the Passo Sette and Boon Luminas offer added flexibility for mothers with young children and help support active and exciting lifestyles.

For the Passo Sette and Boon Luminas, TMC and DMC combined their product-planning know-how, with DMC putting to use its extensive experience in compact vehicles to be in charge of development and production. DMC will supply the Passo Sette to TMC on an original equipment manufacturer basis.

*¹Sette: Means seven in Italian, and refers to the seven seats in the Passo Sette
*²Luminas: A coined name combining the English words roomy and luminous. The name is intended to evoke the image of a vehicle that provides new splendor to its occupants.

Source: Daihatsu

New Daihatsu 2009 Concept Car

Introducing a concept model that shows the future shape of an open sports car, conceived by Daihatsu as a car for adults who want to feel the wind as they drive.

The OFC-1 expresses the feel of a liberating, transparent canopy cockpit, and the familiarity of a flowing, smooth teardrop silhouette. Moreover, a glass top with liquid crystal sunshade used for the electromotive canopy-top open roof offers a free and liberating open-air feeling, regardless of the weather.

The 3-piece electromotive open roof completes operation in less than ten seconds and preserves independent trunk space even when the roof is open to improve the convenience of compact convertibles and allow enough trunk storage space for two adults to take an overnight trip.

In addition, a rear spoiler melded into the body, plus the 17-inch alloy wheels, express powerful running performance.

The interior is an expression of the sports mind compressed into a compact space. In addition to the expression of a mechanical image function in the meter center cluster, the high-contrast interior color arrangement serves to orchestrate a progressive, high-quality and sporty interior space.

For running performance, the powertrain technology combines a high-performance turbo engine together with CVT with 7-speed paddle shift to achieve the highest level of both fuel consumption performance and environmental performance for vehicles in its class.

To commensurate with the underside of a sports car, the vehicle is equipped with 4 wheel disc brakes, electronic modulated suspension and stabilizers which improves roll stiffness thus producing a high performing spinning system together with the adoption of the 165/50R17 sport tires.

Dimensions and weight:

• Overall length: 3395mm
• Overall width: 1475mm
• Overall height: 1290mm
• Wheel base: 2230mm
• Track front: 1300mm
• Track rear: 1290mm
• Minimum road clearance: 130mm
• Kerb weight: 820kg
• Seating capacity: 2 persons

Engine

• Type: petrol, 3 cylinder DCHC, 12-valve, intercooler turbo transverse
• Displacement: 658cc
• Bore x Stroke: 63 x 70.4mm
• Max output: 47 kW at 6000 rpm
• Max torque: 103 Nm at 3000 rpm
• Fuel supply system: Electric fuel injection
• Compression ratio: 9.0

Suspension:

• Front: MacPherson Strut, coil spring
• Rear: Torsion beam, coil spring

Steering: Rack and pinion

Brakes front and rear: ventilated disc brake

Tire size front and rear: 165/50R17

Fuel consumption (EU combined mode): 4.6 liter / 100 km

CO2 Emissions (EU combined mode): 100.9 g/km

Source: Daihatsu

New Daihatsu Tanto

Daihatsu Launches Fully Redesigned Mini Vehicle TANTO

DAIHATSU MOTOR CO., LTD. (Daihatsu) announced the nationwide launch in Japan of the fully redesigned mini vehicle TANTO1 on December 17.

The TANTO was created in November 2003 as a vehicle with surprising roominess for its size and one that is fun for the entire family. The TANTO gained support among drivers with children for its spaciousness and convenience and pioneered a new mini vehicle genre. Sales have been extremely good, averaging about 8,000 vehicles per month.

The current redesign seeks to transform the surprisingly expansive interior into a highly inspiring space. In addition to enhancing core performance attributes such as high safety performance and excellent fuel efficiency, Daihatsu achieved three significant advances in the unreserved pursuit of the TANTO DNA—expansiveness and convenience:

1) The surprising expansive interior was evolved even further to achieve an exceptionally large space, the largest of any mini vehicle.2
2) The center pillar was removed and a powered sliding door installed (world's first on a mini vehicle)
3) to create a amazing feeling of openness and provide for extreme ease of boarding and exiting.
4) Extraordinary utility was created through outstanding convenience in a wide variety of situations in response to calls from mothers with young children.

Two models with unique characteristics are available: the TANTO, which maximizes functional value for families with children that enjoy spending time together, and the TANTO CUSTOM, which seeksaesthetic value that is sure to the captivate the sensibilities of both men and women who place an emphasis on individuality.



The new models also offer the following features:

- The interior and exterior designs of both the TANTO and TANTO CUSTOM have been uniquely coordinated.
- The TANTO has been completely updated, including the platform and the engine, and safety, driving and environmental performance have been further enhanced.

1. TANTO: Italian word meaning "plenty"
2. As of December, 2007, measured by Daihatsu. (Interior length x interior width x interior height.)
3. As of December, 2007, measured by Daihatsu.

Plans call for sales of 8,000 units per month in Japan. The manufacturer's suggested retail prices range from 1,030,000 yen to 1,655,000 yen (excluding consumption tax).

Source:Daihatsu Press Release