Over two years ago, the first thing this author wrote for Kaizen Factor included these passages: Although Toyota President Akio Toyoda famously stated at the 2009 Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Michigan that “Toyota is not the kind of company that is good at alliances”, his namesake company’s actions have sometimes belied these words. […]

As far as this author is concerned, the news broke a couple of days ago via our own Twitter feed which, in turn, picked it up from the Gmotors.co.uk site. The news in question? The sighting of a “special Tiffany Blue colored LFA spotted testing at (the) Nürburgring!” At first seeming to be nothing more […]

It is no secret that, as the multinational giant company that Toyota has become, its vast model lineup has seen some unexpected travels. It’s only natural that the Japanese carmaker would export many of its vehicles from its home base in Toyota City and environs, but the stubbornly strong yen has made this an increasingly […]

Although my entry into the world of Lexus – as vehicle owner, website editor and new model reviewer – was via the IS sport sedan line and the my.IS (née IS300.NET) fan site, I’m more familiar with the sedate, old-mannish ES than I care to admit, thanks to my father. Papi was actually an Acura […]

Toyota’s concept car history is certainly full of bizarre, head-scratching and inexplicably … um … Japanese creations. The mood-ring Toyota Pod. The front-half-of-a-tractor-trailer-looking Hi-CT. The “which way is it going?” RiN. The “rolling smartphone” Fun-Vii. Now, debuting on Thursday 14 June at the 2012 Tokyo Toy Show (yes, you read that right) is the latest […]

If motorsports is the ultimate test of man and motor vehicle, then France’s 24 Hours of Le Mans is Survivor: Guatemala — The Mayan Empire, the toughest of them all. And, throughout the years, it’s seen more than its share of legendary carmaker rivalries. Ford vs Ferrari. Ford vs Porsche. Ferrari vs Porsche. Porsche vs […]

Anyone who has even casually followed the gestation and history of Scion’s FR-S is surely aware of the overriding significance and symbolism of the number “86”. Harkening back to the last of the rear-wheel-drive sporting, enthusiast-oriented Toyota Corollas, the AE86 chassis code Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno notchback and hatchback coupes, the number would go […]