Auto Express UK: Speculation on engine technology for next gen Celica

[Stephen G]

Read here:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/ae_news_story.php?id=37962

Cut and paste:

"Never mind the fast and the furious - two Japanese firms are set to enter the race to save fuel! According to our sources, Honda is secretly planning a new hybrid edition of the Civic Type R, using the firm's proven IMA system. The frugal newcomer should be available by 2007 and will have an all-new platform, but remain front-wheel drive.

However, Honda won't have things all its own way, because Toyota is developing a radical new hybrid concept, tipped to debut at October's Tokyo Motor Show. The two-seater coup

[Aris]

that toyota looks too futuristic for anyone to like it and buy it now...its just not looking nice, and thos bling bling rims...i dont know about that, probably they could use the engines but it looks is ungly. All directions seem to point to an AWD celica for future and i will agree with that...i also things is gonna be arounf 250 hp.

[Stephen G]

yeah, ignore the car design, that's just a head turner for the Tokyo motor show. The interesting and more pertinent bit is the engine news.

[Toy Yoda]

Wow... I'm impressed... The Toyota offering should be more than capable of outhandling the Honda... It'll probably cost more too.

[F35-JSF]

:hitit:

[TRD StreetRacing]

I don't think that's a 2005 car. that looks like a 2020 car :wtf:

[dennis]

celica will never look like that within the next 15 years.

[djm221]

Can we ignore the picture?!?! As for the power platform - how would you get more power out of that? The 1.4l whopper is basically useless (besides, it powers the wrong wheels anyway), but how would you get more power from the electric motor? APC batteries coming to a Pep Boys near you :chuckles:

[larryd]

I dont understand, does this thing have 2 engines or something?

[djm221]

Originally posted by larryd
I dont understand, does this thing have 2 engines or something?
Yeah. Honda did the same kind of thing with a concept, and there is (or was) specluation of the NSX being powered by such a setup.

[Toy Yoda]

Yes, it has 2 engines.
If I remember correctly, this will be based on the revolutionary Lexus Hybrid Synergy Drive technology, which can deliver V8 power, 4 cyl gas consumption, hybrid emissions, in a 6 cyl size.
Look for it to reach the RX330 hybrid (supposedly 350hp and an ungodly amount of torque).

the 1.4L engine is probably not going to be the main power source...
As such, most of the power will be going to the rear (rear-biased AWD).

I think it uses a modular structure/design so to add power, you just have to vary the power cell size, and numbers or something.

[Oo DaRk StAr oO]

That pretty friggin ugly.

[SexyCelica]

Yup, that CAN'T be put in production, you'll have old people cracking the rims from hitting curbs and complaining about the ride, doesn't look like you'll too much light output too :) And is it me or are there underbody neons on the thing?!

The engine seems pretty cool, in the future probably all engines will be electric, just depends how big a lighting rod you can stick on that thing to get the power :)

[mjsimon]

Good freekin lord....ok, that picture is a concept called the Fine-s...that's what the article says. It says it contains the powertrain that Toyota may use in the new Celica. That is not the Celica pictured. geeeeeezzzz.

Anyway, sounds promising. :) AWD, hybrid....hm. Gotta save some money. I'd love to have one.

[Stephen G]

For those of you who bothered to read the subject heading, not just click on the picture of the car and then think it was saying the 2005 Celica would like that :rolleyes: ....

Yes, the AWD setup appears to be electric powered to the rear and petrol to the front. This has various advantages; mechanical weight savings and a switchable drive technology for fuel savings, traction, performance, etc. But the main factor holding them back is the sheer weight of batteries required for that level of power and they're speculating when it will be good enough to use. I reckon they're being over-optimistic :(

Interesting stuff, though

[Stephen G]

Originally posted by djm221
Can we ignore the picture?!?! As for the power platform - how would you get more power out of that? The 1.4l whopper is basically useless (besides, it powers the wrong wheels anyway), but how would you get more power from the electric motor? APC batteries coming to a Pep Boys near you :chuckles:

Petrol at the front cos that's where the air to cool it comes ;)

I'm pretty sure the 1.4l engine would be far from useless if there was 150bhp at the back. Remember that the loss through the tranny of a convential AWD system is huge; the implication is that you run the petrol engine at all times and the electric one kicks in when 'needed'. Still a massive parasitic effect to be carrying around all those batteries though :(

[All_MTR_GTS]

so when we go to modd the new celi we just have to add a new duracel battery to it?? damn i gonna start buying the coppertop right away while the prices are still low!!!

[mangoboy7]

i could see this being a pretty quick car. Depending on whether the claimed bhp numbers are correct, a 20% drivetrain loss would equate to about 80hp up fron and 120 hp in the rear. Not bad.

[Stephen G]

how scaleable - that's the question. If you start mucking around with the power up front, does it render the back useless? For cost and simplicity of manufacture I imagine it'll be an electronic and not a mechanical link between the two.

Fascinating stuff...!

[djm221]

I'm pretty sure the 1.4l engine would be far from useless if there was 150bhp at the back.

I meant 'useless' in regards to getting more power.

[t2000gts]

if they can get 240hp out of n/a 1.5l 4 banger (4A-GE), then 1.4l isn't that bad. you could probably turbo it, push it to 150 hp at the front.

put a bigger battery in the back and bump that up to 200 :chuckles:

[BRAK]

THE OCTOBER SHOW IS GONNA ROCK, especially the TOYOTA booth, we will now see the 2005 CELICA, and the 2004 SUPRA, also probably the 3rd car in the SCION lineup (CALDINA .. TURBO YARIS) ... oooooo cant wait!:popcorn: :applaud: :thumbup:

[t2000gts]

turbo yaris = scion xA with options, no?

there's no way they're offering a $25k+ turbo station wagon as a Scion!!