Author: Chathura Chanuka

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    Toyota unveiled its new model the Crown Verfire priced at over 17 million yen

    ByChathura Chanuka

    Toyota unveiled its new model, the Crown Verfire, priced at over 17 million yen, and also announced the full refresh of the Crown minivan in China, where competition is intense. The Alphard/Vellfire models have been popular in China since their official import in 2010 and 2019 respectively, with Alphard being sold by GAC Toyota and Vellfire by FAW Toyota.

    Toyota unveiled its new model, the Crown Verfire, priced at over 17 million yen, and also refreshed its Crown minivan in order to compete in the crowded Chinese market. The new Verfire has unique suspension and equipment to differentiate it from the Alphard, and both models currently only come in gasoline and hybrid versions, with plans to introduce plug-in hybrid models in the future. The new Crown Verfire is currently only available in hybrid, with prices starting at 899,000 yuan (approximately 17.7 million yen) for the “Supreme” version and 909,000 yuan (approximately 17.9 million yen) for the “Supreme Executive” version in China. Despite a slight price increase from the previous model, the new Verfire’s clearer concept is expected to make it more appealing to Chinese consumers.

    Toyota unveils the new Crown Verfire with a price tag of over 17 million yen in the competitive Chinese market. Chinese automakers such as Hongqi and Jieke have been increasing their market share with large minivans priced at half that of the Alphard/Vellfire, which were previously dominant. However, demand for the Alphard/Vellfire remains strong among certain buyers, and Toyota is expected to introduce a new Alphard model at the 2023 Guangzhou Motor Show. The reception of these new models in the Chinese market, which can be described as a “luxury minivan warring states era,” will be closely watched.

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    Toyota may announce a new Century SUV later this year

    ByChathura Chanuka

    Toyota may announce a new “Century SUV” later this year, as hinted during the unveiling of the new Alphard and Vellfire models. The Century is a luxury chauffeur car, first introduced in 1967 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Toyota’s founder. The current third-generation Century, launched in 2018, features a luxurious interior and exterior crafted by skilled artisans, including a front emblem of a phoenix that took over a month to carve by hand. While Toyota has not provided any details on the rumored Century SUV, it would mark a significant departure from the traditional sedan design of previous models.

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    Toyota has released a new version of its Alphard and Vellfire minivans

    ByChathura Chanuka

    Toyota has released the fourth generation of its popular minivan, the Alphard, and the third generation of its lesser known minivan, the Vellfire. Despite rumors that the Vellfire would be discontinued, Toyota has decided to continue production of both vehicles. The chief engineer of the Vellfire, Kenichi Yoshioka, and the design executive officer, Signe Humphries, were present at the unveiling of the new models. The vice president of Toyota, Hiroki Nakajima, also spoke at the event. The Alphard and Vellfire are both designed to be comfortable family vehicles, with spacious interiors and comfortable rides. Despite being less well-known than the Alphard, the Vellfire has a dedicated following among younger drivers.

    Toyota has fully redesigned the Alphard and Vellfire models. Simon, one of the key people involved in the redesign, stated that the previous Vellfire model lacked individuality compared to the Alphard. Therefore, the new models have gone back to their roots and have a clear distinction between the two. The Alphard has a formal character while the Vellfire has a sporty character. The development team received feedback from real Vellfire owners, including Toyota’s CEO, who wanted to make the models even better. The redesign fully utilizes Toyota’s TNGA technology.

    Toyota has released a new version of its Alphard and Vellfire minivans. The Vellfire has been designed with a focus on driving performance, with improvements made to the body’s rigidity and suspension. The platform is based on the GA-K and includes a performance brace and shock absorbers with increased damping force, as well as 19-inch tires and special EPS control. In contrast, the Alphard is more focused on comfort for chauffeur-driven use. Both models have undergone changes thanks to the TNGA platform. A plug-in hybrid version of the Vellfire is expected to be added in the future.

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    The new Alphard and Vellfire have each been designed to assert their individuality

    ByChathura Chanuka

    Toyota’s first fully remodeled luxury minivan in eight years, the Alphard, has made its debut and is attracting a lot of attention along with its sibling, the new Vellfire, which was revamped at the same time. Based on its imposing styling and spacious interior, the new Alphard offers comfortable dynamic performance, high-quality hospitality equipment, and a full range of advanced safety and security features. The revamped interior and exterior design has become a hot topic on social networking sites. The new Alphard and Vellfire have each been designed to assert their individuality. The interior has been designed with space appropriate for each seat in the front and second and third rows of seats.

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    Toyota Customizing & Development has released GR PARTS

    ByChathura Chanuka

    Toyota Customizing & Development has released GR PARTS, a line of customized parts under the GR brand, to coincide with the unveiling of the new Alphard and Vellfire, Toyota’s luxury minivan models. The aero parts are only available for the Vellfire and are based on the “IGNITE SPORT FEEL” design concept. The set of front spoiler, side skirts, rear bumper spoiler, and dress-up muffler costs 423,500 yen (tax included, pre-painted). A new “interior” version of the “performance damper” is also available to improve the ride comfort of the rear seats. A GR sports side visor and a set of GR 20-inch cast aluminum wheels and tires are also available.

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    The Nissan Elgrand, which was first introduced in 1997 and is considered the flagship model of the L-class minivan in Japan

    ByChathura Chanuka

    Nissan is facing competition in the luxury minivan market as other car manufacturers introduce new models. The Nissan Elgrand, which was first introduced in 1997 and is considered the flagship model of the L-class minivan in Japan, created the luxury minivan category. However, with rivals refreshing their models, it is uncertain what the future holds for the Elgrand. Toyota introduced the Alphard in 2002 and the Vellfire in 2008, while Honda entered the market with the fifth-generation Odyssey in 2013. Although the Odyssey was discontinued in 2021 due to factory closures, it will make a comeback in 2023. Lexus also announced that it will introduce its luxury minivan, the LM, in Japan in autumn 2023, after debuting it at the Shanghai Motor Show in April of that year. As the luxury minivan category gains momentum, Toyota recently unveiled updated versions of the Alphard and Vellfire after eight years.

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    Toyota has fully remodeled the new Alphard/Vellfire for the first time in eight years

    ByChathura Chanuka

    Toyota has fully remodeled the new Alphard/Vellfire for the first time in eight years, evolving it into a luxury-oriented model. The Alphard is a large-class luxury minivan created in 2002, while the Vellfire was newly marketed as an independent sibling in 2008. The previous generation model was introduced in 2015, and its main feature was a significantly improved interior comfort with a large space.
    Toyota unveiled the new Alphard/Vellfire for the first time in the world. Measuring 4995 mm (length) x 1850 mm (width) x 1935 mm-1945 mm (height) with a wheelbase of 3000 mm, the exterior inherits the styling of the previous model but has been further evolved. The Alphard has an impressive large grille surface with an inverted slant face, and is available in three body colors. The Vellfire features a front grille with extensive use of chrome and impressive two-stage headlights. At the rear, there is an exclusive rear bumper and newly designed tail lamps.

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    Toyota unveiled the new models of Alphard and Vellfire for the first time in the world

    ByChathura Chanuka

    Toyota unveiled the new models of “Alphard” and “Vellfire” for the first time in the world. The full model change after eight years has led to improvements in basic performance such as vibration and noise reduction, fuel efficiency, and driving performance. The interior and exterior designs, spacious interior space, and usability have also been improved. The new Alphard pursues “the happiness of comfortable movement” and has a body size of 4995mm in length, 1850mm in width, and 1935mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3000mm. The platform has been optimized for minivans with TNGA GA-K and the vehicle rigidity has been improved by 50% by adding braces. The suspension system remains unchanged, but the use of newly developed shock absorbers reduces rear seat vibration by about one-third, achieving a ride quality comparable to that of a luxury sedan. The powertrain includes a 2.5-liter gasoline model and a hybrid model. The 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder gasoline model has a maximum output of 182 horsepower and a maximum torque of 235Nm, which is the same as the previous model. The hybrid model has a system total…[omitted]
    Toyota has unveiled the new Alphard and Vellfire for the first time in the world. The Vellfire has evolved significantly from its predecessor, with a body size of 4995 mm (length) x 1850 mm (width) x 1945 mm (height). Powertrains are available in gasoline and hybrid models, with the gasoline model equipped with a 2.4-liter turbo engine and an 8-speed AT instead of a CVT transmission for enhanced driving performance. The exterior design is sportier than that of the Alphard.

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    The all-new Crown Vellfire completely revamped for the first time in two years

    ByChathura Chanuka

    Toyota unveiled the new Crown minivan for the first time in the world at 17.7 million yen and adopted the “crown symbol” on the luxury version. At the same time, the all-new Crown Vellfire, completely revamped for the first time in two years, was unveiled in China. The Crown Vellfire is a large luxury minivan that the joint venture between Toyota and China FAW Group has lined up since 2021, and has been well received since its first generation for its luxury interior and exterior design. Like its predecessor, the new Crown Vellfire is based on the new Japanese-spec Vellfire and features a large crown emblem on the front.

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    Toyota has released the fourth generation of its luxury minivan the Alphard

    ByChathura Chanuka

    Toyota has released the fourth generation of its luxury minivan, the Alphard, on June 21, 2023. The previous model had shifted towards a more luxurious car line, becoming a high-end minivan with a high demand not only in Japan but also in China and Shanghai. The new Alphard aims to create a space where all passengers can feel comfortable and grateful towards each other, with improvements in basic performance such as quietness during driving and fuel efficiency, as well as design and interior space. The exterior design is described as “forceful” and the new model has already gained popularity.