Toyota Auris European Debut
The new Toyota Auris makes its European debut this week at the Bologna motor show in Italy, ahead of UK sales starting on 1 February next year. Designed and built in Europe, the new C-segment family hatchback marks significant advances in dynamic ability, interior style and practicality and safety.
The unveiling of the production model follows the presentation of Toyota’s Auris Space Concept at the Paris motor show earlier this year. Full details of UK specifications and pricing will be announced closer to the model’s on-sale date.
New Chassis
Auris is built on an all-new platform and is larger in every dimension than the Toyota Corolla. A special focus on reducing NVH characteristics make it one of the quietest cars in its class, with strengthening of the underbody reducing boom and road noise and efficient aerodynamics cutting the level of wind noise.
Suspension And Steering
New suspension systems have been developed for the Auris with an L-arm MacPherson strut arrangement at the front and a torsion beam at the rear.
In line with its position as the performance flagship of the range, the Auris D-4D 180 makes exclusive use of a new double wishbone rear suspension and rear anti-roll bar for more dynamic driving character.
All versions of the Auris adopt Electric Power Steering (EPS), giving excellent response to driver inputs.
Interior Design
As witnessed in the Auris Space Concept, the designers have worked from the inside out, in order to make best use of the space available for storage points and passenger comfort. A key feature of their innovative approach is a striking bridge-shaped console that raises the gear lever higher on the dashboard, closer to the driver, and integrates the handbrake, creating more open space below.
Auris also adopts Toyota’s EasyFlat system that allows simple one-touch folding of the rear seats to create a larger, flat-floored load area. Boot capacity is 354 litres and the 10 storage areas around the cabin have a combined capacity of 32 litres.
Comfort for rear seat passengers is increased thanks to a larger couple distance between the front and rear seats than in the Corolla, giving extra legroom. Head and shoulder room are also better, due to the Auris’s greater cabin height. Clever design has also eliminated the tunnel carrying the exhaust system, giving a flat rear floor and thus more comfortable accommodation for any centre rear seat passenger.
Safety
The strong body structure uses Toyota’s MICS (Minimum Intrusion Cabin System) to provide effective challenging and absorption of impact forces away from the passenger cell in the event of an impact.
Up to nine airbags will be fitted, with a driver’s knee airbag provided as standard – a first-in-class feature. Active safety elements on all versions include ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA), with higher grade models additionally equipped with Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control (TRC) systems.
Engines And Transmissions
Auris will be launched with a choice of two petrol and three diesel engines, with outputs ranging from 89bhp (90 DIN hp) for the 1.4-litre D-4D 90 to 175bhp (177 DIN hp) for the
2.2-litre D-4D 180.
The D-4D 180, already a star performer in the Avensis, RAV4 and Verso, endows Auris with a strong mixture of power, fuel efficiency and low emissions. Using Toyota’s D-CAT clean diesel technology, it achieves unmatched low levels of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, far below the levels set by Euro IV. Preliminary performance data show nought to 62mph acceleration takes 6.2 seconds and combined cycle fuel consumption is 45.6mpg.
New name for a new era
• Noble qualities of gold – Aurum
“Creating a new name for the new car was a key priority for us,” explains Andrea Formica, Toyota Europe, Senior Vice President for Sales, Marketing and After-Sales. “In order to achieve our step change in volume growth in Europe, we needed to change people’s perceptions of our C-segment hatchback”.
“We believe we have succeeded. The different clinics we have conducted showed an enthusiastic reaction across the markets. The main spontaneous reactions from people were the words: futuristic, high class and attractive. These words perfectly match our brand DNA.”
The name has a resonance with other Toyota models, Yaris and Avensis, while suggesting the precious value of one of nature’s most classic and noble commodities, gold.
Auris will be built in Europe, emphasising Toyota’s commitment to its European production base with the very highest quality standard under the global label ‘Made by Toyota’. The new hatchback will be built alongside Avensis at TMUK in Great Britain and alongside Corolla Verso at TMMT in Turkey.
Standing out from the crowd
• Designed in Europe to meet European tastes
• Distinctive hatchback, short and tall
Auris breaks the mould of current C-segment hatchback design. It has an original and distinctive shape that is ‘short and tall’. Short because it maintains an overall length typical to this segment; tall to maximise interior space and passenger comfort.
Auris also expresses sportiness. This effect is achieved by the wide tread – and emphasised by bringing the base of the A-pillar forward. The forward balance of the cabin architecture creates a sense of dynamism and agility, the designers call this “perfect imbalance”.
“The two main purchase reasons when buying a C-segment car in Europe are durability and exterior appeal,” says Andrea Formica, Toyota Motor Europe, Senior Vice President. “With Auris we will satisfy these customer needs; thanks to Toyota’s legendary superior product quality and this distinctive design. This car won’t appeal only to the heart, it will also to the mind.”
Auris was created at Toyota’s European Design Development centre (ED2) in southern France. Its dynamic form reflects European taste, style and sophistication.
Key elements are the muscular shape and the bold dynamic lines. Auris creates its distinctive form with a broad width (1,760 mm) and a tall height (1,515 mm). Overall length is 4,220 mm, in combination with a wide front and rear track (1,524 mm and 1,522 mm respectively).
Short overhangs (890 mm front, 730 mm rear) within a long wheelbase (2,600 mm) and a low centre of gravity create a dynamic side silhouette that promises engaging driving performance. This is emphasised through the rising belt-line and strong, forward tilted rear pillar and rear window.
The flared wheel arches are prominent, adding to the sense of width, and the large tyres (the option of 15”, 16” or 17” wheel sizes) fill the arches to project a sporty image. Meanwhile, the body surfaces are fresh and clean with strong character lines to portray emotion in movement. This particularly true of the three-door where the sports driving performance is emphasised in the stretched belt-line graphics and rear pillar shape.
The bonnet, deep bumper and broad wings are all one form, centred on the Toyota symbol mark. The graphics of the radiator grille maintain and further enhance the tradition of the Toyota brand identity.
Detailing adds character and projects a premium image. The sharply angled bumper and the prominent headlamps wrap around to the side in a flowing form, further reducing the sense of overhang.
The rugged theme is carried back to the rear. The rounded shapes again emphasise the flared wheel arches while the width creates a low centre of gravity. The rear hatch is wide, suggesting practicality as well as strength, and the combination lamps flow along the sides to reflect the frontal styling.
Nine bright exterior colours will complement the distinctive Auris style. One is entirely new and four are new to Toyota’s C-segment product range.
2007 Toyota Auris #1
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