The vehicles and the ranch that inspired them share some key characteristics:

Uncompromising quality, strong heritage, and bold ruggedness. As rugged as the birthplace of American ranching. King Ranch was founded in 1853 in Mexico by Richard King, who purchased 15,500-acres of land to start a cattle operation he’d dreamed of for years. The ranch started with cattle but has also successfully bred thoroughbred stallions for the Belmont stakes and the Kentucky Derby.

Built on the backbone of 158 years of ranching history, the first King Ranch edition of Ford trucks was built in 2001. “The quality of the leather and craftsmanship, along with what Ford stands for-that’s who King Ranch is,” says King Ranch CEO Robert Underbrink of the relationship.The latest line of Ford trucks to carry the “Running W” badging are the 2012 F-150, Super Duty and Expedition.

The 2012 King Ranch F-150 is equipped with an EcoBoost engine that harnesses the power of 365 horses. The King Ranch Super Duty looks tough and is made to work. The available 6.7-liter PowerStroke engine’s 400 horsepower is a big reason why. And the 2012 King Ranch Expedition isn’t your average SUV. Underneath the hood, a standard 5.4-liter V-8 churns out 310 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque.

Source: http://www.ford.com/newsevents/news/newsdetail/?id=364

TMMAL is to boost annual production capacity by 216,000 units solely for the 2GR, resulting in an increase of total engine capacity from 506,000 to 722,000 engines a year.

In addition to the creation of 125 new jobs, approximately 80 million dollars—including funds for the construction of a new building—will be invested towards the expansion.

2GR engines are currently produced in the U.S. at two other TMC subsidiaries: Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia, Inc. The engines are installed on such vehicles as the “Highlander” crossover SUV, and the “Camry” and “Avalon” sedans.

TMC will continue to promote localized production based on the concept of producing vehicles where they are sold.

Source: http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/news/12/05/0518.html

TMMAL currently assembles 4-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines for eight of 12 Toyota North American built vehicles. TMMAL is the only Toyota plant globally to produce these three types of engines in one facility. This investment will increase engine production at the Huntsville plant to more than 700,000 annually, and will increase total Toyota engine production in the U.S. to more than 1.4 million per year. Toyota also builds engines in Kentucky and West Virginia.

“We are proud to announce our fourth expansion, only a few months after celebrating 10 years of success in Huntsville and Madison County,” said Jim Bolte, President of TMMAL. Wouldn’t be possible without continued commitment from our outstanding team members and support from our community partners.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama has been a dedicated corporate citizen in Alabama for more than ten years, and announcement is an exciting new chapter for this company and this community. Toyota’s success in Alabama is a testament to the hard-working men and women of the production and leadership teams who have dedicated themselves to producing quality products,” said Governor Robert Bentley. “This expansion is also a testament to the business climate we’ve worked hard to create in Alabama – a climate in which companies are encouraged to expand, innovate, and create new jobs. We thank Toyota for the company’s continued confidence in Alabama and Huntsville, and we look forward to a continued long-term relationship.

Announcement is the latest in a string of Toyota production increase announcements since February including Toyota plants in Indiana, West Virginia, Canada and Kentucky. Cumulative investment total is approximately $645 million and more than 1,100 jobs are being added. “This V6 line addition continues to reflect our growing optimism for an improving North American market, and we continue to study more localization in North America,” said Steve St. Angelo, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Source: http://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/toyota+increase+v6+engine+production+alabama.htm

Chevrolet has a long history of using the SS (Super Sport) designation on high-performance models of some of its most enduring nameplates. The SS designation first appeared in 1957 on a Corvette prototype race car built under the guidance of Zora Arkus-Duntov with the plan to enter it in the Le Mans 24-hour race.

The first production vehicle offered with an SS option was the 1961 Impala – 453 were built with the performance upgrades which included a modified chassis and suspension, power brakes, a steering column mounted tachometer and unique wheels and tires. The latest SS model in the Chevrolet lineup is the fifth-generation Camaro, which debuted in 2010.

The Chevrolet SS will be a derivative of the award-winning global rear-wheel-drive architecture that spawns performance vehicles like Chevrolet Camaro and Holden’s upcoming VF Commodore. The much anticipated Australian-built car will benefit from significant technology advances which enhance overall performance.

“As a passionate race fan and performance enthusiast, I am thrilled that Chevrolet will deliver a true rear-wheel-drive NASCAR racecar in the SS that is closely linked to the performance sedan that will be available for sale,” said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. “The Chevrolet SS is a great example of how GM is able to leverage its global product portfolio to deliver a unique performance experience that extends beyond the track. I am personally looking forward to driving it.”

Chevrolet was America’s best-selling performance car brand in 2011 with Camaro and Corvette accounting for one out of every three sports cars sold in the United States. The addition of the SS should strengthen Chevrolet’s position as a leading performance brand. Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Source: http://media.gmchina.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2012/May/0517_chevyss

Acura is announcing this recall to encourage owners of all affected vehicles to take their vehicles to an authorized dealer as soon as they receive notification of this recall from Acura. Mailed notification to customers will begin in mid-June 2012. In addition to contacting customers by mail, in mid-June, owners of these vehicles will be able to determine if their vehicles require repair by going on-line to www.recalls.acura.com or by calling (800) 382-2238, and selecting option 4.

Source: http://www.honda.com/newsandviews/article.aspx?id=6677-en

On certain early 2013 model year GS 350 F-Sport RWD vehicles, the ECU for the VGRS system could cause the steering wheel to become off-centered when restarting the vehicle immediately after the vehicle is parked with the steering wheel turned. Dealers will update the VGRS ECU calibration to address the condition.

Owners of the involved vehicles will receive a safety recall notification by first-class mail beginning in early June 2012.

Any authorized Lexus dealer will perform this update at no charge to the vehicle owner. The repair is expected to take approximately 30 minutes depending on the dealer’s schedule.

Source: http://www.lexus.com/about/news/index.html#/view-0/model-0/page-1/article-Lexus_Announces_Voluntary_Safety_Recall_of_Certain

Availability of high torque at relatively low engine revolutions means the Swift diesel is extremely responsive at mid-range and medium road speeds. The DDiS boasts 46 per cent more torque than the 1.4-litre petrol Swift, has a maximum speed of 166 km/h and reaches New Zealand’s open road speed limit of 100 km/h in less than 13 seconds. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard and the gear ratios and final drive gearing are unique to the Swift DDiS. In the official Combined fuel cycle test simulating both urban and open road driving the diesel Swift averages 4.2 litres/100 km (67.3 miles per gallon).

The Suzuki delivers an outstanding 3.6 litres/100 km (78.5 mpg) in the Extra Urban highway only cycle and 5.1 litres/100 km (55.4 mpg) in the Urban city and suburban street cycle. A recent independent fuel test from Auckland to Wellington produced even better economy than the Extra Urban fuel test cycle, with an average of 3.27 litres/100 km (85.5 mpg). “We originally estimated the Swift DDiS would have a driving range of around 800 kilometres, but in open road running, it has since been found the 42-litre fuel tank is good for up to 1,000 kilometres,” said Tom Peck, General Manager of Marketing for Suzuki New Zealand. The standard fit 12-spoke aluminium alloy wheels are shod with 185/55 R16 tyres and the engine complies with the latest Euro 5 emission standards.

In line with market demands, the well equipped Swift DDiS diesel is high on safety and equipment levels. It comes with ABS anti-lock and brake assist, ESP (Electronic Stability Programme), foot protecting brake and clutch pedals, ISOFIX child seat anchorages and child seat tether anchorages. There are driver and front passenger airbags, side airbags (incorporated into the front seats), curtain airbags and a driver knee bag giving the Swift Diesel the highest possible 5-Star Euro NCAP safety rating. This rating considers occupant protection in frontal, side, pole and rear impacts as well as child protection, pedestrian protection and the availability of driver aids.

Source: http://www.suzuki.co.nz/News/Automotive/2012/05/15/Swift+Diesel+Goes+on+Sale+in+New+Zealand/

The Toyota Community Concerts program showcases amateur orchestras and aims to contribute to the promotion of regional culture through music. As of the end of March 2012, 1,371 concerts have been held in 167 municipalities in 45 prefectures nationwide, with a cumulative audience figure exceeding 1,104,000.

In 2012, the program will feature three types of concerts—citizen’s concerts, visiting concerts and invitation concerts—to match the needs of target communities.

Source: http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/news/12/05/0516.html

At Toyota, we appreciate what a big difference a new car or truck can make for organizations working to improve lives and strengthen communities across America,” said Jim Lentz, President and Chief Executive Officer of Toyota Motor Sales. Over the past 20 years, Toyota has contributed more than half a billion dollars to nonprofits throughout the U.S. 100 Cars for Good allows us to build on that commitment in new ways, putting the public in the ‘driver’s seat’ as we work to help community organizations make an even bigger impact. We wish all of this year’s finalists the best of luck.

The 500 finalists for 100 Cars for Good represent all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Profiles of all of this year’s finalists can be found at www.100carsforgood.com.

Winning nonprofits will be able to choose from one of six Toyota models: Camry Hybrid, Highlander SUV, Prius v hybrid, Sienna minivan, Sienna Mobility or Tundra full-sized pickup. A six-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty will also be provided for each vehicle, compliments of Toyota Financial Services.

To help participating nonprofits with their 100 Cars for Good campaigns – and to help them develop lasting digital marketing and social media skills that are critical to nonprofits – Toyota has provided each finalist with a toolkit that includes a digital video camera, training materials and free online advertising credits. The company is providing social media training support online to the finalists as well.

Source: http://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/voting+toyota+100+cars+good+opens+this+morning+10+am+et+7+am+pt.htm

Yaris helps protect its occupants with a reinforced cabin that integrates front and rear crumple zones and energy-absorbing materials in the roof and doors. All-five seating positions are equipped with height-adjustable head rests and three-point seatbelts. Also standard are driver and front passenger advanced dual-stage front airbags, front-seat-mounted side airbags, driver knee airbag, driver- and front-passenger seat-cushion airbags and first and second row side-curtain airbags.

Toyota’s Star Safety System is standard on all models. It includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA) and Smart Stop Technology (SST). Toyota is the first full-line manufacturer to make these features standard on all vehicles.

The comfortable cabin provides rear seating for three with headrests in all positions. The interior also features easy-to-reach controls, high center-mounted instrument cluster for excellent on-road visibility, and an array of storage spaces and cup holders. Standard equipment includes air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, rear-window defogger and intermittent wipers.

For an added measure of utility and luggage space, the rear seatback folds down to expand cargo capacity from 9.3 cubic feet to 25.7 cubic feet. A 60/40 split rear seatback is standard on LE and SE grades. Exterior styling is crisp and contemporary. The grill is accented by sharp character lines that flow into the sleek hood and windshield. To improve aerodynamics and reduce wind noise, outer moldings on the windshield and door glass have been eliminated. In the rear, the tail lamps frame a wide trunk opening.

For those seeking a sportier look and driving experience, Yaris offers an SE model with five-speed manual transmission or four-speed automatic, 16-inch alloy wheels and tires, sport-tuned suspension, quicker-ratio steering and integrated fog lamps. All Yaris models come with complimentary Toyota Care, which covers normal factory maintenance for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first. Yaris is available at Toyota dealers nationwide with manufacturer’s suggested retail prices starting at $14,115.

Source: http://pressroom.toyota.com/releases/2012+yaris+great+blend+convenience+mpg+safety.htm