Video: One Very Caring Motorcyclist

Here's some proof that you don't have to be an inconsiderate driver (you can replace the description with something more R-rated if you'd like…) to make headlines.

A UK motorcyclist's simple gesture of stopping between a Ford Ka and a Toyota Avensis estate to open the latter's closed passenger-side mirror while giving a thumbs up to the driver after his deed, has garnered more than 60,000 views on Youtube in less than 24 hours after it was uploaded.

You can watch it for yourself right after the break.

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2012 Toyota Avensis Facelift Uncovered at the Frankfurt Motor Show [Updated Gallery]

Following a sneak preview of the updated Avensis, today Toyota went ahead and officially revealed its Opel Insignia-rival at the Frankfurt Motor Show . The facelift brings cosmetic changes both on the outside and the cabin.

While overall dimensions remain the same as the previous model, the mid-size sedan and the estate (Tourer) version benefit from a fresh face with a redesigned grille that has a chrome upper “lip” and new, narrower headlights that incorporate daytime running lights. At the rear, both body styles gain redesigned tail lamps.

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Toyota Officially Previews 2012 Avensis Facelift Prior to the Frankfurt Show

In early August, a reader of Dutch car magazine Autoweek snagged some revealing photos of the facelifted 2012 Avensis sedan and its estate sibling parked at an undisclosed location with no camouflage whatsoever.

Now, only a week before the grand opening of the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Toyota has released the first official picture of its updated mid-size model.

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Toyota Avensis Tourer to be exported from UK to Japan

Toyota plans to add another country to the 47 that it already exports the Avensis, which is built exclusively at its UK factory in Burnaston, Derbyshire: its own home market, Japan. The company said demand for European styling and engineering from Japanese customers prompted its decision to bring the mid-size model. Read more »

New 300HP Toyota Avensis BTCC Racer Revealed in the Flesh [with Video]

The two new Toyota Avensis “Next Generation Touring Cars” (NGTC) received their public debut on Thursday at the Silverstone circuit today, a week before the start of the British Touring Car Championship. The Avensis racers went on display wearing the liveries of privateer teams Dynojet Racing and Hughes Motorsport/Speedworks.

The Avensis race cars will be driven by Frank Wrathall Jr. and Tony Hughes. “The Toyota looks amazing and we are all delighted with it," said Wrathall. "Yes, it is frustrating not to have done more testing, but the first few rounds were always going to be tough for us, so we will just get on with it and do the best, most competitive job that we can."

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Dynojet Toyota Avensis BTTC Racer to get 2.0-liter Turbo Engine with 300HP

The latest news to come out of Toyota's BTCC camp is that Dynojet Race Team’s Avensis racer will have under its hood a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-banger adapted from one of the Japanese firm's road-going range. The engine is currently under Toyota GB-funded development at the Northamptonshire laboratories of engineering consultancy X CTech. It will feature a turbocharger as well as a number of internal revisions, which will all help boost output from around 140bhp in road specification to 300bhp or more.

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Toyota Avensis BTCC a Step Closer to its Racing Debut

The touring car version of Toyota's Avensis sedan has moved a step closer to its competition debut following extensive wind tunnel testing at MIRA's aerodynamic analysis facility. The Avensis NGTC (Next Generation Touring Car) is being constructed by GPR Motorsport and is scheduled to hit the tarmac for the first time in the opening rounds of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) at Brands Hatch on 3 April. Read more »

Toyota Announces Details on Recalled European Models, Says up to 1.8 Million Vehicles May Be Affected by Sticky Accelerator

Less than 24 hours after Toyota Motor Europe announced that it would be investigating potential accelerator pedal issues on its European models, the Japanese automaker released details on the affected vehicles. The recall involves a total of eight models. These are listed below:

-AYGO (Feb 2005 – Aug 2009)
-iQ (Nov 2008 – Nov 2009)
-Yaris (Nov 2005 – Sep 2009)
-Auris (Oct 2006 – 5 Jan 2010)
-Corolla (Oct 2006 – Dec 2009)
-Verso (Feb 2009 – 5 Jan 2010)
-Avensis (Nov 2008 – Dec 2009)
-RAV4 (Nov 2005 – Nov 2009)

The company said that precise number of involved units is still under investigation, but may reach up to a total of 1.8 million vehicles in the Old Continent, adding that no Lexus or other Toyota models are affected by the recall to solve a potential accelerator pedal issue.

"Toyota's policy is to put its customers first, in all circumstances", said Tadashi Arashima, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe.

"We understand that the current situation is creating concerns, and we deeply regret it. We would also like to reassure customers: the potential accelerator pedal issue only occurs in very rare circumstances. The announced action is a preventive measure aimed to guarantee the highest safety standards to all customers."

According to Toyota, there is a chance that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms on the affected models may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position

Toyota said that the issue is caused because the accelerator pedal mechanisms concerned may become worn.

The Japanese automaker added that only a limited number of incidents have been reported in Europe, and that the company is not aware of any accident resulting from this issue.

Earlier this week, Toyota suspended sales of eight vehicles in the U.S. due to the sticky accelerator problem while the firm also added another 1.1 million vehicles to last fall's recall of 4.3 million vehicles in the USA.

Toyota Begins Production of New Avensis in the U.K.

Today, two Avensis models rolled off the line at Toyota's Burnaston Plant in Derbyshire, U.K., marking the official start of production of the firm's new European flagship model. The Burnaston Plant will produce the Avensis in body types, sedan and wagon, to support an annual European sales target of 115,000 vehicles. Designed, engineered and built in Europe, the all-new Avensis will also be launched in Africa, Central & South America, as well as in Oceania. Sales of both body types of the Avensis begin across Europe from January 2009.

The mid-size model's 1.6- and 1.8-liter petrol engines will be produced by Toyota's U.K. plant in Deeside, North Wales, while the 2.0-liter Valvematic will be built in Japan. The Japanese firm's plants in Poland (TMIP and TMMP) will manufacture the 2.0- and 2.2-litre D-4D diesel engines and the new 6-speed automatic transmission

Speaking ahead of today's celebrations, Tadashi Arashima, CEO and President of Toyota Motor Europe, said: "The UK has proved to be a valuable economic and business partner. Building on more than 15 years of production history, TMUK's team members continue to deliver the quality, efficiency and flexibility needed to meet the exacting standards of our customers in Europe and around the world."

Video: 2009 Toyota Avensis Sedan and Estate

A couple of weeks ago Toyota took the wraps off its European flagship model, the third generation Avensis at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. Now we bring you the first video of the Japanese automaker's new Ford Mondeo and Opel Insignia rival that will be available in two body shapes, a sedan and a wagon. The new Avensis goes on sale in January, with an annual European sales target including Russia, of about 115,000 units. Click through for the video. -Continued

Related Story: 2009 Toyota Avensis High-Resolution Gallery and Details

2009 Toyota Avensis: 35 High-Res Photos and Details

*Click Here For The First Video of The 2009 Toyota Avensis

The all-new third generation Toyota Avensis made its world premiere at the Paris motor show. Toyota’s European flagship model will go on sale across the continent in January 2009 where it will be offered with two body-styles, sedan and station-wagon. Designed in Europe, the Avensis’ exterior styling is deliberately inspired from the latest generation Lexus models (which in turn take a few styling cues from the Bavarian brotherhood) as Toyota wanted to offer an executive feel to its mid-size model. While the new Avensis is definitely less boring than its boxy predecessor, it won’t be winning any beauty contests. –Continued

Inside, previous Avensis buyers will feel right at home as Toyota’s approach was more evolutionary. The dashboard retains the wannabe-premium feel with Toyota claiming that the materials used in the cabin were chosen “to express prestige and dynamism”. Buyers can choose from a set of different finishes for the centre console, including black metallic paint and a titanium finish. On higher grade models, the console has a graphic finish inspired by Takesumi, which Toyota says is a charcoal made from bamboo.

Within the range, features that will be available will include dual zone automatic air conditioning, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, cruise control with speed limiter, full-map touch-screen satellite navigation with Bluetooth, Smart Entry and Start system, a panoramic roof for the station-wagon models and an 11-speaker premium audio system with the 10Gb hard disc drive. All Avensis models will come equipped with seven airbags as standard, including a driver’s knee airbag.

Built on a new platform, the 2009 Avensis is 50mm longer than the previous generation model, giving an overall length of 4,695 for the sedan and 4,765 for the station-wagon. Both have a 2,700mm wheelbase and are 1,480mm tall – the same height as the current Avensis. Thanks to the new platform, the track has been increased by between 30 and 45mm, while the car’s width has grown by 50mm to 1,810mm. The boot capacity is 509 liters for the sedan and 543 liters for the estate/station wagon.

At launch, a total of five different engines will be available including a new 147 HP 1.8-liter Valvematic gasoline unit mated to a new six-speed manual gearbox or the Multidrive S CVT transmission which can operate like a seven-speed automatic. Oddly enough, there’s also a 2.0-liter gasoline engine that develops just 5HP more than the 1.8 at 152 HP. The diesel range consists of a 130 HP 2.0-liter unit and the 2.2-liter engine available with 150 and 180 HP.

Related Story: 2009 Toyota Avensis Video