Toyota Ipsum is also known as Toyota Avensis Verso in Europe.
I found the press kit here, attached below.
Nice to know that this medium large MPV is designed in Europe.
INTRODUCTION - BY JOHN CONOMOS
Noted social commentator Hugh McKay was one of the first to identify the growth of tribalism in Australia.
Blended families and extended families have become a part of our social structure.
Whether it's the Brady bunch scenario or whether, as every parent finds every weekend, their children want to bring friends along, five seats in the family car are invariably not enough.
Mum's taxi simply needs to be more accommodating.
It was almost 20 years ago that Toyota coined the phrase 'people mover' in Australia and introduced the first purpose built MPV, the Tarago.
The people mover fulfilled a long pent-up need.
Over the last two decades the concept of multi-purposibility has evolved.
Businesses and particularly the hospitality industry have seized on people movers as the ideal medium for personalised mass transportation - and Tarago is the firm favourite.
Private buyers have also looked to 4x4s as a means of ultimate go-anywhere multi-purposibility.
Now a very definite customer need is emerging - to provide seven seat accommodation in the footprint of a medium sized car. It's back to the future.
Twenty years ago Tarago turned a van into a car.
Now Avensis Verso turns a car into a van, but one of luxury and distinction.
It is incredible to contemplate that Avensis Verso offers 18 different seating and load carrying configurations, comfortable and safe seating for seven people, and all this in a vehicle with exterior dimensions smaller than a Camry.
The fact that it is also an LEV, a low emission vehicle, is a significant indicator of future direction.
The key word for Avensis Verso is versatility. It will become an increasingly important factor within the motor industry.
John Conomos
Senior Executive Vice-President
Toyota Australia.
TOYOTA LAUNCHES NEW SEVEN-SEAT WAGON
Toyota's seven-seat Avensis Verso combines European design flair and great versatility.
Avensis Verso combines multi-purpose vehicle interior space levels with the aerodynamics, engine technology, safety, fuel economy, ride and handling, feature levels, environmental friendliness and low NVH of a passenger car.
Avensis Verso was designed for Europe, the world's most sophisticated MPV market, by the same design studio that created Toyota Echo and the Lexus SC 430 convertible.
It has a stylish, smooth exterior with an impressively low 0.30 coefficient of drag, for maximum fuel efficiency and minimum wind noise.
Avensis Verso is compact on the outside and highly manoeuvrable with a 5.5 metre turning radius.
The key to Avensis Verso is its interior, with seven seats and load-carrying capacity.
There are 18 possible combinations of seating, including folding the second and third-row seats flat, and a flat camping mode. The floor and seats are designed to provide walk-through access from the front to the second row seats.
Avensis Verso has more than 300 litres of luggage space behind the third row of seats, and a unique 132-litre storage box under the rear floor.
This storage box is large enough to store the rear tonneau cover and head rests, to carry a golf bag or to carry two overnight bags upright.
Avensis Verso's new all-alloy engine has intelligent variable valve timing (VVTi) - for a combination of energetic performance, high fuel efficiency (a vital consideration for families) and low (LEV) emissions.
The two-litre engine has maximum power of 110kW at 6000rpm and 192Nm of torque at 4000rpm.
It can be matched to a five-speed manual or four-speed super-efficient electronically controlled automatic transmission.
Three models are offered: GLX manual and automatic, and Ultima automatic.
All three models are well specified.
Standard equipment includes dual SRS airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners with force limiters, ABS with electronic brake force distribution and Brake Assist, dual air conditioning, remote keyless entry, CD player, and the breakthrough Toyota feature of one-touch power windows and jam protection on all four doors.
Luxury grade Ultima has the additional features of front-seat mounted side airbags, Lexus-technology front seat side curtain-shield airbags, 16-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, rear spoiler, 3-in-1 audio, front fog lamps, privacy glass, leather-bound steering wheel and woodgrain accents.
All models have the availability of DVD-based satellite navigation.
AVENSIS VERSO FAST FACTS
• Most advanced engine in class (VVTi and best economy).
• Greenest engine in class (best economy and LEV)
• Highest specific output of any engine in class.
• Highest specific torque in class.
• Best power-to-weight ratio of any four-cylinder in class, and better power-to-weight than six cylinder Carnival, Voyager and Trajet.
• More power than 2.4-litre Nimbus, 2.2-litre Zafira and 2.5-litre Caravelle. Smallest turning circle with the exception of the significantly smaller Zafira and Carens.
• Dual air conditioning as standard. Not available on Zafira, Carens, Nimbus and Starwagon GL.
• Only vehicle in class (except Tarago) with satellite navigation as an option.
• Four-wheel disc brakes and ABS as standard equipment. Rear discs not available on Trajet, Carens, Carnival and Starwagon.
• ABS not standard or not available on Trajet GL, Carens, Carnival and Starwagon.
• Only vehicle in the people mover class with Brake Assist.
• Dual SRS airbags as standard equipment. The passenger SRS airbag is not standard or not available on Trajet GL, Carens, Carnival, Starwagon and Caravelle.
• Only vehicle in class with front-seat mounted side airbags and curtain-shield airbags. (Chrysler Voyager has side airbags with a head component.)
AVENSIS VERSO RANGE HAS THREE MODELS
Toyota's new Avensis Verso has the choice of two transmissions and two model grades.
There are three models, all with seven-seat capacity and highly versatile seating.
Eighteen major combinations of seating can be configured, including camping mode.
Avensis Verso GLX is offered with the choice of five-speed overdrive manual or a highly efficient electronically controlled four-speed overdrive automatic transmission.
High-grade Avensis Verso Ultima has an automatic transmission.
Dual air conditioning and remote central locking are standard equipment across the Avensis Verso range.
Standard safety features include dual SRS airbags and anti-skid brakes.
Avensis Verso GLX has a CD tuner as the standard audio and the breakthrough Toyota feature of one-touch power windows and jamb protection on all four doors.
As the grade name implies, Avensis Verso Ultima has an impressive interior and is very well specified.
Ultima has the additional features of front seat airbags and side curtain-shield airbags, 16-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, rear spoiler, 3-in-1 audio, front fog lamps, privacy glass, leather-bound steering wheel and woodgrain accents.
All three models have the option of satellite navigation.
AVENSIS CROSSES PEOPLE MOVER AND MEDIUM WAGON CATEGORIES
Seven seat wagons are set to become a feature of the medium passenger vehicle category.
The launch of Toyota's seven seat Avensis Verso crosses two categories.
It is both a people mover and a medium wagon.
The versatile Verso easily encompasses the spirit of both market segments, according to Toyota senior executive vice-president John Conomos.
"Avensis Verso is very much a new breed of multi-purpose vehicle," Mr Conomos said.
"It is truly a people mover, but its size, driving appeal and versatility are that of a medium wagon."
Cross-over MPVs are likely to become a more regular feature of both market segments, Mr Conomos said.
The new Avensis Verso is a landmark vehicle for Toyota.
It supersedes Toyota Spacia, which was the last van-based vehicle in the company's family wagon range.
"Avensis Verso is not a direct replacement for Spacia," Mr Conomos said.
"It is certainly a lower priced alternative to Toyota Tarago - but equally it is an alternative to many car based station wagons.
"The appeal of Avensis Verso is that it has the performance of a car yet it has the capacity of a family wagon."
MPV styling had become a feature of the medium sedan market.
The medium sedan market had relatively recently been invaded by vehicles which sought to look like multi-purpose vehicles yet still offered conventional seating for five.
Seven seat vans were still classified by VFACTS as people movers.
"It is a classification which may have to change," Mr Conomos said.
"Seating may be a convenient means of describing a vehicle's function, but in this case it is not representative of the driving or ownership experience."
Already one other seven seat vehicle launched earlier this year was listed in sales charts as a medium wagon, but classified by VFACTS as a people mover.
"Now Avensis Verso has joined the ranks there is a case to reassess the description of medium MPVs."
PRIVATE BUYERS TO FURTHER AVENSIS DEMAND
Toyota expects to deliver 1200 Avensis Verso MPVs each year.
Demand will be more than double that for now superseded Toyota Spacia.
Eighty five percent of demand will be for the GLX model.
The high grade Ultima will make up the remaining 15 percent.
Approximately 30 percent of the GLX models will be ordered with manual transmission.
Most demand is expected to come from private buyers or from business user choosers.
Demand for Toyota Spacia had come largely from government (65 percent YTD).
Toyota Avensis Verso volume will comprise in excess of 11 percent of the traditional people mover market.
Cars in the style of multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs)* now make up more than 12 percent of total sales in the medium passenger market. (* people movers, YTD Oct 2001) The growth of the short but tall, stylish MPV had been a feature of the category which is certain to grow.
Recommended retail price of the Toyota Avensis Verso GLX will be $39,900.
The automatic transmission version will cost an additional $2000. The Avensis Verso Ultima will be available only in automatic at a recommended retail price of $46,900.
The prices are comparable with those of vehicles of less or similar horsepower and accommodation.
The pricing places Avensis Verso above Toyota Camry station wagon, and more than 20 percent below entry level Toyota Tarago.
"With the recent launch of Toyota Corolla station wagon there is a clear path of versatile wagons in the Toyota range, for the first time since 1994," Toyota senior executive vice president John Conomos said.
AVENSIS MEETS NEEDS OF EXTENDED FAMILIES
The Toyota Avensis Verso is a versatile five seat family wagon with additional seating for two when required.
It meets the needs of Australia's growing tribe of extended families.
The "expanding" family made up both of friends and of blended families has been one of the reasons for the success of traditional people movers.
It has contributed also to demand for four wheel drives with seating for more than five.
"Tribalism is a growing social phenomenon which affects most families," Toyota senior executive vice-president John Conomos said.
"It can be as simple as providing transportation not only for a family's own children but also for their friends.
"And it happens to most families every week.
"There are many instances in most families' experience when five seats are not enough."
Vehicles like Avensis Verso provided maximum praticality and versatility.
"The Avensis Verso is a very smart alternative for people who are not comfortable with the external size of a traditional people mover, or a 4x4. "It is part of a growing breed of versatile vehicles."
Toyota's light car, Echo, epitomised the new wave of versatile hatches.
That same versatility was a major factor in the success of vehicles like RAV4.
Avensis Verso, however, established new standards.
Its ability to provide seating for just two people with a voluminous rear cargo area set it aside from most other dual purpose vehicles.
Underfloor storage of quite large items maximised its capacity.
Mr Conomos said Avensis Verso provided a guide to the passenger vehicle of the future.
"Versatility of cabin space will increasingly become an issue," he said.
"Already split fold seats and long object access from the boot through to the passenger space are a much sought feature.
"The ingenuity displayed in Avensis Verso is a good indication of the composition of future vehicles."
PEOPLE MOVER MARKET OUTLOOK REMAINS STRONG
Demand for people movers could potentially achieve a new all time record this year.
People mover demand last year culminated in a record 11,736 deliveries.
This year the market is running one percent up (YTD October), although on an annualised basis it will finish 200 behind last year's record.
A pre-holiday season rush, quite common for the people mover market, could push sales beyond last year.
Toyota expects to claim about 25 percent of total sales, largely on strength of demand for its Tarago.
More than 170,000 people movers have been sold in Australia since 1983 and more than 40 percent have been Tarago.
Taking the smaller Toyota Spacia and its predecessor the LiteAce into account, Toyota has claimed one in two people mover sales since the market segment was created.
In 1994 combined sales of Tarago and Spacia peaked at 65 percent of the 7,065 people movers delivered.
"The people mover market has held up particularly strongly in the wake of the 2000 Olympic Games," Toyota senior executive vice-president John Conomos said.
"There had been an expectation of a peak pull-through of sales to meet Olympic needs, but demand has remained strong.
"Essentially however the market has changed in that there is more demand amongst private buyers and for smaller multi-purpose vehicles.
"Upper level people movers last year made up 62 percent of all deliveries in the category.
"This year (YTD Oct) they comprise 54 percent.
"There has been a definite trend towards the medium MPV."
PEOPLE MOVERS HAVE PROUD HERITAGE
Toyota is credited with coining the phrase People Mover in Australia in 1983.
The company launched Tarago in that year as the first purpose-built multiple people carrier.
In 1990 it released the second series Tarago as the first people mover with a chassis not shared even in part with a commercial vehicle.
More than 1.3 million of that vehicle and its subsequent third generation, launched in June 2000, have now been delivered internationally.
The respected annual Automobile Year credits designer Marco Revelli de Beumont with the development of the earliest people movers.
"In 1939 he conceived a project for a sedan with a rear engine and three rows of seats," it said.
"In the following year he designed a remarkable one box taxi, developing it in 1941 into projects for taxis with electric motors and front wheel drive.
"Revelli's influence could be seen immediately after World War II in the creation of utility vehicles and their MPV derivatives, particularly by DKW and VW."
Automobile Year claims Revelli was a major influence on Fiat designer Dante Giacoso, and Giacoso's Fiat 600 Multipla was in turn the inspiration for Japanese constructors, the publication said.
Ten years ago Automobile Year hailed people movers as 'the shape of family cars to come.'
It said the most astonishing aspect of the multi-purpose vehicle was the length of time it had taken manufacturers throughout the world to realise the potential of the layout.
Toyota first launched Avensis Verso in Japan as an Ipsum in 1996. It has been sold in Europe as a Picnic.
More than 400,000 Avensis Versos have already been built and sold.
The new Avensis Verso is based on an Avensis chassis - a platform midway between a Corolla and Camry.
NEW AVENSIS DESIGNED IN EUROPE
Toyota's new Avensis Verso was styled at the same European-based design studio that created Toyota Echo and Lexus SC 430.
The chief engineer of Toyota Avensis, Mr Noboru Kato, said he wanted to create a vehicle that would allow comfortable travel for up to seven people, yet was more sophisticated and more fun to drive and own than the competitors.
"For the exterior of Avensis, I asked four design companies to make a proposal for the Avensis Verso - three Toyota-linked companies in Japan and Toyota's European design studio ED2 on the Cote d'Azur," he said.
"In the end, the proposal from ED2 was selected, as it gave the image of solidity and robustness that we were looking for - to provide more appeal for male drivers.
Avensis Verso's key exterior features include its low Cd, bold sculptured front end, large multi-reflector headlamps and image of low centre of gravity.
The multi-reflector halogen headlamps have large and small parabolic reflectors, and a clear lens.
The new Avensis Verso has a long wheelbase and short overhangs, to maximise interior space within a compact exterior.
It is offered in a range of eight exterior colours.
High-grade Ultima has the additional features of front foglamps, 16-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass and roof rails.
AVENSIS DESIGNED FOR MAXIMUM VERSATILITY
Toyota's new Avensis Verso was designed for maximum interior flexibility.
Its seven seats can be configured in 18 possible combinations, according to passenger and cargo needs.
The seats can be configured in any of these 18 combinations without removing the third-row seats from the vehicle.
This means owners are never caught with the dilemma of needing to seat six or seven people when the third-row seat is home in the garage.
Avensis Verso's seven seats consist of front bucket seats, a 60/40 split second-row seat with fold-down armrest and a 50/50 split third-row seat.
The second and third-row seats can be folded to form a flat floor space, with tie-down hooks to secure loads.
The front seats fully recline; the second-row seats recline and fold flat (with the seat cushion tumbling forward) and the third-row seats fold flat.
Only one other entrant in the class offers flat-folding third-row seats - and Toyota has the advantage of a more user-friendly folding mechanism.
The second row/rear seats have integrated child restraint anchorage points.
HIGH CLASS INTERIOR FOR AVENSIS
Toyota's new Avensis Verso has a high-class interior, designed to maximise utility and comfort.
Interior space has been maximised - while offering optimum front, rear and side-impact protection.
High hip points and large door apertures make for ease of entry and exit.
Avensis Verso's two-tone interior was designed for a feeling of space, quality, comfort and style.
Ergonomic features include tilt-adjustable steering and 43.9mm of height adjustment for the driver's seat.
The front bucket seats have Lexus-developed S-shaped springs in the seat backs, for optimum back support.
The cabin is designed with a flat-floor and dashboard mounted auto gearshift lever, to provide walk-through access from the front to the second-row seats.
High-grade features include woodgrain accents in Ultima, a sculptured design and fabric covering for the quarter trim, formed front carpets, mat-type rear carpets and an electric tailgate release.
Interior features include easy-to-read backlit instruments and an ergonomic layout for all switches and controls, including the audio system.
Avensis Verso has user-friendly high-mounted audio systems.
The GLX models have a 1.4 DIN Tuner/CD unit with 140 Watts of peak power and six speakers.
High-grade Ultima has a 2 DIN 3-in-1 audio system.
Satellite navigation is optionally available for GLX automatic and Ultima, and offered as a dealer-fit option on GLX manual.
The DVD-based satellite navigation system is an AXV (audio-visual with external navigation processor) head unit, with radio, cassette and single CD player.
The system has a 6.5-inch touch screen for satellite navigation and audio control functions.
Avensis Verso has an impressive range of storage locations.
Locations include a 6.6-litre glovebox, 2.0-litre upper dashboard box, 1.7-litre centre console box, a concealed storage box in the centre console, a box on the right-hand side of the steering column, handbag hook, four full-length (street directory size) door pockets, six cup holders and four PET-size bottle holders.
The second-row seat has an integral centre armrest, with two moulded cupholders.
In addition, Avensis Verso has a unique 132-litre storage box under the rear luggage area floor.
The rear luggage floor is 330mm above the ground, for easy loading of heavy items.
Avensis Verso has a luggage area tonneau cover for greater luggage security.
The tonneau cover can be stowed in a storage box under the rear floor when not in use.
AVENSIS DESIGNED FOR OPTIMUM PACKAGE EFFICIENCY
Toyota's new Avensis Verso was designed for maximum package efficiency and interior space.
It uses the now standard Toyota design philosophy of a long wheelbase, short overhangs and an upright seating position, to maximise interior space within a compact exterior.
The long wheelbase/short overhang design also optimises ride and steering response.
The compact overall length maximises manoeuvrability in the city.
The new Avensis Verso is 125mm shorter than Camry wagon, but 155mm longer in the wheelbase.
Turning radius is 5.5 metres (kerb), thanks to a large front wheel turning angle.
High hip points and wide door opening angles provide easy entry and exit.
Avensis Verso has an overall length of 4650mm, a width of 1760mm and an overall height of 1675mm for GLX model and 1725mm for Ultima.
It has a wheelbase of 2825mm, front track of 1505mm and rear track of 1500mm.
These dimensions give Avensis Verso a larger footprint on the road than Carens, Zafira, Nimbus and Starwagon.
Floor height has been kept low by using compact torsion-beam rear suspension with compact coil springs mounted on the trailing arms.
The floor is flat to provide walk-through access from the first to the second row seats.
Inside, Avensis Verso has a length of 2755mm, a height of 1250mm (1200mm with moonroof) and a width of 1505mm.
It has 1048mm of front headroom.
Luggage space behind the rear seat (measured by the VDA method) is 301 litres.
In addition, Avensis Verso has a 132-litre under-floor rear storage box.
The spare tyre is housed under the front passenger seat, to provide maximum cargo area in the rear.
AVENSIS HAS LOW cD
Toyota's new Avensis Verso has smooth aerodynamics, for maximum fuel economy and low wind noise.
Seven-seat Avensis Verso has a passenger-car like 0.30 coefficient of drag.
Attention has been paid to flush surfacing, and smoothing airflow under and over the vehicle, to minimise wind noise.
Underbody aerodynamic measures include spats ahead of the front wheels, to direct airflow around the tyres, and a flat floor to smooth airflow under the vehicle.
Overbody aerodynamic measures include a low bonnet line, wedge-shaped mudguards and a high windscreen rake, to better direct airflow over the vehicle.
Avensis Verso's 124mm high by 176mm wide exterior mirrors were designed to minimise turbulence and drag, and hence minimise wind noise.
The door mirror design places the mirror surrounds parallel to the side of the vehicle, with a deep groove between the mirror and its support.
Special attention has been paid to minimising body gaps, particularly the bonnet/mudguard gaps, and virtually eliminating height offsets between the glass and the pillars.
AVENSIS BODY DESIGNED TO MAXIMISE RIGIDITY
The Toyota Avensis Verso body was designed to maximise rigidity and crash worthiness, while meeting strict weight targets.
The strong body also contributes to optimum active safety and handling, and low NVH.
The highly rigid body provides a stable platform for Avensis Verso's long-travel all-coil suspension package.
Toyota is an acknowledged world leader in body design.
Avensis Verso's new body structure makes extensive use of high-strength steel - to achieve a high ratio of strength and rigidity versus weight.
Thicker steel is used only in sections requiring additional rigidity.
High-tensile steel is used in key areas, including the chassis rails, longitudinal floor channels, rocker panels, front door surrounds, doors, side intrusion beams, main floor cross members and longitudinal members, front bumper reinforcement and the bonnet.
The body has been reinforced and gussetted to maximise rigidity and minimise NVH.
Avensis Verso's body reinforcements include:
• a reinforcing plate on the rocker panels
• spot-welding the front suspension towers to the cowl
• gussets between the front part of the suspension towers, the cowl and the upper member to significantly increase lateral rigidity
• increased steel sheet thickness in the upper quarter pillars
• gussets on the right-side quarter wheel housing
• three-way construction for the rear pillar reinforcement to improve rigidity
• a dash panel reinforcement and full-width dash panel cross member, to reduce NVH.
Avensis Verso has a full-width dash panel silencer.
The rear wheel housings also have a sandwich panel construction.
Anti-corrosion steel is used for virtually the entire body (except the roof and some interior panels) to ensure longevity.
AVENSIS HAS EIGHT EXTERIOR COLOURS
Toyota's new Avensis Verso is offered in eight exterior colours.
All models have colour-keyed bumpers, for a high-quality feel.
The colour choices are: Glacier White, Sterling Silver, Ruby Red, Racing Green, and Cascade Blue - and the new-to-Toyota colours of Tempest Grey, Gold Shimmer and Sea Spray.
All eight exterior colours are matched to an Ivory interior colour.
AVENSIS HAS VVTi ENGINE
Toyota's new Avensis Verso has an advanced all-alloy VVTi-equipped engine.
The all-alloy Toyota 1AZ-FE engine provides the performance of a larger-capacity engine, coupled with exceptional fuel economy and low emissions, and light weight.
Toyota's 1AZ-FE engine has been proved in Australia in RAV4.
Avensis Verso is one of two vehicles in its class with variable valve timing.
However, the more sophisticated intelligent Toyota system (VVTi) offers infinitely variable inlet valve timing over a range of 50 degrees (relative to crankshaft angle).
In addition to VVTi, leading-edge technical features include full sequential fuel injection, multi-hole injectors in the inlet ports, an offset crankshaft and two-stage exhaust.
The 1998cm3 Avensis Verso engine delivers 110kW of power at 6000rpm and 192Nm of torque at 4000rpm.
Weight-saving features include the alloy block and cylinder head, casting ancillary brackets into the block, and adopting a magnesium-alloy die-cast cylinder head cover.
Toyota has adopted leading-edge engine technology throughout, for maximum fuel and package efficiency coupled with optimum serviceability, low NVH and low emissions.
Features of the Avensis Verso engine include:
• a water-heated throttle body, to prevent the throttle body freezing up in cold conditions
• compact, all-alloy construction for the cylinder head and engine block, for maximum thermal efficiency and minimum weight.
• a horizontally split crankcase/ladder type main bearing cap, for maximum rigidity, and hence high durability and reduced NVH
• in-built mountings in the block and bearing cap for ancillaries such as the water pump, thermostat, oil filter and air conditioner compressor - to improve package efficiency and reduce service weight
• passage holes in the crankshaft bearing area of the block, to reduce pumping losses within the engine and hence boost power
• a fully balanced crankshaft and high-strength connecting rods with plastic region tightening bolts, for optimum rigidity with low reciprocating weight
• the crankshaft centre line is offset to the thrust side, to reduce friction and hence maximise torque
• a square bore and stroke relationship of 86.0mm by 86.0mm, to boost torque
• a compression ratio of 9.8:1, to maximise power across the range on regular ULP
• low reciprocating mass, lightweight valve-train components, and low- friction pistons and piston rings, to maximise fuel efficiency
• a Twin Cam Multi-valve cylinder head, for maximum engine breathing efficiency
• variable valve timing with intelligence (VVTi), to optimise performance across the engine revolution range and minimise emissions
• a long-branch inlet system with resonator, to maximise low-to-mid range torque. The inlet system is made of plastic, to reduce heat transfer from the engine to the inlet charge and hence increase volumetric efficiency
• sequential fuel injection with 12-hole injector nozzles mounted in the inlet ports, for maximum fuel atomisation and reduced wall wetting - and hence reduced hydrocarbon emissions
• a hot-wire L-type air flow meter for the EFI, for more accurate air- flow measurement and hence more accurate fuel/air mixing
• double-walled stainless steel extractor-style exhaust headers, for maximum performance and durability, and lower emissions
• a short path from the exhaust ports to the catalytic converters, to improve catalytic converter performance and hence reduce emissions. The catalytic converter has thinner walls to further improve heat-up rate.
• a two-stage muffler (as debuted in the Lexus range) to improve engine performance
• an engine-ECU controlled cooling fan, for optimum cooling efficiency and reduced engine load.
Additional fuel, emission saving technology includes computer engine management, individual Toyota Direct Ignition for each of the four cylinders and electronic spark advance with a knock control system.
The Engine ECU determines the spark advance - the only tune-up variation is valve clearance adjustment.
Further serviceability improvements include multiplex engine diagnostics (which can detect a malfunction and memorise details of the failure), a vertically installed oil filter and adoption of chain drive to the camshafts.
The 8mm pitch roller cam chain has a lubricating oil jet and auto tensioner.
Increased Driveability:
Toyota has developed a special throttle body to boost driveability.
The spherical-plated throttle valve allows for easy accelerator pedal control and improved acceleration feel.
The throttle of the 1AZ-FE engine has an additional spherical plate on one half of the butterfly valve.
This creates a spherical curve in the relationship between throttle opening angle and intake air volume - to improve driveability in the initial phase of throttle opening.
Offset Crankshaft:
The Toyota 1AZ-FE engine crankshaft is offset 10mm to the thrust side of the cylinder bore centre line.
This reduces the side force generated at maximum compression, for reduced friction and maximum torque.
Toyota calculates the offset crankshaft configuration reduces fuel consumption by between one and three percent.
Twin Cam Multi-valve:
The Avensis engine has an aluminium alloy cylinder head to achieve maximum thermal efficiency.
The cylinder head has two overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder.
The twin cam design provides for direct valve actuation, which minimises valve train inertia and allows for optimum cam profiles.
It results in more positive actuation and less free play.
Toyota employs four valves per cylinder on all its passenger car engines to increase intake valve area (and hence engine breathing) and reduce valve inertia compared with a two-valve design with equivalent intake area.
The four-valves per cylinder concept also allows for a more efficient combustion chamber, with a central spark plug.
The four-valve design also allows the engine designer to employ milder valve timing, while still achieving full cylinder filling.
The Toyota 1AZ-FE engine has vertical intake ports, to further boost engine breathing.
The fuel injection nozzles are located in the inlet ports, to prevent wall wetting and fuel adhesion to the walls of the port, thereby reducing hydrocarbon emissions.
The 1AZ-FE engine has a compact cylinder head design, with an included valve angle of 27.5 degrees, for maximum efficiency.
The 27.5 degree included valve angle improves engine breathing and allows space for chain drive to the two camshafts.
Cylinder-Head Design:
Avensis Verso's compression ratio has been set at 9.8:1, for optimum combustion efficiency and power output across the revolution range.
The combustion chambers employ a slanted (oblique) squish design, to improve thermal efficiency and reduce the chance of engine knock (pre-ignition).
The squish angle has been shaped obliquely along the wall surface of the combustion chamber, improving airflow, promoting swirl and speeding flame travel.
Service weight of the Avensis Verso engine is 123Kg man trans and 117 automatic transmission.
AVENSIS MAXIMISES ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLINESS
Toyota has designed Avensis Verso for optimum fuel economy, low emissions and high recyclability, to maximise environmental friendliness.
Fuel consumption has been optimised - thereby minimising CO2 production.
Avensis Verso manual has AS2877 city cycle fuel economy of 9.0 litres / 100km (31.3mpg) and highway cycle economy of 6.2 litres /100km (45.6mpg).
Avensis Verso meets the performance requirements of a Low Emission Vehicle under the California Air Research Board criteria.
Air conditioner load has been minimised by using ultra-violet/infra-red filtering side window glass.
Fuel-saving and emission-reducing technical innovations include Avensis Verso's 0.30 Cd, special attention to saving weight, VVTi-equipped engine, direct ignition, precision fuel injection timing and a non-return type fuel system (to reduce evaporative emissions).
The Avensis Verso engine has two air/fuel ratio sensors in the exhaust headers, to achieve a precise stoichiometric (14.7:1) air-fuel mixture. The 1AZ-FE engine's three-way catalytic converters are located directly downstream of the exhaust headers, for fast light-off and maximum efficiency.
Special features of Avensis Verso's catalytic converter include:
• optimal shape (large diameter, short body) to reduce exhaust resistance and hence maximise power and torque
• non-expanding substrate for the catalyst to achieve high heat resistance and hence increased efficiency
• thinner substrate walls to ensure faster heating and hence reduced hydrocarbons after cold starting.
Lower Emissions:
Avensis Verso's exhaust emissions are a fraction of the mandated Australian Design Rule standards.
Avensis Verso's hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions are one eighth of the ADR levels.
Its oxides of nitrogen emissions are one quarter of the ADR standard.
Evaporative emissions have been reduced to one eighth of the ADR standard by adopting a non-return fuel system.
Avensis Verso is highly recyclable.
Fully recyclable Toyota Super Olefin Polymer is used for the bumpers, cowl top ventilator louvre, virtually all the dashboard panel, the pillar garnishes, the upper portion of the door lining and the front portion of the luggage box surround.
Highly recyclable Thermoplastic Olefin is used for the passenger SRS airbag cover.
Recycled materials are used in the mudguard protectors and sound insulation panels.
The amount of lead in Avensis Verso has been reduced to one fifth of that found in superseded Toyota Picnic.
The main lead-free parts are the radiator core, heater core and wiring harness coating.
TWO NEW TRANSMISSIONS FOR AVENSIS
Toyota's Avensis Verso has the choice of two transmissions, including a new high-efficiency electronically controlled four-speed automatic transaxle.
Avensis Verso is offered with the choice of a five-speed overdrive manual or intelligent automatic transmission.
Avensis Verso's manual transmission offers high-quality shift feel and low service weight.
Shift feel has been optimised by adopting a mass damper on the shift and select shaft, and a rolling-type lock-ball assembly.
Avensis Verso manual has triple-cone synchromesh on the first-second shift, for smoother shifting and reduced shift effect.
Double-cone synchromesh has been adopted for reverse gear, to minimise gear-engagement noise.
The Toyota E356 transmission has ratios of: 1st, 3.833; 2nd, 2.045; 3rd, 1.333; 4th, 1.028; 5th, 0.775 and reverse, 3.583.
It is matched to a 4.235:1 final drive ratio.
Low-Friction Automatic:
Avensis Verso automatic has Toyota's new-generation U241F intelligent, low-friction transmission.
The U241F transmission offers significant driveability, efficiency and comfort advantages.
It reduces shift lag compared with a conventional automatic transmission to achieve improved response.
The U241F transaxle has the efficiency advantages of Toyota's latest low-friction technology and the smoothness of electronic control.
Avensis Verso also has the new generation Toyota automatic transmission features of an auto transmission fluid warmer to improve fuel economy and a momentary switch on the Overdrive button.
The Momentary switch automatically resets the Overdrive switch to ON when the engine is restarted - so the vehicle is in fuel-saving mode. The new Avensis Verso transmission also saves on weight and package space.
Toyota has also adopted clutch-to-clutch pressure control, reducing the number of brakes from four to three and the number of one-way clutches from three to two.
Eliminating one brake and one one-way clutch significantly improves package efficiency and reduces weight.
The adoption of Toyota's Super ECT electronic control gives Avensis Verso automatic a range of additional features. These include torque control during shifting (to minimise shift shock) and N to D squat control and A/T shift lock.
Other features of the U241F transaxle include:
• clutch-to-clutch pressure control, for the 3-4 and 4-3 shifts, to provide smoother shifting. There is no need for back-pressure chambers on the accumulators and hence the accumulators can be more compact.
• a centrifugal fluid pressure cancelling mechanism in the C1, C2 and C3 clutches, for the 2-3 and 3-4 changes. The new mechanism improves shift response and smoothness
• line-pressure optimal control, using a solenoid valve to match line pressure to engine torque. It promotes smooth shifting and optimises the workload on the U241F's new, more compact and efficient oil pump. • clutch pressure optimal control using a solenoid valve to minutely control the clutch pressure according to engine torque and driving conditions - for smoother shifting.
The combination of the centrifugal fluid pressure cancelling mechanism and clutch pressure optimal control provides smooth shifting and reduces shift-lag time for improved response.
The U241F shares an ECU with the 1AZ-FE engine.
The ECU uses input on engine speed, crankshaft angle, water temperature, throttle position, the neutral start switch, vehicle speed, input turbine speed, stop light switch (brake actuation), transmission fluid temperature and transmission control switch (4th-gear switch) to provide optimum driveability.
The Toyota U241F transmission has ratios of: 1st, 3.943; 2nd, 2.197; 3rd, 1.413; 4th 1.020 and reverse, 3.120.
It is matched to a 3.120:1 final drive ratio.
Drive shaft durability has been optimised by adopting tripod-type inner CVJs and Rzeppa-type outer CVJs.
Dynamic dampers have been included on the right-hand drive shaft and the left-hand drive shaft of automatic models, to reduce NVH.
AVENSIS HAS LONG-TRAVEL SUSPENSION
Toyota's new Avensis Verso has long-travel coil-spring suspension all round.
The combination of Avensis Verso's highly rigid body, long wheelbase/short overhang design and long-travel suspension gives a European handling flavour, with optimum straight-line stability, handling, steering feel, ride comfort and NVH.
Avensis Verso has a large footprint on the road for its overall dimensions.
It has a wheelbase of 2825mm, front track of 1505mm and rear track of 1500mm.
Avensis Verso has MacPherson-strut front suspension and torsion-beam rear suspension with toe-correcting bushes.
Improved Front Suspension:
The long-travel MacPherson-strut front suspension has wide-based L-shaped lower arms to maximise suspension rigidity and provide crisp steering response.
The springs are offset on the damper bodies, to prevent stiction (sticking friction).
The MacPherson-strut damper units are gas-filled to provide consistent damper performance.
The stabiliser bar is ball-jointed, to reduce uncontrolled body roll.
Avensis Verso has linear control valve dampers, which debuted in Australia on the Celica sports car.
The linear control valve ensures that changes to damping force are constant at low damper velocities.
This reduces body roll and smoothes vehicle response to steering input.
The damping force reduces at medium and high damper velocities, to reduce vehicle vibration on rough road surfaces.
The linear control valve consists of a C-valve, a cut-out valve and a leaf valve. These valves have a laminated construction and form orifices.
At low damper velocities, the damper fluid flows through the cut-outs of the valves to achieve a linear damping force.
At medium and high damper velocities, the valves flex to increase the volume of fluid flow, thereby reducing damper force.
The front suspension geometry includes anti-dive and anti-lift - to reduce pitching under braking and acceleration and to improve ride comfort.
NVH counter-measures include an anti-vibration subframe and two-path upper suspension mounts, to isolate the body from road shock. New Rear Suspension:
Toyota's rear suspension is a trailing torsion beam axle with 220mm of wheel stroke.
The torsion beam is a compact system that saves on weight and intrusion into the body.
Benefits of the torsion beam system also include a built-in stabiliser bar and minimal camber change during cornering.
It consists of a U-shaped torsion beam and two long trailing arms.
Two coil springs and low-pressure gas-filled dampers control the rear suspension.
The stabiliser bar is housed within the U-shaped beam.
The rear springs are mounted on the trailing arms, to allow for a low floor height in the vehicle.
The rear suspension has special toe-correcting bushings and anti-lift geometry - for increased driving stability and ride comfort.
The rear suspension design includes a dynamic damper bushing, to reduce road noise.
Avensis Verso GLX has 15-inch steel wheels with 205/65 R15 tyres.
Luxury grade Ultima has 16-inch six-spoke alloy wheels with 205/60 R16 tyres.
COMPREHENSIVE NVH PACKAGE INCREASES COMFORT
Toyota's new Avensis Verso has a comprehensive NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) package, to maximise cabin comfort.
The NVH package begins with Avensis Verso's all-alloy engine, strong body and low coefficient of drag.
Avensis Verso's body has been extensively gussetted to minimise NVH. There are counter-vibration reinforcements in the dash panel, cowl, front suspension towers and rear wheel wells.
The dash panel has full-width horizontal bracing and a vertical brace, to reduce noise and vibration.
Avensis Verso has a full-width dash inner silencer panel, with wave felt and high-density sheet to maximise sound insulation.
The rear suspension pick-up points have been significantly reinforced to minimise road noise.
Vibration damping steel is used for the rear wheel housings. The sandwich-panel rear wheel housing reduces the noise and splashing sound of water thrown up by the wheels.
Special attention was paid to the development of Avensis Verso's weather seals, to minimise wind noise.
The weather seals include lips on the trailing edge of the fixed window glass and double-lipped inner weather strips along the belt line, to reduce wind noise.
Avensis Verso has double-layered felt sound insulation (plastic and asphalt) over the entire floor, to absorb noise.
The floor silencer and the dash insulation are made of recycled materials, to reduce environmental impact.
Sound insulation material has been added to the inner portions of the dashboard and the openings on the dash panel, to absorb engine noise.
Sealant is used in the hollow body parts to prevent reverberation.
Avensis Verso makes extensive use of foam sound dams in body channel sections, to control high-frequency vibration and reverberation noise.
Avensis Verso's NVH counter-measures also include resin protectors in the upper part of the rocker panels, to eliminate noise from water splash as well as protecting the body from stone chipping.
Two-layer weather strips are used on the front and rear doors, to improve sound insulation.
A lip has been incorporated between the rear of the front side glass and the door mirror to reduce wind noise.
Avensis Verso also has specially designed low-turbulence mirrors with a deep groove between the mirror and the door.
The engine has a resonator in the inlet tract, to reduce induction noise.
AVENSIS HAS IMPRESSIVE PASSIVE SAFETY
Toyota's new Avensis Verso has high levels of passive safety - for maximum occupant protection.
It has been offset deformable barrier collision tested at 64km/h and full-lap frontal collision tested at 55km/h - well in excess of the Australian Design Rule Standard.
Avensis Verso's comprehensive passive safety package begins with its body, which was designed using the Toyota Global Outstanding Assessment (GOA) process.
In the GOA process, Toyota looks at all current and proposed safety legislation, then designs the body to exceed foreseeable safety demands.
Avensis Verso's body design includes impact-absorbing structures for front, rear and side collision impacts, and a reinforced central safety cell.
Special features of the frontal impact absorbing structures include crushable boxes for the bumper reinforcements, to absorb the energy of minor collisions and hence minimise repair costs.
Avensis Verso's body structure also includes:
• tailored steel for the front side members, to increase the energy absorbing potential of the front crushable structure
• floor cross members to disperse side collision energy
• U-cross section rocker-panel reinforcements that run from the base of the front pillars to the centre pillar, to reduce deformation of the rocker panels in an OBD type collision
• front pillars pressed from tailored steel, to minimise deformation caused by the front wheels in an OBD collision
• tailored steel upper and lower portions for the centre pillars, to minimise cabin deformation at the beltline
• differential-thickness steel sheet in the aft end of the rear side members and rear side member plates, to provide controlled deformation
• two rear cross members at the rear side members, to prevent the side members opening outward in a rear collision
• and roof side reinforcements from the fixed rear side windows to the aft side of the centre pillar, to maintain cabin integrity.
Avensis Verso's side-impact absorbing structure includes overlapping side impact beams in the doors with the pillars, to disperse side collision energy.
Inside Avensis Verso's central safety cell, standard equipment includes dual SRS airbag, and front seatbelt pretensions with forcelimiters.
High-grade Avensis Verso Ultima has the added features of front-seat mounted side airbags and front seat side curtain-shield airbags.
The A, B, C and D pillars, and the roof inner rails have head impact protection structures (HIP) to absorb energy in the event of a head strike.
Additional passive safety features in Avensis Verso include whiplash injury lessening (WIL) front seatbacks, its mid-mounted fuel tank location (rather than exposed at the rear of the vehicle) and retracting pedals - to help prevent the pedals intruding into the driver's foot space in a front collision.
AVENSIS HAS IMPRESSIVE ACTIVE SAFETY
The new Toyota Avensis Verso has high levels of active safety - for maximum accident avoidance potential.
Avensis Verso has a comprehensive package of active safety equipment.
Four-wheel disc brakes and four-channel/four-sensor ABS with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist are standard equipment.
Night vision has been optimised by adopting large dual-lamp multi-reflector headlamps, large rear combination lamps and infra-red and ultra-violet filtering glass - to provide the benefits of tinting while retaining night vision.
Avensis Verso's active safety platform is built on its highly rigid body and new suspension.
The vehicle has a large footprint on the road, with a long wheelbase and wide rear track.
High-grade suspension and steering hardware have been used throughout, with long wheel travel, linear control valve dampers and a ball-joint mounted front stabiliser bar.
Additional active safety features include anti-jam protection on all power windows, front foglamps on Ultima grade models, and an auto transmission shift lock.
DUAL AIR CONDITIONING COMES STANDARD
Toyota's new seven-seat Avensis Verso has push-button controlled dual air conditioning as standard equipment.
Dual air conditioning is not available on many of the competitor vehicles - including Holden Zafira, Kia Carens, Mitsubishi Nimbus and Mitsubishi Starwagon GL.
Avensis Verso's air conditioning is a true dual system.
It has a separate rear evaporator and separate rear controls.
The controls are located in the roof, just behind the driver - within reach of the driver but out of the reach of young children.
Avensis Verso's air conditioning system includes a pollen filter, an anti-mist mechanism for the windscreen and the latest technology to maximise efficiency and save space.
The cooler unit uses a compact, lightweight multi-tank super slim structure evaporator.
The front heater/cooler unit has a compact design, to maximise front passenger foot room.
Overhead directional vents in the second and third row seats allow occupants to direct airflow accordingly.
ANTI-JAM PROTECTION ON ALL AVENSIS VERSO WINDOWS
Toyota's new Avensis Verso has the breakthrough feature of anti-jam protection on all power windows.
Avensis Verso has power windows front and rear.
All four windows have one-touch up and anti-jam protection.
The anti-jam protection automatically stops the window and moves it downward if a foreign object is caught between the window and the door frame during one-touch auto-up operation.
The power windows are controlled via the body ECU.
Avensis Verso's key-off function includes a 43-second delay after the ignition key is removed from the lock to allow for window closing.
ADVANCED FOUR-WHEEL DISC BRAKE PACKAGE
Toyota's new Avensis Verso has an advanced four-wheel disc brake package, for optimum active safety.
Avensis Verso has ABS with electronic brake force distribution and Brake Assist as standard equipment.
No other vehicle in the people mover class offers Brake Assist.
The brake package includes large-diameter discs front and rear.
To achieve a low price, the entry level Korean people movers and the Mitsubishi Starwagon do not offer ABS or four wheel disc brakes.
The rotor dimensions are 275mm x 28mm (ventilated) front and 291mm by 12mm rear.
Avensis Verso has a long-stroke master cylinder and 10-inch single brake booster, to optimise brake feel.
A double-link brake pedal provides positive feedback and further increases pedal feel.
Brake Assist:
Brake Assist is designed to assist the driver in an emergency braking situation - where the driver cannot apply the high pedal force required to obtain the shortest possible braking distance.
It is a flow-down from the Lexus range.
Brake Assist interprets a quick, hard push of the brake pedal as emergency braking.
Brake Assist supplements the braking power applied if the driver has not pushed hard enough on the brake pedal.
The Toyota system measures the speed and the force with which the pedal is pushed to determine whether the driver is attempting to brake rapidly.
The system then applies additional hydraulic pressure, to maximise braking performance.
The timing and degree of braking assistance are designed to ensure the driver does not discern anything unusual in the braking operation.
The system reduces the amount of assistance it provides when the driver intentionally eases the pressure on the pedal. Brake assist in this way allows the driver to modulate braking forces.
The Toyota system means the driver can tailor the duration and severity of hard braking to suit the demands of sports driving or a potential accident situation.
Electronic Brake Force Distribution:
Electronic brake force distribution (EBD) is a sophisticated replacement for the conventional load sensing and proportioning by-pass valve.
It varies the front to rear brake bias depending on vehicle load.
The system functions electronically rather than mechanically, via a new algorithm in the ABS electronic control unit.
TOUCH-SCREEN DVD-BASED SAT NAV IS AN OPTION
Toyota's new Avensis Verso has the option of touch-screen DVD-based satellite navigation - for easier in-vehicle navigation in all Australian cities.
The touch-screen satellite navigation system is a $3,800 option on GLX automatic and Ultima, and a dealer-fit option on GLX manual.
Some aftermarket suppliers charge a similar price for vastly inferior CD-based, remote controlled systems with an intrusive, low quality screen.
Avensis Verso's satellite navigation system is an audio replacement AVX-type (audio-visual and external navigation) system, with radio/cassette, single CD, fold-down screen and touch-screen menu selection.
Toyota satellite navigation system uses breakthrough DVD data storage for the first time.
DVD allows faster route calculation and recalculation.
A single DVD disc contains road map data of major capitals and primary national roadworks as well as offering some coverage of regional cities equivalent to 16 street directories costing $600 and weighing 16 kilograms.
The new system is the first to offer touch screen control, which is claimed to provide simple entry of route instructions.
A dual-map function can provide both a route overview and a close-up of the turns.
The system also has a user-friendly route preview function.
Toyota's Sat Nav system provides for multi-destination input.
Additional destinations can be added to the route at any time while the vehicle is stationary.
As well as adding destinations, the user can re-order the destinations/waypoints.
The in-dash display has provision to be oriented like a hard copy map. It can point to the north or to the direction of travel as a means of easing driver recognition.
Voice instructions clearly tell the driver about upcoming intersections and other turns.
The DVD allows both the map and the voice to quickly recalibrate and continue to the destination even if the driver misses a turn.
Features include a "points of interest library" which offers a large menu of tourist attractions, restaurants, hotels, shops, community services and amusements.
A driver can also pre-program up to 106 locations.
