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Your Daily Automobile updates From Around The World [img]  [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [img]( [The Automobile News]( [Toyota Introduces Leasing And Subscription Service In India]( Toyota is offering select models including the Glanza and Innova Crysta under this programme - Toyota Kirloskar Motor has introduced its leasing and subscription programme in Delhi/NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai in the first phase. - The carmaker has stated that it will expand to ten more cities within a year from launch. - To put this into action, Toyota has tied up with Kinto under Toyota financial services, ALD Automotive India and SMAS Auto Leasing India. - Customers have the option of choosing a tenure ranging from three to five years on a fixed monthly fee on lease. This fee will include vehicle maintenance, insurance, and roadside assistance. - Toyota is also offering a short-term usage plan of 24 to 48 months. - The models available for subscription and leasing include the Glanza, Yaris, Innova Crysta, Fortuner, and the upcoming Urban Cruiser. Here’s the full press release from the carmaker: Toyota Kirloskar Motor launches an all-new Mobility Service from Toyota in India Offering both corporate leasing and individual subscriptions to its customers - Toyota’s Mobility Service – a new initiative by Toyota Kirloskar Motor, to offer leasing and subscription service - Phase wise launch of leasing and subscription service across major cities; to start with Delhi NCR, Bangalore and Mumbai in the first phase & top ten cities within the first year - Customer convenience as corporates can choose vehicles of their choice for a tenure of three to five years on a fixed monthly fee - For subscription, customers can opt for short term usage of 24 months to 48 months Bangalore, August 18, 2020: Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) today announced the launch of its all-new car leasing and subscription program in India through a new vertical, Toyota’s Mobility Service (TMS) that will spearhead TKM’s future mobility initiatives in India. To start with, Toyota’s Mobility Service will provide leasing and subscription to customers in cities like Delhi-NCR, Bangalore and Mumbai and gradually expand it to ten more cities within the first year. To start with, TKM will partner with existing Brand “KINTO” under Toyota Financial Services, ALD Automotive India & SMAS Auto Leasing India Pvt Ltd. Under this new initiative, customers can pick cars of their choice for a tenure of three to five years on a fixed monthly fee on lease. The monthly fee will be inclusive of vehicle maintenance, insurance and roadside assistance. For subscription, customers will have the flexibility to opt for short-term usage of 24 months to 48 months. Car leasing & subscription gives the convenience of ownership with added flexibilities. It also gives the customer to choose from a variety of products that TKM offers in India, including the Glanza, Yaris, Innova Crysta, Fortuner and the soon to be launched, Urban Cruiser. Commenting on the launch, Naveen Soni, Senior Vice President, Sales and Service, Toyta Kirloskar Motor, said, “The automotive industry globally is experiencing a ‘once-in-a-century’ profound transformation and it is imperative that we as automobile manufacturers, transform ourselves from a traditional car company to a mobility company. Be it product or services, as a customer-centric company, it has always been our endeavour to introduce products and services in line with the evolving customer needs. The role of Toyota’s Mobility Service is aimed at providing one such solution catering to emerging mobility needs of the customers. Both leasing and subscription are expected to grow significantly in the coming years. In time, we want to provide all possible models of mobility service by working closely with our corporate, fleet customers and subscribers to understand their needs and offer customized and futuristic solutions such as Mobility-as-a-Service and connected cars. However, there is a need to create more awareness among customers as they may not be cognizant of the many benefits. For instance, customers may not be aware that they can lease new vehicles as per their preferences – models, variants, maintenance packages. Further, the main advantage of corporate leasing is that it enables tax merit for corporate employees”, he continued. [Read more…]( [Read Full Story]( [Why Donald Trump wants ban on Goodyear Tire that helps run The Beast limousine]( - At the centre of the controversy is an image allegedly showing a Goodyear training slideshow saying clothing associated with conservative causes, including Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) slogan, is not allowed. - Incidentally, Trump’s presidential limousine, The Beast, uses Goodyear tires. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for a boycott of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co , accusing the Ohio-based company of “playing politics” by forbidding workers from donning the “Make America Great Again” caps favoured by his supporters. The Republican president, who is seeking a second term in office, told reporters he would swap out the Goodyear tires on his presidential limousine if there were an alternative. “Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS,” he wrote on Twitter, referring to his slogan “Make America Great Again” often emblazoned on baseball caps. “I’m not happy with Goodyear because what they’re doing is playing politics,” Trump said at a White House briefing. He said it was “disgraceful” that the company would prevent employees from wearing attire supporting the ‘Blue Lives Matter’ movement that supports law enforcement, while allowing support for other causes which he described as “Marxist” in nature. His press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany told reporters earlier that support for police officers was just as much an equity issue as the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, citing the targeting of police officers in cities around the country. Trump’s tweet followed a news report by WIBW, a CBS affiliate television station in Kansas, about a training session at Goodyear’s headquarters that discussed political attire. Goodyear, which had nearly $15 billion in revenue last year, said a widely circulated image that triggered the controversy was not created or distributed by the company’s corporate group. The image spelled out appropriate and inappropriate displays, with ‘Black Lives Matter’ and ‘Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride’ deemed acceptable, while ‘Blue Lives Matter’ and ‘MAGA Attire’ were not. “To be clear on our longstanding corporate policy, Goodyear has zero tolerance for any form of harassment or discrimination,” the company said in a statement. To enforce that policy, Goodyear said, it asks employees to avoid “workplace expressions in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party as well as similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of racial justice and equality issues.” Shares in Goodyear fell as much as 6% on Wednesday after the president’s tweet, but later pared some of the losses to close down trade down 2.4% at $9.50, with volume at four times the 10-day moving average. Goodyear is the largest tire company in North America. Its branded tires were on 24% of new vehicles in the United States in 2018, according to Tire Business, an industry publication. Democratic challenger Joe Biden said Trump’s comments showed that he viewed thousands of jobs at Goodyear as “collateral damage” in another of his “petty political grievances.” US Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, who represents Goodyear’s home state of Ohio, also criticised Trump’s comment. “It’s absolutely despicable that the President would call for a boycott of an American company, based in Akron, that employs thousands of US workers,” he wrote in a tweet. Trump, who is trailing Biden in opinion polls, will accept the Republican Party’s presidential nomination at the White House next week after a flurry of campaign stops this week. Trump dismissed the chance of any political or business fallout from his comments. He said he was confident that he was polling “very well” among Goodyear workers, adding, “I think you’ll be able to get another good job.” [Read more…]( [Read Full Story]( [2020 Lexus GX460 Review: The Daily Driven Off-Roader]( The 2020 Lexus GX 460 traces its roots to the Prado seeing as in 2002, Lexus decided to produce a luxurious version of the highly capable SUV. The original Land Cruiser can trace its roots back to 1950 when the United States government hired Toyota to produce a vehicle with similar specifications to the original Willys Jeep. The result birthed one of the world’s most successful line of off-roaders still in production almost 70 years later. In the mid-1980s, Toyota decided to build a smaller version of its iconic Land Cruiser, called the Land Cruiser Prado. This week’s tester, the 2020 Lexus GX 460 traces its roots to the Prado seeing as in 2002, Lexus decided to produce a luxurious version of the highly capable SUV. The one we are testing this week sticks to a very simple formula, a robust powerplant, a comfortable ride, and a body on frame design equally happy on the road or off the beaten path. Furthermore, the luxury carmaker is no stranger to building some of the most reliable cars on the market. This level of heritage and off-roading prowess comes at a price, however, which in this case is $71,000, so let’s see how this iconic machine fares as a daily driver. This second-generation GX 460 has been on the market since 2009 and Lexus has done their absolute best to try and keep the design looking fresh. Gone are the standard halogen headlights and small front grille design, replaced by Lexus’ enormous front end which most models share. Flanking its big mouth are two updated headlights equipped with LED daytime running lights. Outback, the changes are slightly more subtle but equally as effective. New tail lights as well as a redesigned rear bumper help spice up the overall aesthetic. Our tester came fitted with the optional Sport Design Package (a $2,020 option) which is responsible for these neat exterior touches. The standard GX looks significantly more dated without it so we suggest opting for it. While some SUV’s are all show and no go, this is certainly not one of them. The reason why all these new touches work so well has largely to do with the soft lines of the GX’s original design which have aged very well. This by no means looks like a 10-year-old vehicle from the outside, the inside, however, is another story. A Classy But Dated Cabin Transitioning to the inside of the 2020 Lexus GX immediately reveals its age. The interior remains largely unchanged, at least from a visual perspective, since its original release in 2009. The quality of the materials is certainly up to the standards expected of a Lexus and no intrusive rattles are depicting poor build quality. It just feels very dated, especially when looking at the center of the dashboard and the infotainment system which although has been updated, does not look it. Digging further into the infotainment reveals some extra gremlins, mainly to so with the navigation system which turned up a blank screen a couple of times while navigating Miami’s southern edge. It is also worthwhile mentioning that this 2020 model did not come equipped with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility. The major pluses in the interior were the large plush seats which were supremely comfortable and the nifty toggle switches for the off-roading components. Directly to the right of the shifter, you’ll find four switches that control your ride height, ride stiffness, four-wheel-drive mode, and a hill descent feature. This is where the GX’s goods come into play. The switches are very easy to use and allow you to control your off-roading experience with ease. A Heart That Won’t Stop Beating Speaking of goods, under the hood you’ll find an absolute peach of an engine. It’s a 4.6 liter V8 producing 301 horsepower and 329 pounds-feet of torque. These figures may not seem like much considering the 5,4000+ pound curb weight but it manages to be incredibly smooth and did not feel lacking in any scenario. That is not this powerplant’s party piece, however, in a world of hybrid, turbo, and overly complicated engines, this V8 is as simple as can be and promises to be one of the most reliable cars currently available. The Land Cruiser line has long been praised for being bulletproof and this Lexus aims to continue that tradition. 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