Would you buy a Prius if it had a sleeker design, 60 mpg, or e-4wd?

Recently Motortrend conducted a secret interview with an engineer of the Prius at Toyota and he divulged some secrets of the up and coming 2015 Prius. In an effort to expand our global reach, Toyota engineers are doing all three of the above. They have enhanced the performance of the Prius to attain a staggering and definite cost savings 60 MPG engine. They are also making it a much sleeker design which will increase our aerodynamics and efficiency! Lastly, they are creating an e-4WD which will make the 2015 Prius excellent during snowy driving conditions.

That all being said, which would make you more interested in the Prius?
Sleeker Design
60 Combined MPG
e-4WD

Check out our great selection of new Prius' we have in stock right now with up to $2,800 OFF MSRP on the new 2012 Prius (model 1223).

New Prius options click HERE
Pre-owned Prius options click HERE
Check out all of our new car specials HERE

www.ToyotaofWilmington.com

Toyota and Scion take the top two places in Reliability Study

Consumer Reports recently announced that Scion and Toyota took the top two spots in their annual reliability study. The study was based on consumer experiences with 1.2 million vehicles. Consumer Reports then uses the data to predict how well each new car model will hold up. Several brands that in the past few years have taken top spots found themselves on the bottom of the list now. We are so thrilled with the results. We have some fantastic new models and redesigns for the 2012 and 2013 year! We look forward to next year's study so we can show how we are able to stay on top!

Check out the Prius C which was found to be the MOST RELIABLE vehicle of ALL! Here at Hendrick Toyota Wilmington we have several Prius C's in stock as well as more than 50 of the Prius Liftbacks and Prius V (larger model Prius.) Right now our new Prius Liftbacks start at only $21,990. Check out our new vehicle specials including this one by clicking HERE.

Check out the article by clicking HERE.

2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid

We are so excited and have waited so long...it seems.
Customers are emailing in and calling each and every day.
November is right around the corner and then we will be so fortunate to get the 2013 Toyota Avalon.
All new re-design and re-launch of such a classic Toyota product that radiates elegance and endurance!

We are also very excited that along the side of the Avalon model will be the BRAND NEW 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid (pictured above.)

With these models along with all of our other products getting ready to make way for the 2013 model years, we are having our NATIONWIDE CLEARANCE EVENT through Toyota. This event is providing fantastic discounts right now including leases on new 2012 Camry's as low as $149/month, Prius models starting as low as $21,990 and Corolla's for only $13,990.

Check out our new vehicle specials HERE.

Check out our finance specials HERE.

For more information and pictures on the 2013 Avalon's click HERE.

For our current inventory of Avalon's that are have some great discounts available, click HERE.





THE ALL NEW 2013 SCION FR-S

Scion’s 2013 FR-S sports car succeeds on the most important level: It’s fun to drive.

The design represents a revisiting of the past for Toyota, evoking a time when the company turned out affordable, rear-wheel-drive performance cars like the 1980s enthusiast-favorite AE86 Corolla. Toyota’s 1960s Sports 800 and 2000 GT are also cited as ancestors. The FR-S, which starts at $24,930, is also Scion’s first proper sports car, augmenting the less expensive, sporty tC.

The FR-S (“front-engine, rear-drive, sport”) was reportedly drawn up to appease Toyota president Akio Toyoda, who asked, “Where is the passion in our lineup?”

Scion’s emphasis here is on driving character.

So absent was the passion that Toyota looked outside its corporate boundaries and developed the FR-S in cooperation with Subaru. As a result, most of the FR-S’ engineering and mechanicals — like its FA20 2.0-liter, four-cylinder boxer engine — come from Subaru.

The car’s styling is determined by functional elements under the sheetmetal. For example, the engine is a flat, horizontally opposed four-cylinder, enabling a low hood line that highlights the front wheel arches. From the driver’s seat, the benefits are a low cowl and the ability to place the car visually using those bulging arches. Also, the gaping grille is flanked by intakes with integrated fog lamps, ensuring adequate engine and brake cooling with minimal aerodynamic penalty. With these low-slung curves, the Scion’s silhouette is vaguely Toyota 2000-esque. Its trapezoid-shaped rear incorporates a diffuser, dual exhaust and 12-element LED tail lamps.

This functional approach continues in the cockpit, where the black instrument panel is dominated by a big tachometer, a relatively simple center stack and a flat glovebox area. Imagine the central satnav/audio display pulled out, wires casually hanging, and it smacks of a stripped-out race car interior. The fabric seats are comfortable and bolstered enough for serious track work with attractive double-stitching. The steering wheel is, appropriately, Toyota’s smallest, measuring just 14 inches in diameter.

A standard 300-watt Pioneer audio system can be upgraded to Toyota’s 340-watt BeSpoke app-based multimedia system, whose 5-inch display can be used to call up Pandora, Facebook or Twitter, and includes points-of-interest and routing functions through satellite navigation. There are also the usual USB inputs and extra RCA outputs for external amps.

The FR-S’ sporting intent is signaled by a refreshingly light curb weight (between 2,700 and 2,800 pounds, depending on options) with a 53/47 percent front/rear weight distribution, a rigid chassis, and an independent suspension with MacPherson struts up front and double wishbones in the rear. Add a reasonable 200 horsepower, put power down at the rear wheels, and you’ve got a zippy handler.

Scion’s emphasis here is on driving character, not big performance numbers. The direct-injected 2.0-liter boxer keeps the FR-S’ center of gravity lower than a Porsche Cayman’s, and power delivery is linear up to the 7,400-rpm redline. The FA20 engine is also tuned for sound: A “Sound Creator” channels audio from the engine’s air intake into the cabin. Unfortunately, the note isn’t that appealing, and my guess is that aftermarket exhaust makers will step in profitably.

The engine mates with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with paddle-shift mode. Manual shift throws are direct and definitive. I never mis-shifted during a day at the track, and clutch take-up is not too heavy or light. The automatic pops off quick, rev-matched downshifts with surprisingly clever anticipation. The steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters earn a minor demerit, since they’re too small for easy use when the wheel is turned beyond 90 degrees.

Given the FR-S’ power-to-weight ratio, I’d guess the zero-to-60 time to fall somewhere in the mid-six-second range. Not blazing, but stoplight drags aren’t its mission. Backroad twisties, hot-lapping and drifting are.

Those strengths are abetted by some quick steering. Working in concert with the suspension, it allows you to easily adjust yaw. Jump off the throttle mid-corner and the FR-S oversteers like a front-drive car. Catching the tail is easy and fun. Drifting simply requires a little practice. The three selectable driving modes (“normal,” “sport,” and a third setting that disables the traction and stability controls) allow for progressively less intervention in that regard.

Stoplight drags aren’t its mission. Backroad twisties, hot-lapping and drifting are.

The 2.0-liter Boxer is light on torque (151 pound-feet) which you do notice on the street. Conversely, the lack of twist gives you a certain freedom on the track. Rather than wait anxiously to pick up the throttle as you would in a big power sports/muscle-car, you can simply slap the gas pedal past a corner apex. It makes you smile.

There’s a lot of good stuff, including ventilated front and rear brake rotors that stopped the car without fade during my four successive lap stints. The light overall weight aids braking performance and agility, even on the FR-S’ hard compound tires. Enthusiasts will likely go for grippier rubber once the first set wears down. Scion embraces customization, and the company will offer a range of appearance and performance accessories after launching the car.

Toyota has rediscovered accessible rear-drive performance in a market where, until recently, only Mazda’s MX-5 has played. This unique quality — and its extended possibilities — brings a lot of driving fun to the table.

2013 Scion FR-S
BASE PRICE	$25,000 (est)
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, RWD, 4-pass, 2-door, coupe
ENGINE ENGINES	2.0L/200-hp/151-lb-ft DOHC 16-valve flat-4
TRANSMISSIONS	6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT	2700 lb (est)
WHEELBASE	101.2 in
LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT	166.7 x 69.9 x 50.6 in
0-60 MPH	6.2 sec (MT est)
EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON	Not yet rated
ON SALE IN U.S.	Currently Available

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a test drive please give us a call at 910-791-9735. We look forward to hearing from you!

200th win for Rick Hendrick

Rick Hendrick celebrated his 200th win at this past weekend's Bojangles Southern 500 Sprint Cup race in Darlington, South Carolina! Jimmie Johnson won this race which makes it the 56th for the 5 Time Champion driver.
Hendrick Motorsports is now working on hitting their next goal of 250 wins. We, at Toyota of Wilmington, are so proud to be a part of this winning team with Rick Hendrick as our leader. Way to go Hendrick Motorsports!

How we are part of our community...

Toyota of Wilmington gets many requests monthly to donate to charitable organizations throughout our community, state and nation. We have a fundraising committee that all come together once per month to determine which organization(s) we are able to contribute to.  Here are just a few of our more recent donations and organizations that we are actively participants in.

This month, we have more than 15 of our employees running in the Great Glow Run for the Easter Seals UCP of Wilmington on Saturday, April 28th, 2012.

Last month we participated and had an "Inspiration Team" for the Muscular Dystrophy Association Muscle Walk.

We also donate annually through events and payroll deduction to the Cape Fear Area United Way! A huge percentage of our employees donate to this cause and we love it since it stays right here in the Wilmington area to affect our locals in the best ways possible!

We have also recently donated the the Cape Fear Clinic, S.H.A.R.E. king mackerel tournament, American Cancer Society for Relay for Life, Smart Start, Assistance League of Wilmington, and many more!

If you'd like us to consider donating to your organization please email katie.pohlman@hendrickauto.com or come by our showroom to fill out the application. We look forward to seeing you soon and being able to help even more of our community!

http://www.toyotaofwilmington.com/
http://www.facebook.com/toyotascionofwilmington

The ALL NEW 2013 Toyota Avalon is coming!

The ALL NEW 2013 Toyota Avalon

Toyota revealed the all-new 2013 Avalon premium mid-size sedan on April 5th at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. The new Avalon is re-conceived for the premium mid-size sedan segment with a progressive and emotionally styled exterior design.

When it arrives to dealerships late this year, the new Avalon will offer improved dynamic performance, a greater degree of refinement, and a highly spacious, comfortable interior experience with an abundance of outstanding convenience technologies.

The new 2013 Avalon is the result of a North American-focused design and engineering effort. The new sedan’s dramatic exterior and interior design was conceived by a youthful and talented team at the Calty Design Research Inc. facilities in Southern California and Michigan. The car’s engineering development was principally led by a passionate and dedicated group based at Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. Continuing a North American focused theme, the 2013 Avalon will be assembled at Toyota’s facility in Georgetown, Ky. True to the future product mission set forth by Toyota Motor Corporation President, Akio Toyoda, the new Avalon’s more stylish, bold, sporty exterior design and luxurious interior styling are matched by an enhanced dynamic package, a combination that foreshadows the more compelling and passionate nature of future Toyota products.

Enhanced Avalon Dynamics
In addition to its stunning design, numerous structural and chassis improvements were made to the new Avalon to enhance the ride quality, straight-line stability and handling. The body structure gains improvements in torsional rigidity thanks to additional and strategically placed welds, improved body bracing, and high-strength steel in key areas in order to provide a stiffer chassis and optimize suspension performance. The new Avalon suspension relies on MacPherson struts with advanced valving and rebound springs to balance handling and agility with ride comfort. Coil spring rate and front and rear sway bar stiffness was increased from the current model to help improve body control and body roll. The Avalon’s electric power steering (EPS) system has been tuned to help deliver enhanced controllability and vehicle agility while also realizing superior linear stability.

The new Avalon offers three distinct drive modes that help tailor dynamic performance to the driver’s needs. The drive modes - Normal, Eco, and Sport -are made available through driver-selectable switches. In Sport mode, throttle response is enhanced and steering effort is weighted from center to offer a sportier character. Eco changes throttle response and A/C power usage to help improve fuel economy. Steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters help provide a sportier drive while in the D or S Mode, where the revised throttle helps improve shift response to help maximize engine power and vehicle performance.

Dynamic Exterior Styling
The new Avalon’s dynamic exterior styling defines a sleek and expressive profile that helps communicate a sense of motion for the vehicle even when it is at rest. The beltline has been lowered to accentuate a strong stance. Compared to its predecessor, the new Avalon is a bit more compact yet displays better proportions with a longer, sloping roofline, flared front fenders, and reduced front and rear overhangs, lower vehicle height, and reduced body-to-tire gap. New 17-inch and 18-inch alloy wheel and tire combinations fill the wheel well to enhance the vehicle’s dynamic exterior expression.

Key exterior design elements include the square Double-eye PES (Projector Ellipsoid System) headlamps with HID (High-Intensity Discharge)and elegant DRL (Daytime Running Lights) feature available that provide excellent night time visibility while helping define a narrower, more taut and muscular exterior expression. A wider, more assertive grille design provides a bolder front perspective. At the rear, high-performance LED combination tail lamps are adopted which are more integrated with the revised rear-body styling. The dual rear tailpipe outlets further the more cohesive design theme.

Modern Interior Experience
Design elements enhancing comfort, convenience and technology help create the luxurious experience that will prove tempting to buyers of the next Avalon. The 2013 Avalon offers a modern, spacious, premium interior highlighted by abundant rear seat legroom, while featuring a myriad of available features. Beyond mere dimensions, the new Avalon’s interior design enhances the cabin’s sense of spaciousness and comfort. The front seat’s hip point has been lowered by 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) to help create improved headroom. The new power front seat design with increased side bolstering is more supportive and offers an expanded range of downward adjustment. In addition, the structural components of the sunroof and the headliner design have been optimized to help increase the cabin’s roominess. A concave dash panel design, located in front of the passenger, helps create an expansive feeling. While the rear overhang has been reduced by 1.7 inches, the luggage compartment capacity is 16.0 cubic feet, an increase of 1.6 cubic feet as compared to the outgoing model.

The Avalon’s premium interior attains a high level of refinement by reducing wind, engine and road noise inside the cabin. The resultant interior is even significantly quieter and more comfortable than the current Avalon and it creates an ideal environment to enjoy conversation, music or Toyota’s available multimedia system, Entune™. Sound absorbing materials have been strategically placed around the cabin and body structure while not inhibiting a reduction in overall vehicle weight. The windshield and front side-glass panels utilize acoustic glass that helps control sound intrusion into the cabin. Reductions in wind noise have been realized by optimizing exterior shape, specifically cowl and louver sealing, outer mirror shape and position, and wiper-blade position, which have all been developed to dramatically reduce wind noise generation. Exterior gaps and steps have also been minimized to reduce wind noise around the door glass areas.

The new Avalon’s interior utilizes premium materials and a high degree of craftsmanship to offer an upscale experience. Rich, supple leather trims the steering wheel, shift knob, and seat upholstery helping add visual and tactile appeal. Hand-crafted, decorative stitching is adopted for the steering wheel, and soft-touch materials on the dash panel and door trim elevate the vehicle’s sense of tactile luxury. Smoked chrome-metallic accents are applied to the instrument panel, center console, door panel, and steering wheel surfaces to help add distinction and exceptional feel. Available push-button controlled soft white ambient lighting illuminates key regions of the interior to help convey the sense of luxury. The new Avalon’s center console includes a convenient console tray that is ideal for the storage of electronic hand held devices. The new Avalon’s console area is equipped with a USB port, AUX input terminal and three 12-volt power outlets to help facilitate device interface and charging.

The new Avalon will offer innovative technologies such as advanced capacitive touch switches with positioning and sensitivity that makes them ideal for vehicle system controls. Other premium in-car technologies include three color display screens that support the multi-information display, the audio/navigation interface, and the climate control panel. An easy to use Display Audio system with 6.1 inch touchscreen is standard on the new Avalon; while a JBL Synthesis Premium Audio system, HDD Premium Navigation with 7” screen, dynamic radar cruise control, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, and a three-zone air conditioning system are also on the list of available features and equipment.

Safety
Like all Toyota models, the new Avalon will feature Toyota’s Star Safety System™ standard, which includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist, and Smart Stop Technology brake-override system.

The new Avalon helps to prioritize occupant safety with a best-in-class10 airbags system. A Pre-collision system is also available that is designed to “sense” an impending frontal collision and can help mitigate damage. A variable ratio brake pedal is adopted that varies the initial and final pedal effort ratios to help realize excellent brake pedal feel.

In addition to a rearview monitor, Avalon offers an available Blind Spot Monitoring system which is designed to help detect vehicles behind the outer mirrors and to help alert drivers in addition to a new Rear Cross Traffic Alert system (RCTA) that can alert drivers of cross traffic when they are backing up.

Key Dimensional Comparison

	2013 Avalon	2012 Avalon
Overall Length	195.3 in. (4960 mm)	197.6 in. (5020 mm)
Overall Width	72.2 in. (1835 mm)	72.8 in. (1850 mm)
Overall Height	57.5 in. (1460 mm)	58.5 in. (1485 mm)
Wheelbase	111 in. (2820 mm)	111 in. (2820 mm)
Front Tread	62.6 in. (1590 mm)	62.2 in. (1580 mm)
Rear Tread	62.2 in. (1580 mm)	61.6 in. (1565 mm)
Front Overhang	38.8 in. (985 mm)	39.4 in. (1000 mm)
Rear Overhang	45.5 in. (1155 mm)	47.2 in. (1200 mm)
Curb Weight	3,497 lbs. (estimated)	3,616 lbs. (Avalon model)

If you have any questions about the all new 2013 Avalon and when it will arrive at Toyota of Wilmington please give us a call at 910-791-9735.

What to do for Easter in Wilmington

Have you been racking your brain thinking of some great ways to spend Easter weekend here in Wilmington, NC? Well, we've got some great suggestions for around town that we think you and your family will LOVE.

April 6th - Good Friday - Hop on over to the Battleship NC for a Easter Egg Hunt Carnival. There will be bounce houses, face painting and even a petting zoo on hand.

April 6-7th - Hop on down to Fort Fisher's North Carolina Aquarium for an Alligator Egg Hunt. Kids will get to make their own special alligator egg basket and then search for alligator eggs throughout the aquarium. Pre-registration is required.

April 6th - 9th - Easter Bunny Drawn Carriage Tours will be downtown with special suprises for children!

April 6-7th - Bugs and Butterflies Spring Event at the Children's Museum downtown where there will be an egg hunt, flowers to plant, egg decorating and outdoor games.

April 8th - Easter Sunday - Hop across the waterway and make it to the Masonboro Island Egg Hunt and Cruise.

Happy Easter from Toyota Scion of Wilmington

The 2012 NC Azalea Festival is almost here!!

The North Carolina Azalea Festival takes place every April in the city of Wilmington. The five-day festival celebrates local art, floral gardens and the history of Wilmington. Festivities include the queen's coronation, concerts, parade, street fair, garden and home tours, celebrity appearances and more at venues across town. 


The Azalea festival kicks off with the Queen's Coronation at Riverfront Park on Wednesday, April 11 at 3 p.m. The Queen's Coronation is an annual event where the Queen is officially crowned the North Carolina Azalea Festival Queen Azalea. In attendance are all the Festival Celebrities Guests as well as: City Officials, Board Members, and Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Belles.  This is your chance to meet the Queen and the Celebrity Guests!  Grab a place along the river walk to watch the Official Party disembark from the Henrietta III, North Carolina's Largest Riverboat! For more information click HERE.


The next day following the Queen's Coronation is the first of two live concerts to be held at Trask Coliseum on the campus of UNCW. Multi-Platinum recording artist Kenny Loggins will be preforming at 8 p.m.on Thursday, April 12. Kenny Loggins has been many things to many people over the past three decades - "a moving target" as he's put it. In his time, Loggins has been a guitar slinger with a psychedelic rock band, a hot young songwriter with a publishing deal, half of a legendary country-rock duo, a massively successful and accomplished solo artist, a sonic pioneer in the smooth jazz genre, a reigning soundtrack superstar, a rocker, a seeker, as well as an enduring recording artist and live performer whose most recent works have spoken deeply to both young audiences and decidedly adult and worldly concerns. At the heart of it all, there remains a brilliant singer-songwriter and guitarist with a lifelong passion for exploring the endless power of the song to communicate. 


The second of the two concerts featuring American Idol winner Scotty McCreery will take place on Friday, April 13 at 8 p.m. Scotty developed his unique way of looking at things while growing up with older sister Ashley in a musical household in Garner, N.C. By age 3, he was singing “The Muffin Man” to anyone who would listen and a few years later her repeating the words of those around him in a song. His father, a senior manufacturing systems analyst, and his mother, a real estate agent and a teacher, sang in the church choir, as did their children. His grandmother gave Scotty a book on Elvis Presley while he was in pre-school, so Scotty began walking and talking like the King. His mother listened to artists such as Conway Twitty while driving and Scotty quickly fell with these sounds. He still vividly remembers his first country concert, a show featuring George Strait, Reba McEntire and LeAnn Womack.


The festival the the activities contained within the 5 days are a huge boom to our local economy. Studies show that the NC Azalea Festival has a $50 million dollar impact on the city of Wilmington. Dr. Stephen Meinhold and Woody Hall of UNC Wilmington conducted the study during the Azalea Festival earlier this year. 


If you happen to be in town for the festivities and need a rental car please let us know how we can help! We have multiple makes and models to choose from including the 2012 Prius, 2012 Sienna and the all new 2012 Camry! Click HERE to see our available inventory!


To visit the official North Carolina Azalea Festival website click HERE.

Prius c Launch Kicks Off with Strong Sales

Prius Family Sales Nearly 10,000 in First Half of March

Toyota’s subcompact Prius c five-door hatchback, the newest member of the Prius family of hybrid vehicles, is off to a quick start since going on sale March 12.

In its first three days on the market, it sold 1,201 units, making it one Toyota’s fastest-selling vehicles and eclipsing Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf sales for the entire month of February.

“A number of factors drive the auto market, and fuel prices is one of them,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota Division. “With 53 miles-per-gallon in the city and priced under $19,000, the timing for Prius c couldn’t be better.” 

During the first half of March, the four-member Prius Family, including the new Prius c, roomy Prius V, third-generation Liftback and new Plug-in Hybrid, accounted for sales of 9,821. 

Click the HERE to view our Prius c inventory!

Click the HERE to view our Prius V inventory!

Click the HERE to view our Prius inventory!

Enter to Win Indy Dream Weekend 2012

You've always dreamt of it...Being a VIP at one of stock car racing's most historic and significant tracks. Here's your chance! Enter the 2012 Sweepstakes to be a part of this all-inclusive weekend for two. You and a guest will enjoy all-access passes at the Sprint Cup race in Indianapolis, IN on July 29, 2012. You will also enjoy an at-the-track meet and greet with some of stock car racing's historic figures, tour the garages of the speedway, and watch the race from a trackside suite with a chance to also visit victory lane!

Check out Hendrickcars.com to enter the sweepstakes today or click HERE to fill out your entry.