Dec. 23, 1981

TOYOTA SOARER NAMED JAPAN'S "CAR OF THE YEAR"

 

Tokyo―Toyota Motor Sales Co. Ltd. today announced that the Toyota Soarer has been named Japan's car of the year for 1981-82.

The "Car of the Year Award" is presented by a 14-member committee (Shotaro Kobayashi, chairman) of experts in automotive and mass media fields, after polling a larger body consisting of 58 individuals, including commentators, scholars and experts in scientific fields. All domestic passenger cars marketed in a given year are eligible for this honor, which is now in its second year.

A total of 23 models were included in the judging―all cars marketed between November 1980 and the last day of the Tokyo Motor Show held this year from October 30 through November 10. A preliminary screening reduced the field to 10, and then, when the final ballots were counted, the Soarer was the winner.

The Soarer's victory is attributed to the following factors.
  1. As a highly sophisticated top-class specialty car, the Soarer is a worthy symbol of the maturing of Japan's auto market during 1981.
  2. With the winning combination of a powerful 2.8-liter DOHC engine, a top-flight 4-speed automatic transmission and an impressive array of ultra-sophisticated electronic technology, the Soarer offers both superb performance and outstanding reliability.
  3. By designing the Soarer for mass production as well as superior quality, Toyota held the sticker price to a reasonable level.

THE OUTLINE OF TOYOTA SOARER

The Soarer, which was introduced to the market in February 1981, is a high performance, fuel efficient motorcar combining graceful beauty with superior handling. Its features include revolutionary advances such as a fully electronic instrument panel―the first ever produced in Japan to dispense entirely with needle indicators.

Super Gran Turismo

Toyota designed the Soarer to be a very special, super luxurious car whose technology surpasses that of any other car on the road today. Its superior power, superb handling and luxurious interior will satisfy the most discriminating driver. At the same time, Toyota's advanced technology makes the Soarer an extremely economical car―a car that meets the modern world's need for resource and energy conservation.

The Soarer's Principal Features

  • Styling that embodies an aerodynamic ideal.
    Elegant styling based on a design that minimizes air resistance.
  • High performance engine.
    Superior power performance has been achieved by equipping the Soarer with a newly developed Twin-Cam 6 5M-GEU type engine (6-cylinder DOHC; 2759cc, with EFI; maximum output of 170 hp at 5600 rpm; maximum torque of 24.0 kg·m at 4400 rpm), the 1G-EU type engine (6 cylinder, 1988cc, with EFI) which has established a solid reputation in the Mark II, the Chaser, and the Cresta―or the M-TEU turbo type engine (6-cylinder, 1988cc, with EFI; maximum output of 145 hp at 5600 rpm and maximum torque of 21.5 kg·m at 3,000 rpm).
  • The latest electronic technology.
    Revolutionary easy-to-monitor electronic displays―including a digital speedometer, and a tachometer and fuel indicator with graphic displays, plus an energy-saving microcomputer-controlled automatic air conditioner, and other applications of the latest electronic technology to maximize comfort.
  • Steering, drive, and braking systems developed to match the high performance engine.
    Superior handling is insured through the use of four-wheel independent suspension, rack-and-pinion power steering, four-wheel ventilated disc brakes, wide tread tires, and other features.
  • Ten new equipment items appearing for the first time on a Japanese vehicle
    These include four-speed automatic transmission with two-way overdrive adapted for the two-liter 1G-EU type engine and seats with air cushion back support.

The Meaning of "Soarer"

The name "Soarer" refers to a super-glider. It evokes feelings of "aerodynamic beauty," "quietness," and "effortless flight."