Will there be a new Halo Toyota Avensis?

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blaaah

blaaah

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Just been reading about this years 2011 British touring car Avensis entries, 300bhp 2.0 turbo engines based on the 150bhp current 2.0 3ZR engines.
150bhp is all they provide for the fastest petrol Avensis on sale, the Diesel is 175bhp, more expensive and an outrage that it is given halo status in the range.
Surely I'm thinking with the touring car about to race in anger Toyota will do something to fill the huge gap in range and bring out a 2.0 turbo Avensis. Give it at least 200bhp, probably 250bhp+. It would put the diesel back in its place and inject some performance back into the brand.
They might want to do this while the interest is building for the new RWD coupé and announce a new performance range.
Anyone know that this might happen? Could mean hot versions of the Yaris/Auris too. Would be too much to hope for a performance Aygo/IQ, but that would be my top wish actually.
But I would expect them to compete a hot Avensis against a Focus ST/RS and the Seat Leon Cupra R, and the others, Megane 250 etc.
 
Well, one could say whatever is the best performance/ most expensive model in a range is it's "halo model".
 
In that case, one has to wonder what Daihatsu's "halo model" would be...

The existence of Lexus precludes any "halo" Toyota.
 
blaaah
Anyone know that this might happen?
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My best guess: No.

Reason: There's not nearly a big enough market for a hotted-up Avensis. There's barely even a market for a regular Avensis. Halo models are all well and good but there's just some cars that wouldn't benefit from them. Most Avensis are bought by fleets and nobody wants a company car in a high tax band.

The other reason is that they don't really have a suitable engine to bung in there and it's not worth the development costs if it's unlikely to sell anyway.

Also, I'm not sure how a diesel being the most powerful model in a range is an "outrage". It's hardly a barrel of laughs in the first place so the diesel being the most "fun" is hardly too big a deal.

And another thing, the Avensis is hardly a competitor for the Megane, Focus etc. It's a class size bigger.
 
You can say the same abut the Ford Focus, who in their right mind would want a sporty version of a Focus? But The ST and RS were popular.
 
blaaah
You can say the same abut the Ford Focus, who in their right mind would want a sporty version of a Focus? But The ST and RS were popular.
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Because they are hot hatches and hot hatches are popular. Ford also have a history of making hot versions of small cars with the Fiesta XR2i, Escort RS2000, XR3i, Escort Cosworth, Focus ST etc.

As has been pointed out, the Avensis isn't in the same category as the Focus. By your logic, who wants a hot version of an Avensis? No one. So that's why they don't make one. Also, if I'm not mistaken, you've just answered your own question.

But feel free to argue as that's what you seem to like doing.
 
When i read the thread name i thought it would have images of a Master Chief inside a car, at least.

Maybe if Toyota make a version of the Corolla with Civic Type-R-esque performance and style, it would make a success
 
daan
But feel free to argue as that's what you seem to like doing.
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I like arguing, but is your tone that of one who does not approve? Or are you just being matter of fact? Which would just be pointless. Or and you keen for me to offer a differing viewpoint?
 
Joker-GTBR
Maybe if Toyota make a version of the Corolla with Civic Type-R-esque performance and style, it would make a success
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The E12 came in a T-Sport guise which competed against the EP Civic R, I haven't driven either but the Corolla was described as warm rather than hot. In the mid 80s, the Corolla was offered with a twin cam engine (4A-GE for geeks), it made more power than the contemporary Civic Si. The Civic R didn't even exist back then..

I doubt an AuRis or whatever stupid marketing brand name it would get would be the tits, considering they probably sell more hybrids than gassers at this time.

Famine
In that case, one has to wonder what Daihatsu's "halo model" would be...
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I dunno about now, but in 1987 you could get a Charade GTxx, power everything and the same twin cam turbo engine found in the GTti. Pretty halo wouldn't you say?
 
blaaah
You can say the same abut the Ford Focus, who in their right mind would want a sporty version of a Focus? But The ST and RS were popular.
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No, I'm saying it because it's a completely different class of car.

The Focus is part of a long line of small Ford family cars that started with the Escort. Ford produced hot Escort models to go rallying, from the RS2000 and Mexico through RS1600s, RS Turbos and eventually the Cosworth, with various other fairly hot models too. Then the Focus came along, and they took that rallying too so models like the Mk1 RS were designed to bring a bit of that rally car to the streets. The Mk2 RS was more of the same, and the ST versions of each Focus have been a bit of an interim hot hatch because hot hatches are incredibly popular on the market and have been since the Eighties.

The Avensis is the latest in a long line of very dull Toyota repmobiles that have never had a hot version because there has never been the market for a hot dull Toyota repmobile. Toyota had the sports thing covered with Celica, MR2, Supra etc. Granted, they don't produce those now, but a "BTCC-inspired" repmobile wouldn't really be a replacement.

And as I said: They don't have the engine to put in it without developing one, and potential sales figures wouldn't be worth the development costs.
 
blaaah
I like arguing, but is your tone that of one who does not approve? Or are you just being matter of fact? Which would just be pointless. Or and you keen for me to offer a differing viewpoint?
Click to expand...

I think the point has been proven.
 
Will the halo model Avensis come with beaded front seats and 'no smoking' stickers on the windows as standard?
 
And for an extra £200, they can fill the whole car with a faint smell of vomit and shame.
 

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