Toyota Stops Sales Of Several Cars Powered By Diesel Engines

Toyota has issues with three of its diesel engines installed in several models, and Porsche is planning an electric Macan GT.

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Toyota Halts Sales Of Several Diesel Cars After Irregularities Found During Testing

Last week, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) revoked model certifications for three Daihatsu-built models — Toyota Town Ace Truck, Daihatsu Gran Max, and Mazda Bongo — citing issues with the airbags. As if that wasn't bad enough, Daihatsu's parent company Toyota is grappling with additional problems pertaining to some of its diesel engines.

Per Toyota's request, an independent investigation was conducted by outside experts and it uncovered irregularities in testing the horsepower output for three diesel engines: 1GD, 2GD, and F33A. These engines are installed in various Toyota models, including the Hilux pickup, Fortuner SUV, Innova minivan, Land Cruiser (LC300), and its fancier counterpart — the Lexus LX in the 500d specification.

The culprit is the electronic control unit (ECU), which had different software during testing compared to what the customer cars have. No fewer than ten models are impacted, with six of them being sold domestically in Japan. Toyota assures customers that it's perfectly safe to use one of these vehicles if you have already purchased one. However, the automaker has temporarily halted the sale of cars fitted with these diesel engines made by the Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO). Additionally, Toyota is currently not accepting shipments of these engines for the time being.

Porsche Macan GT In The Planning Stages

Hot on the heels of last week’s official premiere, the new Porsche Macan family is set to expand. Currently available only in Macan 4 and Macan Turbo flavors, the second-generation crossover is poised to feature a portfolio similar to what Zuffenhausen offers for the gasoline model. Porsche's design chief, Michael Mauer, revealed to Australian publication Car Sales that there are plans for a range-topping Macan GT, along with "some more derivatives."

Speaking at the Macan's launch event in Singapore, Mauer mentioned that the GT is likely to fill the role of a Turbo S. He added, "you could expect that the lineup we have today in the Macan would also be the lineup for the new Macan." This likely indicates that Porsche intends to offer not only a high-performance GT variant but also cheaper versions, possibly with a single motor and a rear-wheel-drive layout.

In the meantime, the first-generation Macan will continue to be available for sale. However, Porsche will have no choice but to retire the gasoline crossover from the European Union later this year. A Porsche spokesperson confirmed to Motor1 that, due to new cybersecurity regulations taking effect in July 2024, the original Macan will be phased out from the EU. While the German automaker could potentially engineer a new electric architecture to make the vehicle compliant with the new regulations, the associated costs are deemed prohibitive. After all, the first-gen Macan was launched a decade ago.