The car with techs appeal

ALASTAIR SLOANE motoring editor

It's nicknamed the "cyber-cafe on wheels", a car for the video-game generation that reads passengers' emails, provides film reviews, plots a route around traffic jams, finds parking spaces and restaurants and issues weather reports. Passengers can even use the karaoke facility for a singalong.

It's the WiLL Cypha, a Japan-only Toyota based on the mechanicals of the 1.3-litre Echo hatchback. Toyota has no plans to export the five-door car.

It claims a world first for a computer and phone system that provides car occupants with real-time information within cellular range.

It's linked to cyber services via what Toyota calls a G-Book computer, a small laptop-style screen in the centre console with chunky switches and dials for ease of operation.

"The G-Book centre converts text data into a format that the onboard terminal can read out in a natural-sounding, synthesised voice," says Toyota.

"Therefore, the driver can listen to email messages or other information while looking at the road, instead of being tempted to read a screen.

"For additional safety, the terminal's special browser accepts spoken commands. A hands-free mobile phone interface is also included."

The operating system uses an automotive version of Microsoft's Windows CE.

G-Book does not provide access to the internet because of virus fears. It downloads the service information from a dedicated website. Satellite-navigation plots road routes. Occupants can also use the G-Book screen to view pictures taken by digital cameras.

The screen and menu settings can be modified for personal taste and to keep track of vehicle maintenance information.

Service charges are calculated monthly and sent by the G-Book terminal to a billing centre.

Toyota says it plans to increase the number of domestic models equipped with G-Book, while improving the system's functions and content.

Meanwhile, Toyota New Zealand has upgraded the Echo hatchback, the car on which the WiLL Cypha is based.

Exterior changes include new teardrop-shape headlights that dip down into the new one-piece front bumper and provide improved illumination on both high and low beams.

The grille, rear bumper, rear combination lights, and wheel covers have all been redesigned. The radio antenna, which now has an amplifier for better reception, has been moved from the front to the rear of the roof.

Inside, there is new seat and door trim, a revised instrument panel, ventilation outlets, steering wheel and gear lever. There are now front personal lights and a luggage area light.

Power windows and a CD player are now standard equipment, with ABS anti-lock brakes as an option. Updated safety features include passenger front airbag and three-point centre rear seatbelt as standard.

The body has been strengthened and the suspension revised to improve ride comfort and manoeuvrability.

The Echo range now consists of 1.3-litre three- and five-door hatches and a 1.5-litre sedan, all of which are available with five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearboxes.

The hatchback has been a success story for Toyota since it was unveiled in November 1999. It was the NZ Herald Car of the Year in 2000 and has continued to receive much praise.

In a J D Power and Associates customer satisfaction survey in Britain last year, Echo was the only car to be awarded "excellent" ratings in all eight questionnaire categories.

The survey, which involved 27,000 owners, rated the hatchback the best city car and overall winner from 144 models surveyed.

* Sales of new vehicles in New Zealand got off to a fast start this year, up nearly 15 per cent on those in December and about 16.5 per cent ahead of those in January last year.

Land Transport Safety Authority figures show that 7159 new vehicles were sold last month.

Holden sold 1372 new vehicles for 19.2 per cent of the market, followed by Ford with 1125 (15.7 per cent), Toyota with 1124 (15.7 per cent), Mitsubishi with 743 (10.4 per cent), Honda with 441 (6.2 per cent), Nissan with 417 (5.8 per cent), and Mazda with 294 (4.1 per cent).