Toyota has announced two separate recalls covering 235,000 vehicles from the 2006-2011 model years.

The first recall covers 2006-2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrids and 2006-2008 Lexus RX 400h vehicles. In all, the recall covers approximately 133,000 hybrid SUVs.

Toyota issued the recall after it discovered that “transistors within the hybrid system’s inverter assembly can experience heat damage due to variations in characteristics of the transistors built in parallel circuits.” If that fault occurs, it could prompt the vehicle to go into “limp home mode” or shut off the vehicle completely.

The second recall involves 102,000 Lexus IS 350, IS 350C and GS 350 vehicles from the 2006-2011 model years. Toyota says the bolts used to secure the variable valve timing control device used on those vehicle can become loose, which could cause the engine to stall out. Toyota says the phenomenon is usually preceded by an abnormal noise just after start-up.

It remains unknown if any accidents or injuries have been linked to the recalls. Toyota also failed to release timing for either recall.

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Toyota’s facelifted and repackaged 2014 4Runner SUV is headed into showrooms soon, bringing with it a handful of newly-standard features and a slightly heftier price tag.

Listing from $32,820, the entry-level 4×4 4Runner SR5 is about $1,300 pricier than its predecessor, but it brings with it projector headlamps, LED tail lamps, a power driver’s seat, a touch-screen audio system, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and soft touch trim on its door panels.  

Adding four-whel-drive ups the 4Runner’s base price to $34,695.

A new SR5 Premium grade lists from $35,740 (4×2) or $37,615 (4×4). It adds to the 4Runner SofTex synthetic upholstery, navigation, a moonroof, a power passenger seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink and a 120V AC outlet in the cargo area. 

From there, the 4Runner lineup climbs to the newly less-expensive $35,725 Trail, which adds a number of off road goodies like a locking rear differential, a crawl control system to keep the 4Runner moving at slow speeds and various traction control modes accessed by a roof-mounted dial. The Trail lists for $1,430 less than before, although it looses its previously-standard moonroof. 

Opting for the $38,645 Trail Premium brings with it the same goodies seen in the SR5 Premium trim level.

Topping the 4Runner lineup is the $41,365 (4×2) or $43,400 (4×4) Limited trim, which builds on SR5s with its own unique styling, leather heated and ventilated seats, a JBL audio system and, on 4×4 models, an automatic transfer case mode. <![CDATA[
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The so-called “Walkie Talkie” building currently being built at 20 Fenchurch Street in London was supposed to be known for its unconventional shape, but the 37-story tower is making headlines for its ability to melt cars.

As it turns out, the Walkie Talkie building’s unique shape is not only eye catching but also sun reflecting. In fact, the beams reflected from the tower are so intense that they melted the exterior panels of a Jaguar parked on the streets below.

“You can’t believe something like this would happen,” Martin Lindsay, the Jaguar’s owner, told the BBC. “They’ve got to do something about it.”  The sun melted the Jaguar’s door mirrors and plastic C-pillars.�

Since Lindsay’s story went public, several other vehicle owners have stepped forward with complaints of melted cars. 

In order to prevent any other cars from being melted by the building’s reflected rays, the city of London has temporarily closed three parking bays near the construction site.

However, nearby vehicles aren’t the only things being threatened by the building’s design. Businesses opposite the Walkie Talkie building have reported damaged exterior paint and even burn marks on carpets near windows. A TV crew was able to fry an egg in the reflecting sunlight.

“When you talk about a meltdown in the city, this is not quite what you expect,” restaurant manager Simon Lamont said in an interview with Reuters. “It’s not even open yet and it’s notorious. They’ll have to rename it the Sun Trap rather than the Walkie Talkie.”

The building’s developers, the Canary Wharf Group, compensated Lindsay for his wilted Jag, but the building’s melting powers have yet to be sorted. In the interim the group will erect scaffolding to block the sun’s rays from the street below, but no long-term solution has been devised for the $371 million tower.

“We are also continuing to evaluate longer-term solutions to ensure this issue does not recur in future,” the Canary Wharf Group said in a statement.

The Walkie Talkie building is scheduled to open in the spring of 2014.

Photo courtesy of BBC.<![CDATA[
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Volvo has posted improved global sales results for the month of August thanks to a strong uptick in demand in China.

Volvo announced on Wednesday that its global sales grew by 4.7 percent in August, ending several consecutive months of lower year-on-year sales for the Swedish automaker. However, a slow start to the year has Volvo’s January-August sales off the mark by 2.5 percent.

Volvo’s positive month was largely the result of increased demand in China where sales shot up 65.7 percent to 4,319 vehicles. The automaker also received a surprise boost from Europe in August, with the continent’s sales rising 4.9 percent to 10,770 units.

Volvo continued to falter in the United States, though, with sales slipping 11.9 percent to 5,519 deliveries. Despite that significant drop off, the U.S. retained its position as Volvo’s single largest market.

Volvo posted a solid 50 percent sales gain in Japan last month, but all of Volvo’s other world markets combined for 6,390 sales, a decrease of 4 percent from August 2012.

The XC60 crossover was Volvo’s best-selling model last month, followed by the V40 hatchback and S60 sedan.

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Porsche’s revised 2014 Panamera sedan is now available in showrooms across the United States. For the 2014 model year, the Panamera can be ordered in no fewer than seven variants.

Most of those new Panamera variants have already been detailed on these pages – including the new Panamera S E-Hybrid and Porsche’s decision to ditch most its of its V8s in favor of a turbocharged V6 – but the German automaker released a few new details about the model range on Wednesday.

The high-performance Panamera Turbo returns for 2014, but the sedan’s twin-turbocharged 4.8L V8 has been bumped from 500 horsepower to 520 horsepower. Despite that added kick, the 2014 Panamera Turbo is rated at 24mpg on the highway, representing a 4 percent improvement over the outgoing model.

The 2014 Panamera Turbo can accelerate from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds and hit a top speed of 189mph.

Although the Panamera S and 4S have mad the switch to a boosted V6, the Panamera GTS retains its naturally aspirated V8 for the 2014 model year. Not to be outdone by its lesser siblings, the GTS’ power has increased by 10 ponies to 440 horsepower. As a result, the GTS can hit 60 from a stand still one-tenth of a second quicker than last year’s model (4.2 seconds).

Like the Turbo, the 2014 Panamera GTS is rated at 24mpg on the highway.

The 2014 Porsche Panamera is on sale now with a starting price of $78,100. 

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