Paris show: Prado stands proud

THE contents of Toyota's stand at the Paris motor show, which kicked off last week, held plenty of interest for Australians, with a new generation Prado off-roader taking pride of place.

We will see that vehicle on-sale around February 2003, but alongside it was a facelifted LandCruiser and updates to the Celica and MR2 Spyder, which will all be at the Sydney motor show this month and on-sale around the same time.

These are just four of a bevy of new and updated models which Toyota Australia executive vice president John Conomos says will push the company back to its "rightful place" at the top of the new vehicle sales heap in Australia in 2003.

What are the others? Well, the just-launched 380N Camry is obviously vitally important, but you can also watch out for upgrades to HiLux (also at the Sydney show), Avalon as well as LPG-dedicated versions of the Avalon and Camry.

There's also a restyled Echo sedan coming for Sydney and updates to the hatch in 2003. The hot hatch Corolla Sportivo and Kluger soft-roader also arrive next year.

Luxury brand Lexus has just weighed in with an updated and cheaper LX470 and in 2003 there will be the all-new RX330 soft-roader and a limited edition IS200.

But back to Paris. The Prado breaks the Toyota mould by being the first off-roader styled in Europe at ED2, Toyota's design facility in the south of France.

Despite its chunky looks and plentiful cladding, it actually measures up slightly shorter and narrower than its predecessor.

Underneath the more modern skin, the Prado retains the tough separate chassis design concept of its predecessor and low range transmission, but adds a Torsen limited slip differential and the availability of electronically controlled hill descent control and a claimed world first - hill-start ascent control.

There's also a new semi-active electronic feature for the suspension called TEMS, or Toyota Electronically Modulated Suspension, and automatic height adjustment and levelling of the rear air suspension.

Mechanically, the big news is a boost in petrol V6 engine capacity from 3.4- litres to 4.0-litres, with power rising by 51kW to 183kW and torque by 79Nm to a substantial 382Nm.

The 3.0-litre turbo-diesel and 2.7-litre petrol engines will be carried over.

Features offered with the new Prado will include leather seats, dual-zone climate control, DVD-based satellite navigation and, crucially, three rows of seating.

The Paris update to the 100 Series includes only minor revisions to the grille and bumpers, while under the skin there's the new variable gear ratio steering just introduced to Australia on the updated LX470 and the TEMS system also featured on the new Prado.

The Australian update to the LandCruiser 100 Series this month will see the 4.0-litre six-cylinder dropped, with the 4.7-litre V8 returning mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, alongside the 4.2-litre turbo-diesel six-cylinder.

The update to MR2 shown at Paris includes minor external and internal visual tweaks, while mechanically the sequential manual transmission is now a six-speed, a Torsen limited slip differential is standard and vehicle stability control, traction control and brake assist are now available.

The Celica also gets stability control, traction control and brake assist as an option, as well as some minor visual changes inside and out, larger front brakes discs, steering and shock absorber modifications and auto-levelling headlights.