Toyota Brevis

Last updated
Toyota Brevis (XG10)
Toyota Brevis 02.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Toyota
ProductionMay 2001–June 2007
AssemblyJapan: Toyota City, Aichi (Motomachi plant)
Body and chassis
Class Luxury car
Body style 4-door sedan
Layout FR, optional AWD
Related
Powertrain
Engine
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,780 mm (109 in)
Length4,550 mm (179.1 in)
Width1,720 mm (67.7 in)
Height
  • 1,460 mm (57.5 in) (RWD)
  • 1,475 mm (58.1 in) (AWD)
Curb weight
  • 1,520 kg (3,351 lb) (RWD)
  • 1,550 kg (3,417 lb) (AWD)
Chronology
Predecessor Toyota Carina ED
Successor Toyota Sai (Japan)

The Toyota Brevis is a former mid-size luxury sedan introduced in May 2001, that was sold only in Japan. [1]

Contents

Sales started in June 2001. The Brevis was produced for six years before being discontinued in June 2007. The Brevis was exclusive to Toyota Japan dealerships Toyota Store , while its twin the Toyota Progrès was exclusive to Toyopet Store locations.

The word "brevis" is Latin for "brief, a short amount of time or duration".

Marketing

The marketing approach used for the Brevis was shared with a Toyota Vista Store sedan, called the Toyota Verossa, which used a different platform. The Brevis represented the market segment previously served in Japan by the Toyota Carina ED. The width and engine displacement exceed Japanese Government regulations concerning exterior dimensions and engine displacement, and therefore it classified in the larger "passenger car" tax bracket. Two engine sizes were offered to allow Japanese buyers which annual road tax they were willing to pay. The larger engine did offer higher levels of standard equipment and luxury features.

Description

The Toyota Brevis is a twin of the Progrès, which was launched half a year before the Altezza/Lexus IS with a similar platform. Brevis was made with the concept of "Mini LS430". Unlike the Progrès, the Brevis aimed at younger customers, with Toyota saying it is intended to compete directly with imports like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. The Brevis has many styling cues from the Lexus LS 430, and was introduced at the same time as the Toyota Allion. Had this car been sold in markets other than Japan, it would likely have been sold as a model in the Lexus lineup. The price range would have been between the IS and the GS, which puts it in the US$30,000-$45,000 range at that time.

The chassis and powertrain is similar to the Progrès and the Lexus IS, with altered exterior styling and a differently trimmed interior. The headlamps consist of three round type beams. The center console houses an LCD monitor and an alloy-effect sound system which consists of an on-dash CD changer, DVD and MD playback, with seven speakers on the top model.

The Brevis is based on the same rear-drive platform as the Lexus IS, using a double wishbone suspension at all four wheels, with the wheelbase extended to 2,780 mm (109.4 in). In terms of size and weight, it stands between the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series. However, dynamically speaking it can hardly match the European rivals (in Toyota's brand images, that role is left for Lexus to fulfil), even though it rides on double-wishbone suspension. The suspension is set softer than the Lexus, steering is less direct, and its 1,550 kg (3,417 lb) kerb weight also harmed handling agility.[ citation needed ]

Options

There are two choices of power plants: 2.5 litre or 3.0 litre straight-six (Toyota JZ engine), both front mounted, producing 149 kW (200 hp) and 164 kW (220 hp) respectively. Both are equipped with VVT-i and D-4 direct injection. It comes with 5-speed automatic (2WD car) or 4-speed automatic (4WD car) gearbox options, in which the 4WD option is only available for the 2.5 litre model.

Other options include a power-adjustable pedal, in which pedal positions can be adjusted to suit the driver's driving posture and the position of the pedals, steering wheel and driver's seat are memorized. There is also an electric rear sunshade and a radar cruise control system to ensure a safe following distance to the car ahead in correspondence to the traveling speed. All these are standard equipment. Also included are the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, ABS, and high intensity discharge HID headlamps.

Model changes

The Brevis was changed in April 2004 as the mesh grille design was adopted for the front grille. Models after December 2005 come with EMV (with color backing guide monitor & window shade corner monitor) and also a DVD voice navigation system for G-BOOK and NAVI.AI-SHIFT (not applicable for 4WD models.)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lexus GS</span> Motor vehicle

The Lexus GS is an executive car manufactured and marketed by Lexus across four generations — launched in 1991 as the Toyota Aristo in Japan and as the Lexus GS for markets outside the Japanese market beginning in February 1993. It continued with the Toyota Aristo name for the Japanese market until January 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Camry</span> Japanese mid-size car

The Toyota Camry is an automobile sold internationally by the Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota since 1982, spanning multiple generations. Originally compact in size (narrow-body), the Camry has grown since the 1990s to fit the mid-size classification (wide-body)—although the two widths co-existed in that decade. Since the release of the wide-bodied versions, Camry has been extolled by Toyota as the firm's second "world car" after the Corolla. As of 2022, the Camry is positioned above the Corolla and below the Avalon or Crown in several markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lexus IS</span> Motor vehicle

The Lexus IS is a compact executive car sold by Lexus, a luxury division of Toyota, since 1998. The IS was originally sold under the Toyota Altezza nameplate in Japan from 1998. The IS was introduced as an entry-level sport model positioned below the ES in the Lexus lineup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Corona</span> Series of automobiles manufactured by Toyota

The Toyota Corona is an automobile manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota across eleven generations between 1957 and 2001. On launch, the Corona was Toyota's second-highest product in their range, just below the Crown. The Corona was marketed in the JDM at Toyota's Toyopet Store dealership channels, and the Corona was one of Toyota's first models exported to other global markets, followed by the smaller Toyota Corolla.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Soarer</span> Personal luxury car/grand tourer made by Toyota

The Toyota Soarer is a personal luxury GT coupé produced from 1981 to 2005 by Toyota and sold in Japan. It was available at both Japanese Toyota dealerships called Toyota Store and Toyopet Store, and it debuted with the Z10 series, replacing the Toyopet Store exclusive Mark II coupé, the Toyota Auto Store exclusive Chaser coupé, and both the Toyota Store exclusive Crown coupé and Carina coupé.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acura Legend</span> Motor vehicle

The Acura Legend is a mid-size luxury car manufactured by Honda from Japan. It was sold in the U.S. and Canada under Honda's luxury brand, Acura, from 1985 until 1995. It was the first flagship sedan sold under the Acura nameplate, until being renamed in 1996 as the Acura 3.5RL. The 3.5RL was the North American version of the KA9 series Honda Legend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln LS</span> Motor vehicle

The Lincoln LS is a four-door, five-passenger luxury sedan manufactured and marketed by Ford's Lincoln division over a single generation from 1999 until 2006. Introduced in June 1999 for the 2000 model year, the LS featured rear-wheel drive and near 50/50 weight distribution and was available with a V8 or V6, the latter initially offered with a manual transmission. The LS aimed to provide a blend of luxury and sport to attract a new generation of buyers to the Lincoln brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lexus LS</span> Motor vehicle

The Lexus LS is a full-size luxury sedan serving as the flagship model of Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. For the first four generations, all LS models featured V8 engines and were predominantly rear-wheel-drive. In the fourth generation, Lexus offered all-wheel-drive, hybrid, and long-wheelbase variants. The fifth generation changed to using a V6 engine with no V8 option, and only one length was offered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Century</span> Full-size luxury car

The Toyota Century is a lineup of full-size luxury cars and limousines produced mainly for the Japanese market, serving as Toyota's flagship car within Japan; globally the unrelated Lexus LS series is Toyota's flagship luxury model. Production of the Century began in 1967, and the model received only minor changes until redesigns in 1997 and 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lexus ES</span> Motor vehicle

The Lexus ES is a series of mid-size executive cars marketed since 1989 by Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota, across multiple generations, each offering V6 engines and a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout. The first five generations of the ES used the Toyota Camry platform, while the latter generations are more closely related to both the Camry and the Avalon. Manual transmissions were offered until 1993, a lower-displacement inline-four engine became an option in Asian markets in 2010, and a gasoline-electric hybrid version was introduced in 2012. The ES was Lexus's only front-wheel drive vehicle until 1998, when the related RX was introduced, and the sedan occupied the entry-level luxury car segment of the Lexus lineup in North America and other regions until the debut of the IS in 1999. The ES name stands for "Executive Sedan". However, some Lexus importers use the name, "Elegant Sedan".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Mark II</span> Motor vehicle

The Toyota Mark II is a compact, later mid-size sedan manufactured and marketed in Japan by Toyota between 1968 and 2004. Prior to 1972, the model was marketed as the Toyota Corona Mark II. In some export markets, Toyota marketed the vehicle as the Toyota Cressida between 1976 and 1992 across four generations. Toyota replaced the rear-wheel-drive Cressida in North America with the front-wheel-drive Avalon. Every Mark II and Cressida was manufactured at the Motomachi plant at Toyota, Aichi, Japan from September 1968 to October 1993, and later at Toyota Motor Kyushu's Miyata plant from December 1992 to October 2000, with some models also assembled in Jakarta, Indonesia and Parañaque, Philippines as the Cressida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Carina</span> Motor vehicle

The Toyota Carina is an automobile which was manufactured by Toyota from December 1970 to December 2001. It was introduced as a sedan counterpart of the Celica, with which it originally shared a platform. Later, it was realigned to the Corona platform, but retained its performance image, with distinctive bodywork and interior — aimed at the youth market and remaining exclusive to Japanese Toyota dealerships Toyota Store. It was replaced in Japan by the Toyota Allion in 2001 and succeeded in Europe by the Toyota Avensis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Tercel</span> Japanese subcompact car

The Toyota Tercel is a subcompact car manufactured by Toyota from 1978 until 1999 across five generations, in five body configurations sized between the Corolla and the Starlet. Manufactured at the Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Japan, and sharing its platform with the Cynos and the Starlet, the Tercel was marketed variously as the Toyota Corolla II — sold at Toyota Japanese dealerships called Toyota Corolla Stores — and was replaced by the Platz in 1999. It was also known as the Toyota Corsa and sold at Toyopet Store locations. Starting with the second generation, the Tercel dealership network was changed to Vista Store, as its badge engineered sibling, the Corolla II, was exclusive to Corolla Store locations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Alphard</span> Minivan

The Toyota Alphard is a minivan produced by the Japanese automaker Toyota since 2002. It is available as a seven or eight-seater with petrol and hybrid engine options. Hybrid variants have been available since 2003, which incorporates Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. It is Toyota's flagship minivan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Mark X</span> Mid-size luxury car manufactured by Toyota

The Toyota Mark X is a mid-size car manufactured by Toyota between 2004 and 2019, and was primarily aimed at the Japanese market. The Mark X was introduced in 2004 and is the successor to the Mark II which was first introduced in 1968, and was known in the North American market as the Corona Mark II starting in 1972, and renamed the Cressida from 1977 to 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Camry (XV10)</span> Motor vehicle

The Toyota Camry (XV10) is a mid-size car that was produced by Toyota between 1991 and 1996 in Japan and North America, and 1993 and 1997 in Australia. The XV10 series represented the third generation of the Toyota Camry in all markets outside Japan, which followed a different generational lineage. The XV10 Camry range is split into different model codes indicative of the engine. Four-cylinder models use the SXV10/SDV10 codes, with VCV10 designating the six-cylinder versions, and MCV10 the later six-cylinder cars in North America only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Progrès</span> Motor vehicle

The Toyota Progrès is a mid-size luxury sedan which was sold in Japan from May 1998 to June 2007, replacing the Toyota Corona EXiV. The Progrès included 2.5 L or 3.0 L JZ inline 6-cylinder engines with VVT-i. Since April 2001, the Progrès used 1JZ-FSE and 2JZ-FSE direct injection (D4) engines. The versions with a 1JZ engine were called NC250, and those with a 2JZ engine NC300. It was exclusive to Toyota Japan dealerships Toyopet Store, while its twin the Brevis was exclusive to Toyota Store locations, and shared a marketing approach used on the Toyota Vista Store alternative, called the Toyota Verossa. The width and engine displacement exceed Japanese Government regulations concerning exterior dimensions and engine displacement, and therefore it classified in the larger "passenger car" tax bracket. Two engine sizes were offered to allow Japanese buyers which annual road tax they were willing to pay; the larger engine did offer higher levels of standard equipment and luxury features.

The Toyota N platform is a car platform for executive cars from Toyota, introduced in 2003. It is often called "Mark X platform" and "Crown platform", after its core uses, and, less frequently, "Lexus GS platform". It is used on a variety of sizes of rear- and all-wheel drive automobiles, ranging from compact to full-sized executive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Cresta</span> Mid-size luxury car

The Toyota Cresta is a mid-size luxury car built by Toyota. It was launched in 1980 and shared the chassis with the Mark II/Cressida and Chaser and was the top-level car at Japanese dealership Toyota Vista Store. The Cresta was produced for five generations, and production stopped in 2001 when it was merged with the Chaser to form the short-lived Verossa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toyota Crown Majesta</span> Motor vehicle

The Toyota Crown Majesta is a full-size luxury sedan from Toyota. It is an upmarket variant of the Crown and serves as Toyota's flagship model in various countries.

References

  1. "【懐かしの国産車 11】トヨタ ブレビスはサイズにとらわれない高級車を目指して生まれた - Webモーターマガジン". web.motormagazine.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 September 2022.