Gentex Corporation announced today that they’ll be supplying Toyota with an interior auto-dimming mirror with rear camera display for 2009 FJ Cruisers. When the FJ is shifted into reverse, a 2.4” LCD screen will automatically display through the Gentex mirror. The display will disappear when the truck is shifted into any other gear. This type of mirror auto-darkens to eliminate glare from bright lights at night. We can only hope that this mod will be available for pre-2009 FJ Cruisers as well. The mirror and camera will be included as part of the Convenience package. The press release did not specify if this is a regional option or will be available nationwide.

The full press release.

The FJ Cruiser has been ranked as the #1 vehicle in the Compact Multi Activity Vehicle (MAV) category in the 2008 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study by JD Power & Associates. The FJ Cruiser ranked highest in five categories: vehicle exterior, seats (tied w/the Mazda CX-7), climate control, driving dynamics, and engine/transmission. The FJ also ranked above average in the vehicle interior, storage/space, and electronics (audio/navigation) categories. As can be expected, the FJ ranked below average for visibility/driving safety and fuel economy.

This is good news for FJ Cruiser owners & enthusiasts. It is unlikely that Toyota will think about discontinuing the FJ any time soon as some rumors have stated. Still, with gas prices continuing to climb, we’re really hoping the FJ is on the list to get a small diesel and/or hybrid technology in the near future.

The full report is available on the JD Power & Associates website.

Toyota announced a few details about the 2009 FJ Cruiser today. We don't get red or green truck just yet, but there are some cool things coming.

We really like the VSC cutoff switch, active driver & front passenger headrests, map light, and roll-sensing side airbags. Toyota did announce three new colors: non-metallic black, silver, and white. While this may make the '08 TT Edition less 'special', hopefully it'll allow the rest of us to buy black mirrors and bezels.

The base price for the 4x4 FJ will rise to $24,910, still a great deal for such a capable vehicle. We can only hope for a red or green '09 special edition at this point. The new FJ's should be arriving sometime after August 25th, so look for a first-look in our October issue of FJC Magazine.

The full press release can be found on Reuters .

Tags: performance

We’ve been thinking about ways to increase power & mileage when off-road for a while now. Underdog Racing Development (URD) has offered a custom stainless steel Y-pipe for a while, but at $459, it was just a little to steep for us.

Well, we don’t have to wait anymore! Our friends over at URD have teamed up with Doug Thorley to produce a less expensive version of their Y-Pipe. Coming in at only $189, this product will now be affordable for many more FJ owners.

Please note that while this y-pipe will increase power & mileage, it is probably not legal for on-road use in all states. Do not use this product on-road without checking your local and/or state emissions laws.

Full details here.

Tags: exterior

BajaRack Adventure Equipment recently released a bolt-on roof rack for the FJ Cruiser. The FJ BajaRack is the least expensive option on the market, priced at just $540. The rack holds at least 150lbs of your gear. Many manufacturers are reluctant to ‘officially’ quote more than the stock 150lbs, but our guess is that this rack could hold more). Standard accessories such as shovel/axe mounts and Hi-Lift mounts are available.

Visit www.bajarack.com for more details.

Team Necessary took third place in the Stock Mini class of the 2008 Baja 500. This is Team Necessary's first top 3 finish in a SCORE event. You may remember Kevin & his team from Two Roads to Baja, and Two Roads to Taupo. A relatively newcomer in the worls of off road racing, Team Necessary has proven that determination, perservearance, and skill all pay off. Congrats to Kevin & the entire team on this great event!

Full Story at the SCORE website, or here .