Shift into drive: Toyota Canada helps drivers learn the gears and reclaim the fun of driving with #SaveTheManual Event

Eager consumers learn to shift with pro racer and Motoring TV personality Russ Bond in the all-new 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback

TORONTO, Oct. 17, 2018 /CNW/ - While many people are talking about the automation of the automobile, Toyota knows there's massive fun to be had when the driver is in complete control ? and to prove it, Toyota Canada hosted a day of gear-shifting glory to #SaveTheManual in the parking lot at its head office, starring the all-new 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback.

"Auto enthusiasts have been singing the praises of the stick shift for a long time now, and with good reason," said Cyril Dimitris, Vice President, Toyota Canada Inc. "We'll always be committed to developing the latest technologies and continuing to raise the bar when it comes to our vehicles, but sometimes, it's great to get back to basics and rediscover a true love of driving.  There's nothing like the visceral connection between you and the road when you're driving stick, and we proved this yesterday right here in our parking lot.   We now invite Canadians can prove it for themselves at their local Toyota Dealer."

To make the #SaveTheManual experience truly memorable, Toyota recruited two stars to the event:

First, Toyota invited racing pro and Motoring TV personality Russ Bond, along with a crew of leading Canadian auto journalists as instructors to put participants through the gears. Bond is a motorsports veteran of more than 20 years, with experience behind the wheel of everything from karts to Toyota Formula Atlantic Championship vehicles and NASCAR machines. He writes for several motorsports publications and hosts the Two-Minute Test Drive on Motoring TV. He also runs the kartSTART program presented by Toyota, which teaches young Canadians ages 10-16 about road safety and driving skills.

The second star came from the engineers at Toyota itself: the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback, featuring a six-speed Intelligent Manual Transmission designed from scratch for this super fun hatch. The 6-iMT is definitely not your grand-dad's stick-shift.   Toyota has pushed the boundaries of the manual transmission, with features such as downshift rev-matching control to ensure smoother and faster changes between gears*. The result is that driving a stick has never been easier ? or more fun. Coupled to a spirited 168 horsepower 2.0L four-cylinder engine and mounted in a sleek body that features aerodynamic design, exceptional rigidity and a pavement-hugging centre of gravity, the Corolla Hatchback delivers a genuinely sporty drive with great feedback, quick response, and super stability. As the newest member of the Corolla family, the Corolla Hatchback is ready to prove ? yet again ? why the Corolla has become the world's best-selling automobile of all time.

The Corolla Hatchback is more than a stick-shift, of course: with bold styling that includes many premium features as standard, an impressive package of comfort and convenience amenities, versatility and efficiency ? plus remarkable safety, headlined by the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 bundle of active safety technologies ? the Corolla Hatchback demonstrates how Toyota builds big ideas into small cars.

(*The 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback is also offered with a Direct Shift CVT featuring 10 sequential shiftmatic speed steps, a sport mode, and available paddle shifters. For complete and up to date details and specifications on the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback ? in manual or CVT configurations ? visit www.toyota.ca/corollahatchback.)

About Toyota Canada Inc.

Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Toyota has sold over 5 million vehicles in Canada through a national network of 287 Toyota and Lexus dealerships. Toyota is dedicated to bringing safety, quality, dependability and reliability in the vehicles Canadians drive and the service they receive. TCI's head office is located in Toronto, with regional offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax and parts distribution centres in Toronto and Vancouver. Toyota operates two manufacturing facilities in Canada. Having produced more than seven million vehicles, popular Canadian models built at these facilities include Toyota RAV4, Toyota Corolla, Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h hybrid.

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SOURCE Toyota Canada Inc.