Frankfurt am Main, 9. September 2026– Die Erholung im deutschen Werkzeugmaschinenbau gewinnt an Kontur. Im zweiten Quartal 2026 stiegen die Auftragseingänge gegenüber dem Vorjahreszeitraum um 12 Prozent. Nach einem Plus von 15 Prozent im ersten Quartal ergibt sich für das erste Halbjahr ein Zuwachs von insgesamt 14 Prozent. Die Inlandsbestellungen legten um 16 Prozent zu, die Aufträge aus dem Ausland um 13 Prozent.

„Zwei Quartale in Folge mit einem zweistelligen Auftragsplus sind ein ermutigendes Signal. Die Talsohle liegt hinter uns und die Aufwärtsentwicklung festigt sich“, kommentiert Bernhard Geis, Leiter Wirtschaft und Statistik im VDW (Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken), die Zahlen. „Für Entwarnung ist es dennoch zu früh. Wir kommen von einem niedrigen Ausgangsniveau, und das Projektgeschäft trägt weiterhin wesentlich zum Wachstum bei. Von einer breiten Nachfrageerholung können wir deshalb nur eingeschränkt sprechen.“

Luftfahrt und Verteidigung treiben Nachfrage

Die Entwicklung unterscheidet sich weiterhin deutlich nach Abnehmerbranchen. Besonders dynamisch zeigen sich Luftfahrt und Verteidigung. Auch die Nachfrage aus Elektronikindustrie und Medizintechnik wird positiv beurteilt. Schwieriger bleibt die Situation in der Metallbearbeitung und im Maschinenbau. Die größten Herausforderungen liegen weiterhin in der Automobil- und Zulieferindustrie. Ihr Anteil am Gesamtabsatz der deutschen Werkzeugmaschinenindustrie ist 2025 auf 23 Prozent gesunken. Größter Abnehmer bleibt der Maschinenbau mit 27 Prozent. Deutlich zugelegt hat dagegen die Luftfahrtindustrie: Ihr Anteil stieg innerhalb von zwei Jahren um fünf Prozentpunkte auf 11 Prozent.

Verbesserte Auftragslage erreicht die Produktion noch nicht

In der Produktion ist die Erholung bislang noch nicht angekommen. Im zweiten Quartal lag sie schätzungsweise 6 Prozent unter dem Vorjahresniveau. Im ersten Halbjahr sank die Produktion insgesamt um 7 Prozent auf rund 5,9 Mrd. Euro. Die verbesserte Auftragslage dürfte sich jedoch im weiteren Jahresverlauf zunehmend in der Produktion bemerkbar machen.

Auch im Exportgeschäft zeichnet sich zumindest die Tendenz zur Stabilisierung ab. Im zweiten Quartal lagen die Ausfuhren noch 4 Prozent unter dem Vorjahr. Damit hat sich der Rückgang gegenüber dem ersten Quartal deutlich abgeschwächt. Die USA bleiben dabei als größter Absatzmarkt eine wichtige Stütze der Branche. Die Lieferungen dorthin stiegen im ersten Halbjahr um 8 Prozent. Dagegen gingen die Exporte nach China, dem zweitgrößten Absatzmarkt, um 24 Prozent zurück. Unternehmen berichten zuletzt jedoch von einer Stabilisierung und leichten Belebung der chinesischen Nachfrage. Angesichts des intensiven Preiswettbewerbs gewinnt für deutsche Hersteller mit eigener Produktion vor Ort das Prinzip „Local for Local“ weiter an Bedeutung.

In Europa gingen die deutschen Werkzeugmaschinenexporte im ersten Halbjahr insgesamt um 6 Prozent zurück. Positiv entwickelte sich Frankreich mit einem Plus von 25 Prozent und rückte auf Rang drei der wichtigsten Absatzmärkte vor. Auch Polen und Tschechien sorgten für positive Impulse. Indien setzt seinen Wachstumskurs ebenfalls fort und ist mittlerweile der viertgrößte Absatzmarkt der Branche.

Inlandsbestellungen steigen

Die Entwicklung im Inland bleibt dagegen angespannt. Der Inlandsabsatz lag im ersten Halbjahr 10 Prozent unter dem Vorjahreswert. Positive Signale kommen aber von den gestiegenen Inlandsbestellungen. Aktuell belegen auch Konjunkturindikatoren wie das ifo-Geschäftsklima und der Einkaufsmanagerindex eine verbesserte Stimmung in der Industrie. Die Importe hielten sich mit einem Minus von zwei Prozent besser als der Inlandsabsatz. Insbesondere japanische und südkoreanische Hersteller konnten ihre Verkäufe in Deutschland steigern. Insgesamt sank der Inlandsverbrauch um 6 Prozent und zeigt damit, dass die Investitionsschwäche am deutschen Markt noch nicht überwunden ist.

Die Kapazitätsauslastung hat sich zuletzt bei rund 75 Prozent stabilisiert. Gleichzeitig setzt sich der strukturelle Anpassungsprozess in der Branche fort. Im Juni beschäftigten die Unternehmen rund 60.000 Menschen und damit gut 6 Prozent weniger als ein Jahr zuvor. Die Produktion liegt real inzwischen rund ein Drittel unter den Hochphasen früherer Jahre. Bernhard Geis fasst zusammen: „Der Auftragseingang insgesamt zeigt nun seit einem halben Jahr in die richtige Richtung. Entscheidend ist jetzt, dass daraus eine nachhaltige Erholung wird.“

Downloads

Bild 1: Im Exportgeschäft zeichnet sich die Tendenz zur Stabilisierung ab.Quelle: Adobe Stock / hit1912

Bild 2: Bernhard Geis, Leiter Wirtschaft und Statistik im VDW.

Bild 3: Im Werkzeugmaschinenbau setzt sich der Positivtrend auch im 2. Quartal fort: Die Auftragseingänge stiegen um 12 Prozent gegenüber dem Vorjahr.

Frankfurt am Main, 23. September 2026 – Was bislang meist oberflächlich abgebildet wurde, macht der VDW nun auf der NexGeM (Next Generation Metalworking) erlebbar: ein Blick auf die smarte Metallbearbeitung von morgen. Als Co-located Event zur Hannover Messe wird die neue Leistungsschau ihre Türen vom 5. bis 8. April 2027 öffnen. „Wir haben uns entschlossen, diesen Schritt zu gehen, weil er überfällig war“, konstatiert Dr. Markus Heering, Geschäftsführer des VDW. „Die Werkzeugmaschine ist keine Stand-alone-Lösung. Sie ist eingebettet in die gesamte digitale industrielle Wertschöpfungskette, von der Planung bis zum Service. Und trotzdem werden intelligente, vernetzte Werkzeugmaschinen außerhalb weniger Fachmessen nicht ausreichend behandelt. Das ändern wir mit der NexGeM und bringen Unternehmen aus dem Maschinenbau sowie der IT- und Software-Welt zusammen.“

Die Messe ist eine eigenständige Veranstaltung. Als neues Format schafft sie eine Verbindung zwischen den beiden bislang weitgehend getrennt präsentierten Branchen. Da sie die Digitalisierung in den Mittelpunkt stellt, handelt es sich nicht um eine klassische Maschinenmesse und auch nicht um eine „kleine EMO Hannover“.

Smarte Werkzeugmaschinen und Produktionssysteme in der Anwendung

Die riesigen Potenziale der Künstlichen Intelligenz sind in aller Munde, doch sie lassen sich nur in einer durchgehend digitalisierten Fabrik heben. Diese Entwicklung haben viele Firmen aber noch nicht abgeschlossen, denn gerade im Maschinenbestand (Brownfield) ist das Thema aufwändig und meist auch teuer.

Die NexGeM wird die zentralen Themenfelder der digitalen Transformation metallbearbeitender Unternehmen fokussieren. Sie wird zeigen, wie Werkzeugmaschinen, Produktionssysteme und die dazugehörige Peripherie mithilfe von Automatisierung, Vernetzung, Robotik sowie Software- und Plattformlösungen effizienter und wirtschaftlicher werden. Dazu gehören Wertschöpfungstechnologien wie MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems), Digitale Zwillinge und KI, aber auch IIot (Industrial Internet of Things) sowie Cloud- und Edge-Technologien. Nicht fehlen soll zudem der Sicherheitsaspekt. Wie können Cybersecurity-Anwendungen die Industrieprozesse absichern und Datenintegrität gewährleisten?

Mit konkreten Anwendungsbeispielen, die heute schon oder kurzfristig einsetzbar sind, wird die NexGeM deutlich machen, wie vernetzte Werkzeugmaschinen die Produktion bereits verändern. Sie öffnet aber auch ein Fenster in die produktionstechnische Zukunft – Bestandsmaschinen miteingeschlossen. Die Messe gibt damit einen wirtschaftlich relevanten Ausblick auf aktuelle und kommende Trends. „Als Verband ist es unsere Aufgabe, die Veränderungen der Branche aufzugreifen und Unternehmen aktuelle Marktbedürfnisse aufzuzeigen. Mit unserer Initiative unterstützen wir Unternehmen bei ihren Investitionsentscheidungen, egal ob in einer bestehenden Fertigung oder bei einer Neuanschaffung“, so Heering.

Business-Plattform für eine kooperative Industrie

Die Hannover Messe ist der optimale Begleiter für das neue Format, denn sie zieht wie keine andere Industriemesse in Deutschland Entscheider aus Automatisierungstechnik, Energiewirtschaft, Digital- und Techunternehmen sowie Politik an. Sowohl Aussteller als auch Besucher der NexGeM finden hier wichtige Partner und Kunden, die sie auf den klassischen Fachmessen der Metallbearbeitung meist nicht antreffen. Gemäß dem Motto ,Metal Works Digital‘ ermöglicht das neue Format das Networking von Maschinenbauern mit IT-Verantwortlichen, Digitalisierungsmanagern und Automatisierungsexperten.

Dr. Jochen Köckler, Vorstandsvorsitzender der Deutschen Messe AG, die die Hannover Messe veranstaltet, ist ebenfalls überzeugt vom Erfolg der Initiative: „Die erfolgreiche digitale Transformation der Industrie erfordert das enge Zusammenspiel von Maschinenbau, Künstlicher Intelligenz, Automatisierung und den Industrieanwendern. Sie schafft zusätzliche Synergien, erweitert das industrielle Ökosystem um die Werkzeugmaschinen- und Metallbearbeitungsbranche und bietet unseren Besucherinnen und Besuchern kurze Wege bei noch größerer Themenvielfalt.“

Das innovative Konzept der NexGeM füllt eine Lücke, die die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der deutschen und der europäischen Industrie sichern kann und bestehende Formate sinnvoll ergänzt. „Wir sind überzeugt: Nur wenn alle Bereiche der industriellen Produktion und ihrer indirekten Bereiche Hand in Hand gehen, lässt sich längerfristig Wertschöpfung generieren und Wettbewerbsfähigkeit ermöglichen“, betont Heering. „Wir wollen unseren Beitrag dazu leisten, dass Unternehmen den Anschluss im internationalen Markt nicht verlieren und sich der Industriestandort Deutschland bzw. Europa weitere Vorteile erarbeitet.“

Autorin: Gerda Kneifel

Weitere Informationen: Anmeldungen sind ab sofort möglich unter www.nexgem.de

Frankfurt, 29. September 2026 – Künstliche Intelligenz ist in aller Munde, doch wo genau liegen die Potenziale für Werkzeugmaschinenhersteller? Das hat Eike Rodenbäck vom Deutschen Forschungszentrum für Künstliche Intelligenz GmbH (DFKI) im Projekt „Künstliche Intelligenz für Werkzeugmaschinen“ (KI4WZM) untersucht – und wurde dafür am 17. September 2026 im Rahmen der Stuttgarter Messe AMB mit dem Preis Forschungsprojekt des Jahres des VDW-Forschungsinstitut e.V. ausgezeichnet. „Eike Rodenbäck bringt die Werkzeugmaschinenbranche ein gutes Stück weiter auf dem Weg der digitalen Transformation“, sagt Dr. Alexander Broos, Geschäftsführer des VDW-Forschungsinstituts. „Seine Ergebnisse helfen gerade unseren mittelständischen Mitgliedern, die Frage zu beantworten, wo und wie sie KI gezielte einsetzen können – in Anwendungsfällen, die Nutzen stiften und mit KI-Modellen, die für diese Aufgaben geeignet sind. Da er dies in hervorragender Weise herausgearbeitet hat, wurde Eike Rodenbäck zum Preisträger erkoren.“

Erste Hinweise, wo Herausforderungen liegen könnten, haben die VDW-Mitglieder selbst gegeben. Darauf aufbauend identifizierte Rodenbäck Anwendungsfelder, in denen KI die Unternehmen der Branche wirtschaftlich sinnvoll unterstützen könnte. Die eigentliche Umsetzung in konkrete vorwettbewerbliche Projekte erfolgt dann zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt.

Automatisiertes Wissensmanagement und Fehlerdiagnose

Dazu zählt zum einen das Feld des Wissensmanagements. Gerade in Zeiten, in denen viele Mitarbeitende in absehbarer Zeit aus dem Berufsleben ausscheiden werden, ist die automatisierte Dokumentation von Prozesswissen wichtig, um den Verlust von Know-how zu minimieren. „Noch immer sammeln Unternehmen verschiedenster Branchen Daten einfach in Excel-Tabellen, die manuell geführt werden“, gibt Eike Rodenbäck zu bedenken. „Sie werden kopiert und hin- und hergeschoben. Das öffnet natürlich Fehlern und Datenverlust Tür und Tor.“   

Eine im Rahmen von KI4WZM entwickelte Projektidee ist die automatisierte Dokumentation von Softwarecode. Dabei könnten die KI-gestützte Analyse bestehender Codebasen sowie der Abgleich mit vorhandenen Dokumentationen dazu beitragen, vorhandenes Wissen zu sichern, auch wenn erfahrene Mitarbeitende das Unternehmen verlassen.

Künstliche Intelligenz kann aber auch bei der Fehlerdiagnose unterstützen. Rodenbäck legte bei seiner Arbeit dabei den Fokus auf Fälle, in denen das Problem bereits aufgetreten ist. „Oft wird ein Fehler gemeldet, nicht aber gleich die Ursache gefunden“, erläutert der 28-jährige Ingenieurinformatiker. Bei einer multimodalen Diagnoseunterstützung werden Steuerungsalarme mit Logdateien, Laufzeitdaten und Maschinendokumentationen verknüpft, um die Ursachen schneller zu identifizieren und auch gleich Handlungsempfehlungen bereitzustellen. „Damit könnten sich Stillstandzeiten verkürzen und der Serviceaufwand verringern.“

Prozessoptimierung auch ohne Cloud

Nicht zuletzt lassen sich Prozesse automatisiert optimieren – ebenfalls ein Feld, in dem Werkzeugmaschinenhersteller mithilfe von KI die Effizienz ihrer Produktion steigern können. Um datenbasierte Vorschläge für Parameter wie Drehzahl, Vorschub oder Zustellung unter Berücksichtigung von Material, Werkzeug, Prozessdaten und Qualitätszielen zu erhalten, sind auch nicht immer die großen, energieintensiven KI-Modelle notwendig. Einfachere bzw. lokal ausführbare Modelle, die ohne die Anbindung an externe Cloud-Server eingesetzt werden können, sparen nicht nur Geld, sondern auch Energie.  

„KI bietet in der Werkzeugmaschinenbranche großes Potenzial – aber nicht jede Herausforderung braucht dafür ein hochkomplexes Modell“, fasst Rodenbäck zusammen. „Entscheidend ist, dort anzusetzen, wo Unternehmen einen konkreten Bedarf haben und geeignete Daten verfügbar sind. Genau diese Verbindung von technologischen Möglichkeiten und Anforderungen aus der Praxis war für uns bei KI4WZM besonders wichtig.“

Wissenstransfer im Fokus

Die Projektergebnisse hat Rodenbäck in einem ausführlichen Bericht zusammengefasst. Zudem fand ein Workshop statt, in dem die bisherigen Ergebnisse einem breiteren Kreis im Umfeld der im VDW (Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken) organisierten Werkzeugmaschinenhersteller zugänglich gemacht wurden. Neben dem Ziel eines maximalen Wissenstransfers sammelten die 60 Teilnehmenden aber auch weitere Projektideen, arbeiteten sie aus und priorisierten sie.  

Die digitale Transformation der Branche ist ein work in progress, erläutert Broos. Und Rodenbäck ergänzt: „Nicht zuletzt ging es uns darum, die Unternehmen für die Bedeutung von Datenqualität, Verlässlichkeit, Nachvollziehbarkeit und lokaler Datenverarbeitung zu sensibilisieren. Denn hier bestehen meist Defizite, die weitere Aktivitäten ausbremsen.“

Autoren: Gerda Kneifel, Dr. Alexander Broos

Downloads

Bilder:

Bild 1: Verleihung des Preises Forschungsprojekt des Jahres 2025 an Eike Rodenbäck am 17. September 2026. (v.l.n.r.: Dr. Stephan Kohlsmann, Vorsitzender VDWFI, Eike Rodenbäck, DFKI, Dr. Alexander Broos, Geschäftsführer VDWFI. Quelle: Messe Stuttgart / Thomas Wagner 

Bild 2: Eike Rodenbäck, Quelle: DFKI / Maria Santos

OFFICIAL RULES – Nationwide® Tails and Touchdowns Contest

These are the Official Rules for the Nationwide® Tails and Touchdowns Contest ("Promotion"). The Contest is sponsored by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company ("Nationwide"), One Nationwide Plaza, Columbus, Ohio 43215.

No purchase is necessary to enter or win. Making a purchase will not increase the odds of winning

1. Eligibility.

- 1.1. Open to Legal Residents. The Contest is open to legal residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia, except where excluded and prohibited by law, who: (a) are 18 years of age or have reached the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry, whichever is greater, and (b) are legally able to work in the United States. Excluding the states of Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Washington. No purchase is necessary.

- 1.2. Nationwide Excluded. Employees and agents of Nationwide, its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and Contest agencies, and any entity involved in the development, production, implementation, administration, or fulfillment of the Contest (collectively referred to as "Contest Entities") and their immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of such persons, whether related or not, are not eligible to enter the Contest.

- 1.3. No Other Sponsorship.

2. How to Enter.

- 2.1. Promotion Period.

- The Contest will run from November 4, 2026 at 12:01 am PST, to December 23, 2026 at 9:00 pm PST ("Promotion Period").

- 2.2. Entry.

- To enter, complete the following steps during the Promotion Period:

- 1. Visit https://petinsurancerewards.com/NationwideTailsandTouchdowns26/

- 2. Complete the form information.

- 3. Share how you spend game days with your pet (150 words or less).

- 4. Upload a photo of your pet (or you and your pet).

- 5. Confirm and submit your entry.

- By uploading your photo, you are agreeing to these Official Rules. No purchase necessary.

- 2.3. Restrictions

- All photo submissions must be of your own pet or you must obtain approval to post photos of any pet that is not your own. Photo submissions must be of real pets, photos created using generative AI will be excluded. In addition, Nationwide will not consider ineligible, illegible, or incomplete submissions or postings.

- 2.4. Conditions.

- Nationwide reserves the right to exclude entries, at their discretion, for reasons, including, but not limited to:

- a. violates or encourages any conduct that violates laws or regulations;

- b. contains any information or content we deem to be hateful, violent, harmful, abusive, racially or ethnically offensive, defamatory, infringing, invasive of personal privacy or publicity rights, harassing, humiliating to other people (publicly or otherwise), libelous, threatening, profane or otherwise objectionable;

- c. infringes any third party's Intellectual Property Rights, privacy rights, publicity rights, or other personal or proprietary rights;

- d. contains any information or content you do not have a right to make available under any law or contractual or fiduciary relations; or

- e. is fraudulent, false, misleading, or deceptive.

- 2.5. Participant's Consent.

- Entry constitutes consent to participate in Promotions and for Nationwide to obtain, use, and transfer the entrant's photo for Promotion administration purposes. By participating in the Promotion and/or accepting any prize, Entrants grant Nationwide permission to use their name, likenesses, and image in connection with the Promotion for purposes of advertising, publicity, and promotion purposes, without further compensation to the entrant, unless prohibited by law.

- 2.6. No Withdrawal.

- Once submitted, entries cannot be changed or withdrawn from the Promotion.

- 2.7. Notice of Termination.

- Should the Promotion be terminated before the stated expiration date, Nationwide will post a notice at https://www.facebook.com/NationwidePet.

3. Winners.

One (1) winner will be selected by a panel of judges selected by Nationwide at the end of the Promotion from all eligible entries received during the Promotion period. The winner will be notified via email or phone call within seven (7) days of the end of the Promotion. If the winner does not respond within five (5) business days, or is found to be ineligible, or if Nationwide cannot contact the winner after a good faith effort, the prize will be forfeited.

4. Judging Criteria.

The judging criteria are as follows: (1) Creativity and/or originality – 25%; (2) Relevance to theme – 25%; (3) Photo quality – 25%; (4) Emotional impact – 25%. All ties will be broken by an alternative judge chosen by Nationwide and reserved for this specific purpose. During the Promotion Period, one (1) winner will be selected from all eligible daily entries by officials selected by Nationwide. All decisions by the judges will be final.

5. Prizes

- (a) One prize winner will receive:

- Two (2) tickets to Super Bowl LXI hosted in Los Angeles, California ARV $3,800

- Roundtrip airfare for two (2) ARV $2,000

- Hotel accommodation for three (3) nights (standard, double occupancy) ARV $1,950

- Roundtrip travel for two (2) to the game location will be provided only if the winner resides more than 50 miles from the game venue. If the winner resides within 50 miles of the game venue, travel expenses will not be included. Travel and hotel arrangements will be determined and booked by Nationwide.

- The Contest grand prize total ARV is $7,750. Actual value may vary based on the location of the winner and other factors. No cash or other prize substitutions are allowed, except at the sole discretion of Nationwide. Prizes are non-transferable. Any expenses not specifically listed as part of the prize, including incidental expenses, are the responsibility of the winner.

- (b) Weekly Drawings:

- During the Promotion Period, there will be weekly drawings to win a $50 NFLShop.com gift card. Each week, one (1) winner will be selected from all eligible entries received during that week. Non-winning entries will remain in the pool and will be eligible for selection in all subsequent weekly drawings held during the Promotion Period.

- The weekly prize is an NFLShop.com gift card. ARV $50. Total ARV $400.

- Winners of the weekly drawings will be notified via email or phone call within two (2) days of the drawing. If the winner does not respond within three (3) business days, or is found to be ineligible, or if Nationwide cannot contact the winner after a good faith effort, the prize will be forfeited.

- Weekly prize winners are still eligible for the grand prize.

- (c) Expenses and Taxes. Prize winners are responsible for any expenses incurred in connection with the prizes. No substitution or transfer of prizes is permitted, except that Nationwide reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if an offered prize is unavailable. All federal, state, and local taxes on prizes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Prize details not set forth herein are the sole discretion of Nationwide.

- (d) Legal Documents. If requested, winners must execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability Release, and (where legal) Publicity Release within three (3) days of notification. Failure to do so may result in disqualification, forfeiture, or award to an alternate winner.

6. Release.

All entrants agree to release and hold harmless Nationwide and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, distributors, advertising/promotion agencies, and prize suppliers, and each of their respective parent companies and each such company's shareholders, officers, directors, employees, members, assigns and agents (collectively, the "Released Parties") from and against any claim or cause of action, including, but not limited to, personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of property, arising out of participation in the Promotion or receipt or use or misuse of any prize.

7. General Rules.

- 7.1. Applicable Laws. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. The Promotion is void where prohibited by law. The prize winner may receive an IRS 1099 form for the value of their prizes. Entrants agree to be bound by the Official Rules and the judges' decisions, which are final and binding on all matters relating to Promotions.

- 7.2. No Responsibility. Nationwide, and each of its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, parent corporations, and their respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees, and agents, are not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate entry information, theft, tampering, destruction, or unauthorized access to, or alteration of entries; printing or other errors; and any entries or mail which are late, lost, delayed, incomplete, misdirected, stolen, mutilated, illegible, postage-due, or any combination of the above.

- 7.3. Nationwide's Rights. Nationwide can void any entrant's entry who it believes has attempted to tamper with or impair Promotion administration, security, fairness, or proper play. Nationwide reserves the right to modify, suspend or terminate the Promotion if necessary due to circumstances beyond Nationwide's control. If the Promotion is terminated early, the judges will select the winners from all eligible entries received at the time of termination.

8. Governing Law and Disputes.

- 8.1. Governing Law. This Promotion is governed by and subject to the laws of the United States and the state of Ohio without giving effect to the conflict of laws rules thereof.

- 8.2. Disputes. Except where prohibited, the entrant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties, and all claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with the Promotion or any prize awarded, or the determination of winner shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action.

OFFICIAL RULES – Wiggleween Social Contest

These are the Official Rules for the Nationwide #WiggleweenContest ("Promotion” or “Contest"). The Promotion is sponsored by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company ("Nationwide"), One Nationwide Plaza, Columbus, Ohio 43215.

No purchase is necessary to enter or win. Making a purchase will not increase the odds of winning.

1. Eligibility.

- Open to Legal Residents. The Promotion is open to legal residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia, except where excluded and prohibited by law, who: (a) are 18 years of age or have reached the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry, whichever is greater, and (b) are legally able to work in the United States. The following states are excluded: Georgia, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wyoming.

- Nationwide Excluded. Employees and agents of Nationwide, its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and any entity involved in the development, production, implementation, administration, or fulfillment of the Promotion (collectively referred to as "Promotion Entities") and their immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of such persons, whether related or not, are not eligible to enter the Promotion.

- No Other Sponsorship. The Promotion is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram.

2. How to Enter.

- Promotion Period. 

- The Promotion will run from October 23, 2026, at 12:01 am PST, to October 30, 2026 at 5:00 pm PST ("Promotion Period").

- Entry. 

- To enter the Contest, entrants must post a Halloween-themed photo or video of their pet using #WiggleweenContest on their Instagram account. The photo or video must be publicly posted.

- Restrictions. 

- Limit one (1) entry during the Promotion Period. Nationwide will disqualify anyone found to have submitted multiple entries. In addition, Nationwide will not consider ineligible, illegible, or incomplete submissions or postings on private Instagram pages, or Instagram stories. Posts that do not include the hashtag #WiggleweenContest with their photo or video are ineligible.

- Conditions.

- Nationwide reserves the right to exclude entries, at their discretion, for reasons, including, but not limited to: 

- a. violates or encourages any conduct that violates laws or regulations;

- b. contains any information or content we deem to be hateful, violent, harmful, abusive, racially or ethnically offensive, defamatory, infringing, invasive of personal privacy or publicity rights, harassing, humiliating to other people (publicly or otherwise), libelous, threatening, profane or otherwise objectionable;

- c. infringes any third party's Intellectual Property Rights, privacy rights, publicity rights, or other personal or proprietary rights;

- d. contains any information or content you do not have a right to make available under any law or contractual or fiduciary relations; or

- e. is fraudulent, false, misleading, or deceptive.

- Participant's Consent.

- Entry constitutes consent to participate in the Promotion and for Nationwide to obtain, use, and transfer the entrant's photo or video for promotion and administration purposes. By participating in the Promotion and/or accepting any prize, Entrants grant Nationwide permission to use their name, likenesses, image, and submitted content for purposes of advertising, publicity, and promotion purposes, without further compensation to the entrant, unless prohibited by law.

- No Withdrawal.

- Once submitted, entries cannot be changed from the Promotion.

- Notice of Termination or Change.

- Should the Promotion be terminated or modified before the stated expiration date, Nationwide will post a notice at https://www.instagram.com/NationwidePet.

3. Winners.

- Prize winners will be selected by a panel of judges chosen by Nationwide and winners will be announced at the end of the Promotional Period. If a winner is not eligible to win, or if Nationwide is unable to contact the winner after a good faith effort, the prize will be forfeited. During the Promotional Period, 5 (five) winners be selected from all eligible entries.

4. Judging Criteria.

- The judging criteria are as follows: [(1) Positive emotion – 25%; (2) Quality photo or video – 25%; (3) Humorous picture or video – 25%; (4) Uniqueness of pet picture or video – 25%. All ties will be broken by an alternative judge chosen by Nationwide and reserved for this specific purpose. During the Promotional Period, 5 (five) winners will be selected from all eligible entries by judges selected by Nationwide. All decisions by the judges will be final.

5. Prizes

- (a) Five winners will be selected during the Promotional Period. Winners will receive a Petco gift card. Value: $100 each. Total ARV: $500.00.

- (b) Expenses and Taxes. Prize winners are responsible for any expenses incurred in connection with the prizes. No substitution or transfer of prizes is permitted, except that Nationwide reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if an offered prize is unavailable. All federal, state, and local taxes on prizes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Prize details not set forth herein are the sole discretion of Nationwide.

- (c) Legal Documents. If requested, winners must execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability Release, and (where legal) Publicity Release within three days of notification. Failure to do so may result in disqualification, forfeiture, or award to an alternate winner.

6. Release

- All entrants agree to release and hold harmless Nationwide, and Instagram, and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, distributors, advertising/promotion agencies, and prize suppliers, and each of their respective parent companies and each such company's shareholders, officers, directors, employees, members, assigns and agents (collectively, the "Released Parties") from and against any claim or cause of action, including, but not limited to, personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of property, arising out of participation in the Promotion or receipt or use or misuse of any prize.

7. General Rules.

- Entrant Responsibility. The prize winner may receive an IRS 1099 for the value of their prizes. Entrants agree to be bound by the Official Rules and the judges decisions, which are final and binding on all matters relating to Promotions.

- No Responsibility. Nationwide, and each of its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, parent corporations, and their respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees, and agents, are not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate entry information, theft, tampering, destruction, or unauthorized access to, or alteration of entries; printing or other errors; and any entries or mail which are late, lost, delayed, incomplete, misdirected, stolen, mutilated, illegible, postage-due, or any combination of the above.

- Nationwide's Rights. Nationwide can void any entrant's entry who it believes has violated these Rules or attempted to tamper with or impair Promotion administration, security, fairness, or proper play. Nationwide reserves the right to modify, suspend or terminate the Promotion if necessary due to circumstances beyond Nationwide's control. If the Promotion is terminated early, the judges will select the winners from all eligible entries received at the time of termination.

8. Governing Law and Disputes.

- Governing Law. This Promotion is governed by and subject to the laws of the United States and the state of Ohio without giving effect to the conflict of laws rules thereof. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. The Contest is void where prohibited by law.

- Disputes. Except where prohibited, the entrant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties, and all claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with the Promotion or any prize awarded, or the determination of winner shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for and hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental, or consequential damages or any other damages, including attorneys' fees. Entrant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.

9. Privacy.

- By entering into this Contest, you also agree to Nationwide's use of your personal information as described in the Nationwide Privacy Policy at http://www.petinsurance.com/privacy.aspx.

10. Winners List.

- For an Official Prize Winners List (available 30 days after Promotion end date) or a copy of these Official Rules, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Nationwide #WiggleweenContest Photo Contest Official Rules, Nationwide, Marketing Department, One Nationwide Plaza, MC 1-28-101, Columbus, Ohio 43215.

11. Abbreviated Rules.

- No purchase is necessary. The Contest begins on October 23, 2026 and ends on October 30, 2026 at 5 p.m. PST. Contest open to legal residents of U.S., excluding Georgia, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wyoming, and except where prohibited by law, who are at least 18.

Nationwide equips 67 fire departments with grain entrapment tools and training

Since 2014, Nationwide’s Grain Bin Safety program has delivered rescue resources to more than 500 fire departments, leading to 19 successful rescues

The danger inside a grain bin is not always visible – and when hidden hazards give way, entrapment can happen in seconds. Flowing grain can pull a person under, or a crusted or bridged surface can collapse without warning and bury the occupant.

These risks have resulted in more than 150 reported grain entrapments over the past five years. Local fire departments are often the first and only line of defense, but a successful rescue depends on having the right equipment and training before the emergency call comes.

Since beginning its Grain Bin Safety advocacy program and Nominate Your Fire Department Contest in 2014, Nationwide has partnered with like-minded organizations to equip fire departments across the country to respond to grain entrapments with specialized tools, coordinated training and practical rescue skills.

In 2026, Nationwide’s Grain Bin Safety program delivered grain rescue tubes and hands-on training to 67 fire departments to help prepare them to respond when an entrapment occurs in their community.

The 2026 recipients are:

1. ACW Unionville Fire Department – Unionville, MI

2. Agate Fire Protection District – Agate, CO

3. American Falls Rural Fire Department – American Falls, ID

4. Ames Volunteer Fire Company – Canajoharie, NY

5. Armenia Volunteer Fire Department – Necedah, WI

6. Bellville Fire Department/Jefferson Township – Bellville, OH

7. Belvue Township Fire Department – Belvue, KS

8. Benton County DHS – Fowler, IN

9. Bowling Green Volunteer Fire Department – Bowling Green, IN

10. Copper Creek Moccasin Volunteer Fire Department – Castlewood, VA

11. Crockett County Emergency Management Agency – Alamo, TN

12. Dagsboro Volunteer Fire Company – Dagsboro, DE

13. Derry Township Volunteer Fire Department Co. #1 – Bradenville, PA

14. Dover Fire Department – Dover, MN

15. Vergennes Fire Department – Vergennes, IL

16. Eastern Garrett County Volunteer Fire & Rescue – Frostburg, MD

17. Elizabeth Volunteer Fire Department – Elizabeth, IN

18. Fertile Fire Department – Fertile, IA

19. Flagler Rural Fire Protection District – Flagler, CO

20. Freistatt Fire Department – Freistatt, MO

21. Galena Volunteer Fire Department – Galena, MD

22. Garden City Fire Department – Garden City, KS

23. Gettysburg Volunteer Fire Department – Gettysburg, SD

24. Goldsboro Volunteer Fire Company – Goldsboro, MD

25. Greenwood Volunteer Fire Company – Greenwood, DE

26. Harrison Fire-Rescue – Harrison, WI

27. Hazard Volunteer Fire Department – Hazard, NE

28. Hebron Alden Greenwood Fire Protection District – Hebron, IL

29. Irvington Fire Protection District – Irvington, IL

30. Kent City Fire Department – Kent City, MI

31. Laverne Fire Department – Laverne, OK

32. Lewis Fire Department – Lewis, KS

33. Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department – North Liberty, IN

34. Luray Fire Department – Luray, VA

35. Marissa Fire Department – Marissa, IL

36. Marseilles Volunteer Fire Department – LaRue, OH

37. Merritt Township Fire Department – Munger, MI

38. Mexico Community Fire Association – Mexico, IN

39. Morristown Fire Department – Morristown, MN

40. Needmore Volunteer Fire Company – Needmore, PA

41. New Madrid Fire Department – New Madrid, MO

42. North Fremont Fire District – Ashton, ID

43. Orchard Volunteer Fire & Rescue – Orchard, NE

44. Powhattan Fire Department – Powhattan, KS

45. Roachdale Volunteer Fire Department – Roachdale, IN

46. Robert Fulton Fire Company – Peach Bottom, PA

47. Rock Port Volunteer Fire Department – Rock Port, MO

48. Seneca Fire Department – Seneca, KS

49. Skelton-Owen Fire Territory – Tennyson, IN

50. Springfield Volunteer Fire Department – Springfield, CO

51. St. Charles Fire and Rescue – St. Charles, MN

52. Tipton Rural Fire Protection District – Tipton, MO

53. Uehling Volunteer Fire Department – Uehling, NE

54. Union County Rescue Squad – Jonesboro, IL

55. Valley Chemical Fire Company – Numidia, PA

56. Vernon Township Fire Department – Corunna, MI

57. Village of Newcomerstown Fire Department – Newcomerstown, OH

58. Virginia Volunteer Fire Department – Virginia, IL

59. Walnut Fire Protection District – Walnut, IL

60. Warrensburg Fire Department – Warrensburg, IL

61. Waterville Fire Department – Waterville, KS

62. Waupaca Area Fire Department – Waupaca, WI

63. Webster Fire Department – Webster, IN

64. Westfield Fire Protection District – Westfield, IL

65. Westminster Fire Department – Harrod, OH

66. Whiteford Volunteer Fire Company – Whiteford, MD

67. Wright City Fire Protection District – Wright City, MO

Nationwide partners with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) to deliver the grain rescue tubes and training, traveling to each fire department with state-of-the-art grain entrapment simulators. The comprehensive training sessions include classroom education and rescue simulations using the entrapment tools.

“Every grain rescue tube helps make a community safer and better prepared to respond when the unthinkable happens,” said Brad Liggett, president of Agribusiness at Nationwide. “Our goal is always prevention, but when a grain entrapment occurs, having trained and equipped first responders can make all the difference. We're grateful for the fire departments and partners working every day to help protect farmers and save lives.”

Nationwide’s program has now supplied grain rescue equipment and training to 519 fire departments across 35 states, providing nearly $2.5 million in resources. These resources have contributed to at least 19 lives saved since Nationwide’s program began in 2014.

To learn how to get involved or sponsor a rescue tube for your local fire department, visit the Partner With Us webpage.

The program is supported by Nationwide, NECAS and the following generous partners:

- KC Supply, Syngenta, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Maryland Grain Producers, Specialty Risk Insurance, Lutz Agency Inc, Delaware Soybean Board, Missouri Corn, Horizon Farm Credit, CHS, Farm Credit of Southern Colorado, Farm Credit Mid America, The Cornerstone Agency, Maryland Soybean Board, ProValue Insurance LLC, West Side Salvage, Gregerson Salvage, Delaware Farm Bureau, GROWMARK, Panichelle Insurance, Taylor Dodd & Wood, Hylant Agency, Oswald Crow Agency, Farm Credit Mid America, Copeland Insurance Agency, First Gabrielson, Anderson & Green, KMA Insurance, Marsh McLennan Agency, Hummel Insurance Agency, Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Soybean Board, Wessler Bros Agency Inc, New York Farm Bureau, Ohio Farm Bureau, Maryland Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Mexico Fire Association, TrueNorth Companies, David Larson Agency, Hometown Insurance, Phillips Stafford, SBS Insurance, Acrisure Insurance, Gallagher, Sump Saver, NOHR Wortmann Engineering, Central Valley Ag (CVA), Grain Weevil Corporation

AVONDALE, Ariz. (Oct. 19, 2026) – For the fourth time in its history, Toyota has won the NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturers’ Championship on the strength of 18 wins so far this season. It marks Toyota’s first Cup Series manufacturers’ title and most single season wins since 2019.

“Our team members at TRD, along with our partners at 23XI Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, have delivered at the highest level all season,” said Tyler Gibbs, president, TRD, U.S.A. “This is a very important title for Toyota and TRD because it represents the teamwork, effort and passion of countless people across our organization and throughout our teams. We couldn’t be more pleased to have that work pay off with our fourth manufacturers’ title.”

From Tyler Reddick’s record-breaking start of the season to Corey Heim’s early career breakthrough and Denny Hamlin’s regular season leading efforts, 2026 has been a memorable season that Team Toyota will look back fondly on for years to come.

Hamlin has earned the most points for Toyota this season with another stellar year. The record-breaking Toyota driver earned four wins and the No. 1 seed in the post-season for the first time in his career, while 23XI Racing’s Reddick kicked off the season claiming Toyota’s first Daytona 500 victory since 2020, before tallying five additional wins this year. His teammate and Toyota Development Driver, Heim, continued his superstar trajectory by winning multiple times on a part-time schedule. He claimed his first NASCAR points-paying victory on an active Naval Base at San Diego in June before adding the crown jewel Brickyard 400 win in July. Ty Gibbs also won for the first time, claiming wins at Bristol and Iowa. His teammate, Chase Briscoe, is impressive in his second season at Joe Gibbs Racing with multiple intermediate victories – including consecutive wins in The Chase at Las Vegas and Charlotte – while Christopher Bell continued his up-front consistency, winning a Crown Jewel race at Darlington Raceway and looks likely to score his fifth consecutive top-five finish in the point standings.

Toyota supports 23XI Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB in the NASCAR Cup Series. Since joining the series in 2007, Toyota has won 221 races and captured 189 poles in 716 races. In addition to this year’s title, Toyota also claimed the manufacturers championships in 2016 (16 wins), 2017 (16 wins) and 2019 (19 wins).

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs approximately 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Media Contacts

Sam Mahoney

980-900-8573

[email protected]

Pam Jansen

Golin Ketchum for TOYOTA RACING

386-631-2489

[email protected]

Cody Poor

Golin Ketchum for TOYOTA RACING

323-578-7159

[email protected]

Bill Janitz

Golin Ketchum for TOYOTA RACING

330-353-5936

[email protected]

GARDENA, Calif. and PLANO, Texas (Oct. 20, 2026) – Toyota Motor North America’s Hydrogen Headquarters (H2HQ) division is making steady progress in fueling improvements for heavy-duty fuel cell trucks as it works to bring these advancements to Toyota’s commercial fleets in the U.S.

Toyota recently installed two mobile hydrogen fueling devices at North American Parts Center California (NAPCC), its largest parts distribution facility in the U.S. With the tanks and fuel ready, Toyota’s commercial logistics fleets plan to use the mobile fuelers to support Toyota operations by fueling heavy-duty fuel cell trucks hauling freight from the Port of Los Angeles to Ontario, and throughout the region. A permanent station is planned to be built on location.

The station will initially fuel heavy-duty trucks commissioned through Hyroad Energy and will later integrate heavy-duty trucks with Toyota’s own certified fuel cell powertrain.

Toyota and National Lab of the Rockies Complete Milestone Filling

In a public-private partnership, Toyota is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) in Golden, Colorado, to research several initiatives, including 70 MPa high-flow hydrogen fueling for heavy-duty trucks.

High-flow fueling allows trucks to accept hydrogen fuel at speeds up to 300g/s, or about five times faster than the rate of conventional light-duty fueling technology. It allows heavy-duty trucks to carry energy into the vehicle at an equivalent speed of a 20 MW fast charger. Refueling times are comparable to modern diesel-powered, heavy-duty trucks. Unlike a diesel powertrain, however, fuel cells emit only water.

Toyota and NLR engineers and researchers have performed multiple rounds of testing per SAE J2601-5 standards, successfully demonstrating that Toyota-powered heavy-duty trucks can be refueled in about eight minutes for a range of up to 450 miles.

Production Toyota-powered trucks are expected to hit the open road for commercial operations in 2027.

Building the Next Generation of Hydrogen Fueling

Over the next several months, Toyota aims to upgrade its private fueling infrastructure at its H2HQ to the same high-flow standard for testing heavy-duty vehicles. It also plans to install new equipment for light passenger fuel cell electric vehicles in order to evaluate station hardware and share insights intended to improve operations and reliability.

When the publicly available permanent station at NAPCC goes online, Toyota plans to provide conventional and high-flow hydrogen fueling for heavy-duty trucks, along with a separate area for fueling light-duty vehicles.

Toyota continues to develop and refine fuel cell technologies for heavy-duty vehicles, commercial applications, stationary power generation and light-duty passenger vehicles, including supporting past, current and future vehicle development.

About Toyota Hydrogen Headquarters (H2HQ)

Toyota Hydrogen Headquarters (H2HQ) is the lead office in North America for the development, engineering, commercialization and business operations of Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell technologies. Based in Gardena, California, H2HQ works collaboratively with Toyota’s R&D offices in Michigan and Texas, as well as business units in Japan and internationally, to create zero-emissions fuel cell technologies that enable energy independence, innovation and the movement of people, goods, energy and information.

For more information about Toyota, visit Toyota Hydrogen Headquarters (H2HQ) – Toyota USA Newsroom.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of over 50 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Media Contacts

Jacob Brown

[email protected]

- Limited Grade Makes Panoramic View Monitor, Outer Mirrors with Puddle Lights and Reverse Tilt Down Feature, Lane Change Assist, and More, Standard

- New Inked Exterior Paint Color

- Stylish Exterior with Color Matched Grille, Sleek Design, and Available 21-inch Wheels

- Premium Interior with Seating for Five and Fold-Flat Second Row for a 6.5-foot Long Cargo Area

- Quiet Cabin with Standard Leather-trimmed Seating, Soft Touch Materials, and Available Panoramic Glass Roof

- 12.3-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia Touchscreen and Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 Standard

- Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) System and Electronic On-Demand All Wheel Drive (AWD) Standard

- Impressive 238 HP HEV Total System Output with EPA-Estimated 38 MPG Combined Rating

PLANO, Texas (Oct. 22, 2026) – The Toyota Crown Signia returns for the 2027 model year by continuing to offer a sophisticated blend of elegant design, premium comfort, and capable performance. As a modern Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) worthy of the storied Toyota Crown name, the Crown Signia remains a standout in the lineup, providing drivers with a unique combination of sedan-like handling and SUV versatility. For 2027, a new “Inked” exterior paint color comes to Crown Signia, and the Advanced Technology Package, previously optional on the Limited grade, will now be standard on the 27MY Limited grade.

The Toyota Crown Signia comes well-equipped at a Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) that starts at $44,890 for the XLE grade and $51,155 for the Limited grade, excluding Delivery, Processing and Handling fee. Click here for the latest Toyota Pricing information. The 2027 Crown Signia models are expected to start arriving at Toyota dealerships later this year.

What’s New

- Limited grade adds standard features (previously required additional Advanced Technology package):

- Panoramic View Monitor

- Lane Change Assist

- Traffic Jam Assist (Active Drive Connect Trial or Subscription Required, 4G Network Dependent)

- Front Cross-Traffic Alert

- Outer mirrors with puddle lights and reverse tilt-down feature

- Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking

- Inked exterior paint color (replaces black)

Elegant Design and Premium Comfort

The 2027 Crown Signia features a dynamic profile defined by a long, sweeping roofline, a monochromatic grille, and wide fenders. The exterior is complemented by color-matched design elements and available 21-inch wheels. For those seeking a personalized aesthetic, the Limited grade continues to offer an available two-tone exterior paint option, pairing a sleek black roof with colors such as Storm Cloud, Oxygen White, Finish Line Red, or Bronze Age.

Inside, the cabin is designed as a sanctuary. With seating for five, the interior features standard leather-trimmed, heated, and ventilated front seats with three-level adjustment. The premium atmosphere is enhanced by soft-touch materials, bronze-metallic finished accents, and a fixed panoramic moonroof on the Limited grade. Practicality is at the forefront, with a 60/40 second-row fold-flat seat design that creates a 6.5-foot-long cargo area, offering over 68 cubic feet of storage space when seats are folded flat.

Signature Hybrid Performance and AWD

At the heart of the Crown Signia is the standard Toyota Hybrid Electric Vehicle system. This powertrain utilizes a 2.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine paired with a hybrid transaxle and a bi-polar Nickel Metal Hydride battery. Delivering a manufacturer-estimated 38 MPG combined rating and 238 total system horsepower, the system provides a balance of efficiency and power.

The vehicle comes standard with electronic On-Demand All Wheel Drive (AWD). Instead of a traditional transfer case, the system employs a rear-mounted electric motor to provide power to the rear wheels when needed, such as during cornering or in slippery conditions. This system allows for precise driving force distribution between 100:0 and 20:80, enhancing both fuel efficiency and driving dynamics.

Grade-Level Features

The 2027 Toyota Crown Signia is available in two well-equipped grades:

XLE Grade:

- 2.5-liter HEV system

- Electronic On-Demand AWD

- 19-inch multi-spoke machine-finished two-tone alloy wheels

- LED projector low- and high-beam headlights, Automatic High Beams

- 12.3-inch touchscreen with Toyota Audio Multimedia and six speakers

- Heated and ventilated leather-trimmed front seats with 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory function and lumbar support; 8-way power-adjustable front passenger seat

- Heated outboard rear seats

- Qi-compatible vertical wireless charging and five USB-C charge ports

- Low profile roof rails

- Heated power outside mirrors with turn signal and blind spot warning indicators, and power-folding feature

Limited Grade (Adds to or replaces XLE features with):

- Dark gray metallic finished 21-inch 7-spoke alloy wheels

- Fixed glass panoramic roof

- JBL® Premium audio system with 11-speakers, includes subwoofer, and amplifier

- Digital rearview mirror

- Heated power outside mirrors with turn signal and blind spot warning indicators, puddle lights and power-folding with reverse tilt-down feature

- LED projector low- and high-beam headlights with auto level control, Automatic High Beams (AHB), and auto on/off

- Rain-sensing windshield wipers

- Panoramic View Monitor

- Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking

- Front Cross-Traffic Alert

- Lane Change Assist

- Traffic Jam Assist (Active Drive Connect Trial or Subscription Required, 4G Network Dependent)

- Digital Key capability, requires an active Remote Connect trial or subscription. 4G network dependent.

Interior and Exterior Colors

Safety and Connectivity

Every 2027 Crown Signia comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, a comprehensive suite of active safety features including Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, and Lane Tracing Assist.

Drivers stay connected through the Toyota Audio Multimedia system, which includes standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Additionally, the vehicle includes 5-year Connected Services trials for Safety Connect, Service Connect, and Remote Connect. It has a 30 day or up to 3GB trial for Wi-Fi Connect. Additional services, such as Drive Connect*, are also available. Connected Services are 4G network dependent, visit Toyota Connected Services to learn more.

Limited Warranty

The 2027 Toyota Crown Signia is backed by Toyota’s 36-month/36,000-mile basic new-vehicle warranty, along with additional 60-month/60,000-mile powertrain coverage. Hybrid-related components are covered for 8 years/100,000 miles, and the HV battery is covered for 10 years/150,000 miles.

Every new Crown Signia also includes ToyotaCare, a plan covering initial factory-scheduled maintenance for one year or 10,000 miles, whichever comes first, and two years of Roadside Assistance, regardless of mileage.

For more information, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs approximately 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Media Contacts

Paul Hogard

[email protected]

PLANO, Texas (Oct. 27, 2026) – The magic of a snow day comes to life with Toyota’s Snowhunter concepts. Introduced at the 2026 SEMA Show, the Tundra, Tacoma, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, and Sequoia make up a five-vehicle concept lineup that imagines how each model could be equipped for winter exploration.

Reimagining Toyota’s body-on-frame trucks and SUVs for deep-snow travel, the Snowhunter family combines the idea of off-road capability, purpose-built winter components, and bold styling designed to go beyond plowed roads.

Across the lineup, the Snowhunter concepts share a common formula built around winter-ready performance and expedition-focused design, with CALTY Design Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan, leading the design.

Each concept features bespoke Snowhunter camouflage and badging, gloss-black accents, white powder-coated snow tracks, Rigid lighting, and lift components from Toyota Genuine Parts and TRD. Together, the five builds reflect a unified vision of what Toyota capability can look like when snow becomes part of the route instead of a reason to turn back.

The Tundra Snowhunter Concept brings full-size strength to the farthest reaches of winter. Built to serve as a mobile basecamp, the concept pairs its imposing stance with a CALTY-designed Toyota TrailLift Pro Rack System Concept, TRD rear billet control arms, Predator Step, and added lighting for remote adventures.

The TrailLift Pro system helps transform the bed into a flexible platform tailored to the way owners explore, with a rugged frame designed to support configurable storage, organization, and gear management. Its articulating top rack lowers to make loading larger equipment such as bikes, kayaks, canoes, and other heavy gear easier and more accessible, making it a concept built to imagine getting into the wild and supporting the adventure once it gets there.

The Tacoma Snowhunter Concept applies a nimbler and trail-focused approach to the same mission. Equipped with snow tracks and a collection of adventure gear including a roof rack, full-length bed rack with MOLLE panels, awning, cargo storage, recovery equipment, and bed lighting. This Tacoma concept is configured for tight trails, changing conditions, and self-supported exploration on winter routes that demand agility as much as capability.

The 4Runner Snowhunter Concept extends Toyota’s SUV adventure legacy into deeper winter terrain with a build designed for confidence well beyond the plowed route. With added protection, cargo capability, and equipment suited for extended backcountry travel, it includes Toyota Genuine rock rails, a Prinsu roof rack with accessory panels, and a Thule Pulse 2 cargo box.

The Land Cruiser Snowhunter Concept builds on Land Cruiser’s global reputation for exploration with a winter-focused interpretation of its legendary capability. Outfitted with Toyota Genuine rock rails and skid plates, a Prinsu roof rack with accessory panels, and a Thule SnowPack ski rack, it is designed to as an expression of its long-standing mission: to keep going when the environment becomes part of the challenge.

The Sequoia Snowhunter Concept brings full-size space and winter capability together to envision a vehicle designed to carry people, gear, and possibility farther into the wild. It’s outfitted with a TRD front skid plate, Toyota Genuine cast aluminum running boards, a Prinsu roof rack with accessory panels, and a Thule Pulse 2 cargo box to showcase how it could be equipped to support everything from family escapes to remote basecamp adventures.

Altogether, Toyota’s Snowhunter concepts express a shared vision for winter exploration—one where capability meets creativity, and the season opens new paths among snow-covered pines and crystalline snow-covered fields.

Vehicles shown are special project prototype vehicles, modified with parts and/or accessories not available from Toyota that may void the vehicle’s warranty, may negatively impact vehicle performance and safety, and may not be street legal.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs approximately 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Media Contacts

Adam Lovelady

[email protected]