Toyota Prius Brand: "Another Rumor, Another Dose of Truth"

"The roumors regarding the future Prius brand proved to be false with the following reply posted on Toyota Open Road Blog: "Prius brand a ‘go’ for Toyota," trumpets the headline. Well, we suppose this will generate traffic for LeftLaneNews.com, the site that carried the story. But it also proves that you just cannot believe everything you read on the Internet.

The LLN post tells us, "You can now file this one under ‘confirmed’ as Toyota’s new green brand has been given the green light."

The trouble with this report is that it’s completely false. A reader might suspect that, actually, since the post doesn’t contain the name of a source – or even suggest that there was a source, other than what the post calls "the rumor mill."

What I can confirm is that the possibility of a separate Prius brand is something that we’ve been studying and discussing internally here at Toyota. But no decision about this has been made, no product has been identified, and there certainly has been no timetable established for the rollout of such a brand.

- Irv Miller, Group Vice President, Corporate Communications"

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Future of Toyota Prius: Separate brand, 3 different models

The rumor mill has been churning non-stop about the possibility of Toyota spinning-off the Prius nameplate into a separate brand. You can now file this one under “confirmed” as Toyota’s new green brand has been given the green light. The main goal of the Prius brand will be to bring down the price of hybrids. Toyota is said to be aiming to cut the cost of hybrid technology so much that it would only add $500-$1000 in vehicle cost on the retail end.

The original
Anchoring the brand will be the Prius sedan we’ve known for some years now. The 2010 model year will bring a totally redesigned Prius that is set to debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Along with new sheet metal, the Prius sedan will get a slightly larger motor, moving from a 1.5L to a 1.8L motor. A significant bump in the fuel economy rating is also expected. Whispers of a highway rating anywhere between 60 and 80 mpg have been heard.

With Lithium-ion battery technology still not ready for prime time, the Prius will solider on with a nickel metal hydride battery pack for now.

Big Brother
The first all-new Prius brand vehicle we’ll see will come in the 2012 model year. Based on Toyota’s MC chassis, this vehicle would be larger than current Prius sedan. While design planning is still under way, it’s been said this larger-than-Prius vehicle would come to fruition in a 5-door body style. Possibly something along the lines of Toyota’s foreign market Mark X Zio.

Power is set to come from a new 2.5 liter, four-cylinder, ZR-series motor mated to a next generation version of their Hybrid Synergy Drive. Whether lithium-ion batteries would be ready in time for this car remains to be seen. Pricing for this up-market hybrid should start in the $28,000-$30,000 range.

Little Brother
Toyota will wait until the Yaris is due for a total redesign to launch a smaller-than-Prius vehicle in the 2013 model year. While this new hybrid will share the Yaris chassis, the Prius-brand vehicle is slated to have completely different sheet metal. A 4-door sedan seems to be the format that Toyota will choose for the baby Prius. A vehicle undoubtedly aimed at the Honda Fit Hybrid due in the 2011 model year.

Power will most likely come from a hybridized version of Toyota’s 1.5 liter, four-cylinder. With Toyota aiming for a price point in the upper teens, this model will skip the more expensive lithium-ion batteries in favor of the cheaper, tried and tested, nickel metal hydride battery pack.

Whether any of these vehicles will be plug-in capable remains a question mark. Look for Toyota to officially announce the Prius brand, and possibly show a concept or two, during the upcoming auto show season.

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First photos of new Prius leaked

The first photos of the upcoming photos were posted today on PriusChat. Although there were questions regarding the authenticity of them, it was finally confirmed by Toyota Open Road Blog that the car shown in those photos is indeed the new Prius.

Link

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2009: Honda Vs Toyota

2009 will be the year where the two major Japanese automotive companies (Honda & Toyota) will start selling their new hybrid models in order to increase their share in the market. Honda will try to come back to the battle with the new Insight, which will be the most affordable hybrid car and therefore it will not directly compete with the Prius, which will continue to be more expensive and advanced that the current Honda Civic Hybrid.

As evidenced by the most recent spy shots, the new Prius will keep the same distinctive shape of the current model, but will actually be about 2.5 cm wider and 3 cm shorter than the current car. Toyota will offer an optional (premium package) solar roof, which will assist with the air conditioning and electronics.

Power wise, it is expected that it will gain 40 more horsepower from a new 1.8-liter engine, and better fuel economy. The Prius will still be aided by nickel metal hydride batteries, but lithium ion batteries are anticipated in the not-so-distant future.

The new Prius will make its official debut at the North American International Auto Show in January, along with the new Honda Insight.

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