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.
Words by Chris Doane.
10/29, 10:42 AM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
Someone mentioned here that Toyota was following the same footsteps as GM. I believe they are correct as Toyota is now verging on too many brands and will beget the same malady that GM has with its many brands.
10/29, 10:52 AM
posted by:
Borat
Toyota has ton of brands already, especially in Japan. There is Daihatsu, Hind, Blue Bird, Lexus. Perhaps they will meet GMs stumbling blocks. So far their showrooms and service departments are being staffed with idiots identical to GM showrooms. I don’t believe this is road to success.
10/29, 11:55 AM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Fantastic. A brand devoted to automotive ugliness and its fruitcake customers. I loathe Toyota.
10/29, 12:05 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Outstanding. I hope they come up with a new logo. Perhaps a Japanese stick figure bent over grabbing both ankles with a flower coming out of its *ss.
10/29, 12:09 PM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
Should The U.S. Auto Industry Be Rescued? Today on NPR!
10/29, 12:11 PM
posted by:
TomF
Complain all you want about Toyota, but they’re basically taking over the world while GM can’t get the Chevy Cruze — ONE STINKING CAR — out the door until 2011 or so, Ford is preoccupied with putting little green vines on Fusion dashboards, and Chrysler is basically an organ donor.
Salute your new Asian masters.
10/29, 12:12 PM
posted by:
TomF
And, no, the US government shouldn’t subsidize this incompetence. That which you subsidize, you get more of, as G. Gordon Liddy used to say.
10/29, 1:01 PM
posted by:
t-ak-box
Toyota may have a lot of brands but none seem to compete directly with each other unlike GM.
GM Brands not only compete with other Automakers, they compete with each other except for Cadillac and maybe Saab. Toyota has each of its brand compete in segments. I mean Scion is younger, Toyota is bread N butter, Lexus is High end, I guess Prius will be Hybrid only. I don’t know if this make s sense though to just have a Prius brand. I think it would be better to just have Hybrid models mixed in the main Toyota line up.
10/29, 1:09 PM
posted by:
A4
prius sedan weve known for years now? isnt it a hatchback? too afraid to call it that? pussies
10/29, 1:11 PM
posted by:
A4
oh AND this is a dumb idea but then again so is everything toyota has done since they killed off the celica.
10/29, 1:22 PM
posted by:
A4
and TomF youre a god damn idiot. Toyota isnt immune to any of this and i cant wait til they are eating sh!t with everyone else – theyre already starting to. At least the majority of GM’s fresh vehicles evoke passion and emotion while toyota continues to present a viable reason for them to merge with electrolux.
Malibu>Camry
Cobalt>Corolla
Silverado>Tundra
Corvette/XLR> oh there is nothing… SC430? yeah right..
CTS>IS, ES
STS, G8>ES, GS
Enclave>RX
The only toyota products that I can respect are the only ones that have been around longer than toyota has been putting people to sleep, aka the 4Runner, Tacoma, and MAYBE the Land Cruiser, but even that last one is debatable.
10/29, 1:37 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
A4, the old Land Cruisers were good. The newer ones are questionable. It’s funny how Toyota, a brand recognized as an economy car brand, receives more praise for its small trucks and SUVs by enthusiasts. Ironic.
Borat, Toyota owns Blue Bird? The bus company? I had no idea. I really thought Blue Bird was an American company, like Kenworth. Or is Blue Bird something else in Japan?
So, if they make Prius a separate brand, what will the call the individual models? Will the main one be called the Prius Prius?
This is what I think their logo should be: http://beconfused.com/images/2007/07/Strange-toilet-sign-in-Korea.jpg
10/29, 1:57 PM
posted by:
miket
I don’t understand how a Prius Brand would “bring down the cost of hybrids” any more than just selling them as hybrid Toyotas. Volume is volume, be it a Toyota, Lexus or Scion. On the other hand, Toyota is notorious for poor customer service from their sales staff–maybe a new brand / attitude might be good for them?
10/29, 2:24 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
Dorks of the world pop open your non-alcoholic beers and sparkling grape juice!!!
10/29, 2:41 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
Once again if you can’t do a burn-out, don’t care….
10/29, 4:09 PM
posted by:
Borat
TomF, excellent observation. I would only comment that Toyota does not have to take over the world. GM, Ford and .8Chrysler ave nothing to offer to anyone but few idiots who in given economic conditions can’t get a loan even from GMAC for GM produced piece of crap. And that’s the reality. It is not that Toyota so great, it is how incompetent the competition is.
10/29, 5:19 PM
posted by:
global_lightning
And just in time for $2.50/gallon gas. It will meet new direct competition from Honda, plus other high MPG non-hybrids and deasel choices. Supply glut, slackened demand = cheap hybrids. It will be a good time to pick up a good daily beater for commuting and grocery-getting and a new Camaro, Mustang, or Challenger for the weekend.
10/29, 6:40 PM
posted by:
VWgrouP
If there is one thing about Hybrids, its got to be the price. And if this new Prius brand is goign to make them afordable(and hopefully more stylish) then count me in.
Nice one Jonny, I think you should design the logo and post it here for all to see..
10/29, 6:45 PM
posted by:
andy
they will all look like ass just like the current Prius
10/29, 8:01 PM
posted by:
DrFill
Don’t playa-hate
Appreciate!
A4 is angry the home team looks and plays like the NY Yankees
Better-built, efficient cars are hip
Get with it!
Whether you like it, or you don’t like it
Learn to LOVE IT!
The future is going to a very cool place
Brought to you by Toyota Synergy Drive
DrFill
10/29, 11:50 PM
posted by:
cereal
Does this mean the Prius (and its “siblings”) will lose the snout-Toyota emblem-grille-type-eye-sore??
But, this does seem like a good move, but also a bad move.
They should still keep the Toyota nameplate, but just have their own separate… … sub-brand?
I dunno. I just think launching ANOTHER brand-ish is kinda overdoing it a bit.
But I have no doubt that these will be selling like hotcakes, assuming that nothing else happens
-eat your cereal
12/22, 1:27 AM
posted by:
PartOfTheMarket
My main concerns are longetivity, the loss of power because of less combustion, and the dwendling value of the “new Common” oppose to a solid engineered luxuary. My twin charged 6cyl volvo turned 219,000 the other day and I know it’s not even broke in yet, my grandpa’s has over 350k. sure I only get 35 mpg highway in my midsized car with 265 horses at the touch of the pedal, but it still books out at 6500 bucks. which is twice what I paid for it. The eco-friendly market is growing rapidly, just like the price of gas. But Where will the value of the prius stand at 200,000 miles? Like my remote control cars, how much will I have to pay to replace the cell’s that I’m sure are obsolecently planned to go out? and How often will they have to be replaced? I guess as a moderate investor I just want to protect my principle investment.