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Toyota confirms plans for Prius “brand”

09/18/2009, 4:35 AM

By Nick Aziz

Over a year ago, Leftlane broke exclusive details on Toyota’s plan to extend the Prius name to a broader range of vehicles. Since then, there have been numerous claims made about the validity of these rumors. But Toyota has put the speculation to rest with official confirmation that there will soon be more Prius models.

The announcement was made at a Las Vegas gathering of Toyota and Lexus dealers from across the country. Sources at the event tell us executives were careful to point out the future Prius range won’t be a full-fledged brand like Lexus or Scion.

Rather, the Prius “brand” will be a subset of vehicles within Toyota. It remains to be seen exactly what form this might take. Previous rumors call for a coupe and a pickup truck.

In November we reported rumors about Toyota developing a 2+2 coupe version of the Prius, which would do battle with Honda’s upcoming CRZ hybrid.

Also said to be in the works is a production version of the A-BAT Concept pickup truck. This vehicle seems like a logical fit for the Prius range.

No official word on when to expect the new Prius models, but sources have indicated Toyota is targeting a 2012 launch date.

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09/18, 5:21 AM

posted by:

Go Saab

As soon as a car company reaches a certain mass, they start doing stupid things Ten more years, and Toyota will look like GM with multiple overlapping brands that lacks management attention and just confuses to the buyers.

09/18, 5:43 AM

posted by:

ConanTheBarbarian

I concur… what are they gonna do? make a prius pickup…prius motorcycles? prius hovercrafts? Prius teleportation portals?

Its already one of the hardest cars to aquire…wait lists are huge… so lets make an entire brand that can’t be delivered…. HAHAHA

09/18, 7:09 AM

posted by:

twobolt

Your assumptions on availability don’t apply in Boston, one of the most successful markets for the Prius.

Here dealers have cars for sale on their lots. Check the on-line inventory for Boch Toyota in Norwood MA (largest Toy dealers in New England) or Toyota of Watertown ( a smaller dealership closer to Boston).

Boch is showing 12 this morning and Watertown 29. Other dealerships are well stocked like Bernardi in Framingham with 16.

They seem to be available in all of the package variants and sticker from low 20’s to low 30’s.

No “huge” wait lists folks. If you don’t live here and want one, fly in and drive home for less than your airline ticket.

09/18, 7:55 AM

posted by:

DrFill

Prius name is gold
If they make two more Prius brand vehicles, that will be fine
Toyota knows not to go past three
It will help sales of the other new vehicles
The A-BAT is a killer concept
A smaller Prius can only succeed, as small cars are en vogue
May finally provide vehicles for the Tupelo, Mississippi plant to build
Carry on!
DrFill

09/18, 8:20 AM

posted by:

05Z88Path

*Moan* More cars for morons to drive slower then the speed limit…great.

09/18, 8:50 AM

posted by:

alsvw

go saab– i have been saying the same thing for years. toyota in ten years will be the next gm. they are getting lazy with their designs, going for the profit and not quality. even up until this latest model of the corolla, you could not find one with side air bags. and if you did, it was a ghetto’d toyota style corolla for over $20k. which again is a piece of crap with a big sticker price.

09/18, 9:10 AM

posted by:

DrFill

Well, you both are wrong
But we’re used to that

The quality awards keep rolling in
Especially on Prius
DrFill

09/18, 9:26 AM

posted by:

2WheeledSpeed

A Prius pickup? Now there’s a joke…

And I have to agree with 05Z88Path, we don’t need more cars for the people who will sit in the fast lane doing 5 under, clog up the HOV, and accelerate at the speed of molasses from red lights…

09/18, 9:35 AM

posted by:

idrinorbarsaku

I’m not sure if them increasing/enlarging their prius line-up would do anything bad for them. They move current prius cars out of the lots effortlessly, I doubt putting a new model would do something horrible, such as what gm has been doing….that’s not a little exaggeration, that A LOT of it! It’s only to increase hybrid models, not bring a new brand that shares parts from another car!

09/18, 9:40 AM

posted by:

ayrtonJ

Conan: I wouldn’t mind a teleportation pad…..beam me up Scotty! But I agree. Toyota is going the way of GM. Unless? They are going the way of yesteryears with naming of some of their models (i.e. Celica Supra, Corolla Levin, Sprinter Trueno, Camry Solara, Land Cruiser Prado). So it would be Prius Daisy, Prius Evergreen, Prius Ecoporter…And we don’t need more pick-up trucks. Give us coupes and sporty cars.

09/18, 10:10 AM

posted by:

rollingrock

Toyota’s traditional strategy is to give the consumer what they want first and foremost, regardless of short term profits. GM is more like, we will build what we think we can make the most short-term quarter profits on, and what our pushy sales people can ram down the cutstomers throats whether they like it or not, lol.

09/18, 10:27 AM

posted by:

DrFill

When Toyota starts making cars as bad as the Cavalier, Cimmaron, and Trans Sport, then we can start the desperate comparisons to a company that didn’t care what they put on the road

Toyota takes risks
They bet on the what the people will want before they know they want it
And they are right 90% of the time

GM never did that

The ONLY similarities between GM and Toyota are they have both owned this market
GM previously
Toyota currently
DrFill

09/18, 10:27 AM

posted by:

DenverGuy217

I’d rather see them incorporate the Prius into the Scion line and make it Toyota’s fuel efficient brand. They went full throttle when introducing Scion and then let it rot on the vine. Now they are going to bring out another brand that focuses on small cars albeit with a different drivetrain. Consolidate don’t procreate Toyota…

09/18, 10:38 AM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

So in other words this is going to be much like what Genesis is to Hyundai. Instead of starting a whole new brand there will just be a Prius sedan, coupe and pickup much like there is a Genesis sedan and coupe.

Gee Doc, tell us it can’t be so. Toyota is following Hyundai’s lead? Wow, imagine that.

09/18, 11:00 AM

posted by:

cantdrive55

OMG – a prius line for Toyota? Is it gonna be a 1 car line – what about Scion? More vehicles for tree huggers to be seen in – Jeff Dunham says it best – What sound does a Prius make when it drives by? ‘IIIIIIIIIII’MMMMMMMMMM GGGGGGGAAAAAAAYYYYYYY

09/18, 11:04 AM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

babble babble babble,
Toyota is the greatest

blah blah blah blah
zippity doo-dah
ding-dong the witch is dead
Prius rules the world

lather, rinse, repeat

Doc

09/18, 11:05 AM

posted by:

leftwingagenda

good move for toyota, as long as the cars are well designed…there’s always been a hyper focus on the prius design because a lot of gearheads are threatened by the thought of hybrids taking over and sucking all the fun out of driving…that’s not going to change any time soon…paranoia is rampant these days, it seems…

09/18, 11:43 AM

posted by:

DrFill

Johnny
Blog first
THEN blaze up
You’re f%^$&ing up the rotation!
DrFill

09/18, 11:44 AM

posted by:

DrFill

Can’t drive
Every other automaker wishes they could be as gay (which means happy) as Toyota
DrFill

09/18, 11:45 AM

posted by:

armstealer

Should be part of Scion. It’s like advertising cigarettes to kids, gotta get ‘em hooked early.

09/18, 12:12 PM

posted by:

Need more KY for GM

Dr Fill
It’s lube up 1st
THEN bend over
So I can teach you a lesson like I did to Need More Oil for GM

09/18, 12:21 PM

posted by:

NavinRJohnson

I don’t get it. So will the Camry Hybrid be called the Camry Prius? The whole thing seems stupid to me. I think all it will mean more of those annoying commercials with the stupid music and people as flowers interupting my football games. Great use of their $1B budget.

09/18, 12:24 PM

posted by:

cantdrive55

DrFill
Other manufacturers may wish that, neither here nor there. The value of the prius is not disputed, nor is the humore value of Jeff Dunham using the prius and their drivers in his act! LMAO

09/18, 1:34 PM

posted by:

cocojoe53

The name has a lot of value, and if they called the Camry Hybrid “Biggie Prius”, it would sell better

09/18, 3:34 PM

posted by:

global_lightning

I’m gonna buy me a Prius then drop in a 427 big block, turbo-hydramatic, and posi-traction diff. Slap on some Cragars with Mickey Thompson slicks and wheelie bars. Then go down to the DMV and get me that special ‘eco’ license plate that lets me go solo in the carpool lane.

09/18, 3:50 PM

posted by:

johnnycanuck

… or you could just switch your respirator back to the oxygen bottle.

09/18, 9:20 PM

posted by:

reedfast

well good luck with that, i don’t know haw thats going to stay on the road, the thing was made for aerodynamics, not downforce.

09/19, 12:06 AM

posted by:

armstealer

global- like the idea
johnny- like the diss

09/19, 9:37 AM

posted by:

ConanTheBarbarian

Priuses are GAAAAAAAAAAAAY…

I ****iing love my 2SS CAMARO, 2005 F-250, and my Ducati 1098S….them theres some man vehicles

09/20, 2:49 AM

posted by:

A4

…with the production versions being rolled out at the first annual Provincetown Auto Show.

09/22, 4:12 AM

posted by:

Tetsujinn

I honestly hate every single one of these hybrid and electric cars automakers are making now. What is the point in producing all these cars if the source of the electricity is still fossil fuel? Even the production of these cars are driving up demand for rare materials to make the batteries and the many other unique parts, which will ultimately lead to a shortage of materials. These hybrids will only be a temporary solution to the economic and environmental issue.

 
 
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