With big ticket cars like the Bentley Supersports, Aston Martin V12 Vantage and Lamborghini LP 670-4 SuperVeloce hogging most of the spotlight at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, Toyota quietly unveiled a new version of its tiny iQ. Although not up to the power of the aforementioned cars, the new iQ model does feature a more powerful engine and improved fuel economy.
The newest Toyota iQ model will be powered by a 1.3L four-cylinder, compared to a 1.0L three-cylinder in the standard car. The new powerplant will generate 99 horsepower – a 32 horsepower improvement over the 1.0L.
Despite the extra power on tap, the 1.3L car will actually be more fuel-efficient than its three-cylinder counterpart. Whereas the 1.0L returns about 55 mpg, the four-cylinder model will net around 59 mpg – thanks in large part to Toyota ’s VVT-I and start-stop technology. The four-cylinder model will be offered along side the current three-cylinder iQ.
Toyota has yet to green light the iQ for the U.S. market – although the Japanese automaker did confirm it is considering the move – but it seems as though the larger mill would be better suit for a U.S.-spec iQ, should it ever be given the go ahead.
