Toyota Wants New Prius to Be America's Next Top Model A Hit in Japan, Updated Hybrid
06-09-09, 07:58 AM
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Toyota Wants New Prius to Be America's Next Top Model A Hit in Japan, Updated Hybrid
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...l?hpid=topnews
TOYOTA CITY, Japan -- Memo to the beleaguered U.S. car industry: As the recession eases, torment from Toyota may increase.
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Designers of the Prius, the curiously shaped hybrid that since 1997 has allowed up-to-the-minute Americans to advertise their eco-correctness, are going after the Average Joe.
The third-generation Prius is not just for "some special people," said Wahei Hirai, Toyota's managing officer for design. "This is a mainstream car."
The new model is more powerful than its predecessors, with more headroom, a bigger trunk, better gas mileage and a lower price. It is only now being rolled out in the United States, but judging from exceptionally brisk Japanese sales and effusive early reviews, the car looks like a hit. In May, the Prius was Japan's best-selling car.
To keep up with surging domestic demand, overtime has been brought back at the two plants that assemble the car. Workers have been transferred in from factories around the country. Production has grown to 50,000 cars a month, but customers in Japan must wait three to four months to drive home a new Prius.
The car's sudden popularity comes in a country where the recession has been roughly twice as severe as in the United States and where car sales have been slumping for years. Sales here have been helped by new tax incentives.
(go to link for rest of article)
TOYOTA CITY, Japan -- Memo to the beleaguered U.S. car industry: As the recession eases, torment from Toyota may increase.
This Story
Designers of the Prius, the curiously shaped hybrid that since 1997 has allowed up-to-the-minute Americans to advertise their eco-correctness, are going after the Average Joe.
The third-generation Prius is not just for "some special people," said Wahei Hirai, Toyota's managing officer for design. "This is a mainstream car."
The new model is more powerful than its predecessors, with more headroom, a bigger trunk, better gas mileage and a lower price. It is only now being rolled out in the United States, but judging from exceptionally brisk Japanese sales and effusive early reviews, the car looks like a hit. In May, the Prius was Japan's best-selling car.
To keep up with surging domestic demand, overtime has been brought back at the two plants that assemble the car. Workers have been transferred in from factories around the country. Production has grown to 50,000 cars a month, but customers in Japan must wait three to four months to drive home a new Prius.
The car's sudden popularity comes in a country where the recession has been roughly twice as severe as in the United States and where car sales have been slumping for years. Sales here have been helped by new tax incentives.
(go to link for rest of article)
06-09-09, 10:55 AM
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06-09-09, 11:01 AM
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I've already seen a couple, I pass by a Toyota dealership everyday, this morning, it appeared the salespeople were having a training on it as I seen a group of them gathered around one.
06-09-09, 11:45 AM
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they actually have been selling already, for at least a week. I get emails from the toyota dealerships near me and they sent me something asking me to come down and drive one.
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06-09-09, 04:29 PM
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And Car and Driver just compared the two and gave the Insight the win. 
The reason? Same as always: driving dynamics. Nothing else ever matters in those damn magazines.
Prius is leaps and bounds over it.
The reason? Same as always: driving dynamics. Nothing else ever matters in those damn magazines.
Prius is leaps and bounds over it.
06-09-09, 04:40 PM
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.. This despite the fact the Insight is actually slower than the Prius while getting inferior fuel economy. Only a mag like Honda and Driver will give a Honda the win even when it's inferior in almost every conceivable category.
06-09-09, 09:45 PM
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I dont think those were the only two magazines that gave honda the win. Some of the BIG magazines did as well. I get so many I cant remeber the 2 I saw the reviews in this month or last, and the honda beat the prius. I think some of us are a little Toyota biased. I am guilty as well sometimes, but we have to credit honda for creating the new insight and the FCX clarity ( revolutionary)
06-10-09, 05:08 PM
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I dont think those were the only two magazines that gave honda the win. Some of the BIG magazines did as well. I get so many I cant remeber the 2 I saw the reviews in this month or last, and the honda beat the prius. I think some of us are a little Toyota biased. I am guilty as well sometimes, but we have to credit honda for creating the new insight and the FCX clarity ( revolutionary)
06-10-09, 05:26 PM
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I dont think those were the only two magazines that gave honda the win. Some of the BIG magazines did as well. I get so many I cant remeber the 2 I saw the reviews in this month or last, and the honda beat the prius. I think some of us are a little Toyota biased. I am guilty as well sometimes, but we have to credit honda for creating the new insight and the FCX clarity ( revolutionary)
06-10-09, 08:05 PM
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Competition is a very good think. I'm glad that consumers get another choice. I like the front end of the Insight a tad better than the Prius, but over the Prius looks like a much more competitive car.
I'm glad true "car enthusiats" can appreciate cars in this segment and can evaluate them for their intended purposes. I'm so sick of reading reviews about hybrid and their lack of....blah....blah....blah. These so called journalists don't "get it".
Not all cars are designed for fast slalom speeds or 0-60 times.
I love cars and enjoy talking about them to people who appreciate cars in ALL segments. From Kias to Lamborghinis.
]
I'm glad true "car enthusiats" can appreciate cars in this segment and can evaluate them for their intended purposes. I'm so sick of reading reviews about hybrid and their lack of....blah....blah....blah. These so called journalists don't "get it".
Not all cars are designed for fast slalom speeds or 0-60 times.
I love cars and enjoy talking about them to people who appreciate cars in ALL segments. From Kias to Lamborghinis.
]
