jruhi4

In line with a recent comment by 1SICKLEX about how Europe is now more profitable for Toyota than North America due to the euro/yen/dollar relationship comes this article:

Toyota could build Yaris-based hybrid in France, report says
Automotive News Europe

TOKYO (Reuters) -- Toyota could build a Yaris-based hybrid car in France for sale in Europe, Japan's Asahi newspaper reported.

Toyota plans to launch a hybrid compact for about 1.5 million yen ($15,760) in Japan in late 2011, broadening its hybrid lineup, the newspaper said.

Toyota may produce the new hybrid not only in Japan but also in France for European markets, according to the report.

The new hybrid-only model will use the platform and engine of the Yaris subcompact, which will be fully remodeled ahead of the new hybrid's launch. The new hybrid also will feature a more cost-competitive and fuel-efficient hybrid system than that of the Prius, Asahi said.

The new Toyota hybrid is expected to compete with the hybrid version of Honda's Fit/Jazz subcompact, which will debut in Japan next year, the newspaper said.

In June, Toyota President Akio Toyoda said that the company would shift its focus in the diesel-heavy European market to hybrid vehicles as part of a new effort to use its resources more selectively, dropping a strategy of becoming a full-line maker in all regions.

Earlier this month, Toyota said it will begin production of a gasoline-electric version of its Auris compact hatchback, its first European-built full hybrid car, at its factory near Derby, about 200km north of London, starting in mid-2010.

The engines will be made at Toyota's factory in Deeside, north Wales.

Toyota has a goal of selling at least 1 million hybrid vehicles a year within the next few years.

http://www.autonews.com/article/2009...NE02/907289997

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

If the Insight is a Fit-based hybrid, I think Toyota will do great with a lower-priced Yaris-based hybrid.