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http://priuschat.com/news/toyota-off...s-prius-family


Toyota Officially Announces Prius Family

Submitted by Danny on January 11, 2010 - 10:30am.Share4

Today Toyota finally officially announced its intentions to market a family line-up of Prius hybrids. You probably read four months ago on PriusChat that Toyota had told its dealers about an idea to market a family of Prius hybrids, but Toyota was keeping quiet about the plan until today. No official models are being added to the family at this time, but expect to see the new FT-CH concept make it into the world as a Prius at some point in the near future.

“The strategy is still taking shape and obviously it will require additional models to qualify as a family,” said Lentz. “Among others, the FT-CH is a concept that we are considering.”

Also according to Toyota's press release, in the early 2010s, Toyota plans to sell a million hybrids per year globally, a majority of those in North America. To accomplish this, Toyota will launch eight all new hybrid models over the next few years. These will not include next generation versions of current hybrids; instead, they will be all new dedicated hybrid vehicles, or all new hybrid versions of existing gas engine models.

Jim Lentz has been pushing the idea of a Prius subbrand for close to a year. At one point earlier this year, the idea appeared to be DOA. But now following the successful launch of the 2010 Prius and the industry-wide movement toward "green" technologies, the plan has a green light.

Adding other models under the Prius badge could also save the Mississippi plant after sitting idle following construction.

pagemaster

About time Toyota starts thinking outside the box.....Also taking some chances is good

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

good bye scion, hello prius.

Milla...

I think its a wonderful move..

flipside909

Toyota has been thinking outside the box, even before Scion was born. Give them a little credit.

IS-SV

Expanding on success, sounds promising.

mmarshall

No, I don't think Scion is going anywhere. That's because their entry-level products cost about half of what a typical Prius can run, and they attract a totally different crowd....one with less disposable money (and substantially younger) than the average Prius customer.

Those who buy a Scion xA or xD figure (correctly), that for what a typical Prius costs, they can have a new Scion and a LOT of gasoline for the same money. Scions, IMO also have a more-solid and less-tinny feel than the new, 3Gen Prius, which, from what I saw, was somewhat of a downgrade from the 2Gen model in material solidness. And while a small Scion obviously can't equal the Prius' gas mileage, it still has plenty of room to brag in the MPG department, and will still take you a long way on a gallon of gas.

IS-SV

Without getting into the subjective discussion as to who has the most tinny doors and the future of Scion, the fact is that the Prius (one model) is already outselling the entire Scion line by 2.5 X . It sounds like Toyota knows what it's doing with "Prius family".

mmarshall

Fine, but that's not what my post was saying. The current Prius popularity is not going to mean the end of the Scion line. In all likelihood, neither will an expanded Prius line either....for the reasons I stated.

(Cj)

Yup, and according to a recent autoblog post, Scion will be getting about 4 new models. The iQ, a 5 door iQ, an iQ sedan, and an iQ hybrid...

Nextourer

Fixed it for ya .


I don't think Scion buyers necessarily have less disposable income. Sure if they're 20 something, they'll have less disposable income than say someone in their 50s who are also buying Scions.

MR_F1

Family or Brand?

GiantsFan

iTrader: (9)

family

just like the genesis of hyundai