Report: New Toyota Subcompact Will Be Hybrid, Sold In U.S.
Toyota is set to reveal a new concept car on January 11 at India's 2010 Delhi Auto Expo that will preview the automaker's next-generation subcompact car. The new subcompact won't be just another cheap runabout designed for emerging markets, however.
According to a new report the car will be a dedicated hybrid model like the Prius and will eventually reach local showrooms. People familiar with the project have revealed that the hybrid subcompact will go on sale in the U.S. in early 2012, with production numbers expected to top 150,000 units annually.
If the report proves true, Toyota will have a new dedicated hybrid model that should better the 50 mpg fuel economy of the Prius.
Not much else is known about the concept but from the teaser it appears that the car might share its design with the current iQ subcompact sold overseas. There's a strong chance that it could even be sold under the Scion brand when it eventually arrives in showrooms.
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2009 Toyko Motor Show: Honda’s EV-N Minicar Concept Video
![Honday EV-N concept [video screencap]](http://images.thecarconnection.com/sml/honday-ev-n-concept-video-screencap_100231417_s.jpg "Honday EV-N concept [video screencap]")
The 2009 Tokyo Motor Show kicks off today, and even though the event will be much smaller than it's been in recent years, there's already some fun stuff on view. Take, for example, the Honda EV-N concept, a retro minicar with some very distinct styling features, as shown in the weirdly silent video clip below. (Our favorite feature? The Space Invaders-themed grill. Well, that's what it looks like, anyway.)
Although this is an EV, and Honda said just yesterday that it may consider producing an EV minicar in the near future, the company insists that the EV-N is purely concept that's not intended for showrooms. Then again, Honda's gone back on its word before. Video after the jump.
[Carscoop]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2009 MINI Cooper Convertible: Don’t Try This At Home
We already told you about the 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible--how it delivers undiluted driving joy, how it pleases with power and careful attention to detail, how its convertible roof does a passable imitation of a sunroof, too. In all, it scores an 8.6 on our scale of 10--pretty good for a teensy, British-built sun bucket.
What we obviously missed in our review was how the MINI can turn you into a safety-be-damned gymnast/car dancer.
Need to know how? Watch MINI's latest ad for the new convertible, which arrives in showrooms just in time for the spring. We think there's some CGI involved, but take a look also at the "making-of" video embedded also for you to enjoy.
Own a MINI? Feel free to open the top and spin that "openometer" as fast as you can--but please, kids, don't try this at home:
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
