far2000

TOYOTA CITY, Japan — Toyota reportedly will put a - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER-fighting "city car" into production in 2008. The automaker will unveil the car in concept form at the Frankfurt auto show in September, Car magazine is reporting.

Toyota had previously shown a city car at Frankfurt. The Endo concept was unveiled at the Frankfurt show in 2005. The Japanese automaker also has a minicar currently on the market, the - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. The new model reportedly will be even smaller — at about 118 inches long versus the Aygo's 134 inches — and will be considered a "3+1" that would seat two adults in front, one in back and have room for a child in the rear-seat position behind the driver seat.

Media are projecting sales of the new little car to start in the summer of 2008.

What this means to you: Toyota is thinking ahead, and this is a company that seems to have the smart ideas.


- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
im sure there prices will be much more reasonable than smart...

Merc1

Uh oh....Smart gonna have a problem if Toyota has time to learn from the mistakes (if any are made) by Smart's U.S. launch.

M

Brendan Moore

Looking at just the U.S. market, one has to wonder just how big the prospective buyer population is for this class of car. There are many auto industry analysts that say that there are not enough buyers here to keep even Smart sales going; what does that mean if there are more entrants in the segment?

Of course, the market segment has the ability to grow considerably if the retail price of gasoline goes higher and stays there, but that is not a given short-term, only long-term.

Outside the U.S., I'd say the prospect for all vehicles in this segment are positive, of course.

Merc1

Truth be told, if Toyota enters this segment in the U.S. it will likely expand the market and actually help Smart initially. People seems to buy any and everything Toyota no matter what it looks or drives like.

M

Brendan Moore

Ain't it the truth - a Toyota badge on just about anything seems to make it sell - no matter what the thing is. Toyota has a tremendous amount of positive brand equity built up in the U.S.

Ubermensch

ateekt

It's gonna be a big "hit", after all, it's a Toyota ...!