Report: Toyota To Debut Hybrid Model Of Auris In Europe
02 October 2008
The Nikkei reports that Toyota will launch a hybrid version of the Auris subcompact in Europe as soon as 2010.
The five-door Auris is available with 1.5- and 1.8-liter engines. Since its debut in October 2006 in Japan and Europe, it has become one of Toyota’s top models, accounting for more than 10% of European sales last year with 155,000 units.
Toyota is considering exporting the hybrid Auris from Japan, or making it at plants in the UK or Turkey. In the first year, it sees sales of around 20,000 to 30,000 units.
At present, diesel autos account for almost 60% of cars sold in Europe, which has strict carbon dioxide emissions standards. The European Union plans to adopt targets capping auto CO2 emissions at 130 grams per kilometer in 2012. Toyota aims to curb emissions for the Auris to around 100 grams per kilometer, on a par with the Prius.
Car manufacturers should keep in mind that Europe is an diesel environement. The've created in that way and the customers won't believe them to go back to the petrol ones because they found out that diesel ones are consuming less fuel. So it's time to wake them up, mostly Toyota, that they have to do something otherwise they will lose the market starting from 2010.
Posted by: marc | 02 October 2008 at 02:57 AM
Not everyone likes diesels over here. Diesel is not regulated too well here so most of the vehicles sold are without even particulate filters. They are stinky beats and you often see dark little clouds when they start of from a lamp. (Even the modern, new ones)
As EU cities start closing down inner suburbs, a lot of these stinky cars hopefully get locked out.
Posted by: sola | 02 October 2008 at 01:47 PM