Developed into a Toyota Prius brand

Currently, automobile manufacturers would have to admit competition Prius has become synonymous with the word hybrid. Jim O'Donnell, CEO and president of BMW of North America also recognized "In the U.S., meaning the Prius hybrid."

The head of Toyota in the U.S., Bob Carter, said: "No car manufacturer which sells more hybrid vehicles like Toyota. In the past decade, Toyota Prius sold nearly 1 million U.S.. We design to add new Prius model because customers want the benefits of the Prius hybrid technology equipped for many other types of vehicles.

With the new model is being prepared, the Prius brand will develop into a subsidiary brand like Toyota's Lexus, separate from the parent company.

This way can help to regain Toyota sales plummeted after last year's disastrous; has led Toyota to become the only carmaker reduced sales in the U.S..
The first new model Prius is V, a family car. C followed by the Prius, smaller cars, plug-in version.

According to Mr. Carter, in the U.S., the 3rd generation Prius was introduced in 2009 at the exhibition will remain Detroi "vehicle fuel economy without the best-selling hype."

3rd generation Prius has fuel consumption of 4.6 lit/100km lit/100km in the city and 4.9 highway (down from 4.9 to 5.2 respectively of the vehicle so lit/100km predecessors). Improvements continue to help Toyota Prius ahead of competitors such as Honda's new Insight (5.5 to 5.7 liters), Honda Civic Hybrid (5.2 to 5.9 liters), Ford Fusion Hybrid (5 0.7 to 6, 5 liters), Toyota Camry Hybrid (6.9 to 7.1 liters), Nissan Altima Hybrid (from 6.7 to 7.1 liters), and Volkswagen Jetta TDI diesel (5.9-8.1 l), (wasting fuel in the inner city roads - highways)
Selling the Prius in the U.S. because European competitors can not sell the diesel version in the U.S.. Meanwhile in Europe, but the Prius must confront new technology diesel fuel.

Late last year, Peugeot has introduced the European market diesel hybrid car on the first call: 3008 Peugeot Hybrid 4 2 liter engine, 200 horsepower and extremely fuel-efficient 3.8-liter performance / 100km. Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 expected to be sold in Europe in early 2011.

In the U.S., the public still stereotypes with diesel engine, this car was previously regarded as dirty, regret, loudly. He O'Donnell said BMW's "Do not underestimate the difference between the U.S. and Europe,"

'Clean Car' - a potential market in the future?

As observed by O'Donnell, the new hybrid sales were up only 2% of car sales in the U.S.. "There is so much hype about hybrids," he added, "Americans will pay more attention to diesel or hybrid diesel in an effort to improve their fuel economy."

"Americans will do this," according to JD Power's forecast, "diesel vehicles currently account for 2.6% of the U.S. market, will increase to 8% in 2015 and 10.5% in 2020.
But hybrid and electric vehicles are also predicted similar numbers: 8% in 2015 and 10.5% in 2020. "

So, with the addition of the new model, the Prius will certainly rival "heavyweights" in the U.S. market.

GM CEO Dan Akerson, was reluctant to answer in a BBC interview when asked about the Prius: "It was a clean car, but I think it's not nice cars."
Tags:Toyota,Nissan,BMW,Cars shows,Renault