Automotive News Europe

TOKYO (Reuters) -- Toyota Motor Corp. Said on Tuesday it aims to sell 36,000 units a year of its new hybrid Sai sedan in Japan, taking another step towards its goal of selling 1 million hybrid vehicles annually worlwide soon after 2010.

The Sai is the second hybrid-only model under the Toyota brand after the Prius and is a repackaged version of the Lexus HS250h, which went on sale in June.

The Sai is bigger and more expensive than the Prius and will go on sale in Japan on Dec. 7. Prices will start at 3.38 million yen ($37.290), compared with the HS250h's starting price of 3.96 million yen.

Toyota said it had no plans to export the Sai, which will be built by unit Toyota Motor Kyushu in southern Japan.

The Sai has a listed mileage of 23 km/liter (54 mgp), or twice that of a comparable gasoline car, chief engineer Shigeru Nakagawa told a news conference.

Toyota said the Sai concept was derived from a Japanese character meaning talent and coloration.

Toyota is still miles ahead of competitors in the fast-growing hybrid field, which has enjoyed tailwinds especially in Japan thanks to generous subsidies and reduced taxes on cleaner cars.

It expects to sell 500,000 to 600,000 hybrid vehicles globally this year, while facing a short-term battery supply bottleneck for anything further.

Korean Launch

Toyota also on Tuesday launched its brand in South Korea, a market dominated by Hyunday Motor Co. And affiliate Kia Motors.

Toyota will sell the Prius and Camry hybrids, as well as the RAV4 sports utility vehicle and non-hybrid version of the Camry, its most popular sedan.

Toyota expects to sell a combined 500 vehicles per month initially in South Korea, and ims to raise that to a still-modest 700 units beginning in 2010.

"The introduction of the Toyota brand into South Korea is aimed to meet the diversifying needs of consumers in this growing market," Toyota Excecutive Vice President Yukitoshi Funo told a news conference.

Hyunday has been grabbing market share globally from Toyota and other major automakers, winning over customers with its line of cheap, fuel-efficient models and catchy marketing campaigns.

In July, Hyundai launched its first hybrid in the South Korean market, a liquefied petroleum gas-electric vehicle, and is due to launch its first gasoline-electric hybrid, a version of the flagship Sonata, in the latter half of 2010.

Source: www.autonews.com

2010 Hyundai Tucson iX Unveiled Review

Hyundai's new Tucson ix was officially unveiled today. The compact sports utility vehicle has sweeping coupe-like lines, a premium vehicle feel and comes with features unavailable on its predecessor.

Sales in the Korean market today, Hyundai aims to set the trend for the segment and regain sales leadership in the small SUV market.

Its revolutionary features begin with the exterior styling which is based on the bold ix-onic concept shown at Geneva Motor Show in March. The power output, fuel-efficiency, comfort and safety features have been all upgraded. Known by the project name LM, it took 36 months and 280 billion won (approx. US$225 million) to develop.

It comes with a 2-litre engine: either the all-new diesel R or gasoline Theta-ll and is fitted with Hyundai's all-new six-speed automatic transmission. The diesel engine meets the Euro-5 emissions standards and achieves 15.4 kilometers per liter fuel economy with maximum power output of 184 horsepower.

The gasoline engine has a fuel economy of 11.7 kilometers per liter with a 166 horsepower. The diesel engine is offered in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel drive configurations, while gasoline engine is available only in frmt-wheel-drive.

Named after a city in the U.S state of Arizona, Tucson has been one of the most popular Hyundai models with more than 1 million units sold wordwide since its launch in 2004.

Some of the notable features of Tucson are as follows: Vehicle Dynamic Control: improves the safety of a vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing skids Downhill Brake Control and Hill-Start Assist Control: DBC allows the vehicle to maintain a safe speed on steep declines without having to use the brake while the hill-stast assist helps a driver move up a steep or slippery hil without rolling backwards.

Emergency Stop Signal: In the event of a panic stop, this feature automatically triggers the emergency hazard lights whose flashing alertz the driver behind thus reducing the risk of rear-end crashes.

Panoramic Rear-View Mirror: Shifting into reserve gear automatically turns on the rear-view camera which provides a wide-angle view of the rear on a 3.5-inch color LCD built into the rear-view mirror thus reducing the risk of accidents.

Korean retail prices of the diesel edition (2WD) fitted with automatic transmission will begin at 21 million won with the top-of-the-line model costing 27 million won incluseve of taxes. Gasoline versions will start at about 19 million won and will top at 24 million won.

The Korean domestic market Tucson ix is built in the Ulsan plant while the European edition (to be badged as the ix35) will be built in Europe with production and sales commencing in Europe early next year. Full details about European powertrains, trim levels and option packages will be announced September 3rd on the eve of the 2009 IAA in Frankfurt. North American Specifications will be announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this year.


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