• Business Week, Wednesday, June 27, 2007 12:33 PM

Toyota is planning a new dedicated hybrid-only model for launch in 2009, according to Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan's leading business daily. The details in the report are scant, but the paper claims the new hybrid will offer a better ride, due to its larger size and engine displacement of 2 to 3 liters, compared to the Prius' 1.5-liters.

The paper adds that the annual sales target for the unnamed new model is 100,000 units, compared with Toyota's total hybrid sales of 310,000 last year. The extra sales would go a ways to help Toyota reach its target -- to sell 1 million hybrids a year by the early 2010s.

While Toyota sells seven models that use hybrid technology, the Prius--now in its 10th year--is the only one that's offered exclusively as a hybrid. Others, such as the Camry Hybrid, have gas-electric options available at a premium, as well as gasoline-only models.

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