• Los Angeles Times, Thursday, October 25, 2007 12 PM

While there are currently no specific plans to develop other body styles for the hybrid Prius, Toyota's head of global marketing for the brand says that developing new styles such as a minivan "is something that is desirable from a marketing point of view."

Toyota's Tokuichi Uranishi notes that evaluating the possible development of new Prius body styles has to take into consideration the effect on other models in Toyota's line that come in hybrid versions, or may in the future. For example, Toyota makes a hybrid version of its best-selling Camry sedan. And there has been talk of offering a hybrid version of its Sienna minivan.

If Toyota were to expand its line up of Prius offerings, Uranishi says, it would not have an independent brand as it does with the Lexus luxury division and Scion youth-oriented models. "It's Toyota Prius," he says emphatically. Uranishi also hints that Toyota may build Priuses in the U.S.; most are now made in Japan.

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