Europe will get Prius-based Lexus hybrid in 2010

[Good Times]

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/04/lexus-prius.png



PARIS -- Lexus will sell a hybrid car based on the new Toyota Prius in Europe.

A new, larger dedicated hybrid model planned by Toyota's luxury brand will not come to Europe.

Karl Schlicht, Lexus Europe's president, said the larger hybrid's CO2 emissions would be too high for European buyers.

European sales of the Prius-based hybrid will start in 2010, a Lexus official said.

The new Prius will have CO2 emissions of 92 grams per kilometer, Toyota sources said. A special low-emissions version will have CO2 emissions of 89g/km. The Lexus version likely will have slightly higher CO2 emissions because it will be more performance oriented than the Prius.

The second-generation Prius will debut at the Detroit auto show in January.

Source: AutoNews.com (http://www.autonews.com/article/20081002/COPY01/310029916/1130)

[4x4mike]

Do Europeans like that kind of stuff. I though we were the gas using country. You know, commuting, vacations, recreation. And for it to be a Lexus? Is it just a Prius with HID, leather and a sun roof?

[MTL_4runner]

Do Europeans like that kind of stuff. I though we were the gas using country.

Not even close. Europe is still roughly 50% diesel / 50% petrol
Other countries around the world will differ greatly.

[Hoya]

Do Europeans like that kind of stuff. I though we were the gas using country. You know, commuting, vacations, recreation. And for it to be a Lexus? Is it just a Prius with HID, leather and a sun roof?


You can't add another 10-20k without that Lexus tag ;)