Toyota to Launch Hybrids in Frankfurt

This whole ecomentalist thing, while good for the planet, just robs the fun out of motor shows. Traditional gearheads are more into horsepower than mpg ratings. We want our car porn and it seems that automotive exotica would just be a thing of the past these days.

Toyota, the instigator of this whole green car thing with the Prius will be unveiling two green concepts at the Frankfurt show – an updated Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept and an Auris HSD Full-Hybrid Concept.

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid makes full use of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) tech which allows drivers to use pure electric power for short drives. Toyota will be leasing 150 units of the car for testing purposes. The Auris will also be featuring the HSD tech.

Toyota will also be featuring a new Land Cruiser and variants of the iQ minicar – the Sports and Collection editions.

Source: Toyota

VW to Axe Porsche Cayenne, Panamera in Takeover

After a failed takeover of Volkswagen, it’s their turn to be taken over by VW and Porsche has got to be crying buckets by now. VW expects to solidify its sports car business in the takeover and if that means doing away with some of Porsche’s butt-ugly cars, then so be it.

Volkswagen announced that there will be no space for the Cayenne SUV and the four-door Panamera in VW’s fleet once Porsche’s business is officially absorbed.

I guess this is a good move product-wise. I agree with VW officials in asserting that the company doesn’t need to build SUVs and saloons. Volkswagen currently has those market segments covered. And Volkswagen never made them that ugly.

So this just means that Porsche will be concentrating on building sports cars.

Source: Inside Line