Toyota Motor Corp. is planning to slash the price of the upcoming Prius. It’s not just a so-so price slash because the Japanese automaker plans to eliminate 50% of the current price of the hybrid. That’s the news that undeniably put a smile on my face.

"When we went from the first-generation Prius to the second-generation, we did the same thing," said Executive Vice President Kazuo Okamoto, in charge of Toyota's research and development.

"I can't tell you when it will come to market, but the preparations are making steady progress," Okamoto told Reuters. He added that the next Prius would "definitely" use improved nickel-hydride batteries rather than higher-energy lithium-ion.

Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, has not publicly disclosed a timeframe for the introduction of the third-generation Prius model. Some reports have speculated the planned late-2008 launch would be delayed because of concerns over the safety of lithium-ion batteries. "Lithium-ion is going to take some time," he said.

In 1997, the Japanese automaker pioneered the hybrid powertrain with the Prius. Toyota has set a goal of selling 1 million hybrids annually soon after 2010. It hopes to eventually make the system available across its lineup.

The Prius, an easily recognizable hybrid-only car, has helped Toyota cultivate an image as a maker of fuel-efficient cars, also driving sales of its mainstay cars such as the gasoline-engine Camry sedan and RAV4 crossover vehicle.

To give sales of future hybrid models a boost, Okamoto said Toyota would design all of its gasoline-electric cars in a way that would make them instantly recognizable as a hybrid. One dominant feature is the unique front grille.

The Tokyo-based automaker offers a hybrid version of the hot-selling Camry, but the Prius, with its green cachet, far outperforms it in sales.

Ten years since the introduction of the Prius, Toyota has few rivals in the hybrid market, with most Europeans are zeroing in on clean-diesel technology as an alternative to gasoline engines for saving fuel and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Okamoto conceded that diesel engines were inherently better suited for saving fuel over long-distance cruising than hybrids, which capture energy lost during stop-and-start city driving. But he noted that Toyota's future hybrids would be just as good - if not better - than today's diesels on the highway.

Currently, diesel cars comprise more than half of new car sales in Europe, but are virtually non-existent in Japan. Some European automakers -- as well as domestic ones such as Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. are looking to change that, but Okamoto said Toyota would not join the fray. "There's really no reason to bring diesel cars (to the Japanese market)," he said.

We know that if you want a reliable car, you buy Toyota. That has been the best selling point of all Toyota vehicles. Recently, Toyota's effort was recognized by Consumer Guide as it publish its Best Buys and Recommended vehicles for the 2008 model year.

Best Buy Ratings according to The Auto Channel "signifies that a vehicle is ranked at the top of its class and is strongly recommended by the editors. 'Best Buy' vehicles represent the finest balance of attributes and price within their classes, and they are the best choices for the average consumer".

The Lexus ES 350 from Toyota's luxury division is among the vehicles which received the Best Buy rating. It is one of the only three vehicles given the rating in the Premium Midsize Car category. The Toyota Avalon is also given the Best Buy rating in the Large Car category. The Lexus ES 350 is also given the Best Buy rating for the Premium Large Car class. The Scion tC is one of only two vehicles given the Best Buy rating among Sporty/Performance cars.

The Recommended rating on the other hand according to The Auto Channel: "features cars that, though not ranked at the very top of their category, are still worth strong consideration by the consumer."

Recommended Toyota vehicles include the Camry, RAV4, Highlander, Tundra, and the Sienna.

Consumer Guide Automotive Managing Editor Tom Appel commented: "Our editorial team drives nearly 200,000 miles a year evaluating what these vehicles do well, and what they don't. Our process assures that our recommendations are based on experiences that best mimic the settings and conditions that the average car buyer encounters every day. Whether it is driving through the city, highways, rural areas, long trips or simply picking up the kids up at school, we test these vehicles in the same way the average car buyer will use theirs."

When it comes to manufacturing green cars, Toyota is definitely the best. The Prius is a huge hit with auto buyers. With the help of the Prius, Toyota has sold more than a million hybrid vehicles across the world. And Toyota is not stopping with just the Prius. The Camry Hybrid is also proving to be popular among car buyers who want a bigger hybrid car.

For the near future, Toyota is looking to manufacture vehicles which produces even less greenhouse gas emission than its present hybrid cars. And one of the technologies being looked into by the Japanese automaker is by powering vehicles by electricity alone.

Hybrid vehicles of today use an internal combustion engine aided by an oversized electric motor powered by a battery pack. Since it has an internal combustion which burns petroleum fuel, hybrid still produces gases harmful to the environment. On the other hand, electric vehicles will only be powered by a rechargeable battery pack thus eliminating the need to burn any petroleum product in a way.

Since these battery packs need to be recharged, greenhouse gases are still indirectly produced by these vehicles. That's why a Toyota official said that they are not planning to sell electric vehicles in China since it will not reduce greenhouse gas production.

Tatehito Ueda, managing officer at Toyota said that "in China they make electricity by burning coal, so China is not the place for electric cars". Since burning coal releases greenhouse gases, electric cars used in China will not be beneficial to the environment. Ueda also pointed out that in some countries, the use of electric vehicles will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "In France, 80 percent of electricity is produced by nuclear stations so if electric cars replace fossil fuel cars then you have a clear reduction in the emission of CO2."

So that means that China would have to change its way in producing electricity for electric cars be truly beneficial to the protection of the environment. This fact is actually depressing since China is a huge country and if electric vehicles are to be widely used in the country, greenhouse gas emission will decline sharply just as sure as VW Beetle parts are reliable.

As always, the Tokyo Motor Show is much anticipated around the world. I for one is looking forward to the concept cars which will surely take center stage in the said event. Being the largest Japanese automaker, expect that Toyota will come up with exciting concept cars that the multitude will be drooling at. The automaker has shown in the past that it can develop stunning concept cars. At the 39th Tokyo Motor Show last 2005, Toyota unveiled the Fine-X, which according to Wikipedia is a "representation of future production vehicles to come".

This year, we are given a sneak preview of what Toyota will be showcasing at the upcoming motor show. Carmagazine.co.uk gave us not one or two but four concept vehicles which the Japanese automaker will be unveiling at the Tokyo Motor Show. The first of the four concept is the Hi-CT concept car. The article described the Hi-CT concept as "an edgy urban vehicle, apparently, and is supermini sized at 3330mm long". While some may think that this is something that will not go into production in the very near future, the guys at carmagazine reminded us that boxy cars such as the Nissan Cube and the Honda Element started as show cars back in the days.

Second is the Toyota RiN concept car. This is Toyota's response to the negative perception of people to vehicles. More and more people are thinking of cars as nuisances and source of pollution. The RiN concept is a socially responsible vehicle, albeit a concept one unlike the mass produced Acura floor mats. It is designed by Toyota with Mother Nature and the Japanese culture as the inspiration. Its doors Active Brakes Direct windows slides open like shoji doors. Its headlight automatically dips when it senses a car or a person in front of it. I think that technology should be used immediately and be made available to those irresponsible drivers who seem to have forgotten where the low headlight switch is located.

Number three concept car is the i-Real concept. This is a personal mobility vehicle. It has four wheels, and is designed for "lazy pedestrians". When cruising around crowded sidewalks, the i-Real concept can adapt its wheelbase. According to carmagazine: "At low, town speeds, the i-Real positions the rider at eye level of other pedestrians… the i-Real can detect any other people in your path and alerts you and them." Pretty cool huh?

The fourth is the 1/X. The weird name according to the report is because of the concept's weight. It weighs only a fraction of any car in its class. It is even lighter than the Prius. Toyota succeeded in doing so by using carbonfiber reinforced plastic. This is also a plug-in hybrid which means we are in for a green surprise from Toyota.

Okay, we are not talking about the Ford Canada this time because we will talk about the Japanese Scion xB. Is there a Japanese Scion xB? Well, according to the Japanese carmaker, there is. But it will be running using the name Corolla Rumion. And it will only be exclusive for the Japanese car market.

Toyota is doing another type of Corolla and will only be seen in the Japanese car market. The Toyota Motor Corporation released news about the new car which they will be creating only for Japan. It is based on the US 2008 Scion xB. However, it will be running with the Toyota Corolla Rumion name.

The Japanese car maker is targeting a monthly sales 3,500 units for the Corolla Rumion. The Japanese car maker also released that the new car will be wearing the price tag of $14,350 for the base X grade front-wheel-drive model and $19,750 for the four-wheel-drive S Aero Tourer model as released by Edmunds.com.
 
The new vehicle 2008 Scion xB in the US is priced $16,270 as its MSRP which includes the $620 destination charge - this is for the car model that has a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine capable of producing 158 horsepower matched to a five-speed automatic transmission. The Scion xB doesn't have a four-wheel drive version.

Two four-cylinder engine choices are the 1.5-liter and 1.8-liter. The seven-speed Sports Sequential Shiftmatic transmission is given to the first 1.8-liter version while the paddle shift-type shift lever is also matched to the 1.8-liter S Tourer model.

Dramatic styles were added to the Corolla Rumion compared to the conventional Scion xB. The boxy car had a lowered grille and both models have Toyota’s very own front and rear spoilers as well as a rear roof spoiler and side mud guards.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series just like the Nextel Cup Series is nearing its end. The next race in the calendar is in Talladega and Toyota is looking to make the best out of that outing. The team started well when defending champion Todd Bodine, driving the No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota Tundra, set the fastest time in qualifying to start the race in Talladega from pole position.

"I thought it was a pretty good lap. Our truck has been handling pretty well throughout the weekend, and we ran about what we expected. There's going to be a lot of good trucks that we'll have to beat in tomorrow's race, but I think we have a pretty good shot. We'll just have to keep our nose clean and stay up front and out of trouble," said Bodine who drives a Toyota Tundra which is remarked to be as durable as a Porsche 944S2 radiator.

"I think we have a pretty decent truck for tomorrow. Our truck is pretty neutral in the draft, and that's a good thing. At a place like Talladega, experience plays a big part. You can go from the back to the front in just a few laps if you know which line to get in and get the right set of circumstances," Bodine added.

Also staring in the front row will be Jack Sprague driving the No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota Tundra for Wyler Racing. Sprague has this to say about the race: "Restrictor-plate racing is just a totally different deal. I really haven't enjoyed racing on these sauperspeedways until the last couple of years. The more power your truck has, the more enjoyable it is. If you know you have a little more juice in the truck, you won't be fighting just to stay alive in the draft. At a place like Talladega, you don't lift. Even the bigger tracks like California, you still lift after the first few laps. Here, if one guy makes a mistake, he can take out 15 or 20 trucks."

As for his strategy for the race itself, Sprague added: "The most important thing tomorrow is the spotter. He is the most important crew member in the race. He's the one that's going to keep you out of trouble. You can't see anything out of these trucks. Everything is in the hands of the spotter, and hopefully, we'll be able to stay out of trouble."

Former Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve will also be taking part in the Truck Series and he will start tenth. The Canadian said: "The truck moves around a little bit more in the draft than the car does. Racing at Las Vegas a couple weeks ago is obviously a lot different than coming here to Talladega, but I'm still trying to get as much information as I can."

Who could possibly forget the disappointing performance of Panasonic Toyota team at the wet racetrack of Fuji during the recent Japanese Grand Prix? I guess Toyota was just doomed with plagues at their home turf or maybe they just woke up at the wrong side of the bed. But it’s okay, life should go on! It’s like a crashed Chevrolet Canada - you pick up the pieces, try to patch it up or move on.

In spite all the trade rumors and all, the Panasonic Toyota Racing team is back and whole once again. They will be back in action this Sunday at the striking Shanghai International Circuit for the Chinese Grand Prix event. The team will face another challenge that will test their endurance and determination at the ultimate world championship event of the season! They better get ready!

Let’s check out some of the insights from the Panasonic Toyota team as they prepare for the upcoming Chinese GP! Enjoy this fast and furious feed courtesy of MotorSports.com:

Ralf Schumacher:

"The Shanghai International Circuit is a really impressive facility. For the team the garages and the offices are as good as anywhere and for the drivers the circuit itself is a real challenge. It has some technically demanding corners, particularly turn 1 which tightens and just seems to keep on going! It is important not to make a mistake here. It's a fun place to race and I am looking forward to it."

"We have not had much chance of a rest between the Japanese and Chinese Grands Prix but I am still looking forward to this race and I hope to get a good result. The result in Japan was very disappointing, especially as it was our home race. The weather was terrible on Saturday and Sunday but the conditions are the same for everyone. Let's hope we have better weather in Shanghai."

Jarno Trulli:

"It's good to be going back to China again, to one of the best circuits we visit in terms of the facilities. The track itself is also quite special because there are corners which you just don't find anywhere else, like turn 1. It is a challenge to find the best set-up for Shanghai because of the mixture of slow twists and long straights."

"Even though there are two quite long straights it is still quite hard to overtake here, with the one main opportunity coming at the end of the back straight. We are nearly at the end of the season and we have just had a frustrating weekend in Japan. It has been a difficult season but I would like to end it with good results and I believe we have the potential to do that in China."

Pascal Vasselon - Senior General Manager Chassis:

"Shanghai is quite a unique circuit in terms of lay-out but when it comes to most of the parameters on the car, such as brake wear, demands on the engine, it is on average.”