Toyota is showing the world that giving a vehicle the power to go faster does not necessarily equate to being harmful to the environment. See, the Japanese car maker has created a sports car that is very much unlike the Chevy S10 -- it does not send off much harmful emissions to the environment.

What Toyota did was it created the Future Toyota Hybrid Sports (FT-HS). The Toyota FT-HS is still a concept vehicle at present but it has been designed to be a sports car that is equipped with a petrol-electric hybrid engine unit. The car maker, through The Age, boasted that this concept vehicle would be able to have an “ultra high performance” and yet also have “ultra low fuel use and emissions”.

Doug Soden is the product development manager for Toyota and he shared, “There is a stronger need for hybrid vehicles to be on the market, or much more fuel efficient vehicles. Whichever way you look at it, whether it is a petrol-electric or hydrogen-electric, there needs to be that hybrid interface.” And it looks like the Toyota FT-HS is going to be Toyota’s answer.

According to autobloggreen.com, iQ’s mini-car concept unveiled in last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show includes a Japanese mini that is 2.98 meters long, with a three plus one seater, which means that two seats can be occupied by adults in front. It can also be utilized as a space for luggage.  The front passenger seat can be pulled forward through the asymmetrical car dashboard design. 

In a Toyota press release, three concepts regarding the iQ were given much emphasis: First, it is the smart solution to urban transport.  Second, it is designed within the Vibrant Clarity philosophy - a principle that applies futuristic, intelligent, energetic, purposeful and functional designs in Toyota projects.  Finally, it is less than three meters in length.  The Toyota  iQ was also designed as a fuel-saver car.  Inside, the iQ has a center console and is instrument pod shaped that resembles a mantra ray, a steering wheel covered with artificial snakeskin and a cabin filled with purple accents.  It also comes equipped with audio and navigation controls that most probably are powered by quality alternators.

By the end of 2008, just a few months after its debut at the Geneva International Motor Show, the iQ production will begin so that by 2009, it will be available for sale in United Kingdom. 

The iQ is regarded as a future competitor of other city cars such as Smart.  According to wikipedia, Toyota bills that it is the world’s smallest four-passenger car. Together with the iQ, Toyota will also launch the Urban Cruiser, its newest Plug-in Prototype and concept cars 1/x and i-Real.

Toyota is already on a roll and yet it is still continuously working and figuring out just what new vehicles they could send out to the market. Don Esmond, the company’s senior VP, has mentioned via The Car Connection that they are currently looking into a smaller truck which could built on the present Tacoma and sent to the market.

Esmond also did continue to disclose that the vehicle would not be coming with Buick parts but it would actually take on the form that the A-Bat concept truck had. The latter has been on display at the NAIAS and at the Chicago Auto Show. He also did share, “I think everyone is trying to come out with products the customer doesn’t know they want yet.”

An official from Toyota did also note, “Everybody is looking for white space. I think it would have to be pretty funky-looking to work.”

But it does seem like Toyota is not the only car maker looking at creating new trucks. Rumors from the grapevine are saying that GM and Ford are also working on a new unit for this segment.

We all know how the Asian market seems to be growing. For example, the Indian car market is slowly being entered by auto makers so as to be able to take a good share of the industry. Now, auto makers are trying to take on anther Asian country - China.

Although Toyota is known to be from Asian, the car maker is planning on having its own plant in China. That way, the company has disclosed via AFP, they could be able to establish a stronger presence. The company is currently eyeing Changchun in the Jilin Province as the location of their plant which they would want to have the ability to create 100,000 per year.

To be able to make that a reality, the company would have to invest around 50 billion yen so as to be able to build the facility that would manufacture fog lights and all other auto parts as well as build a whole vehicle. At present, Toyota already has an assembly plant in Changchun but of course they would want to have yet another one that would be able to build more units.