Bring on the Big Gulp cup holders and storage for over-sized chip bags! But seriously folks, Toyota has announced they will introduce a Prius line up, including small coupe and a large Prius hybrid minivan.

The automaker hopes to sell 1 million hybrid models a year. Adding more variants of Prius will only help this venture.

According to Autoweek - The three-row Prius would not be the same vehicle as the Prius Alpha sold in Japan, which basically crams a third row of seats into the cargo area of the five-seat Prius V to be sold in the United States starting this fall.

To the contrary, this potential Prius would be large enough to hold seven people as well as their stuff, said Bob Carter, Toyota Division general manager.

First up, Toyota will begin sales of the Prius V – a “minivan” sized MPV (Multi-person Vehicle) that is just as much hybrid as its smaller counterpart. The car was originally teased on a billboard outside Las Vegas during last year’s SEMA auto show:

Second, the Honda CR-Z Sports Hybrid competition – Toyota’s Prius C Concept, coming our way in early 2012. This vehicle is a smaller, eco-friendly solution for the urban driver:

Third, coming out in late 2012, is the highly anticipated Plug-in Prius. Already a big get overseas, the all-electric rechargeable Prius will undoubtedly roll in and out of dealership lots with the quickness of a bunny:

Have a look at the official video from Toyota, and let us know what you think:

Toyota declined to say how much the settlement was for. The automaker recalled nearly 8 million vehicles for accelerator issues, covering both loose floormats and stuck pedals.

Back in 1997, Toyota introduced the original Prius, which was the first mass-produced hybrid-electric vehicle. Its 10-year journey took it across the globe, making it one of the best made hybrid cars to date, having supremacy over other hybrid vehicles.

But it was easy when your competition came from one or two other Japanese car makers who couldn’t get the battery systems or vehicle design right at first. But as 2011 comes even closer, every Joe-blow company from Chevy to Honda, Ford and soon even Kia has its own line of hybrid variants. And with others selling their hybrids for thousands less, how can Toyota survive?

It’s a question of reputation, quality and loyalty. Those three items make this a recipe for success. Sure, Prius has come under fire in recent months of supposedly trying to kill one or two of its owners… but hey, maybe that one guy in California deserved to have his wits scared out of him.

Prius has the name – it is well known as the first and best hybrid out there. Toyota, even after all that braking issues stuff, remains a favorite of car buyers, and the sale figures show.

2011′s upcoming hybrid, along with a full electric plug-in version, have a number of fun additions. These include a moonroof with solar panels, four driving modes, Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA), and steering wheel touch controls.

The first-generation Prius was rated 41 EPA mpg, and the second-generation model pushed that figure to 46 mpg. The 2010 model marks another significant incremental improvement to 50 miles per gallon (combined city/highway). And a larger and more powerful 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder engine powers the car.

An electric water pump and a new exhaust gas recirculation system also boost efficiency. Furthermore, the engine has no belts under the hood, resulting in better fuel economy and less potential maintenance. The new transaxle and inverter are both 20 percent lighter, reducing the car’s overall weight.

The new Prius offers three alternative driving modes. EV-Drive Mode allows driving on battery power alone at low speeds for about a mile, if conditions permit. There is also a Power Mode, which increases sensitivity to throttle input for a sportier feel, and an Eco Mode, which helps the driver achieve the best possible mileage.

Other energy-saving features include available LED low beams and taillights, a more efficient air conditioning system, and a unique ventilation fan that promises to reduce the need for air conditioning in the first place.

The air circulator — which is powered by solar panels — prevents the interior air temperature from rising while the vehicle is parked. This, in turn, makes cool-down time shorter when the driver returns to the vehicle.

Toyota says it listened to customer feedback, and sharpened handling, reduced road noise, increased interior volume, and improved acceleration. The zero to 60 mph sprint takes 9.8 seconds now — an improvement of over one second. Disc brakes are now used on all four corners, replacing the front disc/rear drum brakes in the current model.

However, around the bend comes Chevy’s Volt, Honda’s $18,500 Insight and Nissan’s Leaf EV. Toyota might have to step up its game even more, outside of moon-roofs and solar panels, to remain in the hybrid game.

Specs: LeftLaneNews

The Japanese auto maker will start selling a $148 speaker system in Japan on August 30, which will play sounds under the hood to help it achieve the “same noise level as a regular car engine.”

Toyota will be selling the speaker system in Japan only at first, and the purchase is voluntary. But a Toyota rep told Associated Press that “the company is considering bringing the feature to the United States and other markets.”

Toyota isn’t alone. According to the AP, other car competition with hybrid vehicles are also determining how to increase the sound of their green autos to keep pedestrians safe.

Last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that hybrid vehicles are twice as likely to be involved in accidents with pedestrians and bicyclists than other vehicles.

it be that Toyota actually planted that story in the Wall Street Journal? Is Toyota in on a high level automotive conspiracy that even the WSJ isn’t immune from? Will they tell us whatever they chose, leading us to believe it’s fact instead of fiction? Where’s Mulder & Scully!?! And we need the real ones, not the Kimberly Kane adult movie spoof versions! (Although, she’s a really good Scully too).

According to Jalopnik, “An unnamed spokesperson at NHTSA, the U.S. agency responsible for examining Toyota unintended acceleration problems, claims last week’s Wall Street Journal story asserting “driver error” was the main cause, was planted by Toyota.” Though the blog and pretty much anyone else involved say that, even though the story was planted, it probably was indeed driver error.

You see, somewhere around 99% of these “Sudden Acceleration” accidents are caused by the driver, not the vehicle itself. So, Toyota might have jumped the gun, sending this bit of info to the Wall Street Journal, but that doesn’t mean it’s false – just in poor taste. This too, is how Toyota (and any other smart company) gets out of paying off a lot of wrongful death lawsuits.

Also from Jalopnik: “A Wall Street Journal article from this past week claimed that initial findings from the US Department of Transportation (DOT), of which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a part, stated that drivers have been to blame for the unintended acceleration by pressing the wrong pedals.”

However, NHTSA, the body responsible for examining the Toyota pedal problems in the US, has firmly rebutted claims the story came from the safety organization. An anonymous NHTSA spokeswoman even went so far as to claim “that story was planted by Toyota” to the publication just-auto. She went on,”Toyota is the source – yes we know that for definite. It is [the] Toyota PR machine. We knew they were going to put it out.”

Stay tuned folks, because like Mulder we all want to believe.

Source: Jalopnik

The project is part of a global initiate by the Japanese auto maker, which involves 600 plug-in Prius vehicles sent to the United States, Canada, England and Australia.

Each plug-in Toyota Prius is almost identical to the third generations hybrid car on the roads of America and the UK today. But there is one distinct difference: each is equipped with a 240-volt rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack for power.

According to the press release: The rechargeable battery technology gives Prius Plug-in extended capabilities when it is driven in EV (electric vehicle) mode: capable of running for up to 12.5 miles solely on its electric motor – battery charge and road conditions permitting – at speeds up to 62mph, it can accomplish the great majority of typical urban journeys with zero fuel consumption and tailpipe emissions.

Prius Plug-in’s combined cycle fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are 108.6mpg and 59g/km respectively.

Many of you have checked out the all new Toyota Prius at your local dealership. Some have even taken the Prius hybrid for a test drive. But how about a spin in the upcoming Prius Plug-in? Much like it’s gas-electric twin, Toyota’s Prius Plug-in holds that classic aerodynamic sedan form, made famous by the Japanese auto maker and their best-selling hybrid car.

But two very noticeable exterior traits separate it from the hybrid – Toyota’s Plug-in decals and the charging port. Behind that port door is a J1772 plug, which connects to three separate battery packs: the main hybrid battery and two sub-battery packs – all of which are lithium-ion. Prius Plug-in can be charged using standard American 110V or 220v outlets, requiring 3 hours to 1.5 hours of charge time respectively.

Under it’s hood, Prius Plug-in contains a completely new battery powered, rechargeable all electric engine. This allows for up to 60 miles per hour in full EV mode, with extra power taken from a 1.8L Atkinson engine.

Inside, the Plug-in Prius loses a bit of cargo room due to its three battery packs. But the vehicle still seats up to five passengers comfortably. Extras coming from Toyota include a leak sealant and battery-run air compressor, to be used in the event of a flat tire.

Source: EV World

Just a day after Mr. Sikes apparently lost control of his Toyota Prius in Southern California, a suburban New Yorker claimed they couldn’t brake and slammed a Toyota Prius into the side of a building. NHTSA states their computer data from the Toyota Prius shows at the time of the accident its throttle was open. Meaning: driver was not applying the brakes. Tisk tisk, crafty New Yorker.

But mounting speculation against Mr. Sikes and this negative test result only adds insult to the case against this possible new Ballon Boy. Or was this all the media’s fault? According to Fox News, and this hilarious yet completely serious clip, this all might be:

In the end, we may never actually know if Sikes was full of it, or that his Prius really did try to kill him. Everyone has their opinion, and Toyota, of course, disagrees with his claims:

While a final report is not yet complete, there are strong indications that the driver’s account of the event is inconsistent with the findings of the preliminary analysis.
The investigation revealed the following initial findings:
• The accelerator pedal was tested and found to be working normally with no
mechanical binding or friction. It should be noted that the Prius is not subject to a recall for sticking accelerator pedals and the Prius component is made by a different supplier than the one recalled.
• The front brakes showed severe wear and damage from overheating. The rear brakes and parking brake were in good condition and functional.
• A Toyota carpeted floor mat of the correct type for the vehicle was installed but not secured to the retention hooks. It was not found to be interfering or even touching the accelerator pedal.
• The pushbutton power switch worked normally and shut the vehicle off when depressed for 3 seconds as the 911 operator advised Mr. Sikes to do.
• The shift lever also worked normally and neutral could be selected. The neutral position is clearly marked and can be easily engaged by moving the lever left to the “N” marking.
• There were no diagnostic trouble codes found in the power management computer, nor was the dashboard malfunction indicator light activated. The hybrid self- diagnostic system did show evidence of numerous, rapidly repeated on-and- off applications of both the accelerator and the brake pedals.
• After examination of individual components, the front brakes were replaced and the vehicle was test driven, during which the vehicle was observed to be functioning normally.
• During testing, the brakes were purposely abused by continuous light application in order to overheat them. The vehicle could be safely stopped by means of the brake pedal, even when overheated.