Toyota planning to unveil Prius family models at Detroit show

Up-sizing: A sign shows a new installation of Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius hybrid family in this handout photo released Friday by the carmaker. KYODO PHOTO/TOYOTA MOTOR CORP.

NEW YORK (Kyodo) Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday it will stage the world premiere of family versions of its mainstay Prius hybrid car, including an all-new model, at the 2011 North American International Auto Show to be held in Detroit in early January.

The first all-new addition to the Prius family, which includes the current third-generation Prius and Prius Plug-in vehicles, will debut along with a Prius concept vehicle, the automaker said.

The new model is larger than the current one both in length and height, with improved interior comfort and more luggage space, designed for family and group use, company officials said.

MMC, Suzuki tie up KYODO Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will start selling Suzuki Motor Corp.'s new Solio compact wagon under its own brand next year in an effort to boost sales in the shrinking Japanese market, the two companies said Friday.

MMC, the nation's seventh-largest carmaker, will try to increase sales by expanding its lineup. Suzuki meanwhile hopes to reduce its per-unit production costs by increasing mass production. It is the first time the two carmakers have struck a car production deal for the domestic market.

The Solio is a small wagon mainly targeted at couples with children.

Mitsubishi, which is also in a tieup with Nissan Motor Co., will receive about 800 Solios per month, the companies said.

Suzuki is planning to release the Solio in January and Mitsubishi will start selling it from next spring the under its own brand, they said.-japantimes.co.jp