Toyota gets 180,000 orders for new Prius hybrid

[Hurricane]

Toyota gets 180,000 orders for new Prius hybrid

By Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer
TOKYO — Toyota got 180,000 orders for the new Prius hybrid in Japan in just a month, far surpassing its target of 10,000 vehicles in monthly sales, the automaker said Friday.


The third-generation Prius, which rolled out a month ago, has been a big hit here, partly because of tax-breaks and other new government incentives that are meant to perk growth during the nation's downturn.

The Prius was the No. 1 selling vehicle in Japan for May, clinching the top spot in the domestic market for the first time and overtaking Honda's new hybrid, the Insight, which fell to third after taking the top spot in April.

Competition in the hybrid vehicle market has intensified after the Insight debuted in February in Japan at 1.89 million yen ($19,700). Toyota is offering its new Prius at just over 2 million yen ($20,900), about 300,000 yen ($3,100) cheaper than the previous model. The upgrade has a larger 1.8-liter engine but gets better mileage than the older one.

The new Prius is just starting to arrive in the U.S., where sales for last month totaled just 700. Dealers are still selling mostly the second-generation Prius, making for total Prius sales of 10,091 for May, Toyota spokesman Paul Nolasco said.

Strong hybrid sales are a rare bright spot for Japan's automakers, which have been battered by the global slowdown, a strengthening yen and the U.S. credit crunch.

Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, which also makes the Camry sedan and Lexus luxury models, recorded its worst loss in its seven-decade history for the fiscal year ended March.

In Japan, hybrids are now tax-free, delivering savings of about 150,000 yen ($1,500) for a Prius buyer. Other fuel-efficient models qualify for lower savings.

In Japan, people who trade in a car 13 years or older get a 250,000 yen ($2,500) rebate for buying an ecological model. Those without a trade-in get 100,000 yen ($1,000).

Toyota is also continuing to sell the old-style Prius in Japan at the same price as the Insight. That's relatively unusual as manufacturing of old models is usually discontinued with the arrival of the new model. Those sales numbers aren't included in Friday's orders number from Toyota.

While hybrid sales are booming, demand for other models is plunging.

The overall auto market continues to sag in Japan. Vehicle sales in Japan fell for the 10th straight month in May, dropping 19.4% from the same month the previous year, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers' Association.

The decline has been easing from previous months as sales fell 29% in April and 31.5% in March. Toyota's vehicle sales in Japan tumbled 24% in May from the same month a year ago.

Full text here: http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...ta-prius_N.htm

[E. Haskell]

Here in the US I'm hearing that dealers have them in stock waiting to be sold. A few areas are even starting to give discounts ($300-$400 off MSRP).

[FoMoCo man]

Ohh great more hippie mobiles

[Hurricane]

Originally Posted by FoMoCo man

Ohh great more hippie mobiles

[Mr. Burns]

I must admit the new Prius almost looks good:





I wouldnt be surprised if it sells. I wish GM would turn Saturn into a green brand and give it a car like the Prius/Insight.

[rsbaker]

Originally Posted by Mr. Burns

I must admit the new Prius almost looks good:

It looks better than the old one, but not good!

I've seen this story recycled in many different places. My question is why do they continue to talk about Sales in Japan? What are Prius sales like in North America or even Europe?

[dagr382]

Let the wretched thing stay in Japan - it looks like a prop in a Godzilla movie.

[Rocket 88]

You guys can all make fun of the Prius as much as you want but Toyota is eating your lunch because GM's got ZILCH to compete with it. You'd think after Toyota sold a million of these fugly things, GM would be offering a similar product.

[MrCritical]

Well, their not eating our lunch right now.

Local Toyota dealer keeps about 125 new units on the ground. He says he's never had 3 Prius' at once. Now he has 15.

$300-$400 discount? He says he can't get an interested buyer at invoice.

[K-1]

Originally Posted by Rocket 88

You guys can all make fun of the Prius as much as you want but Toyota is eating your lunch because GM's got ZILCH to compete with it. You'd think after Toyota sold a million of these fugly things, GM would be offering a similar product.

And GM and Ford are eating Toyota's lunch in trucks. What's your point? No one automaker commands every facet of the industry.

[FierySolstice]

Originally Posted by Mr. Burns

I must admit the new Prius almost looks good:





I wouldnt be surprised if it sells. I wish GM would turn Saturn into a green brand and give it a car like the Prius/Insight.

Are you seriously on crack????

[FierySolstice]

Originally Posted by Rocket 88

You guys can all make fun of the Prius as much as you want but Toyota is eating your lunch because GM's got ZILCH to compete with it. You'd think after Toyota sold a million of these fugly things, GM would be offering a similar product.

Because Toyota knows how to brainwash more effectively???!?!?

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by Mr. Burns

I must admit the new Prius almost looks good:

I wouldnt be surprised if it sells. I wish GM would turn Saturn into a green brand and give it a car like the Prius/Insight.

GM can't do anything with Saturn anymore.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by Rocket 88

You guys can all make fun of the Prius as much as you want but Toyota is eating your lunch because GM's got ZILCH to compete with it. You'd think after Toyota sold a million of these fugly things, GM would be offering a similar product.

Yeah, well Toyota doesn't have anything that can compete with the Corvette. Nuff said.

Oh wait, one more thing. Yes, we can make fun of the Prius as much as we want to. And oh, we want to....we want to.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by Rocket 88

You'd think after Toyota sold a million of these fugly things, GM would be offering a similar product.

There's no accounting for taste?

Toyota may have sold 1,000,000 of these WORLDWIDE, but the #1 and #2 best selling cars in America so far this year are, again, the Ford F150 and Chevrolet Silverado, respectively. People still want trucks. Toyota can suck it. Whose country are you rooting for anyway?