The Car Exam News #40: Toyota sells three million hybrids, and you can build your own Boss 302 now

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Toyota’s hybrid’s keep selling: Autoblog reports that Toyota has now sold over three million hybrids now–and that the majority of the those hybrids sold have been after August 2009–that’s nothing to sneeze at. Toyota has become a true “Tour de Force” when it comes to selling hybrids; adding hybrids to its Lexus line undoubtedly helped Toyota, and it has even more new hybrid models coming to the U.S. market soon.

Source: Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/09/toyota-passes-three-million-hybrid-mark/) 3/9/11

Time to start building your own 2012 Boss 302 if you want to: Autoblog is also reporting that the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Configurator is now up and running on Ford’s website. Buyers can opt for the “basic” Boss 302, with a starting net price of $40,995, or opt for the more exclusive Laguna Seca model (pictured here) and be prepared to empty at least another $6,995 out of their wallets. Either way, buyers will have yet another hot Mustang to choose from Ford’s 2012 stable of pony cars.

Sources: Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/09/build-your-own-boss-ford-mustang-boss-302-configurator-is-live/) and Ford (http://bp3.ford.com/2012-Ford-Mustang?lang=en&branding=1&referringSite=1&referrer=Ford.com#/Packages/Config%5B%7CFord%7CMustang%7C2012%7C1%7C1.%7C500A.P8C…..NFLEE.44X.BS.COU.LESS.%5D) 3/9/11

The Car Exam News #10: Toyota plans new hybrids, Fiats in Chrysler showrooms soon & Chrysler names a "new" car

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Toyota plans new hybrids

Toyota thinks more hybrids are a good thing: according to the Detroit News, Toyota is going to bring seven new hybrid vehicles to it worldwide market by 2012. Some of those vehicles include an electric plug-in model of the Toyota Prius, an electric RAV4 SUV and a small car (both the RAV4 and the small car will be built in conjunction with Tesla).

Toyota has already sold over 2 ½ million hybrids across the world, and it aims to sell more. Toyota wants to sell about 20,000 plug-in Priuses per year to begin; however, Toyota had better hope the needed infrastructure is in place to support its sales goals.

Source: The Detroit News (http://www.detnews.com/article/20100913/AUTO01/9130419/1148/auto01/Toyota-plans-new-hybrids-for-2012) 9/13/10

Fiats at Chrysler dealers by February 2011?

The Automotive News is reporting that Chrysler wants dealers who will the selling the Fiat 500 to have their Fiat showrooms built and running by the end of February 2011—that’s only about six months away. 165 dealers will be chosen in October to sell Fiats at their dealerships, so that won’t be a great deal of time to get things going. Dealers will have to get started building their Fiat dealerships as soon as they have been selected if they hope to meet the deadline. Also, Chrysler dealers must be trained to sell the Fiats, so it will be interesting to see how many will actually meet the initial deadline.

Source: Automotive News (http://www.autonews.com) 9/14/10

The 2011 Chrysler 200 to replace the Sebring

USA Today is reporting that Chrysler’s new replacement for the Sebring will be named the 200. How different will the 200 be? According to Chrysler’s press release (shown on Autoblog.com), Chrysler says, “Virtually every system in the sedan is new or upgraded for 2011, giving the Chrysler 200 its own identity and space in the highly competitive mid-size sedan segment. Exterior and sheet metal upgrades include: front and rear fascias and fenders, grille featuring the new Chrysler brand winged badge, hood, rear decklid and exterior mirrors, new projector headlamps and fog lamps, new LED taillamps and a LED center high-mounted stop light.”

The press release also states a 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine, as well as the new 283 hp Pentastar V6 engine with a six-speed automatic will be available. It sounds as if the Chrysler 200 is heavily-reworked Sebring. Hopefully, the current Sebring’s unattractive styling has been heavily-reworked, too.

Sources: USA Today (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/09/chrysler-dealers-to-see-14-new-or-improved-cars/1) 9/14/2010 and Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com)
9/14/2010

P. Scott