Toyota Unveils Tiny 'iQ' Amid Tiding Fuel Prices
Jacob Cherian
October 29, 2008
Chiba, Japan (GroundReport)– Toyota Motor Corp. has launched the compact iQ on Wednesday, according to published reports.
The iQ is the smallest in Toyota's lineup of automobiles and has a high fuel-efficiency among non-hybrid cars. The Japanese car-maker, which overtook General Motors recently as the biggest automaker by sales, makes the point with iQ that small cars are still in vogue and are safe and spacious, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Toyota's new car is less than three meters long and offers an outstanding mileage value of 54 miles per gallon. The bubble-shaped iQ is a four seater and is the world's No.1 car-makers response to the supermini Smart car, outed by German automaker Daimler AG. The Smart car has received rave reviews in Europe and America as drivers in both continents are looking to smaller cars in the wake of soaring fuel prices.
Designing the iQ was a unique task for Toyota since it had to redefine the concept of a small car, and allow for more room. In order to fit in four seats, Toyota's engineers flattened the fuel tank. It was then underneath the floor of the vehicle. In addition, the seats were thinned out, while the air conditioning was revamped to a smaller size.
Meanwhile the iQ's dashboard was modified so that the passenger in the front seat could have more leg room. Designers got rid of the jack and spare tire so that more storage room could be added.
Chief engineer of Toyota iQ, Hiroki Nakajima, said the car is the first vehicle to reveal the automaker's brand new space enhancing design. He added that the space-saving design concepts would begin to appear in new models produced in the near future.
"When it comes to cars, traditionally, big has always meant good. The iQ radically dispels that notion," Nakajima was quoted as saying by The Wall Street Journal.
The iQ, touted for its compactness coupled with fuel-efficiency, is slated to sell in Japan on Nov. 20. It is tagged at a starting price of 1.4 million yen, the equivalent of $13,720, cite reports.
In Europe, the iQ will be unveiled in 2009. The Japanese-automaker said it forecasts sales of 2,500 iQs a month in Japan and 6,000 a month in Europe.
Toyota Motor is still considering introducing the iQ into the U.S as it would need to make design alterations to meet the rigorous safety standards of the US market.
Soichiro Okudaira, a managing officer of Toyota in charge of small-car projects explained that the age of SUVs and pickup trucks being the backbone of the U.S. market is over.
"Most customers want to move to small cars. It's a world-wide trend," he said, reports the Journal.
Tags: Toyota IQ
