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May 21, 2008
Toyota Prius -- a brand unto itself
Consider Toyota's happy problem: much like the Xerox brand became synonymous with photocopying, the Prius now equals "hybrid" in consumers' minds.
The Prius is so successful as a stand alone vehicle that Toyota is having a hard time gaining traction for their preferred brand name, Hybrid Synergy Drive, which is how they market their Camry and Highlander hybrid models.
This happy problem may lead Toyota to create new vehicles under a Prius model line, such as a wagon or two door model, according to Jim Lentz, the company's president of U.S. operations. In an Automotive News interview, Lentz said Toyota may consider new Prius models after 2010, when the existing car is due for a redesign.
This means Prius might take off as a sub-brand the way Scion has, especially if gas prices stay high enough to cement Americans' move into smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. But the Scion brand was a deliberate business move to create a new product line, whereas the Prius has taken on a life of its own -- not a bad problem to have.
Posted by Frank at May 21, 2008 3:36 PM | Filed under Alternative Fuels | Auto Marketing | Auto News | Car Tech | Hybrid | Scion | Toyota