Triumph Of The Egg: Prius To Be Best-Selling Car In US Market By 2020?

Jack Baruth
by Jack Baruth

Imaginary acceleration or measurable inattention to quality aside, Toyota’s delightfully arrogant march to world domination continues with the expected introduction of a “wagon-like” Prius at next week’s Detroit Auto Show and a bold statement from the company’s VP of sales.

We will end the decade with Prius being the number one nameplate in the industry… [Camry] will be a close second, and that’s not because there will be a drop in Camry sales.

Automotive News attributed these statements to Bob Carter, Toyota’s group vice president for U.S. sales. Clearly, whatever “humility” the company’s apologists attributed to it in the wake of the SUA debacle has now been completely discarded. With the flacks at Edmunds reporting that another “Prius concept” will accompany the new “wagon-type vehicle” at the Detroit show, it looks like Toyota expects hybrids to go fully mainstream very quickly.

Only time will tell if Mr. Carter’s bullish approach to Prius-as-brand is reasonable. I wouldn’t bet against it. To misquote Orwell, if you want a picture of the future, imagine a suppository-shaped transportation module blocking a line of traffic in the left lane, forever.

Jack Baruth
Jack Baruth

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  • View2share View2share on Jan 04, 2011

    They will make excellent skateboard ramps, once retired from service. What an ugly thing it is. I saw one hit and rolled in town with a gazillion airbags deployed. To the credit of the turtle car, no one was injured. They just seem too tall. Many new cars are.

  • KixStart KixStart on Jan 04, 2011

    Arrogant? Or confident? If I want great fuel economy without hunting for a diesel pump or spending $34K for a Volt... where do I go? The ex-CEO of Shell is talking about $5 gas this year.

  • Cmdjing Cmdjing on Jan 04, 2011

    A reliable, practical, highly fuel efficient, and safe car made by Toyota? KILL WITH WITH FIRE! That said, I am the proud new owner of a Honda CR-Z, a car much derided by the hoi polloi here.

  • PeteMoran PeteMoran on Jan 04, 2011

    Hahaha! I love it when head's explode. It's just beyond some people that the average working stiff might be happy to grab a reliable, efficient, appliance for transport avoiding the tainted garbage of their parent's experience. Anything Toyota upsets the self-appointed cognoscenti.

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