Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius is the first mass-produced and marketed hybrid automobile/car.

Many analysts believe Toyota will become the world's largest auto maker in the 2007 or 2008 calendar-year by overtaking current leader General Motors.

In Latin, prius means "before". It went on sale in Japan in 1997, and worldwide in 2001. By the end of 2003, nearly 160,000 units had been produced for sale in Japan, Europe, and North America. The Prius (2000 to 2003 model years) is certified as a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). With the 2004 model, the Prius was redesigned as a midsize hatchback and certified as an Advanced Technology Partial zero-emissions vehicle (AT-PZEV). The 2000 model Prius slotted between the Echo and Corolla in the company's North American lineup. The 2004 model slots between the Corolla and Camry.

Lexus is Toyota's brand name for its luxury vehicle division. In 1989, Lexus was launched in the U.S., the culmination of a clandestine seven-year initiative to build world-class luxury vehicles. The luxury division expanded to Europe and Oceania in 1990. Lexus was launched with two vehicles, the LS 400 flagship and the ES 250 sedan, and has grown into a full lineup of models ranging from the convertible SC 430 to sport utility vehicles such as the bestselling RX Series.

Today, Lexus is the best selling luxury marque in North America, and the fourth largest luxury marque in the world by volume. Lexus is now sold in over forty countries around the world, and launched in Japan in 2005, becoming the first luxury marque of a Japanese manufacturer to enter the Japan Domestic Market.