Toyota iQ could spawn a larger car, a VW Up! competitor

Sources at Toyota have told AutoCar that the Toyota iQ could be the basis for a larger car. Toyota showed the iQ concept minicar at the Frankfurt Motor Show followed by the production model at the Geneva Motor Show.

Toyota plans on selling 100,000 units for the first year. No other automaker has made such a huge investment on a car that it will only sell that many units of. According to sources, that investment will be put to good use as Toyota will use the iQ as a basis for a larger...
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_43LE - 5/1/2008 4:47:48 PM

+1 Boost

Yup, this French design is better than the Smart or Up!

chewy - 5/2/2008 12:19:17 AM

+1 Boost

the thing about the UP is that it will be 4/5 passenger and with a four door version (and not tiny) while having all of the benefits of a tiny Smart/iQ rear engineg "city car"

DieselRules - 5/2/2008 2:12:18 AM

+1 Boost

Wow! its the Toyota Smart car.
Lets shorten that name to the "Tart"
Who's with me?

ChicaneShooter - 5/2/2008 4:04:09 AM

+1 Boost

"Toyota has not released any details on the engine lineup, but a 1.8 liter unit developed in partnership with Yamaha is expected."

if the weight is kept down, this will be a POCKET ROCKET! "normal" engine of iQ sized cars is only 660cc. even the Smart is only about 1000cc.

Willis - 5/2/2008 9:36:17 PM

+1 Boost

And who needs a 1.8-l engine in such a car?

Willis - 5/2/2008 9:35:56 PM

+1 Boost

I can't believe how badly Toyota copied the Smart here. The design is very similar and heck, they even copied the name.

IQ / Smart? Damn!

ChicaneShooter - 5/3/2008 5:00:38 AM

+1 Boost

the STANDARD engine will likely be a fuel sipper.

the Yammie modded 1.8 will likely simply be a secret giant killer.

ChicaneShooter - 5/3/2008 5:04:48 AM

+1 Boost

actually, MB copied the japanese. who have had these mini city cars, called "Kei" cars, running around the home islands since at least the 1970s.

the (merely) Smart even has to rely on a MITSUBISHI engine. the (HIGH) IQ toyota will run circles around it. it looks a LOT better too.