Leaked Photos - Is This The Toyota Prius C?

Carscoop has posted scans of a brochure from Japan potentially featuring the newest member of the Prius family - the Prius C.  As you will see, the brochure is in Japanese, so it can not be confirmed this is the Prius C, but according to the article "in one of the spec sheets, it appears that Toyota compares the Prius C with several rivals in Japan including the Mazda2 13-Skyactive." 

Also from the article: "So, when and where will we see the new Prius C making its debut? The JDM model will receive its world premiere at the Tokyo Motor Show in December while Toyota recently revealed that the North American debut would take place in Detroit in January of 2012.

During the U.S. media presentation of the new Prius Plug-in Hybrid in California in mid-September, Toyota Division Group Vice President and General Manager, Bob Carter, mentioned the new Prius C in his speech: "The Prius v will be followed by the Prius Plug-in next March, and the Prius c will follow in the Spring," said Carter. "The Prius c will offer expressive styling in a city-friendly vehicle that we believe will be the most fuel efficient hybrid without a plug in the U.S. While we showed you a “c Concept” at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, we will be debuting the production Prius c for the first time in Detroit this coming January."

Check out the full article and images here on carscoop.com

All New Camry To Pace the Field at 2012 Daytona 500

The all-new 2012 Toyota Camry will lead the field to the green flag at the Great American Race, the Daytona 500, on February 26, 2012.

"We're thrilled to be able to feature the new Camry in Daytona at the season's biggest race,' said Ed Laukes, TMS corporate manager of motorsports marketing. 'We think the DAYTONA 500 is the perfect place to showcase the all-new Camry -- which will go on sale this fall. We knew when the opportunity arose to partner together wîth Daytona that it would be an extraordinary way to highlight our new Camry, as well as reinforce Toyota's commitment to NASCAR and its fans."

At Daytona International Speedway, Toyota drivers have recorded eight NASCAR wins across NASCAR's three national touring series, including one NSCS win (Kyle Busch in 2008), two NNS wins (Denny Hamlin in 2008 and Tony Stewart in 2008) and five NCWTS wins. In 2008, Hamlin claimed Toyota's first-ever NSCS victory in a non-points qualifying event to determine the Daytona 500 starting lineup.  Toyota has won three consecutive manufacturer's titles in the NNS (2008-2010) wîth the Camry, and Toyota racers have earned one driver's title (Kyle Busch in 2009) and registered 60 race victories in the NNS. In NSCS competition, Camry drivers have earned 36 first-place trophies.
Source: http://www.conceptcarz.com/z20214/Toyota-Camry-Daytona-500-Pace-Car.aspx

Toyota Tops All Automakers in 2011 Best Global Brands Report

Toyota came in as the #1 Global Brand automaker in the Interbrands' Best Global Brands 2011 report.  They came in #11 overall trailing only brand heavyweights such as Coca-Cola, IBM, Apple, Microsoft, Google, and General Electric.   

From the company press release:

Interbrand, a leading brand consultancy, produces its Best Global Brands report based on a unique methodology. The methodology analyzes three key aspects that contribute to a brand's value:

The financial performance of the branded products or services
The role of brand in the purchase decision process
The strength of the brand to continue to secure earnings for a company
2011 OVERVIEWDue to the volatile markets and uncertain business climate that characterized 2011, brands are in the midst of adapting to a new reality. "Uncertainty is the new status quo, so today's brands need to be quick and nimble," remarked Jez Frampton, Interbrand's Global Chief Executive Officer. "Consistency, relevance and commitment are imperative if a brand is to keep pace in our rapidly changing world."

This year's Top 100 Best Global Brands have demonstrated that, despite an erratic economic landscape, they are constantly flexing, evolving and innovating – all in an effort to meet the new needs of today's consumer. "By refining digital strategies and strengthening social networks, today's most valuable brands are creating more relevant customer engagements. These brands have seized opportunities to host richer, more tailored experiences, which, in turn, help drive longer-term loyalty and value among consumers and partners alike," noted Frampton.

AUTOMOTIVE BRANDS SHOW RESILIENCYThe past year was marked by remarkable growth in the auto industry, driven primarily by an economic recovery in classic European markets, a resurgence of the US automotive industry and high demand for cars in China.

Toyota (#11) retains its position as the #1 automotive brand in Interbrand's 2011 report. Like Nissan, Toyota exhibited great resiliency by increasing its brand value 6%. Even though Toyota faced both an internal crisis (lack of quality control in 2010) and an external crisis (Japan's earthquake in early 2011), the company forged ahead by focusing on safety and quality, modifying its leadership structure and capitalizing on its world-renown green efforts.

Here's a link to the full article: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/10/automakers-show-resilience-in-2011-best-global-brands-report/  and a link to the full top 100 list: http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/best-global-brands-2008/best-global-brands-2011.aspx