Toyota Says It's Received 5 Times More Orders for SAI Hybrid Sedan Than Expected
By Scott Doggett November 24, 2009
Toyota Motor Corp. said today that it had received about 14,000 orders for the new SAI hybrid sedan to go on sale in Japan on Dec. 7, or roughly five times its monthly sales target of 3,000 of the cars.
The world's biggest automaker said in a statement that the high-end car's fuel economy, comparable to a compact car, and tax incentives worth up to $3,150 were behind the strong interest.
Toyota unveiled the SAI, the brand's second dedicated hybrid car (with the other being the Prius), on Oct. 20. The car, which is a repackaged version of the Lexus HS250h, has a starting price of $38,020.
Toyota is miles ahead of competitors in the fast-growing hybrid field, which has enjoyed tailwinds especially in Japan thanks to generous subsidies and reduced taxes on cleaner cars.
The SAI has a listed fuel economy of 54 miles per gallon, or twice that of a comparable gasoline car, chief engineer Shigeru Nakagawa told a news conference last month.
Toyota has said it had no plans to export the SAI, which will be built by Toyota Motor Kyushu, a unit of Toyota Motor Corp. in southern Japan.
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