Toyota Patents Designs of Sport Version of New Yaris in Europe

Toyota introduced a new generation of the Yaris supermini in Japan (named Vitz for the local market) in December, 2010, and is also planning to showcase a thinly disguised concept of an upcoming hybrid version of the supermini at the Geneva Motor Show, which will be held for the public from March 3 to 13. But as these trademark fillings from Europe prove, the company is also working on a sport variant, most likely as a replacement to the Yaris TS.

The model seen in these patent designs features a full body kit with a new front bumper that replaces the standard Yaris' front grille with openings next to the headlamps while also boasting daytime LED strips, side skirts and profile graphics, a redesigned rear bumper housing a prominent diffuser, and bespoke tail lamps. The new roof spoiler and the multispoke alloy wheels sum up the differences over the regular Yaris.

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Busted: 2011 Toyota Prius MPV Picture is an Older Photoshop

Not that we expect the actual production version of the upcoming 2011 Toyota Prius MPV (or whatever else the Japanese maker names the hybrid minivan) to look any more exciting than the vehicle shown in the black-and-white picture above, but just to set things straight, what you see here is an older photoshop created by Japan's Best Car magazine and not the real deal as some hastily baptized. Proof seekers may follow the jump for color shots from the magazine.

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2012 Toyota Yaris / Vitz Mini Site Launched in Japan, but Leaked Brochure Shots Reveal All

Toyota is getting ready to present a new generation of its Japanese domestic market Vitz supermini, which we will come to know (with a few changes here and there) as the 2012 Yaris.

For this reason, Toyota launched a mini site teasing the new car through some cropped images and text, which unfortunately, is in Japanese - any help with the translation would be appreciated. From what we understand, the new Vitz / Yaris will either be unveiled or is planned to go on sale in Japan, in December

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New Toyota Prius MPV Plays Hide and Seek on Billboard

Just before the grand opening of the Paris Motor Show at the end of September, we brought you the first spy pictures of the Prius minivan (or MPV), which was snagged in California by ROAD CARS reader Nick K.

Since then, Toyota not only confirmed the car at a dealer conference in Las Vegas last week, but the Japanese automaker also put up this billboard that shows the Prius MPV hiding behind the current Prius liftback with the tagline "The Prius family is getting a whole lot bigger." The billboard picture was uploaded on the company's dedicated Toyota Prius Facebook page.

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2012 Toyota Prius Alpha Hybrid Minivan Scooped!

ROAD CARS reader Nick K. had an opportunity to snag what may very well be the first spy photos of the long-anticipated minivan version of the Prius, rumored to be called the Prius Alpha.

Spotted out in California following a new Lexus CT200h with its logos covered, the camouflaged minivan seen here - said by Nick to be "about the size of a Mazda 5" - appears to be wearing a Prius-esque front fascia and doesn't look to fit anywhere else in the lineup.

As you can see in our photo gallery after the jump, the minivan and the Prius also seem to share a similar design for the windshield, front window line and tail lamps.

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