CAR BIRTH: Toyota Motor Corp. today debuts one of America's most popular fuel-efficient cars -- for many students and young people, a "starter" car -- the 2009 Corolla. This will be the 10th generation, or "shape," of the Corolla since it was introduced into the U.S. in 1968. The debut comes on the day of Toyota's 50th anniversary selling cars in the U.S. Its American sales and marketing unit, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., has been headquartered in Torrance since 1982, and is one of the South Bay's highest profile companies.
Check out Muhammed El-Hasan's 50th anniversary Toyota story on today's front page of the Daily Breeze, both print version and Web home page.
From The Associated Press:
LAS VEGAS — The new model, shown at the Specialty Equipment Market Association trade show in Las Vegas, was designed to be sportier, with a larger interior, new chassis and a more economical and powerful 1.8-liter engine, the company said.
Since the model first was introduced in 1966 in Japan, Toyota has sold 30 million worldwide.
The decked-out XRS model comes with front and rear spoilers and a 2.4-liter engine capable of producing 158 horsepower. The smaller engine gets city/highway mileage of 25/35 miles per gallon while the larger one gets 22/30 mpg, Toyota said.
The new Corolla was expected to reach dealerships in February, with pricing between the entry-level Yaris and the Camry sedan.
Toyota also revealed the new look for its 2009 Matrix, the wagon version of the Corolla. It also features a lower, sportier profile, which the company said aimed for a “coupe-like style with a fun-to-drive image.”
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