Toyota Denies Yaris-Based Hybrid to Be Built in France

Japanese manufacturer Toyota announced today it has no plans to build the European spec Yaris-based hybrid at its plant in Valenciennes, northern France. The announcement was made after in late July Asashi newspaper reported Toyota's new hybrid will be made in France, a report that also surfaced last week in French newspaper La Tribune.

"We have no such plans, and we are not considering the move either," Toyota spokesman Yuta Kaga was quoted as saying by Autonews. "We have not even made a decision on whether to launch a hybrid model in France."

According to the initial reports, the new hybrid will share the platform and engine with the Yaris, not the ones used for the current version, but the one to be released next year. The new hybrid will make use of a more cost effective and more fuel-efficient hybrid system than the one used on the Prius.

The Japanese manufacturer did not deny it is currently developing a compact hybrid model for launch in the next few years, but only the fact that it will be built in France. The first European built Toyota hybrid, the Auris hybrid, will begin in Burnaston, England, and is scheduled to enter the European market towards the middle of 2010.

Although no official technical data has yet been releases, rumors say the new hybrid will rely on a 1.8-liter Atkinson gasoline engine developing 98 bhp connected to an electric unit that also generates 80 bhp.

So far, Toyota produces hybrids in several locations, including the company's home country, Japan, and China, the United States, Thailand and Australia.