Toyota to expand on Prius line

The automaker plans to have two Prius models in showrooms by 2013, said dealers who were told of the company's plans, the Detroit Free Press reported Friday.

"There's two of them -- a bigger one and one that's close to the size of the current one," said Todd McCallum, operations director of LaFontaine Automotive Group, a Michigan firm.

Toyota spokesman Joe Tetherow confirmed the news.

John O'Dell, senior editor of GreenCarAdvisor.com, said the larger Prius, would be "Camry-sized, but more wagon-like." Dealers said the model would have 50 percent more interior room than the 2011 Prius.

Mike Milliken, editor of greencarcongress.com, said capitalizing on the brand's success "may stand a much better chance of driving up hybrid sales, instead of just relying on the introduction of hybrid technology into other brands."

In total, however, Toyota has plans to introduce six new hybrid cars within the next two years, the newspaper said.

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