Toyota Canada brings the future to Vancouver's Auto Show

VANCOUVER, March 26, 2003; Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) today announced that visitors to the Pacific International Auto & Light Truck Show, which opens Friday, March 28, will see an exciting range of new products recently introduced for the 2004 Toyota and Lexus lineups. Highlights on the Toyota stand include the innovative new 2004 Echo Hatchback and 2004 Sienna minivan. The Calgary-based Rally Prius, currently taking part in the 2003 Canadian Rally Championship, is also on display.

At Lexus, the star attraction is the all-new RX 330 - the new standard in luxury sport utility vehicles. Lexus also revealed that it will offer Canadians limited edition SportDesign versions of its IS 300 sport sedan and GS 300 performance sedan. The new packages combine unique athletic appearance cues with performance-enhancing equipment to emphasize the vehicle's responsive handling and ride.

"We've got something for everyone - affordable family cars, hard-working trucks, sporty performance and the latest word in luxury," said Ken Tomikawa, President of TCI. "But no matter what kind of vehicle they choose, all of our customers know they're getting vehicles of unbeatable quality, with outstanding safety features, and excellent value for the money."

The new 2004 Echo Hatchback is expected to attract a lot of attention, particularly since it's a model commissioned strictly for Canadians. The new Hatchback's design, which Toyota describes as "fun, funky and functional" is based on the Yaris, one of Toyota's best-selling vehicles in Europe and Japan. Like the Yaris, it has a fluid, almost futuristic appearance, sleek and compact on the outside but with plenty of room for four passengers inside. The Echo Hatchback, to be sold in both 3-door and 5-door configurations, goes on sale this summer, but only in Canada.

For drivers who want the roomy versatility of a minivan - available in either front-wheel drive or full-time all-wheel drive - Toyota offers the new 2004 Sienna. With a new, larger platform, a powerful new engine, and a sleek, sporty new look, the new Sienna offers the exceptional comfort, safety and convenience crucial to family transportation while shattering the traditional minivan image.

Lexus will unveil the all-new 2004 Lexus RX 330, the second generation of its ground-breaking mid-sized luxury sport utility vehicle. The fully redesigned RX is more powerful and even better equipped than the best-selling Lexus RX 300 it replaces. Like almost every new Lexus before it, the striking RX 330 sets a new standard in its class for comfort, performance, safety and luxury.

The Lexus display will also feature an L-Tuned IS 300 concept car with turbo-charged engine, full body kit and 18-inch wheel package, and an IS 300 Sport Design with 17-inch alloy wheels, spoiler and limited slip differential. Together, these vehicles demonstrate a new level of sporty performance designed to appeal to the next generation of Lexus buyers.

A Sport Design package will also be offered on the responsive GS 300 sedan. In fact, only 50 of the 2003 GS 300 SportDesign models will be built for Canada. This limited edition features new black perforated leather seats, gunmetal-coloured aluminum wheels and an exclusive Graphite Grey Pearl exterior (Black Onyx is also available). A special SportDesign grille and rear lip spoiler distinguish the exterior. The interior is accentuated by brushed metallic console trim, a wood and leather steering wheel, and SportDesign logos on the scuff plates. In keeping with the sporty theme, a Euro-tuned sport suspension is standard.

A place of honour on the Toyota stand has been reserved for the Prius gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle TCI recently donated to Ability Rally Racing. The Ability team is successfully campaigning this Prius in the 2003 Canadian Rally Championship - a demanding series of performance rallies across Canada - to raise awareness of the Alberta Association for Conductive Education (AAFCE).

The AAFCE, an organization dedicated to meeting the special needs of children with a variety of motor impairments, will contribute all benefits from the campaign toward building an environmentally-sensitive recreational retreat for children with motor disabilities. The retreat will be powered solely by renewable energy sources. Prius, the world's first mass-produced gasoline/electric hybrid automobile, has been successfully rallied in Europe.