Hybrid Car - More Fun with Less Gas

(AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters after his press conference at a hotel in Tokyo Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008. Toyota lowered its global sales target for 2009 to 9.7 million vehicles on Thursday, down from an earlier 10.4 million vehicles, blaming 'tough times,' caused by rising material costs, a slowing U.S. market and soaring gas prices. Watanabe said Japan's biggest automaker will continue to boost growth by focusing on gas-electric hybrids as a core strategy, and offsetting declining U.S. and European demand with sales in emerging economies. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

(AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters during a press conference at a hotel in Tokyo Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008. Toyota lowered its global sales target for 2009 to 9.7 million vehicles on Thursday, down from an earlier 10.4 million vehicles, blaming 'tough times,' caused by rising material costs, a slowing U.S. market and soaring gas prices. Watanabe said Japan's biggest automaker will continue to boost growth by focusing on gas-electric hybrids as a core strategy, and offsetting declining U.S. and European demand with sales in emerging economies. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

(AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters after his press conference at a hotel in Tokyo Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008. Toyota lowered its global sales target for 2009 to 9.7 million vehicles on Thursday, down from an earlier 10.4 million vehicles, blaming 'tough times,' caused by rising material costs, a slowing U.S. market and soaring gas prices. Watanabe said Japan's biggest automaker will continue to boost growth by focusing on gas-electric hybrids as a core strategy, and offsetting declining U.S. and European demand with sales in emerging economies. (AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

(AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters during a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo Thursday, March 13, 2008. Watanabe acknowledged the company's rapid global growth was partly behind a surge in problems that has plagued the Japanese automaker in recent years. Watanabe said the company has improved quality controls, and is sticking to its sales targets, including those in North America, despite worries about a credit crunch and a slowdown in the auto market. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

(AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters during a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo Thursday, March 13, 2008. Watanabe acknowledged the company's rapid global growth was partly behind a surge in problems that has plagued the Japanese automaker in recent years. Watanabe said the company has improved quality controls, and is sticking to its sales targets, including those in North America, despite worries about a credit crunch and a slowdown in the auto market. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

(AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters before completely redesigned 'Crown Royal Saloon' as he launches the sedan in Tokyo Monday, Feb. 18, 2008. The 13th generation Crown features advanced technologies such as vehicle stability and preventive safety performance offered by VDIM (Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management) and Pre-crash Safety System. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

(AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters during the annual year-end press conference in Nagoya, central Japan, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2007. Toyota, in a neck-and-neck race that could dethrone General Motors as the world's top automaker this year, said Tuesday it plans to sell 9.85 million vehicles globally in 2008. Watanabe said keeping a balance between quality and quantity will be key to growth. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

(AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters during the annual year-end press conference in Nagoya, central Japan, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2007. Toyota, in a neck-and-neck race that could dethrone General Motors as the world's top automaker this year, said Tuesday it plans to sell 9.85 million vehicles globally in 2008. Watanabe said keeping a balance between quality and quantity will be key to growth. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

(AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters during the annual year-end press conference in Nagoya, central Japan, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2007. Toyota, in a neck-and-neck race that could dethrone General Motors as the world's top automaker this year, said Tuesday it plans to sell 9.85 million vehicles globally in 2008. Watanabe said keeping a balance between quality and quantity will be key to growth. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

(AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters during the annual year-end press conference in Nagoya, central Japan, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2007. Toyota, in a neck-and-neck race that could dethrone General Motors as the world's top automaker this year, said Tuesday it plans to sell 9.85 million vehicles globally in 2008. Watanabe said keeping a balance between quality and quantity will be key to growth. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

(Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters during the company's mid-year news conference in Tokyo July 23, 2007. REUTERS/Issei Kato (JAPAN)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

(AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters in Tokyo in this Dec. 21, 2006 photo. Toyota, closing in on General Motors Corp.'s spot as the world's biggest vehicle maker, said Wednesday, March 28, 2007, its global production climbed in February for 28th straight month of increase. Toyota reported worldwide output totaled 680,968 vehicles in February, up 0.9 percent from the same month last year. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, File)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed

(AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe speaks to reporters during a press conference for Toyota's motor sports operations in Tokyo Monday, March 12, 2007. Watanabe said his company isn't worried about any major negative impact on the U.S. auto market from a potential slowdown in the U.S. economy. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed