Toyota Still Considering Adding A-BAT Size Pickup To Its Lineup
By: Mike Levine Posted: 02-24-07 22:07 PT
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Automotive News is reporting that Toyota is still considering adding an A-BAT size pickup to either the Toyota or Scion brand lineups. The compact Toyota A-BAT hybrid concept debuted in January at the Detroit Auto Show.

Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. president, told AN reporter Mark Rechtin that there's room for the A-BAT under either nameplate to help meet tough new federal fuel economy standards by 2020. But Mr. Lentz also said a final decision hasn't been made yet to build the truck or which brand will get it.

This is the first official confirmation we've heard from a Toyota rep that a small pickup could be sold as a Scion, though sources told us last year that a Scion pickup has been in the works for several years.

Recently, our sources told us the reason the A-BAT was not shown in Detroit as a Scion was because former Toyota marketing vice president Jim Farley said Scion would never sell a truck under his watch. Mr. Farley led the original launch of the youth and urban-oriented Scion brand across the United States. But Mr. Farley left Toyota late last year to take a position as head of Ford Motor Company's marketing efforts. Now it looks like his departure has reopened the door to a Scion pickup.

For more information, check out the story at Automotive News.

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