Toyota Prius v Launch Delayed

After putting a serious dent in the production plans the Japanese manufacturer had for the entire year, the quake and tsunami disasters from nearly two weeks ago are beginning to take their toll on the launch schedule Toyota had in place for the following months.

According to Autonews, the car maker has scrapped the initial launch date, the end of next month, without announcing any other new date. The announcement is only the second in what is likely to become a long line of launch delays, following the similar decision made earlier this week by Honda for its Fit Shuttle.

The v version of the Prius is among the first models to be introduced by Toyota on the market in an effort to expand the reach of the world's most successful hybrid. Part of the newly baptized Prii family, the v was presented in Europe earlier this month, during the Geneva Auto Show.

The Prius v (v stands for versatility) is built using the current generation Prius platform and the same Hybrid Synergy Drive technology used on the current Prius. The system is offering the driver with a choice between four driving modes: Normal, Power, Eco and EV.

Although the performance figures for the model have not yet been announced, it is to be expected they will be close to those offered by the regular Prius.

Aimed at a more active type of customer, the Prius v comes equipped with a wide range of high-tech gadgets that are used towards safety, comfort and infotainment.