Toyota Launches Compact Eco-Friendly Car

March 5, 2008 10:10 a.m. EST

Geneva, Switzerland (AHN)-- Japanese carmaker Toyota unveiled the finished version of its new iQ city car at the Geneva Auto Show on Tuesday.

Andrea Formica, the company's senior vice president for Europe announced that the iQ is the 'world's smallest four-seater car', measuring just 2,985 millimeters long.

To achieve such tight packaging, Toyota's engineers have come up with a clever cabin system that allows three adults and one child to sit in comfort, despite the iQ's diminutive, almost Smart car dimensions.

They've also miniaturized components like the air conditioning; developed a flat under floor fuel tank; come up with a new differential that allows the iQ to have short front overhangs, and slimmed down the dashboard and seats.

Also, in a bid to appeal to environmentally-aware urban customers, the iQ was designed to run on a small, fuel-efficient engine which will return only 99 grams per kilometer in carbon dioxide emissions -- making the car tax-exempt in Britain.

Formica added proudly that the IQ is a major milestone in Toyota's vehicle development. The company expects to sell at least 100,000 iQs per year in Europe at a cost of around $20,000 each.