Toyota introduces new Prius version and raises price

Just as the tax incentives for the Toyota Prius are slowly evaporating, the base price of the car will see an increase as well. Toyota Motor Corp. just announced it will raise the starting price of the 2007 Prius by 2.1 percent. A new Touring Edition version will also be introduced, sporting larger wheels and a stiffer suspension, to help boost sales. The increase in price for the base model is $450, to $22,175, while the Touring Edition will start at $23,070. While sales of the Prius fell 5.9 percent, it is still the best-selling hybrid in the U.S. Toyota blamed part of the sales decline on a lack of dealer availability and limited supplies of nickel-metal-hydride batteries used in the Prius. The 2006 sales are expected to at least match the 2005 sales total.
[Source: Chicago Tribune]