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Judging from last year’s sales of more than 19,000, hybrids – specifically the Toyota Prius – are catching on in Europe. That’s around an 80 percent jump in sales compared to 2004, and Toyota executives are planning for another robust year in 2006, with a 35 percent jump in Prius sales. With this kind of growth, it’s no surprise that Toyota decided introduced a revised Prius at the 2006 Geneva Auto Show – even if the changes are mild. (NOTE: 2006 model is shown) Notable revisions include a freshened look, an improved interior, and the addition of an Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA) feature, up to now seen only in Japan. With IPA, the driver selects the parking spot and the vehicle steers itself into the spot through the use of video cameras, the driver controlling throttle input. The Prius gets IPA in Europe, while the rest of the world outside of Japan will see it in the Lexus LS 460. Customers in the U.S. are likely to get the cosmetic changes made to the Prius, as the award-winning and sticker-price-bustin’ hybrid has not been significantly changed since its introduction in 2004.
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