The latest member of the Prius family, the Prius v, which we featured in a couple of weeks ago, is just the first new addition to the growing Prius lineup. Destined to land in U.S. showrooms soon, the v is a larger, five-seat Prius with tweaked handling and bigger brakes. Last month, we revealed the Prius Coupe concept, a two-door that promises to put "fun to drive" and "hybrid" on the same page for the first time. Expected a Couple launch date in 2015.Boasting dimensions similar to the Prius v, the production Prius c is expected to deliver class-leading fuel efficiency figures and offer more engaging handling. With a wheelbase of about 100 inches (3 inches longer than a current Yaris) and an overall length of around 156 inches (6 inches longer than a Yaris), the new Prius will employ a revised 1.5 liter four-cylinder with Toyota's new THSII system. Like the coming Yaris hybrid, it will house the lithium-ion battery pack under the rear seats and employ a totally new front end. The c will also incorporate a unique design, larger all around than the Yaris. Originally slated for a December 2011 debut, the c's reveal now looks like it is being pushed back to spring 2012 due in part to the massive earthquake that shook Japan on March 11 and badly affected parts manufacturers in the region. Our source tells us that the c will go on sale, in Japan at least, for under 1.8 million yen (around $22,000 at today's exchange rates).


And that's just the start of Toyota's ambitious expansion plans. Within the next few years, Toyota is planning to launch a Prius SUV and convertible in addition to the new Prius v and Prius Coupe as part of its Prius brand. Toyota plans to celebrate the brand's launch with the next-gen Prius and the flagship Coupe, probably sometime in 2014.