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Toyota Prius gets higher clearance, better suspension in Pakistan

It's been 16 years since the Toyota Prius launched in Japan. Finally, the world's most popular hybrid is becoming the first hybrid car to show up in Pakistan. This version of the Prius has been customized by Indus Motor Company (IMC) in order to deal with, well, let's just say some challenging road conditions. IMC knows what it's doing, and has modified Toyota and Daihatsu vehicles for the Pakistani market for over 20 years. The Prius brings with it the iconic shape and Parvez Ghias, CEO of IMC, told The Technology Times that the car's arrival, "is indeed a great milestone, not only in the history of IMC, but, of the entire nation." Pakistan Today says that IMC is beefing up the ground clearance of the imported Priuses and adds a "robust suspension system." Why would this be important? Well, the US Department of State warns travelers to beware of crowded roads, aggressive and poorly trained drivers and bad roads that could include potholes and sharp drop-offs. Then there's the "donkeys, cattle, horse carts, and even the occasional camel [that] can pose roadside hazards in some areas." There's also the big problem of terrorism-related violence in Pakistan, but we haven't heard that the Pakistan Prius has been bullet- and shrapnel-proofed.

Camatte concept puts the Toy back in Toyota [w/videos]

It's been two years since Toyota first revealed its Camatte show car at the Tokyo Toy Show. Though sadly never destined for production, Toyota brought the concept back the following year as the Camatte 57s roadster, and is now returning to the same show with yet another take on the kid-friendly, configurable 1+2 with interchangeable body panels - this time with a slew of features that are fresh not only to the concept itself, but to the industry altogether.
This year the Camatte is being showcased in two forms: a bare chassis in the Tech Lab that lets kids see the inner workings of a modern automobile, and another in the Design Lab that lets kids draw their own motif for the concept that is then displayed on an LED hood.
The overall approach reminds us of the way Toyota's budget brand Daihatsu unveiled the Kopen roadster concept at the Tokyo Motor Show late last year, only even more kid-focused and decidedly more light-hearted than you might otherwise expect from one of the largest industrial giants in the world, and could only have been made for a toy exposition. In Japan. Which would explain the ridiculously upbeat videos below, where you'll also find the brief press release.

Toyota to ramp up Tacoma production in Mexico by 41%

The Toyota Tacoma may be getting on in age, but that isn't stopping the Japanese manufacturer from ramping up production at the pickup's Baja California factory. The Mexican plant will soon be home to another 300 jobs as it increases total capacity by 41 percent. The increase is slated for April 2015.
The move is a curious one, considering the Tacoma's age and the fact that General Motors is preparing what, on the surface, appear to be two very competent challengers. The factory increase could be in preparation for the 2016 Taco (spy photos shown above), which is expected to represent a significant overhaul of the long-serving truck.
Toyota's decision to increase capacity could also be due to the factory building freeze implemented by President Akio Toyoda, according to Automotive News. Toyoda put a hold on new factories until 2016, asking executives to squeeze as much production as possible out of remaining factories before bringing any additional facilities online.