The Toyota iQ is a new concept car that was announced in 2007 and made it's retail debut in Europe in 2009. It appeared again at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, and several sample cars were released to reporters for their review.Times Online: Toyota IQ 1.0... (January 5, 2009)
Toyota
Toyota announced in December 2008, that it was facing its first operating loss ever. In January 2009, the company announced that it would be closing production at its Japanese plants for a total of 11 days in February and March because of a slump in sales. It is in this environment that Toyota hopes to sell the compact iQ.FOX Business: Futures Turn Positive Despite Toyota News (December 21, 2008) Bloomberg.com: Toyota Forecasts Its First Operating Loss in 71 Years FOX News: Toyota to Suspend Production for 11 Days in Japan (January 6, 2009)