The Prius That Shook.. - VFAQ Prius Site

Landcruiser. Toyota's management, therefore, had decided to
launch a unique minivan before other auto makers came
up with similar offerings. Toyota, however, felt that its
priority was to bring life back to its sedans to stimulate the
domestic market.
In the summer of 1996, Toyota launched its "Sedan
Innovation" campaign with the fully model-changed Carina.
Other ambitious sedans, such as Windom (Lexus ES300)
and Mark II, were introduced one after another. Designs for
Prius began immediately before the campaign's inception
when expectations for sedans were at their peak in the
company.
Early in 1996, several design ideas were submitted by
Saito's team at Design Division II. None of the designs
seemed to please Uchiyamada. All were either too conservative
or eccentric, and did not fully convey feelings of a new era
and the concept of a new hybrid system. In other words,
the designs were either too conventional, like Corolla-type
cars, or too sensational, like concept cars of motor shows.
Uchiyamada's view was that the team had simply
changed the dimensions of existing cars and had been
unable to break away from past designs. None of the designs
were better than the previous benchmark Prius of the 1995
Motor Show. (The 1995 Prius had been designed by the
Head Office Design Division Advanced Design Team that
specializes in concept cars.)
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