Toyota has unveiled a new compact luxury sedan named Sai which will go on sale in Japan on 7 December 2009.

The Sai is based on a concept derived from the Japanese word sai – which means "talent" or "colouring" – as a hybrid-only sedan that combines "advanced talent and multi-faceted sophistication".

The Sai has been designed with extensive consideration for the environment and features a petrol-electric hybrid system with NiMH battery pack and 2.4-liter Atkinson cycle combustion engine (as used in the Lexus HS 250h that is available in Japan and the USA) that develops 110kW and maximum torque of 187Nm.

Quick warm-up

The electric motor has a maximum output of 105kW and a reduction gear increases torque to 270Nm. To reduce engine warm-up time, the Sai has an exhaust heat recovery system that uses the gases to heat the engine.

This all contributes to a highly efficient package that can achieve outstanding fuel efficiency – between 3.6 and 4.2l/100km depending on the test conditions, while the Sai's carbon emissions are rated between 101 and 107g/km.

To boost the vehicle's environmental credentials, ecological plastic – which is made from plant-derived materials – are used for approximately 60 percent of the cabin surface area, by far the greatest use of this type of plastic in any Toyota vehicle to date.

Drive modes

The Sai's LED headlights conserve electric power and reduce power-generation requirements on the engine. As in the Prius, the Sai can be driven in 'Standard Driving Mode', as well as 'Eco-Drive' and 'Electric Vehicle (EV) Drive Mode'. The last option uses the electric motor only and results in extremely quiet cruising and zero emissions.

Visual support is provided to the driver through a hybrid system monitor that displays real-time driving status and an 'Eco Driving Indicator' that lights up to signify fuel-efficient vehicle operation.

In designing the Sai, Toyota also employed its Eco-Vehicle Assessment System (Eco-VAS), an in-house system to comprehensively assess environmental impact.

Eco-VAS includes setting targets at the start of vehicle development to help reduce environmentally harmful factors by means such as balanced reduction of CO2 emissions.

Advanced technology

Advanced technologies in the Sai includes a pre-crash safety system to counter both front and rear collisions as well as optional rear seat side crash bags (seven crsah bags are standard in all models) and active headrests. It also has steering-assisted vehicle stability control (S-VSC), a brake-signal system, lane-keeping assist and radar cruise control.

Aerodynamic design includes under-floor covers across large sections of the underbody to create smooth air flow, achieving a drag coefficient value of 0.27—amongst the highest in its class.

The cabin layout is driver-focused and provides outstanding visibility and operability. A remote touch system makes its debut in the Sai and an HDD navigation system with 8-inch pop-up display comes standard on all models.

Knocks down germs

All 10 speakers of the sound system (excluding the tweeters) contain bamboo fibre — a material with minimal environmental impact — for clear sound reproduction. A 'plasmacluster ions' system releases a balance of positive and negative ions into the cabin to reduce airborne germs and impurities.

A specially-created colour, 'Hybrid Synergy Blue', identifies Toyota's hybrid vehicles and is used on badges, headlights, rear lights, gauge displays, shift knobs and power switches.

The Sai is built in the Miyata plant and the initial sales target in Japan is 3000 units monthly. Currently there are no plans to export the Sai to markets outside Japan.

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