Toyota Lets its Hair Down

Toyota is a name we might associate with reliability, fuel-efficiency and well, function. The big three automakers, for all their faults, at least at one time knew how to make cars consumers would yearn for, like the Ford Mustang or the Pontiac GTO. Well now, the staid accountant of the car game is pushing its glasses up the bridge of its nose and is telling consumers, "c'mon guys, we're fun, too!"

The New York Times reports that Toyota, better known for sturdy, family-friendly cars like the Corolla, Camry and Prius is coming out with a sports car. It's supposed to be out some time in 2010 and will feature rear-wheel drive and a 2- or 2.4-liter engine. The Japanese car maker doesn't expect that the car will have huge sales. This car is more about injecting some excitement into the brand.

Can a Japanese automaker succeed in being both nerdy and fun? Well, if sales of Mazda's Miata are anything to go by, we'd say yes. Though, judging by their drivers, we can't say the nerdiness is entirely eliminated.

Photo courtesy of MrWynd, via Flickr