Toyota says it will be showing an updated Prius hybrid at the Geneva Motor Show, which runs from February 28th until March 12th.

The car, which makes use of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, will make its European debut at the show, with developers hoping to build on the popularity of the firs model.

Toyota will also be showing off the Fine-T Concept at the show, which is the size of a Yaris and is powered by a high-performance fuel cell stack configuration. It incorporates a new alloy catalyst, meaning that it uses a smaller quantity of precious metals.

The news comes as British ministers are being urged to choose an environmentally friendly car when their present vehicle comes up for renewal.

The government car pool told members of the cabinet that they could choose either a fuel-heavy XL Jaguar or a Toyota Prius hybrid.

Although the £50,000 Jaguar runs on biodiesel, the Prius is the more environmentally friendly. Its engine, which is optimised for fuel efficiency, cuts carbon emissions by running on a combination of petrol and electricity.

Ex-Tory leader Michael Howard owns a Prius, as do celebrities including Chris Martin of Coldplay and actor Brad Pitt.


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