Toyota receives over 60,000 orders for the Aqua Hybrid

The Japanese carmaker revealed that it has received pre-orders for 60,000 cars ahead of the sub-compact hybrid hatchback's launch on December 26, which is five times the company's monthly sales target of 12,000 cars in Japan.

"It will take about four months to receive the car once an order is placed," Toyota’s managing officer Koei Saga told reporters during a media briefing earlier this week. The Aqua, which will be marketed around the world as the new Prius C, made its world premiere at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show earlier in December.

The Aqua pairs a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 73bhp and 111Nm of torque to an electric motor producing up to 60bhp and 169Nm of torque, for a combined output of 98bhp. The CVT-equipped hybrid model can accelerate from standstill to 100km/h in 10.7 seconds while completing the 40km/h to 70km/h sprint in 3.6 seconds.