from today's
http://www.thecarconnection.com Geneva Launch for Toyota's Compact Euro-MPVAnother Euro-niche, that of the compact multi-seat MPV, will get a little more crowded in May when Toyota launches its new seven-seat Corolla Verso after taking the wraps off at Geneva. The Corolla Verso is another example of Toyota's policy of working on a world scale, designing, building and selling unique regional versions of its products in Asia, North America and Europe. The Europe-only Verso has exterior design from Toyota's ED2 design center in southern France and it will be built exclusively at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey's facility at Adapazari, which also manufactures Corolla sedans and wagons.The major competition between the manufacturers making C-segment MPVs in Europe is not just the total number of seats that can be used, but how many of those seats can be stowed away completely when they are not required. GM scored points with its Zafira, in which the rearmost of the three rows of seats folds away into a flat floor. Toyota, however, is claiming an advantage by engineering the Verso in such a manner that all five rear seats fold into the floor, providing a flat load area.Design cues have been taken from both MPVs, which have influenced the bulk of the lower half of the car, and conventional cars and coupes, which give the Verso its flowing roofline.