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Toyota shelves A-BAT pickup concept

Toyota won't build the small, ultramodern A-BAT hybrid pickup concept that was a head-turner at the 2008 Detroit auto show and looked like a good bet for production. "We have a lot of top priorities, and A-BAT is not one of them right now," Bob Carter, Toyota Division's general manager, told the Web site PickupTrucks.com. "It's on the shelf." A Toyota official confirmed Carter's comments.

Hyundai shifts Santa Fe production to Kia plant to get more Sonatas

Hyundai Motor America is shifting production of its Santa Fe crossover to the Georgia plant of its corporate cousin, Kia Motors America, to free up production for more high-demand Hyundai Sonatas in Alabama. New workers have been hired at Kia's plant in West Point, Ga., to build the Santa Fe on a second production line, said a source familiar with the situation. The Santa Fe is now built at Hyundai's Montgomery, Ala., plant, which also builds the Sonata sedan.

Future products: Toyota lineup gets an 18-month makeover

Toyota plans to move into new product segments over the next 18 months, as well as redesign several mainstream models. By the spring of 2012, Toyota will launch all-new versions of the Camry, Yaris, Tacoma and RAV4. Also, the new FT-86 sport coupe, developed with Subaru, should arrive on these shores by that time.