Toyota Europe will present an idea known as the Prologue X on March 17 that’s anticipated to preview the successor to its Aygo minicar.

The automaker teased the concept on Wednesday in an image with a partial view of the automotive’s entrance finish however gave no particulars in regards to the car.

Toyota mentioned in a March 3 information launch that it’s going to continue to sell a minicar in Europe at the same time as rivals resembling Ford and Opel have exited the segment because of low profits. The corporate will construct a successor to the Aygo to proceed the mannequin’s function “as an inexpensive entry level to the Toyota model,” the automaker mentioned.

The Prologue X is “between an idea and manufacturing automotive,” a supply with information of the launch mentioned.

The Aygo’s successor will likely be offered with a combustion engine to maintain it inexpensive, Toyota mentioned on March 3. The minicar section is a vital entry level for patrons into the model and is closely dominated by merchandise with inside combustion engines, illustrating that finances is a key consideration, the automaker mentioned.

The Aygo successor will likely be underpinned by the identical GA-B platform utilized by the brand new Yaris small automotive and upcoming Yaris Cross small SUV. Toyota gave no indication when it can launch the Aygo successor. It additionally didn’t disclose whether or not it will preserve the Aygo title, saying solely that the mannequin would arrive after the Yaris Cross, which launches later this 12 months.

Toyota is predicted to construct its new automotive at its plant in Kolin, Czech Republic, the place the present Aygo is constructed alongside the associated Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1. Toyota took full ownership of the factory on Jan. 1. Beforehand it was a three way partnership with PSA Group.

The Aygo was the third best-selling minicar final 12 months in Europe final 12 months after the Fiat Panda and Fiat 500, with gross sales of 83,277 gross sales, down 17 p.c on the 12 months earlier than, in accordance with JATO Dynamics market researchers.

The combustion-engine Aygo successor will be a part of a quickly altering minicar section in Europe the place rivals consider future demand will be for battery-powered city cars.

Volkswagen Group expects the marketplace for electrical metropolis automobiles to increase within the coming years and plans to launch entry-level EVs beneath its VW and Cupra manufacturers.

New entrants embody a full-electric version of the Renault Twingo, which went on sale in October, Dacia’s Spring mini-SUV that can arrive in European showrooms within the third quarter and Fiat’s battery-powered New 500, which went on sale on the finish of final 12 months.