Yesterday, a few photos that revealed the 2010 Toyota Prius were leaked on the net. However, there was a lot of suspicion around these photos and no one knew whether these are for real or just some great Photoshop skills. But today the mistery is over, because Toyota made an official statement admitting that this really is the next generation of their popular hybrid. Beside confirming the photos, Toyota didn’t unveil anything else about the car, except that it will make its world debut at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show, in January.

Many of you will have seen by now photographs on sites like PriusChat, Jalopnik and AutoblogGreen of a vehicle said to be the new Prius. We thought we’d take a moment to confirm that the car shown in these unauthorized photos – at least the ones we’ve seen so far - is indeed the new Prius. Sorry, we’re not able to provide details. Those will be forthcoming when the car is formally introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. What we can tell you, however, is this: This new Prius will retain all of the virtues of the model that precedes it. It’s about the same size as its forebear, but with more interior room and better fuel economy. But you expected nothing less, right?

Photo Gallery: 2010 Toyota Prius leaked photos

Read More: "2010 Toyota Prius photos leak, Toyota confirms they’re for real"

Toyota has announced that it has donated 5 hybrid cars (two Priuses and three Highlanders) and $500,000 to the Grand Canyon National Park. The donation was made to the Grand Canyon Association non-profit organization and will help fund a preventative search and rescue program on the Canyon’s North Rim, environmental education programs, the purchase of cold weather clothes for students, an additional park ranger and three horses for the rangers.

And it seems that this is only the beginning, because the Japanese company plans on donating more many and vehicles to a total of five different parks. The whole donation will be count 21 vehicles and $5 millions.

Read More: "Toyota supports Grand Canyon National Park with 5 hybrid cars and $500,000"

To be honest, I was so amazed when I stumbled upon this news, that I didn’t even know how to start the post. This thing you see in this photo and in the video below is the work of Claes Gustafson and the crew at Classe’s Garage and it was created for a Swedish TV show.

Because no body kit is available for the Toyota Prius, the crew modified a Volvo XC90. The back doors were removed and a pair of custom made knife doors were used for the front, the back window was removed, the side ones were reshaped, a carbon fiber wind splitter was placed under the front bumper and under the door sills and the rear end got a carbon fiber venturi. The car rides on an air suspension and 20-inch wheels brought to a halt with over-sized front brakes. The interior is also crazy, with a custom dashboard and a center console, racing seats and a 4,400-watt stereo system (five subwoofers and eight speakers) plus 15 LCD screens and a tablet PC with wireless internet access. All these equipment is powered by four batteries keep it all going.

“The goal … was to give the viewer a great show and, second, to show that a Toyota isn’t a boring and anonymous car,” Claes Gustafson told Wired. According to him, the whole idea was “to show that every car can be styled.”

And if the car’s look don’t leave you wordless, then you must know how much this cost. Exactly $184,275! Was it worth it? Well, we don’t really know whether to hate or love the car, but it definitely is one of a kind. And it also won some awards at the Bilsport Custom and Performance Show, where it took top honors in the eco-car division and also won the John D’Agsostino Kustom Kars of California Special Award.

You really need to see the video, after the jump. Read More: "Toyota Prius extreme tuning"

We all know the Toyota Prius, it’s the most popular hybrid car out there, having conquered almost everyone with it’s eco-friendly nature, being the car to have if you want to help the planet. One thing though has received mixed oppinions, the design, people saying very different things about the exterior of the car.

Recently some spy shots appeared of a presumed facelift to the Prius, but it would now seem that it wasn’t just a facelift, Toyota planning a totaly new body for their top notch hybrid. Although there have been talks about the new generation of the Prius, even a launch date of January 2009 at the Detroit MotorShow being fronted, new rumours state that this new model will be available around 2010.

This new model will be wider and longer, leaving more space for the passengers in the back and for the trunk. This new space would ultimately be used to develop more vehicles based on this new Prius, and according to Jim Lentz, Toyota USA President, we might see body versions from 2-door coupe to wagon or commuter car. But the design hasn’t been the only thing that Toyota engineers have taken care of, the fuel economy is expected to improve, so is the top speed. Also the NiMh batteries which now power the Prius will be replaced by lighter and smaller Li-ion ones in the effort to increase storage space.

Read More: "New spy photos of the next generation Toyota Prius"

Toyota confirmed that the Prius hybrid will be built in USA and that production will begin in 2010. The production of the Tundra will be moved to the San Antonio plant in Spring 2009.

A new Prius can run to around 48 miles (77 kilometers) per gallon of fuel in city traffic compared to a large SUV which may run to 13 miles (21 kilometers) a gallon depending on how each vehicle is driven. The car retails for around 21,000 dollars and Toyota reported 11,765 Prius sales in June, marking a 25 percent drop from a year earlier.

“The truck market continues to worsen, so unfortunately we must temporarily suspend production. But this good news about production mix demonstrates our long-term commitment to our North American operations and to our team members, supplier partners, and communities where our plants are located,” said Jim Wiseman, vice president/external affairs for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA). “By using this downturn as an opportunity to develop team members and improve our operations, we hope to emerge even stronger.”

Though successful, the Toyota Prius is not the best looking car out there and we’re sure the last you’d expect was a convertible version of the car. However, Newport Convertible Engineering’s (NCE) thought that all those environment lovers out there driving a Prius would like to feel a little more freedom and decided to take down the car’s top and replace it with a fabric one. We don’t really dig those remaining windows frames, but we’re sure they were left there with a purpose. What do you think, you like it?

Check out more photos after the jump.

PS: Not really related to the article, but I don’t know why, everytime I see a Prius, I remember Achmed’s words and I laugh: “That is not a car but a lunch box. Did you know when you’re going down the highway in a Prius if you put your hand down the window the vehicle will tuuurn?”

Read More: "NCE takes down Toyota Prius’ top"