It's a Japanese car imported into the UK (both rhd countries). There is quite a market in second hand Japanese cars being imported into the UK and Ireland, mainly as cars are cheap in Japan and there's not much of a second hand market there. Give it a couple of years and we'll be getting a load of the latest Prius models coming over on the cheap.
What i mean is, how is his any different than any other Prius in the UK? Why couldn't he buy a used Prius from the UK? Why have to have it imported?
In that the NHW10 is the very first Prius and was only ever released in Japan. It is probably best described as one up from a prototype and the lessons learned from this model were implemented in the NHW11 or classic or gen1 Prius. This gen1 Prius/NHW11 was the one officially imported in both the US and Europe in around 2001. The ops Prius looks very similar to the gen1 Prius but they are very different specs in pretty much every single aspect. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Prius_(XW10) So as you can see the ops car is a very rare thing, even in the UK where a few have now been imported. I guess there can't be more than a handful in the US and probably only in museums.
ohhhh I thought NHW10 was the popular gen I model. Forgot about the 11. Ok gotcha. Thanks. So he has a rare car. KEWL!!
NHW11 models are basically an updated Gen 1 (like how the 2006-2009 are updated Gen 2s). NHW11 models got more power (67hp from the engine at a higher 4,500rpm up from 4,000rpm) and a NiMH battery (10 models were D-Cells). It also got a 6.5" touchscreen (10 models had a row of buttons at the bottom of the MFD to control the screen). It also got a cleaner bumper (without the plastic guards at the corner). Also I think all exported Prius got the "Touring" wheels.. that's the machine-polished 14" alloys and a rear spoiler (standard Japanese Prius models got alloys with wheel covers and no spoiler). Some Gen 1 models had a 60/40 folding rear seat (NA didn't get it.. we had a fixed rear seat).
And also because as he says it was a lot cheaper to have it brought over. And its has very low mileage and 1 previous owner with service records hard too find these days!
