Sunnier days for the Toyota Prius
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It seemed yesterday that everyone -- including the city of Los Angeles -- was excited about the release of the 2010 Toyota Prius.
In August, the city -- along with Toyota -- helped launch a public art project called Harmony Floralscapes, which involved the creation of a series of large-scale, floral murals depicting the shape of a Prius automobile against various backdrops, such as a sunburst and other uplifting motifs. Each artwork, which doubles as a veiled advertisement for the car, is composed of thousands of flowers.
As originally reported in The Times’ Money & Company blog, the first of the murals was unveiled along the west side of the Pasadena (110) Freeway, just north of the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was present, along with representatives of Toyota and Greenroad Media, which designed the project.
Other floralscapes have appeared along the 405, 101, 10, 60 and 210 Freeways. The Los Angeles Conservation Corps signed on to maintain the areas surrounding the floralscapes.
Two other floralscapes were scheduled for San Francisco, but those artworks have not been completed, according to Toyota.
These days, however, enthusiasm for the latest model of the Prius has taken a noticeable dip. Questions have arisen surrounding the car’s braking system after some customers reported malfunctions. On Wendesday, the U.S. Transportation Department said it is opening an investigation into the model’s alleged brake problems.
The development is the latest in a list of recent woes for Toyota, which is currently dealing with product recalls relating to accelerator pedals and floor mats.
As for the Harmony Floralscapes project, the roadside murals are still being maintained, according to a spokeswoman for Toyota.
She said the company intends to continue the project for now, including the upkeep of the murals and surrounding areas. She added that funding for the project is a ‘public-private cooperative effort.’
-- David Ng
In 2009, workers unveil a mural that is part of the Harmony Floralscape project. Credit: Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times
