As if to answer critics of its big, thirsty, and environmentally hostile trucks, Toyota is launching a thrifty Earth-friendly microcar called iQ. The petite two-door hatchback bowed as a concept at the autumn 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany and was shown in production trim at the March 2008 Geneva Auto Salon in Switzerland. Billed as an intelligent solution to urban transport, the iQ was designed at Toyotas ED2 studio in southern France, but will be built in Japan starting late this year. Toyota hopes to sell 100,000 in 2009. Europe and Japan are the intended markets, but the iQ is being whispered for U.S. sale as a 2010 model. If it comes here, it would be our markets first direct alternative to the Smart ForTwo from Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler AG, a car generating much interest amid soaring fuel prices and a worsening economy.