This is the first official photo of the Toyota Auris HSD, a hybrid that’s highly anticipated by the automotive scene. The Auris, which will be formally introduced at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, features mechanics that are totally different from the regular version.

It’s still not confirmed but it’s believed that Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive will be seen on the Auris in the form of a 1.8-liter Atkinson gasoline engine, which is able to develop 98 bhp while connected to an electric unit that also generates 80 bhp.

Like us, we’re sure that so many fans simply want to know further details but we’ll likely know more as the Geneva Show nears. The Auris is considered a milestone by Toyota in its goal to launch its full hybrid powertrain technology across its entire model range by the early 2020s.

The Auris will be built in the UK, at the Burnaston factory and it will go on sale as soon as this summer.

Last year when the Auris hybrid was confirmed to be headed for Europe, Tadashi Arashima, Toyota Europe CEO, had said that the carmaker has taken a significant step to ensure that a broader range of customers are able to get access to full hybrids. Arashima considers these efforts to be “crucial” if we want more low-carbon vehicles on European roads.