Briefs

Toyota’s Prius, a niche hybrid engine oddity when it debuted 15 years ago, became the world’s third-bestselling car line in the first quarter. The showing propelled Toyota into the No. 1 spot globally by sales after two years of recalls and production disruptions. Prius sales worldwide more than doubled, to 247,230, trailing only Toyota’s Corolla, at 300,800, and Ford Motor’s 277,000 Focus sales. In Japan, where the government is offering incentives of as much as $2,500 to spur purchases of fuel-efficient autos, Prius sales more than tripled. In the U.S., Toyota’s top market for the hybrid, sales rose 42 percent.

Clothing inspired by the 1960s Mad Men series and its main characters Don Draper and Peggy Olson helped Banana Republic post record first-quarter sales. The upscale Gap brand’s North American same-store sales rose 5 percent in the three months ended April 28, while total revenue rose 7.4 percent, to $622 million. The Mad Men line, created with Emmy Award-winning costume designer Janie Bryant, was Banana Republic’s first collection with an outside designer.