Prius to get big brother with 2.5-3L engine

[regfootball]

AB

It looks like Toyta's expanding the Prius "brand." The Prius is Toyota's most popular hybrid model in the US, the succes of which it chalks up to the image statement an exclusive model like the Prius makes. People want to be seen and make a statement with their greenness, nevermind all the raw materials, energy, and resources it took to bring that car to the showroom. Toyota says the low emissions and fuel economy of the Prius offset those hits. If they say so...

Leveraging their leading hybrid technology with another model will allow customers more choice and Toyota will be able to spread development costs across a couple of models. What it all means is that consumers will have a new midsize hybrid Toyota to ogle in 2009 (Hollywood stars, reserve yours now to ensure delivery by Oscar night), and Toyota will be able to speed research and engineering for further refinements to its Hybrid Synergy Drive. The new car will have a larger engine to align itself better with American's torque-junkie tastes, and hopefully it will be better looking than the Prius (or the rest of Toyota's current offerings, for that matter). As part of Toyota's plan for world domination, it's set a goal of one million hybrid sales by 2010. It's not clear whether that's single-year sales, or total sales since the first dowdy little battery-pack-mobile arrived on the scene.

[FAPTurbo]

Um... but isn't that what the Camry Hybrid is for?

[Drew Dowdell]

Um... but isn't that what the Camry Hybrid is for?

.

[Robert Hall]

.

One would think so...I'm surprised they haven't done a Corolla or Yaris hybrid yet. Or a truck hybrid.

[regfootball]

camLEE has no tunk. HYBRID PREEUS NEED BIG TUNK TO HAUL OFF LEASE COM POOTERS.

Edited December 29, 2006 by regfootball

[Sixty8panther]

camLEE has no tunk. HYBRID PREEUS NEED BIG TUNK TO HAUL OFF LEASE COM POOTERS.

Hilarious!

Fa-Ra-RA-RA-RAAAA Ra-ra-ra-RA!

[SuperSport623]

is it me or is the author of that article seem Anti Toyota... i like him!

[Variance]

Um... but isn't that what the Camry Hybrid is for?

They mean a hybrid only vehicle with no available gasoline-only powered versions.

[sciguy_0504]

They mean a hybrid only vehicle with no available gasoline-only powered versions.

They also mean a midsize vehicle that people will recognize as being a hybrid. The Prius is for people who want to drive a hybrid and make it known. The Camry Hybrid is for people who want to drive a hybrid and blend in, they don't care about pushing it in people's faces.

[sciguy_0504]

Fa-Ra-RA-RA-RAAAA Ra-ra-ra-RA!

That movie was being played all Christmas day and it was the first time I saw that portion. I died. I've never seen it from start to finish, though, in one sitting.

[siegen]

Toyota Prius SE-L (Smug Edition Extended Length [for celebrities])

[AxelTheRed]

A big reason Toyota can count on that many sales is because so many people up in the northern US don't understand that hybrids really aren't built for this kind of climate.

[FAPTurbo]

Meh. I still think Hybrids are an expensive fad, that will last a few more years, then begin to die off. Soon, celebrities will find some other mode of transport such as Hydrogen, and the masses will follow.

Besides, I see so many now that they are common. I doubt Prius drivers want a car that's 'common' and they may turn away from another one once the lease expires.

[Flybrian]

Um. Why didn't they just call every hybrid a Prius? Camry Prius, Highlander Prius...?

Whatever. Bet it looks just as dumb as the Prius.

[pow]

Good idea... they're capitalizing on the iconic Prius nameplate.

[pow]

Meh. I still think Hybrids are an expensive fad, that will last a few more years, then begin to die off. Soon, celebrities will find some other mode of transport such as Hydrogen, and the masses will follow.

Meh, to bash hybrids but not hydrogen fuel cells is just silly. Both use similar electric motors and battery packs, and fuel cells are even more expensive and complicated. Hybrids, including plug-in and li-ion, are stepping zones to hydrogen.

[regfootball]

A big reason Toyota can count on that many sales is because so many people up in the northern US don't understand that hybrids really aren't built for this kind of climate.

a prius would be your worst enemy in a winter storm.

cold weather discharging your electrical power.

an inadaquate engine for driving through rough blizzards.

small light chassis that would get beat all to hell on snowy roads and pothole infested roads.

tiny tires and light wheels that would get bent all to hell.

Edited December 30, 2006 by regfootball

[Robert Hall]

a prius would be your worst enemy in a winter storm.

cold weather discharging your electrical power.

an inadaquate engine for driving through rough blizzards.

small light chassis that would get beat all to hell on snowy roads and pothole infested roads.

tiny tires and light wheels that would get bent all to hell.

A coworker of mine has driven through plenty of Colorado snow storms in his Prius... no reason it wouldn't be as drivable as any other compact.

[Robert Hall]

They also mean a midsize vehicle that people will recognize as being a hybrid. The Prius is for people who want to drive a hybrid and make it known. The Camry Hybrid is for people who want to drive a hybrid and blend in, they don't care about pushing it in people's faces.

Makes sense....you have two classes of hybrid buyers--those that are openly green and would buy a Prius or Insight, and those that are closeted who would buy a Camry, Civic, Escape hybrid.

A Lexus edition Prius with a full-lux interior would be good.

Edited December 30, 2006 by moltar

[ponchoman49]

Meh. I still think Hybrids are an expensive fad, that will last a few more years, then begin to die off. Soon, celebrities will find some other mode of transport such as Hydrogen, and the masses will follow.

Besides, I see so many now that they are common. I doubt Prius drivers want a car that's 'common' and they may turn away from another one once the lease expires.

Just as SUV's were a fad of the 90's!