Should The Next Prius Be Conformist Or Even More Unique In Design?

***Agent001***

You do know that the original concept of the Pruis and Hybrid tech. was for stop and go driving in large congested cities (i.e. Japan, where it was developed). Where do we live? But yes, the styling could be better I will have to agree with you on that.

...but I digress...

Why are you getting excited about something that is just an interim solution to our energy problems? Now don't get me wrong I do believe that it has helped our current automotive debacle by promoting smarter automotive development for better fuel economy. The biggest question is...What is going to fuel our cars in the future?

I truly believe that it is going to be synthetic or cellulosic based fuels. I just can't get over the sound a performance engine at full song. For our future's sake that too in turn could turn to be an interim solution that just has a longer shelf life. But ultimately I would like to see the pure electric take precedent. Couple reasons: instant torque, great performance, low vehicle maintenance. Anyone see 'Who killed the electric car'? GM had it over ten years ago with the EV1. But realizing that all their residual sales of servicing the internal combustion engine and the ancillary systems that go with it, they would have developed themselves out of business. So, GM went to Uncle Sam and the auto enthusiast best friend (the CARB); and killed it.

In turn I do know that I will read, "But Mook, how do we produce that energy for pure electric?" Now? Mostly coal. That it definitely not smart for our environment. Result: a conundrum; what do we do?

Anyway food for thought and to bust 001's b@lls over his Lexus fetish. Love the new stuff. I'll keep posting and thread surfing.

I'm out.

— MookGmbH (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 2:37:41 AM | | Votes: 1   

Guess it doesn't work. Delete the comment, please.

— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 4/29/2008 5:56:05 PM | | Votes: -2   

The image has to be in your agentspace to post...upload it to there then place THAT link in there

001

— Agent001 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/29/2008 5:57:34 PM | | Votes: 0   

Let me try...

<a href="http://m53r.myautospies.com/gallery/Dubai-Auto-Show-2007/1433/7119/" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this, {captionId: ''})"><img src="http://m53r.myautospies.com/gallery/Dubai-Auto-Show-2007/1433/7119/" style="width: 540px; border: solid 1px #000000;" alt="" /></a>

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 5:12:45 AM | | Votes: 2   

Ignore that..

Agent001.

Can you please tell me how to do it step by step? My problem is with finding the link to any sinlge picture in my gallery, without the profile showing.

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 5:22:58 AM | | Votes: 3   

Right-click on the picture, goto 'properties' and the url shown there is for the picture only.

— M35MT (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 7:32:45 AM | | Votes: 1   

*testing my above theory*

<a href="http://m35mt.myautospies.com/users/205/ms3.jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this, {captionId: ''})"><img src="http://m35mt.myautospies.com/users/205/ms3.jpg" style="width: 540px; border: solid 1px #000000;" alt="" /></a>

— M35MT (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 7:35:35 AM | | Votes: 2   

You have to put [img]url[/img] on it.

— Rupert (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 9:54:37 AM | | Votes: 0   

let me try again...

<a href="http://m53r.myautospies.com/users/173/Dubai-Auto-Show-2007/15112007(054).jpg" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this, {captionId: ''})"><img src="http://m53r.myautospies.com/users/173/Dubai-Auto-Show-2007/15112007(054).jpg" style="width: 540px; border: solid 1px #000000;" alt="" /></a>

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 12:42:38 PM | | Votes: 1   

Still didnt work... and I did add [img]url[/img].

hmm..

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 12:44:59 PM | | Votes: 1   

I ll try for one last time...

<a href="http://m53r.myautospies.com/users/173/Dubai-Auto-Show-2007/15112007(054).JPG" class="highslide" onclick="return hs.expand(this, {captionId: ''})"><img src="http://m53r.myautospies.com/users/173/Dubai-Auto-Show-2007/15112007(054).JPG" style="width: 540px; border: solid 1px #000000;" alt="" /></a>

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 12:47:04 PM | | Votes: 1   

brainwashed? no. she's just MORE ENLIGHTENED than you are.

just how often do you exploit 100% (or even 80%) of the cts' capacities? and when you do, what does the few seconds' worth of 'powerful feeling' COST YOU?

with a prius, you'll get to exploit its FUEL EFFICIENCY capacity 80-100% of the time! and the feel good vibes SAVE rather than COST you money!

— ChicaneShooter (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 1:42:07 AM | | Votes: -3   

i WILL say that the edgy lines of today's cts-v would not be inappropriate next to a prius.

my parents were not at all car people. but there was ONE new model that made SUCH an impression on my mom, she simply could NOT not notice it. she excitedly reported to me, "We saw a car that looked like a ROCKETSHIP!" it was owned by another doctor down the street.

this was the (then new) 1959 cadillac. caddy has just about never been so daring and bold in styling since. the '59 and '60 caddys are THE highwater expressions of mid-20th century GM style.

— ChicaneShooter (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 2:01:05 AM | | Votes: 5   

How much are the Man U - Chelski final tickets in Moscow going for?

— HoofHearted (View Profile)

Posted on 5/2/2008 9:44:00 AM | | Votes: 1   

it is even MORE than merely a green statement. from a strictly DESIGN viewpoint, it is ALSO one of the most advanced automotive statements.

about the ONLY cars that look more aero clean without being odd shapes, are the italian exotics.

— ChicaneShooter (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 1:49:16 AM | | Votes: 2   

My thoughts exactly.

— Audiphile (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 9:12:59 AM | | Votes: 1   

Chicane... you can't forget the German rockets...

— CLK63BlackSeries (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 10:38:48 AM | | Votes: 0   

beauty/ugliness is strictly in the eyes of the beholder.

to many, the prius is THE MOST 21ST CENTURY looking vehicle on the road.

— ChicaneShooter (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 1:44:17 AM | | Votes: 0   

Not to me. It kind of seems like the only people who find the Prius attractive are those who want other people to know that they're "saving the world" from those horrible fossil fuels.

— lexusis350 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 9:43:52 AM | | Votes: 3   

^^
And it's working too. I always leave them in the dust under light acceleration in my IS. Oh would you look at that, I guess it's not working. I laugh everytime.

— lexusis350 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 9:46:54 AM | | Votes: 1   

answering the question:

it has to be very unique. that's what the prius is about.

— Monk (View Profile)

Posted on 4/29/2008 7:25:06 PM | | Votes: 2   

the new turbo diesel Jetta (1.4L) which gets 60mpg.

— KillBot (View Profile)

Posted on 4/29/2008 8:34:05 PM | | Votes: 3   

Because it runs on regular gas and you save .75 per gallon over diesel.

When diesel was cheaper it didn't make as much sense.

001

— Agent001 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 12:38:02 AM | | Votes: 5   

It still makes sense cause the Jetta gets around 45 in city and 60 on highway, beating the Prius on the highway in mileage, thus less trips to the fueling station probably than the Prius. Anuone good at math that wants to figure this out? Plus I believe that the unleaded gas will soon be around same as diesel.

— atomicbri (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 9:19:02 AM | | Votes: 1   

Terrible environmental pollution took place last Tuesday and Wednesday in the UK. Manchester Utd 1 Bracelona 0 and Chelski 3 Liverpool 2. There were massive Methane expulsions by both sets of fans during these games!

Now about the new Prius thing and all of this nonsense about buying German tractors instead. Petrol engines are far superior. Bags more fun to drive, smoother, quieter and better in nearly every department. How often have you had to switch to "air recirculation" behind a diesel? Look at the fuel economy figures of the Prius and it isn't exactly sniffing the gas! Prius - Pious! My A*se! As for the Smart 'dumb' car. Having had one for 9 years a comment passed by an American resident with not the slightest notion of why these cars are so good at what they were designed for, shows a total ignorance of driving outside of "The colonies" and yes 52miles per imperial gallon around town isn't fantastic but it is a real hoot to drive with the 6-speed Tiptronic box etc.

— HoofHearted (View Profile)

Posted on 5/2/2008 9:14:51 AM | | Votes: 1   

the current Prius already has one of the lowest cD of any vehicle on the road. if the aero slipperyness can be improved, toyota should do it, REGARDLESS of the look.

as answer said:
"No room for middle ground with the Prius. That's what the Camry hybrid is for."

"A design is right when Prius fans are proud, and Prius haters want to gouge their eyes out."

— ChicaneShooter (View Profile)

Posted on 4/30/2008 2:10:39 AM | | Votes: 3   

I don't think it was a lucky win. It was a combination of a rock-solid Man U defence and an ineffective Barcelona attack. After the first leg where I felt that Barcelona would never have scored if thaey'd have played all day, I thought that Man U would sneak it on the return leg. No, I'm not a Man U fan but a lover of the "beautiful game". Having said that, having seen many outstanding Man U performances this season, that was not the prettiest game to watch. The final should be a cracker though!

Oh! about the Prius? Well, it's butt-ugly (so that Bangle bloke must have had a hand in it somewhere), it will sell loads to mum's for the school-run helping to ease their guilty conciences over clogging the roads in the first place in case little Johnny gets run over walking 200 yards to school. It will be dull to drive, non-descript handling and about as desirable as Herpes but heh! when does that put folk off a Toyota. Another winner that will prove that the majority of the car-buying public don't give a hoot about what they drive or how it drives. Mediocrity is alive and kicking!

More importantly, how much is a ticket to Moscow for the final?

— HoofHearted (View Profile)

Posted on 5/2/2008 9:38:06 AM | | Votes: 1   

well, can you visualize a Metro sized car, that IS a hybrid? the gas engine can be EVEN SMALLER, with the primary driving motor being an electric one. (which can provide max torque from 0 rpm upward).

the small gas engine's primary purpose would be 1) just keeping the battery charged; and 2) secondarily, on demand, helping the main electric motor. (a reversal of the Honda hybrid scheme of having an electric motor give the ICE a boost).

such a design OUGHT to get 70 - 100+ mpg. if it is ALSO a plug-in hybrid, mileage would be variable but generally TOO HIGH TO CALCULATE on a mpg basis. it'd be calculated instead on miles/kilowatt-hr. (main limiting factors being just battery size, and number of miles on daily commute.)

the electric drive motor can be offered in a whole RANGE of power offerings, from super-miserly to Tesla conquering.

i would be surprised is some engineer somewhere is not already considering something like this. the current crop of "city cars" are just a jumping off point. the next generation toyota IQ may well be something like this.

— ChicaneShooter (View Profile)

Posted on 5/2/2008 3:22:44 AM | | Votes: 1   

Chicane - I think he means the Metro, as in the train?

— Rupert (View Profile)

Posted on 5/2/2008 3:22:36 PM | | Votes: 1