Next gen Toyota Prius
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From: What is G?
Next gen Toyota Prius
Scheduled for 2008
Toyota’s current generation Prius hybrid, introduced for the 2004 model year, caused a sensation by providing exceptional gas mileage and a sleek, futuristic-looking body style. Now, the latest word from Japan is that Toyota will be introducing a next-generation Prius in 2008 with even more power and better fuel economy.
Engine size will increase from the current 1.5 liters to a 1.8 liter four-cylinder for better performance. Improvements to the Hybrid Synergy Drive along with new battery technology are expected to up city gas mileage to 80 mpg.
In Japan the Prius will be offered with a choice of front wheel drive or all-wheel drive. A solar panel on the roof to recharge the batteries and plug-in recharging are also being considered.
The new Prius is expected to keep its now-familiar low-drag shape, although the body will be all new, growing one inch in width, but getting one inch shorter in overall length.
This artist’s sketch gives an idea of what the new Prius might look like.
Toyota’s current generation Prius hybrid, introduced for the 2004 model year, caused a sensation by providing exceptional gas mileage and a sleek, futuristic-looking body style. Now, the latest word from Japan is that Toyota will be introducing a next-generation Prius in 2008 with even more power and better fuel economy.
Engine size will increase from the current 1.5 liters to a 1.8 liter four-cylinder for better performance. Improvements to the Hybrid Synergy Drive along with new battery technology are expected to up city gas mileage to 80 mpg.
In Japan the Prius will be offered with a choice of front wheel drive or all-wheel drive. A solar panel on the roof to recharge the batteries and plug-in recharging are also being considered.
The new Prius is expected to keep its now-familiar low-drag shape, although the body will be all new, growing one inch in width, but getting one inch shorter in overall length.
This artist’s sketch gives an idea of what the new Prius might look like.
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Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,599
Likes: 2
From: Da Bay
My boss has the current Pirus. Light blue colored..Aren't there other colors like black and white?
It also had Blue-tooth tech. and got great gas mileage. But hey, if you live in an area where's there high fluctuations of gas prices, especially in Silicon Valley, then people become conscious of their surroundings.
My friend rented one and it was pretty weak going uphill and over the Grapevine (for the CA. folks who know what I'm talking about).
But the inside cabin was very quiet and you can barely tell if the engine is on or not even after you turn the engine on.
Why did the engineers design the current Pirus' shape and not more dynamic or sleeker like a regular sedan?
And the new design isn't looking any better as well.
Was their decision in their design had to do w/ the fuel cell technology and that's why they shaped it the way it's supposed to be?
I like the hybrid idea from Toyota, why can't they make this Pirus look normal like the new Camry Hybrid?
The camry already had a paltform so I guess it was easy for Toyota to incorporate the hybrid tech. into it.
Was the Pirus their only hybrid design when it first came out? And this was their first platform for the Pirus?
So I now just read carefully the from the description above and they indicated a "familiar low drap shape".
Was their thinking and design due to the better MPG the Pirus can achieve to it's maximum capability when the engineer drew or sketched and tested it?
So they kept the "low drag shape" design concept for this newer model?
Sorry to ask so many questions but I've always wondered about this Pirus.
thanks...teeman3
It also had Blue-tooth tech. and got great gas mileage. But hey, if you live in an area where's there high fluctuations of gas prices, especially in Silicon Valley, then people become conscious of their surroundings.
My friend rented one and it was pretty weak going uphill and over the Grapevine (for the CA. folks who know what I'm talking about).
But the inside cabin was very quiet and you can barely tell if the engine is on or not even after you turn the engine on.
Why did the engineers design the current Pirus' shape and not more dynamic or sleeker like a regular sedan?
And the new design isn't looking any better as well.
Was their decision in their design had to do w/ the fuel cell technology and that's why they shaped it the way it's supposed to be?
I like the hybrid idea from Toyota, why can't they make this Pirus look normal like the new Camry Hybrid?
The camry already had a paltform so I guess it was easy for Toyota to incorporate the hybrid tech. into it.
Was the Pirus their only hybrid design when it first came out? And this was their first platform for the Pirus?
So I now just read carefully the from the description above and they indicated a "familiar low drap shape".
Was their thinking and design due to the better MPG the Pirus can achieve to it's maximum capability when the engineer drew or sketched and tested it?
So they kept the "low drag shape" design concept for this newer model?
Sorry to ask so many questions but I've always wondered about this Pirus.
thanks...teeman3
Last edited by martini3; Jan 19, 2007 at 09:13 PM.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,813
Likes: 1
From: The Bay Area, CA, USA
So I now just read carefully the from the description above and they indicated a "familiar low drap shape".
Was their thinking and design due to the better MPG the Pirus can achieve to it's maximum capability when the engineer drew or sketched and tested it?
So they kept the "low drag shape" design concept for this newer model?
Was their thinking and design due to the better MPG the Pirus can achieve to it's maximum capability when the engineer drew or sketched and tested it?
So they kept the "low drag shape" design concept for this newer model?
Last edited by XeroK00L; Jan 20, 2007 at 10:24 AM.
CL Community Team
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 30,277
Likes: 354
From: Canada
Why did the engineers design the current Pirus' shape and not more dynamic or sleeker like a regular sedan?
And the new design isn't looking any better as well.
Was their decision in their design had to do w/ the fuel cell technology and that's why they shaped it the way it's supposed to be?
I like the hybrid idea from Toyota, why can't they make this Pirus look normal like the new Camry Hybrid?
And the new design isn't looking any better as well.
Was their decision in their design had to do w/ the fuel cell technology and that's why they shaped it the way it's supposed to be?
I like the hybrid idea from Toyota, why can't they make this Pirus look normal like the new Camry Hybrid?