Thursday, November 4, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

Toyota Debuts Prius PLUS Performance Package

Posted: 04 Nov 2010 11:53 AM PDT

The Toyota Prius is the exact opposite of a performance car. Slow, fuel efficient, and with all the handling of a cabbage wagon. It wasn’t designed as a performance car, though that hasn’t stopped the Prius faithful from customizing their eggs in all sorts of ways, from wheels to body kits. The Prius is just like any other car in that regards; people will modify them any way they can.

Looking to capitalize on the ever-expanding Personalized Prius market, Toyota’s in-house tuning department has unveiled the TRD Prius PLUS Performance Package. So is the Prius no a real performer?

In a word, no.

TRD, which stands for Toyota Racing Development, has a knack for tuning up vehicles like the Tundra and what not to make them sportier, faster, and cooler-looking. At SEMA 2010, TRD lifted the veil on the PLUS Performance Package for the Prius, which is little more than a body kit and a tweaked suspension for the Prius.

This isn’t the first Prius bodykit I have seen, though for you MPG-obsessed the PLUS package maintains the Prius’s 0.25 drag coefficient. It also maintains the same weight. The only real “sporty” improvement is the addition of a sway bar and better-tuned suspension system, which lowers the car but doesn’t make it any faster. But the Prius was never about speed (though making it a bit quicker wouldn’t hurt.) While performance is unimpressive, I think this kit improves the looks of this humble hybrid a wee bit.

An improvement for you guys, or could you care less?

Source: Green Car Advisor

VW Planning Sporty Hybrid For New Jetta

Posted: 04 Nov 2010 10:12 AM PDT

Hey ya’ll, sorry about the lack of updates. I have been moving into my new apartment, leaving little-to-no time for writing. I am finally settled though, and ready to get back into the action with a car that has been on my mind for a few weeks now.

Actually, it has been the song “Another Day, Another Dollar”, for the 2011 VW Jetta, a car I never cared for until now. Why? Well beyond the sharp new looks, VW is going to give the new Jetta a sporty hybrid system that boosts performance and fuel economy.

This is exactly what Volkswagen needs to do for hybrids. Yes I know, there is the Honda CR-Z, but in terms of both fuel economy and performance, the Honda falls short. VW has an opportunity to make hybrids seem fun by taking the Jetta (hopefully a turbo-diesel) and adding a hybrid system that can boost power on the fly when needed, or just hang back and add a few MPG’s to your driving, though we might not get booth. Michael Hinz, project manager of the new Jetta, said “"Are hybrids really fuel efficient? Not really, as you are adding more weight. Yes, we could do a power hybrid. We're certainly not going to do both. You must decide to go with one or the other." Way to crap on my party, Hinz.

The VW New Compact Coupe concept from earlier this year

Yet I hold out hope that VW will figure out a way to boost MPG’s and power with a hybrid system. VW already previewed such a system earlier this year with the New Compact Coupe, which debuted almost a year ago at the Detroit Auto Show. The twin-charged 1.4 liter engine made 148 horsepower and 177 ft-lbs of torque initially, but an electric motor integrated into the gearbox can boost power to 175 horsepower and 280 ft-lbs of torque. That is a lot of torque for such a tiny engine (for comparison, the 2011 Mustang 3.7 liter V6 makes 280 ft-lbs of torque and displaces 2.5 times more volume.)

I have never really considered driving a VW until the new Jetta. Between the sharp new looks, low entry-price, and the possibility of a sporty-hybrid, I’ve got a lot to look forward to from the Dub.

Source: AutoCar
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