Speed limiter

Is that 180 km/h actual or indicated? I believe it's documented somewhere that the real limit is 177km/h, and that would be due to hitting a 17000rpm limit on MG2 at 182km/h (with a 5km/h margin). Non plug-ins have a more arbitrary 180km/h limit. Plug-ins have a shorter final drive ratio, so their MG2 spins faster, so they're limited because of MG2 before hitting the general 180km/h limit.

I've not heard of anyone managing to bypass the limiters in any generation.

 

Thas interesting, I was wondering while I was able to hit 190kmh (indicated) with the HEV - the PHEV stopped around 180kmh so far.

For someone that never had a sportscars its really wild though how effortless this accelerates to vmax - without the limiter I would not even notice sometimes.

 

All modern cars have far more power than they need for Vmax. It's a bit silly, tbh...

The top speed difference from the specs is only supposed to be 3km/h, but maybe the MG2 177km/h limit is a bit harder than the general 180km/h somehow - maybe applied by different ECU logic.

That 177km/h also could have been for 19" wheels. On the 17" wheels that would correspond to 174km/h, due to slightly smaller circumference.

The 180km/h general limit might have been tweaked along with the speedo for different wheel sizes, but the MG2 limit would remain at the same rpm, representing slightly different speeds.

 

That a positive step.

 

Why buy a Prius if you want to do 180 (rhetorical question).

 

Because 180 is fast enough and you dont need a faster car?

Its not really a prius question though as most Toyota/Lexus Hybrids are kinda limited around 180.

Edit: I would even go so far as to say the Prius fares better at high speeds compared to its hybrid siblings due to its flat shape.

 

No, what I meant was that 180 is way too fast for a Prius and probably most Toyotas.

 

Why would you single out Prius or Toyotas? I can understand if you dont think people should generally not drive that fast but what do you have against fast driving Prius? The VW Golf that overtakes me with 200kmh has probably much less power - same with that old beaten up BMW.
True the hybrid engine is not the most efficient at vmax but overall it still needs much less than other ICE cars (diesel excluded). TSS 3.0 works well up to vmax too - the only exception is the LCA (stops over ~140kmh) but that seems more like a useless gimmick anyway.

 

180 is too fast for most cars.

Toyotas are designed to be driven slower than 160 km/h (100 mph). That is probably the case for most cars. Perhaps VW, being a German make, is designed for higher speeds. If I were planning to do 180 or higher on the left lane of an autobahn (I wouldn't), I would be driving a sporty car (BMW, Mustang, etc.). Toyotas are not sporty cars. VW Golf is. Sure, you can still do 180 or higher with most cars, including Toyotas, but that would be at your (and others') peril.

Another concern is that SAE 0W-16 or SAE 0W-8 is too thin for sustained 180. If I were doing that, I would use SAE 5W-30.

 

Spot the American city drivers, lol.

 

This reads more like a listt of car stereotypes. As for oil - I will ask Toyota next time but generally I would let them put whatever they seem fit and enjoy my 15 year warranty.

 

That is what Toyota tells for every model if you read the owner's manuals:

“An oil with a higher viscosity (one with a higher value) may be better suited if the vehicle is operated at high speeds, or under extreme load conditions.”

 

You’re doing this on a public road?

 

In Europe, where such speeds could be legal.

 

Only on some roads in Germany. He is in Italy, where the maximum speed limit is 130 km/h (81 mph).

Speed limits by country—Wikipedia

 

What? He can't drive to Germany, or take the Prius onto a track?

 

Absolutely not!

 

@Mendel Leisk's question was if he did 180 on public roads, not if he took his car to the track or drove for fifteen hours from Rome to München so that he could speed on a German autobahn.