Upcoming Toyota Prius Coupe to get Italian design

I like it. May be this is where Toyota plan to use Sanyo Lithium HV battery.

 

WWWOOOWWWW!!!!

I want one now!!!

Keith

 

It seems like a no-brainer from a marketing perspective for Toyota to make a sporty coupe version of the Prius. All they have to change is the body panels and the doors. The rest of the car can remain identical, and it can increase the market of the Prius significantly; people who might want a sporty car but view the Prius as not sporty will now be able to consider the Prius coupe.

"An unnamed Toyota executive noted the targeted price point is somewhere around $24,000 with a 0-60 MPH time around 7 seconds." http://jalopnik.com/5175076/toyota-mr2-to-return-as-prius+based-coupe

AutoSpies goes so far as to quote Mr. Toyoda (unverified): http://www.autospies.com/news/Upcoming-Toyota-Prius-Coupe-to-wear-Italian-design-47251/

This thing would sell like hot cakes! Everyone that wants a Scion tC or Civic coupe would buy this instead:

You'll never guess where Google found it from. http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-accessories-modifications/65689-cool-prius-pics.html (link to PriusChat)

.

 

For those of you who may think the Prius drive train not worthy of "sport coupe" status, I just got back from the west coast, via highway 99 (think Whistler, winter Olympics, etc). The portion of this highway past Pemberton in particular (they're ruining the part to Whistler, making it "suitable for the masses". We're talking about a road with 18% grades, 30 km/hr corners, two lane. A FUN road!!! Pearl did very well. They just finished repaving the west portion of this road over the pass at Duffey Lake. I won't say how fast Pearl could go, as that would be bypassing the "fifth", but suffice to say nobody passed me, and I passed many (all safely of course). I've had my fun for this year!
A lower better cornering car would be a bonus, but it doesn't really need much more power. Pearl climbed the 18% grades fast enough to pass other vehicles. Kind of shocked a few of them to see a "gutless hybrid" zip by so fast.

So a little lower CG and sportier look and you'd have a winner in my book! I suppose I could sacrifice a little interior room for that.

 

usbseawolf2000, it looks like they stole the design from your avatar. Lol

Edit: is it me or does the butt look alot like a chevy volt?

 

David Beale and Tideland Prius, I wish you were the heads of design at Toyota.

Put the current Prius powertrain and chassis into a sporty car like the Scion tC, lower it a few inches, add sport wheels and ground effects, and you will have every high school, college student, and middle-ager with this car first on their list. Superb!

(I really think that drawing above, of the green car, would sell like hot cakes)

 

Well I'm a member of a local car club (Car Buffs of Edmonton) and I show Pearl. They think I should have kept my 3rd gen RX-7, but it was WAY too powerful (325 HP in a 2800 lb car) for any public road (and too quick for my aging reaction time).

Now, how about getting a stripped body of a 3rd gen RX-7 and putting in a crashed Prius drivetrain? Now -THAT- would be something! Of course, Toyota will do better with a more modern design. But that RX is still one of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen! Cramped, noisy inside, uncomfortable on long trips, and a gas guzzler. But it WAS fun! Hey, and I never got a ticket while I owned it!!!

BTW, got the ultimate compliment last week at a show in B.C. They thought Pearl was a 2009, because she still looks new! 35,000 km and a daily driver.

 

Better yet, they could add some decent suspension (as in, more like Lotus Elise, less like your average Chevy) and make it light (which would improve MPG!).

* I may still fall into the "younger" crowd :rockon:

 

The Civic has IRS. The Celica had IRS. It obviously doesn't cost huge amounts of money to make. Toyota might be saving a little on each car but I would much rather have an independent rear suspension instead of the torsion beam.

 

Well, my avatar is from the one of the first initial concept model of 2010 Prius.

 

I like MacPherson suspensions. They transfer the lateral force directly from the wheels to the chassis. With the current suspension on the Prius and Corolla, there are longitudinal cylinders that transfer the lateral force from the wheels to the chassis, which have the potential to bend over time. I'm sure they are very strong, but still, from a design perspective it is inferior. It might cost less to produce and "gets the job done" for grandma, but those of us that ENJOY our cars and have a PASSION for driving are less than thrilled.

 

Can you please show me where you drove on an 18% grade? I never knew they made roads that steep. UPDATE: Just googled some interesting information and the steepest road is some place in New Zealand with a grade of 19%. I don't doubt you drove on very steep roads but I really don't think it was 18%. Heck... I LOVE driving up steep roads!!!

 

The sign says "18% grades ahead". It's so steep when I braked on it going down on my motorcycle it bottomed out the front forks. Hard to steer when the tire is bouncing on the road.
But you're right, the policy is to keep the road's steepest grades to around 7%. I've seen 8% in a few places, and the Duffey Lake section of highway 99 in B.C. has the steepest I've seen on a highway in North America. The steep section is just east of the IR (on the way east up to Duffey Lake). There is an even steeper section of road in Gibsons on the coast of B.C. Pearl had trouble getting up this road (made it but not fast). I'd estimate this town road (not a highway so not part of their policy) was 25-35%. Scary but interesting.

 

It would take a lot of work, merely deleting the rear doors like someone posted would make it a piece of crap. No you'd have to lose 1,000 lbs, gain decent suspension and brakes, Just give up on the power steering, it's a sporty car after all. The current drive train on a 1,000 lighter car would be interesting. You don't need raw HP, the little Miata doesn't make enough power to get out of it's own way, but is I believe one of the most successful sports cars in a long time. Even with nice sticky tires at a much reduced weight, it could still be the highest gas mileage car in America, just one that would be fun to drive. I wouldn't care if all you could carry would be one passenger and a shaving kit, I'd still have the Prius for grocery getting.
Nope it's time for somebody to build a Hybrid version of the Tesla, mass produced that is. Will Honda be the first? Probably as they have more recent experience and I think their usual customer may be younger than Toyota's.
Whoever makes it, I'm getting one.