I was telling a number of people the 2008 Prius would be the first car to go farther on a gallon of gas than the 5-speed Insight. The revised report seems to be it will do as well. Come to think of it, 94mpg in a 5-seater that weights considerably more than 1,800 pounds would involve some breakthrough technology.

Sounds like the 2008 Prius will still be a great car, however.

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

Best Run >
www.cleanmpg.com

"fanatic" is what the lazy call the dedicated

Thank you all for the comments... definitely gives me a lot to consider. As many of you suggested, I am finding myself now leaning back in the direction of getting a Prius now. Might put myself on some waiting lists this weekend, actually...

I'd also recommend monitoring Ebay, which often lists new Prius from dealers. There are no guarantees but Ebay gives a good idea of what national prices are running.

In my case, I was looking for used Prius and found my 03 for $1k under blue book value. Others have gotten better deals, I paid $17.3 k for an 03 Prius with 49.3 k miles. But it was 'good enough' and I've moved on to more interesting problems.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

well I decided to wait, primarily because I don't absolutely need a new car now, I just would like one now!

"In its efforts to come up with a car that blends economy, low emissions and performance at an affordable price, Toyota has decided to use a lean-burn 1.8-litre turbo engine. Meanwhile, the THS-II hybrid system will be upgraded with efficient lithium ion batteries, which will allow the electric motor to deliver greater performance because the cells recharge quickly and hold more power for longer. To further improve efficiency, it's also **thought** that Toyota is considering a plug-in system, similar to that used on the Amberjac Projects Prius.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/au...rbo_boost.html

Yes I know that Toyota has supposedly refuted any claims that it iwill offer a plug-in, but I dare say if any other manufacturer enter the fray with a plug-in (GM rumours say they are but that seems a stretch), then all bets are off and the Prius may very well have to get a plug if they want to maintain Hybrid leader role.

It's all speculation at this point of course!

My suggestion is if you can wait, then wait for the new Lithium battery technology next model series, it's a big purchase and you will likely want to keep it for a while. OTOH, if you can't wait, get a car now and be prepared to suffer some techno-envy when the next version models do come out!

Good luck.