Just to throw a bit of gas on the fire, I have a Camry hybrid, but have owned a 2001Cobra Mustang, have a 2002 F-250 diesel, had a F-150 V-8, and numerous other gas hogs. We might be getting a Land Cruiser or a Corvette soon. This illistrates a point, people buy what they want, and unless they produce a hybrid in the form that people want, they won't EVER buy it. I would have never bought a hybrid if the Camry was not a reasonably handling car that had reasonable performance. I was about to buy a Mercedes E320 CDI, but decided the Camry does everything it does at a much less cost. If Chevy made a 500 HP hybrid Corvette that got 45 MPG, I would buy it, but I won't buy a 200 HP Corvette that gets 60 MPG. It just does not fit the want mold of that car's profile. Now those that think a 339 HP car is pointless, just don't get it, but to get V-8 power from a V-6, and get the mileage of a V-6, that is what this technology is geared for. Down size the engine, supplement it with a motor and increase efficience without sacraficing performance.

My hat is off to Lexus for this.

I just wish they made a ES version with a bit less HP, kinda like a souped up Camry version that got 35 MPG. I would have bought that instead of the Camry.

The attitude of "I would care about the health of the planet if I didn't have to sacrifice anything to save it" is exactly why our planet is doomed. It's not a mere matter of preference, it's a matter of responsibility.

I guess global warming can be blamed on the record low temperatures many parts of the north western hemisphere have seen in the last two weeks. Give me a break!

You want to live totally green, stop driving all together.

Untill then, don't complain that others enjoy a bit of luxury.

My Ford Escape Hybrid has a kilowatt display. This is easily converted to horsepower ( 746 watts to 1 HP ) IIRC.

For MOST of my city driving, I'm using about 15,000 watts.
This is 20 horsepower.

For flat highway drivng, at speeds of about 65 miles per hour I need twice this.

Short of dragging redwood trees out of the forest... by the roots....
Why would ANYONE NEED 339 horsepower for daily driving?
WHAT A WASTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only when the general public accepts 50 Horsepower cars as standard will electric driving become feasible.

zimbop should ride a bike if they are willing to sacrifice to save the planet. I live in the Northeast and I bet I put more miles on my bicycle commuting to work than most. For someone who lives in New Mexico and can ride year round I would think you would do that..

So you NEVER use more than 50 Horespower? How much HP do you use when accelerating to a steady cruise speed? Do you mind if I install a block of wood under your accelerator so you can NEVER use more than 50 HP? This would be a permenant installation that can not be removed if you don't like it. So no quick acceleration to get on the freeway and merge with traffic traveling 75 miles per hour. No driving over 65 MPH EVER.

And, nobdy really needs 339 HP, but a bunch of people want 339 HP. If we did not give people what they wanted, then we would be living in the Soviet Union, oh wait that did not work, and they too became capitalistic. I guess it is in human nature to try and get what makes you happy.

I was stuck in traffic earlier today and moved at 10 miles per hour on average. But I discovered I was still able to reach my destination! There is no need to ever go above 10 miles per hour and all cars should be speed-limited to 10 miles per hour! Anything higher is SUCH A WASTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Because America is a land of wants, not a land of needs. If you gave a half-starving person with no car $15,000, 7 out of 10 of them would buy a $14,999 car and still go hungry.

So long as someone want's bigger and faster, someone will make bigger or faster. Early on in this post I got real upset about this car and what it represented. I don't know if I care so much anymore. Someone out to buy a car in this class now has a hybrid to choose from. That's good, because someone out to buy a car like this is going to own one. At least it's a step above the alternatives, and a step in the right direction.

Anyway, I don't know if this car is in any of our price ranges (it certainly is not in mine) - sort of makes it easier to criticize I think.

*** Retired after 65,000 outstanding miles ***

If I wanted the car, I could afford it, does not mean I want to afford it though. To be perfectly honest, I would rather have a decently powered luxury car, and a corvette. Hence the reason I have a TCH, and we might be getting a corvette in the not to distant future. Just have to decide between the convertable or the Z06. Do I need the power of a Z06? No. Do I want the power of a Z06? Yes.

No, humans are creatures of wants, not needs.