Guigiaro builds fastest prius
 

Giugiaro says the all-wheel-drive, mid-engined car accelerates from zero to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in 4.05 seconds and tops out at 155 miles per hour.
Not really a prius, but The Quaranta borrows its hybrid powertrain from the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and the Lexus RX400h: a 3.3-liter V-6 and the Hybrid Synergy Drive system with a combined output of 268 horsepower and 213 pound-feet of torque. Italdesign claims the car will return a city/highway average of 33 mpg, and a pair of fuel tanks that together hold about sixteen gallons of gasoline provide a 620-mile range. "E-Four" is, in fact, a fancy name for Toyota's part-time all-wheel drive system (called "4WD-i" in the Highlander Hybrid), which uses a separate, 68-horsepower electric motor at the rear wheels that kicks in during acceleration or when slippage is detected.

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/02/giugiaro-builds.html
http://blog.wired.com/cars/images/2008/02/29/09_3.jpg

Re: Guigiaro builds fastest prius
 

Rats! I was day-dreaming of doing something similar only using two salvage Prius.

I would use a custom, foam-and-fiberglass chassis and have both front and rear drive systems operated by driver operated, computers. Then to solve the built-in control law problem, put some really large diameter tires on both the front and rear. The ultimate trick is having both front and rear wheel steering so I can do really fast, 'drift' lane changes and take corners like nobody's business. Heck, if I didn't mind the tire wear, I could probably do a lateral parallel park with smoking tires <GRINS>.

Because there would be no front or rear storage space, the cabin would be a little bit longer with storage places behind and under the rear seats. The front and rear seats could also be shifted to make a nice, double-sized bed.

Given the larger roof area, solar cells that feed the traction battery and environmental systems. So if the car is parked in sunlight, the interior stays cool.

Ah, the beauty of day-dream cars, they don't actually have to work. <grins>

Bob Wilson

Re: Guigiaro builds fastest prius
 

Looks similar to the Volta? I suppose this one actually runs?

Re: Guigiaro builds fastest prius
 

Bob, my spider-senses detect sarcasm...

Re: Guigiaro builds fastest prius
 

Re: Guigiaro builds fastest prius
 

I'm shocked that anyone would ever doubt my day-dreams:
http://i.treehugger.com/images/2007/...prius_limo.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-0906_a46f.jpg

"I come before you to sit down behind you to tell you things I know nothing about." - my wife paraphrasing James Joyce.

Bob Wilson

Re: Guigiaro builds fastest prius
 

Bob, you really got to get a life, man.

BTW, why didn't you reverse the door handle on the last door to give the VIP more headroom while mounting or dismounting? :P