2010 Prius unveiled: Cd 0.25, 50 mpg EPA combined, EV mode

[Frank Lee]

It would be a no-brainer if they provided the option WITH specs as to the aero improvement they net.

[Compaq888]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

I'm not terribly impressed. It's nice that they have the more luxury options for those that want them, but some of us don't. (Just as we only want two seats.) I wonder if they're starting to go into the Detroit navel-gazing spiral: "we've made this kind of vehicle, and it's selling well, that must mean it's what everybody wants, so let's make it a little bit bigger & add a few luxury options so we can sell more of them, 'cause it's the only kind of car anyone could possibly want..."

They'd do better to offer a range of types: a 2-seat sports car, a minivan, a small pickup, maybe a bigger sedan aimed at the taxicab market...

They are going by what the general public wants. You or anybody else on here wants a car that doesn't spend any gas, charges by itself via solar panels and has a long distance range. They can't please everyone but they try to please as many as possible. I in fact like the 3rd gen prius and love the new styling of the car. If I was in the market for buyinga car I'd buy this one or the new honda insight.

[Daox]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

An "exhaust heat recovery system" was mentioned, but with no details.

I forgot where I read it (reading a lot on it these past few days), but I believe it uses exhaust heat to more quickly heat up the engine coolant.

[cfg83]

Frank -

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

It would be a no-brainer if they provided the option WITH specs as to the aero improvement they net.

Yeah, that's a good point. I just realized that this could be an option that is deliberately pushed on freeway commuters. Because aero-mods are more helpful at higher speeds, this could help increase their highway MPG claims.

I wonder if they would need to pass another EPA MPG test for the option. If the test is on a dynamometer, it wouldn't show any difference.

Then again, it would be an easy test for them to prove on their own. Run two Prius without the aero-mods on a closed track and record the fuel consumption of each car. Then do it again with one of the Prius aero-modded.

CarloSW2

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Compaq888

They are going by what the general public wants.

No, they seem to be doing just the opposite: fooling themselves into believing that the general public only wants one thing, which - surprise! - happens to be just the thing they're selling. Just as Detroit did with SUVs and pickups: chanted the "Americans only want big cars" mantra to drown out the sound of their declining market share.

The fact is, there's no one thing that the general public wants. A company that builds just one model had better either admit that they're selling to a niche market (and plan accordingly), or diversify their product line.

You or anybody else on here wants a car that doesn't spend any gas, charges by itself via solar panels and has a long distance range.

That's not the point. Sure, those things would be nice to have (except the solar panels, which are a crock), but they also have to come in the kind of vehicle I want and/or need. Doesn't matter how good the Prius or new Insight does on mpg: I'm still not going to be driving a stodgy 5-passenger sedan. The guy that needs a pickup for work isn't either, nor is the minivan-driving soccer mom or delivery person. They need to start bringing hybrid systems (and other fuel-efficient tech) to other vehicle types.

[groar]

Originally Posted by Daox

Here is a side profile of the Prius III vs Prius II.

I'll appreciate much if someone wants to explain us how Toyota improved the Cd of the Prius from version II to version III

And here are the Prius III models :

from DSC_0481 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

The initial concept has no upper grill and some strange hubcaps.

Denis.

[Compaq888]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

No, they seem to be doing just the opposite: fooling themselves into believing that the general public only wants one thing, which - surprise! - happens to be just the thing they're selling. Just as Detroit did with SUVs and pickups: chanted the "Americans only want big cars" mantra to drown out the sound of their declining market share.

The fact is, there's no one thing that the general public wants. A company that builds just one model had better either admit that they're selling to a niche market (and plan accordingly), or diversify their product line.



That's not the point. Sure, those things would be nice to have (except the solar panels, which are a crock), but they also have to come in the kind of vehicle I want and/or need. Doesn't matter how good the Prius or new Insight does on mpg: I'm still not going to be driving a stodgy 5-passenger sedan. The guy that needs a pickup for work isn't either, nor is the minivan-driving soccer mom or delivery person. They need to start bringing hybrid systems (and other fuel-efficient tech) to other vehicle types.

They will but it costs a lot of money to produce a vehicle. The general public wants a 4 door sedan. Minivans and trucks are not selling in such high mass values so it won't bring as much profit as a 4 door sedan.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hiya,

I have traced the profile of the 2nd generation Prius, and overlaid it onto the 3rd generation Prius:


The profile of the nose is smoother on the new model, and the roof "peaks" farther back, and the rear is also a little different. The top of the windshield is much farther back and it curves into the roof with a larger radius.

The wheelbases are the same: 106.3", so that's how I lined them up.

[Edit: some other subtle differences:

The rear spoiler on the new car is lower down, and is tilted down a little bit, as well.

The new front fender ahead of the front wheel has a slight flare.

The trailing edge of the sides has a fairly crisp edge on the new car.]

[Daox]

Thanks Neil! Interesting and fairly subtle changes.

[MazdaMatt]

looks like lower side skirts and lower "point" on the nose, too. I think which ever company comes out with the first good minivan that gets epa 40mpg will murder the auto market.