Reply With QuotePretty funny!
The guy looks sort of like Hunter Thompson...
Pretty funny!
The guy looks sort of like Hunter Thompson...
I was just getting ready to close it - I'm thinking, "Why am I sitting here watching a commerical online, and then Billy Bob came out. Ah, my kind of guy - Turn you on, Don?- so I finished watching it. Yeah -- pretty funny. 8)Originally Posted by mrblanche
That's Jeremy Clarkson. It's a clip from 'Top Gear', the BBC motoring programme, & typical of the sort of things they do!
Good stuff!That's Jeremy Clarkson. It's a clip from 'Top Gear', the BBC motoring programme, & typical of the sort of things they do!
Although I think the interviewer was a bit hard on the Prius (before he had it shot up).
The problem with the Prius and many othger hybrids is that people buying them - and ending up disappointed with the "real world" mileage - forget that these vehicles are generally optimized for low-speed, city-type stop-and-go driving. When run at highway speeds, the mileage is no great shakes - but that's not their proper element. In, say, NYC, a Prius would be a smart choice. Also, there's the issue of lower emissions - which matters as much to some as mileage.
It's also important to bear inmind that hybrid technology is relatively new - and that the second and third generation models that are on deck will offer pretty dramatic improvements in both mileage and power.
Anyone who thinks hybrids have to be slow should test drive a new Lexus LS600h!
But the Lexus again does what you have railed against before; they have used the hybrid technology to increase the power, rather than increase the economy.
Actually, not so.
The hybrid delivers V-12 performance with V-8 mileage (and very low overall emissions).
Yup, a hybrid wouldn't do anything for me. My 32 mile commute (one-way) is all highway at 70+ mph, and the battery contributes nothing at that speed.
Chip H.
Former owner: 2012 Honda Civic LX, 2006 Honda Ridgeline RTL, 2000 Honda CR-V EX, 2003 MINI Cooper S, 1992 Honda Accord LX, 1999 Mercedes ML-320, 1995 VW Jetta GLX, 1991 Mercury Capri XR2, 1981 Mercury Zephyr, 1975 Chevrolet Impala
Actually, not so.
The hybrid delivers V-12 performance with V-8 mileage (and very low overall emissions).
You could do the same thing with a turbocharger, but the fact that the power is there means that it WILL get used, and the result is V-12 mileage when it is.
That is, after all, the point of the hybrid debate. It's not that good on the highway, and a lot of US driving is on the highway.
You could make equivalent power with a turbo, but neither the mileage nor the emissions output would be comparable. As to whether the potential power "will get used" - that's very debatable because it's case-specific. Many buyers of large luxury sedans are "easy drivers" who rarely, if ever, let loose with full-throttle power runs. Especially when we are talking about cars with 300-plus horsepower. My parents,for example. They buy luxury cars - but I can tell you that neither my mom nor my dad has seen the high side of 80 mph in probably 10 years. And unless they behave completely differently when I am not around, they don't "floor it" from a stop - and so on. At least not more than once in a blue moon, anyhow. Mostly, they just cruise along. I bet a solid chunk of folks in their mid-50s and 60s and up drive just the same way - and these are the people buying high-end luxury cars.
As far as I'm concerned, if an automaker like Lexus can build a top-tier luxury sedan that offers no-compromises power/performance with substantially lower emissions and significantly improved fuel economy potential, it's not a bad thing.
I also think the "mild-hybrid" pick-ups that achieve a 5-10 percent fuel savings are an excellent choice, esp. those models that also feature "onboard power generation" to run tools, etc.
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