Racing Prius

[Nda3rdCar]

Never taken it up to top speed... don't feel like landing in jail...or a hospital, but keeping up with Hwy 15 traffic, to Las Vegas from LA, it's possible to be traveling along with other vehicles and end up 85+ mph. I'm pretty sure at one point I hit 90mph, but the car was running smoothly and handled well, i.e. I didn't realize I was going so fast.

The Prius can be fast, but manuverability, rapid acceleration, road feel, engine tone and stuff like that are things we get from our Audi. Love both cars. What we can't get from the Audi is great Prius gas mileage.


-Nda3rdcar

P.S. (Begin disclaimer) Nda3rdcar in no way wishes to promote speeding. Highways demand your attention and understanding of traffic flow situations. Always try to obey posted speed limits. (End disclaimer)

[sea-horsea]

I pushed a 2007 prius to 93....but again that wasn't my brand new one it was the one i test drive before i bought the car....

[David Beale]

I agree that what Prius ownership does to us is more mental than physical. I no longer think of speed as km/hr but rather what it will do to my mileage. As in, "Do I really want to drop my mileage down to 45 MPG to save 20 min over a 2 hr drive?".

That being said, two days ago I was late, was worried a ferry I had to catch was time limited, and had a long way to go. So I "flogged" poor Pearl over a mountain road (narrow, very windy, steep hills up and down). Darn, I wreaked my mileage on that tank (5.2 l/100 km, 45 MPG US, 54 MPG imperial). I was amazed at the way she handled on the curves. Not nearly as bad as other posters will have you believe. Pearl is a standard model with stock Goodyear Integrities, BTW. The Prius is no race car, but still very capable. No tire squealing (well, maybe once or twice ) but cornering faster than any passenger would like! Caught and passed a new type Hemi Charger (among others).

Next day I was worried I had damaged poor Pearl, as my initial mileage in the morning was rather poor, running in the low 5 l/100 km. Turned out it was just the fact I was climbing a mountain pass for an hour. Never noticed the climb lasted that long in the anti-Prius (2001 Nissan Pathfinder). Didn't notice in the anti-Prius because the poor mileage it got never ended!

The Prius can handle its' own at higher "speeds". It's more the driver than the car. Bonus, a Prius will still deliver excellent mileage when flogged. As far as top speed in a straight line is concerned, I outgrew that about 20 years ago.

[narf]

What's interesting is that my Prius is about as fast to 60 MPH as my 92 Miata. The Miata is just under 10 seconds to 60, the Prius is just over 10 seconds. Yet nobody questions whether a Miata can keep up with traffic.

[mrg]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ May 13 2007, 08:19 PM) [snapback]441335[/snapback]</div>

All reports indicate that the top speed of the Prius is 106/107.

If you want to prove to your friend that hybrids can go fast, check this: http://hybridcars.about.com/od/news/...andspeed_2.htm
[/b]

I guess I missed something here. I clicked on your link shown above 3 times and it switched me to alternative fuels. I could not find any topics that looked to be related.

[a priori]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(narf @ Sep 6 2007, 10:31 AM) [snapback]507939[/snapback]</div>

What's interesting is that my Prius is about as fast to 60 MPH as my 92 Miata. The Miata is just under 10 seconds to 60, the Prius is just over 10 seconds. Yet nobody questions whether a Miata can keep up with traffic.
[/b]

I'll admit I was a bit surprised to read that a Prius had pretty much the same times in 0-60 and the 1/4 mile as your '92 Miata. I took a look at the "performance" numbers posted by Motor Trend when it named the '04 Prius its Car of the Year, and I compared them to the numbers posted by owners who timed their Miatas. The Super Coupe Club of Iowa has posted such times for purposes of comparison (see Here).

Interesting! While the '91 and '94 Miatas had respectible times (the '92 wasn't listed) at 9.1 (0-60) and 16.7 (1/4 mile) and 9.7/17.0, respectively, they weren't much different from what Motor Trend measured for the '04 Prius: 9.8/17.0 -- almost identical to the 1994 Mazda Miata.

Hmm. I always thought of the Miata as rather sporty. Now I guess there is reason to believe it really is!

[ilusnforc]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(a priori @ Sep 6 2007, 09:53 AM) [snapback]507969[/snapback]</div>

The Super Coupe Club of Iowa has posted such times for purposes of comparison (see Here).
[/b]

I just sold my Super Coupe about two weeks ago...
She handled well at 145+ MPH.

[a priori]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ilusnforc @ Sep 6 2007, 12:02 PM) [snapback]507973[/snapback]</div>

I just sold my Super Coupe about two weeks ago...
She handled well at 145+ MPH.
[/b]

Was that blue demon originally from Iowa? :P

[ilusnforc]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(a priori @ Sep 6 2007, 11:21 AM) [snapback]507977[/snapback]</div>

Was that blue demon originally from Iowa? :P
[/b]

Actually, it was manufactured in Lorain, Ohio.
It is one of only 574 produced that year in a 5-speed model.

[a priori]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ilusnforc @ Sep 6 2007, 01:28 PM) [snapback]508019[/snapback]</div>

Actually, it was manufactured in Lorain, Ohio.
It is one of only 574 produced that year in a 5-speed model.
[/b]

Maybe not one of of kind, but pretty close.

I know it wasn't the greenest of blue demons, but is there any particular reason you had to part with your Super Coupe. (Don't mean to get too personal, but I just wonder what causes people to part with their cars. I still would like to have that '68 Camaro Rally Sport back, but . . .)