Touring Edition Prius

[davidtoo]

Yesterday's Chicago Tribune carried a story about the price increase for the 2007 Prius ($450). It also said that the new Touring Edition ($23,070) has larger wheels and a stiffer suspension. It will be interesting to see what impact, if any, this has on gas mileage.

[spwolf]

base prius gets side airbags, hence the price raiseof $450...

[theorist]

I'm curious to see if Toyota upgrades the touring model's chassis stiffening plate to complement the suspension and tire upgrades.

I think I may be one of the few skeptics regarding the cost-benefit ration of the BT stiffening plate, but such an implicit endorsement by Toyota would persuade me. Perhaps PriusChatters in Japan, Europe, or elsewhere can already tell us if Toyota already uses a beefier chassis support brace on touring models.

[darelldd]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(theorist @ Aug 5 2006, 06:27 PM) [snapback]298467[/snapback]</div>

I think I may be one of the few skeptics regarding the cost-benefit ration of the BT stiffening plate
[/b]

I'm part of that VERY small club as well...

[NuShrike]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(theorist @ Aug 5 2006, 06:27 PM) [snapback]298467[/snapback]</div>

I'm curious to see if Toyota upgrades the touring model's chassis stiffening plate to complement the suspension and tire upgrades.

I think I may be one of the few skeptics regarding the cost-benefit ration of the BT stiffening plate, but such an implicit endorsement by Toyota would persuade me. Perhaps PriusChatters in Japan, Europe, or elsewhere can already tell us if Toyota already uses a beefier chassis support brace on touring models. [/b]

If it's not currently on the Japanese/European models, it's probably not going to change for USA, but don't remember hearing about any changes in this area; only suspension and roll-bar changes. Afterall, it is a very cheap change for Toyota if it was an issue.

[Scott_R]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(0 emissions @ Aug 5 2006, 03:12 PM) [snapback]298300[/snapback]</div>

Yesterday's Chicago Tribune carried a story about the price increase for the 2007 Prius ($450). It also said that the new Touring Edition ($23,070) has larger wheels and a stiffer suspension. It will be interesting to see what impact, if any, this has on gas mileage.
[/b]

It would be neat if at least some of these items were made available for retrofit to older models.

[spwolf]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScottR @ Aug 6 2006, 06:45 PM) [snapback]298631[/snapback]</div>

It would be neat if at least some of these items were made available for retrofit to older models.
[/b]

well, in 2005, Toyota did make chasis stiffer...

[nerfer]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(0 emissions @ Aug 5 2006, 02:12 PM) [snapback]298300[/snapback]</div>

Yesterday's Chicago Tribune carried a story about the price increase for the 2007 Prius ($450). It also said that the new Touring Edition ($23,070) has larger wheels and a stiffer suspension. It will be interesting to see what impact, if any, this has on gas mileage.
[/b]

Some more from the article:
"The increase is $450, to $22,175, the company's Torrance, California-based U.S. sales unit said in a statement today. The new Touring Edition begins at $23,070 and has larger wheels and a stiffer suspension. The 2007 models go on sale this month.

"Toyota's addition of new fuel-efficient hybrids since 2005, including versions of the Camry and Lexus GS sedans and Highlander and Lexus RX sport-utility vehicles, helped it raise U.S. sales 10 percent this year. Sales of the Prius have fallen 5.9 percent. The car remains the best-selling hybrid in the U.S., with 59,270 through July.

"The automaker has blamed the Prius decline on limited availability of the cars at dealers and tight supplies of nickel-metal-hydride batteries used in its hybrids. Jim Lentz, Toyota's U.S. sales chief, said last month that the Prius supply is improving and that sales this year will at least match the 107,897 in 2005."

They also say the Touring Edition is an effort to "help boost sales", as if the Prius is languishing on dealer lots. The rest of the article is fairly benign.

[habel]

Any images available showing the touring yet?

[Tideland Prius]

It's basically the same as yours with an extended spoiler habel.