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Toyota Prius Plug-in TRD project

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Christopher O'Brien, Jun 6, 2014.

  1. Christopher O'Brien

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    Is anyone familiar with this project? If so, do you think it could be duplicated here in North America? Does anyone have an "in" with TRD here in the U.S.?
     
  2. Tracksyde

    Tracksyde Member

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    I had not seen that before.. thats for posting that.

    However, it looks like they've only done wheels/tires and springs/shocks so far. Aside from those TRD/Toyota branded items, I think all they have left are the rear sway bar and maybe some other non-essential items like oil filler cap or shift knob, etc.. Toyota Japan also has a wide variety of factory body kits and I think they even carry a few different exhaust systems.

    Its cool that they're doing it to a Plug-In.. but with the 18s, its really going to put a dent in the EV range and MPG. If they chose to build it but try to maintain as much of its original efficiency and EV range as possible (or even increase it), I'd be a lot more interested.
     
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  3. RightOnTime

    RightOnTime Senior Member

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    That is a very good find!

    As from my experience, the 18's did cause a 3 to 4 MPG hit.

    You can easily duplicate this project from following the Prius G's platform. So far, with this blog, the springs and shocks are very similar to the G's. which may be re-branded TRD's.


    There are plenty of parts that TRD Japan offers for our Prius, unfortunately some of these parts are not readily available in the United States. Yes, it would be very hard to maintain its original efficiency and EV range with the 18's but there are other options to squeeze a tiny bit more power and to increase MPG.

    Looking forward for future updates :giggle:
     
  4. Christopher O'Brien

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    Yeah, not sure why they went with 18-inchers. And they aren't the most attractive 18s at that. Anyway, the last 3 parts of the project could be interesting, and then there's the "special challenge [to be] revealed in July." Hmm... Maybe they're going to try to fit a TS040 drive train in the car. Now that would be special! :D
     
  5. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Putting 18s on a PIP is fairly retarded. With the already low EV range and throttle input threshold, the larger heavier wheels makes no sense at all.
     
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  6. Christopher O'Brien

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    F8L! Good to see you're still around even though you've deserted the fold. :)

    Yup, 18s are not the best wheels for a Plug-in. I went for lightweight 16s, and next I'm looking forward to some lowering, stiffening and flattening action. IMG_8132 cropped.jpg
     
    #6 Christopher O'Brien, Jun 7, 2014
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2014
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  7. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    You're doing it right. ;)
     
  8. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    Defeats the concept of the Prius a bit, I'd say.
     
  9. rxlawdude

    rxlawdude Active Member

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    And I can speak to the reduced MPG (averaged only about 45mpg) in my '11 Five with Advanced Tech. Those 17" wheels made for a very noisy but firm ride. While it handled much better than my '04, I never was overjoyed to find I got worse fuel economy in an 8 year-newer Prius.

    In contrast, the '14 PiP rides very quietly (relative to '04 and '11), and I've pushed it a bit on curves and it seems to stick to the road nicely without any squeals from the tires. And of course, even in Hybrid mode, I've never gotten less than 49mpg on a tank.
     
  10. Christopher O'Brien

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    Well, in spite of those huge and (to my eyes) unattractive 18s, I'm hoping the project car turns out to be something special that we can all learn from, particularly in the way of goodies for improved (more amusing and safer) handling. And maybe I'll downgrade the July challenge a bit — never mind the TS040's 3.7 L V8; just replace our lithium-ion battery with that big Nisshinbo capacitor and exchange our little electric motor for just one of the TS040's two (worth approx. 240 hp each). That should do it, and no hit to our fuel consumption! ;)
     
  11. RightOnTime

    RightOnTime Senior Member

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    Part 5 is up for the Build. Looks like they added a TRD spoiler.
     
  12. Christopher O'Brien

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    Oooooo! A spoiler!

    It's interesting that the TRD Sportivo springs they've installed don't lower the car at all, whereas the TRD Performance Plus springs available here in North America do. In a reply to a comment I made on the third part of the project, David Crouch stated that they "will be creating the illusion of the car being lower by using the body kit." Again, interesting, because the TRD Plus package includes a body kit as well as the lowering springs. I guess this TRD-ized English Plug-in is going to be a pretty mild "no-go showboat" (as we used to say when I was a kid), rather like the Canadian version of the Prius Performance Plus package which gets the body kit, the rear sway bar (I think), and the wheels, but not the lowering springs. Oh (Toyota) Canada! :(

    And I wonder if they' re going to fit a TRD rear sway bar. No mention of it yet...
     
  13. RightOnTime

    RightOnTime Senior Member

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    From the direction that this build is going, i would like to predict the next phase............

    TRD Front Spoiler

    3.jpg

    Not bad at all for a Genuine Toyota part! This lip will not fly in the States due to parking blocks, steep driveways, and Prius drivers who still hit things when the car is at Standard height :ROFLMAO:



    TRD does make a rear lip and YES a TRD Muffler for the Prius (y)(n)
     
  14. RightOnTime

    RightOnTime Senior Member

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    I guess that there is a lot of retarded people in Japan, guess i must be one of them.

    F8L Joking aside, i must respect your comment due to your commitment to Prius Chat and the knowledge that you carry with your posts. Even though you went to the dark-side with a Volt, i still value your judgment :p
     
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  15. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Sorry if I offended. I shouldn't have used such a harsh word. God knows I've done plenty of retarded things to cars in my past. :) I guess it just comes down to the low EV range of the PIP. As much as a I love performance enhancement, not talking Viagra here, It just doesn't make a lot of sense on the PIP because of the low EV speed, throttle limitations and low EV range. Now if you're just running a PIP because of the HOV sticker than I totally understand. ;)
     
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  16. GregP507

    GregP507 Senior Member

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    I never thought anyone was being called "retarded" in the first place. I'm as bad as anyone for taking things in the worst context at first, but then I realize how easy it is for plain text to be misconstrued into something offensive.
     
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  17. Christopher O'Brien

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    Part 6 is up, and right away I have a wee problem — "...black vinyl shapes that create the appearance of air ducts." This is a completely different TRD body kit than the one on offer here. Not as attractive as ours in my estimation — the shapes seem more stylized than aerodynamic, and the front is a bit too "boy racer" (those fake air ducts!!). But one thing about them appears to be good — whereas our TRD front and rear panels have an added-on look, the UK ones actually seem to fit completely over the original panels. Not quite sure how they do that.

    Okay, I didn't get that quite right. I think I was fooled by the dark top edges of the panels making it look as if they are separate, original panels below the panels above, as opposed to glued-on extra bits that stick out from the original panels underneath. Don't know if that's any clearer, but these panels just look a lot smoother in fit than our versions.

    Perhaps the photos below will help illustrate what I'm getting at:

    Plus with lower rocker molding.jpg

    UK TRD body kit.png

    They might look as though they're a smoother and neater fit, but I still don't like the overall shapes as much as our own. And those 18" wheels look a bit outlandish compared to the Plus Performance 17-inchers. Geez, I'm so fussy and critical! :)
     
    #17 Christopher O'Brien, Jun 20, 2014
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2014
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  18. Accordlayingkit

    Accordlayingkit Senior Member

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    @RightOnTime you got anymore pics of the Japan TRD kit? Got a JDM parts place in my area selling the Japan front for $190. Not bad I don't suppose
     
  19. RightOnTime

    RightOnTime Senior Member

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