Prius Limo???

OK, just to show that it probably is possible to make a small car into a stretch limo, here are a couple of pictures which do not appear to have been photoshopped:









And an article on the Toyota Estima, which is apparently a Hybrid that looks something like a combination of a Prius and a minivan. The article is in French, but check out the pictures, especially the limo interior with the reclining seats. The nose and portion from the front door forward look very much like a Prius, but the back is a completely different animal. Not what we see in Lass' picture, but shows something about that length that runs on a Hybrid platform.



http://www.leblogauto.com/?p=1899&cp=2



A Google image search on "stretch Prius limo" didn't produce any real pictures of stretch Prii, though. Doesn't mean they don't exist

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(danoday @ Aug 15 2007, 04:37 PM) [snapback]496493[/snapback]</div>

What I noticed on these, is that there is a solid body panel behind the front doors, and ahead of the rear doors. I would make an assumption here (fully aware of the risk, thank you) that those panels provide the necessary body strength (in the form of additional pillars or something) to support the extra length, of not just the sides, but the roof line and the undercarriage.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rae Vynn @ Aug 15 2007, 03:41 PM) [snapback]496500[/snapback]</div>

Yep, I noticed that too. To make a Prius into a stretch, you would really need to reinforce the frame to carry the excess weight. By distributing that structure through the roof, you get a lot more stability without having to make the frame a solid brick of metal. Is the center door on Lass' picture a non-functional door? We don't know. If the car really exists, the door handle might be for decoration only.

I grew up in Detroit, and there was an old story years ago that I believe is probably true, although it might be Ford engineer urban legend. When Ford reintroduced the Mustang convertible in the early 1980's (1983ish?), they did it with a huge amount of fanfare. As the story goes, they ramped into full manufacturing mode, and then started allowing the engineers to take the cars home on weekends. Well, the first thing the engineers did was to load the whole family up and go for a drive. That was when they noticed that the doors wouldn't shut properly. Apparently, nobody had ever loaded the car down with a full load of four or five passengers before, and when they did, they found that the frame bent just enough to prevent the doors from fitting back together properly. Part of this was the lack of structural support related to the lack of roof. The story goes that they had to stop the line and reengineer the frame.

Again, I don't know if it is actually a true story. If it is, it's a good one. Actually, if it isn't, it's still a good story.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(danoday @ Aug 15 2007, 04:37 PM) [snapback]496493[/snapback]</div>

Estima is a minivan that Toyota sells (and has sold for many years) in many Asian countries and Europe, and even in the USA as the Previa in the early to mid 90s. They happen to make a hybrid version of the current (third generation) version, as they did with the second generation. I've seen one in person and although it looks smaller than a Sienna (4 inches narrower, 16 inches shorter), it still has three rows of seats and it weighs almost the same, over 4000lbs.

The front looks nothing like a Prius, the hood is way higher. Look how high the hood of this white Estima is compared to the Prius next to it.

 

Have anyone noticed the curved top of the middle door on the Prius limo? That door seems to build a new "hump" in the roof line of the car.

Hmmm...
Well, I guess you could call the Prius a camel thinking how often you fill your gas tank, but putting camel humps on it?!?


Stein

 

Lass you need to RELAX. No one here is flaming you. People are merely pointing out inconsistencies with the photo.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lass @ Aug 15 2007, 06:45 PM) [snapback]496446[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lass @ Aug 15 2007, 12:18 PM) [snapback]495846[/snapback]</div>

No you didn't photoshop the picture but someone did. Your son may have grabbed the picture via bluetooth or something. What sort of car was he in when he took it?
And I'm not calling your son a lier either, just a joker. Good on him too, life is too short to be serious.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lass @ Aug 15 2007, 11:47 AM) [snapback]495808[/snapback]</div>

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b160/sat...67776_11871.jpg
Seems satans little sister may be a little devil. :lol:

The picture is one of the worst photoshop efforts I've seen in quite some time.
The reflection of the front wheel of the Prius on the bonnet of the car your son was in when he took the photo isn't in line with where it should be. I can see the reflection of the trees that are in the background in the right place on the bonnet but the reflection is too far to the right of the bonnet partly hidden by the windscreen wiper.
A good photoshoper will make sure all the shadows and reflections match the objects in the image. :blink:
I guess we should swallow anything without question?

 

Can we all just stop feeding the troll? This is getting really really *really* old...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Aug 16 2007, 03:30 AM) [snapback]496771[/snapback]</div>

Good catch! I missed the shadows/reflections aspects of it.

 

i'm sure glad you know everything!

of course you should accept everything as truth! especially if it's on the internet. I mean, when I went to buy my Prius, I was told that the best they could do was $2k over MSRP because they were in such high demand. Of course I believed them! They said it was true!

In fact, they had even seen the shortage for themselves at the Toyota plants and swore to me that if I didn't buy it at $2k over MSRP I was never going to be able to get one, especially once the 08's came out!

 

Also the front outline of the car is pretty messy looking. That must have been where it was cut and pasted.

 

. . . but it will be.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rae Vynn @ Aug 15 2007, 04:20 PM) [snapback]496477[/snapback]</div>

Oh, JavaJunki noticed on here that this one seems to have sprouted another antenna, about where the back of the car would be, if the back of the car hadn't scooted back to where it is...

He's sharp, my guy is.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lass @ Aug 16 2007, 12:06 PM) [snapback]497122[/snapback]</div>

"I've got nipples, Greg, can you milk me?" - Meet the Parents

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rae Vynn @ Aug 17 2007, 09:44 PM) [snapback]498231[/snapback]</div>

Wow! Good catch on that one.

 

Maybe the camera did it.

 

New cellphone camera: with auto photoshop technology