Upcoming Toyota Prius Coupe to get Italian design

I'm from New Zealand and yes we do have some steep roads but they tend to be urban streets rather than highways.

David Beale is correct, the Prius really comes into its own when going up hills.
The torque from the electric engine combined with the continous gears can just blow most petrol only cars away when passing up hills. (but it does kill the economy!)
A full battery can accelerate up a hill but not so good when the battery is low.
The driveway from my house is between 1:5 and 1:6 and the Prius just zips up it in the morning, unlike my other cars which chug their way up on a cold engine.

I get a guilty pleasure from zooming passing a car going up hill after it has passed me on the flat.
A number of times a car has tried to pass me on an up hill passing lane but has been left behind as I maintain my speed but they fade.

I saw the video on this site of someone racing a Prius on a qtr mile speedway but I wondered if the Prius was more suited to a hill climb.

 

I'll let you know when I can get my rosters to align with the hill climbs at Collingrove. I want to run my Prius up the hill.

 

The original GS 300 was designed by Italians.

By Mark Toljagic
You have to hand it to the Italians.

With their expert grasp of proportion and design, they can turn common household items, like a toaster, into sleek, sexy and highly functional art that, well, toasts bread.

Most prolific of the Italian designers has been Giorgetto Giugiaro, whose Turin-based studio, Italdesign, has penned 160 automotive models for both production and concept research, plus other products.

Almost every car maker has gone to Giugiaro for help at one time or another: from fledgling companies like early Hyundai (the Pony) to heavy hitters like BMW (the M1) and Volkswagen (the original Golf and Scirocco).

Manufacturers looking for a bold shape could be almost guaranteed a hit by commissioning Giugiaro.

Not surprising, then, that Lexus in its first years made the pilgrimage to Turin, too, hoping to secure an inspired design to punctuate its young brand.

Giugiaro gave the GS 300 a handsome profile that, rumour had it, was originally intended for Jaguar. Lexus stylists tweaked the front and rear fascias, but left the sheet metal unmolested.

 

Yep, better styling, 2-doors, and most importantly - a better suspension and I'm ready to buy.

 

looks solid if you ask me.