I have been driving from Munich to Offenburg yesterday, via Stuttgart. All in all 370km/230mi (90% highway) in about 4,5hrs, avg. speed 80-85km/h-(50-52mph) as reported by the computer (I don’t remember the exact value, sorry).

The traffic was really thick (Friday afternoon…) and because of the expansion of the Autobahn A8 from 2 to 3 lanes (yes, you read correctly, 3, not 6 or 7 – we are not there yet, but we are doing our best to copy the US, and filling those lanes with SUV like vehicles ). The whole of the A8 is hilly with steep declines (up to 6%) and inclines. There are simply no tunnels and it’s all up and down…not many flat sections…

About 1hr of the whole driving time, was spent in stop&go traffic jams, mainly due to roadworks and heavy traffic. The rest of the time I was driving as fast as I could: after all I live in Germany, let’s have fun sometimes and more over I wanted to see how the Prius was doing at high speeds. When no speed limit was given (typically there is a 120km/h-75mph limit over a good third of the way and 80km/h-50mph one in all roadwork sections), I was going anything slower than 150km/h-93mph and as fast as 190km/h-118mph.

The overall stability was good but not excellent – I am driving now with winter tires (195/55 R16), instead of the 215/45 R17 – so this is certainly one limiting factor. I have tried driving 190km/h already once with the 215 summer tires and the stability is excellent.

Acceleration is OK but not that exciting – but mainly I was chased from 2.0+L BMWs/Mercedes and the such with 150+HP at least. I was never chased by a Golf or other mid-sized car. Surely the Prius is not a Ferrari, but you need to push it to get juice out of it (at least at these speeds). Often you press the gas and “nothing” happens. The eCVT likely doesn’t help, but I cannot imagine shifting gears at these speeds, it doesn’t make any sense – you really need HP and torque (if any left….). The engine gets quite noisy and the HSI is no indication of what are the RPMs of the ICE and if you are melting it down The HSI bar might not be in the red PWR zone, you are doing 180km/h-111mph going uphill and the engine is roaring, but you have no clue whether you are in the red rpm zone….. Comically enough, I never really had to floor the accelerator, but honestly I was afraid of having the ICE jump out of the car…

I used PWR mode all the time, not because the car goes any faster, but simply because on German highway, people do drive fast – no only in terms of overall speed, but also in terms of reaction times. When there is a chance to go faster, they will do it. No grannies here! So you need to accelerate fast, and PWR Mode gives you better reaction to the foot. After arriving in Offenburg I had to keep the PWR mode on as my foot got so used to it, that normal mode felt like ECO!!!

What I noticed is that the battery charges continuously – the ICE is running so much and at max power that it can generate traction power, power for the generator and power for the electric motor. The batter was charging while the motor was driving the wheels at the same time. This has been the only time that I have ever seen the battery of my Prius fully charged, even if for just a short period of time. Most of the time it was 70%-80% full. Having a full battery was really helpful when stuck in a traffic jam or at lower speeds as I could coast in electric mode most of the time.

So now the main question is – what was the average fuel consumption, including 25km/15mi in town before leaving Munich???? 10L/100km-23MPG? No. 8L/100km-29MPG? No. It was just 6L/100km-39MPG. I am honestly impressed.

This also means that if I drive it more slowly (say 140km/h-87mph), I would probably get 5L/100km-47MPG. And that for a german autobahn *is* impressive. I would never get that on the Polo diesel I got before. I have also tested today going 150km/h-93mph more or less constantly, and you do get 7L/100km-34mpg average.

A good reason for driving slower though, is to reduce the stress on the suspensions and overall on the drive train. German highway are indeed flat and quite good taken care of, but any tiny bump at these speeds is truly heavy on the suspensions. The last thing I want is to change something in 4-5 years time due to fast driving. I wonder if I have not already compromised some mechanical part (I am already imagining cracks and mini-fissures crawling up metal parts in the suspensions…. my poor Prius!)

I will drive back this Sunday I will post my findings on this thread. So, overall good, not a Ferrari and certainly not an “easy/comfortable” german highway car. On more relaxed highway trips though (140km/h max), it is certainly a good comfort car with (likely) excellent fuel consumption especially if helped by some traffic jams…

Ever since the national press devoured the story of a fellow in California whose Lexus accelerated off a roadway, triggering the recall of millions of Toyotas, I have expressed doubt about the risk of stuck accelerators in Toyotas.  I see parallels between this recall and the unfounded claims of unintended acceleration by the Audi 5000 in the 1980s.

First, let’s put some information out there that has been overlooked by the national press, who is eager for a doomsday story affecting millions of cars.  That Lexus that crashed in California was a dealership loaner car.  I did not know this until I did some further reading – the national press has never mentioned this.  The driver was likely unfamiliar with the car, and therefore panicked when the car exhibited odd behaviour.  Another thing that has gone unmentioned by the national press is that the dealership had the wrong floormats in the car.  Incorrectly-sized floormats from a different Lexus model were in place, which increased the risk of the floormat interfering with pedal operation.  And lastly, why wouldn’t a highway patrol officer know to shift into neutral to keep the engine from driving the wheels and accelerating?  I point to unfamiliarity with the loaner vehicle.  Perhaps the driver, in the fog of confusion and panic, could not find or operate the shifter.  As for turning off the car, confusion/unfamiliarity may have played a role there as well.  The crashed vehicle may have had the push-button start system, but I don’t know for sure.  The driver may not have known to hold the button down to turn the engine off.

This crash is what set the ball rolling with this madness, which is why I have taken the time to address it.  I think the fault of the crash rests more with the driver and a poor understanding of how to handle the situation than it does with a design problem.  So why do I think this recall is pure bunk?  Let me explain, from a Prius owner’s perspective.

First, you need to have some really jacked-up floormats for them to trap the accelerator.  In my 2007 Prius, there is a ton of room between the bottom of the accelerator and the floor.

I saw a video where a gas pedal was fully depressed and then it became stuck under the floormat.  I don’t know how this is possible.  I would expect the spring in the accelerator to offer more than enough force for the pedal to push back past the floormat, unless the floormat managed to cover up half the accelerator or the floormat was really heavy.  But again, how would this happen?  Who would have such heavy floormats, and who would be so sloppy as to allow their floormat to slide forward over the pedal?  For years, I have checked the position of the driver’s side floormat before driving.  It’s not out of concern about the accelerator, it’s a concern for cleanliness. I want to make sure the floormat is properly positioned so I don’t get the carpet dirty.  Additionally, if the factory mats are used with the hooks, you have nothing to worry about.  The mats won’t move.  If you look at the above photos of my mats, you will notice I am using aftermarket Wal-Mart all-weather floormats that don’t connect to the hooks.  If they are out of position, I just give the mats a little tug and move them back.  They are never out of position by more than an inch.

I pushed the accelerator all the way to the floor to see if it could get caught on my floormat.  My accelerator ended up pushing down onto the floormat.  Absolutely positively no way the pedal could get stuck under the mat since it was pushing down on the mat.  Could it get wedged against the mat?  Maybe, but not likely.  Even less likely considering it is rare to floor the throttle.

I took the factory floormat out of my trunk and installed it correctly, using the floor hooks.  I was dumbfounded that this recall is even taking place.  The floormat came nowhere near the gas pedal, and the floormat was securely anchored.  Below are pics of the factory floormat correctly installed, and how the pedal is positioned relative to the floormat when it is fully floored.  Apologies for flipping you the bird in one pic.

So to summarize point number one, I think it is really unlikely that your Toyota will get stuck accelerating unless you were silly enough to install the wrong-sized floormat or stacked your floormats.

Point number two – why don’t people know to put their car into neutral when it gets stuck accelerating?  It’s just common sense.  The [D]rive gear position means motive force is being sent to the wheels.  Put it in [N]eutral, and the engine will just rev.  The engine computer has a rev limiter and will not allow the engine to rev to the point of blowing up.  With the engine still on, you will have full power steering and power braking, essential for getting your car safely to a stop on the side of the road.  If you turn the engine off, steering and braking will be more difficult since you no longer have the power assist.

Point number three – people need to be educated about their car.  Related to point number one, people should be aware of proper care and placement of floormats.  The main jist of point three is that there is some unfamiliarity with the push-start buttons on newer cars.  The Prius is the most widespread push-button car, but some Nissan Altimas, Lexuses, and the new Buick LaCrosse also have start buttons.  There are probably more cars I am not aware of.  I knew that simply hitting the power button on my Prius wouldn’t turn the engine off while driving.  I knew I had to hold it down, but I didn’t know for how long.  I’ll fess up to that.  For the record, in a Prius you hold the button down for three seconds.

I don’t think there is a problem with these cars.  It is more of a driver education issue.  Make sure your floormats are installed properly, know how to put your car into neutral while it’s in motion, and know how to turn the car off if necessary.

Toyota is addressing the (unlikely, in my opinion) issue of floormats trapping the accelerator by trimming the bottom of the pedal to make it shorter.  This will give more clearance between the pedal and the floor, but I think there is already sufficient clearance and this modification is therefore unnecessary.

On some cars, Toyota is reprogramming the computer so the brake supersedes the accelerator.  If the brake is applied at the same time as the accelerator, the throttle will be cut off so the brake has maximum effect and doesn’t have to compete with simultaneous acceleration.  That makes total sense to me, and the cars should have been programmed this way to begin with.  However, the Prius is not among the cars getting this reprogramming.  In reading up about this recall, I found this video in a PriusChat forum topic:

Amazing.  With a floored accelerator, the Prius’ engine cut back to idle and the brakes brought the car to a stop.  With the car at a stop, brake and accelerator pedals depressed, the driver let off the brake and the car lurched forward toward the end of the video.  This confirmed the brakes were overriding the accelerator.  Is this evidence that the Prius’ computer is already programmed to override the throttle when the brake is depressed?  I don’t know, but it certainly looks that way.  I would like to try this exercise myself sometime.

It would be nice if Toyota would explain why the Prius is lumped in with all these cars for the recall, but is only getting the shortened (eventually replaced) pedal but not getting the computer update or the modified carpeting.  Does this mean the Prius’ engine computer is already smart enough to handle a stuck gas pedal?  Do the Prius owners only need to keep an eye on their floormats?

In that case, it is not necessary for a full-blown recall.  The drivers only need to be educated about their cars.  Properly install and maintain your floormats to eliminate the slim possibility of the accelerator getting trapped.  Know how to put your car into neutral while driving.  And lastly, know how to turn off your car.  In fact, Luscious Garage, the folks who made that earlier video, made two more videos about how to put a Prius into neutral and how to turn it off while driving.

Putting Prius in Neutral

Turning Prius Off

These are all driver education issues.  The Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES/IS models should have their computers reprogrammed under the recall, but the Prius seems to already handle simultaneous gas/brake pedal action correctly.  Just have all the Prius owners watch the above videos, and tell us to check our floormats.  We’re big boys and girls, we can do this.  There is no need to trim or replace our accelerator pedals.

Personally, I will decline to have this recall work done on my Prius.  My car works fine.  I can maintain it and the floormats fine.  I don’t want the pedal feel of my car to be changed.  I know what to do in the highly unlikely event the accelerator gets stuck.  Of course, I’ll get the work done when it is time to sell the car.  If I trade it in, it’s the dealer’s job to make sure it has all recall work done.

In the end, I think Toyota will be vindicated like Audi.  In Audi’s case, it was found that the cars did not randomly accelerate on their own.  They simply had closely-positioned pedals.  Drivers were hitting the gas instead of the brake before shifting, and were basically doing neutral drops when putting the car into drive or reverse.  The press went to town digging up reports and interviewing people, and almost put Audi out of business.  Fast forward two decades and now we’re hearing stories from people who think their Toyota accelerated by itself.  All of these supposed cases of Toyota unintended acceleration are probably the result of driver negligence (improperly placed floormats) or driver ignorance (not knowing about neutral or shutting off the car).  I wonder if Toyota is including the Prius in the recall as a CYA kind of thing, to show they are doing something for their halo car.

The success of Toyota’s hybrid car sales, the Prius seems to provoke this Japanese manufacturer to issue a new variant of the Prius. Reportedly the largest manufacturer in the world that is currently preparing the latest models of the Prius which has a larger dimension than the market now.

As reported by the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri and detikOto quotes from leftlanenews, Sunday (15/11/2009), the latest variant of the Prius is likely to enter the market at the end of next year.

Even so, it is unclear which model will be used by Toyota for the Prius is great, though many expect the crossover model was the one who will choose Toyota.

Particularly large Prius will reportedly also uses a lithium ion battery technology is more powerful than batteries currently used. This certainly will be a main attraction.

This new model Prius is expected to be present in Japan at the end of next year with the official price of about U.S. $ 22,000 or approximately USD 200 million and would also be very interested in the American market where the Prius is very popular.

Presence of a new model of the Prius, too can also be seen as a sign of the Prius into a sub-brand of Toyota.

Washinggton, 26 November 2009 - Toyota Motor Corporation berencana mengganti pedal gas 4 juta mobil di Amerika Serikat menyusul laporan yang disampaikan Lembaga Nasional Keselamatan Jalan Raya Amerika Serikat (National Safety Highway Traffic Administration/NSHTA) September lalu. Penggantian akan dilakukan mulai April 2010.

Seperti diketahui, pertengahan September lalu, NSHTA mengumumkan pedal gas mobil Toyota menyangkut di karpet sehingga gas tiba-tiba tertarik dan mobil melaju kencang tak bisa dikendalikan dan menimbulkan kecelakaan. Lembaga ini juga merekomendasikan Toyota untuk menarik kembali produknya yang dinilai bermasalah itu.

NHSTA juga mengatakan, sebuah laporan kecelakaan terjadi di California yang menewaskan seorang pengemudi dan tiga anggota keluarganya terjadi pada September. Kecelakaan terjadi karena pengemudi tidak bisa mengendalikan mobil yang melesat dengan tiba-tiba akibat pedal gas tertarik oleh karpet lantai.

Perbaikan pedal gas ini merupakan langkah penting bagi Toyota untuk memulihkan citranya sebagai pabrikan otomotif terbesar di dunia setelah berita penarikan kembali produknya diumumkan ke publik pada September lalu. Terlebih, selama bertahun-tahun produk Toyota dikenal tidak hanya nyaman tetapi juga aman.

“Reputasi Toyota benar-benar terpukul (dengan peristiwa tersebut),” tutur Aaron Bragman analis otomotif dari Lembaga Konsultansi IHS Global Insight seperti dikutip Associated Press, Kamis (26/11).

“Dan langkah perbaikan merupakan hal yang sangat penting bagi Toyota. Sebab, hal itu merupakan pilar bisnis bagi pabrikan ini,” tambah Aaron.

Sementara itu sumber di Toyota menyebut, dalam rencana penarikan yang dirilis Rabu (25/11), dealer Toyota akan menawarkan (sementara) pedal gas kepada para pemilik mobil sembari menunggu pabrikan mengembangkan model pedal gas yang terbaik.

Proses penggantian sementara itu akan dilakukan awal Januari mendatang. Sedangkan pedal baru yang permanen akan dipasang pada awal April.

“Reputasi Toyota benar-benar terpukul (dengan peristiwa tersebut,” tutur Aaron Bragman analis otomotif dari Lembaga Konsultan HIS Global Insight seperti dikutip Associated Press, Kamis (26/11).

“Dan langkah perbaikan merupakan hal yang sangat kritikal bagi Toyota. Sebab, hal itu merupakan pilar bisnis bagi pabrikan ini,” tambah Aaron.

Penggantian pedal itu tidak hanya pada varian Lexus ES350 saja, tetapi juga pada sedan medium Camry yang merupakan sedan paling laris di Amerika. Bahkan, Toyota Prius yang merupakan sedan hybrid terlaris di Amerika Serikat itu juga masuk dalam daftar penggantian.

Juru bicara Toyota Amerika, Irvin Miller, mengatakan pihaknya sangat serius menaruh perhatian pada masalah ini. Namun, sebutnya, Toyota percaya bila disebut electronic control system mobil produknya bermasalah.

Menyinggung penggantian pedal gas dan karpet lantai yang akan dilakukan itu, sumber Toyota lainnya mengatakan, karpet lantai mobil hanya dijual di Amerika. Oleh karena itu penarikan kembali produk yang akan diganti hanya terbatas pada produk yang dijual di Amerika Utara saja.

A distanza di 10 mesi arriva anche il secondo tagliando della Prius. A quota 30746 Km.

Ancora niente da segnalare. Tutto procede benissimo. L’auto si comporta a dovere e non mi sta dando rogne di sorta. Il secondo tagliando mi è costato 160€.

Tirando un po’ di somme, all-inclusive (benzina, assicurazione e manutenzione) dell’auto si riassume così: 330€/mese e 0.11€/Km.

With an increasing number of holiday festivities being held in the home this year, we’re all looking for creative and cost effective ways to spruce up our table settings and create a look that will impress our guests. When it comes to setting your Thanksgiving table, options for the adventurous host are limitless. What are the hottest trends for you to bring to your table this year? Here are a few ideas that will take your Thanksgiving table from ordinary to extraordinary:

Color, Texture and Mix – Match:

In table linens and accessories, this year we are seeing rich, saturated colours. We are also seeing a lot of texture and the mixing and matching of patterns with solids. There are a lot of options out there to do something warm and inviting.

Color Trends

Warm tones have always been popular for Fall and that continues with some of the biggest trends in colour combinations this year. Some of those include:
- Deep Spice and Aubergine with muted Gold accents – Dark Chocolate with Blues and Gray accents – Olive Green, Aubergine and softer greens as accents – Dark Chocolate, Taupe and Natural

Tabletop Decor

- Use things that you already have in your home – pull out your 3 or 4 of your favourite vases of different heights. Use complementary colors of fresh flowers for a simple and stunning arrangement. Fill three or four vases and/or glass bowls with different colors and sizes of ornaments, fruits, leaves – anything with color and texture that will create visual excitement.

- Your guests are all unique – why not celebrate their individuality? Use different patterns and/or colors of napkin rings that match their unique personalities. Are they simple or sophisticated? Fun or formal? Unpredictable or conservative? Show them you care with a little customization to complement your table linens.

- Candles are always a dramatic and cost effective way to make a statement – use votives at each place setting with a name card and emphasize beautiful table linens for a classy and simple look. Or go more dramatic and cluster your favourite candle sticks of varying heights and looks as a centerpiece. Use colors that complement or match your dishes, glasses and table linens.

- Nothing brings subtle sophistication to your table like a well-selected runner. Use one the length of the table plus 12 inches to hang over the edge (usually a 90″ or longer) as the perfect centerpiece. If you are using a solid tablecloth or placemats, make sure to jazz it up with a festive pattern. If you have a patterned look already, use a vibrant solid runner that picks up on one of the colors in your runner.

- Use 2 napkins instead of one with a napkin ring. With a solid napkin inside, and a more decorative napkin on the outside.

When setting your table, just remember: do what feels right for the mood. A casual gathering calls for a relaxed setting. A formal meal should feel that way at the table. Either way, it doesn’t take much to elevate your in-home dining experience. Replacing an old tablecloth with something fresh an exciting, and adding a few simple table accessories can go a long way to impressing your guests. It’s that time of year when family gatherings abound and everyone spends countless hours congregating around the dinner table. With the hours spent preparing the perfect meal, make sure you don’t forget to finish it off with the perfect setting.

Even  See More : SUVBlogger

Toyota reportedly has a Prius sports wagon or SUV in works, according to Japanese newspaper Yomiuri . Toyota Hybrid X Concept was unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show and the Toyota SUV has been rumoured to be on paper ever since.

See More At : SUVBlogger

The Prius could surpass the Camry as Toyota’s best selling model in the U.S. in the next ten years says the head of Toyota’s sales department. Toyota Motor Sales boss Jim Lentz made the comments, stating that he sees the Prius gaining ground, rather than the Camry (the top selling passenger car in the U.S. for 11 of the past 12 years) shrinking.

The prediction, however, is a long way off from reality, as so far in 2009 Prius sales aren’t even half of Camry sales, with the former registering 118,290 units sold, while the Camry sits as 294,493 units sold. Both the Camry and Prius had their best sales years ever in 2007, when the Prius sold 181,221 units, compared to the Camry’s 473,108 units. Toyota is predicting 140,000 units for the Prius in ‘09.

Read more …

Alert Taxis have been successfully serving the Auckland public since 1964. They are now offering their service to the Christchurch public in the form of a fleet of environmentally friendly hybrid vehicles.

http://www.alerttaxis.co.nz/

TecZilla berichtet von News zur denkbaren Erweiterung der Prius-Familie in weitere Marktsegmente oberhalb der Unteren Mittelklasse.

http://www.teczilla.de/bericht-toyota-prius-faehrt-als-kombi-oder-suv-vor/7165

As many of you are no doubt already aware, i spent Hallowe’en weekend in seattle with jo-ann and trevor. The trip started off with a somewhat ill-fated trip to Tan Popo for all-you-can-eat sushi. The sushi and assorted Japanese foods were fantastic, my ill-fated remark refers rather to Trevor’s stomach and his need to share it’s relative fullness for the rest of the night via assorted grunts and groans which Jo-ann and I only put up with because we were both well-sauced by this point.

The next morning it was up and out (at least in theory) on our way to Seattle. Trevor and Jo-ann had rented a fantastic grey Prius for our little road trip south of the border and somewhat predictably I now want one – in all fairness so does Jo-ann. Anyway, the road trip was lovely and we soon arrived at the home of Cale and Sacha. Needless to say, drinking ensued. That night we were off to Showbox SoDo – which was a wicked venue, like a big old warehouse, making me feel very much like i was Kyra Sedgewick in the movie ‘Singles’ – to see The Airborne Toxic Event who were brilliant. We did shots of tequila and drank supercans of PBR all night and it was amazing. (BTW, my favourite song by The Airborne Toxic Event is Sometime Around Midnight – click to see the video)

The next day was largely a hangover day and we sort of hung around the house acclimatising to the surprising warmth of Seattle. Later Trevor and I ventured out to the supermarket unsupervised which proved somewhat disastrous as it was not unlike two Id’s who’d left their Ego at home. We came back with over $100 worth of beer, chips, and pop, and beer only costs (!) $10 a case in the states. Any man who can pass a bag of Lay’s Limon or a six-pack of Land Shark Lager is a stronger man than I.

That night we stayed in and watched some terrible hallowe’en fare. The best of the three movies we watched was called ‘Shrooms’ and it was about some supposed friends who flew from America to Ireland on holiday to take mushrooms. I say supposed friends because very early into the film we found ourselves wondering why people who hated eachother as much as this bunch did would waste a thousand-ish dollars flying across the atlantic to spend a holiday together. Furthermore, are there no drugs in America? Who flies to Ireland to take mushrooms? Is this some sort of trend I don’t know about? Is this what all the kids are doing these days? Needless to say all but one of the “friends” ended up dead and the killer, after getting away with all the murders, escaped, for some reason, into the forest. It actually wasn’t a terrible movie apart from these and maybe a few more plot holes. We also watched ‘Stan Helsing’ which was just plain fucked up.

The next day it was time for some sightseeing in downtown Seattle starting with Pike Place Market. We stopped in for a Starbucks, Jo-ann had a thing for the fishermen, and Trevor, for some reason, drank a Hangtown Mary which included a raw oyster dangling nausea-inducingly from a cocktail pick. Later, despite protest from Jo-ann, we ascended the Space Needle which was actually properly amazing. It’s not right in the downtown core so you have a view of that, Puget Sound, and the whole surrounding area. Also, you can walk outside right the way around which is really cool; we had a drink up there and all loved it.

Later, we all kitted up and proceeded to get our drink on. After some initial indecision Sacha decided on Dorothy over Lederhosen, Cale topped his outfit up with a mustache, and I affixed my Cher wig and slipped into my poncho. Upon leaving the house Trevor was already quite drunk, rather foreshadowing the events that later transpired, but at this point each of us were blissfully unaware of anyone’s drunkenness but our own.

After arriving at Showbox at the Market – again, amazing – we got stamps on our wrists and proceeded to enjoy the party-time sounds of Seattle’s very own Cool-Ade. It was a brilliant party and then all of a sudden Cale came up to the rest of us and said that Trevor had been kicked out for being too drunk. After some initial disappointment Cale hatched the rather masterful plan of re-dressing Trevor in some extra bits and pieces, including my poncho and wig (I was also wearing a fantastic psychedelic shirt). So Cale painstakingly removes the Fred Flintstone costume from the now balance-challenged Trevor and replaces it with the wig and poncho. Only after he is fully re-dressed does Trevor point out the big black X that is drawn over the entry stamp on his wrist, precluding him from returning at all.

After a fall in the parking lot and the poncho moving again from Trevor, back to me, and then to Sacha, we’re now on our way home and out of downtown Seattle having only arrived an hour previous. All is going swimmingly again until we’re speeding down the freeway and Trevor decides to open his door to vomit. Only we’re going 65 MPH. And he’s not wearing his seatbelt. So a bit of shitstorm unleashes in the car and Jo-ann and I are trying to hold onto Trevor as his relieves his turbulent stomach onto the busy road (and a little bit onto the car door).

Now, just as we’re trying to find our way back onto the freeway after diverging in order to let Trevor finish up what do we see but A LANDSHARK BILLBOARD! Realizing that this is indeed a stupendous moment Sacha pulls the car to a hault and Cale and I dance a jig beneath it as Jo-ann tries capture the moment on film rather unsuccessfully.

Upon arriving home Trevor headed straight for bed and despite thinking it was a good idea to drug him awake – we failed – the night died down after that. Needless to say Trevor woke up with the mater and pater of all hangovers and we hit the road home.

En route we stopped to get Jack In The Box which was BRILLIANT, Jo-ann decided she needed to try every flavour of vitamin water, and Trevor usurped a coat that I liked at the outlet mall for his own – coatstealer. Finally, the next day we had lunch at the Black Frog before Jo-ann and Trevor had to head back to their real lives in the Big Onion. It was a fabulous trip.

A few things I learned:
1. Trevor’s new nickname is Captain Obvious as he has an uncanny ability for vocalising the obvious.
2. Showbox is fantastic. Go there if you’re in Seattle.
3. Ditto, the Space Needle, it’s surprisingly good.
4. Avoid Trinity night club at all costs. It was aweful and an event transpired as confusing as it was angering.
5. I am quite good at the playing the drums in Rock Band.
6. Do not show Trevor a coat you like at an outlet mall.
7. Lay’s Limon are amazing. (Why do we not have them in Canada?)
8. Jo-ann and I are quite good at swaying a la Sonny and Cher, or at least we seemed to be after a few drinks.
9. Bluto may be the best name ever in the history of horror films.
10. Do not go to Ireland to take shrooms.

I thought I’d look into how to use the internet to push an environmental friendly vehicle such as the Prius.

I’ve had a lot of experience marketing cars online especially for Honda and Mazda here in Australia. But how do you market a car that has questionable environmental impact (due to battery production and shipping) and low quality driver experience?

I have now read a lot of reviews, which suggest for the same price and better fuel performance I would be better buying one of the new gen diesel vehicles. I must admit I do and because I wanted the performace and driving experience while reducing fuel consumption.

Hybrid cars are not a new concept with Ferdinand Porsche, in 1899 as a young engineer at Jacob Lohner & Co. created the first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle. It wasn’t until the 1980’s that the idea was brought back in to the light. Interestingly it was Audi in 1989 with the 100 Duo a plug-in parallel hybrid based on the Audi 100 Avant quattro. But no more than 10 were produced. Audi continued to work on the idea with a few releases. In 2010 they will release the A1 a sporting looking car with reasonable 110 kW (150 bhp) compared to the 57 kW (76 hp) in the Prius. But I digress… if you want to know more visit Hybrid Vehicle History website. http://www.hybrid-vehicle.org/

Researching this I was underwhelmed at how Honda, Toyota and Lexus for example used social network marketing. Toyota have gone much further and have succeeded especially when you look at Facebook and Twitter. This may be a reflection on the number of units sold to the marketing spend but none the less there are 45,000 people engaged and talking about the Prius.

The downside for Prius is that it has have come under scrutiny by some of the biggest motoring commentators. The most well know is Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear fame. Prius have been stuck with a 3 year old clip of the underperformed earlier model. Will this endanger sales? I think it is only a bug on the windscreen of the 45,000 seater facebook fan bus.

So what do I think? Well I’m impressed they have used almost every channel available to them. But! I have lost count of how many messages they are try to spread. Different execution for different targets can make sense but I think Toyota has been sucked in by their agencies. Some of the creative is self indulgent design to put another trophy on the reception desk. The stand out is the UK TVC which sells the merrits of the car. Toyota can no longer depend on just the green angle.

I have started to put a gallery together below of Prius marketing materials

The Gallery

Twitter

There are dozens of Prius twitter accounts. It looks like the Prius marketers have create 3GenPrius twitter account. The content is a follow on to the efforts on Facebook. The account has just over 1,000 followers while following 1,200 Twitter feeds. Nothing exciting here but if you want to watch the conversation in click here.

Facebook

Facebook has 29 groups you can become a fan. The main group has over 45,000 fans and has developed apps to help “share” the “radom acts of Prius”. Not only have they created a tribe of followers they have given them the tools to spread the gospel.

The group description is “Welcome to Harmony. Where what people want is also what nature needs. With an unsurpassed fuel economy rating, available solar technology, more power and fewer smog forming emissions, it’s no wonder Prius is the most loved hybrid in the world.” But is it the most loved? Well on that I searched for other “popular” hybrids including the Honda Insight – yep they maybe right.

There is also an option to “Ask an Expert” or see the Prius solar flower (you have to see it)

Websites

US: http://www.toyota.com/prius-hybrid/commercial.html
UK: http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyota/bv/frame_start.jsp?id=MSR_PRIUS

Why Not? http://www.toyotabeyondcars.com

Mobile Site: http://m.toyota.com/prius/index.html

iPhone App

Available through itunes contains a lot of  information.  Photos  that you can compare and choose colors, even see how the dashboard navigation system looks.  Trim versions, so you can compare prices and option packages.  iPhone and iPod Touch users can see videos, including a 360-degree colorizer of the Prius.  Within the next couple of months, Toyota will extend this rich media feature to other models – and also to other mobile phone models.

Forums and Blogs

The Prius is all over the internet. One of the biggest forum is PriusChat with 70,500+ threads, 996,000+ comments and over 58,000 members. When I visited the site there were 4,276 active members. Now for a car that is not highly rated that is pretty impressive.

Youtube

Go to YouTube and type in “prius” and you are returned almost 7,000 results. Like most keyword searches only a percentage are of the car. Here you will find the TVCs, the making off the DA DA DA international TVC. Other clips include spoofs and reviews including the Top Gear bashing of the Prius and he does make a good point.

International:
I’ve seen this TVC before. It is visually clever with a mass of people playing the part of trees, flowers and running water. The main message is about the low emmission aspect of the car. The only “more power” and “more space” are the only two other take aways. Impressive yes, persuassive – hmmm maybe not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq4nrmnqY9o

UK:
I like this  TVC as it manages to get the clean energy across but makes more of the features of the car. When looking for a car you have a particular need or desire. With a number of hybrid cars how do you now stand out? Being the original and the most experience is what the TVC communicates. The others are just following our lead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuGJtIUow3o

Top Gear
Unless a cars has 800+ bhp you’re in trouble with these guys. Why are people so unkind! Well they may be onto something.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOvp69lnZbA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqY8FUDcATE

Fifth Gear are a bit more generous with the 3rd gen Prius
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yspf4wbs5uE

Promo
“best selling hybrid in history” – please they should be slammed for that comment alone. I thought the blue man group had vanished in the hallowed halls of the 1990s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8Btpk8yTS0

Traditional Media

Here is a range of print ads… still looking for more.

]]> http://dailydmv.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/how-not-to-right-3-8-million-wrongs/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:32:08 +0000 OnlineGURU Gurl http://dailydmv.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/how-not-to-right-3-8-million-wrongs/

With a safety recall involving 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles, you’d think Toyota would be a little more judicious when issuing a press release. Most recently, the carmaker published false and misleading info on its latest floor mat flub.

About its alleged driver’s side, pedal-entrapping floor mats, Toyota inaccurately stated the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has come to the conclusion, “that no defect exists in vehicles in which the driver’s floor mat is compatible with the vehicle and properly secured.”

Not so, says the government agency. Not even close. In fact, the NHTSA stands by its original advice to Toyota and consumers to yank the recalled floor mats ASAP. Removing the mats is the NHTSA’s quickest answer to the deadly problem, but it’s still just an interim measure. Until Toyota “effectively addresses the defect by providing a suitable vehicle based solution,” the NHTSA considers the issue wide open.

The consumer alert includes the following Toyota and Lexus vehicles:

• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2004-2009 Prius
• 2005-2010 Tacoma
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2007-2010 ES 350
• 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS350

If you drive any of the above, remove the driver’s side floor mat immediately. It could cause unintended acceleration if stuck, resulting in very high speeds, serious injury or death. For more on other auto-related recalls, visit The Unofficial DMV Guide.

In reputable newspapers and magazines, articles have surfaced about how the gang scene has returned to Los Angeles, California.  Gang related violence has increased 143% in the last year because criminologists believe those arrested in the crazy crack epidemic bust in the late 1980s and early 1990s are slowly, but surely, opening the cell doors where they’ve served their sentenced time. 

“Hail Mary, Full of Grace…..please find me a parking space,” Keith thought to himself as he turned the corner around his office building trying to find a parking spot in downtown L.A.

Los Angeles is different from New York  City – different accents, different mentality, terrible PT system. The borders of many neighborhoods in Los Angeles are very sudden (you can be on one side of the street and be in a “sunny” neighborhood, and then cross the street and end up in a “shady” part of town… and I’m not talking about the weather.)  But, one headache is the same - Parking. Especially, if you’re late for work. 

After circling the fifth time in his black Prius, he gave in.  Keith had to drive down the block and park in the lot in the dodgy side of town.

He pulled up to the ticket booth, paid his entrance fee and found the closest parking spot for his eco-friendly stealth bomber. Keith got out of his car, put on his suit jacket without a wrinkle, picked up his briefcase and bid good morning to the security guards.  After he clicked the button to lock the car, He was ready to start his day.

BANG!  BANG! BANG! BANG!

Keith’s heart was racing!  He could feel all the nervous energy fall to his stomach.  Of course this would happen the only time he had to park in the lot farthest from his office.  Looking around to find the nearest cover,  Keith tucked his body as he leaped in the air and rolled underneath the nearest car for protection.

He saw the security guards sitting on two folding chairs looking at him –  puzzled – in what seemed like  two football fields of open war zone.

“What are you guys doing!?” Keith yelled over to the men, “Take cover! Can’t you hear the gun shots!?”

The men look at each other, trying to hold it in, but they just can’t. They burst out laughing.

“They’re filming a movie down the street,” one man chuckled to Keith.

Keith rose off the ground to his feet and brushed himself off.

“I was totally getting ready for my audition for the young Jack Bauer… did it look real?  You think I’ll nail it and get the part?” 

He walked away and went to work. 

….AWKWARD!!

Японская автокомпания Toyota намерена выпустить в продажу новую версию гибрида Prius – в кузове универсал или, как его можно назвать по-другому, небольшой кроссовер.

На свет новинка появится в конце 2010 года, сообщает MotorAuthority.

Скорее всего, в качестве силовой установки на автомобиль поставят электромотор на литий-ионных батареях, которые, как ожидается, будут более мощные, дабы “тащить” на себе довольно большой по размерам автомобиль.

Стоимость универсала Prius составит около 22 000 долларов. Это будет самая дорогая модификация гибрида из уже существующих.

Напомним, что Toyota хочет выделить Prius в отдельный бренд для гибридных моделей. Под этой маркой будет выпущено несколько новых машин. Среди них и автомобиль 2012 года, по размерам превосходящий существующий седан Prius. Основан он будет на среднеразмерной платформе MC и возьмет многое от 5-дверного предшественника.

Также в планах компании создать к 2013 году уменьшенную 4-дверную версию Prius – компактный купе-седан, предназначенный в основном для молодежи. Построен он, вероятно, будет на платформе модели Yaris.

After about 2 months I can finally write a bit about my new Prius – a sort of review.

Let get straight to it. The only thing that I would like to mention before starting, is that the car I had before was a “small” diesel car, a VW Polo with 1.4L Turbo Diesel Engine, with 75 HP and weighing 1250 kgs. I was used in getting an overall average of 5-5,6L/100km in town and anything between 4.2-4.4 to 6.5L/100km on my daily commute. My expectations on the Prius were not to get, of course, the advertised city consumption average of 4.0L/100km, but rather at least the same consumption as the Polo. At the same time I was glad to have a bigger, more confortable and more powerful car.

All these goals, have been fully met with the Prius, and much more. So what does driving a Prius mean?

First and foremost, it means SILENCE, complete utter silence, even when the engine is running. Granted, if you are flooring it, you do hear the engine, but otherwise it is pure bliss. The Prius rejoices you with the everyday traffic: traffic jams have become (wasted, in any case) time to relax in a quiet and comfortable interior, while not consuming a single drop of gasoline. During mid-low speeds, one “glides” through the traffic, not simply rolling, but aware that a powerful but silent electric engine, is pushing the car through – almost like on a sail ship. Driving a Prius, is definetely a relaxing experience.

The Prius is certainly a relaxing car, but…it is not a “granny’s car”, quite on the contrary – on normal mode it does “move” – you give gas and it glides effortlessly through traffic – granted, the engine must make some extra noise sometimes, but it is not a slow paced car. Certainly you can drive it slowly, even with ECO mode on, but normally, it does show its 136HPs without being shy. And when you set PWR mode, you literally “fly”. Maybe because one is used to drive a Prius always taking care of fuel consumption, or maybe because the accelerator pedal is mapped in a less responsive way in the other modes, or because the motor management changes the valve timing of the VVT engine or the fuel injection or the delivery of current to the electrical engine – I don’t know really what it does, but all of a sudden you have HPs coming out of “nowhere” – you sprint at traffic lights like a “rocket” and on the highway you can accelerate with visible reaction even at high speeds (130-150km/h).

Stability is excellent – it never rocks like a boat, even with the automatic gearshift – you never roll or the feel of it. Maybe it’s the 215/45R17 wheels (and with the winter tires 195/55R16 is the same) or the overall design of the car improved stability: you always feel safe and exactly where you want to be. The previous Prius model was not at all like this and it was one of the main reasons I didn’t change car back then and waited an additional 2 years before this new version came out.

Fuel consumption: I get anything from 3.3L/100km in town up to 7.5L/100km. I have achieved without any particular effort and driving normally (i.e. not in “granny mode”, an average of 5L/100km for a 800km round trip on a hilly highway. 4.7L/100km is what I got so far in “city” commute driving: it is not a pure 50km/h max city driving, rather a mix of short highway, stop & go, traffic lights, mid-speed cruising around 60-80km/h. The Prius is currently consuming in my daily commute slightly more (0.2L/100km) than the Polo. Yes, but the Polo consumption was measured in August, while the current fuel consumption measurement of the Prius is the average of over the months of September and October: the engine sometimes needs to warm up when at stand still in a jam or at a traffic light as it gets cold not being used continuously. Spring next year will really show a bigger difference, I am sure. Not mentioning also that the Polo was 7 years old and the Prius brand new and hardly through its break-in period of 2500km…

Electric driving??? Yes, sure – and when you least expect it. A full hybrid car does have its marked advantages, compared to a mild hybrid like the Honda Civic or a normal car (even with start/stop): 1) you can drive into parking lots without using a single drop of fuel; 2) you can glide up to 100-110km/h or more (depending on terrain, wind, battery charge) with the electrical motor giving just enough impulse to push the car ahead with constant speed (and 0L/100km fuel consumption); 3) you can move the car when looking for a parking spot without ever turning the engine on; 4) you can avoid stinking the place (e.g. garage, parking lot, etc.); 5) you don’t care about traffic jams and traffic lights, it’s now “only” a waste of time, but not necessarily money. The most weird thing about being electric/hybrid, and only now I am getting used to it, is the weird sensation you get when turning the Prius on and then starting driving it out of its parking spot. You are so used to heat an engine running when moving a car, that sometimes I found myself wondering “did I turn it on?” – “How can it move? I did not turn it on – I don’t hear “brum, brum from the engine” ” is it all right here?”…. To me this has been a true revolution in driving experience.

But all things, Prius included, are not necessarily perfect.

Things that should be improved:

1. it is practically impossible to understand where the front of the car ends – I have also tried to find reference points having a friend showing me where the car physically ends standing outside and pointing me where the bonnet ends, but without success – simply said, you have *no* clue of how long is the car and whether you will bump it or not in your next parking manoeuvre….
2. Visibility in the rear….as long as it is not raining, all OK – yes, it is not a cinema screen, but you still see if you are about to run down a cyclist or see a car approaching or bumping the car behind you when parking; where the glass ends, the car ends – so there is little guessing there. But if it rains and it is dusk or night *and* it is raining,  OMG, you’re out of luck; simply said, you don’t see “anything”, especially if what’s behind you doesn’t come with a light (examples: children, pedestrians, bicycles that *should* have a light, etc.) – the rain drops disperse the light and all you see is simply “light” and no detail at all. You have no clue from where or whom the light comes from (“behind” is your best guess), and simply pray you are not running down anybody or hitting somebody else’s car…

Things that need fixing (defects): actually I have found only one so far…though in working order and not a show-stopper, the reception of the FM radio is far less than stellar; tuning on the same radio station, while driving on the same roads at the same time of day, simply sounds worse, more disturbed, with pop/click sounds and other similar “radio noise”, compared to my Polo – you simply cannot listen to more than 10secs of noise free radio. Considering how old the FM radio technology is, and how good the overall sound system is (it is actually pretty good), it is a complete shame. The antenna is shorter than my previous car, but was used on another car and is fine. I used a longer antenna, and I could not notice any difference. It seems therefore that the noise is injected after the signal gets amplified or during the amplification and before it reaches the final amplifier. There is no noise to be heard when hearing to CDs, MP3s or my iPod. I filed a complaint with Toyota and had the car checked by my dealer and everything is working order. It is clearly a design issue that only Toyota can fix. Several US Prius drivers have reported the same problem. I understand though that Toyota needs more statistics before it can really acknowledge the problem and try to fix it.

You remember the Prius, the first brand-new car Tras and I have had in decades. It’s a darling little thing, all energy-efficient and all — and for that reason alone, we love it. We do.

We also love it because it is extremely pimped out.

Oh, it’s no Mafia Car, our name for the Chrysler 300, which to me looks extremely intimidating with its gun-slit windows and menacing grill.

And when the Mafia goes on vacation, there is the convenient wagon version.

Anyway, one of the bells and/or whistles which came on the model Prius we selected is keyless entry. It’s not just keyless, though; it’s completely keyless. You need never remove the remote from your pocket or purse. Stand next to the car and open the handle; it knows you’re there. Get in, press a button, the thing starts. Get out, lightly touch your finger to the handle (with the remote on your person, of course) and beep, it’s locked.

I now require this for every aspect of my life. And I’m almost there.

Arriving home, we push a little button on the rear-view mirror, which has been programmed to our garage-door remote. Open sesame. The garage opens. I enter my home.

Similarly, when I get to work, I wave my purse, containing my pass card, at the electronic door lock; the door unlocks and I sweep into the building.

Through the day, wherever I go, doors unlock and open as I approach. The crowd parts, as it were. I’m getting used to this.

Until I get to the door to my office. It’s a big heavy wooden door, equipped with this … this … metal thing. Perplexed, I stand there a moment, then gently push on the door.

Nothing.

I try the doorknob. Nothing. It will jiggle slightly, but that’s it. I set down my purse and bowl of oatmeal (tip #3) and stare for a while. How am I going to get in?

Then it dawns on me. I HAVE TO USE A KEY.

It’s amazing how quickly I got used to key-free living. Sure, every once in a while I start digging in my purse for my keychain as I head out to the parking lot to get into the car. But more often, it’s the other way; I stand before doors, waiting for them to sense my presence and admit me.

It’s as close, I suppose, as I’m ever going to come to achieving full-blown deity status.

A Toyota apresentou oficialmente o Prius ao mercado argentino. O híbrido é o primeiro automóvel com estas características a rodar por aquele país. Seu preço ficará em 49,7 mil dólares (R$ 86,3 mil) inicialmente. A marca, no entanto, acredita que o valor possa baixar caso o governo conceda incentivos para um veículo ecologicamente correto.

Apesar de já ter sido lançado, o Prius ainda poderá ter preço reduzido. A Toyota negocia com o governo argentino a concessão de menores impostos. Enquanto isso, aceita pedidos para o modelo. As vendas do híbrido, aliás, começam apenas no ano que vem. Das 420 unidades separadas pela marca para a América Latina, 50 chegarão à Argentina. No começo, somente oito dos 40 concessionários da Toyota naquele país poderão vendê-lo.

O Prius lançado na Argentina está em sua terceira geração, com um motor 1.8 de 99 cv. O conjunto híbrido entrega 136 cv. O modelo atua somente com eletricidade em circuito urbano, usando a gasolina apenas quando se necessita de força. No fim, o consumo fica na casa de 25 km/l e a autonomia chega a 1.150 km (45 litros de gasolina). As baterias não se recarregam na tomada doméstica, mas contam com sistema de recuperação de energia de frenagens. Oficialmente, o híbrido acelera de 0 a 100 km/h e tem coeficiente aerodinâmico de 0,25 Cx.

A chegada do modelo ao Brasil ainda é incerta, devido à alta incidência de impostos no país. Deveríamos seguir o exemplo do Equador, que eliminou todos os impostos para hibridos e elétricos, incluindo taxas de importação, e assim incentiva sua população a comprar carros menos poluentes.

What’s with all the modified hybrids lately? First Smokey Nagata decided to build a Top Secret Prius and Insight. Now Tommy Kaira is having a go at the modified Hybrid thing. These cars don’t make power and they’re uglier than sin. Plus if you’ve been under a rock (Los Angeles/Beverly Hills), these cars do more damage to the environment getting built than a gas-powered car does driving on the street. This trend needs to go away as quick as it came.

I’m still struggling to learn my way around WordPress…. little by little. Step by step.

But here in Japan I was recently shocked!

A spy shot!??

* Actually I took the picture myself.

What do you think?

I’m sorry to keep everyone waiting for so long, but I just never seem to be satisfied with the design. This was another good try along the long way to finish line.

Rest assured, I’m putting much more unnecessary attention to detail into this project than any other Japanese maker would, focusing on bringing out a truly unique design that’s only possible with a full bumper.

We’re also looking to keep the front and tow hooks operational so that the car will still pass a vehicle inspection.

And we’re working on the first ever rear wing for the 2010 Prius!!!

…and vertical LED daylights and winkers

…and

…and

well, we’re working on a lot of things. But this will be an ideal kit for drive-ability after it is fitted, so owners can put it on their first car and be stress-free.

And ASI has been doing plenty of measuring and driving, so contrary to the kit’s appearance, the parts are actually more compact in design than Toyota’s official aero options.

It should be on sale in early December, so stay tuned!!!