The 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is an all-new model that combines the best hybrid technology and adds pure electric drive. 

Up until just recently, hybrid models were not moving off dealer lots and most buyers didn’t really understand the new technology. But as gas prices have risen to $4 per gallon, sales of hybrids have skyrocketed. Toyota has benefitted as they have a number of hybrid models for buyers to choose from like the 2012 Prius c and the 2012 Camry hybrid model.

And now Toyota has added another new hybrid model to the mix with the all-new 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid. And Toyota is happy with the reception it is receiving from buyers. The 2012 Toyota Prius plug-in Hybrid has only been on sale for two months, but it is the third fastest selling car in the U.S. in the month of April. What’s even more interesting is the fact that the Prius plug-in is only being sold in select states with nationwide availability beginning in 2013.

The 2012 Toyota Prius plug-in Hybrid combines the best of both worlds

Many people have been afraid of electric vehicles because of the lack of understanding on how the technology works. EV’s have been associated with “range anxiety” issues, and are struggling with gaining wide-spread acceptance among buyers. But the new 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is changing all that by combining the best of hybrid technology and adding a pure electric drive system.

It’s really the best of both worlds: full electric power to eliminate gasoline consumption when it’s in electric mode, and a small fuel-efficient internal combustion engine that kicks in when the electricity runs out. If the driver goes farther than his electric charge allows, there is the gasoline alternative to fall back on eliminating the worry of being stranded on the side of the road.

The 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid uses a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine combined with the 4.4 kWh lithium-ion batter for the electric power source. Together they send a total 134 horsepower to the front wheels through a specialized continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid has strength’s and weaknesses

The big advantage for the Prius Plug-In Hybrid is a fast recharge time: about 3 hours on a standard 120-volt home outlet, says Toyota, or half that time on a larger 240-volt outlet. A 24-foot cable charger comes with the car, and there’s also an optional third-party home charging solution.

The biggest drawback is the Prius plug-in Hybrid has a limited electric range of 15 miles before the battery is depleted. For those commuters who live close to work, that wouldn’t be a problem. But if you live farther away, the back-up gasoline engine will need to be used. The similar plug-in Chevy Volt can travel 25-30 miles on a single charge.

The front-wheel-drive Prius Plug-in Hybrid has plenty of power and feels stable at highway speeds. But the small hatchback is really designed for city driving and that is where it feels most at home. It is great for zipping in and out of traffic and is easy to park because of its size.

The 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is selling quickly because it gets an estimated 95 mpg electric/gasoline fuel mileage and 50 mpg gasoline only. The starting price of the new Plug-in Hybrid is $32,000, but don’t expect to find one easily. The car is only offered in certain states, but will be available nationwide beginning next year.

Before You Buy

Have the upper hand in negotiations before going into the dealership: Get the best price on a new car at TrueCar.com

No related posts.

Remember the Aston Martin Lagonda Concept? If you don’t, be thankful. It is a vehicle who nobody liked in the first place, and its styling hasn’t worn well with time. Lagonda was a design study by Aston Martin, who was looking to launch Lagonda as a separate brand in order to sell luxury SUVs. The reception it received was strikingly similar to the way everyone reacted to the Bentley EXP 9 F Concept this past March.

While Aston expanded its reach with the Rapide (and hideous Cygnet…), building an SUV was ruled out under the Aston Martin name. The premise of the Lagonda made sense though; Aston did its research and concluded it would do very well in the United States and emerging markets. The research was spot on, and they apparently arrived at that conclusion earlier than Bentley and Lamborghini.

But, the Lagonda SUV was never given the green light due to the horrible reception it received. The smart thing to do would have been to try again, but we haven’t heard much since – until now. Autocar says the Langonda SUV isn’t dead. The profits are proving too hard to ignore. When Porsche was independent, it made a similar decision to produce the Cayenne. The pressure is on to diversify when you’re an independent manufacturer. Much less so when you’re under a corporate umbrella (*cough* Lamborghini cough*), but we digress. Buyers in the U.S lap SUVs, as well as in countries like China and India. Chinese and Indian buyers apparently aren’t into super cars as much as SUVs, due to poor road conditions.

Also, IHS Automotive analyst Colin Couchman says: “The traditional markets for supercars — the US and Europe — are still depressed…although the Chinese market remains buoyant, that won’t feed through to Aston because the Chinese don’t yet see the value of displaying their wealth through owning an expensive sports car.” SUVs have a lot more potential for growth, that’s for sure. We aren’t opposed to the idea either – big, luxurious SUVs are cool. However, they need to be sold under the right brand and styled properly The Lagonda Concept didn’t do the trick in that regard. If they go back to the drawing board and produce something that looks good, we could see this thing working out. Ulrich Bez said the company is doing just that, with an updated concept “in the coming year.” We’ll have to see what transpires.

No related posts.

A mantra during the development of the Cadillac ATS was “every gram counts.” The result is a vehicle that should be the lightest in its class when it debuts. With pressure from consumers to improve efficiency, as well as new Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards being put into place, the race is on to save weight.

Saving weight includes elimination of things (good look with that) as well as lighter materials. These materials include carbon fiber, aluminum and magnesium – all considerably more expensive than traditional steel. The Detroit Free Press has reported on this, quoting engineers who say the next target could be…..your CD player?

At 5 whopping pounds, it doesn’t seem like the most obvious target. Apparently it is something manufacturers would like to remove though, for weight as well as center stack real estate. We think it has something to do with cost reduction as well, but that’s another story. Big news was made last year when Chevrolet ditched a CD player on the Spark. it was one of the first cars on the market to do that. As we all know, old technologies stick around for a while after most people write them off. Just think about VHS tapes and in-car tape decks.

Some choose to hold on longer than others – the 2010 Lexus SC430 has the dubious distinction of being the last car on the market with a tape deck. Still, CDs are much more recent. Automakers are betting that a younger generation of buyers won’t see the need for them. A good many older buyers still do though, so we think it’ll be a while before we see a disappearance of them completely. Besides, this writer still uses them. Uses them as in, burns MP3s onto CD’s for in-car use. With smarter and more widespread integration of iPod connections and high-quality audio though, will that be a factor in the future? We’ll see. What do you guys think, should automakers ditch the in-car CD player soon?

No related posts.

For a while, most of the automotive world was intently focused on the BMW 1-Series M. A lot of news, teasers and relentless speculation lead to its debut. Then, BMW announced it was a “one and done”, with it being put into production for just one model year. We’re not sure why they did that, but it was nice while it lasted.

As a bit of a consolation, BMW is announcing the 135is Coupe and Convertible for 2013. While it is no 1-Series M, the 135is is the most powerful standard 1-Series yet. The 1-Series is a previous generation BMW product, developed during the Bangle era. That means it is a bit legacy in terms of powertrain setup as well.

Base models of the 3- and 5-Series have turned to turbo four-cylinder power, but the 135is still has a six-cylinder. And not just any six, mind you, but BMW’s lovely turbocharged 3.0-liter inline unit. For duty in the 135is the 3.0-liter has added 20 horsepower and 17 pound-feet of torque. The result is 320 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque, mated to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Exterior changes include a darkened grille and mirror, along with unique 18-inch wheels.

The suspension has been tweaked as well, with a stiffer tune versus the standard car. While not an M Performance model, M Sport bits have been thrown in the interior to give it a sportier feel. Compact and rear-wheel drive, the 135is should be a lot of fun to throw it around. Like the 1-Series M, enjoy it while it lasts! Like the rest of the competition, the next-generation car will be moving to a front-wheel drive platform. A FWD architecture is being developed to underpin cars like the 1-Series and upcoming MINI. The 135is starts at $44,195 (including $895 destination) and $44,895 for the convertible. If you’re interested, head to the BMW dealer – they are on sale now.

No related posts.

Ahh, the joys of branding and rebranding. Chrysler is no stranger to this. Since its partnership with Fiat it has separated RAM from Dodge (go figure), introduced standalone Fiat stores, and launched a new plan for Street Racing Technology.

Chrysler has been pitching SRT as its own brand for the past year. That means separate marketing and the like – despite the fact there will still be SRT Dodges and Chryslers, sold under different brands. Makes perfect sense, right? OK, we’ll get off our soapbox now. We do think it is a great idea for Chrysler to conduct specific owner outreach programs to SRT buyers.

SRT buyers make up a unique demographic that is different from the standard iterations of their respective brands. So hey, maybe it will work out brilliantly. The 2013 Viper is one such vehicle under the new SRT umbrella. It isn’t a Dodge Viper anymore, but rather an SRT Viper. Via Autoblog, Ralph Gilles has said that change has led to a reworking of the company’s strategy in selling the vehicles. Instead of sticking the usual salespeople on the job for selling the expensive Viper, a training program will be instituted. A document will be going out to dealers interested in selling the car, he said.

“It’s going to be a qualified dealer situation… The ones who do the dealer training in terms of the tech. I want a tech. I want a display car. I want all these things. There’s going to be a list. It’s not going to be impossible, it’s just that someone has to put in the extra effort and say ‘I’m an SRT dealer” says Gilles.

It isn’t clear if this is limited to the Viper only. We assume so, as SRT models are already sold in Dodge dealers around the country. Gilles said reception to the new Viper is strong – there is one dealer that has 90 orders alone.

No related posts.

Russ Ruedisueli, 53, is sitting in his office at Chrysler’s Technology Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan, although he’s the kind of guy who doesn’t sit so much as crouch, muscles tensed and twitching, as if he’s attached to a pair of unseen jumper cables beneath his desk. You’d figure the guy was in pain except for his perpetual smile. (more…)

C/D: Your first official appearance as CEO of IndyCar was at the Chicago auto show in 2010. You seemed so cheerful and innocent then.

RB: “Naïve” might be a better word.

C/D: You had never been to an IndyCar race then and had zero experience in motorsports when you took over a troubled organization. Good decision?

RB: I expected it to be challenging. When you make changes, there are always going to be people who don’t like it. My job is to look forward, to take the sport into the future, and I know I will ruffle feathers. But the past two years, we’ve had significant success in viewership, and sponsorship has increased. (more…)

When Robert Thomson invented the pneumatic tire a century and a half ago, a rubber doughnut inflated with air was only one of several ideas the Scotsman proposed for softening the ride and reducing the power required to propel the carriages of his day. Thomson also suggested filling what he called his “aerial wheel” with sponges, springs, and/or horsehair to avoid flats caused by “concussion between the wheel and the roadway.” (more…)

The entire line of John Cooper Works Minis—Countryman, hatchback, Clubman, Convertible, Coupe, and Roadster—will be equipped with a slightly revised version of the 1.6-liter powerplant found in the previous generation of JCW models. Those revisions result in an output of 208 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque, the same as the last JCW powerplant.

Read full story ?

Honda has recalled 52,615 of its 2007-2008 Acura TL sedans because over time, the power steering hose can deteriorate and develop a fluid leak, leading to a loss of power steering assistance.

In addition, if fluid leaks onto a catalytic converter it can result in smoke or a fire. To date, no crashes, injuries or fires have been reported in relation to this recall.

Owners of vehicles affected by this recall can go to an authorized Acura dealer as soon as they receive notification of this recall from Acura. Dealers will replace the power-steering hose.

Notifications will be mailed to vehicle owners beginning in mid-June. In addition to the mailed notifications, consumers can see if their vehicle requires repair by visiting recalls.acura.com or by calling 800-382-2238, and selecting option 4.

Source:
Statement by Acura Regarding Power Steering Hose Recall: 2007-2008 Acura TL [Acura]