2007 Toyota FT-HS Concept Fuel Economy
by Kristi Piziks, Detroit, USA on 01.10.07
Michael wrote about the Toyota FT-HS concept (the name stands for Future Toyota Hybrid Sports), which was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show this week. This is Toyota designer’s answer to the question, “What is a suitable and appropriate sports car for the 21st century.”
This crazy-cool looking car puts up some really incredible numbers. The 3.5-litre V6 makes it go really fast, if you consider 0-60 in four seconds really fast, and most people do... A combined output of some 400 horsepower drives the rear wheels. And the sticker-price on this car would run a very reasonable $30,000. Impressive numbers on any vehicle, let alone a hybrid.
While Toyota puts on an entertaining show with the FT-HS, they may merely be showing us something shiny to keep us from focusing on this lightly-reported on number: 25. That’s the approximate fuel economy that the FT-HS is getting. That’s certainly better than what most gas engine high-performance sports cars are getting now, but it’s a far cry from “environmentally sound.”
So even though I like the way they’re thinking by creating a sporty vehicle for the image-conscious treehugger, let’s hope that they continue to work to get a fuel economy number as impressive as the power and price. ::The Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept Car. See also: ::Ford Airstream Plug-In Hydrogen Fuel Cell Concept
TOYOTA FT-HS CONCEPT VEHICLE PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONSDRIVETRAIN
3.5 Liter V6 hybrid electricDIMENSIONS (inches)
Overall Length: 170.27
Overall Width: 73.23
Overall Height: 50.79
Wheelbase: 104.33
Wheels: Carbon Fiber
Tire Sizes: Front 245/35R21 Rear 285/30R21
Standard car article advice: Walk, cycle, carpool, take public transit, car-share, telecommute. Try to live close to the things you need and to where you work. But if you have to own a car, get the most efficient model that fills your needs, drive sanely, combine trips, keep it in good mechanical condition and keep your tires properly inflated.
Sigh....just like diesels they take a greatly more efficient technolgy, then wipe out all benefits by giving you more power than you would ever need.
The consumer benefits, the environment doesn't.
25mpg is still a gas guzzler here in europe.
Is that 25mpg US or IMP? Not that it makes too much of a difference. Would be about 30 Imperial MPG I think, which isn't bad from a 400bhp sportscar if we're being honest.
Interesting looking thing, and although I don't suppose a 3.5l V6 is everyone's idea of a hybrid, presumably this is more of a "hey, look, we can do exciting hybrids, not just bland stuff" statement? The more the idea that hybrid doesn't have to equate to "dull" soaks into the mainstream motoring public, the better. The Tesla may be great, but it's low volume in the extreme. Toyota have the global positioning to do some good stuff with this technology, and I for one am interested in seeing how it develops.
You know I still don't understand why Car companies can't make high performance sports cars, SUVs, and trucks that are EVs. Stop this BS of making cars we don't need that run on gas. There really isn't anything complicated about this.
I just see this Toyota car as another excuse for car companies to keep destroying the environment and using up our oil supplies.
SIGH....
So, where is the hybrid part of this car?
The other post says: Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD).
What is that? There's a wiki on it and it appears to be a continously variable transmission. When I hear hybrid I think dual, as in two locomotion sources. Not a fancy gearbox.
Am I missing something.
doinkman, the specs for the electric motors aren't known, I think, but it is a gas-electric hybrid very similar to the GS450h.
lol, the people whining about the mpg might wanna look up the stats of other 400bhp 4second cars. 25 is damm good, and if the driver knows anything, when not pwning Evo's and BMW's the car will easily get 35ish.
Its a supercar, not an MPG showcase car.
btw, its the new supra and has a 2 hybrid motors with eco/sport and SHIT FAST modes...
buy one!
If we are going to have trucks, sports cars, roadsters, sedans, coupes, motorcycles, and the rest, why not let each capitalize on regenerative braking and reduce idle time fuel-burn? Sure, EV would be fantastic, but those (we) who may be willing to sacrifice 200-300 horses for 200-300 extra mpt (miles per tank) remain a piddling minority, and those in the economic majority can't yet afford the EV+performance price tag (a la Tesla roadster). Even an extra 10 mpg on a car like this reduces fuel consumption by 3000-4000 gallons over ten years, and then the EV will be within reach and the now-devoted hybrid owner is ready to take that step. Bring on the intermediates.
i think for that price of about 40,000 you shold get a brand car like b.m.w or like my uncle he got a porsche cayman for 43,000 and my dads friend got a porsche boxster i think for 38 or 39,000 ut i think thats great car and the new toyota supra