408 horsepower and 31 miles per gallon! (No, not a Ford)

[burythehatchet]

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/volta.html

[HereSince1628]

1. Looks like it would get speeding tickets while it's parked.

PURDEE.

[Uncle Joe]

2. Too bad Detroit had no long term vision.

:kick:

[Ron Green]

6. Their long-term vision was to build pieces of crap like Excursions and

Suburbans and make lots of money on them.

[burythehatchet]

8. Smells like a steak and seats thirty five, Canyonero

Canyonero. (vintage Simpsons)

[MidwestTransplant]

25. Until they stopped selling....

[htuttle]

3. Wow. You could cut your finger on that car

Does it fly?

[burythehatchet]

5. No, but

it seats three abreast and the steering controls can be shifted so that anyone can drive.

[Beaverhausen]

11. WHAT??!!??!! Are you series?

that's amazing!

[insane_cratic_gal]

91. Gives a whole new term to backseat driver!

[A HERETIC I AM]

4. If they're smart they will bring it to market quick.

That is a pretty nifty concept vehicle. They should do what Chrysler did with the Viper and go from concept to production fast.

[burythehatchet]

7. check out the link

there are about 5 or 6 concepts that are truly breathtaking. Most of them hybrids.

[htuttle]

9. You're right. This one isn't bad either

Four wheel drive, mid-engined hybrid with a holographic dashboard!



In real life, this one would be more my style, though:

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/pm.html

I've been hoping to see a tiny one/two seat commuter car. This one is verry nice. If they put something like this in production for under $10K ASAP, they might change the future of the planet. Plus it looks fun! It wouldn't be for everyone -- but it would work great for a significant number of people. Oh, it FOLDS UP FOR PARKING, too. As close to George Jetson's car as I'm ever likely to see.

[Coastie for Truth]

17. The PM

Looks kinda like a Vespa with training wheels.

In Japan Toyota markets a 'micro-van" that appears to be derived from an "Echo" that was left out in the rain and shrunk - or a blunt nosed Scion XB (the delivery company with the logo of a mommie cat carrying a kitten in its mouth has them all over Tokyo).

Remember the Sparrow--

<>-

first manufacturer whent belly up - now it's been reborn in Ohio.

[htuttle]

46. A Vespa with training wheels *and a roof*

I've used a Bajaj scooter as my main mode of transportaton for a few years, and a roof and more wheels would make all the difference!

Re: the Sparrow -- I've been getting the impression that a three-wheeled vehicle is more stable with two steering wheels in the front, and a single drive wheel in the back. Seems to be far less chance of flipping. I'd love to drive a Sparrow -- assuming I couldn't find a Messerschmitt, that is...:) (and I can't).

Consider how much less petroleum we'd burn every year if even 1/3 of the commuters on the road would triple their gas mileage with a minimalist commuter vehicle. It would make a considerable dent in both oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. And we'd all still get to work (for awhile, anyway).

[burythehatchet]

56. The problem lies in transition

many people would try scooting except for the morbid reality of running up against a crazy driver in an Expedition. The roads would need to be changed to accomodate light vehicles.

[htuttle]

77. I think it will probably happen on it's own

I live in a college town that is chock full of scooters. Because everyone sees them all the time, they learn to keep an eye out for them. As more people ride them for economic reasons, more people will get used to watching for them. Most people, Expedition or no, really don't want to run other people over. Makes their insurance go WAY up.

Out in the county highways around here, anyone with half a brain is already watching out for slow moving hay wagons, and I stay off the expressways with it.

It really is an amazing savings. I'm only spending $1.50 every two weeks on gas, and I get to work in a better mood (scooters are Fun!).

[burythehatchet]

85. I know how much fun they can be

I grew up in India and it was the primary mode of personal trans in New Delhi. No helmets back than though. Many body parts.

[Poiuyt]

62. I've always wanted a Sparrow

They need to be able to distribute it.

[KAZ]

28. You can't be serious!

Ugliest POS I've seen since the TT (squashed vw).

[dipsydoodle]

50. Assuming you meant

the Audi tt 225 Roadster - did you ever try driving one ? I got mine January 2000 and the road holding was just amazing even before the ESP conversion been done 6 months later. Wuz Nimbus Grey, which was an old Caddy paint code from the mid '30s, with terracotta baseball glove leather. Maybe you just have to like retro stuff.

[burythehatchet]

54. I love Audi's lines

is the 225 the same as the TT. I wanted one so bad but there wasn't enough interior space.

[dipsydoodle]

95. I think you mean

the tt Coupe which is 2 + 2 although the back seats are really only suitable for children. I had the 2 seater Roadster with no room at all behind the front seats and a boot (trunk to you I guess) big enough for a pair of dance shoes and few packets of M&Ms. Such cars are only practical if you're single with no baggage or it's a second car just for fun. I'm a widower and just fancied having a laugh for a while. I did a ridiculously high mileage in a year or so, slaughtered its value and got rid of it.

[KAZ]

59. No, I don't mean to dis your car.

I still remember busting out laughing at the '00 (I think) Chicago auto show, when VW had the the new TT's hanging off the wall, and the speaker was taken aback by my outburst.

I am not a good judge of what's kewl and what's not. I thought the PT was a joke, and it sold how much.

I've read nothing but good things about the TT. But those I've passed, and there have been many, seem like they're pretty cramped in that SQUASHED BUG! (just kidding)

KAZ

[dipsydoodle]

96. No problem

Horses for courses - people buy things like cars for personal reasons not the least of may be practicality. I didn't need that at the time and got the car on the spur of the moment. Only thing that ever bugged me was that I couldn't get fishing rods in it without having the roof down. Fishing in the rain is one thing : driving a ragtop open in the rain just makes you look a muppet. I got a BMW Coupe after that which was more sociable with 4 seats and then went back to 4 x 4's which seem to suit every occasion.

Anyway - you ever get the chance then drive a tt Quattro Roadster which is what I had. With regard to road holding I guarantee you'll loose your nerve before you lose the car on the road.

[Gabi Hayes]

10. jesus...who needs a car with 400 HP?

and Chevy has at least nine cars, according to their ads, that get over 30mpg

not that I'm a fan of GM

[Neil Lisst]

12. I remember a time when your dad's Olds had 400 HP!!

Glory days of cheap gasoline and monster engines.

You know I'm talkin' about the 1960s.

[napi21]

13. Oh yea, I remember well! I still get heart palps when I see

some of the beautiful restorations rolling down the road!

I also remember when we used to go to the dealership once a year to "See the new models"!

NOW you can't tell one car from the other and FEW have any PIZAZZ at all!

[Neil Lisst]

21. a guy nearby has a mint condition '63 chevy

all those Chevies were sweet from about 1955 through 1964.

[napi21]

26. My son has a 72 Cuda convert. Beautiful car! n/t

[Neil Lisst]

29. the barracuda was a sweet little car, came out about 1968, I think

Plymouth?

[napi21]

33. Yep Plymouth. The Dodge was the Challenger.

I only wish I had purchased one back then and kept it! You can't believe what they're selling for NOW! A fully restored Cuda convert sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction for more than $1 MILLION!!!!!

[Neil Lisst]

47. I loved the Road Runner. A friend had one.

[htuttle]

63. You're kidding!

OMG. Half the guys I hung out in high school with owned souped up Challengers, Road Runners, GTOs, 68 Camaro's and one with a very nice hemi Cuda. I can only imagine how much they'd be worth if they'd kept them.

[napi21]

68. I'm sure if you asked them, they already heard about that auction.

http://www.sportscarmarket.com/auctions/milliondollarsales.php

1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda $2,160,000 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale AZ USA 01/14/2006

The link is to the sale prices of the cars auctioned.

Here's a pic of the Cuda

[A Simple Game]

22. I know what you mean, same here. n/t

[TheCowsCameHome]

18. Gas was 16 cents a gallon. It's a different game now.

[Coastie for Truth]

19. 16 Cents?

It was 25 Cents a gallon when I started driving, same price as a pack of cigarettes.

[TheCowsCameHome]

24. Gas wars were rampant - it was cruisin' heaven in my town.

[Neil Lisst]

32. there will never be another time like it

no one wearing seatbelts
sharp objects all over the entire
huge engine run on cheap gasoline

the sound of a big engine with a big cam barely idling ... ah...

[KAZ]

39. Yes, there is a time like it.

The cars today will smoke anything out of the muscle-car era; get good mileage, safer than shit, and insurable. The '60s aint got nothing on the present.

[Neil Lisst]

45. keep dreamin that

[KAZ]

51. My wife's Acura TL is faster than...

a '71 Mach 1, 0-60. There's no dreaming about it. It's a combination of technology; rubber, timing, weight, and traction. All that and 30 MPG. We do progress, you know.

[Neil Lisst]

66. sure it is

we did have stop watches back then, too, you know

[kysrsoze]

88. It's absolutely true - performance cars today will chew up and spit out

the old ones. Those old cars' horsepower was judged on a different scale (at the flywheel with no accessories - way over-rated compared to today), they were much heavier and couldn't handle worth a darn.

That said, there is something completely cool about one of those old cars with a big, loud monster engine. I LOVE the new Dodge Challenger. That thing is sweet.

[Neil Lisst]

93. they were great, and most guys had their "souped up"

don't tell me a 454 hp with dual fours and a 4.11 rear end won't outrun the street machines I see today

[TheCowsCameHome]

55. Pure HP. 409ci/409hp. These kids today missed all that. Too bad.

Real cars then, not this plastic stuff.

[kysrsoze]

89. ummm...plastic is lighter. So is aluminum - a BIG component in newer cars

[Neil Lisst]

23. and the minimum wage was .90 an hour, so you could buy 6 gallons

for an hour's work

Now, it's 2 gallons for one hour of minimum wage, and really not even that any more.

[AngryAmish]

30. I would be shocked if any stock Big 4 American car of the 60s

had 400hp. Even "The Judge" and all that. But I could be wrong.

[AngryAmish]

34. OK, I'm wrong

Roadrunner had 425bhp according to Wikipedia.

But I would guess a Roadrunner was twice the weight at least.

[KAZ]

35. Yes, you would be wrong.

Disclaimer: anything pre-'72 was "gross" HP.
http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclecars/general/musclecars-50fast.shtml

[AngryAmish]

36. Question: What is the difference b/w gross and brake horsepower?

[KAZ]

38. It's really gross vs net hp.

Gross was pure power at the block. Net mandated you hook up the afterthoughts (anything driven off of the engine, i.e. manifolds, mufflers, etc). About a 15% difference.

[DancingBear]

70. Yes, but any gear head worth a salt would balance/blueprint his engine

Then take it to an engine builder like Keith Black and have it run on the dyno.

BTW, the reason that yesterday's horsepower felt so "good" was that the ergonomics of the car factored very little into the equation.

You wanted more 0-60 speed - just tuck more motor under the hood.

I have an Audi A6 2.7T twin-turbo - 0-60 in 5.2. It's fun, but it is NOTHING like my old '65 396/425 Vette. That was just a pure adrenaline rush every time you mashed the pedal.

Today's cars have NOTHING on that.

Nothing,

[KAZ]

73. If you can get a 5.2, 0 - 60 out of of a 2.7L A6...

...then angels fly out of my butt. :)

You have one heck of car there.

[frylock]

76. 1 horsepower per cubic inch was the norm in that era..

sometimes even more. A 350 CI LT-1 from GM had around 375 horsies, if memory serves.

[DancingBear]

15. I do

If I can get horsepower AND mileage, sign me up.

(Still longing for the '65 396/425 Vette coupe with side pipes that I had during the early 90's)

[jmowreader]

40. Nine cars? That's all they made?

It sure as hell looks that way to me...the closest GM dealership to my house sells Pontiacs, Cadillacs and Hondas. The only vehicles on the lot that gets better than 20MPG are the Hondas.

OTOH, if you want a GTO or an Escalade, go straight there...they have LOTS of those!

[xultar]

94. I love them horses!

[roguevalley]

14. TRON LIVES!

[Blue_Tires]

16. 512 HP, 475+ TQ, 3100 lbs and 26 mpg

made in the U.S. with union labor, and you can buy one now at your local dealer...

[KAZ]

20. There you go!

I was livid reading this thread. Such ignorance. The regular variant gets 29 MPG(400 hp)and is available NOW (along with the Z06 version you posted). Sorry, the rest of the world trails the Corvette.

[Shakespeare]

37. "Livid?" Really?

Wow, you're easily upset. :eyes:

Deep breaths: It's just a thread. On a discussion board. About a cool-looking concept car. That is all. Breathe, grasshopper.

[KAZ]

41. You're right.

But I'm a Vette guy, through and through.

My dad was a 30 year vet at GM. I'm protective. :)

[Shakespeare]

42. Yeah....I know all about you 'vette people.

You're kinda nutty for those cars. ;-)

I'm a classic Mustang woman, myself....but I will admit to thinking that is one COOL looking concept car.

[KAZ]

44. Hate to say it, but I love the new Stang.

My Dad had a '71, 289. The new one has "heritage" written all over it.

It just an "American car" thing for me. I always think of my Dad when I drive my '99.

BTW, we own an Acura too. My wife will buy nothing else.

[Shakespeare]

49. I like those, too.

I haven't gotten around to test-driving one yet (because that would be a very, very dangerous thing to do...I'm quite happy with my '98 Civic SI coupe, and don't need the temptation). When I was in junior high, my dad rebuilt a 64 1/2 from rusted shell (that the neighbors laughed at) to showroom condition. He ended up selling it when we moved across country about a year before I got my driver's license, and I've never completely recovered from the trauma (it was going to be my car).

My first car was a '79 Mustang 302 V8. My dad described it as being "fast enough to pass anything but a gas station."

[KAZ]

53. My first real "sports car' was an Integra (87).

I do love Hondas. I drove a Civic for 4 years, an Accord for 6 years (twice), and we'll probably buy Acuras for the rest of my natural born years.

Hate to say it, but 64 Vettes are going for 2 arms and a leg these days. Ouch!

[Blue Fire]

80. Oh those old/new FORDS!

Way back when I had a '70 Mach 1 with all the good stuff! A 351 Cleveland, 4-speed Toploader, shaker scoop, rear window slats, blue and black and FAAASSST all over! I still miss that tire smokin' Camaro chompin' musclehorse! Alas - the only Fords I have at this stage in life are a Windstar minivan and an old F-150 beater for work.
But I will refuse to die until I own one of the new GTs. Well, if I can't come up with the $160 grand, I'll settle for one of the (hopefully) soon to be produced Shelby GT500s. Oh yeah! 500+ horses of supercharged 5.4 V8 mechanical adrenaline.........MPG be damned!

[Blue_Tires]

86. welcome to the site!

[Blue_Tires]

61. yes, i'm a big fan of the Z06

and GM Powertrain as well...

[DS1]

65. Ahh yes, the Vette and its Wagon Trail rear suspension

technology

It's not that impressive a number, anything that sleek should be getting upwards of 30 mpg in the first place

[KAZ]

67. It does.

And nothing foreign or domestic can touch it. Viper, $85k, 15 mpg. Porsche, $95k, 18 mpg. Vette smokes both, and is union made.

Vette has an independent read end suspension, and has humiliated the Porsche at Nuburgring many times over.

What "wagon trail" are you talking about?

[DS1]

69. Leaf springs

Wagon trail technologoy

[Blue_Tires]

78. lol

mock the springs and the pushrod engine if you must, but you can NOT mock/dispute the results on the track against the competition...

[DS1]

81. That's sheer straight-line speed catching up

I'd rather take a Porsche through the twisties
or even a Lotus Elan

[Blue_Tires]

83. ok, the Lotus I understand

but the Porsche? don't they still use that 'outdated' Mac strut? (I realize they are all great cars; just messin' with you a little :spank:)


there is more leaf spring info in this link:

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13582

[DS1]

87. I wish that guy would learn how to spell anti-roll bar

What being a suspension expert and all :D

[kysrsoze]

90. That car on leaf springs ran the second fastest Nurnburg ring in a

production car ever. I'm big on imports, but the Z06 is an absolute monster at the track. Even if it's old technology, they have perfected it. .98G on the skidpad is nothing to sneeze at.

[DS1]

97. Yes, that track gets pointed towards a lot with the Vette

because it's got really long straight areas, like a drag strip with the odd banking turn. What other tracks does it dominate?

[Paulie]

57. Sure, 6th gear and 55mph :-)

EPA Estimated MPG city/hwy
6.0L LS2 V8 six-speed manual transmission 18/28
Six-Speed Paddle Shift with Automatic Modes 17/27
7.0 LS7 V8 six-speed manual transmission 16/26

If you drive it like you mean it, forget those numbers. It takes a lot of fuel to feed 6-7 liters displacement.

With an electric drive motor at each wheel, it's going to make SCARY torque. My Prius already is in the 300 lb/ft with one electric motor from 0-1500rpm. :eek:

Before I went into the motor of my LS1 Camaro, I would get 20mpg with an A4. After the mods, 13mpg.

[Blue_Tires]

60. how heavy was it modded?

did you use a torque converter? steeper gearing, etc?

[Paulie]

74. Oh yes

4600 stall converter, 4:10's, heads/baby cam, every bolt-on, 8pt rollbar... :) :) :)

Prius doesn't have a trans, no need to worry about that problem anymore! :)

[Blue_Tires]

79. yeah, that's going to burn up a whole lotta fuel

but that sounds like a mean ride! probably turned more than a few heads at the local dragstrip...

I had an ex-gf that had a prius as a work car...very quiet, and the transitions are seamless

[Paulie]

82. It was bad with the 4" Mufflex exhaust

2am going up hill, you could hear it for blocks, even with cats on the headers. :)

Parking garages was car alarms going off like crazy... :hi:

[KAZ]

64. I've averaged 23.9 MPG during the life...

of my 5.7L 99. 118,000 miles. Mostly stop-and-go on I-55 in the south suburbs of Chicago. 23.9 mpg, and there is seldom a day when I don't see triple digits. Engine technology has come a long way.

[Paulie]

75. Manual I assume?

And you didn't defeat the skip-shift? Scary how fast these things can be right out of the box. 13.5 in the quarter and dyno'd 300hp/300tq at the wheels with 500 miles on the dial.

This Toyota Volta though, will probably have over 2000lbs of tq right out of the box. Electric motors on all 4 wheels... yummy! :)

[dipsydoodle]

27. Funny thing is

unless they've changed their laws it's too powerful to be sold in Japan - export only.

[KAZ]

31. Japan has been selling 295+ hp cars for years,

We also underrated HP in the in the 60's, for different reasons (insurance).

[dipsydoodle]

43. As far a I'm aware

that was the reason that the last Supra was taken out of production. I think you may find that there are power limits to cars which can be driven of Japanese roads although the cars can be exported.

[KAZ]

48. The Supra crapped out due to price/timing.

It got really pricey in the '90s, just when there was a whole bunch of new rods coming on the market. It still can be a beast though. 400 hp with a couple of minor mods. In fact, they've become quite the collectors item.

[burythehatchet]

52. Its one of the options on my Need for Speed (version 1)

Fastest off the mark,

[DS1]

72. It's still my dream car

Black, twin turbo, 6 speed.

Getaway in Stokholm 2 is also the most beautiful car movie ever made.

[Tactical Progressive]

58. The Volta is totally concept

I don't think there's much chance it will ever be produced.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

71. Walking is free.

Running has a cost.

[IDemo]

84. 502 hp, 2 wheels:

http://www.bosshoss.com/view_bike.asp?x=BHC3502&CID=788981270.889751

[nebula]

92. Move over Toyota, the Variable Compression engine is coming!

'Nissan will be rolling out the world's first production VC engine in the Nissan Skyline--an affordable, high-performance sports car. It has the power of a 250-hp V6 while getting the fuel economy of a small liter 4-cylinder engine. The VC-equipped Skyline is slated for introduction as early as 2007.'