"The FT-HS is projected to hit 60 MPH in less than 5 seconds and deliver 35 MPG.at a price very affordable to the common sports car enthusiast. "

As a hybrid owner myself, I must ask if the FT-HS goes from zero to 60 in under 5 seconds, and gets 35MPG, at the same time? My findings are that fastest acceleration and highest mileage, tend to be mutually exclusive in a hybrid.

 

If it is light enough, then I can see it happening. The TCH would do 0-60 in sub 5 seconds if you strip all interior, cut the roof off, and make it RWD.

It all depends on weight vs hp for acceleration and for economy it is all about weight vs efficiency.

 

I've got a BMW R1150RT motorcycle, which is rated 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds:

http://bmwmotorcycle.home.att.net/1150.html

No, it would not be getting very good fuel economy while accelerating that hard. But it will get 50 mpg @ 60 mph, and 45 mpg @ 75 mph, from my own experience.

If you want the best acceleration with excellent fuel economy, the right motorcycle is still the best choice.

Harry

 

If Toyota ever does produce a car like this, I hope they don't make the engine turn off, or at least give us a switch to enable or disable that (like the "sport mode" some automatics have. Hybrids have a somewhat slow start if the engine is initially off, and the engine really isn't burning much gas when stopped anyway, at least not in Toyota's efficient engines.

 

The "S" mode on a HCH is handy when I need to beat some bloated SUV off the starting line at a traffic light!