CEO: Toyota vehicles lacked passion, must be more exciting

Get some of the GM geniuses over there to design the cars. That'll work.

--Vic

Not me. I'd like to see a new incarnation of my Corolla GTS (my Scion tC comes close) or an afforable replacement for the Supra.

You said there's a limit to what you'll pay? My Scion was $15,000 out the door and gets ~32 MPG combined driving. And it's a HOOT besides.

BTW, your Prius will beat me off the line, since an electric motor devolps all its torque from 0 RPM. Just get your eyes off the screen and stop using Prius Foot...

Yeah, but nothing in the Toyota lineup. Why would anyone drive anything else?

Why do you hate Toyota?

And it will be that way until someone decides to stop letting the lawyers design the cars.

Yep. I sold my Dodge Neon R/T and got a Prius. The Prius doesn't have anywhere near the performance, handling or excitement of the R/T. But, I see three dollar a gallon gas coming back, and there is a limit to what I will pay for an exciting vehicle. I just have transportation again.

I see plenty of exciting cars out there. I just cannot afford to drive them.

Well, some people just want to get from point A to point B reliably. Toyota fits that category. If you want some excitment with little money get a Honda.

And admirably well. Others fit the category, too, but suck at the execution.

And wait four months?

Sitting on the lot, $15,200...

Nope. I liked the tC when it came out. When they didn't have one, I went to a Scion dealer and drove off with it right there.

I was talking to someone today who traded an Si for an '05 Celica. Said the Si has no grunt off the line, but will wind out. The Scion will do both.

I asked him if he wanted to trade the Celica for the tC, but no go...

You'd waste your money there instead of waiting a little bit for an Si?

Si is in plentiful demand. That you couldn't find a dealer that had one, tells me you weren't trying very hard...

Not with the torque limiting that the Prius HCU/PCM employs. It's pretty much a dog, but will last damn near forever at that calibration...

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The Civic Si suffers from what I call "fake horsepower".

Toyota MDT in MO

Oh. Well, I don't mind. My Surpa gets 21 MPG. About 2/3 of my other cars. It goes on the road in April, and goes in the garage in November. It doesn't go out in the rain. Basically, it's limited to days when I can remove the Sport Roof.

I like driving. I like driving somewhat responsive vehicles that are fun to drive. Some people like boats. I'd just go down to the river and throw money at it.

Same thing.

Hmmm....I smell OVERRIDE!!!!!

But, it's 190 HP out of the box.

Actually, I think the tC suffers from fake HP, since the damn tranny is geared so low. I'd like to change the final drive to get less Boy Racer feel and better fuel economy...

I meant what I will pay at the pumps.

Some people well versed in programming and reverse engineering have been doing that since the first Prius in Japan (before the NA debut of the Prius in the US).

There is a proportional decrease in life expectancy when modding the motor torque commands.

Have you test driven the AWD Highlander hybrid or it's Lexus sister? That's pretty torquey from the factory since it has an electric motor rear diff as well as a V6 hybrid driving the front wheels.

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