Toyota Debuts Prius GT Prototype at Goodwood Festival of Speed
Prius GT is First Hybrid at Annual Goodwood Event
The Goodwood Festival of Speed is the highly prestigious motorsports event which hits Englands Goodwood Manor every year. Thousands flock to green pastures and bales of hay to watch historic racing cars tear up Lord Marchs private tarmac in an attempt to set the fastest time. Everything from ex-championship Jaguar D-Type racers valued on the far side of £1.5m ($2.7m), to ear-splittingly loud Porsches and svelte Aston Martins can be found here. Modern day rally and FIA GT racing cars also have a spot at the Festival of Speed, but amidst the roar of the racers was a car that could easily be deemed out of place by the numerous racing fanatics in the crowd; a Toyota Prius.
Of course, it was no regular run-of-the-mill Prius, but rather a Prius GT Concept being shown for the first time. Its a concrete demonstration of Toyotas Hybrid Synergy Drive development, from a fuel efficiency-biased car to one offering sporting pretensions.
Unlike every other vehicle on the track, the Prius is a gasoline-electric hybrid - the first vehicle of its type to participate in the event. It served a triple purpose; to show the attendees that hybrid power isnt yawn-inducing, to kart around event officials, and to demonstrate a hybrid powered vehicles performance potential.
Parked alongside this years TF104 Formula One racer, a 1993 Celica GT-Four Castrol World Rally Car, and a 1960s 2000 GT SCCA racer, the Prius GT stood out at the Toyota booth.
What makes the GT different from any regular Prius is that it has been tuned to show how Toyotas Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain can deliver sports car-like performance. The primary gasoline motor, a 1.5 liter direct-injection inline-four, has been replaced with the motor thats normally fitted to the European-only Yaris T-Sport - essentially the same motor as fitted to our Echo Hatchback. The engine is the same size at 1.5 liters, however the 99 horsepower rating is a 29 percent power increase over the stock 77 horsepower Prius engine. The sport-tuned I-4 is also livelier, with eager-to-rev characteristics and a higher redline.
On the electrical side of the equation, Toyota has juiced up from 500 to 550 volts, allowing a greater flow of electricity. More happy electrons running through the cars power grid means that a larger electric motor can be installed which makes for a happier driver. The upgraded electric motor is good for 46 horsepower, which is a gain of 12 horsepower over the stock unit. The regular battery has been replaced with a more powerful cell capable of supplying extra juice to the larger electric motor. The electric motors torque curve is as broad as they come, stretching from 0 through to 12,000 rpm. It gives a whole new meaning to on-demand torque.
Put two and two together and its rather apparent that the Prius GT has stretched the limits of technology on both the gasoline and electric sides. Altogether the Hybrid Synergy Drive system achieves 145 horsepower, which approaches the 100 horsepower per liter output, impressive by any standards let alone that of a hybrid.
The racing team in charge of the Prius GTs development has tinkered with the computer systems in charge of controlling the electric and gasoline motors, specifically the switchover point between the two motors. With emphasis on performance, the transfer has been altered for speed rather than energy conservation. With these enhancements, the GT can scoot to 60 mph in just 8.6 seconds, down from stock cars 10.5 seconds.
Aside from the typical red splashes and factory Works vinyl-sticker livery, the Prius GT is fairly stock looking from the outside. The sleek, fastback body still features a top-of-class drag coefficient rating of 0.26 Cd, enhanced slightly with a front lip extension at the bottom of the front bumper as well as a small rear spoiler. Both are minor additions with the sole purpose of increasing downforce. White-painted rally-style alloy wheels give the GT a racier appearance, but these arent the large-diameter rims normally fitted to race cars. Tires are wider than stock too, and are performance-biased rather than the slippery-as-ice low rolling resistance stock tires.
As with any racing car, the suspension setup is critical. A change in setting can alter the way a car drives, benefiting or adversely affecting the outcome of a race. To help the cars pilot make the most of the Prius GT, the whole suspension system has been revised. Upgraded shock absorbers, springs and stabilizer bars increase the faster moving Prius GTs road-holding. These arent off the shelf parts either, but professional grade components.
Weight, the natural enemy of any performance vehicle, has been dealt with accordingly in the Prius GT as well. Altogether, 397 pounds of unnecessary extras have been stripped out, and the plush interior replaced with heavily bolstered racing seats and a roll cage. The heavy hybrid battery has also been relocated over the rear axle to provide better weight distribution in order to improve handling.
The idea of a racing-spec Prius isnt a new, and the GT isnt the first Prius to receive the go-fast treatment. Toyota Canada backed a first-generation 2002 Prius in the Canadian SCCA ProRally cup, although the extent of the modifications did not go so far as to up both the gasoline and electric portions of the hybrid drivetrain.
Although Toyota has no intentions to actually go racing with this Prius GT, or to create a road-going production version, its enlightening to see the brand is making an effort to show the world that hybrid vehicles arent only for saving fuel and cutting emissions. Reportedly, the upcoming Lexus RX 400h uses Hybrid Synergy Drive to accomplish a similar task as the Prius GT. Sources say it delivers V8 power while sipping away at fuel.
As a final note, Toyota stated it was very pleased about the economy of the Prius GT racer. Despite the extra power, the GT actually maintained the same fuel economy rating as the stock Prius, providing that it was driven at normal speeds.
Toyota has promised that more hybrid vehicles will soon become available, with a hybrid Highlander SUV and hybrid Camry sedan already announced. Speculators expect full-size hybrid trucks and SUVs will follow.