The time has come..the Gen 6 Camry

[jhbhatia]

Originally Posted by anuthaCamry

Back in the seventies people were waiting in line for hours at gas stations over here. At that same time, no Saudi even had to get a job because they were all getting a fat paycheck from oil profits.

^^ do you know who really profited in the 70's. From what i've learnt, even i don't know the real triggers that started it all....There were a lot of tactics that everyone did to get a step ahead -
1. US refuses to share equally with oil field investments...US 1 over
2. Saudi 'localizes' fields..Saudi 1 over
3. Nixon closes the gold window...US 1 over
4. Saudi cuts production. Saudi 1 over

I'm sure there were more. But you got to keep in mind that the average saudi doesn't enrich himself/herself from oil profits! OPEC wants prices to be at $35 dollar a barrell. Its speculation that keeps the floor at $40

[91MR2quickNA]

Originally Posted by 2k4CamThrilla

i don't think i'd ever drive a hybrid. where i live in NY gas prices are dropping as we speak, it gets lower by the week.

Interesting. You must not be aware of the electric motor's ability to generate massive amounts of torque (usually above 295lb-ft). If Toyota couples the 2.4 and 3.3 w/ electric motors, their overall horsepower rating jumps and also their off the line performance.

3.3 @ 240lb-ft + electric motor @ 295lb-ft or more = wow. Granted the electric motor produces 295lb-ft at 0-1200rpm with the engine off, but step on it and get both the engine and electric motor.

[CamNub]

I heard you'll never earn back that extra couple g's that you spent to get hybrid.

Hybrid is really just good for to help the environment.

[anuthaCamry]

The main reason for at least the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo was the fact that the mostly middle eastern OPEC nations were upset over the US's support of Isreal during the 1973 Yum Kippur, or Six Day War or something. They wanted to 'punish' us Americans by refusing to sell us oil.

At that time we were only importing like 14-25 percent or whatever of the oil we consumed, and we actually produced the remainder out of places like Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, and - to a tiny extent - even Los Angeles, which sits on an oil field.

Right now we are importing 'bout 51 percent of the oil we consume, translated politically we are dependant on OPEC, the Arabians, and other countries for our vital resources. All they have to say is, "dfjij ere dahkjdfdfdk" (-embargo America!) and it's back to gas lines and exorbadent prices again. Just kidding on the "dfjij.." thing, they actually speak English and trade oil only in US dollars - the only currency in which oil can be traded internationally (that should give some clue on how important America is to the world oil market.)

If every car, pickup, and truck in America were powered by fuel efficient vehicles we would perhaps produce more oil than we use, like we did around 1941, and we could export it. Maybe we would make money exporting, at least that would offset the US trade deficit a bit (we lose money when we trade.)

If a new hybrid car wasn't too much expensive, and with this new technology, if it were more powerful, this would begin to make it desirable and appealing to the mass market. Even if the initial cost of the vehicle is more, the reliability of them promises to offset the repair costs of a less reliable, cheaper car after the car starts to age.

This change is inevitable and it would be better if we started sooner on our own initiative than later. The worldwide demand for oil is raising prices at an unprecedented level, China which has 1/5 of the world's population had only 10,000 cars in 1990 - one car per every 100,000 people. By comparison we have about 125,000,000 cars about 1 car per every 2 people. They are modernizing and buying huge amounts of cars nowadays as they are using the currency they are getting from selling crap around the world to buy cars.

Back in the 30s-40s the Arabian peninsula was poor and about 600 years behind the rest of the industrialized world. In the 50s-60s the middle eastern countries, newly independant from like Britain or something, started 'Nationalizing' oil fields in their own countries, they knew a gold mine when they saw one (they said, 'why sell oil for 10 cents a barrel when we could make money?'). I even heard that at least in the 70s the Arabs loved, L~O~V~E~D, big gas-guzzling cars like Cadillacs - why not - they could afford it. Even now the Iranians pay only ~16 cents gallon. Outside the middle east, we have the second cheapest gas because our government doesn't tax it like they do in other countries, in Spain in 1971, for example, gas costed about $4 a gallon for the locals and 25 cents for Americans on base. Even today, the Europeans snicker at us because we complain about increasing gas prices, well they pay like $6 (ha ha ha).

So if some new technology promises to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, make less pollution, fine - IT IS A VIABLE OPTION. The money you save by buying a cheaper car is offset by the fact that you will have to consume more oil which no one can predict what prices they will be in the future. So if buying hybrid is more expensive, fine: more money to the American worker, and less to 'Abdullah,' the oil-financed terrorist.

[jhbhatia]

Originally Posted by anuthaCamry

So if buying hybrid is more expensive, fine: more money to the American worker, and less to 'Abdullah,' the oil-financed terrorist.

You really need to get out and see the world, and no i don't mean by CNN or Fox News!

[BLUEMEANIE]

not to bring this back on topic or anything but...

I'd rock a V6 hybrid Camry. Hello off the line torque!

[SmokingTires]

Originally Posted by 02RSX90camry

my sister just got a prius a couple days ago, and while it is very cool, it definitely doesn't show it's gobs of torque. I think i remember reading something about how the electric motor is geared 1:1, so it doesn't help as much as the gas motor.

That's because it uses the same engine as the xB. It's only rated at 96hp 96lbs-tq(or something right around there). There's no toque to juice it for. However it will give you a very steady and strong line of it. Your never lacking it anywhere on the powerband.

Test drive a 400H when it comes out. They come with an AWD option (adds another 240hp electirc engine in the rear. Redlines at 12,000RPM). You'll see how much torque they have give

[ian721]

No reason why you'd have to sacrifice performance in a hybrid. I've driven around ten different Priuses at work, and let me tell you, for a small car with a small gasoline engine they get great acceleration. The electric motor provides mucho torque and really helps those cars shoot off the line. And I had one up to 90 mph and it got there no problem. I wouldn't want to tow a boat with it though.

And whoever said Camrys aren't noted for their MPG should really check again. The 05 is rated for 34 mpg on the highway, which for its size is pretty darn good.

[anuthaCamry]

i've personally observed 33 mpg on a '05 1mzfe...... at 65mph