(Best Motoring) 3-Lap Battle @ Tsukuba: Insight G vs. Prius L

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Tideland Prius, Nov 19, 2009.

  1. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    For those who are unfamiliar, Best Motoring is a Japanese car show that features and showcases sports and tuner cars and puts an emphasis on performance. Plenty of their "reviews" (so to speak) involve track time at Tsukuba Circuit (located near Tsukuba, Japan). They also have "touge" (pronounced toe-gay) which is basically a mountain run time trial.

    At the wheel of the Insight is Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya (kay-e-chi su-chi-ya) and in the Prius is Naoki Hattori (Nay-o-ki hat-tor-ri)

    Anyway, here's the video. Even if you don't know Japanese, just enjoy the race and take in the visuals.

     
    #1 Tideland Prius, Nov 19, 2009
  2. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    Looks like the Insight is a little better composed in the corners. Kind of hard to judge from the interior shots though. Interesting to see that almost-4-wheel-drift Keiichi got on that 2nd lap in the Insight..
     
    #2 a_gray_prius, Nov 19, 2009
  3. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

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    It shows that when the HV battery is full, the Prius is faster on the first lap, when it is depleted the Insight passed the Prius easily.
     
    #3 bedrock8x, Nov 19, 2009
  4. ceric

    ceric New Member

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    Don't read too much into this.
    I have watched many Best Motoring videos on YouTube.
    These guys are like friends. They are way too polite at the track.
    The real test should be solo lap time around the track by the same person.
     
    #4 ceric, Nov 19, 2009
  5. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    I wonder if the prius driver was using B mode and wasting energy?
    Was fun to watch though.
     
    #5 patsparks, Nov 19, 2009
  6. MSantos

    MSantos EcoAccelerometry

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    Yes, I do not read too much into this either since it amounts to a blatant violation of my principles.

    Anyway, we did cover this story a couple of months ago (or so) and we also identified a second video that pits the Insight against a 2nd gen Prius... an IQ was also present on this one.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR-Y88-QDUw"]YouTube- Eco Battle @ Tsukuba - Insight vs Civic Hybrid vs Prius 2008 vs IQ[/ame]

    Still, as we can see any 2nd or 3rd gen Prius will humiliate the IMA's in any drag race and since we are so enamored by drag races in North America this becomes the meaningful metric for many... but it is somewhat interesting to uncover just the opposite result as the "race" unfolds. In the end, ICE power output plus handling seem to score for the day.

    It would break my heart to learn what fuel economy these folks scored. :(

    Cheers;

    MSantos
     
    #6 MSantos, Nov 19, 2009
  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I've already posted the video in the news section, so we're covered, msantos!

    Well.. as you can see, the iQ is getting 5.5km/L (which eventually dropped to 4ish)
     
    #7 Tideland Prius, Nov 20, 2009
  8. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    Yeah BMI isn't exactly objective. It's like the Japanese Top Gear, right? We really do need The Stig to do time attack runs.
     
    #8 a_gray_prius, Nov 20, 2009
  9. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Well the advantage was to the Prius cause they chose the lightest model (The L doesn't even have a radio or a centre console cupholder). However, it had skinnier tyres than the rest of the Prius lineup (incl. ours) at 185 vs. 195.
     
    #9 Tideland Prius, Nov 20, 2009
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