Yea, sporty suspension, strut tower bars, etc... I have said it before... The best performance mod you can have for the Prius is the driver.
sporty suspension as in lowering springs and/or coilovers? So you're saying if you had a F1 driver in the seat of the prius instead of some average joe shmoe, it'll go faster?
lowering springs. Search for the TRD Sportivo suspension (google is probably the better search engine). It makes it handle a LOT better than the stock setup. It's no sports car but it definitely feels more competent. It won't go faster but the F1 driver will definitely get better lap times than the average Jon Doe =)
if you drive on mountain roads and don't mind killing mpg... my tire setup is rather fun... i wonder how large of tires can be installed on a genIII
Yup, I am using coilover (see my signature) and a strut tower bar. Wow what a difference in handling. Prius is tuned for efficiency, emission and reliability. I assumed you were asking about performance in term of efficiency (MPG not MPH). Asking mods to improve MPH (power+speed) for the Prius is like asking mods for the Corvette to lower emission. Do you see where I am going? To improve Prius' MPG performance, the driver is more important than any other mods such as grill blocking, block heater, LRR tires, etc... You can also upgrade it to be a plug-in for as little as $1,495.
Ok, so in a prius you mod it to get better mpgs and lower emissions? and with a driver mod such as a old lady, you would get better mgps? Seems like everything is backwards to me.
Actually, an F1 driver will likely get better times due to a better (high-speed) line through the corners (since any idiot can accelerate in a straight line) so both these guys are right. The car will go faster. Through the corners. In a Prius, you mod it for speed performance like a miata (minus boosting the engine, the internals aren't really up to the job). Put together a decent suspension setup and tire/wheel selection. Then, go lighter, lighter, lighter. Did I mention going lighter? Feel the zen of Colin Chapman (you know, like, Lotus?), bro. And if you don't get that (I stripped a few hundred lbs off my Evo), FAIL and BANSTICK for you.
An old lady is not ideal. I am 54 years old so I have 38 years of bad habits about driving, this make my MPG lower than someone younger who can learn more correct habits. With very few exceptions, if you bought a Prius to get Horsepower, you bought the wrong car. There is a Land speed Prius, they did an engine swap to get all the performance of a Toyota Echo. {snicker} Got Hybrid? - Sport - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver There is a gentleman in Australia who both supercharged and turbocharged his Prius looking for power. Browser Warning Browser Warning What he found was increased electrical power. You might as well buy a Corvette for luggage space as a Prius for horsepower.
