paultakeda
08-26-2005, 03:25 PM
Presenting the TANGO... and George Clooney bought the first one in the US. (http://www.commutercars.com/)
But is that really saying anything?
With a range of up to only 80 miles, it really can only be considered a commuter car (unless you're Melissa). It does sound attractive, having the enclosed space and cruise control features of a car with the speed and maneuverability in traffic of a motorcycle, plus the silence of an all-electric engine.
The only thing wrong with this ridiculous vehicle is that it costs $18,700 for the base model (0-60 in seven seconds, F/RWD, cloth seats, 100W stereo, AC 100kW), $39,900 for the middle one (0-60 in five, AWD, leather seats, 400W stereo, Sparco steering wheel), and a whopping $85,000 for the high end (carbon fiber instead of fiberglass body, AWD with 1,000 ft.lb. torque, all the middle end trimming plus Sparco seats with Connolly leather and a MoTec dash).
And they seem to be serious about it being a sporty ride: even the base model has adjustable coilovers, not to mention the higher end Sparco bits.
Odd.
Really odd.
With the cost of battery replacement (which is the big whopper in price that Toyota doesn't tell you about in the Prius), they estimate a cost equivalent to a 40mpg car.
But if you really like your gas, but REALLY like the fact that an electric motor can generate 100% of its torque throughought the entire RPM band (that's right, from 1 RPM to wherever, bow to the electric gods), then you can of course have both, not to mention stay loyal sporting a 1.9L TDI engine, by building a sportscar hybrid with the K1 Attack car kit. After all, some high school kids did it (http://hybrids.autoblog.com/entry/1234000263054348/), and they got a 300hp FWD DC electric/RWD TDI that goes 0-60 under 4 seconds (faster than George's new Tango T600), and looks way, way cooler.
But is that really saying anything?
With a range of up to only 80 miles, it really can only be considered a commuter car (unless you're Melissa). It does sound attractive, having the enclosed space and cruise control features of a car with the speed and maneuverability in traffic of a motorcycle, plus the silence of an all-electric engine.
The only thing wrong with this ridiculous vehicle is that it costs $18,700 for the base model (0-60 in seven seconds, F/RWD, cloth seats, 100W stereo, AC 100kW), $39,900 for the middle one (0-60 in five, AWD, leather seats, 400W stereo, Sparco steering wheel), and a whopping $85,000 for the high end (carbon fiber instead of fiberglass body, AWD with 1,000 ft.lb. torque, all the middle end trimming plus Sparco seats with Connolly leather and a MoTec dash).
And they seem to be serious about it being a sporty ride: even the base model has adjustable coilovers, not to mention the higher end Sparco bits.
Odd.
Really odd.
With the cost of battery replacement (which is the big whopper in price that Toyota doesn't tell you about in the Prius), they estimate a cost equivalent to a 40mpg car.
But if you really like your gas, but REALLY like the fact that an electric motor can generate 100% of its torque throughought the entire RPM band (that's right, from 1 RPM to wherever, bow to the electric gods), then you can of course have both, not to mention stay loyal sporting a 1.9L TDI engine, by building a sportscar hybrid with the K1 Attack car kit. After all, some high school kids did it (http://hybrids.autoblog.com/entry/1234000263054348/), and they got a 300hp FWD DC electric/RWD TDI that goes 0-60 under 4 seconds (faster than George's new Tango T600), and looks way, way cooler.