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http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/AmericanFlag.jpg Sounds are provided by a Pioneer 900-watt, 10 speaker audio system with a pair of 10-inch subwoofers plus front and rear component speakers. (http://www.greencar.com/articles/toyotas-prius-aerius-show-car-offers-cool-aggressive-styling.php)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Prius_Aerius_and_Aemulus.jpgRon Cogan - GREENCAR (http://www.greencar.com) - Nov 14, 2009

This is one sweet looking ride! --Ed.

Toyota unveiled its Prius Aerius show car at the recent Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, continuing this automaker’s every-so-often efforts in showing how the Prius can be dressed up to exude performance, sportiness, or other characteristics beyond eco-friendliness. We’ve seen this done successfully before, most notably with the cool Prius GT in 2005 and the Prius land-speed record car the year before.

'Aerius' is Latin for 'belonging to the air.' Apparently smitten with Latin – no real surprise since the Prius model name is itself derived from the Latin phrase ‘to go before’ – Toyota also built a close cousin of the Aerius called the ‘Aemulus’ (‘envious imitation’). The Aemulus has been donated for an Environmental Media Association (EMA) charity auction being conducted online at CharityFolks.com/EMA that ends on November 23 at 3:00 p.m. EST.

Starting with the all-new 2010 Prius, Southern California-based Five Axis Design ... http://www.greencar.com/articles/toyotas-prius-aerius-show-car-offers-cool-aggressive-styling.php

Umm ... so you can scrape more curbs?

Very distinctive! (is that ambiguous enuff?)

That's why it's only for the Suave ;)

Would that be Rico (Suave)?

Umm ... so you can scrape more curbs?

Much better than a lift kit :eek:


Would that be Rico (Suave)?

Rico Suave, Ricardo (OP) Suave, :o.

Much better than a lift kit :eek:To some, I suppose. When my Jetta needs new shocks (probably sometime next year) it will be receiving a 1" lift (http://www.metalnerd.com/cat09.htm).

To some, I suppose. When my Jetta needs new shocks (probably sometime next year) it will be receiving a 1" lift (http://www.metalnerd.com/cat09.htm).

Those are some pretty expensive spacers. I'll take a wager that you live where it snows quite a bit ;).


edit. So I noticed you're in Portland Oregon, so I do support the lift for all safety purposes. That reminds me of This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyfjZlOSq2A) video. Not sure how much a lift would help here...then again, unless you're studded in this particular situation, you might find yourself helpless...

Not for safety purposes, for recreational purposes. I do a lot of hiking and mountain biking, and the Jetta's <5" of clearance can make it dicey to get to the trailhead at times. Just a few weeks ago I scraped the oilpan a bit getting to one of my favorite family camping spots.

20 years ago, most cars had at least an inch more ground clearance than they do now. Since most "outdoorsy" types migrated to SUVs in the '90s, automakers figured they could get away with lowering ordinary passenger cars, much to my frustration. I don't need truck-level clearance, just a tad more than most cars offer today.

Although snow is uncommon at sea level around here, it piles up fast and furious in the mountains (400-600" per season) and we plan to start our son on ski lessons this winter. Last winter we did have an unusually huge snowstorm (19" over 3 days) in town ... I still had the snow tires from my Subaru in the garage, so I put them on the Jetta for an extra 3/4" of height and it made a huge difference (not to mention the taller gearing helping my mpg noticeably). Go to tdiclub and you'll find a lot of VW enthusiasts who raise their Jettas, Golfs or Beetles (!) 1" or even 2", and some go for the bigger tires on top of that. There are several guys who have go-anywhere Beetles with a net 3" lift.

That reminds me of This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyfjZlOSq2A) video. Not sure how much a lift would help here...then again, unless you're studded in this particular situation, you might find yourself helpless...You're right, a lift wouldn't have helped that guy. And AWD obviously did him no good either. Decent winter tires, on the other hand, would have kept him off the evening news (and YouTube).

I see. Well hey, that's a lot you save instead of getting a truck. Kudos to you for keeping trailing and offroading over 30mpg!

That reminds me of This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyfjZlOSq2A) video. Not sure how much a lift would help here...then again, unless you're studded in this particular situation, you might find yourself helpless...

This is why snow chains were invented. 50 state legal, $100, and an easy 10 min install and you can get home in damn near any weather in most cars.

You just have to survive that first stop.