Hi Guys-
As a fellow muscle car buff, I wanted to tune you all into a great (and posh) event that travels around the country much like the GM ASIM (Auto Show In motion). It's run by Lexus and goes under the name 'Taste of Lexus." I believe this is like the 5th year they have done it. I've gone to a few (most recently today), but I wanted to metion something I thought was kind of special.

Lexus is debuting a revolutionary new car that I think will define the future of RWD Muscle from here into the 21st century. Hybrid Muscle. The Lexus GS 450h is a RWD V6 that adds a high capacity hybrid motor that drives the FRONT WHEELS. This is the first RWD hybrid, ever, and it's available for track testing at the TOL!

Lets just say that I was pleasantly surprised at the acceleration numbers for this relatively heavy sedan. Acceleration was similar to a V8 RWD car. Braking was, as well, amazing. The interesting part, is that the car delivers 340 HP, and has better gas mileage than the 3.5L V6 alone! This is because the gasoline engine doesn't engage until the electric motor needs help (which is the opposite of most hybrids). In fact, Lexus was so impressed with the accelleration, fuel consumption numbers, and output of this hybrid setup, they discontinued the 4.3L V8 that they would normally have put in the GS line (and have since like 1997).

I would suggest that anyone interested in the future of sports car technology head out and take a look. The event also has first class food (i'm talkin Fresh Squeezed OJ, Smoked Salmon Bagels, Fiji water, etc. etc. etc.).

Anyone intersted should register at Taste Of Lexus
Here is a list of cities that the show will be in:

New York
LA
Orange County, CA
Chicago
Dallas
Miami
Houston
Washington DC/Maryland
Atlanta
San Franciscoy

Below are some pics of the new Hybrid. Enjoy!

Did you know Pontiac is going all RWD?

The new GP MAY be a RWD from down under like the GTO was.
My feathers wouldnt be ruffled by GM finally fixing the GP. It's pic is on the new Motor Trend. They kind of riced up the front lower valence but other wise I like it and I think it will be a replacement for the GTO fiasco.

By GTO fiasco I mean GM's marketing and product support.

I read that new platforms were going to be RWD, but did not know that all cars would be migrated that way. As much as I would LOVE to see that happening, somehow I doubt it will occur in the entrylevel cars, such as the new G5, which debuted this year, and is FWD.

The reasoning (I believe) is that the eco-tec 4 cylendar cars lose too much power through the driveshaft, so they have to be bolstered at the block (like they did for the Solstice) which takes away from gas mileage. Since everyone is playing the MPG game, I doubt GM would move towards being forced to move cars from FWD @ 30+ mpg, to RWS with 30- MPG highway. That's not to say however, that GM won't start developing RWD/FWD hybrid cars, which would maintain gas mileage and add power.

We'll just have to wait and see.

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