I was doing SCCA auto-X about 8 years ago. A guy shows up in an old beige Toyota Camry automatic. A lot of embarrassed people at the end of his session. The guy was an experienced driver and was showing his daughter what just tires could do. …always tires first. Always.
Hey, I raced a Gray Camry Hybrid in an autox one time. Took 2nd in GS to a Fiat with sticky tires by about .2, and I could've found that if the batteries didn't keep overheating! Had to slow down the final few corners for most of the runs due to scary overheating warnings. Still, drove it 5 hours home, and owned it up until this year. Great appliance of a car. Go race what you have.
@@wingspantt While I agree, I think the main reason 0-60 is the focus is because that is the "real world" racing that most ppl do. Hardly anyone is setting up a meet to do a "touge" in their back roads where they live, or going to the track, but even grandma can get goaded into launching off a red light in her CRV
"He's not going to tell his Miata friends about that later" Wrong. Miata culture is telling your Miata friends about what other slow cars left you for dead. His Miata friends will get tired of hearing him brag about the time he got dusted by a Prius and it will get even worse when he realizes it made it onto this channel.
I mean they are taking the regular hybrid Prius to do Endurance race. Rookie Racing (Akio Toyoda's personal race team & sort of Toyota's experimental team) is gonna bring the car to race in the Super Taikyu endurance series. If we're talking about a full on GR treatment then they actually showed us a concept of it during Le Mans last year and there's been rumors brewing of a proper GR Prius
Unusual cars on track is always a fun time; my first trackday the instructors were giving rides to 5 passengers at a time in a dually F-350 diesel with bench seats front and rear, and dang they were flying! Track cars versus regular cars, the main difference is over sustaining multiple laps usually, plus driver interface as you note with the seats and stuff; nearly any modern vehicle in decent mechanical shape can do a push lap, and might surprise you how quick it can go!
I used to take my 2014 PriusV (the station wagon) to race autocross with the Akron sports car club on bone stock tires and never came close to finishing last. I always loved seeing the looks on peoples faces who were laughing at my car during inspection when they realized I was posting faster laps than them! I just picked up a 2024 awd le Prius and I am definitely taking it racing this spring 😁
The new prius is quite a looker--as much as it pains me to say it. Coincidently, I bought a GR86 just over a week ago (hit 180mi worth of break-in today), and that thumbnail had me a bit concerned about my purchase🤣
Unless it's like a Jaguar FType R, or a tuned WRX STI (I loooove that boxer rumble), or many cars that feel special at slow speeds and sound awesome. I'm getting back into one of those super soon. My current 500hp Audi A6 is really fast and feels luxurious for its age, but not that fun at slow speeds.
Everyone being a downer on this takes life too seriously. There are tons of other track videos if you want to see serious track content. These guys are having fun and experimenting with something that no one on youtube has done yet, with Toyota's blessing on top of it. They're having fun and it's fun watching how ridiculous it is.
body height should be decreased into being a compact 4 seater , electic assited turbo inlin 3 , a momentum preservation lotus elise type of driving fun in the name of higher mpg
I would like to personally thank you guys. It would be an understatement to say I watched every video you guys did on the gr86 and it came convinced me to buy one brand new. Not only did I get a 2023 Gr86 but I got it MT, which I've never driven in my 30 years of living. I risked learning how to drive again during a crucial moment in my career. And it was in my least favorite color, red. I did entertained getting a Prius but Im glad I didn't Everyone keeps asking me why I got a gr86. After teaching myself MT, being scared of it acceleration, and just now getting the hang of hill start. My answer to people is: "It's really fun!" It's sound so simple yet their is so much joy and emotion that it's hard to explain any more than that. So I say to you two. Thank you.
This is simply awesome to hear! We applaud you for taking the chance on a new experience and congratulate you on a great car. Thank you for watching and we're thrilled to know our work was helpful to you in finding a fun car!
In the early 90’s, I started running SCCA Solo 2 slalom events in a 1989 Honda Civic. Not the SI mind you, but the budget 1.5 liter CX. Because of the class structure in Canada, I limited my mods to tires, brakes and suspension- no power adders. I was only a md-pack driver in my class, but if you ignored points and classes, and just looked at lap times, I was still mid-pack! Faster than stock 70’s Corvettes, old Volvo’s, Rabbits, early fox-body Mustangs, etc., driven by equally inexperienced drivers. Not only that, but my equipment and repair budget was non-existent. I wasn’t stressing the car enough to break parts, and it was safer and more fun on the street because of the mods.
A happy new year from Japan!! I’m willing to spend many fun times with Todd, Paul and Everyday Driver fellows this year as usual. Paul said “we are idiots wearing helmets in Prius”. But I think it is the proof you are true car enthusiasts.
I remember taking my 1990 Ford ranger 5spd with all of 100 hp and a bench seat to an autocross and spending the entire time trying to keep myself in front of the steering wheel 😂 It was slow as can be but a total laugh and that’s what track days are really about, fun!
Very little in life is as satisfying as watching folks have a blast on a racetrack. Another to notch video. Thanks men, look forward to hearing from you boys again on Tuesday. Your podcast sure makes the work day more palatable.
Oh man this is great… totally get it from a Prius II owner with Enkei RPF1, Michelin super sports, Tein coilovers, TRD sway bars and strut tower bar. I have an 18mile 1 way trip to work through back roads, Miata’s and low level sport coupes get surprised
We race everything from a 1995 Pontiac Minivan to a 1993 Saturn SL2 to 1947 Plymouth sedan (heavily modified...but we tracked it stock). The point is, find joy in racing frigging anything! That minivan introduced more than a dozen new people to wheel-to-wheel racing and after incremental development through 6 years, it was fun to race!
I have a 2009 Subaru Forester X 2.5 that I bought it to drive while I worked on my WRX. Three years later the Forester has coilovers, adjustable rear lca's and lateral arms. A 25mm rear swaybar, stiffer front and rear end links, 18x9.5 wheels with Falken Azenis RT615K+ tires and a Sparco race seat. It is so slow but you don't have to slow for corners. So fun......oh and the WRX is still not back together.
Say 10 years ago, I'm not even sure if the Prius could have kept up on track with a non-sports, common mid-size car. It's come a long way. Thanks for doing this, wish there would have been a parking lot / cone setup to go around.
Many years ago while attending the CART race at Pocono my dad and I took a promotional ride in a Starcraft conversion van around the speedway with Roberto Guerrero driving. Van was full of people, Roberto is taking and showing us the racing lines, and the van is leaning so hard it feels almost upright on the banking. Best time ever. I hadn't thought of that experience in so many years, but for some reason this video fired that neuron...
Love it! I was a track side photographer in 2007 and at one of the track days there was a Prius in the driving school sessions. This is now the second Prius I've seen on track. You should do a comparison video between an prev gen Prius and the new one :)
I have a Prius (an old gen3 one) so I'm sort of biased in favor of this sort of thing. But as someone whose only experience with track driving is from a whole bunch of hours playing driving games, I feel like a Prius is a really good track car for someone like me who doesn't have a huge amount of skill. The lack of power will result in turns and braking spots coming at you a little slower, and whatever mistakes you make will come at a slower speed. Probably a good thing for unskilled drivers
You guys joke about his whole Prius thing but I think you had it right, track whatever you have if you want (as long as it's safe). I love cars, but I'm my own MOF and will always buy the sensible option, not the fun one (maybe when the kids finish college I'll treat myself, but that's a decade away). I'm sure there are plenty of ppl like me, geek out on cars, love hearing something loud go down the street but drive a mini-van or a Sonata (me) or a Corolla. Have fun with what you got however you can and live vicariously through videos like this!
Go look at the Prius 24H Le Mans Centenary GR Edition (yes, it's a mouthful 😅). It can be a base of what a GR Prius would look like and Toyota also entering the Prius to race in the Super Taikyu Endurance series through Rookie Racing, Akio Toyoda's personal race team and a place where quite a lot of Toyota's recent performance cars get tested on competition like the GR Corolla had its first appearance here (including the Hydrogen ICE version), GR Yaris with the new 8-speed Auto, even a GR86 with a GR Yaris/GR Corolla engine)
If hybrid tech is good enough for Formula 1 it's gotta be good enough for cheap slow track cars too. Boost the pricetag by a little, and Toyota could surely double the horsepower of the Prius Prime, add all wheel drive, and make it competitive on track with a stock STI from 10 or 20 years ago.
I bought a 2024 Prius XLE AWD last month and the tires concern me but thanks to this video I know they won't explode on me in a turn. GREAT video, thank you!
@@adams1696 I saw a bad review on the 19 inch Michellin tires that came with it on Michellins site that said they both popped by just turning on uneven pavement at 15 mph.
Totally agree that if you’re into cars you should track whatever you drive. I’ve got a Volvo XC70 that I took to an autocross, and no it did not have high performance tires. Regardless, it was incredibly fun and everyone there loved seeing a wagon with terrible suspension on the limit around a track.
your modified Prius might outgun my back in the day 68 Mercury Cougar GTE (390 HP 427 side oiler) on a road course. That car was a straight line monster, but huge over steering on turns
Great content, I was waiting for this. Too bad a larger rear anti-roll bar is not available yet. Regarding tracking cars not intended for it, years ago, as a parent with young ones and commute, I drove a Mk4 VW Golf TDI. My car was enhanced a bit with a tune, suspension and wheels/tires. I did autocross and track days with it and surprised the owner of a modded, caged, gutted and track-prepped Civic when he found out the car he was battling with was a 50mpg diesel with a booster seat in the back.
Honestly, I really like the looks of the Prius and I could definitely live with one as a daily appliance. It'd be really interesting to see what can be done with a little better suspension and just a bit more power.
Great video! Awesome that you got the Prius on track. I love taking my car to the track and so wish I could have a couple of other fun cars to go the track with. S2000, GR86 and Miata to go with my Cayman please.
Hate to say it but CVTs are fast. The always shifting and always putting power down thing is a pretty useful party trick. eCVTs solve so many issues with CVT design. Personally, I think they are great. If I could not find a manual vehicle, my second choice would be hybrid eCVT hands down.
I will note, one benefit of having gears is being able to instinctively know what speed you're supposed to be at for each corner. Apparently some drivers got faster with the fake gears on Hyundai's N-Ionic because they could very quickly figure out how much they had to slow down with the fake RPM and fake gear position.
The cost of the seat/seats+tax and shipping (price may vary) either you install it your self (or know a guy/gal) and any other additional bits or pieces or wiring harness adapter..=$$ out of $$$$$ (depending on your disposable income)
Toyota - rip the band aid off and do a performance trim of the Prius. These guys have practically served up the capabilities to you on a silver platter.
Wonder if anyone yet makes a half decent coilover for it yet. Add in a rear swaybar perhaps if it needs a little extra rotation, and it might be a hoot.
I wonder how quickly you'd run through tires, wheel bearings, suspension components and brakes. I say keep your track car a dedicated track car because you will break shit you never thought would lol. Interesting test tho, great channel guys ✊️
Soooooo-sticky tires, lowering springs, Bilstein shocks, sway bars, and some programming potentially that can increase the electric input at certain times (like coming out of corners) and the new Prius could be a legit track monster.
The Prime in Hybrid/Sport doesn't have awd, but it does have +20hp and the bigger battery lets the power splitter lean on the electric motor for accelerating out of corners. Put new wheels, 235/40R19 tires and coilovers on mine. Last thing is brakes before I take it for a lap times. I understand absurdity.
I have a prediction that the 2.0 in the Prius is very well built and will be able to be tuned to very high horsepower soon. I believe it may be able to do 300HP especially because it is a 2.0, with minimally replaced components, and that the drivetrain will be able to hold up. If it's able to get to 350 or 400 horsepower at the wheels, it will truly be an insane car.
I would love to see the M20A Prius come to life with a 2JRACING manifold, exhaust system, Takeda intake, and Injen Xpedal Pro. 😁 As it shares the same TNGA platform with the E210 (H) / (S) Corolla, the suspension will carry over. Swaybars/ coilovers/ subframe braces/ strut tower braces, and Im guessing even the pitch mount. The only weak point is the CVT.
if they threw the 3 cylinder in and kept it a hybrid it would be a mental gr prius. could have an eco mode with different tuning to run at low/no boost to keep the fuel economy benefits, and have different drive modes/boost levels for performance driving!
Sense of humor, hell no. This is exactly what I want to see. Making basic ass cars into good cars. Just wished there was more time and budget for maybe better suspension, some stiffening bits like struts and maybe even go to the whole "making it look sporty" side of modding.
I really wanna get better suspension and tires for our 1liter 3cyl Polo. Because as it is, it drives really fun. Also thinking about shilling 1k for a black roof liner set.
lower body height making it acompact 4 seater no trunk, electric assited turbo inline 3 , a lotus elise style momentum preservation type sporty driving, all in the name of high mpg
Any thoughts with how the hybrid system on the prius would hold up tracking in a hot climate? That could be a big hurdle for a GR version from the factory.
The Prime would probably work best because it has a liquid cooled battery. The air cooled traction battery would need additional cooling. I know a Gen 4 was modified with ducting and an air ram for better cooling but that was a custom mod someone did. Not sure how well it actually worked. Liquid cooling is probably necessary so if there is going to be a GR Prius, my money is on it being a Prime variant.
@@kiefershanks4172Based on the recent rumour they're going for a regular hybrid variant because the regular hybrid can be fitted with AWD and the Prime/PHEV will be stuck with FWD because they have no space for another motor (bigger battery)
hoping it wont add power, just make body height lower into a turnkless compact 4 momentum preservation car . would be nice it it had electric assited turbo inline 3 too,. a higher mpg car
I have fun at the dragon In my dads ram 1500 with 100s of extra LBS in the bed (wheels tires, tools, jack) and I wasn't the slowest one on it either 😅 So ig next time I go to Sebring I don't my mini.. I just need to bring the truck...🙃
It looks like there are a lot of tire options in 215/60 - 17, so that with a nice, light 17x7.5, 38mm offset wheel? Or 215/55 for an 18" option? Cusco has sway bars, not sure if they available in the US yet 😁
I’ve always said the GR86 is as fast as a Prius. Guess I’ve been right all along lol. If Toyota makes another GR86 generation, they’re going to need to put a turbo in that thing.
Difference could be made up if Toyota tuned that RWD motor for track use...probably same kind of tuning that the Lexus that are on the same drivetrain would want.
I was doing SCCA auto-X about 8 years ago. A guy shows up in an old beige Toyota Camry automatic. A lot of embarrassed people at the end of his session. The guy was an experienced driver and was showing his daughter what just tires could do.
…always tires first. Always.
Hey, I raced a Gray Camry Hybrid in an autox one time. Took 2nd in GS to a Fiat with sticky tires by about .2, and I could've found that if the batteries didn't keep overheating! Had to slow down the final few corners for most of the runs due to scary overheating warnings.
Still, drove it 5 hours home, and owned it up until this year. Great appliance of a car. Go race what you have.
This is in 2016, so "old" at the time could have been an 07-08 Camry with the 3.5. No doubt on potential, I can see it.
my friend did this with his wife's macan, and we were passing some supercars 😂
You know the 2gr engine uesed on camry is powerful and with good tire to put the power down you already get a decent package to go to auto soloumn.
@@jacquesc3166of course, the 2gr has plenty of torque, something desirable in auto x.
I think the GR86 has been in more videos since you sold it than it was when you owned it! 😆
They should just buy it back from the new owner HAHAHA
Agreed. Buy it back, or buy another one. I bought one and absolutely love it.
I used to own a GR86 manual. I sold it and purchased a 2024 Mirage CVT. Mirage is so much more fun to drive in the streets and on track!
@@braetonwilson4296uh huh, that 78hp must fill you heart with Joy every time you fire it up…
@johnlee6974 it sure does, Mirage only weighs 2000 pounds so that 78hp is enough
Finally someone took it on track instead of just a drag race!
Thank god. I can't stand when everyone makes 0-60 the main metric as if we all just drive on drag strips every day
I drove mine on the Nürburgring/Nordschleife...even previous generation was more fun than my gt86 that I also drove on there few months before.
god damn right my dude@@wingspantt
@@wingspantt While I agree, I think the main reason 0-60 is the focus is because that is the "real world" racing that most ppl do. Hardly anyone is setting up a meet to do a "touge" in their back roads where they live, or going to the track, but even grandma can get goaded into launching off a red light in her CRV
"He's not going to tell his Miata friends about that later"
Wrong. Miata culture is telling your Miata friends about what other slow cars left you for dead. His Miata friends will get tired of hearing him brag about the time he got dusted by a Prius and it will get even worse when he realizes it made it onto this channel.
The engineers at Gazoo Racing better be taking notes from this
I mean they are taking the regular hybrid Prius to do Endurance race.
Rookie Racing (Akio Toyoda's personal race team & sort of Toyota's experimental team) is gonna bring the car to race in the Super Taikyu endurance series.
If we're talking about a full on GR treatment then they actually showed us a concept of it during Le Mans last year and there's been rumors brewing of a proper GR Prius
i hope they make it less tall,, turning it into compact 4 instead of having a trunk. then itd be lot better. might even outspeed gr 86 by the turns
main concern are the battery. prius battery is all air cooled. hitting it over and over for a track day would overheat it by 10 laps.
Unusual cars on track is always a fun time; my first trackday the instructors were giving rides to 5 passengers at a time in a dually F-350 diesel with bench seats front and rear, and dang they were flying! Track cars versus regular cars, the main difference is over sustaining multiple laps usually, plus driver interface as you note with the seats and stuff; nearly any modern vehicle in decent mechanical shape can do a push lap, and might surprise you how quick it can go!
agreed, unusual cars on track are great! on my first trackday the instructors were giving rides on 2024 Mirage CVTs, so much fun! Going so fast!
I used to take my 2014 PriusV (the station wagon) to race autocross with the Akron sports car club on bone stock tires and never came close to finishing last. I always loved seeing the looks on peoples faces who were laughing at my car during inspection when they realized I was posting faster laps than them! I just picked up a 2024 awd le Prius and I am definitely taking it racing this spring 😁
The new prius is quite a looker--as much as it pains me to say it.
Coincidently, I bought a GR86 just over a week ago (hit 180mi worth of break-in today), and that thumbnail had me a bit concerned about my purchase🤣
The gr86 in this video looks fine ; either car has a nice design and both can be fun
It's 2024 and we're rooting for a Prius to keep up on a track. What a time to be alive.
It's more entertaining to drive a slow car fast than to drive a fast car slowly.
Unless it's like a Jaguar FType R, or a tuned WRX STI (I loooove that boxer rumble), or many cars that feel special at slow speeds and sound awesome.
I'm getting back into one of those super soon. My current 500hp Audi A6 is really fast and feels luxurious for its age, but not that fun at slow speeds.
Yep exactly. That's why I drive a 2024 Mirage CVT, so much fun to drive
^ 🧢🧢🧢
Try driving a fast car fast. It'll blow your mind.
Everyone being a downer on this takes life too seriously. There are tons of other track videos if you want to see serious track content. These guys are having fun and experimenting with something that no one on youtube has done yet, with Toyota's blessing on top of it. They're having fun and it's fun watching how ridiculous it is.
Thank you for viewing this as intended. Glad to have you watching!
body height should be decreased into being a compact 4 seater , electic assited turbo inlin 3 , a momentum preservation lotus elise type of driving fun in the name of higher mpg
I would like to personally thank you guys. It would be an understatement to say I watched every video you guys did on the gr86 and it came convinced me to buy one brand new.
Not only did I get a 2023 Gr86 but I got it MT, which I've never driven in my 30 years of living. I risked learning how to drive again during a crucial moment in my career. And it was in my least favorite color, red.
I did entertained getting a Prius but Im glad I didn't
Everyone keeps asking me why I got a gr86.
After teaching myself MT, being scared of it acceleration, and just now getting the hang of hill start. My answer to people is:
"It's really fun!"
It's sound so simple yet their is so much joy and emotion that it's hard to explain any more than that.
So I say to you two. Thank you.
This is simply awesome to hear! We applaud you for taking the chance on a new experience and congratulate you on a great car. Thank you for watching and we're thrilled to know our work was helpful to you in finding a fun car!
Hilarious video, I’m happy to see you guys having so much fun!
Glad you enjoyed. Thank you for watching!
In the early 90’s, I started running SCCA Solo 2 slalom events in a 1989 Honda Civic. Not the SI mind you, but the budget 1.5 liter CX. Because of the class structure in Canada, I limited my mods to tires, brakes and suspension- no power adders. I was only a md-pack driver in my class, but if you ignored points and classes, and just looked at lap times, I was still mid-pack! Faster than stock 70’s Corvettes, old Volvo’s, Rabbits, early fox-body Mustangs, etc., driven by equally inexperienced drivers. Not only that, but my equipment and repair budget was non-existent. I wasn’t stressing the car enough to break parts, and it was safer and more fun on the street because of the mods.
A happy new year from Japan!! I’m willing to spend many fun times with Todd, Paul and Everyday Driver fellows this year as usual. Paul said “we are idiots wearing helmets in Prius”. But I think it is the proof you are true car enthusiasts.
Glad you continue to enjoy what we do! Thanks for watching!
I remember taking my 1990 Ford ranger 5spd with all of 100 hp and a bench seat to an autocross and spending the entire time trying to keep myself in front of the steering wheel 😂
It was slow as can be but a total laugh and that’s what track days are really about, fun!
Very little in life is as satisfying as watching folks have a blast on a racetrack. Another to notch video. Thanks men, look forward to hearing from you boys again on Tuesday. Your podcast sure makes the work day more palatable.
Man everyone seems to be gushing over the new prius. Must be an excellet daily.
It looks great
I was looking for GR86 confirmation bias and this was ... hilarious!!!! good job guys!!!!
Oh man this is great… totally get it from a Prius II owner with Enkei RPF1, Michelin super sports, Tein coilovers, TRD sway bars and strut tower bar.
I have an 18mile 1 way trip to work through back roads, Miata’s and low level sport coupes get surprised
This is the content I've been waiting for all year!
We race everything from a 1995 Pontiac Minivan to a 1993 Saturn SL2 to 1947 Plymouth sedan (heavily modified...but we tracked it stock). The point is, find joy in racing frigging anything! That minivan introduced more than a dozen new people to wheel-to-wheel racing and after incremental development through 6 years, it was fun to race!
I have a 2009 Subaru Forester X 2.5 that I bought it to drive while I worked on my WRX. Three years later the Forester has coilovers, adjustable rear lca's and lateral arms. A 25mm rear swaybar, stiffer front and rear end links, 18x9.5 wheels with Falken Azenis RT615K+ tires and a Sparco race seat. It is so slow but you don't have to slow for corners. So fun......oh and the WRX is still not back together.
"a car you can do everything in" and have fun on the track is what made a lot of us GenXers fall in love with Japanese economy cars 35-40 years ago.
Ya, my brother had a 77 Honda Civic. Wish It was outside now.
Say 10 years ago, I'm not even sure if the Prius could have kept up on track with a non-sports, common mid-size car. It's come a long way. Thanks for doing this, wish there would have been a parking lot / cone setup to go around.
Fantastic video! Spoiler free comment, but the results are worth watching all the way through for!
Many years ago while attending the CART race at Pocono my dad and I took a promotional ride in a Starcraft conversion van around the speedway with Roberto Guerrero driving. Van was full of people, Roberto is taking and showing us the racing lines, and the van is leaning so hard it feels almost upright on the banking. Best time ever. I hadn't thought of that experience in so many years, but for some reason this video fired that neuron...
8:46 probably the rear passenger POV while being on a racetrack
Love it! I was a track side photographer in 2007 and at one of the track days there was a Prius in the driving school sessions. This is now the second Prius I've seen on track. You should do a comparison video between an prev gen Prius and the new one :)
Sound off in the comments how upset you are if you've lost the plot.
Great video guys, love to see it.
I have a Prius (an old gen3 one) so I'm sort of biased in favor of this sort of thing. But as someone whose only experience with track driving is from a whole bunch of hours playing driving games, I feel like a Prius is a really good track car for someone like me who doesn't have a huge amount of skill. The lack of power will result in turns and braking spots coming at you a little slower, and whatever mistakes you make will come at a slower speed. Probably a good thing for unskilled drivers
You guys joke about his whole Prius thing but I think you had it right, track whatever you have if you want (as long as it's safe). I love cars, but I'm my own MOF and will always buy the sensible option, not the fun one (maybe when the kids finish college I'll treat myself, but that's a decade away). I'm sure there are plenty of ppl like me, geek out on cars, love hearing something loud go down the street but drive a mini-van or a Sonata (me) or a Corolla. Have fun with what you got however you can and live vicariously through videos like this!
Great show! I loved the side by side laps at the end. I bet anti sway and better brakes on the Prius could shave a few seconds.
Wait for Toyota is going to "GR" this handsome Prius... i know it is coming!!
Go look at the Prius 24H Le Mans Centenary GR Edition (yes, it's a mouthful 😅).
It can be a base of what a GR Prius would look like and Toyota also entering the Prius to race in the Super Taikyu Endurance series through Rookie Racing, Akio Toyoda's personal race team and a place where quite a lot of Toyota's recent performance cars get tested on competition like the GR Corolla had its first appearance here (including the Hydrogen ICE version), GR Yaris with the new 8-speed Auto, even a GR86 with a GR Yaris/GR Corolla engine)
If hybrid tech is good enough for Formula 1 it's gotta be good enough for cheap slow track cars too.
Boost the pricetag by a little, and Toyota could surely double the horsepower of the Prius Prime, add all wheel drive, and make it competitive on track with a stock STI from 10 or 20 years ago.
I bought a 2024 Prius XLE AWD last month and the tires concern me but thanks to this video I know they won't explode on me in a turn. GREAT video, thank you!
Why would they concern you lol
@@adams1696 I saw a bad review on the 19 inch Michellin tires that came with it on Michellins site that said they both popped by just turning on uneven pavement at 15 mph.
@@CelestialTrieye lol
Totally agree that if you’re into cars you should track whatever you drive. I’ve got a Volvo XC70 that I took to an autocross, and no it did not have high performance tires. Regardless, it was incredibly fun and everyone there loved seeing a wagon with terrible suspension on the limit around a track.
This was amazing!! Thanks!!!
your modified Prius might outgun my back in the day 68 Mercury Cougar GTE (390 HP 427 side oiler) on a road course. That car was a straight line monster, but huge over steering on turns
Amazing video guys!
Great concept guys!
Great content, I was waiting for this. Too bad a larger rear anti-roll bar is not available yet. Regarding tracking cars not intended for it, years ago, as a parent with young ones and commute, I drove a Mk4 VW Golf TDI. My car was enhanced a bit with a tune, suspension and wheels/tires. I did autocross and track days with it and surprised the owner of a modded, caged, gutted and track-prepped Civic when he found out the car he was battling with was a 50mpg diesel with a booster seat in the back.
Love the song/camera sync. nice work video editor!
Honestly, I really like the looks of the Prius and I could definitely live with one as a daily appliance. It'd be really interesting to see what can be done with a little better suspension and just a bit more power.
This was hilarious. Still, it’s another example of the ‘slow car fast’ fun..
Love you showed the full uncut lap! Not enough channels do that!! Also do this with a Honda Fit!
Thoroughly enjoyed that guys. Good job, and as for badges? We don’t need no stinkin badges 😊
Great video! Awesome that you got the Prius on track. I love taking my car to the track and so wish I could have a couple of other fun cars to go the track with. S2000, GR86 and Miata to go with my Cayman please.
Hate to say it but CVTs are fast. The always shifting and always putting power down thing is a pretty useful party trick. eCVTs solve so many issues with CVT design. Personally, I think they are great. If I could not find a manual vehicle, my second choice would be hybrid eCVT hands down.
I will note, one benefit of having gears is being able to instinctively know what speed you're supposed to be at for each corner. Apparently some drivers got faster with the fake gears on Hyundai's N-Ionic because they could very quickly figure out how much they had to slow down with the fake RPM and fake gear position.
@@Appletank8 Agreed. Fixed gearing helps you judge corners better.
Loving the Absurd Project and how you've turned the stereotype on its head. Everyday Driver indeed! We sent you an email, please take a look.
they need a gr variant to “shock the world”
Boy do I have news for you in 2025
@@nuddin99😮👍
How hard would it be to swap GR86 seats into the Prius?
Like the answer to all good questions… it depends
The cost of the seat/seats+tax and shipping (price may vary) either you install it your self (or know a guy/gal) and any other additional bits or pieces or wiring harness adapter..=$$ out of $$$$$ (depending on your disposable income)
Was wondering the same thing
Toyota - rip the band aid off and do a performance trim of the Prius. These guys have practically served up the capabilities to you on a silver platter.
My gosh I love the new Prius haha.
LOVED THIS!!!
Wonder if anyone yet makes a half decent coilover for it yet. Add in a rear swaybar perhaps if it needs a little extra rotation, and it might be a hoot.
Nice video. I find it interesting that you often say that EV's aren't fun. Yet, you're having fun in a Prius. I'd much rather have my EV.
i rented a prius 2 months ago and boy was i impressed with the car overall, i was not aware of a AWD version.
These guys are awesome
I'm honestly concerned that this level of absurdity will begin the guy's true descent into madness 😂
I think they went over the edge about the time Paul bought a Maserati
That looked like an absolute BLAST of a track session! Do y’all sell those red/blue striped jackets at the end of the video? Because y’all should!
We sold a version of them in the past but don't currently.
I would not be surprised to see Toyota make a GR Prius. There was that concept shown at Le Mans after all…
Im already seeing them with slight lowering and nice wheels around. Looks like a nice daily honestly
I wonder how quickly you'd run through tires, wheel bearings, suspension components and brakes. I say keep your track car a dedicated track car because you will break shit you never thought would lol. Interesting test tho, great channel guys ✊️
Excellent points - tracking finds all the weak points. Thank you for watching and glad you enjoyed!
On track mpg?
Never mind just saw, 21mpg pretty impressive
Soooooo-sticky tires, lowering springs, Bilstein shocks, sway bars, and some programming potentially that can increase the electric input at certain times (like coming out of corners) and the new Prius could be a legit track monster.
The Prime in Hybrid/Sport doesn't have awd, but it does have +20hp and the bigger battery lets the power splitter lean on the electric motor for accelerating out of corners. Put new wheels, 235/40R19 tires and coilovers on mine. Last thing is brakes before I take it for a lap times. I understand absurdity.
The older one is good on a track too, it’s much lighter and a lot more nimble.
"Cool Prius"
- Somebody
OMG I love the title 😂
You're helping selling Prius to entirely different audiences 😂
I have a prediction that the 2.0 in the Prius is very well built and will be able to be tuned to very high horsepower soon. I believe it may be able to do 300HP especially because it is a 2.0, with minimally replaced components, and that the drivetrain will be able to hold up. If it's able to get to 350 or 400 horsepower at the wheels, it will truly be an insane car.
I would love to see the M20A Prius come to life with a 2JRACING manifold, exhaust system, Takeda intake, and Injen Xpedal Pro. 😁
As it shares the same TNGA platform with the E210 (H) / (S) Corolla, the suspension will carry over. Swaybars/ coilovers/ subframe braces/ strut tower braces, and Im guessing even the pitch mount.
The only weak point is the CVT.
Thanks for the laughs
This is awesome
if they threw the 3 cylinder in and kept it a hybrid it would be a mental gr prius. could have an eco mode with different tuning to run at low/no boost to keep the fuel economy benefits, and have different drive modes/boost levels for performance driving!
I hope they launch this generation of Prius in Brazil. This car was really cool.
Sense of humor, hell no.
This is exactly what I want to see. Making basic ass cars into good cars. Just wished there was more time and budget for maybe better suspension, some stiffening bits like struts and maybe even go to the whole "making it look sporty" side of modding.
I really wanna get better suspension and tires for our 1liter 3cyl Polo.
Because as it is, it drives really fun.
Also thinking about shilling 1k for a black roof liner set.
lower body height making it acompact 4 seater no trunk, electric assited turbo inline 3 , a lotus elise style momentum preservation type sporty driving, all in the name of high mpg
This was awesome. The only thing is that you can buy a BRZ in Canada for 30K a tiny bit used, and a Prius is only new at $50+K.
In the USA, the rz is more expensive than Canada so there is no price difference
Any thoughts with how the hybrid system on the prius would hold up tracking in a hot climate? That could be a big hurdle for a GR version from the factory.
The Prime would probably work best because it has a liquid cooled battery. The air cooled traction battery would need additional cooling. I know a Gen 4 was modified with ducting and an air ram for better cooling but that was a custom mod someone did. Not sure how well it actually worked. Liquid cooling is probably necessary so if there is going to be a GR Prius, my money is on it being a Prime variant.
@@kiefershanks4172Based on the recent rumour they're going for a regular hybrid variant because the regular hybrid can be fitted with AWD and the Prime/PHEV will be stuck with FWD because they have no space for another motor (bigger battery)
hoping it wont add power, just make body height lower into a turnkless compact 4 momentum preservation car . would be nice it it had electric assited turbo inline 3 too,. a higher mpg car
I'm a Vredestein believer. They make some pretty legit all seasons
I drove mine on the Nürburgring/Nordschleife...even previous generation was more fun than my gt86 that I also drove on there few months before.
this video popped up at the perfect time because just last week toyota announced they are making the toyota prius GRMN
According to BestCar Japan, it appears Toyota is working on a Prius GRMN, although I have not seen an official announcement from Toyota themselves.
I track my MKVI Jetta SportWagen TDI (manual). Love it.
I think the Prius prime would have a better shot of matching the GR86. 220hp isn’t too bad with the electric torque.
It's heavier, tho
@gomper it's heavier but more balanced and still faster
Great fun project👍😅
Will it off road? Better check.
I have fun at the dragon In my dads ram 1500 with 100s of extra LBS in the bed (wheels tires, tools, jack) and I wasn't the slowest one on it either 😅
So ig next time I go to Sebring I don't my mini.. I just need to bring the truck...🙃
It looks like there are a lot of tire options in 215/60 - 17, so that with a nice, light 17x7.5, 38mm offset wheel?
Or 215/55 for an 18" option? Cusco has sway bars, not sure if they available in the US yet 😁
We spoke with Cusco directly about getting sway bars and the weren’t in the US yet.
The new Corolla cross Hybrid is 0-60 in around 10 seconds. The Prius is seriously impressive!
That is great!
Well you get better mileage tracking your prius than I get daily driving my 21 Bronco Badlands ;)
Damn it looks so good on bronze wheels!!!
YALL SHOULD DO A TRACK READY PRIUS LIKE SUSPENSION SWAY BAR TIRES AND WHEELS OF COURSE JUTS KEEP STOCK
Can you please tell me the wheel and tire specifications that you used in this test for prius?
I’ve always said the GR86 is as fast as a Prius. Guess I’ve been right all along lol. If Toyota makes another GR86 generation, they’re going to need to put a turbo in that thing.
Those sun shades on the sunroof would annoy me shaking all around like that. It's a brand new car and that looks like a design flaw
You guys need radios or cell phone connection… looks fun as hell.
Difference could be made up if Toyota tuned that RWD motor for track use...probably same kind of tuning that the Lexus that are on the same drivetrain would want.
I wonder if the Prius is getting oil starved? No baffles in the oil pan etc. I bet it's getting low oil pressure in the corners.
would yall ever do a video on the q50/60?
When this thing depreciates, I’m gonna be all over it.
I think hell just froze over….. ;)
Do another with the Prime - more power but FWD. Should be interesting?