Hybrid sales increasing as more become available
In 2006, nearly a quarter of a million hybrids -- vehicles propelled by a powertrain that combines the energy from a gasoline engine and electric motor -- were sold in the United States.
Lump those together and that sales number represents what would be the ninth-best-selling vehicle in the country. By far the best selling among all hybrids is the Toyota Prius, with more than 106,000 sales last year. But the Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and the Honda Civic Hybrid all surpassed the 30,000 sales figure.
Hybrid sales are expected to continue to increase as more and more automakers add such powertrains to their lineup.
Here's what's new and some of the highlights of what's next with hybrid vehicles:
Toyota:
The market leader has added driver and front passenger seat-mounted side air bags and full-length side-curtain air bags as standard equipment to the Prius for the 2007 model year.
Mercedes continues to set the standard
There's something immensely satisfying about sitting in the driver's seat of a big Mercedes-Benz sedan and gazing down the hood at the famed three-pointed star.
Among the world's most renowned hood ornaments, it ranks second perhaps only to the Rolls-Royce Flying Lady in recognition. It has pointed the way for Mercedes' sedans since early last century, a symbol of the German cars' long and esteemed pedigree.
The particular three-pointed star that I see rises above the grille of a 2007 S550, the automaker's flagship sedan. The all-new 2007 S-Class is the ninth generation of the car and is a showcase of Mercedes' latest technology and design -- both of which are sure to trickle down to the automaker's other sedans, the intermediate-size E-Class and the smaller C-Class.
Toyota Camry named 2007 Canadian Car of the Year
Going home with Good Sport stickers (or plaques or certificates or whatever they get) are the Honda Fit, Volkswagen Rabbit, Lexus ES350, Audi S8, MazdaSpeed3, Volkswagen Eos and the BMW 3-Series Coupe. What a fight that must have been. The AJAC's press release is after the jump, and all their test data and performance numbers are on their site for comparison. The award was given out today as part of the Canadian International Auto Show, where Toyota took home three more awards, one of which wasn't Camry related. The Lexus ES350 was named the best new luxury car under $50k, while the Camry LE got Best New Family Car $22k-$30k, and the Camry Hybrid also got Best New Family Car over $30k. In the photo above, that's one proud Stephen Beatty, managing director of Toyota Canada, with his company's CCOTYs.In case you need some ammo with which to attack/support the AJAC's decision, last year's top CCOTY was the Civic Sedan, in 2005 the Mustang, in 2004 the Mazda3 and in 2003 the 350Z.
Gilroy Boys Want to Keep the Heat On
Like last year, Gilroy posted a decisive win in the Central Coast Section first-round boys playoffs.
That team was one-and-out. Perhaps that's why the Mustang players took a business-as-usual attitude Wednesday after their 80-54 win over Silver Creek.
Other than Kameron Handy, Jason Conrad, Marshad Johnson and Frankie Tomasetti, this is not the same Gilroy team that was ousted in the quarterfinals last year by Spencer Ford and Milpitas.
For one thing, Ford now wears a Mustang uniform. More importantly, the 6-11 senior is playing his best basketball of the season with four straight double-doubles and Gilroy is playing its best basketball of the season as it prepares for Carlmont. The teams meet in the final quarterfinal game at 6:15pm today at Independence.
The Scots got off to a fast start against Alisal and won their first-round game 48-39.
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