A hybrid that isn't so, uh, girly

I've heard hybrids described as "girly" and weak way too many times, but the facts don't necessarily back that up. The Toyota Prius, for instance, is no less sporty than the cars that most of us drive! Despite the image of big trucks rumbling through the mountains, most Americans drive small sedans that are no more macho than the Prius, which is actually quite sporty looking itself.

Now check out the Toyota FT-HS hybrid sportscar. It was unveiled at the 2007 North American International Auto Show and is expected to be priced in the very reasonable mid-$30,000 range:

For a while there I was scared hybrids and "green" cars would be weak, girly little cars with slow engines. But what I'm seeing from Toyota has made me a happy man. Imagine having a car that is much faster than a Porsche, Mercedes AMG and any M series car from BMW and still cost 1/4 the price! Well Toyota plans to sell the FT-HS somewhere in the mid 30k range which, if correct, has me sold as I type this down. The goal of the rear wheel drive(thank god!) hybrid powertrain is to produce 400 horsepower and achieve 0-60 mph in around 4 seconds. This is accomplished with by combining a 3.5-liter V6 and an electric motor in a similar manner to the Lexus GS450h.