It's smart to go after the professional market first, where hard numbers have a chance at trumping brand bigotry.

The Teutuls run a screwdriver shop. They don't build choppers, they perform final assembly of kit bikes.

And, again, e-bay moves a little bit further away from the person-to-person marketplace that made them successful.

Well, on the plus side, the fact that it already weighs over 4k means that the extra 2-300lbs from my planned/dreamed Cummins V8 diesel swap will be barely noticeable...

@Brian E: That depends on which "Quattro" you're talking about.

@mtsmiths: Seriously. WTF don't they have the diesel at launch? Makes no sense. Could have been a slam dunk. Won't be as attractive without the oil burner.

@1300ccsoffury: Well, you still didn't answer the question. It would sell better, and if Mitsu can sell a ralliart in the mid $20s, they can sell one with two fewer doors for around the same price. Besides, I think we'd probably both agree that the market has changed somewhat in the past 8 years. The old AWD eclipse…

@1300ccsoffury: Well maybe Mitsu should listen to the masses because the masses haven't been buying the eclipse since they neutered it. Tell me it wouldn't sell better if it was basically a lancer ralliart coupe.

You don't even need a description on this one. Just "Porsche 959" and the "Yes/No" radio buttons.

So if this makes it to the US it's basically a win-win for us:

Alternately, you could speed up or get the f*ck out of the fast lane, Mrs. Daisy.

hmm, how deep are the charge cycles? If you're just hitting the er, capacity of the ultracapacitors, then you've got millions of recharge cycles, but if you're delving into the lead acid batteries, then how does it perform? Lots of deep cycles are not the strong suit of (current?) lead-acid battery tech.

@jdepould: Ok, I see what you mean. I think that's probably more common for the top gear on a tranny to be more or less the same ratio on an equivalent 5 or 6 speed, and to use the extra cog to let the other gears be closer together. There are plenty of exceptions, of course, and blends of the two.

@jdepould: Most six-speed cars have a sixth gear with a similar, if not identical ratio as the fifth gear on the five speed version, there's just more gears in between to keep the engine in the revs, so I'm not sure what you mean "geared like a six". There are exceptions of course, including the vette where 5th gear…

It bothers me when people hold up the vette as an example of how you can acheive efficiency in a car with a big motor. The vette gets ok highway mileage on the EPA test because it is light, has good aerodynamics, and most importantly, 6th gear is a joke 0.5:1 ratio that exists only to pad the mileage numbers. It has…

not really a transmission if it only has one gear and no clutch. Sounds like a sensible solution though. Most electric drive systems don't bother with gears.

I miss small trucks. What's wrong with the world when my small-truck choices are barely-small and middling Colorado and the ancient Ranger?

Giant motor and little more than a thin aluminum fairing between you and certain speedy death? I'll take two.

G-lader, FTW!

A special edition Mustang? The scarcity alone of such a thing could easily push this over $250k.