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Toyota cuts 2014 Prius Plug-in hybrid prices

For the 2014 model year the Toyota Prius Plug-in hybrid will get a price cut, with the base Prius Plug-in model starting at $29,990, not including destination. The $2,010 drop in price comes without any changes to the vehicle, and Toyota was keen to point out that "This price repositioning on the base Prius Plug-in Hybrid is not accompanied by any reduction in vehicle content.” This drop in price can be viewed as part of Toyota's effort to keep sales volume of its popular plug-in hybrid model on target -- about the only place where the 2014 model Prius will look different will be the Japanese domestic market, where the Prius will get two-tone paint options, new wheels, and LED lighting. Likewise, the Prius Plug-in Advanced will also get a price cut for the 2014 model year, and will start at $34,905, not including destination.

Ownership costs of traditional versus alternative fuel vehicles

As gas prices remain high, and an increasing number of automakers roll out plug-in hybrid cars and full-electric vehicles, it's becoming easier to be tantalized with the idea of driving right past the gas station and simply "plugging in." The debate ensues when it comes to cost: These alternative fuel vehicles mean a larger outlay of cash at the onset, but the long-term fuel savings could make the purchase worthwhile. To help straighten out this numbers game, we use the Department of Energy's Vehicle Cost Calculator to compare alternative fuel vehicles with their gasoline-only counterparts. For each scenario, we assumed that our hypothetical owner was able to get the full $7,500 federal tax credit and a $2,500 state tax credit, such as is available in California.

Lewis Hamilton on Pole for 2014 Italian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton on Pole for 2014 Italian Grand Prix F1 hasn’t been kind to Lewis Hamilton in 2014, especially with Nico Rosberg running in to him at Spa, but Hamilton is back on track with his first pole position since May and, better still, he did it by leaving Nico Rosberg in second place a comfortable 0.274s behind. That performance will no doubt help Hamilton’s state of mind as he battles Rosberg for the drivers championship, but he still has a mountain to climb as Mercedes’ sanctions on Rosberg don’t include a ‘resting’ race to level the playing field. And with just seven races to go, a 29 point deficit is a big deficit to make up.