MNN - Mother Nature Network

The New York Auto Show has been a mainstay in the automotive market for more than 100 years. Today, the 2012 show kicks off with two days of media previews and on Friday the New York Auto Show opens up to the public for 10 days of automotive bliss.

 

Hundreds of cars will be on display throughout the event including dozens of alternative fuel vehicles. Hybrid vehicles making an appearance at the 2012 New York Auto Show include the all-new Toyota Prius c, the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid, Kia’s Optima Hybrid and the Porsche Panamera Hybrid.

 

Porsche’s hybrid Panamera sedan is a hybrid vehicle on steroids. The 380 horsepower engine produces 428 pound-feet of torque and can travel from 0 to 60 miles per hour in under six seconds. If that isn’t quick enough of a thrill for the average Porsche driver, the hybrid can reach a top track speed of 167 miles per hour. This exciting driving experience comes with a 22 mpg city and 30 mpg highway EPA fuel efficiency rating.

 

On the other end of the fuel efficiency spectrum is the all-new Toyota Prius c. The sporty-looking subcompact is rated at 53 mpg in the city and 46 mpg on the highway. Although the city fuel efficiency rating is more than double that of the Porsche Panamera hybrid, the 99-horsepower Toyota Prius c’s 0 to 60 miles per hour time is 11.5 seconds. In that time, the Panamera could have traveled from 0 to 60 mph twice.

 

The hybrid vehicle market has grown tremendously over the past several years and now there’s a hybrid vehicle available for nearly every type of driver. From the highly fuel-efficient Toyota Prius c to the fast and luxurious Porsche Panamera hybrid, the New York Auto Show will feature a hybrid vehicle for everyone.