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Who Knew a Prius Was a Hot Rod?

Al Gore III, busted at over 100 mph, shows speedy side of green

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 6, 2007 5:14 AM CDT

(Newser) – As the exhaust clears following Al Gore III's joy-ride drug bust, an astonished public has zeroed in, not on the former veep's son, but on his little-Prius-that-could. Clocked at over 100mph before he was pulled over, Gore shattered the assumption that the Toyota hybrid sacrifices speed for fuel efficiency, the LA Times reports.

Rush Limbaugh was hardly alone when he asked, "How in the world do you get a Toyota Prius to go 100 mph without a cliff to go over?" In fact the environmentally friendly sedan, one of the most aerodynamically optimized cars on the road, can officially sustain speeds up to 103 mph, Toyota says. Some see a marketing opportunity. "If Toyota is smart, they'll have a specially prepared Prius Pace Car for the next Indy 500," says one blogger.

[Images (8)]

[Videos (2)]

In this handout file photo provided by the Toyota Motor Corp., a 2007 Toyota Prius is shown in a Sept. 2006 photo. A decade after the first Prius went on sale, Toyota's global sales of hybrid vehicles... (Associated Press)

BIZ AUTO-PRIUS 1 MCT (KRT Photos)

This is a booking mug shot photo released by the Orange County Sheriffs Department of Al Gore III, 24, who was arrested early Wednesday, July 4, 2007 on suspicion of possessing marijuana and prescription... (Associated Press)

Former Vice President Al Gore, second from left, and his wife Tipper arrive with their son Albert Gore III, right and daughter Karenna Gore Schiff, left, for the 79th Academy Awards Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007,... (Associated Press)

(FILES)The Toyota Prius is on display at the New York International... (Getty Images)

BIZ AUTO-PRIUS 2 MCT (KRT Photos)

Los Angeles Kicks Off International Car Show (Getty Images)

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Toyota Prius - Hybrid Sinergy Drive (PeterGreen125 (YouTube))

Toyota Prius Ad (Pompeyman17 (YouTube))

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Who Knew a Prius Was a Hot Rod?