OYAMACHO, Shizuoka Pref. — Pushing the pedal to the metal, the machine quickly raced to 70 kph on the short circuit at legendary Fuji Speedway as if it was personally attacking the standard image that hybrids are sluggish off the mark.

It was a cold, rainy day, but that wasn't keeping dozens of reporters from taking the third-generation Prius for a test drive on the race track at the foot of Mount Fuji.

When Toyota Motor Corp. unveiled the latest Prius gasoline-electric hybrid earlier this month, it had a 1.8-liter engine that boasts better acceleration than the current 1.5-liter engine.