With the Alessandro Volta, Toyota collaborates with Italdesign-Giugiaro to take the concept of a supercar into the hybrid era. Think of it as an exotic that can be parked in the garage of a Sierra Club activist. Alessandro Volta starts with Toyota's most advanced hybrid system, transplanted from the RX400h (also on display in Geneva). On the Alessandro Volta, the 3.3-liter V-6 is fitted behind the rear axle - it's not connected directly to the rear wheels. Motion comes from two electrically powered engines, one per axle providing all-wheel drive and pushing 402 horsepower to the pavement. This layout eliminates the traditional transmission and gearbox longitudinal components. The seating layout is three abreast; in Geneva that means three leggy models who dropped jaws of the predominantly male automotive press corps, in stark contrast to the goings-on over at the Volvo booth.
