GREEN MACHINES; Gas-electric production hybrids come out of the woodwork at Detroit show.(General Motors Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. plans for hybrid vehicles)(Brief Article)

Byline: JOHN D. STOLL

Make no mistake, performance remains Detroit's reigning king. But far from playing court jester at this year's show, hybrids have gained legitimacy as automakers pulled them out of pipe dreams and into the future product pipeline.

GM will build as many as 12 hybrids by 2007, starting this year with a mild setup on full-size pickups, integrating a flywheel starter/alternator to up efficiency about 10 percent (AW, Jan. 6). In 2005, a 175-hp Saturn Vue hybrid arrives, pulling 50 of its horses from two electric motors, doubling efficiency. In 2006, GM introduces a 170-hp four-cylinder fitted with a belt-driven motor/generator and a continuously variable transmission. That engine/tranny setup goes in Chevrolet's Equinox sport/ute and later in Malibu.

Toyota announced plans to build a hybrid Lexus RX 330 within two years. Unlike the purpose-built hybrid drivetrain used on the Echo-based Toyota Prius gas-electric compact, the RX is modified ...