A Prius is killing the planet far faster than your old hotrod. The pollution created just making the batteries for a prius is more than your hotrod is gonna make in your entire lifespan.
You and 70Dart are correct- a Prius does far more environmental damage dure to all the 'non-standard' production procedures and materials contained within. Modern vehicles tailpipe emissions yearly equates to a few MICROgrams. And for every mile you go over 100K, the environment impact rolls back on the manufacturing equity of said vehicle. Only idiots buy into the notion that the emissions only come from the tailpipe. The manufacturing figures into over half the pollution impact each vehicle creates.
I finally junked my '89 Turbo Caravan-after stripping all the usable parts (like later suspension, Koni struts, T3 turbo, etc.) and putting them on a buddy's Caravan- after over 300K on the odometer
