New Lexus RX 350 and RX 450H
Lexus has unveiled its all-new, next generation RX 350 and RX 450h hybrid at at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. The vehicle that pioneered the car-based luxury utility vehicle segment when it launched in 1998, is completely redesigned and will continue to set new benchmarks in areas that have made it the best-selling luxury utility vehicle: innovation, styling, performance, utility and comfort.
At the heart of the new RX models are two improved powertrains. Entering its second generation, the RX 450h will feature an enhanced Lexus Hybrid Drive system with a 3.5-liter V6 engine. The third generation RX 350 will be powered by an improved 275-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to an electrically controlled, sequential-shift six-speed transaxle. The all-wheel-drive version will feature an Active Torque Control AWD system that optimizes torque depending on driving conditions, resulting in improved efficiency and performance.
The RX 450h features a front-wheel hybrid drive or an electronically driven, part-time all-wheel-drive hybrid drive system, which supplies the rear wheels with the optimal amount of torque as conditions demand. Unlike mechanical AWD systems that reduce fuel efficiency via added weight and friction, the RX 450h's rear-mounted electric motor-generator allows all four wheels to perform regenerative braking, charging the hybrid battery more effectively.
The all-new 2010 RX 350 will go on sale next February, while the 2010 RX 450h will reach dealerships nationwide in the spring.