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ReprintsLexus plans a hybrid-only car
Tony Lewin
Automotive News Europe
June 28, 2007 14:38 CET
Lexus' first hybrid-only model also will be the Toyota luxury brand's least expensive hybrid when it arrives in 2009, said Steve Settle, head of Lexus UK. The model, which will be slightly roomier than the current IS lower-premium sedan, is expected to be priced between the €30,000 IS and the €51,000 RX 400h hybrid premium SUV. "Hybrid is the brand-defining technology for Lexus," Settle said. Three of Lexus' main model lines include hybrid derivatives. Those cars account for more than 70 percent of the brand's sales in the UK, Lexus' biggest market in Europe. The IS is offered with gasoline and diesel powertrains. Settle was unable to confirm the name of the new hybrid or whether it was derived from an existing platform. He said the new Lexus hybrid will be sold in Japan and Europe, but he was not certain about a launch in North America. You may e-mail Tony Lewin at autonews@crain.com |
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