Just like the rest of the industry, Toyota's sales are down this year, and that includes its standard-bearing Prius hybrid hatchback. There are signs that the new 2010 model will revive Prius sales somewhat, and the Japanese automaker is hoping to have similar success with its new Lexus HS 250h luxury hybrid sedan. According to Mark Templin, group vice president of the Lexus Division for Toyota North America:

More than 60 percent of entry luxury sedan buyers said they would consider hybrids, and this is a segment nobody's in right now. People are feeling better about the economy, and our dealers are asking for more cars. That's a good sign.

Lexus reportedly expects to sell some 25,000 HS 250h hybrid sedans in the car's first 12 months on the market in the States, which would immediately make the new HS 250h the best selling luxury hybrid car in America. Perhaps there's reason to be optimistic – hybrid vehicles actually managed to grab market share in the month of May and the price of fuel is slowly rising again.



[Source: Automotive News - subs. req'd]

Just because The Cold War is over doesn't mean that all cold wars have come to an end. Two protagonists in the auto industry – once again, East vs. West – are currently embroiled in an in-car safety and technology arms race that is beginning to look more like NASA vs. Roskosmos than a battle between luxury sedans. The latest master weapon comes from Lexus in the form of its HS 250h hybrid, which is claimed to be not only the world's first hybrid-only luxury sedan, but also the most fuel-friendly luxury vehicle extant. If Lexus has it, they put it on this car. Our question was: Would we want to put one in our driveway? Follow the jump to find out.


Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Lexus' new RX 450h goes on sale in mid-summer, and if you're interested in buying the hybrid "car-based luxury utility vehicle," here's what it'll cost you: The base prices, including shipping, start at $42,535 (FWD) and $44,125 (AWD). These numbers are down slightly from the 2009 models, which were $42,905 and $44,305, respectively. The second-generation RX 450h gets 32/28 highway/city mpg for the FWD version, 30/28 on AWD. These numbers are up slightly from the 2009 models, which were 27/24 and 26/24, respectively. Part of the mpg boost comes from an updated hybrid powertrain that uses a 3.5-liter V-6 Atkinson-cycle engine that produces 295 hp (up from 268 from the current version's 3.3 liter V-6). A bit more for at bit less? For people who still have $40k+ to spend on a luxury vehicle, that's good news.


[Source: Inside Line]

The Lexus RX 450h is already a fairly impressive hybrid vehicles, numberswise. The CUV gets 44.8 mpg (37 mpg U.S.) on the combined cycle and emits 148 grams of CO₂ per km. To make the luxury vehicle even more green, Lexus has released information on how clean the manufacturing process for the RX 450h is. You can see the details that make the vehicle a Lexus (typhoon-level rain testing, anyone?) after the jump, but the highlights on the green powertrain front include a hermetic manufacturing area where small airborne articles are kept out, something that Lexus says makes the Kokura plant "the perfect environment for making hybrid components." Workers need to "wear pocketless, anti-static clothing and to wash their shoes" and can't bring metal items into the areas where the hybrid components are made. Now you know.


[Source: Lexus]

The 2008-09 edition of the Lexus Eco Challenge is over and high school teams from Illinois and Florida have captured the top $50,000 prizes. The competition is open to teams of middle and high school students nationwide and is intended to encourage them to get involved in projects that help the environment. Teams have to design projects and put them into action. The grand prize winners each receive $50,000 of scholarships and grants for their respective schools.

In Illinois, the Thornbridge biodiesel team built their own diesel processor. They then held a local drive that, instead of collecting the usual bottles, papers or canned food, gathered up waste vegetable oil to use as a feedstock.

The EcoGeeks of Florida decided to help out victims of a hurricane that slammed into Haiti last year with equipment that would help get them back on their feet with less environmental impact. They sent solar ovens and generators to the Caribbean island along with seedlings and recipes for "green cuisine."

[Source: Scholastic]

When we first met the RX 450h hybrid CUV - excuse me, the "car-based luxury utility vehicle," during the LA Auto Show last November, Lexus wouldn't say what mileage the vehicle would get. Now that we're a bit closer to the release date and the CUV's European debut at the Geneva Motor Show this week, Lexus has announced that the RX 450h gets 44.8 mpg (37 mpg U.S.) on the combined cycle, an improvement of 28 percent. Combine that with CO₂ emissions of 148 grams per km, and Lexus has numbers to brag about. The RX 450h goes on sale in the UK this summer. We'll get more details on the European debut from Geneva this coming week.


[Source: Lexus UK]

This is one of those stories that, when you first read the headline, you think, "This will be all over the internet in a matter of minutes." The details are as follows: A Lexus hybrid belonging to the chairman of the Arkansas Medical Board, Dr. Trent Pierce, exploded this morning outside his home. CNN says he is currently in "extremely critical condition" at a local hospital. Early reports from local media said that, "it could have been a malfunction with the hybrid Lexus SUV" and police did not initially suspect any foul play. Another person was also injured. FOX has since learned that the ATF is investigating and that an "explosive device" was found in the car. The FBI is also involved.

Toyota has told AutoblogGreen that, "At this time we have received no information on the details of the onsite investigation."

UPDATE: Toyota just sent out the following statement: "We are extremely concerned to hear about Dr. Pierce and are looking into the situation. There have been conflicting reports from officials on the scene and it is too early to speculate on the cause. We will cooperate completely with officials in any investigation. We are not aware of any such incident in which it was determined that Lexus hybrid vehicle components were the cause."

[Source: CNN, FOX]

The trend towards more fuel efficient automobiles is stretching past its expected economy car roots and into the upper reaches of large luxury vehicles. It could be argued that Lexus started this particular trend with its range of hybrid vehicles, especially the GS 450h and the LS 600h premium sedans. Perhaps the biggest hurdle Lexus needs to overcome to sell its hybrids is their price, since all that extra doohickery adds plenty to the bottom line. Perhaps it's not surprising, then, to hear rumors that Lexus is working on a new version of its LS flagship that will use Toyota's 2GR-FSE 3.5L V6 engine engine in lieu of the pricey hybrid or thirsty V8 options. We'd assume the new model would be named the LS 350.

This particular powerplant has won accolades by combining both port fuel injection and direct injection to produce up to 311 horsepower (315 PS or 232 kW) and is already used in the automaker's IS 350 and GS 350. This engine option in the LS would also allow buyers in some countries to avoid high taxes that are based on the powerplant's displacement.


[Source: Paultan.org]

Ethanol fuel with low moisture content has the potential to corrode the inside of the fuel delivery pipes in some Lexus vehicles, including GS300/350, IS250/350, and LS460/460L models from 2006, 2007 and 2008 model years. The problem, which can create a pinhole leak in the pipes, has caused Lexus to announce a safety recall of about 214,500 vehicles. First-class letters will be sent to Lexus owners who might have vehicles that may be affected by this problem, and Lexus dealers will replace, at no charge, their pipes with newly-designed components. No other Lexus or Toyota vehicles are part of this recall. There's a phone number after the jump to call if you have questions.


[Source: Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.]

If the standard Lexus RX 400h just isn't enough high-priced hybrid handsomeness for you, then a Lexus sales representative would like to speak to you as soon as possible. Lexus has just announced two new Limited Edition RX 400h models that are now on sale in the UK at "highly competitive" prices. How competitive? Try £35,995 for the Limited Edition and £37,995 for the Executive Limited Edition. Lexus already got in trouble for saying that, "Driving the world's first luxury hybrid SUV [the standard RX 400h] makes environmental, and economic, sense" despite the fact that the SUV spits out 192 grams of CO₂ per km. The new editions do the same carbon damage. Will the Limited Editions, which come with things like perforated leather upholstery and an Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS), cause the same outcry?

[Source: Lexus]