2022 Lexus Rx 350 on 2040-cars

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Lexus puts the 2.0T into the Euro-market RC Coupe

The Lexus IS got the brand's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder to become the IS 200t. So it is with the Lexus RC in Europe, which gets the engine swap in Europe and as the RC 200t becomes the entry level model in the range. It goes on sale over there at the end of this year, and is predicted to make its way here eventually. The engine is rated the same in this application as in the IS: 241 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, working through an eight-speed transmission for a 0-62 mile-per-hour time of 7.5 seconds. It can be picked out by its smaller wheels and the lack of aggressive bodywork. Lexus will offer an F-Sport package that restores some muscularity. Better still is the available Torsen limited-slip differential and the adaptive variable suspension for improved handling. We don't have the entry-level coupes here like the Euro-market BMW 420i, which would be a good competitor for the RC 200t. In our market base competitors like the BMW 428i, Audi A5, and Cadillac ATS, all fitted with 2.0-liter engines, are faster, and will most likely be lighter and might be less expensive than the RC 200t. That looks like it will make the Lexus offering best for buyers who already want to get into the line but at a friendlier price. The press release below has more info. Related Video: RC JOINING THE LEXUS 2.0L TURBO PETROL LINE-UP - 2.0 litre, 4-cylinder, twin-scroll turbo unit developing 180 kW/245 DIN hp and 350 Nm of torque - 0-100 km/h in 7.5 seconds and 230 km/h maximum speed - 8-Speed Sport Direct Shift (SPDS) transmission with G-force linked gear shifting Brussels, Belgium Lexus: 31 Jul 2015 - The new Lexus RC 200t is the fourth Lexus model to feature the refined driving performance of the company's 2.0 litre turbocharged petrol engine. Mated to an 8-speed Sport Direct Shift (SPDS) transmission, the turbo unit adopts numerous sophisticated engine technologies to offer drivers an engaging combination of smoothness, turbo-lag-free throttle responsiveness and fuel-efficiency. The superior driving dynamics of the new RC 200t may be further enhanced through the availability of an F SPORT version, which is equipped with a Torsen Limited Slip Differential. Together with the already announced RC 300h, the new RC 200t go on sale throughout Europe at the end of the year.

Anti-EV, pro-hybrid ad from Lexus gets a whole lot wrong

Tell us if you're surprised that Toyota (through its Lexus brand) is putting out some questionable information about electric vehicles. While it's one thing for company executives to be anti-EV, it's quite another to put out obviously false information when you speak ill of plug-in vehicles, especially when you also sell them. The automaker offers the RAV4 EV and Prius Plug-In, albeit in limited numbers, First, let's look at what Lexus is saying. On the company's consumer site, in the hybrid section, there are a number of slick videos. In one ("Hybrid Overview"), Lexus makes it look like charging an EV takes four hours. That may be true in some situations, but the video shows an anonymous driver plugging a Nissan Leaf into something that looks like a AeroVironment DC fast charger, which takes around a half hour to charge. Granted, the site has a disclaimer that says, the "charge time represents the average time to charge from empty to full using typically available 240V commercial charging stations," but in everyday use, that's not something EV drivers often do. Charged EVs mentions two previous studies that show how most EV charging is done at home. Lexus knows all this, of course, but doesn't mention it. Lexus says that there are 20 states with an "established infrastructure" for hydrogen. Another video on the site, one that talks about future alternative powertrain technologies, says that there are 20 states with an "established infrastructure" for hydrogen and 37 with the same for electric vehicles. It also blatantly says that we need to consider all of the emissions from the fossil fuels used to make electricity (carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, etc.) but does not say anything about the fossil fuel emissions used to make hydrogen. You can see some screen grabs in the gallery or watch the video yourself. It's all blatantly one-sided, especially since the official numbers from the Department Of Energy say that there are Level 2 public EV chargers in literally every state except Alaska and only 11 public hydrogen stations in the US. Ten of them are in California, the other is in South Carolina. A Lexus spokesman told AutoblogGreen it will ask TeamOne, its ad agency, and the Lexus marketing department for clarification on where the data in the videos comes from. We will update this post when we hear back.

Lexus NX, BMW i3 to get Super Bowl commercials

At this point last year, we'd been getting news on automotive-focused Super Bowl commercials for more than two months. The teasers hadn't come out yet, but manufacturers lined up for the super-expensive spots were making their intentions known. This year? Almost nada, until this week. BMW has said it will air a 60-second spot promoting the i3 during the first quarter of the game, the Munich firm returning to The Big Game after a four-year absence. BMW says, "Big ideas like the BMW i3 take a little getting used to, and the creative idea surrounding our spot will play on this analogy." We say that pitching a tiny range-extended hatchback during the beer-iest American sports orgy of the year should make for some neat commentary afterward. Lexus is putting its new NX crossover in the second Super Bowl commercial it's ever aired, eschewing the glitter of celebrities and glamor for a straight-shooting spot and the tagline, "Be seen, be heard, make some noise." Joining those two are Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Toyota. The six confirmed carmakers are down from eleven last year, when car spots made up a quarter of the total ad time. The price to do business for 30 seconds this year: reportedly around $4.5 million, up a stacks from last year's $4 million. You can watch the Lexus commercial in the video above, and beneath that, the BMW press release below has a bit more information on its effort. BMW to Advertise All-Electric BMW i3 during Super Bowl XLIX. The all-electric BMW i3 is featured in a 60-second spot during Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, February 1, 2015. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 15, 2015... Today, BMW announced plans to feature the all-electric BMW i3 in a 60-second spot during Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, February 1, 2015. After a 4-year hiatus, BMW will be returning to the big game with a commercial during the first quarter. "As one in three Americans will tune in to watch the Super Bowl, we are thrilled to use this platform to educate viewers on the importance of electric mobility," said Trudy Hardy, Vice President of Marketing, BMW of North America. "Big ideas like the BMW i3 take a little getting used to, and the creative idea surrounding our spot will play on this analogy." BMW i is BMW's forward-looking and sustainable brand dedicated to solving many of the mobility challenges faced by the world's most densely populated cities. The BMW i3 is the first of the BMW i vehicles constructed from the ground up primarily of carbon fiber.