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The Lexus LC 500h has a four-speed auto and that's a good thing

Lexus is sharing some powertrain details on the LC 500h ahead of the big hybrid coupe's debut in Geneva. Its new gas-electric setup strays from Toyota's tried-and-true system found in everything from the Prius to the Lexus GS. It's called the Multi Stage Hybrid System that's designed for performance vehicles, and it has an antiquated-sounding piece of equipment buried deep inside that's supposed to make it more enjoyable to drive. The basics: In the LC 500h, its first application, the Multi Stage Hybrid System will consist of a 3.5-liter V6, a hybrid transmission, and a lithium-ion battery pack. The hybrid transmission has an electric motor for motivation (and we're guessing a second for charging) and a four-speed automatic mounted to its rear, which either means inside or aft and in series. Why add ancient tech to a new hybrid system? Lexus says it preserves the connection between throttle input and engine speed that gets lost in a CVT. And while four seems like an insignificant sum in the face of nine- and 10-speed autos, remember that it is an infinite increase in gear count compared to CVT-packing hybrids. Toyota has been using versions of the Hybrid Synergy Drive system since the first Prius debuted in 1997, and the same system is sold under the Lexus Hybrid Drive banner in most of the luxury brand's offerings. These systems use what Toyota calls an e-CVT – two electric motors paired with a planetary gearset. This lets the engine and electric motors share the job of propelling the car – one motor handles charging of the battery and the other is primarily used to drive the wheels but can also recoup energy through regen. Like a conventional CVT, the planetary gearset arrangement allows the gas engine to run at its optimal engine speed when called upon for motivation and/or charging. But that doesn't make for the most exciting or familiar driving experience, as it affects both power delivery and the sound of the power being delivered. This is where the four-speed auto comes in. Based on the limited details Lexus has shared, our hunch is that the hybrid transmission will meld some form of the existing Lexus Hybrid Drive system with two more planetary gearsets, or the basic guts of a four-speed auto. This will provide the four fixed ratios and the feeling of actual shifting gears – because there will be actual gears shifting.

2015 Lexus NX 300h

With so much hullabaloo being made over the first gasoline turbocharged engine produced by Lexus, it's easy to forget that there's another option for those who'd rather (barely) hear the whirring of electric motors than the high-pitched whizzing of turbos. That's too bad, because we think the NX 300h is one of the more interesting hybrids on the market, due in large part to its innovative all-wheel-drive system and relatively sporty driving dynamics. We spent several hours with the brand-new hybrid crossover from Lexus, and we came away with plenty to talk about.
Driving Notes
Of course, the big thing that differentiates the 300h from the 200t is its drivetrain. In place of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder sits a 2.5-liter gasoline engine that runs exclusively on the Atkinson cycle to save fuel, augmented by a pair of electric motors and mated to an electronic continuously variable transmission. Lexus is no stranger to hybrids, buoyed by parent company Toyota's expertise, and the basic setup used by the NX 300h is a well-known quantity shared with the ES 300h.

2016 Lexus RX sharpens up for round four

Go back a couple of decades and no one would have heard of a luxury crossover. Most of the benefits of a luxury sedan and an SUV with few of the drawbacks? Unheard of. Then 1997 rolled around and two vehicles changed the face of the industry forever. One was the Mercedes M-Class. The other was the Lexus RX. And both have seen their successors unveiled at the New York Auto Show this week. The new Mercedes GLE that takes the place of the M-Class, we've already brought you from the floor of the Javitz Center. Now it's time for its Japanese rival. Now entering its fourth generation, the new RX is distinguished from its predecessors with a far more revolutionary design than that which separated the previous three: It's altogether more angular, more recognizable, more... Japanese – from the oversized spindle grille to the sharp taillights and at every pointy point in between. Of course it's not quite as edgy as its kid brother, the NX, but it has to appeal to a more conservative customer base. They'll get to choose once again between the RX 350 with conventional V6 and the RX 450h with its hybrid powertrain, both of which have been upgraded to produce 300 horsepower. The interior has likewise been updates as well, with more space and enhanced equipment. All of which ought to help the RX remain the top seller for Toyota's luxury division. Related Video: