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Lexus LX J201 concept is part SUV, part 550-horsepower rally car

Lexus transformed the LX, its biggest SUV, into a supercharged off-roader that sends chills down the Ford F-150 Raptor's spine. Although it's only a concept, it will attempt to tame the desert during the 2020 Rebelle Rally. Based on the venerable Toyota Land Cruiser, the LX is a formidable off-roader even without any modifications. Many examples nonetheless end up decked out with aftermarket parts, and it's these go-anywhere rigs that inspired Lexus to create the J201. Its name comes from URJ201, which is the current LX's internal designation. Stylists started by chipping several slats off the SUV's sizeable spindle-shaped grille to accommodate a winch and a light bar that's safely tucked behind a protective cover. Other aftermarket parts installed on the J201 include a snorkel, a roof rack, running boards, and a metal rear bumper with a pair of swing-out racks that carry extra fuel and a spare tire. Users can access cargo stored on the roof via a ladder installed out back. When the going gets tough, off-roaders can count on skid plates, a lifted suspension, 17-inch wheels, and 33-inch General Grabber X3 tires to help them soldier on. There's also an onboard air compressor, which lets drivers fill up the tires (after crossing sand dunes, for example) even if they're nowhere near a power outlet.  Lexus pegs the J201's output at 550 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque thanks in part to a Magnusson supercharger, but it stopped short of revealing technical specifications. It might have added forced induction to the stock LX 570's 5.7-liter V8, which effortlessly delivers 383 horsepower and 403 pound-feet of torque in its standard configuration, or it might have replaced the eight-cylinder with another engine from its arsenal. Regardless, an automatic transmission channels the cavalry to the four wheels via upgraded differentials. It doesn't sound like the J201 will ever see the light that awaits at the end of a production line. It's based on a model that sells in extremely limited numbers (4,718 units found a home in 2019), and that's nearing the end of its lifecycle. This concept is not destined to spend the next few decades in a warehouse, however. Rachelle Croft and Taylor Pawley will enter the J201 in the 2020 edition of the Rebelle Rally, which starts this Thursday, October 8. Open exclusively to women, the event will take competitors through 2,000 miles of grueling terrain in California and Nevada. Related Video:

The greenest cars of 2024: Vehicles that use the least fuel and cost less to operate

All-electric vehicles may make headlines for environmental friendliness and fuel efficiency, but the “greenest” car in America in 2024 has a gasoline engine. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's annual GreenerCars ratings of the most environmentally friendly cars, the latest Toyota Prius Prime SE plug-in hybrid tops the list of greenest cars, although it's something of an anomaly, because battery-electric EVs follow it in spots two to five. Of the top 10 vehicles in the ratings, six are electric and four are hybrids: Rank Make & Model Powertrain Green Score MSRP Estimated Annual Fuel Cost* 1 Toyota Prius Prime SE PHEV 71 $32,975 $529 2 Lexus RZ 300e EV 67 $55,150 $651 3 Mini Cooper SE EV 67 $30,900 $747 4 Nissan Leaf EV 66 $28,140 $741 5 Toyota bZ4X EV 66 $43,070 $689 6 Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV 64 $43,690 $741 7 Hyundai Elantra Blue Gas Hybrid 64 $26,250 $864 8 Hyundai Kona Electric EV 63 $34,050 $695 9 Toyota Camry LE Gas Hybrid 63 $28,855 $907 10 Kia EV6 EV 63 $43,975 $689 11 Toyota Corolla Gas Hybrid 62 $23,500 $944 12 Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV 62 $41,650 $737 *ACEEE analysis using EIA data of annual cost—from gasoline, electricity, or a combination—of driving 15,000 miles The ACEEE also compiled two other vehicle rankings: the so-called “Greener Choices” and the “Meanest List.” The Greener Choices list includes a variety of high-scoring conventional vehicles, and the Meanest List identifies the worst-performing mass-market models. Finishing first in the “greener” list — which the organization says is about cars “available nationwide with among the lowest environmental impacts” — is the Honda Accord Hybrid. As far as the “worst-performing mass market” vehicle, that dubious distinction goes to the $184,000 Mercedes-Benz AMG G63. “ItÂ’s important for automakers to keep expanding affordable EV options rapidly so that the benefits of EVs are available to drivers across a wider spectrum of incomes as we transition away from cars that burn gasoline,” said Peter Huether, ACEEEÂ’s senior transportation research associate and lead researcher for the GreenerCars rankings. “For drivers whose needs are not met by todayÂ’s charging infrastructure, many efficient and affordable hybrid options are available.” Just over half the cars on the 2024 Greenest List start at under $35,000, including four EVs and three gas hybrids.

2024 Lexus GX and Land Rover Defender numbers crunched

The 2024 Lexus GX finally brings the luxury off-roader up-to-date. And it does so in a boxy, rugged wrapper that makes comparisons to the 2024 Land Rover Defender, another luxury off-roader of similar size and capability. So we figured, let's make that comparison. We've looked at all the specifications available for the two SUVs to see how they stack up. Engines and Transmissions The GX keeps things simple under the hood with a single powertrain. It has a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 hybrid making 340 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. That horsepower number only tops the Defender's four-cylinder engine, but the GX has the torque advantage even against the Defender's mighty V8 option. The GX's V6 is paired with a 10-speed automatic and full-time four-wheel drive. Full fuel economy numbers haven't been given, but Toyota is expecting 17 mpg combined. Unfortunately, that fuel economy is worse than all the Defender powertrains except the V8. As alluded to, the Defender is available with three main engines, an inline-four, inline-six and V8. The closest competitors to the GX will be the regular 110 four-door and the longer 130 four-door. The 110 can be had with the turbo 2.0L four-cylinder making 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque; the turbo mild-hybrid 3.0L six-cylinder making 395 horsepower and 405 pound-feet; or the supercharged 5.0L V8 making 518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet. The 130 gets two versions of the six-cylinder, one making 296 horsepower and 347 pound-feet and one making 395 horsepower and 405 pound-feet. The V8 is also available but just with 493 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. All of the engines get an eight-speed automatic and full-time four-wheel drive. The four-cylinder 110 gets 18 mpg combined, the six gets 20 and the V8 manages just 16. Both 130 six-cylinder powertrains return 19 mpg combined, and the V8 doesn't have numbers yet. Towing and Cargo Towing capacity is pretty straightforward. The Lexus has a maximum capacity of 8,000 pounds, and the Land Rover tops it by 200 pounds more. Some trim levels of both SUVs have lower towing capacity, depending on the configuration. As for cargo space, Lexus hasn't shared details. It is available with up to three rows of seating and room for seven passengers. The 110 has similar seating available, and the 130 ups the ante with a three-across third row. And we've found that the 130's third row is genuinely usable by adults.