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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.

Lexus teases Frankfurt Motor Show concept... is it the RC Coupe?

With the teaser image of the concept car above and the announcement that Lexus will be premiering it to the world at the Frankfurt Motor Show on Tuesday, September 10, you know pretty much what we know. The Japanese luxury brand has decided to to say nothing more. Picture sleuthers have, however, suggested that it is a conceptual preview of either the RC Coupe or the hotter RC-F that will be revealed in Tokyo, or, less likely, the coming NX crossover - and that covers all the bases that we know of.
Along with that, Europeans will get to lay eyes on the GS 300h for the first time, the sport sedan powered by Lexus' 2.5L hybrid powertrain. You'll find a skosh more information in the press release below.

Sell your own: 2003 Lexus SC 430

This is part of an occasional look at what's for sale on Autoblog. Looking to sell your car? We make it easy and free. Quickly create listings with up to six photos and reach millions of buyers. Log in and create your free listings. At the Lexus SC 430 preview - in the spring of 2000 - the disappointment among automotive journalists was palpable. Lexus had taken the truly captivating design of the first-generation SC and essentially disregarded it, replacing the earlier architecture with one drawn by Toyota's team in Europe. The contrast wasn't as strong (or dysfunctional) as when the Jag E-Type morphed into the most unfortunate XJ-S in 1976, but it was close. Some seven years after production of the SC 430 ended, however, a coupe/convertible prospect has the benefit of both hindsight and nostalgia. Lines that once looked almost awkward when juxtaposed against the first SC are softened by time. And while the SC 430's retractable roof wasn't the first execution of a coupe/convertible hardtop, you can assume it works more predictably than its German counterparts. While purportedly seating four, this is a tight 2+2. But with V8 power and a 3,800 pound curb weight, the SC 430 is a substantive, comfortable way of propelling yourself down the road; think of it as a Miata for those wearing 'plus' sizes. This for-sale example, with 165,000 miles, is well-used, and its $9K asking price is at the top of the dealer range. But if you like its color and equipment, a well-maintained Lexus should - and could - give you another 100,000 miles of reliable service. Related Video: