PR: All-New Lexus CT 200h Hybrid Makes North American Debut 2010 NY Auto Show
03-22-10, 03:04 PM
#76
I'm aware of that. Personally I have nothing against artificial leather since it has more long-term advantages over real leather.
I'm just wondering how some of the "must-be-real-leather-or-bust" diehards here will react to this news, considering they have continually bashed premium cars with fake leather...
I'm just wondering how some of the "must-be-real-leather-or-bust" diehards here will react to this news, considering they have continually bashed premium cars with fake leather...
I'm not saying that I don't like it, if it is priced right it will be a worthy competitor. But I would never consider something like this for myself.
03-22-10, 03:35 PM
#78
I'm aware of that. Personally I have nothing against artificial leather since it has more long-term advantages over real leather.
I'm just wondering how some of the "must-be-real-leather-or-bust" diehards here will react to this news, considering they have continually bashed premium cars with fake leather...
I'm just wondering how some of the "must-be-real-leather-or-bust" diehards here will react to this news, considering they have continually bashed premium cars with fake leather...
CT200h will have either:
a. fake leather
b. real leather
BMW 1 series has cloth seats in europe on most of the cars sold... this is where big difference is. I have yet to see leather in any of 1 series i saw in real life, they are all cloth.
03-22-10, 03:40 PM
#79
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Lexus just announced CT200h for NA market, arriving early 2011.
One interesting bit was that in power mode, hybrid system went to 650v, from 500v in normal mode....
Another interesting first for Lexus here:
http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/l...um-155565.aspx
One interesting bit was that in power mode, hybrid system went to 650v, from 500v in normal mode....
Another interesting first for Lexus here:
http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/l...um-155565.aspx
I'm aware of that. Personally I have nothing against artificial leather since it has more long-term advantages over real leather.
I'm just wondering how some of the "must-be-real-leather-or-bust" diehards here will react to this news, considering they have continually bashed premium cars with fake leather...
I'm just wondering how some of the "must-be-real-leather-or-bust" diehards here will react to this news, considering they have continually bashed premium cars with fake leather...
The leatherette is not a surprise for a premium hatch but if I do end up with a CT, it'll have real cow in it I guess you could say I'm one of these "real-or-bust" diehards. If you're interested in my opinion, I don't really care, to me the CT200h isn't really a premium car.
I'm not saying that I don't like it, if it is priced right it will be a worthy competitor. But I would never consider something like this for myself.
I'm not saying that I don't like it, if it is priced right it will be a worthy competitor. But I would never consider something like this for myself.
Anyway my personal preference is leather but most people DON'T CARE. Most BMWs/Mercedes/Audis running around have pleather (MBTex leatherette etc etc) in them.
03-22-10, 03:41 PM
#80
Lexus officially confirms CT 200h for U.S. market
Lexus officially confirms CT 200h for U.S. market
Earlier this month at the Geneva Motor Show, Lexus pulled the covers off its new CT 200h hybrid hatchback for the very first time. At the show, representatives for Toyota's luxury brand assured us that there would be "a near-simultaneous global launch a year from now. In their own words, the United States and Japan will receive the CT 200h, even if it was developed as an euro-centric model. First deliveries should begin in Q1 2011."
Turns out they were right. Today, Lexus has officially confirmed that it will indeed offer the premium hatchback in the States, and the CT 200h will make its North American debut next month at the New York Auto Show. This car will join the HS 250h as the brand's second dedicated hybrid model, and Lexus is keen to point out that the CT will be the only dedicated hybrid in its class of small, premium hatchbacks.
Lexus tells us that the CT 200h will boast a 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder gas engine with Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) mated up with twin electric motor/generators and a CVT automatic transmission powering the front wheels. Though official EPA mileage numbers aren't yet available, the automaker expects its baby to be at the head of its class in efficiency.
Four drive-modes will be selectable from the cockpit: Normal, Eco, Sport and EV. Eco mode will adjust air conditioning settings and the throttle for the best possible fuel economy while Sport tightens up the steering, sets the stability and traction control at less obtrusive settings and provides 150 more volts of power from the electric motors. EV mode will allow the car to travel up to one mile on electric power alone under certain circumstances.
Want to know more? There's plenty of information in the exhaustive press release after the break, and be sure to check out our high-res image gallery below.
Earlier this month at the Geneva Motor Show, Lexus pulled the covers off its new CT 200h hybrid hatchback for the very first time. At the show, representatives for Toyota's luxury brand assured us that there would be "a near-simultaneous global launch a year from now. In their own words, the United States and Japan will receive the CT 200h, even if it was developed as an euro-centric model. First deliveries should begin in Q1 2011."
Turns out they were right. Today, Lexus has officially confirmed that it will indeed offer the premium hatchback in the States, and the CT 200h will make its North American debut next month at the New York Auto Show. This car will join the HS 250h as the brand's second dedicated hybrid model, and Lexus is keen to point out that the CT will be the only dedicated hybrid in its class of small, premium hatchbacks.
Lexus tells us that the CT 200h will boast a 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder gas engine with Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) mated up with twin electric motor/generators and a CVT automatic transmission powering the front wheels. Though official EPA mileage numbers aren't yet available, the automaker expects its baby to be at the head of its class in efficiency.
Four drive-modes will be selectable from the cockpit: Normal, Eco, Sport and EV. Eco mode will adjust air conditioning settings and the throttle for the best possible fuel economy while Sport tightens up the steering, sets the stability and traction control at less obtrusive settings and provides 150 more volts of power from the electric motors. EV mode will allow the car to travel up to one mile on electric power alone under certain circumstances.
Want to know more? There's plenty of information in the exhaustive press release after the break, and be sure to check out our high-res image gallery below.
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/22/l...or-u-s-market/
Last edited by Hoovey689; 03-22-10 at 04:14 PM.
03-22-10, 03:43 PM
#81
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I eagerly await the CT-200h launch in Europe. I'd love to get my hands on one for a testdrive and then compare it to the BMW 1 series I currently drive. 
The problem is, I've not seen a Lexus here in Stuttgart in months! The Lexus dealership here must have a really hard time since this is Porsche/Mercedes territory. A few months ago I was in central Munich on that infamous shopping street where the rich and famous go - not a single Lexus in sight.
Regarding leatherette, I feel that it looks just as high quality, upscale and premium as real leather. And, most importantly, it lasts longer and is easier to clean, too.
The problem is, I've not seen a Lexus here in Stuttgart in months! The Lexus dealership here must have a really hard time since this is Porsche/Mercedes territory. A few months ago I was in central Munich on that infamous shopping street where the rich and famous go - not a single Lexus in sight.
Regarding leatherette, I feel that it looks just as high quality, upscale and premium as real leather. And, most importantly, it lasts longer and is easier to clean, too.
03-22-10, 03:45 PM
#82
I eagerly await the CT-200h launch in Europe. I'd love to get my hands on one for a testdrive and then compare it to the BMW 1 series I currently drive.
The problem is, I've not seen a Lexus here in Stuttgart in months! The Lexus dealership here must have a really hard time since this is Porsche/Mercedes territory. A few months ago I was in central Munich on that infamous shopping street where the rich and famous go - not a single Lexus in sight.
Regarding leatherette, I feel that it looks just as high quality, upscale and premium as real leather. And, most importantly, it lasts longer and is easier to clean, too.
The problem is, I've not seen a Lexus here in Stuttgart in months! The Lexus dealership here must have a really hard time since this is Porsche/Mercedes territory. A few months ago I was in central Munich on that infamous shopping street where the rich and famous go - not a single Lexus in sight.
Regarding leatherette, I feel that it looks just as high quality, upscale and premium as real leather. And, most importantly, it lasts longer and is easier to clean, too.
last year lexus sold something really small - like 28k cars in europe. Toyota sold almost a million.
I mean best selling lexus is $100k RX450h, which tells you all you need to know ;-).
03-22-10, 03:46 PM
#83
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The CT's options will probably vary per market with some markets getting cloth as the base trim option and others getting "NuLuxe".
A leatherette option is definitely a first for Lexus in the US...
03-22-10, 03:52 PM
#84
I wouldn't be surprised if this "NuLuxe" stuff makes its way across the Lexus lineup even here in the US. Lexus is becoming more and more like the Germans, which isn't neccessarily a bad thing, but the prices are certainly creeping up.
Anyway my personal preference is leather but most people DON'T CARE. Most BMWs/Mercedes/Audis running around have pleather (MBTex leatherette etc etc) in them.
Anyway my personal preference is leather but most people DON'T CARE. Most BMWs/Mercedes/Audis running around have pleather (MBTex leatherette etc etc) in them.
so to get leather in Toyota, you have to pay 3.5k USD, which is really expensive. And Lexus leather is usually even more expensive.
what seems to happening here is that NuLuxe will replace cloth on premium models and Lexus's, and japanese never had luxurious looking cloth.
03-22-10, 04:01 PM
#85
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not so sure about that... problem in europe for toyota (and lexus) is that due to fake leather, germans have much cheaper leather options than toyota and lexus.
so to get leather in Toyota, you have to pay 3.5k USD, which is really expensive. And Lexus leather is usually even more expensive.
what seems to happening here is that NuLuxe will replace cloth on premium models and Lexus's, and japanese never had luxurious looking cloth.
so to get leather in Toyota, you have to pay 3.5k USD, which is really expensive. And Lexus leather is usually even more expensive.
what seems to happening here is that NuLuxe will replace cloth on premium models and Lexus's, and japanese never had luxurious looking cloth.
I agree. I believe that NuLuxe will replace leather as the standard base trim on Lexus's across the board, and I believe this could happen even in the US. It'll make Lexus's cheaper in Europe, but Lexus with leather will probably end up being more expensive here in the US, because the leather option will probably cost $2K USD.
03-22-10, 04:03 PM
#86
there might be cloth option for the price sheet ;-). But those models have to be special ordered, if possible at all.
On the other hand with 1 series and rest of the europeans, there is always: cloth, cloth with fake/real leather inserts, fake/real leather... So Lexus is there always at disadvantage.
03-22-10, 04:04 PM
#87
What are you not sure about? We said almost the same thing
I agree. I believe that NuLuxe will replace leather as the standard base trim on Lexus's across the board, and I believe this could happen even in the US. It'll make Lexus's cheaper in Europe, but Lexus with leather will probably end up being more expensive here in the US, because the leather option will probably cost $2K USD.
I agree. I believe that NuLuxe will replace leather as the standard base trim on Lexus's across the board, and I believe this could happen even in the US. It'll make Lexus's cheaper in Europe, but Lexus with leather will probably end up being more expensive here in the US, because the leather option will probably cost $2K USD.
03-22-10, 04:18 PM
#88
p.s. keep in mind there is an issue of taxation and customs in europe, as well as high yen.
RX450h for instance costs 100k Euros in Croatia. 70k Euros in Germany.
That price premium is also valid for all the options. Where leather is 2k here, it is 3.5k in Europe. Mark Levinson 2k here, 4k in Europe, etc, etc. So base Lexus costs as much as mid-level german car. They have to "fix" that.
RX450h for instance costs 100k Euros in Croatia. 70k Euros in Germany.
That price premium is also valid for all the options. Where leather is 2k here, it is 3.5k in Europe. Mark Levinson 2k here, 4k in Europe, etc, etc. So base Lexus costs as much as mid-level german car. They have to "fix" that.
03-22-10, 04:26 PM
#89
But i am more interested in 500v vs 650v in power mode.
For Prius, they said maximum of 650v... but they dont specify that under pwr mode.
So it is quite possible that electric motors in CT200h will be up to 30% more powerful in PWR mode. Which is actually quite cool...
For Prius, they said maximum of 650v... but they dont specify that under pwr mode.
So it is quite possible that electric motors in CT200h will be up to 30% more powerful in PWR mode. Which is actually quite cool...
03-22-10, 04:29 PM
#90
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p.s. keep in mind there is an issue of taxation and customs in europe, as well as high yen.
RX450h for instance costs 100k Euros in Croatia. 70k Euros in Germany.
That price premium is also valid for all the options. Where leather is 2k here, it is 3.5k in Europe. Mark Levinson 2k here, 4k in Europe, etc, etc. So base Lexus costs as much as mid-level german car. They have to "fix" that.
RX450h for instance costs 100k Euros in Croatia. 70k Euros in Germany.
That price premium is also valid for all the options. Where leather is 2k here, it is 3.5k in Europe. Mark Levinson 2k here, 4k in Europe, etc, etc. So base Lexus costs as much as mid-level german car. They have to "fix" that.
Anyway I don't want to get this too far off topic