flipside909

Looking around this coming August/September. I'm going to guess pricing will range from the low $30s to the low $40's with the fully loaded model.

flipside909

Since the engine in the HS250h is what is found in the Camry Hybrid, it is the first Lexus in the United States to have a 4 cylinder engine and Lexus Synergy Drive on top of that. Toyota Prius and the current Camry Hybrid have an atkinson cycle engine.

flipside909

Some HS250h pics to share with you guys for now...more to come.

Lexus Group VP and GM Mark Templin with the world press.


HS250h LED headlamps in action.


Chief Engineer Koba posing for the Lexus PR photo.

RXSF

lol. mark took off his glasses for the pictures

encore888

Nice 'action guy' pose for Mr. Templin and the HS 250h.

I do hope they tweak the front end of the HS to match the rest of the lineup better though.

flipside909

Here's a funny one...Chief Engineer Hiro Koba taking a picture of Chief Engineer Akihiko Otsuka (2010 Prius) just after the unveiling of the 2010 Prius, just 24 hours after the HS250 was released at the Riverview Ballroom.




Chief Engineer Otsuka being bombarded by the world press:




Toyota Group VP and GM (Former Group VP and GM of Lexus) Bob Carter and Chief Engineer Otsuka posing for the Toyota PR Photo:

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Thanks Ryan!

Any links with more pics?

flipside909

More to come soon.

Nextourer

Otsuka......

Nice pics! We also bombarded Otsuka with questions that evening.

Koma

iTrader: (3)

I still don't believe Lexus is tier 1 I'd say it's tier 1.5. Their line up just isn't expansive enough. Hardly any coupe options. No wagon options besides cross-over and SUVs. No roadsters, no super cars. More drivetrain options too. Get those on the list and they'll be the top dog in my mind. The HS250h doesn't really help them in the move to tier in my mind.

As for pricing, I think pricing it on par with the IS will make it the ES version of the IS. Sport sedans: IS<GS, luxury sedans: HS<ES.
Differences between the groupings is sport oriented versus plush luxury ride, hence the FWD configurations for the luxury sedans. It's a good business move, cross selling between the IS versus HS will be limited because of sport versus non-sport hybrid.

Something I don't quite understand is the naming scheme.
RX400h/RX450h: hybrid drive trains with combined output to be similar to 4.0/4.5l counterparts (V8s).
LS600h: like a 6.0l V12
HS250h: 2.4 4 cyl that's like a 2.5 V6? I really thought they were going to release the new Prius engine in this. I guess you could argue that the electric motors make it more V6 torquey versus 4 cyl gutlessness.

ffpowerLN

iTrader: (1)

Lexus is tier 1 period.

One can argue that Lexus lacks performance but hardly anyone will argue that Lexus lacks luxury. Lexus has all the key ingredients for a tier 1 luxury brand:

- A full sedan lineup including a range-topping flagship sedan.
- A full SUV/crossover lineup including the range-topping flagship LX570 which only the Range Rover can compete with it in terms of luxury + utility
- A halo flagship: LS600hL.
- Coupes/Convertibles: SC430 & the soon-to-go-on-sale ISX50C. Sure there are people who said the SC doesn't sell or drives like a boat but no one can argue that it isn't a luxury car.
- A full range of hybrid lineup including a midsize sedan (GS450h), midsize crossover (hybrid RX), a flagship sedan (LS600hL) and the soon-to-go-on-sale compact sedan (HS250h).
- An in-house tuning division (F). Sure it only has one model right now but the fact is that Lexus has it.

Lexus not tier one? I don't think so.

IS-SV

I agree, Lexus is tier 1. Based on my experience having owned other tier 1 luxury brands. Lexus hangs with them.

Koma

iTrader: (3)

Well in my mind they still don't quite compete in terms of options. And I don't mean interior/package/accessories.
I mean drivetrain options: transmissions, engines, drive type
The IS should get a 350 AWD model to compete with the 335xi (I see these all the time in Boston). A manual should be offered for sports sedans at all engine trims(at least for the IS model, the GS eh... not so many care as much)
I mean models:
No true GS coupe (SC430 is not the same as the SC3/400)
No true coupe period.
Wagon models (meh kinda a moot point but MB and BMW and Audi offer them)
Roadsters

I don't argue that Lexus is luxurious, I just believe luxury buyers should have more options. I'm not trying to knock on Lexus they're definitely competing with MB and BMW and I believe that Lexus is definitely above Audi but they just haven't achieved the top notch. I guess I should say that they are tier 1 but aren't the top player.

CDNROCKIES

That last point clarify's a lot. Your initial criteria seemed like you were suggesting that MB and BMW were the only Tier 1 brands.

I think it is important to keep in mind that Lexus is only 20 years old. The fact that they are trying to enter into segments like you have mentioned (ie. with cars like the HS, ISc, IS F, hopefully the LF A) demonstrates that they are aware of the need to expand their product line-up.

You are certainly correct that Lexus lacks competitive models to some of the German cars, but hopefully we will continue to see that change in the immediate future.

If Lexus is able to achieve broader competitiveness across entire line-ups, imo, they would have a great shot at being the number one Tier 1 brand.

SLegacy99

Their naming system is not consistent. The power of the HS 250h doesnt match that of the IS 250. Even if they didn't have the new 2.5L available at the time, the 2.5L H4 from Subaru would have made this car more powerful and more efficient.

So my question becomes, when this car does get the 2.5L I4, will they rename it to the IS 270, or something like it?